desperate remedies-第85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！


The　corner　of　the　cloth　had　blown　aside。

'Yes；　for　a　very　poor　man。　　Well；　death's　all　the　less　insult　to
him。　　I　have　often　thought　how　much　smaller　the　richer　class　are
made　to　look　than　the　poor　at　last　pinches　like　this。　　Perhaps　the
greatest　of　all　the　reconcilers　of　a　thoughtful　man　to　povertyand
I　speak　from　experienceis　the　grand　quiet　it　fills　him　with　when
the　uncertainty　of　his　life　shows　itself　more　than　usual。'

As　Springrove　finished　speaking；　the　bearers　of　the　coffin　went
across　a　gravelled　square　facing　the　two　men　and　approached　a　grim
and　heavy　archway。　　They　paused　beneath　it；　rang　a　bell；　and　waited。

Over　the　archway　was　written　in　Egyptian　capitals；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'COUNTY　GAOL。'

The　small　rectangular　wicket；　which　was　constructed　in　one　of　the
two　iron…studded　doors；　was　opened　from　the　inside。　　The　men
severally　stepped　over　the　threshold；　the　coffin　dragged　its
melancholy　length　through　the　aperture；　and　both　entered　the　court；
and　were　covered　from　sight。

'Somebody　in　the　gaol；　then？'

'Yes；　one　of　the　prisoners；'　said　a　boy；　scudding　by　at　the　moment；
who　passed　on　whistling。

'Do　you　know　the　name　of　the　man　who　is　dead？'　inquired　Baker　of　a
third　bystander。

'Yes；　'tis　all　over　townsurely　you　know；　Mr。　Springrove？　　Why；
Manston；　Miss　Aldclyffe's　steward。　　He　was　found　dead　the　first
thing　this　morning。　　He　had　hung　himself　behind　the　door　of　his
cell；　in　some　way；　by　a　handkerchief　and　some　strips　of　his　clothes。
The　turnkey　says　his　features　were　scarcely　changed；　as　he　looked　at
'em　with　the　early　sun　a…shining　in　at　the　grating　upon　him。　　He　has
left　a　full　account　of　the　murder；　and　all　that　led　to　it。　　So
there's　an　end　of　him。'



It　was　perfectly　true：　　Manston　was　dead。

The　previous　day　he　had　been　allowed　the　use　of　writing…materials；
and　had　occupied　himself　for　nearly　seven　hours　in　preparing　the
following　confession：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'LAST　WORDS。

'Having　found　man's　life　to　be　a　wretchedly　conceived　scheme；　I
renounce　it；　and；　to　cause　no　further　trouble；　I　write　down　the
facts　connected　with　my　past　proceedings。

'After　thanking　God；　on　first　entering　my　house；　on　the　night　of　the
fire　at　Carriford；　for　my　release　from　bondage　to　a　woman　I
detested；　I　went；　a　second　time；　to　the　scene　of　the　disaster；　and；
finding　that　nothing　could　be　done　by　remaining　there；　shortly
afterwards　I　returned　home　again　in　the　company　of　Mr。　Raunham。

'He　parted　from　me　at　the　steps　of　my　porch；　and　went　back　towards
the　rectory。　　Whilst　I　still　stood　at　the　door；　musing　on　my　strange
deliverance；　I　saw　a　figure　advance　from　beneath　the　shadow　of　the
park　trees。　　It　was　the　figure　of　a　woman。

'When　she　came　near；　the　twilight　was　sufficient　to　show　me　her
attire：　　it　was　a　cloak　reaching　to　the　bottom　of　her　dress；　and　a
thick　veil　covering　her　face。　　These　features；　together　with　her
size　and　gait；　aided　also　by　a　flash　of　perception　as　to　the　chain
of　events　which　had　saved　her　life；　told　me　that　she　was　my　wife
Eunice。

'I　gnashed　my　teeth　in　a　frenzy　of　despair；　I　had　lost　Cytherea；　I
had　gained　one　whose　beauty　had　departed；　whose　utterance　was
complaint；　whose　mind　was　shallow；　and　who　drank　brandy　every　day。
The　revulsion　of　feeling　was　terrible。　　Providence；　whom　I　had　just
thanked；　seemed　a　mocking　tormentor　laughing　at　me。　　I　felt　like　a
madman。

'She　came　closestarted　at　seeing　me　outsidethen　spoke　to　me。
Her　first　words　were　reproof　for　what　I　had　unintentionally　done；
and　sounded　as　an　earnest　of　what　I　was　to　be　cursed　with　as　long　as
we　both　lived。　　I　answered　angrily；　this　tone　of　mine　changed　her
complaints　to　irritation。　　She　taunted　me　with　a　secret　she　had
discovered；　which　concerned　Miss　Aldclyffe　and　myself。　　I　was
surprised　to　learn　itmore　surprised　that　she　knew　it；　but
concealed　my　feeling。

'〃How　could　you　serve　me　so？〃　she　said；　her　breath　smelling　of
spirits　even　then。　　〃You　love　another　womanyes；　you　do。　　See　how
you　drive　me　about！　　I　have　been　to　the　station；　intending　to　leave
you　for　ever；　and　yet　I　come　to　try　you　once　more。〃

'An　indescribable　exasperation　had　sprung　up　in　me　as　she　talked
rage　and　regret　were　all　in　all。　　Scarcely　knowing　what　I　did；　I
furiously　raised　my　hand　and　swung　it　round　with　my　whole　force　to
strike　her。　　She　turned　quicklyand　it　was　the　poor　creature's　end。
By　her　movement　my　hand　came　edgewise　exactly　in　the　nape　of　the
neckas　men　strike　a　hare　to　kill　it。　　The　effect　staggered　me　with
amazement。　　The　blow　must　have　disturbed　the　vertebrae；　she　fell　at
my　feet；　made　a　few　movements；　and　uttered　one　low　sound。

'I　ran　indoors　for　water　and　some　wine；　I　came　out　and　lanced　her
arm　with　my　penknife。　　But　she　lay　still；　and　I　found　that　she　was
dead。

'It　was　a　long　time　before　I　could　realize　my　horrible　position。
For　several　minutes　I　had　no　idea　of　attempting　to　escape　the
consequences　of　my　deed。　　Then　a　light　broke　upon　me。　　Had　anybody
seen　her　since　she　left　the　Three　Tranters？　　Had　they　not；　she　was
already　believed　by　the　parishioners　to　be　dust　and　ashes。　　I　should
never　be　found　out。

'Upon　this　I　acted。

'The　first　question　was　how　to　dispose　of　the　body。　　The　impulse　of
the　moment　was　to　bury　her　at　once　in　the　pit　between　the　engine…
house　and　waterfall；　but　it　struck　me　that　I　should　not　have　time。
It　was　now　four　o'clock；　and　the　working…men　would　soon　be　stirring
about　the　place。　　I　would　put　off　burying　her　till　the　next　night。
I　carried　her　indoors。

'In　turning　the　outhouse　into　a　workshop；　earlier　in　the　season；　I
found；　when　driving　a　nail　into　the　wall　for　fixing　a　cupboard；　that
the　wall　sounded　hollow。　　I　examined　it；　and　discovered　behind　the
plaster　an　old　oven　which　had　long　been　disused；　and　was　bricked　up
when　the　house　was　prepared　for　me。

'To　unfix　this　cupboard　and　pull　out　the　bricks　was　the　work　of　a
few　minutes。　　Then；　bearing　in　mind　that　I　should　have　to　remove　the
body　again　the　next　night；　I　placed　it　in　a　sack；　pushed　it　into　the
oven；　packed　in　the　bricks；　and　replaced　the　cupboard。

'I　then　went　to　bed。　　In　bed；　I　thought　whether　there　were　any　very
remote　possibilities　that　might　lead　to　the　supposition　that　my　wife
was　not　consumed　by　the　flames　of　the　burning　house。　　The　thing
which　struck　me　most　forcibly　was　this；　that　the　searchers　might
think　it　odd　that　no　remains　whatever　should　be　found。

'The　clinching　and　triumphant　deed　would　be　to　take　the　body　and
place　it　among　the　ruins　of　the　destroyed　house。　　But　I　could　not　do
this；　on　account　of　the　men　who　were　watching　against　an　outbreak　of
the　fire。　　One　remedy　remained。

'I　arose　again；　dressed　myself；　and　went　down　to　the　outhouse。　　I
must　take　down　the　cupboard　again。　　I　did　take　it　down。　　I　pulled
out　the　bricks；　pulled　out　the　sack；　pulled　out　the　corpse；　and　took
her　keys　from　her　pocket　and　the　watch　from　her　side。

'I　then　replaced　everything　as　before。

'With　these　articles　in　my　pocket　I　went　out　of　the　yard；　and　took
my　way　through　the　withy　copse　to　the　churchyard；　entering　it　from
the　back。　　Here　I　felt　my　way　carefully　along　till　I　came　to　the
nook　where　pieces　of　bones　from　newly…dug　graves　are　sometimes　piled
behind　the　laurel…bushes。　　I　had　been　earnestly　hoping　to　find　a
skull　among　these　old　bones；　but　though　I　had　frequently　seen　one　or
two　in　the　rubbish　here；　there　was　not　one　now。　　I　then　groped　in
the　other　corner　with　the　same　resultnowhere　could　I　find　a　skull。
Three　or　four　fragments　of　leg　and　back…bones　were　all　I　could
collect；　and　with　these　I　was　forced　to　be　content。

'Taking　them　in　my　hand；　I　crossed　the　road；　and　got　round　behind
the　inn；　where　the　couch　heap　was　still　smouldering。　　Keeping　behind
the　hedge；　I　could　see　the　heads　of　the　three　or　four　men　who
watched　the　spot。

'Standing　in　this　place　I　took　the　bones；　and　threw　them　one　by　one
over　the　hedge　and　over　the　men's　heads　into　the　smoking　embers。
When　the　bones　had　all　been　thrown；　I　threw　the　keys；　last　of　all　I
threw　the　watch。

'I　then　returned　home　as　I　had　gone；　and　went　to　bed　once　more；　just
as　the　dawn　began　to　break。　　I　exulted〃Cytherea　is　mine　again！〃

'At　breakfast…time　I　thought；　〃Suppose　the　cupboard　should　by　some
unlikely　chance　get　moved　to…day！〃

'I　went　to　the　mason's　yard　hard　by；　while　the　men　were　at
breakfast；　and　brought　away　a　shovelful　of　mortar。　　I　took　it　into
the　outhouse；　again　shifted　the　cupboard；　and　plastered　over　the
mouth　of　the　oven　behind。　　Simply　pushing　the　cupboard　back　into　its
place；　I　waited　for　the　next　night　that　I　might　bury　the　body；
though　upon　the　whole　it　was　in　a　tolerably　safe　hiding…place。

'When　the　night　came；　my　nerves　were　in　some　way　weaker　than　they
had　been　on　the　previous　night。　　I　felt　reluctant　to　touch　the　body。
I　went　to　the　outhouse；　but　instead　of　opening　the　oven；　I　firmly
drove　in　the　shoulder…nails　that　held　the　cupboard　to　the　wall。　　〃I
will　bury　her　to…morrow　night；　however；〃　I　thought。

'But　the　next　night　I　was　still　more　reluctant　to　touch　her。　　And　my
reluctance　increased；　and　there　the　body　remained。　　The　oven　was；
after　all；　never　likely　to　be　opened　in　my　time。

'I　mar