desperate remedies-第77部分

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you　drive　me　about！　　I　have　been　to　the　station；　intending　to　leave
you　for　ever；　and　yet　I　come　to　try　you　once　more。〃

'An　indescribable　exasperation　had　sprung　up　in　me　as　she　talked
rage　and　regret　were　all　in　all。　　Scarcely　knowing　what　I　did；　I
furiously　raised　my　hand　and　swung　it　round　with　my　whole　force　to
strike　her。　　She　turned　quicklyand　it　was　the　poor　creature's　end。
By　her　movement　my　hand　came　edgewise　exactly　in　the　nape　of　the
neckas　men　strike　a　hare　to　kill　it。　　The　effect　staggered　me　with
amazement。　　The　blow　must　have　disturbed　the　vertebrae；　she　fell　at
my　feet；　made　a　few　movements；　and　uttered　one　low　sound。

'I　ran　indoors　for　water　and　some　wine；　I　came　out　and　lanced　her
arm　with　my　penknife。　　But　she　lay　still；　and　I　found　that　she　was
dead。

'It　was　a　long　time　before　I　could　realize　my　horrible　position。
For　several　minutes　I　had　no　idea　of　attempting　to　escape　the
consequences　of　my　deed。　　Then　a　light　broke　upon　me。　　Had　anybody
seen　her　since　she　left　the　Three　Tranters？　　Had　they　not；　she　was
already　believed　by　the　parishioners　to　be　dust　and　ashes。　　I　should
never　be　found　out。

'Upon　this　I　acted。

'The　first　question　was　how　to　dispose　of　the　body。　　The　impulse　of
the　moment　was　to　bury　her　at　once　in　the　pit　between　the　engine…
house　and　waterfall；　but　it　struck　me　that　I　should　not　have　time。
It　was　now　four　o'clock；　and　the　working…men　would　soon　be　stirring
about　the　place。　　I　would　put　off　burying　her　till　the　next　night。
I　carried　her　indoors。

'In　turning　the　outhouse　into　a　workshop；　earlier　in　the　season；　I
found；　when　driving　a　nail　into　the　wall　for　fixing　a　cupboard；　that
the　wall　sounded　hollow。　　I　examined　it；　and　discovered　behind　the
plaster　an　old　oven　which　had　long　been　disused；　and　was　bricked　up
when　the　house　was　prepared　for　me。

'To　unfix　this　cupboard　and　pull　out　the　bricks　was　the　work　of　a
few　minutes。　　Then；　bearing　in　mind　that　I　should　have　to　remove　the
body　again　the　next　night；　I　placed　it　in　a　sack；　pushed　it　into　the
oven；　packed　in　the　bricks；　and　replaced　the　cupboard。

'I　then　went　to　bed。　　In　bed；　I　thought　whether　there　were　any　very
remote　possibilities　that　might　lead　to　the　supposition　that　my　wife
was　not　consumed　by　the　flames　of　the　burning　house。　　The　thing
which　struck　me　most　forcibly　was　this；　that　the　searchers　might
think　it　odd　that　no　remains　whatever　should　be　found。

'The　clinching　and　triumphant　deed　would　be　to　take　the　body　and
place　it　among　the　ruins　of　the　destroyed　house。　　But　I　could　not　do
this；　on　account　of　the　men　who　were　watching　against　an　outbreak　of
the　fire。　　One　remedy　remained。

'I　arose　again；　dressed　myself；　and　went　down　to　the　outhouse。　　I
must　take　down　the　cupboard　again。　　I　did　take　it　down。　　I　pulled
out　the　bricks；　pulled　out　the　sack；　pulled　out　the　corpse；　and　took
her　keys　from　her　pocket　and　the　watch　from　her　side。

'I　then　replaced　everything　as　before。

'With　these　articles　in　my　pocket　I　went　out　of　the　yard；　and　took
my　way　through　the　withy　copse　to　the　churchyard；　entering　it　from
the　back。　　Here　I　felt　my　way　carefully　along　till　I　came　to　the
nook　where　pieces　of　bones　from　newly…dug　graves　are　sometimes　piled
behind　the　laurel…bushes。　　I　had　been　earnestly　hoping　to　find　a
skull　among　these　old　bones；　but　though　I　had　frequently　seen　one　or
two　in　the　rubbish　here；　there　was　not　one　now。　　I　then　groped　in
the　other　corner　with　the　same　resultnowhere　could　I　find　a　skull。
Three　or　four　fragments　of　leg　and　back…bones　were　all　I　could
collect；　and　with　these　I　was　forced　to　be　content。

'Taking　them　in　my　hand；　I　crossed　the　road；　and　got　round　behind
the　inn；　where　the　couch　heap　was　still　smouldering。　　Keeping　behind
the　hedge；　I　could　see　the　heads　of　the　three　or　four　men　who
watched　the　spot。

'Standing　in　this　place　I　took　the　bones；　and　threw　them　one　by　one
over　the　hedge　and　over　the　men's　heads　into　the　smoking　embers。
When　the　bones　had　all　been　thrown；　I　threw　the　keys；　last　of　all　I
threw　the　watch。

'I　then　returned　home　as　I　had　gone；　and　went　to　bed　once　more；　just
as　the　dawn　began　to　break。　　I　exulted〃Cytherea　is　mine　again！〃

'At　breakfast…time　I　thought；　〃Suppose　the　cupboard　should　by　some
unlikely　chance　get　moved　to…day！〃

'I　went　to　the　mason's　yard　hard　by；　while　the　men　were　at
breakfast；　and　brought　away　a　shovelful　of　mortar。　　I　took　it　into
the　outhouse；　again　shifted　the　cupboard；　and　plastered　over　the
mouth　of　the　oven　behind。　　Simply　pushing　the　cupboard　back　into　its
place；　I　waited　for　the　next　night　that　I　might　bury　the　body；
though　upon　the　whole　it　was　in　a　tolerably　safe　hiding…place。

'When　the　night　came；　my　nerves　were　in　some　way　weaker　than　they
had　been　on　the　previous　night。　　I　felt　reluctant　to　touch　the　body。
I　went　to　the　outhouse；　but　instead　of　opening　the　oven；　I　firmly
drove　in　the　shoulder…nails　that　held　the　cupboard　to　the　wall。　　〃I
will　bury　her　to…morrow　night；　however；〃　I　thought。

'But　the　next　night　I　was　still　more　reluctant　to　touch　her。　　And　my
reluctance　increased；　and　there　the　body　remained。　　The　oven　was；
after　all；　never　likely　to　be　opened　in　my　time。

'I　married　Cytherea　Graye；　and　never　did　a　bridegroom　leave　the
church　with　a　heart　more　full　of　love　and　happiness；　and　a　brain
more　fixed　on　good　intentions；　than　I　did　on　that　morning。

'When　Cytherea's　brother　made　his　appearance　at　the　hotel　in
Southampton；　bearing　his　strange　evidence　of　the　porter's
disclosure；　I　was　staggered　beyond　expression。　　I　thought　they　had
found　the　body。　　〃Am　I　to　be　apprehended　and　to　lose　her　even　now？〃
I　mourned。　　I　saw　my　error；　and　instantly　saw；　too；　that　I　must　act
externally　like　an　honourable　man。　　So　at　his　request　I　yielded　her
up　to　him；　and　meditated　on　several　schemes　for　enabling　me　to　claim
the　woman　I　had　a　legal　right　to　claim　as　my　wife；　without
disclosing　the　reason　why　I　knew　myself　to　have　it。

'I　went　home　to　Knapwater　the　next　day；　and　for　nearly　a　week　lived
in　a　state　of　indecision。　　I　could　not　hit　upon　a　scheme　for　proving
my　wife　dead　without　compromising　myself。

'Mr。　Raunham　hinted　that　I　should　take　steps　to　discover　her
whereabouts　by　advertising。　　I　had　no　energy　for　the　farce。　　But　one
evening　I　chanced　to　enter　the　Rising　Sun　Inn。　　Two　notorious
poachers　were　sitting　in　the　settle；　which　screened　my　entrance。
They　were　half　drunktheir　conversation　was　carried　on　in　the
solemn　and　emphatic　tone　common　to　that　stage　of　intoxication；　and　I
myself　was　the　subject　of　it。

'The　following　was　the　substance　of　their　disjointed　remarks：　　On
the　night　of　the　great　fire　at　Carriford；　one　of　them　was　sent　to
meet　me；　and　break　the　news　of　the　death　of　my　wife　to　me。　　This　he
did；　but　because　I　would　not　pay　him　for　his　news；　he　left　me　in　a
mood　of　vindictiveness。　　When　the　fire　was　over；　he　joined　his
comrade。　　The　favourable　hour　of　the　night　suggested　to　them　the
possibility　of　some　unlawful　gain　before　daylight　came。　　My
fowlhouse　stood　in　a　tempting　position；　and　still　resenting　his
repulse　during　the　evening；　one　of　them　proposed　to　operate　upon　my
birds。　　I　was　believed　to　have　gone　to　the　rectory　with　Mr。　Raunham。
The　other　was　disinclined　to　go；　and　the　first　went　off　alone。

'It　was　now　about　three　o'clock。　　He　had　advanced　as　far　as　the
shrubbery；　which　grows　near　the　north　wall　of　the　house；　when　he
fancied　he　heard；　above　the　rush　of　the　waterfall；　noises　on　the
other　side　of　the　building。　　He　described　them　in　these　words；
〃Ghostly　mouths　talkingthen　a　fallthen　a　groanthen　the　rush　of
the　water　and　creak　of　the　engine　as　before。〃　　Only　one　explanation
occurred　to　him；　the　house　was　haunted。　　And；　whether　those　of　the
living　or　the　dead；　voices　of　any　kind　were　inimical　to　one　who　had
come　on　such　an　errand。　　He　stealthily　crept　home。

'His　unlawful　purpose　in　being　behind　the　house　led　him　to　conceal
his　adventure。　　No　suspicion　of　the　truth　entered　his　mind　till　the
railway…porter　had　startled　everybody　by　his　strange　announcement。
Then　he　asked　himself；　had　the　horrifying　sounds　of　that　night　been
really　an　enactment　in　the　flesh　between　me　and　my　wife？

'The　words　of　the　other　man　were：

'〃Why　don't　he　try　to　find　her　if　she's　alive？〃

'〃True；〃　said　the　first。　　〃Well；　I　don't　forget　what　I　heard；　and　if
she　don't　turn　up　alive　my　mind　will　be　as　sure　as　a　Bible　upon　her
murder；　and　the　parson　shall　know　it；　though　I　do　get　six　months　on
the　treadmill　for　being　where　I　was。〃

'〃And　if　she　should　turn　up　alive？〃

'〃Then　I　shall　know　that　I　am　wrong；　and　believing　myself　a　fool　as
well　as　a　rogue；　hold　my　tongue。〃

'I　glided　out　of　the　house　in　a　cold　sweat。　　The　only　pressure　in
heaven　or　earth　which　could　have　forced　me　to　renounce　Cytherea　was
now　put　upon　methe　dread　of　a　death　upon　the　gallows。

'I　sat　all　that　night　weaving　strategy　of　various　kinds。　　The　only
effectual　remedy　for　my　hazardous　standing　that　I　could　see　was　a
simple　one。　　It　was　to　substitute　another　woman　for　my　wife　before
the　suspicions　of　that　one　easily…hoodwinked　man　extended　further。

'The　only　difficulty　was　to　find　a　practicable　substitute。

'The　one　woman　at　all　available　for　the　purpose　was　a　friendless；
innocent　creature；　named　Anne　Seaway；　whom　I　had　known　in　my　youth；
and　who　had　for　some　time　been　the　housekeeper　of　a　lady　in　London。
On　account　of　this　lady's　sudden　death；　Anne　stood　in　rather　a
precarious　position；　as　regarded　her　future　subsistence。　　She　was
not　the　best　kind　of　woman　for　the　scheme；　but　there　was　no
alternative。　　One　quality　of　hers　was　valuable；　she　was　not　a
talker。　　I　went　to　London　the　very　next　day；　called　at　the　Hoxton
lodging　of　my　wife　（the　only　place　at　which　she　had　been　known　as
Mrs。　Manston）；　and　found　that　no　great　difficulties　stood　in　the　way
of　a　personation。　　And　thus　favouring　circumstances　determined　my
course。　　I　visited　Anne　Seaway；　made　love　to　her；　and　propounded　my
plan。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　。

'We　lived　quietly　enough　until　the　Sunday　before　my　apprehension。
Anne　came　home　from　church　that　morning；　and　told　me　of　the
suspicious　way　in　which　a　young　m