desperate remedies-第33部分

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here；　I　am　vexed　as　much　as　you。　　Somebody；　a　member　of　the
Institute　of　Architectswho；　I　could　never　tellsent　to　my　old
address　in　London　your　advertisement　cut　from　the　paper；　it　was
forwarded　to　me；　I　wanted　to　get　away　from　Liverpool；　and　it　seemed
as　if　this　was　put　in　my　way　on　purpose；　by　some　old　friend　or
other。　　I　answered　the　advertisement　certainly；　but　I　was　not
particularly　anxious　to　come　here；　nor　am　I　anxious　to　stay。'

Miss　Aldclyffe　descended　from　haughty　superiority　to　womanly
persuasion　with　a　haste　which　was　almost　ludicrous。　　Indeed；　the
Quos　ego　of　the　whole　lecture　had　been　less　the　genuine　menace　of
the　imperious　ruler　of　Knapwater　than　an　artificial　utterance　to
hide　a　failing　heart。

'Now；　now；　Mr。　Manston；　you　wrong　me；　don't　suppose　I　wish　to　be
overbearing；　or　anything　of　the　kind；　and　you　will　allow　me　to　say
this　much；　at　any　rate；　that　I　have　become　interested　in　your　wife；
as　well　as　in　yourself。'

'Certainly；　madam；'　he　said；　slowly；　like　a　man　feeling　his　way　in
the　dark。　　Manston　was　utterly　at　fault　now。　　His　previous
experience　of　the　effect　of　his　form　and　features　upon　womankind　en
masse；　had　taught　him　to　flatter　himself　that　he　could　account　by
the　same　law　of　natural　selection　for　the　extraordinary　interest
Miss　Aldclyffe　had　hitherto　taken　in　him；　as　an　unmarried　man；　an
interest　he　did　not　at　all　object　to；　seeing　that　it　kept　him　near
Cytherea；　and　enabled　him；　a　man　of　no　wealth；　to　rule　on　the　estate
as　if　he　were　its　lawful　owner。　　Like　Curius　at　his　Sabine　farm；　he
had　counted　it　his　glory　not　to　possess　gold　himself；　but　to　have
power　over　her　who　did。　　But　at　this　hint　of　the　lady's　wish　to　take
his　wife　under　her　wing　also；　he　was　perplexed：　　could　she　have　any
sinister　motive　in　doing　so？　　But　he　did　not　allow　himself　to　be
troubled　with　these　doubts；　which　only　concerned　his　wife's
happiness。

'She　tells　me；'　continued　Miss　Aldclyffe；　'how　utterly　alone　in　the
world　she　stands；　and　that　is　an　additional　reason　why　I　should
sympathize　with　her。　　Instead；　then；　of　requesting　the　favour　of
your　retirement　from　the　post；　and　dismissing　your　interests
altogether；　I　will　retain　you　as　my　steward　still；　on　condition　that
you　bring　home　your　wife；　and　live　with　her　respectably；　in　short；
as　if　you　loved　her；　you　understand。　　I　WISH　you　to　stay　here　if　you
grant　that　everything　shall　flow　smoothly　between　yourself　and　her。'

The　breast　and　shoulders　of　the　steward　rose；　as　if　an　expression　of
defiance　was　about　to　be　poured　forth；　before　it　took　form；　he
controlled　himself　and　said；　in　his　natural　voice

'My　part　of　the　performance　shall　be　carried　out；　madam。'

'And　her　anxiety　to　obtain　a　standing　in　the　world　ensures　that　hers
will；'　replied　Miss　Aldclyffe。　　'That　will　be　satisfactory；　then。'

After　a　few　additional　remarks；　she　gently　signified　that　she　wished
to　put　an　end　to　the　interview。　　The　steward　took　the　hint　and
retired。

He　felt　vexed　and　mortified；　yet　in　walking　homeward　he　was
convinced　that　telling　the　whole　truth　as　he　had　done；　with　the
single　exception　of　his　love　for　Cytherea　（which　he　tried　to　hide
even　from　himself）；　had　never　served　him　in　better　stead　than　it　had
done　that　night。

Manston　went　to　his　desk　and　thought　of　Cytherea's　beauty　with　the
bitterest；　wildest　regret。　　After　the　lapse　of　a　few　minutes　he
calmed　himself　by　a　stoical　effort；　and　wrote　the　subjoined　letter
to　his　wife：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'KNAPWATER；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　November　21；　1864。

'DEAR　EUNICE；I　hope　you　reached　London　safely　after　your　flighty
visit　to　me。

'As　I　promised；　I　have　thought　over　our　conversation　that　night；　and
your　wish　that　your　coming　here　should　be　no　longer　delayed。　　After
all；　it　was　perfectly　natural　that　you　should　have　spoken　unkindly
as　you　did；　ignorant　as　you　were　of　the　circumstances　which　bound
me。

'So　I　have　made　arrangements　to　fetch　you　home　at　once。　　It　is
hardly　worth　while　for　you　to　attempt　to　bring　with　you　any　luggage
you　may　have　gathered　about　you　（beyond　mere　clothing）。　　Dispose　of
superfluous　things　at　a　broker's；　your　bringing　them　would　only　make
a　talk　in　this　parish；　and　lead　people　to　believe　we　had　long　been
keeping　house　separately。

'Will　next　Monday　suit　you　for　coming？　　You　have　nothing　to　do　that
can　occupy　you　for　more　than　a　day　or　two；　as　far　as　I　can　see；　and
the　remainder　of　this　week　will　afford　ample　time。　　I　can　be　in
London　the　night　before；　and　we　will　come　down　together　by　the　mid…
day　trainYour　very　affectionate　husband；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'AENEAS　MANSTON。

'Now；　of　course；　I　shall　no　longer　write　to　you　as　Mrs。　Rondley。'

The　address　on　the　envelope　was

MRS。　MANSTON；
　　　　　41　CHARLES　SQUARE；
　　　　　　　　　　HOXTON；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　LONDON；　N。

He　took　the　letter　to　the　house；　and　it　being　too　late　for　the
country　post；　sent　one　of　the　stablemen　with　it　to　Casterbridge；
instead　of　troubling　to　go　to　Budmouth　with　it　himself　as
heretofore。　　He　had　no　longer　any　necessity　to　keep　his　condition　a
secret。

7。　　FROM　THE　TWENTY…SECOND　TO　THE　TWENTY…SEVENTH　OF　NOVEMBER

But　the　next　morning　Manston　found　that　he　had　been　forgetful　of
another　matter；　in　naming　the　following　Monday　to　his　wife　for　the
journey。

The　fact　was　this。　　A　letter　had　just　come；　reminding　him　that　he
had　left　the　whole　of　the　succeeding　week　open　for　an　important
business　engagement　with　a　neighbouring　land…agent；　at　that
gentleman's　residence　thirteen　miles　off。　　The　particular　day　he　had
suggested　to　his　wife；　had；　in　the　interim；　been　appropriated　by　his
correspondent。　　The　meeting　could　not　now　be　put　off。

So　he　wrote　again　to　his　wife；　stating　that　business；　which　could
not　be　postponed；　called　him　away　from　home　on　Monday；　and　would
entirely　prevent　him　coming　all　the　way　to　fetch　her　on　Sunday　night
as　he　had　intended；　but　that　he　would　meet　her　at　the　Carriford　Road
Station　with　a　conveyance　when　she　arrived　there　in　the　evening。

The　next　day　came　his　wife's　answer　to　his　first　letter；　in　which
she　said　that　she　would　be　ready　to　be　fetched　at　the　time　named。
Having　already　written　his　second　letter；　which　was　by　that　time　in
her　hands；　he　made　no　further　reply。

The　week　passed　away。　　The　steward　had；　in　the　meantime；　let　it
become　generally　known　in　the　village　that　he　was　a　married　man；　and
by　a　little　judicious　management；　sound　family　reasons　for　his　past
secrecy　upon　the　subject；　which　were　floated　as　adjuncts　to　the
story；　were　placidly　received；　they　seemed　so　natural　and
justifiable　to　the　unsophisticated　minds　of　nine…tenths　of　his
neighbours；　that　curiosity　in　the　matter；　beyond　a　strong　curiosity
to　see　the　lady's　face；　was　well…nigh　extinguished。



X。　　THE　EVENTS　OF　A　DAY　AND　NIGHT

1。　　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTY…EIGHTH。　　UNTIL　TEN　P。M。

Monday　came；　the　day　named　for　Mrs。　Manston's　journey　from　London　to
her　husband's　house；　a　day　of　singular　and　great　events；　influencing
the　present　and　future　of　nearly　all　the　personages　whose　actions　in
a　complex　drama　form　the　subject　of　this　record。

The　proceedings　of　the　steward　demand　the　first　notice。　　Whilst
taking　his　breakfast　on　this　particular　morning；　the　clock　pointing
to　eight；　the　horse…and…gig　that　was　to　take　him　to　Chettlewood
waiting　ready　at　the　door；　Manston　hurriedly　cast　his　eyes　down　the
column　of　Bradshaw　which　showed　the　details　and　duration　of　the
selected　train's　journey。

The　inspection　was　carelessly　made；　the　leaf　being　kept　open　by　the
aid　of　one　hand；　whilst　the　other　still　held　his　cup　of　coffee；　much
more　carelessly　than　would　have　been　the　case　had　the　expected　new…
comer　been　Cytherea　Graye；　instead　of　his　lawful　wife。

He　did　not　perceive；　branching　from　the　column　down　which　his　finger
ran；　a　small　twist；　called　a　shunting…line；　inserted　at　a　particular
place；　to　imply　that　at　that　point　the　train　was　divided　into　two。
By　this　oversight　he　understood　that　the　arrival　of　his　wife　at
Carriford　Road　Station　would　not　be　till　late　in　the　evening：　　by
the　second　half　of　the　train；　containing　the　third…class　passengers；
and　passing　two　hours　and　three…quarters　later　than　the　previous
one；　by　which　the　lady；　as　a　second…class　passenger；　would　really　be
brought。

He　then　considered　that　there　would　be　plenty　of　time　for　him　to
return　from　his　day's　engagement　to　meet　this　train。　　He　finished
his　breakfast；　gave　proper　and　precise　directions　to　his　servant　on
the　preparations　that　were　to　be　made　for　the　lady's　reception；
jumped　into　his　gig；　and　drove　off　to　Lord　Claydonfield's；　at
Chettlewood。

He　went　along　by　the　front　of　Knapwater　House。　　He　could　not　help
turning　to　look　at　what　he　knew　to　be　the　window　of　Cytherea's　room。
Whilst　he　looked；　a　hopeless　expression　of　passionate　love　and
sensuous　anguish　came　upon　his　face　and　lingered　there　for　a　few
seconds；　then；　as　on　previous　occasions；　it　was　resolutely
repressed；　and　he　trotted　along　the　smooth　white　road；　again
endeavouring　to　banish　all　thought　of　the　young　girl　whose　beauty
and　grace　had　so　enslaved　him。

Thus　it　was　that　when；　in　the　evening　of　the　same　day；　Mrs。　Manston
reached　Carriford　Road　Station；　her　husband　was　still　at
Chettlewood；　ignorant　of　her　arrival；　and　on　looking　up　and　down　the
platform；　dreary　with　autumn　gloom　and　wind；　she　could　see　no　sign
that　any　preparation　whatever　had　been　made　for　her　reception　and
conduct　home。

The　train　went　on。　She　waited；　fidgeted　with　the　handle　of　her
umbrella；　walked　about；　strained　her　eyes　into　the　gloom　of　the
chilly　night；　listened　for　wheels；　tapped　with　her　foot；　and　showed
all　the　usual　signs　of　annoyance　and　irritation：　　she　was　the　more
irritated　in　that　this　seemed　a　second　and　culminating　instance　of
her　husband's　neglectthe　first　having　been　shown　in　his　not
fetching　her。

Reflecting　awhile　upon　the　course　it　would　be　best　to　take；　in　order
to　secure　a　passage　to　Knapwater；　she　decided　to　leave　all　her
luggage；　except　a　dressing…bag；　in　the　cloak…room；　and　walk　to　her
husband's　house；　as　she　had　done　on　her　first　visit。　　She　asked　one
of　the　porters　if　he　could　fin