desperate remedies-第87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！

House；　the　preternaturally　keen　intelligence　of　the　suffering　woman
caught　the　maiden's　well…known　footfall。　　She　entered　the　sick…
chamber　with　suspended　breath。

In　the　room　everything　was　so　still；　and　sensation　was　as　it　were　so
rarefied　by　solicitude；　that　thinking　seemed　acting；　and　the　lady's
weak　act　of　trying　to　live　a　silent　wrestling　with　all　the　powers　of
the　universe。　　Nobody　was　present　but　Mr。　Raunham；　the　nurse　having
left　the　room　on　Cytherea's　entry；　and　the　physician　and　surgeon
being　engaged　in　a　whispered　conversation　in　a　side…chamber。　　Their
patient　had　been　pronounced　out　of　danger。

Cytherea　went　to　the　bedside；　and　was　instantly　recognized。　　O；　what
a　changeMiss　Aldclyffe　dependent　upon　pillows！　　And　yet　not　a
forbidding　change。　　With　weakness　had　come　softness　of　aspect：　　the
haughtiness　was　extracted　from　the　frail　thin　countenance；　and　a
sweeter　mild　placidity　had　taken　its　place。

Miss　Aldclyffe　signified　to　Mr。　Raunham　that　she　would　like　to　be
alone　with　Cytherea。

'Cytherea？'　she　faintly　whispered　the　instant　the　door　was　closed。

Cytherea　clasped　the　lady's　weak　hand；　and　sank　beside　her。

Miss　Aldclyffe　whispered　again。　　'They　say　I　am　certain　to　live；　but
I　know　that　I　am　certainly　going　to　die。'

'They　know；　I　think；　and　hope。'

'I　know　best；　but　we'll　leave　that。　　CythereaO　Cytherea；　can　you
forgive　me！'

Her　companion　pressed　her　hand。

'But　you　don't　know　yetyou　don't　know　yet；'　the　invalid　murmured。
'It　is　forgiveness　for　that　misrepresentation　to　Edward　Springrove
that　I　implore；　and　for　putting　such　force　upon　himthat　which
caused　all　the　train　of　your　innumerable　ills！'

'I　know　allall。　　And　I　do　forgive　you。　　Not　in　a　hasty　impulse
that　is　revoked　when　coolness　comes；　but　deliberately　and　sincerely：
as　I　myself　hope　to　be　forgiven；　I　accord　you　my　forgiveness　now。'

Tears　streamed　from　Miss　Aldclyffe's　eyes；　and　mingled　with　those　of
her　young　companion；　who　could　not　restrain　hers　for　sympathy。
Expressions　of　strong　attachment；　interrupted　by　emotion；　burst
again　and　again　from　the　broken…spirited　woman。

'But　you　don't　know　my　motive。　　O；　if　you　only　knew　it；　how　you
would　pity　me　then！'

Cytherea　did　not　break　the　pause　which　ensued；　and　the　elder　woman
appeared　now　to　nerve　herself　by　a　superhuman　effort。　　She　spoke　on
in　a　voice　weak　as　a　summer　breeze；　and　full　of　intermission；　and
yet　there　pervaded　it　a　steadiness　of　intention　that　seemed　to
demand　firm　tones　to　bear　it　out　worthily。

'Cytherea；'　she　said；　'listen　to　me　before　I　die。

'A　long　time　agomore　than　thirty　years　agoa　young　girl　of
seventeen　was　cruelly　betrayed　by　her　cousin；　a　wild　officer　of　six…
and…twenty。　　He　went　to　India；　and　died。

'One　night　when　that　miserable　girl　had　just　arrived　home　with　her
parents　from　Germany；　where　her　baby　had　been　born；　she　took　all　the
money　she　possessed；　pinned　it　on　her　infant's　bosom；　together　with
a　letter；　stating；　among　other　things；　what　she　wished　the　child's
Christian　name　to　be；　wrapped　up　the　little　thing；　and　walked　with
it　to　Clapham。　　Here；　in　a　retired　street；　she　selected　a　house。
She　placed　the　child　on　the　doorstep　and　knocked　at　the　door；　then
ran　away　and　watched。　　They　took　it　up　and　carried　it　indoors。

'Now　that　her　poor　baby　was　gone；　the　girl　blamed　herself　bitterly
for　cruelty　towards　it；　and　wished　she　had　adopted　her　parents'
counsel　to　secretly　hire　a　nurse。　　She　longed　to　see　it。　　She　didn't
know　what　to　do。　　She　wrote　in　an　assumed　name　to　the　woman　who　had
taken　it　in；　and　asked　her　to　meet　the　writer　with　the　infant　at
certain　places　she　named。　　These　were　hotels　or　coffee…houses　in
Chelsea；　Pimlico；　or　Hammersmith。　　The　woman；　being　well　paid；
always　came；　and　asked　no　questions。　　At　one　meetingat　an　inn　in
Hammersmithshe　made　her　appearance　without　the　child；　and　told　the
girl　it　was　so　ill　that　it　would　not　live　through　the　night。　　The
news；　and　fatigue；　brought　on　a　fainting…fit　。　。　。'

Miss　Aldclyffe's　sobs　choked　her　utterance；　and　she　became　painfully
agitated。　　Cytherea；　pale　and　amazed　at　what　she　heard；　wept　for
her；　bent　over　her；　and　begged　her　not　to　go　on　speaking。

'YesI　must；'　she　cried；　between　her　sobs。　　'I　willI　must　go　on！
And　I　must　tell　yet　more　plainly！。　。　。　　you　must　hear　it　before　I　am
gone；　Cytherea。'　　The　sympathizing　and　astonished　girl　sat　down
again。

'The　name　of　the　woman　who　had　taken　the　child　was　MANSTON。　　She　was
the　widow　of　a　schoolmaster。　　She　said　she　had　adopted　the　child　of
a　relation。

'Only　one　man　ever　found　out　who　the　mother　was。　　He　was　the　keeper
of　the　inn　in　which　she　fainted；　and　his　silence　she　has　purchased
ever　since。

'A　twelvemonth　passedfifteen　monthsand　the　saddened　girl　met　a
man　at　her　father's　house　named　Grayeyour　father；　Cytherea；　then
unmarried。　　Ah；　such　a　man！　　Inexperience　now　perceived　what　it　was
to　be　loved　in　spirit　and　in　truth！　　But　it　was　too　late。　　Had　he
known　her　secret　he　would　have　cast　her　out。　　She　withdrew　from　him
by　an　effort；　and　pined。

'Years　and　years　afterwards；　when　she　became　mistress　of　a　fortune
and　estates　by　her　father's　death；　she　formed　the　weak　scheme　of
having　near　her　the　son　whom；　in　her　father's　life…time；　she　had
been　forbidden　to　recognize。　　Cytherea；　you　know　who　that　weak　woman
is。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。

'By　such　toilsome　labour　as　this　I　got　him　here　as　my　steward。　　And
I　wanted　to　see　him　YOUR　HUSBAND；　Cytherea！the　husband　of　my　true
lover's　child。　　It　was　a　sweet　dream　to　me。　。　。　。　　Pity　meO；　pity
me！　　To　die　unloved　is　more　than　I　can　bear！　　I　loved　your　father；
and　I　love　him　now。'



That　was　the　burden　of　Cytherea　Aldclyffe。

'I　suppose　you　must　leave　me　againyou　always　leave　me；'　she　said；
after　holding　the　young　woman's　hand　a　long　while　in　silence。

'Noindeed　I'll　stay　always。　　Do　you　like　me　to　stay？'

Miss　Aldclyffe　in　the　jaws　of　death　was　Miss　Aldclyffe　still；　though
the　old　fire　had　degenerated　to　mere　phosphorescence　now。　　'But　you
are　your　brother's　housekeeper？'

'Yes。'

'Well；　of　course　you　cannot　stay　with　me　on　a　sudden　like　this。　。　。
Go　home；　or　he　will　be　at　a　loss　for　things。　And　to…morrow　morning
come　again；　won't　you；　dearest；　come　againwe'll　fetch　you。　　But
you　mustn't　stay　now；　and　put　Owen　out。　　O　noit　would　be　absurd。'
The　absorbing　concern　about　trifles　of　daily　routine；　which　is　so
often　seen　in　very　sick　people；　was　present　here。

Cytherea　promised　to　go　home；　and　come　the　next　morning　to　stay
continuously。

'Stay　till　I　die　then；　will　you　not？　　Yes；　till　I　dieI　shan't　die
till　to…morrow。'

'We　hope　for　your　recoveryall　of　us。'

'I　know　best。　　Come　at　six　o'clock；　darling。'

'As　soon　as　ever　I　can；'　returned　Cytherea　tenderly。

'But　six　is　too　earlyyou　will　have　to　think　of　your　brother's
breakfast。　　Leave　Tolchurch　at　eight；　will　you？'

Cytherea　consented　to　this。　　Miss　Aldclyffe　would　never　have　known
had　her　companion　stayed　in　the　house　all　night；　but　the　honesty　of
Cytherea's　nature　rebelled　against　even　the　friendly　deceit　which
such　a　proceeding　would　have　involved。

An　arrangement　was　come　to　whereby　she　was　to　be　taken　home　in　the
pony…carriage　instead　of　the　brougham　that　fetched　her；　the　carriage
to　put　up　at　Tolchurch　farm　for　the　night；　and　on　that　account　to　be
in　readiness　to　bring　her　back　earlier。

4。　　MARCH　THE　THIRTIETH。　　DAYBREAK

The　third　and　last　instance　of　Cytherea's　subjection　to　those
periodic　terrors　of　the　night　which　had　emphasized　her　connection
with　the　Aldclyffe　name　and　blood　occurred　at　the　present　date。

It　was　about　four　o'clock　in　the　morning　when　Cytherea；　though　most
probably　dreaming；　seemed　to　awakeand　instantly　was　transfixed　by
a　sort　of　spell；　that　had　in　it　more　of　awe　than　of　affright。　　At
the　foot　of　her　bed；　looking　her　in　the　face　with　an　expression　of
entreaty　beyond　the　power　of　words　to　portray；　was　the　form　of　Miss
Aldclyffewan　and　distinct。　　No　motion　was　perceptible　in　her；　but
longingearnest　longingwas　written　in　every　feature。

Cytherea　believed　she　exercised　her　waking　judgment　as　usual　in
thinking；　without　a　shadow　of　doubt；　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　stood
before　her　in　flesh　and　blood。　　Reason　was　not　sufficiently　alert　to
lead　Cytherea　to　ask　herself　how　such　a　thing　could　have　occurred。

'I　would　have　remained　with　youwhy　would　you　not　allow　me　to
stay！'　Cytherea　exclaimed。　　The　spell　was　broken：　　she　became
broadly　awake；　and　the　figure　vanished。

It　was　in　the　grey　time　of　dawn。　　She　trembled　in　a　sweat　of
disquiet；　and　not　being　able　to　endure　the　thought　of　her　brother
being　asleep；　she　went　and　tapped　at　his　door。

'Owen！'

He　was　not　a　heavy　sleeper；　and　it　was　verging　upon　his　time　to
rise。

'What　do　you　want；　Cytherea？'

'I　ought　not　to　have　left　Knapwater　last　night。　　I　wish　I　had　not。
I　really　think　I　will　start　at　once。　　She　wants　me；　I　know。'

'What　time　is　it？'

'A　few　minutes　past　four。'

'You　had　better　not。　　Keep　to　the　time　agreed　upon。　　Consider；　we
should　have　such　a　trouble　in　rousing　the　driver；　and　other　things。'

Upon　the　whole　it　seemed　wiser　not　to　act　on　a　mere　fancy。　　She　went
to　be