desperate remedies-第59部分

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and　bars　of　the　chimney…throat　like　tattered　banners　in　ancient
aisles；　whilst　through　the　square　opening　in　the　midst　one　or　two
bright　stars　looked　down　upon　them　from　the　grey　March　sky。　　The
sight　seemed　to　cheer　him。

'At　any　rate　you　will　love　me？'　he　murmured　to　her。

'Yesalwaysfor　ever　and　for　ever！'

He　kissed　her　once；　twice；　three　times；　and　arose　to　his　feet；
slowly　withdrawing　himself　from　her　side　towards　the　door。　　Cytherea
remained　with　her　gaze　fixed　on　the　fire。　　Edward　went　out　grieving；
but　hope　was　not　extinguished　even　now。

He　smelt　the　fragrance　of　a　cigar；　and　immediately　afterwards　saw　a
small　red　star　of　fire　against　the　darkness　of　the　hedge。　　Graye　was
pacing　up　and　down　the　lane；　smoking　as　he　walked。　　Springrove　told
him　the　result　of　the　interview。

'You　are　a　good　fellow；　Edward；'　he　said；　'but　I　think　my　sister　is
right。'

'I　wish　you　would　believe　Manston　a　villain；　as　I　do；'　said
Springrove。

'It　would　be　absurd　of　me　to　say　that　I　like　him　nowfamily　feeling
prevents　it；　but　I　cannot　in　honesty　say　deliberately　that　he　is　a
bad　man。'

Edward　could　keep　the　secret　of　Manston's　coercion　of　Miss　Aldclyffe
in　the　matter　of　the　houses　a　secret　no　longer。　　He　told　Owen　the
whole　story。

'That's　one　thing；'　he　continued；　'but　not　all。　　What　do　you　think
of　thisI　have　discovered　that　he　went　to　Budmouth　post…office　for
a　letter　the　day　before　the　first　advertisement　for　his　wife
appeared　in　the　papers。　　One　was　there　for　him；　and　it　was　directed
in　his　wife's　handwriting；　as　I　can　prove。　　This　was　not　till　after
the　marriage　with　Cytherea；　it　is　true；　but　if　（as　it　seems　to　show）
the　advertising　was　a　farce；　there　is　a　strong　presumption　that　the
rest　of　the　piece　was。'

Owen　was　too　astounded　to　speak。　　He　dropped　his　cigar；　and　fixed
his　eyes　upon　his　companion。

'Collusion！'

'Yes。'

'With　his　first　wife？'

'Yeswith　his　wife。　　I　am　firmly　persuaded　of　it。'

'What　did　you　discover？'

'That　he　fetched　from　the　post…office　at　Budmouth　a　letter　from　her
the　day　BEFORE　the　first　advertisement　appeared。'

Graye　was　lost　in　a　long　consideration。　　'Ah！'　he　said；　'it　would　be
difficult　to　prove　anything　of　that　sort　now。　　The　writing　could　not
be　sworn　to；　and　if　he　is　guilty　the　letter　is　destroyed。'

'I　have　other　suspicions'

'Yesas　you　said'　interrupted　Owen；　who　had　not　till　now　been　able
to　form　the　complicated　set　of　ideas　necessary　for　picturing　the
position。　　'Yes；　there　is　this　to　be　rememberedCytherea　had　been
taken　from　him　before　that　letter　cameand　his　knowledge　of　his
wife's　existence　could　not　have　originated　till　after　the　wedding。
I　could　have　sworn　he　believed　her　dead　then。　　His　manner　was
unmistakable。'

'Well；　I　have　other　suspicions；'　repeated　Edward；　'and　if　I　only　had
the　rightif　I　were　her　husband　or　brother；　he　should　be　convicted
of　bigamy　yet。'

'The　reproof　was　not　needed；'　said　Owen；　with　a　little　bitterness。
'What　can　I　doa　man　with　neither　money　nor　friendswhilst　Manston
has　Miss　Aldclyffe　and　all　her　fortune　to　back　him　up？　　God　only
knows　what　lies　between　the　mistress　and　her　steward；　but　since　this
has　transpiredif　it　is　trueI　can　believe　the　connection　to　be
even　an　unworthy　onea　thing　I　certainly　never　so　much　as　owned　to
myself　before。'

3。　　THE　FIFTH　OF　MARCH

Edward's　disclosure　had　the　effect　of　directing　Owen　Graye's
thoughts　into　an　entirely　new　and　uncommon　channel。

On　the　Monday　after　Springrove's　visit；　Owen　had　walked　to　the　top
of　a　hill　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Tolchurcha　wild　hill　that　had　no
name；　beside　a　barren　down　where　it　never　looked　like　summer。　　In
the　intensity　of　his　meditations　on　the　ever…present　subject；　he　sat
down　on　a　weather…beaten　boundary…stone　gazing　towards　the　distant
valleysseeing　only　Manston's　imagined　form。

Had　his　defenceless　sister　been　trifled　with？　that　was　the　question
which　affected　him。　　Her　refusal　of　Edward　as　a　husband　was；　he
knew；　dictated　solely　by　a　humiliated　sense　of　inadequacy　to　him　in
repute；　and　had　not　been　formed　till　since　the　slanderous　tale
accounting　for　her　seclusion　had　been　circulated。　　Was　it　not　true；
as　Edward　had　hinted；　that　he；　her　brother；　was　neglecting　his　duty
towards　her　in　allowing　Manston　to　thrive　unquestioned；　whilst　she
was　hiding　her　head　for　no　fault　at　all？

Was　it　possible　that　Manston　was　sensuous　villain　enough　to　have
contemplated；　at　any　moment　before　the　marriage　with　Cytherea；　the
return　of　his　first　wife；　when　he　should　have　grown　weary　of　his　new
toy？　　Had　he　believed　that；　by　a　skilful　manipulation　of　such
circumstances　as　chance　would　throw　in　his　way；　he　could　escape　all
suspicion　of　having　known　that　she　lived？　　Only　one　fact　within　his
own　direct　knowledge　afforded　the　least　ground　for　such　a
supposition。　　It　was　that；　possessed　by　a　woman　only　in　the　humble
and　unprotected　station　of　a　lady's　hired　companion；　his　sister's
beauty　might　scarcely　have　been　sufficient　to　induce　a　selfish　man
like　Manston　to　make　her　his　wife；　unless　he　had　foreseen　the
possibility　of　getting　rid　of　her　again。

'But　for　that　stratagem　of　Manston's　in　relation　to　the
Springroves；'　Owen　thought；　'Cythie　might　now　have　been　the　happy
wife　of　Edward。　　True；　that　he　influenced　Miss　Aldclyffe　only　rests
on　Edward's　suspicions；　but　the　grounds　are　goodthe　probability　is
strong。'

He　went　indoors　and　questioned　Cytherea。

'On　the　night　of　the　fire；　who　first　said　that　Mrs。　Manston　was
burnt？'　he　asked。

'I　don't　know　who　started　the　report。'

'Was　it　Manston？'

'It　was　certainly　not　he。　　All　doubt　on　the　subject　was　removed
before　he　came　to　the　spotthat　I　am　certain　of。　　Everybody　knew
that　she　did　not　escape　AFTER　the　house　was　on　fire；　and　thus　all
overlooked　the　fact　that　she　might　have　left　beforeof　course　that
would　have　seemed　such　an　improbable　thing　for　anybody　to　do。'

'Yes；　until　the　porter's　story　of　her　irritation　and　doubt　as　to　her
course　made　it　natural。'

'What　settled　the　matter　at　the　inquest；'　said　Cytherea；　'was　Mr。
Manston's　evidence　that　the　watch　was　his　wife's。'

'He　was　sure　of　that；　wasn't　he？'

'I　believe　he　said　he　was　certain　of　it。'

'It　might　have　been　hersleft　behind　in　her　perturbation；　as　they
say　it　wasimpossible　as　that　seems　at　first　sight。　　Yeson　the
whole；　he　might　have　believed　in　her　death。'

'I　know　by　several　proofs　that　then；　and　at　least　for　some　time
after；　he　had　no　other　thought　than　that　she　was　dead。　　I　now　think
that　before　the　porter's　confession　he　knew　something　about　her
though　not　that　she　lived。'

'Why　do　you？'

'From　what　he　said　to　me　on　the　evening　of　the　wedding…day；　when　I
had　fastened　myself　in　the　room　at　the　hotel；　after　Edward's　visit。
He　must　have　suspected　that　I　knew　something；　for　he　was　irritated；
and　in　a　passion　of　uneasy　doubt。　　He　said；　〃You　don't　suppose　my
first　wife　is　come　to　light　again；　madam；　surely？〃　　Directly　he　had
let　the　remark　slip　out；　he　seemed　anxious　to　withdraw　it。'

'That's　odd；'　said　Owen。

'I　thought　it　very　odd。'

'Still　we　must　remember　he　might　only　have　hit　upon　the　thought　by
accident；　in　doubt　as　to　your　motive。　　Yes；　the　great　point　to
discover　remains　the　same　as　everdid　he　doubt　his　first　impression
of　her　death　BEFORE　he　married　you。　　I　can't　help　thinking　he　did；
although　he　was　so　astounded　at　our　news　that　night。　　Edward　swears
he　did。'

'It　was　perhaps　only　a　short　time　before；'　said　Cytherea；　'when　he
could　hardly　recede　from　having　me。

'Seasoning　justice　with　mercy　as　usual；　Cytherea。　　'Tis　unfair　to
yourself　to　talk　like　that。　　If　I　could　only　bring　him　to　ruin　as　a
bigamistsupposing　him　to　be　oneI　should　die　happy。　　That's　what
we　must　find　out　by　fair　means　or　foulwas　he　a　wilful　bigamist？'

'It　is　no　use　trying；　Owen。　　You　would　have　to　employ　a　solicitor；
and　how　can　you　do　that？'

'I　can't　at　allI　know　that　very　well。　　But　neither　do　I　altogether
wish　to　at　presenta　lawyer　must　have　a　casefacts　to　go　upon；
that　means。　　Now　they　are　scarce　at　presentas　scarce　as　money　is
with　us；　and　till　we　have　found　more　money　there　is　no　hurry　for　a
lawyer。　　Perhaps　by　the　time　we　have　the　facts　we　shall　have　the
money。　　The　only　thing　we　lose　in　working　alone　in　this　way；　is
timenot　the　issue：　　for　the　fruit　that　one　mind　matures　in　a
twelvemonth　forms　a　more　perfectly　organized　whole　than　that　of
twelve　minds　in　one　month；　especially　if　the　interests　of　the　single
one　are　vitally　concerned；　and　those　of　the　twelve　are　only　hired。
But　there　is　not　only　my　mind　availableyou　are　a　shrewd　woman；
Cythie；　and　Edward　is　an　earnest　ally。　　Then；　if　we　really　get　a
sure　footing　for　a　criminal　prosecution；　the　Crown　will　take　up　the
case。'

'I　don't　much　care　to　press　on　in　the　matter；'　she　murmured。　　'What
good　can　it　do　us；　Owen；　after　all？'

'Selfishly　speaking；　it　will　do　this　goodthat　all　the　facts　of
your　journey　to　Southampton　will　become　known；　and　the　scandal　will
die。　　Besides；　Manston　will　have　to　sufferit's　an　act　of　justice
to　you　and　to　other　women；　and　to　Edward　Springrove。'

He　now　thought　it　necessary　to　tell　her　of　the　real　nature　of　the
Springroves'　obligation　to　Miss　Aldclyffeand　their　nearly　certain
knowledge　that　Manston　was　the　prime　mover　in　effecting　their
embarrassment。　　Her　face　flushed　as　she　listened。

'And　now；'　he　said；　'our　first　undertaking　is　to　find　out　where　Mrs。
Manston　lived　during　the　separation；　next；　when　the　first
communications　passed　between　them　after　the　fire。'

'If　we　only　had　Miss　Aldclyffe's　countenance　and　assistance　as　I
used　to　have　them；'　Cytherea　returned；　'how　strong　we　should　be！　　O；
what　power　is　it　that　he　exercises　over　her；　swaying　her　just　as　he
wishes！　　She　loves　me　now。　　Mrs。　Morris　in　her　letter　said　that　Miss
Aldclyffe　prayed　for　meyes；　she　heard　her　praying　for　me；　and
crying。　　Miss　Aldclyffe　did　not　mind　an　old　friend　like　Mrs。　Morris
knowing　it；　either。　　Yet　in　opposition　to　this；　notice　her　dead
silence　and　inaction　throughout　this　proceeding。'

'It　is　a　mystery；　but　never　mind　that　now；'　said　Owen　impressively。
'About　where　Mrs。　Manston　has　been　living。　　We　must　get　this　part　of
it　firstlearn　the　place　of　her　stay　in　t