desperate remedies-第63部分

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I　heartily　and　willingly　forget　everythingand　forgive　everything。
You　will　do　the　same；　as　your　actions　show。

'〃There　will　be　plenty　of　opportunity　for　me　to　explain　the　few
facts　relating　to　my　escape　on　the　night　of　the　fire。　　I　will　only
give　the　heads　in　this　hurried　note。　　I　was　grieved　at　your　not
coming　to　fetch　me；　more　grieved　at　your　absence　from　the　station；
most　of　all　by　your　absence　from　home。　　On　my　journey　to　the　inn　I
writhed　under　a　passionate　sense　of　wrong　done　me。　　When　I　had　been
shown　to　my　room　I　waited　and　hoped　for　you　till　the　landlord　had
gone　upstairs　to　bed。　　I　still　found　that　you　did　not　come；　and　then
I　finally　made　up　my　mind　to　leave。　　I　had　half　undressed；　but　I　put
on　my　things　again；　forgetting　my　watch　（and　I　suppose　dropping　my
keys；　though　I　am　not　sure　where）　in　my　hurry；　and　slipped　out　of
the　house。　　The〃'

'Well；　that's　a　rum　story；'　said　Mr。　Dickson；　interrupting。

'What's　a　rum　story？'　said　Manston　hastily；　and　flushing　in　the
face。

'Forgetting　her　watch　and　dropping　her　keys　in　her　hurry。'

'I　don't　see　anything　particularly　wonderful　in　it。　　Any　woman　might
do　such　a　thing。'

'Any　woman　might　if　escaping　from　fire　or　shipwreck；　or　any　such
immediate　danger。　　But　it　seems　incomprehensible　to　me　that　any
woman　in　her　senses；　who　quietly　decides　to　leave　a　house；　should　be
so　forgetful。'

'All　that　is　required　to　reconcile　your　seeming　with　her　facts　is　to
assume　that　she　was　not　in　her　senses；　for　that's　what　she　did
plainly；　or　how　could　the　things　have　been　found　there？　　Besides；
she's　truthful　enough。'　　He　spoke　eagerly　and　peremptorily。

'Yes；　yes；　I　know　that。　　I　merely　meant　that　it　seemed　rather　odd。'

'O　yes。'　　Manston　read　on：

'〃and　slipped　out　of　the　house。　　The　rubbish…heap　was　burning　up
brightly；　but　the　thought　that　the　house　was　in　danger　did　not
strike　me；　I　did　not　consider　that　it　might　be　thatched。

'〃I　idled　in　the　lane　behind　the　wood　till　the　last　down…train　had
come　in；　not　being　in　a　mood　to　face　strangers。　　Whilst　I　was　there
the　fire　broke　out；　and　this　perplexed　me　still　more。　　However；　I
was　still　determined　not　to　stay　in　the　place。　　I　went　to　the
railway…station；　which　was　now　quiet；　and　inquired　of　the　solitary
man　on　duty　there　concerning　the　trains。　　It　was　not　till　I　had　left
the　man　that　I　saw　the　effect　the　fire　might　have　on　my　history。　　I
considered　also；　though　not　in　any　detailed　manner；　that　the　event；
by　attracting　the　attention　of　the　village　to　my　former　abode；　might
set　people　on　my　track　should　they　doubt　my　death；　and　a　sudden
dread　of　having　to　go　back　again　to　Knapwatera　place　which　had
seemed　inimical　to　me　from　first　to　lastprompted　me　to　run　back
and　bribe　the　porter　to　secrecy。　　I　then　walked　on　to　Anglebury；
lingering　about　the　outskirts　of　the　town　till　the　morning　train
came　in；　when　I　proceeded　by　it　to　London；　and　then　took　these
lodgings；　where　I　have　been　supporting　myself　ever　since　by
needlework；　endeavouring　to　save　enough　money　to　pay　my　passage　home
to　America；　but　making　melancholy　progress　in　my　attempt。　　However；
all　that　is　changedcan　I　be　otherwise　than　happy　at　it？　　Of　course
not。　　I　am　happy。　　Tell　me　what　I　am　to　do；　and　believe　me　still　to
be　your　faithful　wife；　　　EUNICE。

'〃My　name　here　is　（as　before）

　　　　　'〃MRS。　RONDLEY；　and　my　address；
　　　　　　　　　　79　ADDINGTON　STREET；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LAMBETH。'〃

The　name　and　address　were　written　on　a　separate　slip　of　paper。

'So　it's　to　be　all　right　at　last　then；'　said　Manston's　friend。　　'But
after　all　there's　another　woman　in　the　case。　　You　don't　seem　very
sorry　for　the　little　thing　who　is　put　to　such　distress　by　this　turn
of　affairs？　　I　wonder　you　can　let　her　go　so　coolly。'　　The　speaker
was　looking　out　between　the　mullions　of　the　windownoticing　that
some　of　the　lights　were　glazed　in　lozenges；　some　in　squaresas　he
said　the　words；　otherwise　he　would　have　seen　the　passionate
expression　of　agonized　hopelessness　that　flitted　across　the
steward's　countenance　when　the　remark　was　made。　　He　did　not　see　it；
and　Manston　answered　after　a　short　interval。　　The　way　in　which　he
spoke　of　the　young　girl　who　had　believed　herself　his　wife；　whom；　a
few　short　days　ago；　he　had　openly　idolized；　and　whom；　in　his　secret
heart；　he　idolized　still；　as　far　as　such　a　form　of　love　was
compatible　with　his　nature；　showed　that　from　policy　or　otherwise；　he
meant　to　act　up　to　the　requirements　of　the　position　into　which　fate
appeared　determined　to　drive　him。

'That's　neither　here　nor　there；'　he　said；　'it　is　a　point　of　honour
to　do　as　I　am　doing；　and　there's　an　end　of　it。'

'Yes。　　Only　I　thought　you　used　not　to　care　overmuch　about　your　first
bargain。'

'I　certainly　did　not　at　one　time。　　One　is　apt　to　feel　rather　weary
of　wives　when　they　are　so　devilish　civil　under　all　aspects；　as　she
used　to　be。　　But　anything　for　a　changeAbigail　is　lost；　but　Michal
is　recovered。　　You　would　hardly　believe　it；　but　she　seems　in　fancy
to　be　quite　another　bridein　fact；　almost　as　if　she　had　really
risen　from　the　dead；　instead　of　having　only　done　so　virtually。'

'You　let　the　young　pink　one　know　that　the　other　has　come　or　is
coming？'

'Cui　bono？'　　The　steward　meditated　critically；　showing　a　portion　of
his　intensely　wide　and　regular　teeth　within　the　ruby　lips。

'I　cannot　say　anything　to　her　that　will　do　any　good；'　he　resumed。
'It　would　be　awkwardeither　seeing　or　communicating　with　her　again。
The　best　plan　to　adopt　will　be　to　let　matters　take　their　course
she'll　find　it　all　out　soon　enough。'

Manston　found　himself　alone　a　few　minutes　later。　　He　buried　his　face
in　his　hands；　and　murmured；　'O　my　lost　one！　　O　my　Cytherea！　　That　it
should　come　to　this　is　hard　for　me！　　'Tis　now　all　darkness〃a　land
of　darkness　as　darkness　itself；　and　of　the　shadow　of　death　without
any　order；　and　where　the　light　is　as　darkness。〃'

Yes；　the　artificial　bearing　which　this　extraordinary　man　had　adopted
before　strangers　ever　since　he　had　overheard　the　conversation　at　the
inn；　left　him　now；　and　he　mourned　for　Cytherea　aloud。

4。　　THE　TWELFTH　OF　FEBRUARY

Knapwater　Park　is　the　pictureat　eleven　o'clock　on　a　muddy；　quiet；
hazy；　but　bright　morninga　morning　without　any　blue　sky；　and
without　any　shadows；　the　earth　being　enlivened　and　lit　up　rather　by
the　spirit　of　an　invisible　sun　than　by　its　bodily　presence。

The　local　Hunt　had　met　for　the　day's　sport　on　the　open　space　of
ground　immediately　in　front　of　the　steward's　residencecalled　in
the　list　of　appointments；　'Old　House；　Knapwater'the　meet　being
here　once　every　season；　for　the　pleasure　of　Miss　Aldclyffe　and　her
friends。

Leaning　out　from　one　of　the　first…floor　windows；　and　surveying　with
the　keenest　interest　the　lively　picture　of　pink　and　black　coats；
rich…coloured　horses；　and　sparkling　bits　and　spurs；　was　the　returned
and　long…lost　woman；　Mrs。　Manston。

The　eyes　of　those　forming　the　brilliant　group　were　occasionally
turned　towards　her；　showing　plainly　that　her　adventures　were　the
subject　of　conversation　equally　with　or　more　than　the　chances　of　the
coming　day。　　She　did　not　flush　beneath　their　scrutiny；　on　the
contrary；　she　seemed　rather　to　enjoy　it；　her　eyes　being　kindled　with
a　light　of　contented　exultation；　subdued　to　square　with　the
circumstances　of　her　matronly　position。

She　was；　at　the　distance　from　which　they　surveyed　her；　an　attractive
womancomely　as　the　tents　of　Kedar。　　But　to　a　close　observer　it　was
palpable　enough　that　God　did　not　do　all　the　picture。　　Appearing　at
least　seven　years　older　than　Cytherea；　she　was　probably　her　senior
by　double　the　number；　the　artificial　means　employed　to　heighten　the
natural　good　appearance　of　her　face　being　very　cleverly　applied。
Her　form　was　full　and　round；　its　voluptuous　maturity　standing　out　in
strong　contrast　to　the　memory　of　Cytherea's　lissom　girlishness。

It　seems　to　be　an　almost　universal　rule　that　a　woman　who　once　has
courted；　or　who　eventually　will　court；　the　society　of　men　on　terms
dangerous　to　her　honour　cannot　refrain　from　flinging　the　meaning
glance　whenever　the　moment　arrives　in　which　the　glance　is　strongly
asked　for；　even　if　her　life　and　whole　future　depended　upon　that
moment's　abstinence。

Had　a　cautious；　uxorious　husband　seen　in　his　wife's　countenance　what
might　now　have　been　seen　in　this　dark…eyed　woman's　as　she　caught　a
stray　glance　of　flirtation　from　one　or　other　of　the　red…coated
gallants　outside；　he　would　have　passed　many　days　in　an　agony　of
restless　jealousy　and　doubt。　　But　Manston　was　not　such　a　husband；
and　he　was；　moreover；　calmly　attending　to　his　business　at　the　other
end　of　the　manor。

The　steward　had　fetched　home　his　wife　in　the　most　matter…of…fact　way
a　few　days　earlier；　walking　round　the　village　with　her　the　very　next
morningat　once　putting　an　end；　by　this　simple　solution；　to　all　the
riddling　inquiries　and　surmises　that　were　rank　in　the　village　and
its　neighbourhood。　　Some　men　said　that　this　woman　was　as　far
inferior　to　Cytherea　as　earth　to　heaven；　others；　older　and　sager；
thought　Manston　better　off　with　such　a　wife　than　he　would　have　been
with　one　of　Cytherea's　youthful　impulses；　and　inexperience　in
household　management。　　All　felt　their　curiosity　dying　out　of　them。
It　was　the