desperate remedies-第51部分

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a　long　firm　clasp；　so　close　and　still　that　each　hand　could　feel　the
other's　pulse　throbbing　beside　its　own。

'My　Cytherea！　my　stolen　pet　lamb！'

She　glanced　a　mute　farewell　from　her　large　perturbed　eyes；　turned；
and　ran　up　the　garden　without　looking　back。　　All　was　over　between
them。　　The　river　flowed　on　as　quietly　and　obtusely　as　ever；　and　the
minnows　gathered　again　in　their　favourite　spot　as　if　they　had　never
been　disturbed。

Nobody　indoors　guessed　from　her　countenance　and　bearing　that　her
heart　was　near　to　breaking　with　the　intensity　of　the　misery　which
gnawed　there。　　At　these　times　a　woman　does　not　faint；　or　weep；　or
scream；　as　she　will　in　the　moment　of　sudden　shocks。　　When　lanced　by
a　mental　agony　of　such　refined　and　special　torture　that　it　is
indescribable　by　men's　words；　she　moves　among　her　acquaintances　much
as　before；　and　contrives　so　to　cast　her　actions　in　the　old　moulds
that　she　is　only　considered　to　be　rather　duller　than　usual。

5。　　HALF…PAST　TWO　TO　FIVE　O'CLOCK　P。M。

Owen　accompanied　the　newly…married　couple　to　the　railway…station；
and　in　his　anxiety　to　see　the　last　of　his　sister；　left　the　brougham
and　stood　upon　his　crutches　whilst　the　train　was　starting。

When　the　husband　and　wife　were　about　to　enter　the　railway…carriage
they　saw　one　of　the　porters　looking　frequently　and　furtively　at
them。　　He　was　pale；　and　apparently　very　ill。

'Look　at　that　poor　sick　man；'　said　Cytherea　compassionately；　'surely
he　ought　not　to　be　here。'

'He's　been　very　queer　to…day；　madam；　very　queer；'　another　porter
answered。　　'He　do　hardly　hear　when　he's　spoken　to；　and　d'　seem
giddy；　or　as　if　something　was　on　his　mind。　　He's　been　like　it　for
this　month　past；　but　nothing　so　bad　as　he　is　to…day。'

'Poor　thing。'

She　could　not　resist　an　innate　desire　to　do　some　just　thing　on　this
most　deceitful　and　wretched　day　of　her　life。　　Going　up　to　him　she
gave　him　money；　and　told　him　to　send　to　the　old　manor…house　for　wine
or　whatever　he　wanted。

The　train　moved　off　as　the　trembling　man　was　murmuring　his
incoherent　thanks。　　Owen　waved　his　hand；　Cytherea　smiled　back　to　him
as　if　it　were　unknown　to　her　that　she　wept　all　the　while。

Owen　was　driven　back　to　the　Old　House。　　But　he　could　not　rest　in　the
lonely　place。　　His　conscience　began　to　reproach　him　for　having
forced　on　the　marriage　of　his　sister　with　a　little　too　much
peremptoriness。　　Taking　up　his　crutches　he　went　out　of　doors　and
wandered　about　the　muddy　roads　with　no　object　in　view　save　that　of
getting　rid　of　time。

The　clouds　which　had　hung　so　low　and　densely　during　the　day　cleared
from　the　west　just　now　as　the　sun　was　setting；　calling　forth　a
weakly　twitter　from　a　few　small　birds。　　Owen　crawled　down　the　path
to　the　waterfall；　and　lingered　thereabout　till　the　solitude　of　the
place　oppressed　him；　when　he　turned　back　and　into　the　road　to　the
village。　　He　was　sad；　he　said　to　himself

'If　there　is　ever　any　meaning　in　those　heavy　feelings　which　are
called　presentimentsand　I　don't　believe　there　isthere　will　be　in
mine　to…day。　。　。　。　　Poor　little　Cytherea！'

At　that　moment　the　last　low　rays　of　the　sun　touched　the　head　and
shoulders　of　a　man　who　was　approaching；　and　showed　him　up　to　Owen's
view。　　It　was　old　　Mr。　Springrove。　　They　had　grown　familiar　with
each　other　by　reason　of　Owen's　visits　to　Knapwater　during　the　past
year。　　The　farmer　inquired　how　Owen's　foot　was　progressing；　and　was
glad　to　see　him　so　nimble　again。

'How　is　your　son？'　said　Owen　mechanically。

'He　is　at　home；　sitting　by　the　fire；'　said　the　farmer；　in　a　sad
voice。　　'This　morning　he　slipped　indoors　from　God　knows　where；　and
there　he　sits　and　mopes；　and　thinks；　and　thinks；　and　presses　his
head　so　hard；　that　I　can't　help　feeling　for　him。'

'Is　he　married？'　said　Owen。　　Cytherea　had　feared　to　tell　him　of　the
interview　in　the　garden。

'No。　　I　can't　quite　understand　how　the　matter　rests。　。　。　。　　Ah！
Edward；　too；　who　started　with　such　promise；　that　he　should　now　have
become　such　a　careless　fellownot　a　month　in　one　place。　　There；　Mr。
Graye；　I　know　what　it　is　mainly　owing　to。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for
that　heart　affair；　he　might　have　donebut　the　less　said　about　him
the　better。　　I　don't　know　what　we　should　have　done　if　Miss　Aldclyffe
had　insisted　upon　the　conditions　of　the　leases。　　Your　brother…in…
law；　the　steward；　had　a　hand　in　making　it　light　for　us；　I　know；　and
I　heartily　thank　him　for　it。'　　He　ceased　speaking；　and　looked　round
at　the　sky。

'Have　you　heard　o'　what's　happened？'　he　said　suddenly；　'I　was　just
coming　out　to　learn　about　it。'

'I　haven't　heard　of　anything。'

'It　is　something　very　serious；　though　I　don't　know　what。　　All　I　know
is　what　I　heard　a　man　call　out　bynowthat　it　very　much　concerns
somebody　who　lives　in　the　parish。'

It　seems　singular　enough；　even　to　minds　who　have　no　dim　beliefs　in
adumbration　and　presentiment；　that　at　that　moment　not　the　shadow　of
a　thought　crossed　Owen's　mind　that　the　somebody　whom　the　matter
concerned　might　be　himself；　or　any　belonging　to　him。　　The　event
about　to　transpire　was　as　portentous　to　the　woman　whose　welfare　was
more　dear　to　him　than　his　own；　as　any；　short　of　death　itself；　could
possibly　be；　and　ever　afterwards；　when　he　considered　the　effect　of
the　knowledge　the　next　half…hour　conveyed　to　his　brain；　even　his
practical　good　sense　could　not　refrain　from　wonder　that　he　should
have　walked　toward　the　village　after　hearing　those　words　of　the
farmer；　in　so　leisurely　and　unconcerned　a　way。　　'How　unutterably
mean　must　my　intelligence　have　appeared　to　the　eye　of　a　foreseeing
God；'　he　frequently　said　in　after…time。　　'Columbus　on　the　eve　of　his
discovery　of　a　world　was　not　so　contemptibly　unaware。'

After　a　few　additional　words　of　common…place　the　farmer　left　him；
and；　as　has　been　said；　Owen　proceeded　slowly　and　indifferently
towards　the　village。

The　labouring　men　had　just　left　work；　and　passed　the　park　gate；
which　opened　into　the　street　as　Owen　came　down　towards　it。　　They
went　along　in　a　drift；　earnestly　talking；　and　were　finally　about　to
turn　in　at　their　respective　doorways。　　But　upon　seeing　him　they
looked　significantly　at　one　another；　and　paused。　　He　came　into　the
road；　on　that　side　of　the　village…green　which　was　opposite　the　row
of　cottages；　and　turned　round　to　the　right。　　When　Owen　turned；　all
eyes　turned；　one　or　two　men　went　hurriedly　indoors；　and　afterwards
appeared　at　the　doorstep　with　their　wives；　who　also　contemplated
him；　talking　as　they　looked。　　They　seemed　uncertain　how　to　act　in
some　matter。

'If　they　want　me；　surely　they　will　call　me；'　he　thought；　wondering
more　and　more。　　He　could　no　longer　doubt　that　he　was　connected　with
the　subject　of　their　discourse。

The　first　who　approached　him　was　a　boy。

'What　has　occurred？'　said　Owen。

'O；　a　man　ha'　got　crazy…religious；　and　sent　for　the　pa'son。'

'Is　that　all？'

'Yes；　sir。　　He　wished　he　was　dead；　he　said；　and　he's　almost　out　of
his　mind　wi'　wishen　it　so　much。　　That　was　before　Mr。　Raunham　came。'

'Who　is　he？'　said　Owen。

'Joseph　Chinney；　one　of　the　railway…porters；　he　used　to　be　night…
porter。'

'Ahthe　man　who　was　ill　this　afternoon；　by　the　way；　he　was　told　to
come　to　the　Old　House　for　something；　but　he　hasn't　been。　　But　has
anything　else　happenedanything　that　concerns　the　wedding　to…day？'

'No；　sir。'

Concluding　that　the　connection　which　had　seemed　to　be　traced　between
himself　and　the　event　must　in　some　way　have　arisen　from　Cytherea's
friendliness　towards　the　man；　Owen　turned　about　and　went　homewards
in　a　much　quieter　frame　of　mindyet　scarcely　satisfied　with　the
solution。　　The　route　he　had　chosen　led　through　the　dairy…yard；　and
he　opened　the　gate。

Five　minutes　before　this　point　of　time；　Edward　Springrove　was
looking　over　one　of　his　father's　fields　at　an　outlying　hamlet　of
three　or　four　cottages　some　mile　and　a　half　distant。　　A　turnpike…
gate　was　close　by　the　gate　of　the　field。

The　carrier　to　Casterbridge　came　up　as　Edward　stepped　into　the　road；
and　jumped　down　from　the　van　to　pay　toll。　　He　recognized　Springrove。
'This　is　a　pretty　set…to　in　your　place；　sir；'　he　said。　　'You　don't
know　about　it；　I　suppose？'

'What？'　said　Springrove。

The　carrier　paid　his　dues；　came　up　to　Edward；　and　spoke　ten　words　in
a　confidential　whisper：　　then　sprang　upon　the　shafts　of　his　vehicle；
gave　a　clinching　nod　of　significance　to　Springrove；　and　rattled
away。

Edward　turned　pale　with　the　intelligence。　　His　first　thought　was；
'Bring　her　home！'

The　nextdid　Owen　Graye　know　what　had　been　discovered？　　He　probably
did　by　that　time；　but　no　risks　of　probability　must　be　run　by　a　woman
he　loved　dearer　than　all　the　world　besides。　　He　would　at　any　rate
make　perfectly　sure　that　her　brother　was　in　possession　of　the
knowledge；　by　telling　it　him　with　his　own　lips。

Off　he　ran　in　the　direction　of　the　old　manor…house。

The　path　was　across　arable　land；　and　was　ploughed　up　with　the　rest
of　the　field　every　autumn；　after　which　it　was　trodden　out　afresh。
The　thaw　had　so　loosened　the　soft　earth；　that　lumps　of　stiff　mud
were　lifted　by　his　feet　at　every　leap　he　took；　and　flung　against　him
by　his　rapid　motion；　as　it　were　doggedly　impeding　him；　and
increasing　tenfold　the　customary　effort　of　running；

But　he　ran　onuphill；　and　downhill；　the　same　pace　alikelike　the
shadow　of　a　cloud。　　His　nearest　direction；　too；　like　Owen's；　was
through　the　dairy…barton；　and　as　Owen　entered　it　he　saw　the　figure
of　Edward　rapidly　descending　the　opposite　hill；　at　a　distance　of　two
or　three　hundred　yards。　　Owen　advanced　amid　the　cows。

The　dairyman；　who　had　hitherto　been　talking　loudly　on　some　absorbing
subject　to　the　maids　and　men　milking　around　him；　turned　his　face
towards　the　head　of　the　cow　when　Owen　passed；　and　ceased　speaking。

Owen　approached　him　and　said

'A　singular　thing　has　happened；　I　hear。　　The　man　is　not　insane；　I
suppose？'

'Not　hehe's　sensible　enough；'　said　the　dairyman；　and　paused。　　He
was　a　man　noisy　with　his　associatesstolid　and　taciturn　with
strangers。

'Is　it　true　that　he　is　Chinney；　the　railway…porter？'

'That's　the　man；　sir。'　　The　maids　and　men　sitting　under　the　cows
were　all　attentively　listening　to　this　discourse；　milking
irregularly；　and　softly　directing　the　jets　against　the　sides　of　the
pail。

O