desperate remedies-第24部分

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'Yessay　I　should　be　pleased　if　he　would；'　repeated　Miss　Aldclyffe；
smiling。　　'Good…bye。　　Don't　hurry　in　your　walk。　　If　you　can't　get
easily　through　your　task　to…day　put　off　some　of　it　till　to…morrow。'

Each　then　started　on　her　rounds：　　Cytherea　going　in　the　first　place
to　the　old　manor…house。　　Mr。　Manston　was　not　indoors；　which　was　a
relief　to　her。　　She　called　then　on　the　two　gentleman…farmers'　wives；
who　soon　transacted　their　business　with　her；　frigidly　indifferent　to
her　personality。　　A　person　who　socially　is　nothing　is　thought　less
of　by　people　who　are　not　much　than　by　those　who　are　a　great　deal。

She　then　turned　towards　Peakhill　Cottage；　the　residence　of　Miss
Hinton；　who　lived　there　happily　enough；　with　an　elderly　servant　and
a　house…dog　as　companions。　　Her　father；　and　last　remaining　parent；
had　retired　thither　four　years　before　this　time；　after　having　filled
the　post　of　editor　to　the　Casterbridge　Chronicle　for　eighteen　or
twenty　years。　　There　he　died　soon　after；　and　though　comparatively　a
poor　man；　he　left　his　daughter　sufficiently　well　provided　for　as　a
modest　fundholder　and　claimant　of　sundry　small　sums　in　dividends　to
maintain　herself　as　mistress　at　Peakhill。

At　Cytherea's　knock　an　inner　door　was　heard　to　open　and　close；　and
footsteps　crossed　the　passage　hesitatingly。　　The　next　minute
Cytherea　stood　face　to　face　with　the　lady　herself。

Adelaide　Hinton　was　about　nine…and…twenty　years　of　age。　　Her　hair
was　plentiful；　like　Cytherea's　own；　her　teeth　equalled　Cytherea's　in
regularity　and　whiteness。　　But　she　was　much　paler；　and　had　features
too　transparent　to　be　in　place　among　household　surroundings。　　Her
mouth　expressed　love　less　forcibly　than　Cytherea's；　and；　as　a
natural　result　of　her　greater　maturity；　her　tread　was　less　elastic；
and　she　was　more　self…possessed。

She　had　been　a　girl　of　that　kind　which　mothers　praise　as　not
forward；　by　way　of　contrast；　when　disparaging　those　warmer　ones　with
whom　loving　is　an　end　and　not　a　means。　　Men　of　forty；　too；　said　of
her；　'a　good　sensible　wife　for　any　man；　if　she　cares　to　marry；'　the
caring　to　marry　being　thrown　in　as　the　vaguest　hypothesis；　because
she　was　so　practical。　　Yet　it　would　be　singular　if；　in　such　cases；
the　important　subject　of　marriage　should　be　excluded　from
manipulation　by　hands　that　are　ready　for　practical　performance　in
every　domestic　concern　besides。

Cytherea　was　an　acquisition；　and　the　greeting　was　hearty。

'Good　afternoon！　　O　yesMiss　Graye；　from　Miss　Aldclyffe's。　　I　have
seen　you　at　church；　and　I　am　so　glad　you　have　called！　　Come　in。　　I
wonder　if　I　have　change　enough　to　pay　my　subscription。'　　She　spoke
girlishly。

Adelaide；　when　in　the　company　of　a　younger　woman；　always　levelled
herself　down　to　that　younger　woman's　age　from　a　sense　of　justice　to
herselfas　if；　though　not　her　own　age　at　common　law；　it　was　in
equity。

'It　doesn't　matter。　　I'll　come　again。'

'Yes；　do　at　any　time；　not　only　on　this　errand。　　But　you　must　step　in
for　a　minute。　　Do。'

'I　have　been　wanting　to　come　for　several　weeks。'

'That's　right。　　Now　you　must　see　my　houselonely；　isn't　it；　for　a
single　person？　　People　said　it　was　odd　for　a　young　woman　like　me　to
keep　on　a　house；　but　what　did　I　care？　　If　you　knew　the　pleasure　of
locking　up　your　own　door；　with　the　sensation　that　you　reigned
supreme　inside　it；　you　would　say　it　was　worth　the　risk　of　being
called　odd。　　Mr。　Springrove　attends　to　my　gardening；　the　dog　attends
to　robbers；　and　whenever　there　is　a　snake　or　toad　to　kill；　Jane　does
it。'

'How　nice！　　It　is　better　than　living　in　a　town。'

'Far　better。　　A　town　makes　a　cynic　of　me。'

The　remark　recalled；　somewhat　startlingly；　to　Cytherea's　mind；　that
Edward　had　used　those　very　words　to　herself　one　evening　at　Budmouth。

Miss　Hinton　opened　an　interior　door　and　led　her　visitor　into　a　small
drawing…room　commanding　a　view　of　the　country　for　miles。

The　missionary　business　was　soon　settled；　but　the　chat　continued。

'How　lonely　it　must　be　here　at　night！'　said　Cytherea。　　'Aren't　you
afraid？'

'At　first　I　was；　slightly。　　But　I　got　used　to　the　solitude。　　And　you
know　a　sort　of　commonsense　will　creep　even　into　timidity。　　I　say　to
myself　sometimes　at　night；　〃If　I　were　anybody　but　a　harmless　woman；
not　worth　the　trouble　of　a　worm's　ghost　to　appear　to　me；　I　should
think　that　every　sound　I　hear　was　a　spirit。〃　　But　you　must　see　all
over　my　house。'

Cytherea　was　highly　interested　in　seeing。

'I　say　you　MUST　do　this；　and　you　MUST　do　that；　as　if　you　were　a
child；'　remarked　Adelaide。　　'A　privileged　friend　of　mine　tells　me
this　use　of　the　imperative　comes　of　being　so　constantly　in　nobody's
society　but　my　own。'

'Ah；　yes。　　I　suppose　she　is　right。'

Cytherea　called　the　friend　'she'　by　a　rule　of　ladylike　practice；　for
a　woman's　'friend'　is　delicately　assumed　by　another　friend　to　be　of
their　own　sex　in　the　absence　of　knowledge　to　the　contrary；　just　as
cats　are　called　she's　until　they　prove　themselves　he's。

Miss　Hinton　laughed　mysteriously。

'I　get　a　humorous　reproof　for　it　now　and　then；　I　assure　you；'　she
continued。

'〃Humorous　reproof：〃　that's　not　from　a　woman：　　who　can　reprove
humorously　but　a　man？'　was　the　groove　of　Cytherea's　thought　at　the
remark。　　'Your　brother　reproves　you；　I　expect；'　said　that　innocent
young　lady。

'No；'　said　Miss　Hinton；　with　a　candid　air。　　''Tis　only　a
professional　man　I　am　acquainted　with。'　　She　looked　out　of　the
window。

Women　are　persistently　imitative。　　No　sooner　did　a　thought　flash
through　Cytherea's　mind　that　the　man　was　a　lover　than　she　became　a
Miss　Aldclyffe　in　a　mild　form。

'I　imagine　he's　a　lover；'　she　said。

Miss　Hinton　smiled　a　smile　of　experience　in　that　line。

Few　women；　if　taxed　with　having　an　admirer；　are　so　free　from　vanity
as　to　deny　the　impeachment；　even　if　it　is　utterly　untrue。　　When　it
does　happen　to　be　true；　they　look　pityingly　away　from　the　person　who
is　so　benighted　as　to　have　got　no　further　than　suspecting　it。

'There　nowMiss　Hinton；　you　are　engaged　to　be　married！'　said
Cytherea　accusingly。

Adelaide　nodded　her　head　practically。　　'Well；　yes；　I　am；'　she　said。

The　word　'engaged'　had　no　sooner　passed　Cytherea's　lips　than　the
sound　of　itthe　mere　sound　of　her　own　lipscarried　her　mind　to　the
time　and　circumstances　under　which　Miss　Aldclyffe　had　used　it
towards　herself。　　A　sickening　thought　followedbased　but　on　a　mere
surmise；　yet　its　presence　took　every　other　idea　away　from　Cytherea's
mind。　　Miss　Hinton　had　used　Edward's　words　about　towns；　she
mentioned　Mr。　Springrove　as　attending　to　her　garden。　　It　could　not
be　that　Edward　was　the　man！　that　Miss　Aldclyffe　had　planned　to
reveal　her　rival　thus！

'Are　you　going　to　be　married　soon？'　she　inquired；　with　a　steadiness
the　result　of　a　sort　of　fascination；　but　apparently　of　indifference。

'Not　very　soonstill；　soon。'

'Ah…ha！　　In　less　than　three　months？'　said　Cytherea。

'Two。'

Now　that　the　subject　was　well　in　hand；　Adelaide　wanted　no　more
prompting。　　'You　won't　tell　anybody　if　I　show　you　something？'　she
said；　with　eager　mystery。

'O　no；　nobody。　　But　does　he　live　in　this　parish？'

'No。'

Nothing　proved　yet。

'What's　his　name？'　said　Cytherea　flatly。　　Her　breath　and　heart　had
begun　their　old　tricks；　and　came　and　went　hotly。　　Miss　Hinton　could
not　see　her　face。

'What　do　you　think？'　said　Miss　Hinton。

'George？'　said　Cytherea；　with　deceitful　agony。

'No；'　said　Adelaide。　　'But　now；　you　shall　see　him　first；　come　here；'
and　she　led　the　way　upstairs　into　her　bedroom。　　There；　standing　on
the　dressing　table　in　a　little　frame；　was　the　unconscious　portrait
of　Edward　Springrove。

'There　he　is；'　Miss　Hinton　said；　and　a　silence　ensued。

'Are　you　very　fond　of　him？'　continued　the　miserable　Cytherea　at
length。

'Yes；　of　course　I　am；'　her　companion　replied；　but　in　the　tone　of　one
who　'lived　in　Abraham's　bosom　all　the　year；'　and　was　therefore
untouched　by　solemn　thought　at　the　fact。　　'He's　my　cousina　native
of　this　village。　　We　were　engaged　before　my　father's　death　left　me
so　lonely。　　I　was　only　twenty；　and　a　much　greater　belle　than　I　am
now。　　We　know　each　other　thoroughly；　as　you　may　imagine。　　I　give　him
a　little　sermonizing　now　and　then。'

'Why？'

'O；　it's　only　in　fun。　He's　very　naughty　sometimesnot　really；　you
knowbut　he　will　look　at　any　pretty　face　when　he　sees　it。'

Storing　up　this　statement　of　his　susceptibility　as　another　item　to
be　miserable　upon　when　she　had　time；　'How　do　you　know　that？'
Cytherea　asked；　with　a　swelling　heart。

'Well；　you　know　how　things　do　come　to　women's　ears。　　He　used　to　live
at　Budmouth　as　an　assistant…architect；　and　I　found　out　that　a　young
giddy　thing　of　a　girl　who　lives　there　somewhere　took　his　fancy　for　a
day　or　two。　　But　I　don't　feel　jealous　at　allour　engagement　is　so
matter…of…fact　that　neither　of　us　can　be　jealous。　　And　it　was　a　mere
flirtationshe　was　too　silly　for　him。　　He's　fond　of　rowing；　and
kindly　gave　her　an　airing　for　an　evening　or　two。　I'll　warrant　they
talked　the　most　unmitigated　rubbish　under　the　sunall　shallowness
and　pastime；　just　as　everything　is　at　watering　placesneither　of
them　caring　a　bit　for　the　othershe　giggling　like　a　goose　all　the
time'

Concentrated　essence　of　woman　pervaded　the　room　rather　than　air。
'She　DIDN'T！　and　it　WASN'T　shallowness！'　Cytherea　burst　out；　with
brimming　eyes。　　''Twas　deep　deceit　on　one　side；　and　entire
confidence　on　the　otheryes；　it　was！'　　The　pent…up　emotion　had
swollen　and　swollen　inside　the　young　thing　till　the　dam　could　no
longer　embay　it。　　The　instant　the　words　were　out　she　would　have
given　worlds　to　have　been　able　to　recall　them。

'Do　you　know　heror　him？'　said　Miss　Hinton；　starting　with　suspicion
at　the　warmth　shown。

The　two　rivals　had　now　lost　their　personality　quite。　　There　was　the
same　keen　brightness　of　eye；　the　same　movement　of　the　mouth；　the
same　mind　in　both；　as　they　looked　doubtingly　and　excitedly　at　each
other。　　As　is　invariably　the　case　with　women　when　a　man　they　care
for　is　the　subject　of　an　excitement　among　them；　the　situation
abstracted　the　differences　which　distinguished　them　as　individuals；
and　left　only　the　properties　common　to　them　as　atoms　of　a　sex。

Cytherea　caught　at　the　chance　afforded　her　of　not　betraying　herself。
'Yes；　I　know　her；'