desperate remedies-第52部分

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irregularly；　and　softly　directing　the　jets　against　the　sides　of　the
pail。

Owen　could　contain　himself　no　longer；　much　as　his　mind　dreaded
anything　of　the　nature　of　ridicule。　　'The　people　all　seem　to　look　at
me；　as　if　something　seriously　concerned　me；　is　it　this　stupid
matter；　or　what　is　it？'

'Surely；　sir；　you　know　better　than　anybody　else　if　such　a　strange
thing　concerns　you。'

'What　strange　thing？'

'Don't　you　know！　　His　confessing　to　Parson　Raunham。'

'What　did　he　confess？　　Tell　me。'

'If　you　really　ha'n't　heard；　'tis　this。　　He　was　as　usual　on　duty　at
the　station　on　the　night　of　the　fire　last　year；　otherwise　he
wouldn't　ha'　known　it。'

'Known　what？　　For　God's　sake　tell；　man！'

But　at　this　instant　the　two　opposite　gates　of　the　dairy…yard；　one　on
the　east；　the　other　on　the　west　side；　slammed　almost　simultaneously。

The　rector　from　one；　Springrove　from　the　other；　came　striding　across
the　barton。

Edward　was　nearest；　and　spoke　first。　　He　said　in　a　low　voice：　　'Your
sister　is　not　legally　married！　　His　first　wife　is　still　living！　　How
it　comes　out　I　don't　know！'

'O；　here　you　are　at　last；　Mr。　Graye；　thank　Heaven！'　said　the　rector
breathlessly。　　'I　have　been　to　the　Old　House；　and　then　to　Miss
Aldclyffe's　looking　for　yousomething　very　extraordinary。'　　He
beckoned　to　Owen；　afterwards　included　Springrove　in　his　glance；　and
the　three　stepped　aside　together。

'A　porter　at　the　station。　　He　was　a　curious　nervous　man。　　He　had
been　in　a　strange　state　all　day；　but　he　wouldn't　go　home。　　Your
sister　was　kind　to　him；　it　seems；　this　afternoon。　　When　she　and　her
husband　had　gone；　he　went　on　with　his　work；　shifting　luggage…vans。
Well；　he　got　in　the　way；　as　if　he　were　quite　lost　to　what　was　going
on；　and　they　sent　him　home　at　last。　　Then　he　wished　to　see　me。　　I
went　directly。　　There　was　something　on　his　mind；　he　said；　and　told
it。　　About　the　time　when　the　fire　of　last　November　twelvemonth　was
got　under；　whilst　he　was　by　himself　in　the　porter's　room；　almost
asleep；　somebody　came　to　the　station　and　tried　to　open　the　door。　　He
went　out　and　found　the　person　to　be　the　lady　he　had　accompanied　to
Carriford　earlier　in　the　evening；　Mrs。　Manston。　　She　asked；　when
would　be　another　train　to　London？　　The　first　the　next　morning；　he
told　her；　was　at　a　quarter…past　six　o'clock　from　Budmouth；　but　that
it　was　express；　and　didn't　stop　at　Carriford　Roadit　didn't　stop
till　it　got　to　Anglebury。　　〃How　far　is　it　to　Anglebury？〃　she　said。
He　told　her；　and　she　thanked　him；　and　went　away　up　the　line。　　In　a
short　time　she　ran　back　and　took　out　her　purse。　　〃Don't　on　any
account　say　a　word　in　the　village　or　anywhere　that　I　have　been　here；
or　a　single　breath　about　meI'm　ashamed　ever　to　have　come。〃　　He
promised；　she　took　out　two　sovereigns。　　〃Swear　it　on　the　Testament
in　the　waiting…room；〃　she　said；　〃and　I'll　pay　you　these。〃　　He　got
the　book；　took　an　oath　upon　it；　received　the　money；　and　she　left
him。　　He　was　off　duty　at　half…past　five。　　He　has　kept　silence　all
through　the　intervening　time　till　now；　but　lately　the　knowledge　he
possessed　weighed　heavily　upon　his　conscience　and　weak　mind。　　Yet
the　nearer　came　the　wedding…day；　the　more　he　feared　to　tell。　　The
actual　marriage　filled　him　with　remorse。　　He　says　your　sister's
kindness　afterwards　was　like　a　knife　going　through　his　heart。　　He
thought　he　had　ruined　her。'

'But　whatever　can　be　done？　　Why　didn't　he　speak　sooner？'　cried　Owen。

'He　actually　called　at　my　house　twice　yesterday；'　the　rector
continued；　'resolved；　it　seems；　to　unburden　his　mind。　　I　was　out
both　timeshe　left　no　message；　and；　they　say；　he　looked　relieved
that　his　object　was　defeated。　　Then　he　says　he　resolved　to　come　to
you　at　the　Old　House　last　nightstarted；　reached　the　door；　and
dreaded　to　knockand　then　went　home　again。'

'Here　will　be　a　tale　for　the　newsmongers　of　the　county；'　said　Owen
bitterly。　　'The　idea　of　his　not　opening　his　mouth　soonerthe
criminality　of　the　thing！'

'Ah；　that's　the　inconsistency　of　a　weak　nature。　　But　now　that　it　is
put　to　us　in　this　way；　how　much　more　probable　it　seems　that　she
should　have　escaped　than　have　been　burnt'

'You　will；　of　course；　go　straight　to　Mr。　Manston；　and　ask　him　what
it　all　means？'　Edward　interrupted。

'Of　course　I　shall！　　Manston　has　no　right　to　carry　off　my　sister
unless　he's　her　husband；'　said　Owen。　　'I　shall　go　and　separate
them。'

'Certainly　you　will；'　said　the　rector。

'Where's　the　man？'

'In　his　cottage。'

''Tis　no　use　going　to　him；　either。　　I　must　go　off　at　once　and
overtake　themlay　the　case　before　Manston；　and　ask　him　for
additional　and　certain　proofs　of　his　first　wife's　death。　　An　up…
train　passes　soon；　I　think。'

'Where　have　they　gone？'　said　Edward。

'To　Parisas　far　as　Southampton　this　afternoon；　to　proceed　to…
morrow　morning。'

'Where　in　Southampton？'

'I　really　don't　knowsome　hotel。　　I　only　have　their　Paris　address。
But　I　shall　find　them　by　making　a　few　inquiries。'

The　rector　had　in　the　meantime　been　taking　out　his　pocket…book；　and
now　opened　it　at　the　first　page；　whereon　it　was　his　custom　every
month　to　gum　a　small　railway　time…tablecut　from　the　local
newspaper。

'The　afternoon　express　is　just　gone；'　he　said；　holding　open　the
page；　'and　the　next　train　to　Southampton　passes　at　ten　minutes　to
six　o'clock。　　Now　it　wantslet　me　seefive…and…forty　minutes　to
that　time。　　Mr。　Graye；　my　advice　is　that　you　come　with　me　to　the
porter's　cottage；　where　I　will　shortly　write　out　the　substance　of
what　he　has　said；　and　get　him　to　sign　it。　　You　will　then　have　far
better　grounds　for　interfering　between　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Manston　than　if
you　went　to　them　with　a　mere　hearsay　story。'

The　suggestion　seemed　a　good　one。　　'Yes；　there　will　be　time　before
the　train　starts；'　said　Owen。

Edward　had　been　musing　restlessly。

'Let　me　go　to　Southampton　in　your　place；　on　account　of　your
lameness？'　he　said　suddenly　to　Graye。

'I　am　much　obliged　to　you；　but　I　think　I　can　scarcely　accept　the
offer；'　returned　Owen　coldly。　　'Mr。　Manston　is　an　honourable　man；
and　I　had　much　better　see　him　myself。'

'There　is　no　doubt；'　said　Mr。　Raunham；　'that　the　death　of　his　wife
was　fully　believed　in　by　himself。'

'None　whatever；'　said　Owen；　'and　the　news　must　be　broken　to　him；　and
the　question　of　other　proofs　asked；　in　a　friendly　way。　　It　would　not
do　for　Mr。　Springrove　to　appear　in　the　case　at　all。'　　He　still　spoke
rather　coldly；　the　recollection　of　the　attachment　between　his　sister
and　Edward　was　not　a　pleasant　one　to　him。

'You　will　never　find　them；'　said　Edward。　　'You　have　never　been　to
Southampton；　and　I　know　every　house　there。'

'That　makes　little　difference；'　said　the　rector；　'he　will　have　a
cab。　　Certainly　Mr。　Graye　is　the　proper　man　to　go　on　the　errand。'

'Stay；　I'll　telegraph　to　ask　them　to　meet　me　when　I　arrive　at　the
terminus；'　said　Owen；　'that　is；　if　their　train　has　not　already
arrived。'

Mr。　Raunham　pulled　out　his　pocket…book　again。　　'The　two…thirty　train
reached　Southampton　a　quarter　of　an　hour　ago；'　he　said。

It　was　too　late　to　catch　them　at　the　station。　　Nevertheless；　the
rector　suggested　that　it　would　be　worth　while　to　direct　a　message　to
'all　the　respectable　hotels　in　Southampton；'　on　the　chance　of　its
finding　them；　and　thus　saving　a　deal　of　personal　labour　to　Owen　in
searching　about　the　place。

'I'll　go　and　telegraph；　whilst　you　return　to　the　man；'　said　Edward
an　offer　which　was　accepted。　　Graye　and　the　rector　then　turned　off
in　the　direction　of　the　porter's　cottage。

Edward；　to　despatch　the　message　at　once；　hurriedly　followed　the　road
towards　the　station；　still　restlessly　thinking。　　All　Owen's
proceedings　were　based　on　the　assumption；　natural　under　the
circumstances；　of　Manston's　good　faith；　and　that　he　would　readily
acquiesce　in　any　arrangement　which　should　clear　up　the　mystery。
'But；'　thought　Edward；　'supposeand　Heaven　forgive　me；　I　cannot
help　supposing　itthat　Manston　is　not　that　honourable　man；　what
will　a　young　and　inexperienced　fellow　like　Owen　do？　　Will　he　not　be
hoodwinked　by　some　specious　story　or　another；　framed　to　last　till
Manston　gets　tired　of　poor　Cytherea？　　And　then　the　disclosure　of　the
truth　will　ruin　and　blacken　both　their　futures　irremediably。'

However；　he　proceeded　to　execute　his　commission。　　This　he　put　in　the
form　of　a　simple　request　from　Owen　to　Manston；　that　Manston　would
come　to　the　Southampton　platform；　and　wait　for　Owen's　arrival；　as　he
valued　his　reputation。　　The　message　was　directed　as　the　rector　had
suggested；　Edward　guaranteeing　to　the　clerk　who　sent　it　off　that
every　expense　connected　with　the　search　would　be　paid。

No　sooner　had　the　telegram　been　despatched　than　his　heart　sank
within　him　at　the　want　of　foresight　shown　in　sending　it。　　Had
Manston；　all　the　time；　a　knowledge　that　his　first　wife　lived；　the
telegram　would　be　a　forewarning　which　might　enable　him　to　defeat
Owen　still　more　signally。

Whilst　the　machine　was　still　giving　off　its　multitudinous　series　of
raps；　Edward　heard　a　powerful　rush　under　the　shed　outside；　followed
by　a　long　sonorous　creak。　　It　was　a　train　of　some　sort；　stealing
softly　into　the　station；　and　it　was　an　up…train。　　There　was　the　ring
of　a　bell。　　It　was　certainly　a　passenger　train。

Yet　the　booking…office　window　was　closed。

'Ho；　ho；　John；　seventeen　minutes　after　time　and　only　three　stations
up　the　line。　　The　incline　again？'　　The　voice　was　the
stationmaster's；　and　the　reply　seemed　to　come　from　the　guard。

'Yes；　the　other　side　of　the　cutting。　　The　thaw　has　made　it　all　in　a
perfect　cloud　of　fog；　and　the　rails　are　as　slippery　as　glass。　　We
had　to　bring　them　through　the　cutting　at　twice。'

'Anybody　else　for　the　four…forty…five　express？'　the　voice　continued。
The　few　passengers；　having　crossed　over　to　the　other　side　long
before　this　time；　had　taken　their　places　at　once。

A　conviction　suddenly　broke　in　upon　Edward's　mind；　then　a　wish
overwhelmed　him。　　The　convictionas　startling　as　it　was　suddenwas
that　Manston　was　a　villain；　who　at　some　earlier　time　had　discovered
that　his　wife　lived；　and　had　bribed　her　to　keep　out　of　sight；　that
he　might　possess　Cytherea。　　The　wish　wasto　proceed　at　once　by　this
very　train　that　was　starting；　find　Manston　before　he　would　expect
from　the　words　of　the　telegram　（