desperate remedies-第69部分

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He　pulled　the　third　bell　from　the　bottom；　and　was　admitted　by
another　child；　the　daughter　of　the　woman　he　was　in　search　of。　　He
gave　the　little　thing　sixpence；　and　asked　for　her　mamma。　　The　child
led　him　upstairs。

Mrs。　Higgins　was　the　wife　of　a　carpenter　who　from　want　of　employment
one　winter　had　decided　to　marry。　　Afterwards　they　both　took　to
drink；　and　sank　into　desperate　circumstances。　　A　few　chairs　and　a
table　were　the　chief　articles　of　furniture　in　the　third…floor　back
room　which　they　occupied。　　A　roll　of　baby…linen　lay　on　the　floor；
beside　it　a　pap…clogged　spoon　and　an　overturned　tin　pap…cup。
Against　the　wall　a　Dutch　clock　was　fixed　out　of　level；　and　ticked
wildly　in　longs　and　shorts；　its　entrails　hanging　down　beneath　its
white　face　and　wiry　hands；　like　the　faeces　of　a　Harpy　（'foedissima
ventris　proluvies；　uncaeque　manus；　et　pallida　semper　ora'）。　　A　baby
was　crying　against　every　chair…leg；　the　whole　family　of　six　or　seven
being　small　enough　to　be　covered　by　a　washing…tub。　　Mrs。　Higgins　sat
helpless；　clothed　in　a　dress　which　had　hooks　and　eyes　in　plenty；　but
never　one　opposite　the　other；　thereby　rendering　the　dress　almost
useless　as　a　screen　to　the　bosom。　　No　workbox　was　visible　anywhere。

It　was　a　depressing　picture　of　married　life　among　the　very　poor　of　a
city。　　Only　for　one　short　hour　in　the　whole　twenty…four　did　husband
and　wife　taste　genuine　happiness。　　It　was　in　the　evening；　when；
after　the　sale　of　some　necessary　article　of　furniture；　they　were
under　the　influence　of　a　quartern　of　gin。

Of　all　the　ingenious　and　cruel　satires　that　from　the　beginning　till
now　have　been　stuck　like　knives　into　womankind；　surely　there　is　not
one　so　lacerating　to　them；　and　to　us　who　love　them；　as　the　trite　old
fact；　that　the　most　wretched　of　men　can；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；
find　a　wife　ready　to　be　more　wretched　still　for　the　sake　of　his
company。

Edward　hastened　to　despatch　his　errand。

Mrs。　Higgins　had　lately　pawned　the　workbox　with　other　useless
articles　of　lumber；　she　said。　　Edward　bought　the　duplicate　of　her；
and　went　downstairs　to　the　pawnbroker's。

In　the　back　division　of　a　musty　shop；　amid　the　heterogeneous
collection　of　articles　and　odours　invariably　crowding　such　places；
he　produced　his　ticket；　and　with　a　sense　of　satisfaction　out　of　all
proportion　to　the　probable　worth　of　his　acquisition；　took　the　box
and　carried　it　off　under　his　arm。　　He　attempted　to　lift　the　cover　as
he　walked；　but　found　it　locked。

It　was　dusk　when　Springrove　reached　his　lodging。　　Entering　his　small
sitting…room；　the　front　apartment　on　the　ground　floor；　he　struck　a
light；　and　proceeded　to　learn　if　any　scrap　or　mark　within　or　upon
his　purchase　rendered　it　of　moment　to　the　business　in　hand。
Breaking　open　the　cover　with　a　small　chisel；　and　lifting　the　tray；
he　glanced　eagerly　beneath；　and　foundnothing。

He　next　discovered　that　a　pocket　or　portfolio　was　formed　on　the
underside　of　the　cover。　　This　he　unfastened；　and　slipping　his　hand
within；　found　that　it　really　contained　some　substance。　　First　he
pulled　out　about　a　dozen　tangled　silk　and　cotton　threads。　　Under
them　were　a　short　household　account；　a　dry　moss…rosebud；　and　an　old
pair　of　carte…de…visite　photographs。　　One　of　these　was　a　likeness　of
Mrs。　Manston'Eunice'　being　written　under　it　in　inkthe　other　of
Manston　himself。

He　sat　down　dispirited。　　This　was　all　the　fruit　of　his　tasknot　a
single　letter；　date；　or　address　of　any　kind　to　help　himand　was　it
likely　there　would　be？

However；　thinking　he　would　send　the　fragments；　such　as　they　were；　to
Graye；　in　order　to　satisfy　him　that　he　had　done　his　best　so　far；　he
scribbled　a　line；　and　put　all　except　the　silk　and　cotton　into　an
envelope。　　Looking　at　his　watch；　he　found　it　was　then　twenty　minutes
to　seven；　by　affixing　an　extra　stamp　he　would　be　enabled　to　despatch
them　by　that　evening's　post。　　He　hastily　directed　the　packet；　and
ran　with　it　at　once　to　the　post…office　at　Charing　Cross。

On　his　return　he　took　up　the　workbox　again　to　examine　it　more
leisurely。　　He　then　found　there　was　also　a　small　cavity　in　the　tray
under　the　pincushion；　which　was　movable　by　a　bit　of　ribbon。　　Lifting
this　he　uncovered　a　flattened　sprig　of　myrtle；　and　a　small　scrap　of
crumpled　paper。　　The　paper　contained　a　verse　or　two　in　a　man's
handwriting。　　He　recognized　it　as　Manston's；　having　seen　notes　and
bills　from　him　at　his　father's　house。　　The　stanza　was　of　a
complimentary　character；　descriptive　of　the　lady　who　was　now
Manston's　wife。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'EUNICE。

　　　　　'Whoso　for　hours　or　lengthy　days
　　　　　　Shall　catch　her　aspect's　changeful　rays；
　　　　　　Then　turn　away；　can　none　recall
　　　　　　Beyond　a　galaxy　of　all
　　　　　　　　　　In　hazy　portraiture；
　　　　　　Lit　by　the　light　of　azure　eyes
　　　　　　Like　summer　days　by　summer　skies：
　　　　　　Her　sweet　transitions　seem　to　be
　　　　　　A　kind　of　pictured　melody；
　　　　　　　　　　And　not　a　set　contour。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'AE。　M。'

To　shake；　pull；　and　ransack　the　box　till　he　had　almost　destroyed　it
was　now　his　natural　action。　　But　it　contained　absolutely　nothing
more。

'Disappointed　again；'　he　said；　flinging　down　the　box；　the　bit　of
paper；　and　the　withered　twig　that　had　lain　with　it。

Yet　valueless　as　the　new　acquisition　was；　on　second　thoughts　he
considered　that　it　would　be　worth　while　to　make　good　the　statement
in　his　late　note　to　Grayethat　he　had　sent　everything　the　box
contained　except　the　sewing…thread。　　Thereupon　he　enclosed　the　verse
and　myrtle…twig　in　another　envelope；　with　a　remark　that　he　had
overlooked　them　in　his　first　search；　and　put　it　on　the　table　for　the
next　day's　post。

In　his　hurry　and　concentration　upon　the　matter　that　occupied　him；
Springrove；　on　entering　his　lodging　and　obtaining　a　light；　had　not
waited　to　pull　down　the　blind　or　close　the　shutters。　　Consequently
all　that　he　had　done　had　been　visible　from　the　street。　　But　as　on　an
average　not　one　person　a　minute　passed　along　the　quiet　pavement　at
this　time　of　the　evening；　the　discovery　of　the　omission　did　not　much
concern　his　mind。

But　the　real　state　of　the　case　was　that　a　tall　man　had　stood　against
the　opposite　wall　and　watched　the　whole　of　his　proceeding。　　When
Edward　came　out　and　went　to　the　Charing　Cross　post…office；　the　man
followed　him　and　saw　him　drop　the　letter　into　the　box。　　The　stranger
did　not　further　trouble　himself　to　follow　Springrove　back　to　his
lodging　again。

Manston　now　knew　that　there　had　been　photographs　of　some　kind　in　his
wife's　workbox；　and　though　he　had　not　been　near　enough　to　see　them；
he　guessed　whose　they　were。　　The　least　reflection　told　him　to　whom
they　had　been　sent。

He　paused　a　minute　under　the　portico　of　the　post…office；　looking　at
the　two　or　three　omnibuses　stopping　and　starting　in　front　of　him。
Then　he　rushed　along　the　Strand；　through　Holywell　Street；　and　on　to
Old　Boswell　Court。　　Kicking　aside　the　shoeblacks　who　began　to
importune　him　as　he　passed　under　the　colonnade；　he　turned　up　the
narrow　passage　to　the　publishing…office　of　the　Post…Office
Directory。　　He　begged　to　be　allowed　to　see　the　Directory　of　the
south…west　counties　of　England　for　a　moment。

The　shopman　immediately　handed　down　the　volume　from　a　shelf；　and
Manston　retired　with　it　to　the　window…bench。　　He　turned　to　the
county；　and　then　to　the　parish　of　Tolchurch。　　At　the　end　of　the
historical　and　topographical　description　of　the　village　he　read：

'PostmistressMrs。　Hurston。　　Letters　received　at　6。3O　A。M。　by　foot…
post　from　Anglebury。'

Returning　his　thanks；　he　handed　back　the　book　and　quitted　the
office；　thence　pursuing　his　way　to　an　obscure　coffee…house　by　the
Strand；　where　he　now　partook　of　a　light　dinner。　　But　rest　seemed
impossible　with　him。　　Some　absorbing　intention　kept　his　body
continually　on　the　move。　　He　paid　his　bill；　took　his　bag　in　his
hand；　and　went　out　to　idle　about　the　streets　and　over　the　river　till
the　time　should　have　arrived　at　which　the　night…mail　left　the
Waterloo　Station；　by　which　train　he　intended　to　return　homeward。

There　exists；　as　it　were；　an　outer　chamber　to　the　mind；　in　which；
when　a　man　is　occupied　centrally　with　the　most　momentous　question　of
his　life；　casual　and　trifling　thoughts　are　just　allowed　to　wander
softly　for　an　interval；　before　being　banished　altogether。　　Thus；
amid　his　concentration　did　Manston　receive　perceptions　of　the
individuals　about　him　in　the　lively　thoroughfare　of　the　Strand；　tall
men　looking　insignificant；　little　men　looking　great　and　profound；
lost　women　of　miserable　repute　looking　as　happy　as　the　days　are
long；　wives；　happy　by　assumption；　looking　careworn　and　miserable。
Each　and　all　were　alike　in　this　one　respect；　that　they　followed　a
solitary　trail　like　the　inwoven　threads　which　form　a　banner；　and　all
were　equally　unconscious　of　the　significant　whole　they　collectively
showed　forth。

At　ten　o'clock　he　turned　into　Lancaster　Place；　crossed　the　river；
and　entered　the　railway…station；　where　he　took　his　seat　in　the　down
mail…train；　which　bore　him；　and　Edward　Springrove's　letter　to　Graye；
far　away　from　London。



XVII。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　ONE　DAY

1。　　MARCH　THE　THIRTEENTH。　　THREE　TO　SIX　O'CLOCK　A。M。

They　entered　Anglebury　Station　in　the　dead；　still　time　of　early
morning；　the　cloc