desperate remedies-第2部分

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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


exactness　from　the　treasures　of　expectation　before　mentioned。　　But
as　years　revolved；　the　same　course　was　continued　from　the　lack　of
spirit　sufficient　for　shifting　out　of　an　old　groove　when　it　has　been
found　to　lead　to　disaster。

In　the　year　1861　his　wife　died；　leaving　him　a　widower　with　two
children。　　The　elder；　a　son　named　Owen；　now　just　turned　seventeen；
was　taken　from　school；　and　initiated　as　pupil　to　the　profession　of
architect　in　his　father's　office。　　The　remaining　child　was　a
daughter；　and　Owen's　junior　by　a　year。

Her　christian　name　was　Cytherea；　and　it　is　easy　to　guess　why。

3。　　OCTOBER　THE　TWELFTH；　1863

We　pass　over　two　years　in　order　to　reach　the　next　cardinal　event　of
these　persons'　lives。　　The　scene　is　still　the　Grayes'　native　town　of
Hocbridge；　but　as　it　appeared　on　a　Monday　afternoon　in　the　month　of
October。

The　weather　was　sunny　and　dry；　but　the　ancient　borough　was　to　be
seen　wearing　one　of　its　least　attractive　aspects。　　First　on　account
of　the　time。　　It　was　that　stagnant　hour　of　the　twenty…four　when　the
practical　garishness　of　Day；　having　escaped　from　the　fresh　long
shadows　and　enlivening　newness　of　the　morning；　has　not　yet　made　any
perceptible　advance　towards　acquiring　those　mellow　and　soothing
tones　which　grace　its　decline。　　Next；　it　was　that　stage　in　the
progress　of　the　week　when　businesswhich；　carried　on　under　the
gables　of　an　old　country　place；　is　not　devoid　of　a　romantic　sparkle…
…was　well…nigh　extinguished。　　Lastly；　the　town　was　intentionally
bent　upon　being　attractive　by　exhibiting　to　an　influx　of　visitors
the　local　talent　for　dramatic　recitation；　and　provincial　towns
trying　to　be　lively　are　the　dullest　of　dull　things。

Little　towns　are　like　little　children　in　this　respect；　that　they
interest　most　when　they　are　enacting　native　peculiarities
unconscious　of　beholders。　　Discovering　themselves　to　be　watched　they
attempt　to　be　entertaining　by　putting　on　an　antic；　and　produce
disagreeable　caricatures　which　spoil　them。

The　weather…stained　clock…face　in　the　low　church　tower　standing　at
the　intersection　of　the　three　chief　streets　was　expressing　half…past
two　to　the　Town　Hall　opposite；　where　the　much　talked…of　reading　from
Shakespeare　was　about　to　begin。　　The　doors　were　open；　and　those
persons　who　had　already　assembled　within　the　building　were　noticing
the　entrance　of　the　new…comerssilently　criticizing　their　dress
questioning　the　genuineness　of　their　teeth　and　hairestimating
their　private　means。

Among　these　later　ones　came　an　exceptional　young　maiden　who　glowed
amid　the　dulness　like　a　single　bright…red　poppy　in　a　field　of　brown
stubble。　　She　wore　an　elegant　dark　jacket；　lavender　dress；　hat　with
grey　strings　and　trimmings；　and　gloves　of　a　colour　to　harmonize。
She　lightly　walked　up　the　side　passage　of　the　room；　cast　a　slight
glance　around；　and　entered　the　seat　pointed　out　to　her。

The　young　girl　was　Cytherea　Graye；　her　age　was　now　about　eighteen。
During　her　entry；　and　at　various　times　whilst　sitting　in　her　seat
and　listening　to　the　reader　on　the　platform；　her　personal　appearance
formed　an　interesting　subject　of　study　for　several　neighbouring
eyes。

Her　face　was　exceedingly　attractive；　though　artistically　less
perfect　than　her　figure；　which　approached　unusually　near　to　the
standard　of　faultlessness。　　But　even　this　feature　of　hers　yielded
the　palm　to　the　gracefulness　of　her　movement；　which　was　fascinating
and　delightful　to　an　extreme　degree。

Indeed；　motion　was　her　speciality；　whether　shown　on　its　most
extended　scale　of　bodily　progression；　or　minutely；　as　in　the
uplifting　of　her　eyelids；　the　bending　of　her　fingers；　the　pouting　of
her　lip。　　The　carriage　of　her　headmotion　within　motiona　glide
upon　a　glidewas　as　delicate　as　that　of　a　magnetic　needle。　　And
this　flexibility　and　elasticity　had　never　been　taught　her　by　rule；
nor　even　been　acquired　by　observation；　but；　nullo　cultu；　had
naturally　developed　itself　with　her　years。　　In　childhood；　a　stone　or
stalk　in　the　way；　which　had　been　the　inevitable　occasion　of　a　fall
to　her　playmates；　had　usually　left　her　safe　and　upright　on　her　feet
after　the　narrowest　escape　by　oscillations　and　whirls　for　the
preservation　of　her　balance。　　At　mixed　Christmas　parties；　when　she
numbered　but　twelve　or　thirteen　years；　and　was　heartily　despised　on
that　account　by　lads　who　deemed　themselves　men；　her　apt　lightness　in
the　dance　covered　this　incompleteness　in　her　womanhood；　and
compelled　the　self…same　youths　in　spite　of　resolutions　to　seize　upon
her　childish　figure　as　a　partner　whom　they　could　not　afford　to
contemn。　　And　in　later　years；　when　the　instincts　of　her　sex　had
shown　her　this　point　as　the　best　and　rarest　feature　in　her　external
self；　she　was　not　found　wanting　in　attention　to　the　cultivation　of
finish　in　its　details。

Her　hair　rested　gaily　upon　her　shoulders　in　curls　and　was　of　a
shining　corn　yellow　in　the　high　lights；　deepening　to　a　definite　nut…
brown　as　each　curl　wound　round　into　the　shade。　　She　had　eyes　of　a
sapphire　hue；　though　rather　darker　than　the　gem　ordinarily　appears；
they　possessed　the　affectionate　and　liquid　sparkle　of　loyalty　and
good　faith　as　distinguishable　from　that　harder　brightness　which
seems　to　express　faithfulness　only　to　the　object　confronting　them。

But　to　attempt　to　gain　a　view　of　heror　indeed　of　any　fascinating
womanfrom　a　measured　category；　is　as　difficult　as　to　appreciate
the　effect　of　a　landscape　by　exploring　it　at　night　with　a　lantern
or　of　a　full　chord　of　music　by　piping　the　notes　in　succession。
Nevertheless　it　may　readily　be　believed　from　the　description　here
ventured；　that　among　the　many　winning　phases　of　her　aspect；　these
were　particularly　striking：

　　　　　During　pleasant　doubt；　when　her　eyes　brightened　stealthily　and
smiled　（as　eyes　will　smile）　as　distinctly　as　her　lips；　and　in　the
space　of　a　single　instant　expressed　clearly　the　whole　round　of
degrees　of　expectancy　which　lie　over　the　wide　expanse　between　Yea
and　Nay。

　　　　　During　the　telling　of　a　secret；　which　was　involuntarily
accompanied　by　a　sudden　minute　start；　and　ecstatic　pressure　of　the
listener's　arm；　side；　or　neck；　as　the　position　and　degree　of
intimacy　dictated。

　　　　　When　anxiously　regarding　one　who　possessed　her　affections。

She　suddenly　assumed　the　last…mentioned　bearing　in　the　progress　of
the　present　entertainment。　　Her　glance　was　directed　out　of　the
window。

Why　the　particulars　of　a　young　lady's　presence　at　a　very　mediocre
performance　were　prevented　from　dropping　into　the　oblivion　which
their　intrinsic　insignificance　would　naturally　have　involvedwhy
they　were　remembered　and　individualized　by　herself　and　others
through　after　yearswas　simply　that　she　unknowingly　stood；　as　it
were；　upon　the　extreme　posterior　edge　of　a　tract　in　her　life；　in
which　the　real　meaning　of　Taking　Thought　had　never　been　known。　　It
was　the　last　hour　of　experience　she　ever　enjoyed　with　a　mind
entirely　free　from　a　knowledge　of　that　labyrinth　into　which　she
stepped　immediately　afterwardsto　continue　a　perplexed　course　along
its　mazes　for　the　greater　portion　of　twenty…nine　subsequent　months。

The　Town　Hall；　in　which　Cytherea　sat；　was　a　building　of　brown　stone；
and　through　one　of　the　windows　could　be　seen　from　the　interior　of
the　room　the　housetops　and　chimneys　of　the　adjacent　street；　and　also
the　upper　part　of　a　neighbouring　church　spire；　now　in　course　of
completion　under　the　superintendence　of　Miss　Graye's　father；　the
architect　to　the　work。

That　the　top　of　this　spire　should　be　visible　from　her　position　in
the　room　was　a　fact　which　Cytherea's　idling　eyes　had　discovered　with
some　interest；　and　she　was　now　engaged　in　watching　the　scene　that
was　being　enacted　about　its　airy　summit。　　Round　the　conical
stonework　rose　a　cage　of　scaffolding　against　the　blue　sky；　and　upon
this　stood　five　menfour　in　clothes　as　white　as　the　new　erection
close　beneath　their　hands；　the　fifth　in　the　ordinary　dark　suit　of　a
gentleman。

The　four　working…men　in　white　were　three　masons　and　a　mason's
labourer。　　The　fifth　man　was　the　architect；　Mr。　Graye。　　He　had　been
giving　directions　as　it　seemed；　and　retiring　as　far　as　the　narrow
footway　allowed；　stood　perfectly　still。

The　picture　thus　presented　to　a　spectator　in　the　Town　Hall　was
curious　and　striking。　　It　was　an　illuminated　miniature；　framed　in　by
the　dark　margin　of　the　window；　the　keen…edged　shadiness　of　which
emphasized　by　contrast　the　softness　of　the　objects　enclosed。

The　height　of　the　spire　was　about　one　hundred　and　twenty　feet；　and
the　five　men　engaged　thereon　seemed　entirely　removed　from　the　sphere
and　experiences　of　ordinary　human　beings。　　They　appeared　little
larger　than　pigeons；　and　made　their　tiny　movements　with　a　soft；
spirit…like　silentness。　　One　idea　above　all　others　was　conveyed　to
the　mind　of　a　person　on　the　ground　by　their　aspect；　namely；
concentration　of　purpose：　　that　they　were　indifferent　toeven
unconscious　ofthe　distracted　world　beneath　them；　and　all　that
moved　upon　it。　　They　never　looked　off　the　scaffolding。

Then　one　of　them　turned；　it　was　Mr。　Graye。　　Again　he　stood
motionless；　with　attention　to　the　operations　of　the　others。　　He
appeared　to　be　lost　in　reflection；　and　had　directed　his　face　towards
a　new　stone　they　were　lifting。

'Why　does　he　stand　like　that？'　the　young　lady　thought　at　lengthup
to　that　moment　as　listless　and　careless　as　one　of　the　ancient
Tarentines；　who；　on　such　an　afternoon　as　this；　watched　from　the
Theatre　the　entry　into　their　Harbour　of　a　power　that　overturned　the
State。

She　moved　herself　uneasily。　　'I　wish　he　would　come　down；'　she
whispered；　still　gazing　at　the　skybacked　picture。　　'It　is　so
dangerous　to　be　absent…minded　up　there。'

When　she　had　done　murmuring　the　words　her　father　indecisively　laid
hold　of　one　of　the　scaffold…poles；　as　if　to　test　its　strength；　then
let　it　go　and　stepped　back。　　In　stepping；　his　foot　slipped。　　An
instant　of　doubling　forward　and　sideways；　and　he　reeled　off　into　the
air；　immediately　disappearing　downwards。

His　agonized　daughter　rose　to　her　feet　by　a　convulsive　movement。
Her　lips　parted；　and　she　gasped　for　breath。　　She　could　utter　no
sound。　　One　by　one　the　people　about　her；　unconscious　of　what　had
happened；　turned　their　heads；　and　inquiry　and　alarm　beca