desperate remedies-第59节

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rector　had　been　of　the　truth　of　the　man's　story；　and　paced　backward
and　forward　the　solitary　compartment　as　the　train　wound　through　the
dark　heathery　plains；　the　mazy　woods；　and　moaning　coppices；　as
resolved　as　ever　to　pounce　on　Manston；　and　charge　him　with　the　crime
during　the　critical　interval　between　the　reception　of　the　telegram
and　the　hour　at　which　Owen's　train　would　arrivetrusting　to
circumstances　for　what　he　should　say　and　do　afterwards；　but　making
up　his　mind　to　be　a　ready　second　to　Owen　in　any　emergency　that　might
arise。

At　thirty…three　minutes　past　seven　he　stood　on　the　platform　of　the
station　at　Southamptona　clear　hour　before　the　train　containing
Owen　could　possibly　arrive。

Making　a　few　inquiries　here；　but　too　impatient　to　pursue　his
investigation　carefully　and　inductively；　he　went　into　the　town。

At　the　expiration　of　another　half…hour　he　had　visited　seven　hotels
and　inns；　large　and　small；　asking　the　same　questions　at　each；　and
always　receiving　the　same　replynobody　of　that　name；　or　answering
to　that　description；　had　been　there。　　A　boy　from　the　telegraph…
office　had　called；　asking　for　the　same　persons；　if　they　recollected
rightly。

He　reflected　awhile；　struck　again　by　a　painful　thought　that　they
might　possibly　have　decided　to　cross　the　Channel　by　the　night…boat。
Then　he　hastened　off　to　another　quarter　of　the　town　to　pursue　his
inquiries　among　hotels　of　the　more　old…fashioned　and　quiet　class。
His　stained　and　weary　appearance　obtained　for　him　but　a　modicum　of
civility；　wherever　he　went；　which　made　his　task　yet　more　difficult。
He　called　at　three　several　houses　in　this　neighbourhood；　with　the
same　result　as　before。　　He　entered　the　door　of　the　fourth　house
whilst　the　clock　of　the　nearest　church　was　striking　eight。

'Have　a　tall　gentleman　named　Manston；　and　a　young　wife　arrived　here
this　evening？'　he　asked　again；　in　words　which　had　grown　odd　to　his
ears　from　very　familiarity。

'A　new…married　couple；　did　you　say？'

'They　are；　though　I　didn't　say　so。'

'They　have　taken　a　sitting…room　and　bedroom；　number　thirteen。'

'Are　they　indoors？'

'I　don't　know。　　Eliza！'

'Yes；　m'm。'

'See　if　number　thirteen　is　inthat　gentleman　and　his　wife。'

'Yes；　m'm。'

'Has　any　telegram　come　for　them？'　said　Edward；　when　the　maid　had
gone　on　her　errand。

'Nonothing　that　I　know　of。'

'Somebody　did　come　and　ask　if　a　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Masters；　or　some　such
name；　were　here　this　evening；'　said　another　voice　from　the　back　of
the　bar…parlour。

'And　did　they　get　the　message？'

'Of　course　they　did　notthey　were　not　herethey　didn't　come　till
half…an…hour　after　that。　　The　man　who　made　inquiries　left　no
message。　　I　told　them　when　they　came　that　they；　or　a　name　something
like　theirs；　had　been　asked　for；　but　they　didn't　seem　to　understand
why　it　should　be；　and　so　the　matter　dropped。'

The　chambermaid　came　back。　　'The　gentleman　is　not　in；　but　the　lady
is。　　Who　shall　I　say？'

'Nobody；'　said　Edward。　　For　it　now　became　necessary　to　reflect　upon
his　method　of　proceeding。　　His　object　in　finding　their　whereabouts
apart　from　the　wish　to　assist　Owenhad　been　to　see　Manston；　ask　him
flatly　for　an　explanation；　and　confirm　the　request　of　the　message　in
the　presence　of　Cythereaso　as　to　prevent　the　possibility　of　the
steward's　palming　off　a　story　upon　Cytherea；　or　eluding　her　brother
when　he　came。　　But　here　were　two　important　modifications　of　the
expected　condition　of　affairs。　　The　telegram　had　not　been　received；
and　Cytherea　was　in　the　house　alone。

He　hesitated　as　to　the　propriety　of　intruding　upon　her　in　Manston's
absence。　　Besides；　the　women　at　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　would　see
himhis　intrusion　would　seem　oddand　Manston　might　return　at　any
moment。　　He　certainly　might　call；　and　wait　for　Manston　with　the
accusation　upon　his　tongue；　as　he　had　intended。　　But　it　was　a
doubtful　course。　　That　idea　had　been　based　upon　the　assumption　that
Cytherea　was　not　married。　　If　the　first　wife　were　really　dead　after
alland　he　felt　sick　at　the　thoughtCytherea　as　the　steward's　wife
might　in　after…yearsperhaps；　at　oncebe　subjected　to　indignity
and　cruelty　on　account　of　an　old　lover's　interference　now。

Yes；　perhaps　the　announcement　would　come　most　properly　and　safely
for　her　from　her　brother　Owen；　the　time　of　whose　arrival　had　almost
expired。

But；　on　turning　round；　he　saw　that　the　staircase　and　passage　were
quite　deserted。　　He　and　his　errand　had　as　completely　died　from　the
minds　of　the　attendants　as　if　they　had　never　been。　　There　was
absolutely　nothing　between　him　and　Cytherea's　presence。　　Reason　was
powerless　now；　he　must　see　herright　or　wrong；　fair　or　unfair　to
Manstonoffensive　to　her　brother　or　no。　　His　lips　must　be　the　first
to　tell　the　alarming　story　to　her。　　Who　loved　her　as　he！　　He　went
back　lightly　through　the　hall；　up　the　stairs；　two　at　a　time；　and
followed　the　corridor　till　he　came　to　the　door　numbered　thirteen。

He　knocked　softly：　　nobody　answered。

There　was　no　time　to　lose　if　he　would　speak　to　Cytherea　before
Manston　came。　　He　turned　the　handle　of　the　door　and　looked　in。　　The
lamp　on　the　table　burned　low；　and　showed　writing　materials　open
beside　it；　the　chief　light　came　from　the　fire；　the　direct　rays　of
which　were　obscured　by　a　sweet　familiar　outline　of　head　and
shouldersstill　as　precious　to　him　as　ever。

7。　　A　QUARTER…PAST　EIGHT　O'CLOCK　P。M。

There　is　an　attitudeapproximatively　called　pensivein　which　the
soul　of　a　human　being；　and　especially　of　a　woman；　dominates
outwardly　and　expresses　its　presence　so　strongly；　that　the
intangible　essence　seems　more　apparent　than　the　body　itself。　　This
was　Cytherea's　expression　now。　　What　old　days　and　sunny　eves　at
Budmouth　Bay　was　she　picturing？　　Her　reverie　had　caused　her　not　to
notice　his　knock。

'Cytherea！'　he　said　softly。

She　let　drop　her　hand；　and　turned　her　head；　evidently　thinking　that
her　visitor　could　be　no　other　than　Manston；　yet　puzzled　at　the
voice。

There　was　no　preface　on　Springrove's　tongue；　he　forgot　his　position…
…hersthat　he　had　come　to　ask　quietly　if　Manston　had　other　proofs
of　being　a　widowereverythingand　jumped　to　a　conclusion。

'You　are　not　his　wife；　Cythereacome　away；　he　has　a　wife　living！'
he　cried　in　an　agitated　whisper。　　'Owen　will　be　here　directly。'

She　started　up；　recognized　the　tidings　first；　the　bearer　of　them
afterwards。　　'Not　his　wife？　　O；　what　is　itwhatwho　is　living？'
She　awoke　by　degrees。　　'What　must　I　do？　　Edward；　it　is　you！　　Why　did
you　come？　　Where　is　Owen？'

'What　has　Manston　shown　you　in　proof　of　the　death　of　his　other　wife？
Tell　me　quick。'

'Nothingwe　have　never　spoken　of　the　subject。　　Where　is　my　brother
Owen？　　I　want　him；　I　want　him！'

'He　is　coming　by…and…by。　　Come　to　the　station　to　meet　himdo；'
implored　Springrove。　　'If　Mr。　Manston　comes；　he　will　keep　you　from
me：　　I　am　nobody；'　he　added　bitterly；　feeling　the　reproach　her　words
had　faintly　shadowed　forth。

'Mr。　Manston　is　only　gone　out　to　post　a　letter　he　has　just　written；'
she　said；　and　without　being　distinctly　cognizant　of　the　action；　she
wildly　looked　for　her　bonnet　and　cloak；　and　began　putting　them　on；
but　in　the　act　of　fastening　them　uttered　a　spasmodic　cry。

'No；　I'll　not　go　out　with　you；'　she　said；　flinging　the　articles　down
again。　　Running　to　the　door　she　flitted　along　the　passage；　and
downstairs。

'Give　me　a　private　roomquite　private；'　she　said　breathlessly　to
some　one　below。

'Number　twelve　is　a　single　room；　madam；　and　unoccupied；'　said　some
tongue　in　astonishment。

Without　waiting　for　any　person　to　show　her　into　it；　Cytherea　hurried
upstairs　again；　brushed　through　the　corridor；　entered　the　room
specified；　and　closed　the　door。　　Edward　heard　her　sob　out

'Nobody　but　Owen　shall　speak　to　menobody！'

'He　will　be　here　directly；'　said　Springrove；　close　against　the
panel；　and　then　went　towards　the　stairs。　　He　had　seen　her；　it　was
enough。

He　descended；　stepped　into　the　street；　and　hastened　to　meet　Owen　at
the　railway…station。

As　for　the　poor　maiden　who　had　received　the　news；　she　knew　not　what
to　think。　　She　listened　till　the　echo　of　Edward's　footsteps　had　died
away；　then　bowed　her　face　upon　the　bed。　　Her　sudden　impulse　had　been
to　escape　from　sight。　　Her　weariness　after　the　unwonted　strain；
mental　and　bodily；　which　had　been　put　upon　her　by　the　scenes　she　had
passed　through　during　the　long　day；　rendered　her　much　more　timid　and
shaken　by　her　position　than　she　would　naturally　have　been。　　She
thought　and　thought　of　that　single　fact　which　had　been　told　her
that　the　first　Mrs。　Manston　was　still　livingtill　her　brain　seemed
ready　to　burst　its　confinement　with　excess　of　throbbing。　　It　was
only　natural　that　she　should；　by　degrees；　be　unable　to　separate　the
discovery；　which　was　matter　of　fact；　from　the　suspicion　of　treachery
on　her　husband's　part；　which　was　only　matter　of　inference。　　And　thus
there　arose　in　her　a　personal　fear　of　him。

'Suppose　he　should　come　in　now　and　seize　me！'　　This　at　first　mere
frenzied　supposition　grew　by　degrees　to　a　definite　horror　of　his
presence；　and　especially　of　his　intense　gaze。　　Thus　she　raised
herself　to　a　heat　of　excitement；　which　was　none　the　less　real　for
being　vented　in　no　cry　of　any　kind。　　No；　she　could　not　meet
Manston's　eye　alone；　s