desperate remedies-第86节

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reluctance　increased；　and　there　the　body　remained。　　The　oven　was；
after　all；　never　likely　to　be　opened　in　my　time。

'I　married　Cytherea　Graye；　and　never　did　a　bridegroom　leave　the
church　with　a　heart　more　full　of　love　and　happiness；　and　a　brain
more　fixed　on　good　intentions；　than　I　did　on　that　morning。

'When　Cytherea's　brother　made　his　appearance　at　the　hotel　in
Southampton；　bearing　his　strange　evidence　of　the　porter's
disclosure；　I　was　staggered　beyond　expression。　　I　thought　they　had
found　the　body。　　〃Am　I　to　be　apprehended　and　to　lose　her　even　now？〃
I　mourned。　　I　saw　my　error；　and　instantly　saw；　too；　that　I　must　act
externally　like　an　honourable　man。　　So　at　his　request　I　yielded　her
up　to　him；　and　meditated　on　several　schemes　for　enabling　me　to　claim
the　woman　I　had　a　legal　right　to　claim　as　my　wife；　without
disclosing　the　reason　why　I　knew　myself　to　have　it。

'I　went　home　to　Knapwater　the　next　day；　and　for　nearly　a　week　lived
in　a　state　of　indecision。　　I　could　not　hit　upon　a　scheme　for　proving
my　wife　dead　without　compromising　myself。

'Mr。　Raunham　hinted　that　I　should　take　steps　to　discover　her
whereabouts　by　advertising。　　I　had　no　energy　for　the　farce。　　But　one
evening　I　chanced　to　enter　the　Rising　Sun　Inn。　　Two　notorious
poachers　were　sitting　in　the　settle；　which　screened　my　entrance。
They　were　half　drunktheir　conversation　was　carried　on　in　the
solemn　and　emphatic　tone　common　to　that　stage　of　intoxication；　and　I
myself　was　the　subject　of　it。

'The　following　was　the　substance　of　their　disjointed　remarks：　　On
the　night　of　the　great　fire　at　Carriford；　one　of　them　was　sent　to
meet　me；　and　break　the　news　of　the　death　of　my　wife　to　me。　　This　he
did；　but　because　I　would　not　pay　him　for　his　news；　he　left　me　in　a
mood　of　vindictiveness。　　When　the　fire　was　over；　he　joined　his
comrade。　　The　favourable　hour　of　the　night　suggested　to　them　the
possibility　of　some　unlawful　gain　before　daylight　came。　　My
fowlhouse　stood　in　a　tempting　position；　and　still　resenting　his
repulse　during　the　evening；　one　of　them　proposed　to　operate　upon　my
birds。　　I　was　believed　to　have　gone　to　the　rectory　with　Mr。　Raunham。
The　other　was　disinclined　to　go；　and　the　first　went　off　alone。

'It　was　now　about　three　o'clock。　　He　had　advanced　as　far　as　the
shrubbery；　which　grows　near　the　north　wall　of　the　house；　when　he
fancied　he　heard；　above　the　rush　of　the　waterfall；　noises　on　the
other　side　of　the　building。　　He　described　them　in　these　words；
〃Ghostly　mouths　talkingthen　a　fallthen　a　groanthen　the　rush　of
the　water　and　creak　of　the　engine　as　before。〃　　Only　one　explanation
occurred　to　him；　the　house　was　haunted。　　And；　whether　those　of　the
living　or　the　dead；　voices　of　any　kind　were　inimical　to　one　who　had
come　on　such　an　errand。　　He　stealthily　crept　home。

'His　unlawful　purpose　in　being　behind　the　house　led　him　to　conceal
his　adventure。　　No　suspicion　of　the　truth　entered　his　mind　till　the
railway…porter　had　startled　everybody　by　his　strange　announcement。
Then　he　asked　himself；　had　the　horrifying　sounds　of　that　night　been
really　an　enactment　in　the　flesh　between　me　and　my　wife？

'The　words　of　the　other　man　were：

'〃Why　don't　he　try　to　find　her　if　she's　alive？〃

'〃True；〃　said　the　first。　　〃Well；　I　don't　forget　what　I　heard；　and　if
she　don't　turn　up　alive　my　mind　will　be　as　sure　as　a　Bible　upon　her
murder；　and　the　parson　shall　know　it；　though　I　do　get　six　months　on
the　treadmill　for　being　where　I　was。〃

'〃And　if　she　should　turn　up　alive？〃

'〃Then　I　shall　know　that　I　am　wrong；　and　believing　myself　a　fool　as
well　as　a　rogue；　hold　my　tongue。〃

'I　glided　out　of　the　house　in　a　cold　sweat。　　The　only　pressure　in
heaven　or　earth　which　could　have　forced　me　to　renounce　Cytherea　was
now　put　upon　methe　dread　of　a　death　upon　the　gallows。

'I　sat　all　that　night　weaving　strategy　of　various　kinds。　　The　only
effectual　remedy　for　my　hazardous　standing　that　I　could　see　was　a
simple　one。　　It　was　to　substitute　another　woman　for　my　wife　before
the　suspicions　of　that　one　easily…hoodwinked　man　extended　further。

'The　only　difficulty　was　to　find　a　practicable　substitute。

'The　one　woman　at　all　available　for　the　purpose　was　a　friendless；
innocent　creature；　named　Anne　Seaway；　whom　I　had　known　in　my　youth；
and　who　had　for　some　time　been　the　housekeeper　of　a　lady　in　London。
On　account　of　this　lady's　sudden　death；　Anne　stood　in　rather　a
precarious　position；　as　regarded　her　future　subsistence。　　She　was
not　the　best　kind　of　woman　for　the　scheme；　but　there　was　no
alternative。　　One　quality　of　hers　was　valuable；　she　was　not　a
talker。　　I　went　to　London　the　very　next　day；　called　at　the　Hoxton
lodging　of　my　wife　（the　only　place　at　which　she　had　been　known　as
Mrs。　Manston）；　and　found　that　no　great　difficulties　stood　in　the　way
of　a　personation。　　And　thus　favouring　circumstances　determined　my
course。　　I　visited　Anne　Seaway；　made　love　to　her；　and　propounded　my
plan。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。

'We　lived　quietly　enough　until　the　Sunday　before　my　apprehension。
Anne　came　home　from　church　that　morning；　and　told　me　of　the
suspicious　way　in　which　a　young　man　had　looked　at　her　there。
Nothing　could　be　done　beyond　waiting　the　issue　of　events。　　Then　the
letter　came　from　Raunham。　　For　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　was　half
indifferent　as　to　what　fate　awaited　me。　　During　the　succeeding　day　I
thought　once　or　twice　of　running　away；　but　could　not　quite　make　up
my　mind。　　At　any　rate　it　would　be　best　to　bury　the　body　of　my　wife；
I　thought；　for　the　oven　might　be　opened　at　any　time。　　I　went　to
Casterbridge　and　made　some　arrangements。　　In　the　evening　Miss
Aldclyffe　（who　is　united　to　me　by　a　common　secret　which　I　have　no
right　or　wish　to　disclose）　came　to　my　house；　and　alarmed　me　still
more。　　She　said　that　she　could　tell　by　Mr。　Raunham's　manner　that
evening；　that　he　kept　back　from　her　a　suspicion　of　more　importance
even　than　the　one　he　spoke　of；　and　that　strangers　were　in　his　house
even　then。

'I　guessed　what　this　further　suspicion　was；　and　resolved　to
enlighten　her　to　a　certain　extent；　and　so　secure　her　assistance。　　I
said　that　I　killed　my　wife　by　an　accident　on　the　night　of　the　fire；
dwelling　upon　the　advantage　to　her　of　the　death　of　the　only　woman
who　knew　her　secret。

'Her　terror；　and　fears　for　my　fate；　led　her　to　watch　the　rectory
that　evening。　　She　saw　the　detective　leave　it；　and　followed　him　to
my　residence。　　This　she　told　me　hurriedly　when　I　perceived　her　after
digging　my　wife's　grave　in　the　plantation。　　She　did　not　suspect　what
the　sack　contained。

'I　am　now　about　to　enter　on　my　normal　condition。　　For　people　are
almost　always　in　their　graves。　　When　we　survey　the　long　race　of　men；
it　is　strange　and　still　more　strange　to　find　that　they　are　mainly
dead　men；　who　have　scarcely　ever　been　otherwise。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'AENEAS　MANSTON。'

The　steward's　confession；　aided　by　circumstantial　evidence　of
various　kinds；　was　the　means　of　freeing　both　Anne　Seaway　and　Miss
Aldclyffe　from　all　suspicion　of　complicity　with　the　murderer。

2。　　SIX　O'CLOCK　P。M。

It　was　eveningjust　at　sunseton　the　day　of　Manston's　death。

In　the　cottage　at　Tolchurch　was　gathered　a　group　consisting　of
Cytherea；　her　brother；　Edward　Springrove；　and　his　father。　　They　sat
by　the　window　conversing　of　the　strange　events　which　had　just　taken
place。　　In　Cytherea's　eye　there　beamed　a　hopeful　ray；　though　her
face　was　as　white　as　a　lily。

Whilst　they　talked；　looking　out　at　the　yellow　evening　light　that
coated　the　hedges；　trees；　and　church　tower；　a　brougham　rolled　round
the　corner　of　the　lane；　and　came　in　full　view。　　It　reflected　the
rays　of　the　sun　in　a　flash　from　its　polished　panels　as　it　turned　the
angle；　the　spokes　of　the　wheels　bristling　in　the　same　light　like
bayonets。　　The　vehicle　came　nearer；　and　arrived　opposite　Owen's
door；　when　the　driver　pulled　the　rein　and　gave　a　shout；　and　the
panting　and　sweating　horses　stopped。

'Miss　Aldclyffe's　carriage！'　they　all　exclaimed。

Owen　went　out。　　'Is　Miss　Graye　at　home？'　said　the　man。　　'A　note　for
her；　and　I　am　to　wait　for　an　answer。'

Cytherea　read　in　the　handwriting　of　the　Rector　of　Carriford：

'DEAR　MISS　GRAYE；Miss　Aldclyffe　is　ill；　though　not　dangerously。
She　continually　repeats　your　name；　and　now　wishes　very　much　to　see
you。　　If　you　possibly　can；　come　in　the　carriage。Very　sincerely
yours；　JOHN　RAUNHAM。'

'How　comes　she　ill？'　Owen　inquired　of　the　coachman。

'She　caught　a　violent　cold　by　standing　out　of　doors　in　the　damp；　on
the　night　the　steward　ran　away。　　Ever　since；　till　this　morning；　she
complained　of　fulness　and　heat　in　the　chest。　　This　morning　the　maid
ran　in　and　told　her　suddenly　that　Manston　had　killed　himself　in
gaolshe　shriekedbroke　a　blood…vesseland　fell　upon　the　floor。
Severe　internal　haemorrhage　continued　for　some　time　and　then
stopped。　　They　say　she　is　sure　to　get　over　it；　but　she　herself　says
no。　　She　has　suffered　from　it　before。'

Cytherea　was　ready　in　a　few　moments；　and　entered　the　carriage。

3。　　SEVEN　O'CLOCK　P。M。

Soft　as　was　Cytherea's　motion　along　the　corridors　of　Knapwater
House；　the　preternaturally　keen　intelligence　of　the　suffering　woman
caught　the　maiden's　well…known　foot