desperate remedies-第61节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hotel　had　not　yet　gone　to　bed　on　account　of　the　mystery　on　the　first
floor；　which　was　an　occurrence　unusual　in　the　quiet　family　lodging。
Owen　looked　over　the　banisters；　and　saw　him　standing　in　the　hall。
It　struck　Graye　that　the　wisest　course　would　be　to　take　the　landlord
to　a　certain　extent　into　their　confidence；　appeal　to　his　honour　as　a
gentleman；　and　so　on；　in　order　to　acquire　the　information　he　wanted；
and　also　to　prevent　the　episode　of　the　evening　from　becoming　a
public　piece　of　news。　　He　called　the　landlord　up　to　where　they
stood；　and　told　him　the　main　facts　of　the　story。

The　landlord　was　fortunately　a　quiet；　prejudiced　man；　and　a
meditative　smoker。

'I　know　the　very　man　you　want　to　seethe　very　man；'　he　said；
looking　at　the　general　features　of　the　candle…flame。　　'Sharp　as　a
needle；　and　not　over…rich。　　Timms　will　put　you　all　straight　in　no
timetrust　Timms　for　that。'

'He's　in　bed　by　this　time　for　certain；'　said　Owen。

'Never　mind　thatTimms　knows　me；　I　know　him。　　He'll　oblige　me　as　a
personal　favour。　　Wait　here　a　bit。　　Perhaps；　too；　he's　up　at　some
party　or　anotherhe's　a　nice；　jovial　fellow；　sharp　as　a　needle；
too；　mind　you；　sharp　as　a　needle；　too。'

He　went　downstairs；　put　on　his　overcoat；　and　left　the　house；　the
three　persons　most　concerned　entering　the　room；　and　standing
motionless；　awkward；　and　silent　in　the　midst　of　it。　　Cytherea
pictured　to　herself　the　long　weary　minutes　she　would　have　to　stand
there；　whilst　a　sleepy　man　could　be　prepared　for　consultation；　till
the　constraint　between　them　seemed　unendurable　to　hershe　could
never　last　out　the　time。　　Owen　was　annoyed　that　Manston　had　not
quietly　arranged　with　him　at　once；　Manston　at　Owen's　homeliness　of
idea　in　proposing　to　send　for　an　attorney；　as　if　he　would　be　a
touchstone　of　infallible　proof。

Reflection　was　cut　short　by　the　approach　of　footsteps；　and　in　a　few
moments　the　proprietor　of　the　hotel　entered；　introducing　his　friend。
'Mr。　Timms　has　not　been　in　bed；'　he　said；　'he　had　just　returned　from
dining　with　a　few　friends；　so　there's　no　trouble　given。　　To　save
time　I　explained　the　matter　as　we　came　along。'

It　occurred　to　Owen　and　Manston　both　that　they　might　get　a　misty
exposition　of　the　law　from　Mr。　Timms　at　that　moment　of　concluding
dinner　with　a　few　friends。

'As　far　as　I　can　see；'　said　the　lawyer；　yawning；　and　turning　his
vision　inward　by　main　force；　'it　is　quite　a　matter　for　private
arrangement　between　the　parties；　whoever　the　parties　areat　least
at　present。　　I　speak　more　as　a　father　than　as　a　lawyer；　it　is　true；
but；　let　the　young　lady　stay　with　her　father；　or　guardian；　safe　out
of　shame's　way；　until　the　mystery　is　sifted；　whatever　the　mystery
is。　　Should　the　evidence　prove　to　be　false；　or　trumped　up　by　anybody
to　get　her　away　from　you；　her　husband；　you　may　sue　them　for　the
damages　accruing　from　the　delay。'

'Yes；　yes；'　said　Manston；　who　had　completely　recovered　his　self…
possession　and　common…sense；　'let　it　all　be　settled　by　herself。'
Turning　to　Cytherea　he　whispered　so　softly　that　Owen　did　not　hear
the　words

'Do　you　wish　to　go　back　with　your　brother；　dearest；　and　leave　me
here　miserable；　and　lonely；　or　will　you　stay　with　me；　your　own
husband。'

'I'll　go　back　with　Owen。'

'Very　well。'　　He　relinquished　his　coaxing　tone；　and　went　on　sternly：
'And　remember　this；　Cytherea；　I　am　as　innocent　of　deception　in　this
thing　as　you　are　yourself。　　Do　you　believe　me？'

'I　do；'　she　said。

'I　had　no　shadow　of　suspicion　that　my　first　wife　lived。　　I　don't
think　she　does　even　now。　　Do　you　believe　me？'

'I　believe　you；'　she　said。

'And　now；　good…evening；'　he　continued；　opening　the　door　and　politely
intimating　to　the　three　men　standing　by　that　there　was　no　further
necessity　for　their　remaining　in　his　room。　　'In　three　days　I　shall
claim　her。'

The　lawyer　and　the　hotel…keeper　retired　first。　　Owen；　gathering　up
as　much　of　his　sister's　clothing　as　lay　about　the　room；　took　her
upon　his　arm；　and　followed　them。　　Edward；　to　whom　she　owed
everything；　who　had　been　left　standing　in　the　street　like　a　dog
without　a　home；　was　utterly　forgotten。　　Owen　paid　the　landlord　and
the　lawyer　for　the　trouble　he　had　occasioned　them；　looked　to　the
packing；　and　went　to　the　door。

A　fly；　which　somewhat　unaccountably　was　seen　lingering　in　front　of
the　house；　was　called　up；　and　Cytherea's　luggage　put　upon　it。

'Do　you　know　of　any　hotel　near　the　station　that　is　open　for　night
arrivals？'　Owen　inquired　of　the　driver。

'A　place　has　been　bespoke　for　you；　sir；　at　the　White　Unicornand
the　gentleman　wished　me　to　give　you　this。'

'Bespoken　by　Springrove；　who　ordered　the　fly；　of　course；'　said　Owen
to　himself。　　By　the　light　of　the　street…lamp　he　read　these　lines；
hurriedly　traced　in　pencil：

'I　have　gone　home　by　the　mail…train。　　It　is　better　for　all　parties
that　I　should　be　out　of　the　way。　　Tell　Cytherea　that　I　apologize　for
having　caused　her　such　unnecessary　pain；　as　it　seems　I　didbut　it
cannot　be　helped　now。　　　E。S。'

Owen　handed　his　sister　into　the　vehicle；　and　told　the　flyman　to
drive　on。

'Poor　SpringroveI　think　we　have　served　him　rather　badly；'　he　said
to　Cytherea；　repeating　the　words　of　the　note　to　her。

A　thrill　of　pleasure　passed　through　her　bosom　as　she　listened　to
them。　　They　were　the　genuine　reproach　of　a　lover　to　his　mistress；
the　trifling　coldness　of　her　answer　to　him　would　have　been　noticed
by　no　man　who　was　only　a　friend。　　But；　in　entertaining　that　sweet
thought；　she　had　forgotten　herself；　and　her　position　for　the
instant。

Was　she　still　Manston's　wifethat　was　the　terrible　supposition；　and
her　future　seemed　still　a　possible　misery　to　her。　　For；　on　account
of　the　late　jarring　accident；　a　life　with　Manston　which　would
otherwise　have　been　only　a　sadness；　must　become　a　burden　of
unutterable　sorrow。

Then　she　thought　of　the　misrepresentation　and　scandal　that　would
ensue　if　she　were　no　wife。　　One　cause　for　thankfulness　accompanied
the　reflection；　Edward　knew　the　truth。

They　soon　reached　the　quiet　old　inn；　which　had　been　selected　for
them　by　the　forethought　of　the　man　who　loved　her　well。　　Here　they
installed　themselves　for　the　night；　arranging　to　go　to　Budmouth　by
the　first　train　the　next　day。

At　this　hour　Edward　Springrove　was　fast　approaching　his　native
county　on　the　wheels　of　the　night…mail。



XIV。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　FIVE　WEEKS

1。　　FROM　THE　SIXTH　TO　THE　THIRTEENTH　OF　JANUARY

Manston　had　evidently　resolved　to　do　nothing　in　a　hurry。

This　much　was　plain；　that　his　earnest　desire　and　intention　was　to
raise　in　Cytherea's　bosom　no　feelings　of　permanent　aversion　to　him。
The　instant　after　the　first　burst　of　disappointment　had　escaped　him
in　the　hotel　at　Southampton；　he　had　seen　how　far　better　it　would　be
to　lose　her　presence　for　a　week　than　her　respect　for　ever。

'She　shall　be　mine；　I　will　claim　the　young　thing　yet；'　he　insisted。
And　then　he　seemed　to　reason　over　methods　for　compassing　that
object；　which；　to　all　those　who　were　in　any　degree　acquainted　with
the　recent　event；　appeared　the　least　likely　of　possible
contingencies。

He　returned　to　Knapwater　late　the　next　day；　and　was　preparing　to
call　on　Miss　Aldclyffe；　when　the　conclusion　forced　itself　upon　him
that　nothing　would　be　gained　by　such　a　step。　　No；　every　action　of
his　should　be　done　openlyeven　religiously。　　At　least；　he　called　on
the　rector；　and　stated　this　to　be　his　resolve。

'Certainly；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　'it　is　best　to　proceed　candidly　and
fairly；　or　undue　suspicion　may　fall　on　you。　　You　should；　in　my
opinion；　take　active　steps　at　once。'

'I　will　do　the　utmost　that　lies　in　my　power　to　clear　up　the　mystery；
and　silence　the　hubbub　of　gossip　that　has　been　set　going　about　me。
But　what　can　I　do？　　They　say　that　the　man　who　comes　first　in　the
chain　of　inquiry　is　not　to　be　foundI　mean　the　porter。'

'I　am　sorry　to　say　that　he　is　not。　　When　I　returned　from　the　station
last　night；　after　seeing　Owen　Graye　off；　I　went　again　to　the　cottage
where　he　has　been　lodging；　to　get　more　intelligence；　as　I　thought。
He　was　not　there。　　He　had　gone　out　at　dusk；　saying　he　would　be　back
soon。　　But　he　has　not　come　back　yet。'

'I　rather　doubt　if　we　shall　see　him　again。'

'Had　I　known　of　this；　I　would　have　done　what　in　my　flurry　I　did　not
think　of　doingset　a　watch　upon　him。　　But　why　not　advertise　for
your　missing　wife　as　a　preliminary；　consulting　your　solicitor　in　the
meantime？'

'Advertise。　　I'll　think　about　it；'　said　Manston；　lingering　on　the
word　as　he　pronounced　it。　　'Yes；　that　seems　a　right　thingquite　a
right　thing。'

He　went　home　and　remained　moodily　indoors　all　the　next　day　and　the
nextfor　nearly　a　week；　in　short。　　Then；　one　evening　at　dusk；　he
went　out　with　an　uncertain　air　as　to　the　direction　of　his　walk；
which　resulted；　however；　in　leading　him　again　to　the　rectory。

He　saw　Mr。　Raunham。　　'Have　you　done　anything　yet？'　the　rector
inquired。

'NoI　have　not；'　said　Manston　absently。　　'But　I　am　going　to　set
about　it。'　　He　hesitated；　as　if　ashamed　of　some　weakness　he　was
about　to　betray。　　'My　object　in　calling　was　to　ask　if　you　had　heard
any　tidings　from　Budmouth　of　myCytherea。　　You　used　to　speak　of　her
as　one　you　were　interested　in。'

There　was；　at　any　rate；　real　sadness　in　Manston's　tone　now；