desperate remedies-第26部分

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Springrove；　you　gave　me　a　glass　o'　rum　last　year　because　I　was　going
to　diehere　I　be　alive　still；　you　see。〃　　〃Well　said；　clerk！　　Here's
two　glasses　for　you　now；　then；〃　says　she。　　　〃Thank　you；　mem；〃　I
said；　and　swallered　the　rum。　　Well；　dang　my　old　sides；　next　year　I
thought　I'd　call　again　and　get　three。　　And　call　I　did。　　But　she
wouldn't　give　me　a　drop　o'　the　commonest。　　〃No；　clerk；〃　says　she；
〃you　be　too　tough　for　a　woman's　pity。〃。　。　。　　Ah；　poor　soul；　'twas
true　enough！　　Here　be　I；　that　was　expected　to　die；　alive　and　hard　as
a　nail；　you　see；　and　there's　she　moulderen　in　her　grave。'

'I　used　to　think　'twas　your　wife's　fate　not　to　have　a　liven　husband
when　I　zid　'em　die　off　so；'　said　Gad。

'Fate？　　Bless　thy　simplicity；　so　'twas　her　fate；　but　she　struggled
to　have　one；　and　would；　and　did。　　Fate's　nothen　beside　a　woman's
schemen！'

'I　suppose；　then；　that　Fate　is　a　He；　like　us；　and　the　Lord；　and　the
rest　o'　'em　up　above　there；'　said　Gad；　lifting　his　eyes　to　the　sky。

'Hullo！　　Here's　the　young　woman　comen　that　we　were　a…talken　about
by…now；'　said　a　grinder；　suddenly　interrupting。　　'She's　comen　up
here；　as　I　be　alive！'

The　two　grinders　stood　and　regarded　Cytherea　as　if　she　had　been　a
ship　tacking　into　a　harbour；　nearly　stopping　the　mill　in　their　new
interest。

'Stylish　accoutrements　about　the　head　and　shoulders；　to　my　thinken；'
said　the　clerk。　　'Sheenen　curls；　and　plenty　o'　em。'

'If　there's　one　kind　of　pride　more　excusable　than　another　in　a　young
woman；　'tis　being　proud　of　her　hair；'　said　Mr。　Springrove。

'Dear　man！the　pride　there　is　only　a　small　piece　o'　the　whole。　　I
warrant　now；　though　she　can　show　such　a　figure；　she　ha'n't　a　stick
o'　furniture　to　call　her　own。'

'Come；　Clerk　Crickett；　let　the　maid　be　a　maid　while　she　is　a　maid；'
said　Farmer　Springrove　chivalrously。

'O；'　replied　the　servant　of　the　Church；　'I've　nothen　to　say　against
itO　no：

　　　　　'〃The　chimney…sweeper's　daughter　Sue
　　　　　　　　　As　I　have　heard　declare；　O；
　　　　　　　Although　she's　neither　sock　nor　shoe
　　　　　　　　　Will　curl　and　deck　her　hair；　O。〃'

Cytherea　was　rather　disconcerted　at　finding　that　the　gradual
cessation　of　the　chopping　of　the　mill　was　on　her　account；　and　still
more　when　she　saw　all　the　cider…makers'　eyes　fixed　upon　her　except
Mr。　Springrove's；　whose　natural　delicacy　restrained　him。　　She　neared
the　plot　of　grass；　but　instead　of　advancing　further；　hesitated　on
its　border。

Mr。　Springrove　perceived　her　embarrassment；　which　was　relieved　when
she　saw　his　old…established　figure　coming　across　to　her；　wiping　his
hands　in　his　apron。

'I　know　your　errand；　missie；'　he　said；　'and　am　glad　to　see　you；　and
attend　to　it。　　I'll　step　indoors。'

'If　you　are　busy　I　am　in　no　hurry　for　a　minute　or　two；'　said
Cytherea。

'Then　if　so　be　you　really　wouldn't　mind；　we'll　wring　down　this　last
filling　to　let　it　drain　all　night？'

'Not　at　all。　　I　like　to　see　you。'

'We　are　only　just　grinding　down　the　early　pickthongs　and　griffins；'
continued　the　farmer；　in　a　half…apologetic　tone　for　detaining　by　his
cider…making　any　well…dressed　woman。　　'They　rot　as　black　as　a
chimney…crook　if　we　keep　'em　till　the　regulars　turn　in。'　　As　he
spoke　he　went　back　to　the　press；　Cytherea　keeping　at　his　elbow。
'I'm　later　than　I　should　have　been　by　rights；'　he　continued；　taking
up　a　lever　for　propelling　the　screw；　and　beckoning　to　the　men　to
come　forward。　　'The　truth　is；　my　son　Edward　had　promised　to　come　to…
day；　and　I　made　preparations；　but　instead　of　him　comes　a　letter：
〃London；　September　the　eighteenth；　Dear　Father；〃　says　he；　and　went
on　to　tell　me　he　couldn't。　　It　threw　me　out　a　bit。'

'Of　course；'　said　Cytherea。

'He's　got　a　place　'a　b'lieve？'　said　the　clerk；　drawing　near。

'No；　poor　mortal　fellow；　no。　　He　tried　for　this　one　here；　you　know；
but　couldn't　manage　to　get　it。　　I　don't　know　the　rights　o'　the
matter；　but　willy…nilly　they　wouldn't　have　him　for　steward。　　Now
mates；　form　in　line。'

Springrove；　the　clerk；　the　grinders；　and　Gad；　all　ranged　themselves
behind　the　lever　of　the　screw；　and　walked　round　like　soldiers
wheeling。

'The　man　that　the　old　quean　hev　got　is　a　man　you　can　hardly　get　upon
your　tongue　to　gainsay；　by　the　look　o'　en；'　rejoined　Clerk　Crickett。

'One　o'　them　people　that　can　contrive　to　be　thought　no　worse　o'　for
stealen　a　horse　than　another　man　for　looken　over　hedge　at　en；'　said
a　grinder。

'Well；　he's　all　there　as　steward；　and　is　quite　the　gentlemanno
doubt　about　that。'

'So　would　my　Ted　ha'　been；　for　the　matter　o'　that；'　the　farmer　said。

'That's　true：　　'a　would；　sir。'

'I　said；　I'll　give　Ted　a　good　education　if　it　do　cost　me　my　eyes；
and　I　would　have　done　it。'

'Ay；　that　you　would　so；'　said　the　chorus　of　assistants　solemnly。

'But　he　took　to　books　and　drawing　naturally；　and　cost　very　little；
and　as　a　wind…up　the　womenfolk　hatched　up　a　match　between　him　and
his　cousin。'

'When's　the　wedden　to　be；　Mr。　Springrove？'

'Uncertainbut　soon；　I　suppose。　　Edward；　you　see；　can　do　anything
pretty　nearly；　and　yet　can't　get　a　straightforward　living。　　I　wish
sometimes　I　had　kept　him　here；　and　let　professions　go。　　But　he　was
such　a　one　for　the　pencil。'

He　dropped　the　lever　in　the　hedge；　and　turned　to　his　visitor。

'Now　then；　missie；　if　you'll　come　indoors；　please。'

Gad　Weedy　looked　with　a　placid　criticism　at　Cytherea　as　she　withdrew
with　the　farmer。

'I　could　tell　by　the　tongue　o'　her　that　she　didn't　take　her　degrees
in　our　county；'　he　said　in　an　undertone。



'The　railways　have　left　you　lonely　here；'　she　observed；　when　they
were　indoors。

Save　the　withered　old　flies；　which　were　quite　tame　from　the
solitude；　not　a　being　was　in　the　house。　　Nobody　seemed　to　have
entered　it　since　the　last　passenger　had　been　called　out　to　mount　the
last　stage…coach　that　had　run　by。

'Yes；　the　Inn　and　I　seem　almost　a　pair　of　fossils；'　the　farmer
replied；　looking　at　the　room　and　then　at　himself。

'O；　Mr。　　Springrove；'　said　Cytherea；　suddenly　recollecting　herself；
'I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　recommending　me　to　Miss　Aldclyffe。'
She　began　to　warm　towards　the　old　man；　there　was　in　him　a　gentleness
of　disposition　which　reminded　her　of　her　own　father。

'Recommending？　　Not　at　all；　miss。　　Tedthat's　my　sonTed　said　a
fellow…draughtsman　of　his　had　a　sister　who　wanted　to　be　doing
something　in　the　world；　and　I　mentioned　it　to　the　housekeeper；
that's　all。　　Ay；　I　miss　my　son　very　much。'

She　kept　her　back　to　the　window　that　he　might　not　see　her　rising
colour。

'Yes；'　he　continued；　'sometimes　I　can't　help　feeling　uneasy　about
him。　　You　know；　he　seems　not　made　for　a　town　life　exactly：　　he　gets
very　queer　over　it　sometimes；　I　think。　　Perhaps　he'll　be　better　when
he's　married　to　Adelaide。'

A　half…impatient　feeling　arose　in　her；　like　that　which　possesses　a
sick　person　when　he　hears　a　recently…struck　hour　struck　again　by　a
slow　clock。　　She　had　lived　further　on。

'Everything　depends　upon　whether　he　loves　her；'　she　said
tremulously。

'He　used　tohe　doesn't　show　it　so　much　now；　but　that's　because　he's
older。　　You　see；　it　was　several　years　ago　they　first　walked　together
as　young　man　and　young　woman。　　She's　altered　too　from　what　she　was
when　he　first　courted　her。'

'How；　sir？'

'O；　she's　more　sensible　by　half。　　When　he　used　to　write　to　her　she'd
creep　up　the　lane　and　look　back　over　her　shoulder；　and　slide　out　the
letter；　and　read　a　word　and　stand　in　thought　looking　at　the　hills
and　seeing　none。　　Then　the　cuckoo　would　cryaway　the　letter　would
slip；　and　she'd　start　wi'　fright　at　the　mere　bird；　and　have　a　red
skin　before　the　quickest　man　among　ye　could　say；　〃Blood　rush　up。〃'

He　came　forward　with　the　money　and　dropped　it　into　her　hand。　　His
thoughts　were　still　with　Edward；　and　he　absently　took　her　little
fingers　in　his　as　he　said；　earnestly　and　ingenuously

''Tis　so　seldom　I　get　a　gentlewoman　to　speak　to　that　I　can't　help
speaking　to　you；　Miss　Graye；　on　my　fears　for　Edward；　I　sometimes　am
afraid　that　he'll　never　get　onthat　he'll　die　poor　and　despised
under　the　worst　mental　conditions；　a　keen　sense　of　having　been
passed　in　the　race　by　men　whose　brains　are　nothing　to　his　own；　all
through　his　seeing　too　far　into　thingsbeing　discontented　with
make…shiftsthinking　o'　perfection　in　things；　and　then　sickened
that　there's　no　such　thing　as　perfection。　　I　shan't　be　sorry　to　see
him　marry；　since　it　may　settle　him　down　and　do　him　good。　。　。　。　　Ay；
we'll　hope　for　the　best。'

He　let　go　her　hand　and　accompanied　her　to　the　door　saying；　'If　you
should　care　to　walk　this　way　and　talk　to　an　old　man　once　now　and
then；　it　will　be　a　great　delight　to　him；　Miss　Graye。　　Good…evening
to　ye。　。　。　。　　Ah　look！　a　thunderstorm　is　brewingbe　quick　home。　　Or
shall　I　step　up　with　you？'

'No；　thank　you；　Mr。　Springrove。　　Good　evening；'　she　said　in　a　low
voice；　and　hurried　away。　　One　thought　still　possessed　her；　Edward
had　trifled　with　her　love。

4。　　FIVE　TO　SIX　P。M。

She　followed　the　road　into　a　bower　of　trees；　overhanging　it　so
densely　that　the　pass　appeared　like　a　rabbit's　burrow；　and　presently
reached　a　side　entrance　to　the　park。　　The　clouds　rose　more　rapidly
than　the　farmer　had　anticipated：　　the　sheep　moved　in　a　trail；　and
complained　incoherently。　　Livid　grey　shades；　like　those　of　the
modern　French　painters；　made　a　mystery　of　the　remote　and　dark　parts
of　the　vista；　and　seemed　to　insist　upon　a　suspension　of　breath。
Before　she　was　half…way　across　the　park　the　thunder　rumbled
distinctly。

The　direction　in　which　she　had　to　go　would　take　her　close　by　the　old
manor…house。　　The　air　was　perfectly　still；　and　between　each　low
rumble　of　the　thunder　behind　she　could　hear　the　roar　of　the
waterfall　before　her；　and　the　creak　of　the　engine　among　the　bushes
hard　by　it。　　Hurrying　on；　with　a　growing　dread　of　the　gloom　and　of
the　approaching　storm；　she　drew　near　the　Old　House；　now　rising
before　her　against　the　dark　foliage　and　sky　in　tones　of　strange
whiteness。

On　the　flight　of　steps；　which　descended　from　a　terrace　in　front　to
the　level　of　the　park；　stood　a　man。　　He　appeared；　partly　from　the
relief　the　position　gave　to　his　figure；　and　partly　from　fact；　to　be
of　towering　height。　　He　was　dark　in　outline；　and　was　looking　at　the
sky；　with　his　hands　behind　him。

It　was　necessary　for　Cythe