desperate remedies-第31部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

unearthly　weirdness　which　seemed　to　surround　her　there。

'I　wish　Ithe　lightning　wasn't　so　bright。　　Do　you　think　it　will
last　long？'　she　said　timidly。

'It　can't　last　much　longer；'　he　murmured；　without　turning；　running
his　fingers　again　over　the　keys。　　'But　this　is　nothing；'　he
continued；　suddenly　stopping　and　regarding　her。　　'It　seems　brighter
because　of　the　deep　shadow　under　those　trees　yonder。　　Don't　mind　it；
now　look　at　melook　in　my　facenow。'

He　had　faced　the　window；　looking　fixedly　at　the　sky　with　his　dark
strong　eyes。　　She　seemed　compelled　to　do　as　she　was　bidden；　and
looked　in　the　too…delicately　beautiful　face。

The　flash　came；　but　he　did　not　turn　or　blink；　keeping　his　eyes　fixed
as　firmly　as　before。　　'There；'　he　said；　turning　to　her；　'that's　the
way　to　look　at　lightning。'

'O；　it　might　have　blinded　you！'　she　exclaimed。

'Nonsensenot　lightning　of　this　sortI　shouldn't　have　stared　at　it
if　there　had　been　danger。　　It　is　only　sheet…lightning　now。　　Now；
will　you　have　another　piece？　　Something　from　an　oratorio　this　time？'

'No；　thank　youI　don't　want　to　hear　it　whilst　it　thunders　so。'　　But
he　had　begun　without　heeding　her　answer；　and　she　stood　motionless
again；　marvelling　at　the　wonderful　indifference　to　all　external
circumstance　which　was　now　evinced　by　his　complete　absorption　in　the
music　before　him。

'Why　do　you　play　such　saddening　chords？'　she　said；　when　he　next
paused。

'H'mbecause　I　like　them；　I　suppose；'　said　he　lightly。　　'Don't　you
like　sad　impressions　sometimes？'

'Yes；　sometimes；　perhaps。'

'When　you　are　full　of　trouble。'

'Yes。'

'Well；　why　shouldn't　I　when　I　am　full　of　trouble？'

'Are　you　troubled？'

'I　am　troubled。'　　He　said　this　thoughtfully　and　abruptlyso
abruptly　that　she　did　not　push　the　dialogue　further。

He　now　played　more　powerfully。　　Cytherea　had　never　heard　music　in
the　completeness　of　full　orchestral　power；　and　the　tones　of　the
organ；　which　reverberated　with　considerable　effect　in　the
comparatively　small　space　of　the　room；　heightened　by　the　elemental
strife　of　light　and　sound　outside；　moved　her　to　a　degree　out　of
proportion　to　the　actual　power　of　the　mere　notes；　practised　as　was
the　hand　that　produced　them。　　The　varying　strainsnow　loud；　now
soft；　simple；　complicated；　weird；　touching；　grand；　boisterous；
subdued；　each　phase　distinct；　yet　modulating　into　the　next　with　a
graceful　and　easy　flowshook　and　bent　her　to　themselves；　as　a
gushing　brook　shakes　and　bends　a　shadow　cast　across　its　surface。
The　power　of　the　music　did　not　show　itself　so　much　by　attracting　her
attention　to　the　subject　of　the　piece；　as　by　taking　up　and
developing　as　its　libretto　the　poem　of　her　own　life　and　soul；
shifting　her　deeds　and　intentions　from　the　hands　of　her　judgment　and
holding　them　in　its　own。

She　was　swayed　into　emotional　opinions　concerning　the　strange　man
before　her；　new　impulses　of　thought　came　with　new　harmonies；　and
entered　into　her　with　a　gnawing　thrill。　　A　dreadful　flash　of
lightning　then；　and　the　thunder　close　upon　it。　　She　found　herself
involuntarily　shrinking　up　beside　him；　and　looking　with　parted　lips
at　his　face。

He　turned　his　eyes　and　saw　her　emotion；　which　greatly　increased　the
ideal　element　in　her　expressive　face。　　She　was　in　the　state　in　which
woman's　instinct　to　conceal　has　lost　its　power　over　her　impulse　to
tell；　and　he　saw　it。　　Bending　his　handsome　face　over　her　till　his
lips　almost　touched　her　ear；　he　murmured；　without　breaking　the
harmonies

'Do　you　very　much　like　this　piece？'

'Very　much　indeed；'　she　said。

'I　could　see　you　were　affected　by　it。　　I　will　copy　it　for　you。'

'Thank　you　much。'

'I　will　bring　it　to　the　House　to　you　to…morrow。　　Who　shall　I　ask
for？'

'O；　not　for　me。　　Don't　bring　it；'　she　said　hastily。　　'I　shouldn't
like　you　to。'

'Let　me　seeto…morrow　evening　at　seven　or　a　few　minutes　past　I
shall　be　passing　the　waterfall　on　my　way　home。　　I　could　conveniently
give　it　you　there；　and　I　should　like　you　to　have　it。'

He　modulated　into　the　Pastoral　Symphony；　still　looking　in　her　eyes。

'Very　well；'　she　said；　to　get　rid　of　the　look。

The　storm　had　by　this　time　considerably　decreased　in　violence；　and
in　seven　or　ten　minutes　the　sky　partially　cleared；　the　clouds　around
the　western　horizon　becoming　lighted　up　with　the　rays　of　the　sinking
sun。

Cytherea　drew　a　long　breath　of　relief；　and　prepared　to　go　away。　　She
was　full　of　a　distressing　sense　that　her　detention　in　the　old　manor…
house；　and　the　acquaintanceship　it　had　set　on　foot；　was　not　a　thing
she　wished。　　It　was　such　a　foolish　thing　to　have　been　excited　and
dragged　into　frankness　by　the　wiles　of　a　stranger。

'Allow　me　to　come　with　you；'　he　said；　accompanying　her　to　the　door；
and　again　showing　by　his　behaviour　how　much　he　was　impressed　with
her。　　His　influence　over　her　had　vanished　with　the　musical　chords；
and　she　turned　her　back　upon　him。　　'May　I　come？'　he　repeated。

'No；　no。　　The　distance　is　not　a　quarter　of　a　mileit　is　really　not
necessary；　thank　you；'　she　said　quietly。　　And　wishing　him　good…
evening；　without　meeting　his　eyes；　she　went　down　the　steps；　leaving
him　standing　at　the　door。

'O；　how　is　it　that　man　has　so　fascinated　me？'　was　all　she　could
think。　　Her　own　self；　as　she　had　sat　spell…bound　before　him；　was　all
she　could　see。　　Her　gait　was　constrained；　from　the　knowledge　that
his　eyes　were　upon　her　until　she　had　passed　the　hollow　by　the
waterfall；　and　by　ascending　the　rise　had　become　hidden　from　his　view
by　the　boughs　of　the　overhanging　trees。

5。　　SIX　TO　SEVEN　P。M。

The　wet　shining　road　threw　the　western　glare　into　her　eyes　with　an
invidious　lustre　which　rendered　the　restlessness　of　her　mood　more
wearying。　　Her　thoughts　flew　from　idea　to　idea　without　asking　for
the　slightest　link　of　connection　between　one　and　another。　　One
moment　she　was　full　of　the　wild　music　and　stirring　scene　with
Manston…the　next；　Edward's　image　rose　before　her　like　a　shadowy
ghost。　　Then　Manston's　black　eyes　seemed　piercing　her　again；　and　the
reckless　voluptuous　mouth　appeared　bending　to　the　curves　of　his
special　words。　　What　could　be　those　troubles　to　which　he　had
alluded？　　Perhaps　Miss　Aldclyffe　was　at　the　bottom　of　them。　　Sad　at
heart　she　paced　on：　　her　life　was　bewildering　her。

On　coming　into　Miss　Aldclyffe's　presence　Cytherea　told　her　of　the
incident；　not　without　a　fear　that　she　would　burst　into　one　of　her
ungovernable　fits　of　temper　at　learning　Cytherea's　slight　departure
from　the　programme。　　But；　strangely　to　Cytherea；　Miss　Aldclyffe
looked　delighted。　　The　usual　cross…examination　followed。

'And　so　you　were　with　him　all　that　time？'　said　the　lady；　with
assumed　severity。

'Yes；　I　was。'

'I　did　not　tell　you　to　call　at　the　Old　House　twice。'

'I　didn't　call；　as　I　have　said。　　He　made　me　come　into　the　porch。'

'What　remarks　did　he　make；　do　you　say？'

'That　the　lightning　was　not　so　bad　as　I　thought。'

'A　very　important　remark；　that。　　Did　he'　she　turned　her　glance
full　upon　the　girl；　and　eyeing　her　searchingly；　said

'Did　he　say　anything　about　ME？'

'Nothing；'　said　Cytherea；　returning　her　gaze　calmly；　'except　that　I
was　to　give　you　the　subscription。'

'You　are　quite　sure？'

'Quite。'

'I　believe　you。　　Did　he　say　anything　striking　or　strange　about
himself？'

'Only　one　thingthat　he　was　troubled；'

'Troubled！'

After　saying　the　word；　Miss　Aldclyffe　relapsed　into　silence。　　Such
behaviour　as　this　had　ended；　on　most　previous　occasions；　by　her
making　a　confession；　and　Cytherea　expected　one　now。　　But　for　once
she　was　mistaken；　nothing　more　was　said。

When　she　had　returned　to　her　room　she　sat　down　and　penned　a　farewell
letter　to　Edward　Springrove；　as　little　able　as　any　other　excitable
and　brimming　young　woman　of　nineteen　to　feel　that　the　wisest　and
only　dignified　course　at　that　juncture　was　to　do　nothing　at　all。
She　told　him　that；　to　her　painful　surprise；　she　had　learnt　that　his
engagement　to　another　woman　was　a　matter　of　notoriety。　　She　insisted
that　all　honour　bade　him　marry　his　early　lovea　woman　far　better
than　her　unworthy　self；　who　only　deserved　to　be　forgotten；　and
begged　him　to　remember　that　he　was　not　to　see　her　face　again。　　She
upbraided　him　for　levity　and　cruelty　in　meeting　her　so　frequently　at
Budmouth；　and　above　all　in　stealing　the　kiss　from　her　lips　on　the
last　evening　of　the　water　excursions。　　'I　never；　never　can　forget
it！'　she　said；　and　then　felt　a　sensation　of　having　done　her　duty；
ostensibly　persuading　herself　that　her　reproaches　and　commands　were
of　such　a　force　that　no　man　to　whom　they　were　uttered　could　ever
approach　her　more。

Yet　it　was　all　unconsciously　said　in　words　which　betrayed　a
lingering　tenderness　of　love　at　every　unguarded　turn。　　Like　Beatrice
accusing　Dante　from　the　chariot；　try　as　she　might　to　play　the
superior　being　who　contemned　such　mere　eye…sensuousness；　she
betrayed　at　every　point　a　pretty　woman's　jealousy　of　a　rival；　and
covertly　gave　her　old　lover　hints　for　excusing　himself　at　each　fresh
indictment。

This　done；　Cytherea；　still　in　a　practical　mood；　upbraided　herself
with　weakness　in　allowing　a　stranger　like　Mr。　Manston　to　influence
her　as　he　had　done　that　evening。　　What　right　on　earth　had　he　to
suggest　so　suddenly　that　she　might　meet　him　at　th