desperate remedies- 第30部分

If　the　6。50　down…train　had　been　a　flash　of　forked　lightning
transfixing　him　to　the　earth；　he　could　scarcely　have　remained　in　a
more　trance…like　state。　　He　still　leant　against　the　railings；　his
right　hand　still　continued　pressing　on　his　walking…stick；　his　weight
on　one　foot；　his　other　heel　raised；　his　eyes　wide　open　towards　the
blackness　of　the　cutting。　　The　only　movement　in　him　was　a　slight
dropping　of　the　lower　jaw；　separating　his　previously　closed　lips　a
little　way；　as　when　a　strange　conviction　rushes　home　suddenly　upon　a
man。　　A　new　surprise；　not　nearly　so　trivial　as　the　first；　had　taken
possession　of　him。

It　was　on　this　account。　　At　one　of　the　illuminated　windows　of　a
second…class　carriage　in　the　series　gone　by；　he　had　seen　a　pale
face；　reclining　upon　one　hand；　the　light　from　the　lamp　falling　full
upon　it。　　The　face　was　a　woman's。

At　last　Manston　moved；　gave　a　whispering　kind　of　whistle；　adjusted
his　hat；　and　walked　on　again；　cross…questioning　himself　in　every
direction　as　to　how　a　piece　of　knowledge　he　had　carefully　concealed
had　found　its　way　to　another　person's　intelligence。　　'How　can　my
address　have　become　known？'　he　said　at　length；　audibly。　　'Well；　it
is　a　blessing　I　have　been　circumspect　and　honourable；　in　relation　to
thatyes；　I　will　say　it；　for　once；　even　if　the　words　choke　me；　that
darling　of　mine；　Cytherea；　never　to　be　my　own；　never。　　I　suppose　all
will　come　out　now。　　All！'　　The　great　sadness　of　his　utterance　proved
that　no　mean　force　had　been　exercised　upon　himself　to　sustain　the
circumspection　he　had　just　claimed。

He　wheeled　to　the　left；　pursued　the　ditch　beside　the　railway　fence；
and　presently　emerged　from　the　wood；　stepping　into　a　road　which
crossed　the　railway　by　a　bridge。

As　he　neared　home；　the　anxiety　lately　written　in　his　face；　merged　by
degrees　into　a　grimly　humorous　smile；　which　hung　long　upon　his　lips；
and　he　quoted　aloud　a　line　from　the　book　of　Jeremiah

　　　　　'A　woman　shall　compass　a　man。'

3。　　NOVEMBER　THE　NINETEENTH。　　DAYBREAK

Before　it　was　light　the　next　morning；　two　little　naked　feet　pattered
along　the　passage　in　Knapwater　House；　from　which　Owen　Graye's
bedroom　opened；　and　a　tap　was　given　upon　his　door。

'Owen；　Owen；　are　you　awake？'　said　Cytherea　in　a　whisper　through　the
keyhole。　　'You　must　get　up　directly；　or　you'll　miss　the　train。'

When　he　descended　to　his　sister's　little　room；　he　found　her　there
already　waiting　with　a　cup　of　cocoa　and　a　grilled　rasher　on　the
table　for　him。　　A　hasty　meal　was　despatched　in　the　intervals　of
putting　on　his　overcoat　and　finding　his　hat；　and　they　then　went
softly　through　the　long　deserted　passages；　the　kitchen…maid　who　had
prepared　their　breakfast　walking　before　them　with　a　lamp　held　high
above　her　head；　which　cast　long　wheeling　shadows　down　corridors
intersecting　the　one　they　followed；　their　remoter　ends　being　lost　in
darkness。　　The　door　was　unbolted　and　they　stepped　out。

Owen　had　preferred　walking　to　the　station　to　accepting　the　pony…
carriage　which　Miss　Aldclyffe　had　placed　at　his　disposal；　having　a
morbid　horror　of　giving　trouble　to　people　richer　than　himself；　and
especially　to　their　men…servants；　who　looked　down　upon　him　as　a
hybrid　monster　in　social　position。　　Cytherea　proposed　to　walk　a
little　way　with　him。

'I　want　to　talk　to　you　as　long　as　I　can；'　she　said　tenderly。

Brother　and　sister　then　emerged　by　the　heavy　door　into　the　drive。
The　feeling　and　aspect　of　the　hour　were　precisely　similar　to　those
under　which　the　steward　had　left　the　house　the　evening　previous；
excepting　that　apparently　unearthly　reversal　of　natural　sequence；
which　is　caused　by　the　world　getting　lighter　instead　of　darker。
'The　tearful　glimmer　of　the　languid　dawn'　was　just　sufficient　to
reveal　to　them　the　melancholy　red　leaves；　lying　thickly　in　the
channels　by　the　roadside；　ever　and　anon　loudly　tapped　on　by　heavy
drops　of　water；　which　the　boughs　above　had　collected　from　the　foggy
air。

They　passed　the　Old　House；　engaged　in　a　deep　conversation；　and　had
proceeded　about　twenty　yards　by　a　cross　route；　in　the　direction　of
the　turnpike　road；　when　the　form　of　a　woman　emerged　from　the　porch
of　the　building。

She　was　wrapped　in　a　grey　waterproof　cloak；　the　hood　of　which　was
drawn　over　her　head　and　closely　round　her　faceso　closely　that　her
eyes　were　the　sole　features　uncovered。

With　this　one　exception　of　her　appearance　there；　the　most　perfect
stillness　and　silence　pervaded　the　steward's　residence　from　basement
to　chimney。　　Not　a　shutter　was　open；　not　a　twine　of　smoke　came
forth。

Underneath　the　ivy…covered　gateway　she　stood　still　and　listened　for
two；　or　possibly　three　minutes；　till　she　became　conscious　of　others
in　the　park。　　Seeing　the　pair　she　stepped　back；　with　the　apparent
intention　of　letting　them　pass　out　of　sight；　and　evidently　wishing
to　avoid　observation。　　But　looking　at　her　watch；　and　returning　it
rapidly　to　her　pocket；　as　if　surprised　at　the　lateness　of　the　hour；
she　hurried　out　again；　and　across　the　park　by　a　still　more　oblique
line　than　that　traced　by　Owen　and　his　sister。

These　in　the　meantime　had　got　into　the　road；　and　were　walking　along
it　as　the　woman　came　up　on　the　other　side　of　the　boundary　hedge；
looking　for　a　gate　or　stile；　by　which　she；　too；　might　get　off　the
grass　upon　the　hard　ground。

Their　conversation；　of　which　every　word　was　clear　and　distinct；　in
the　still　air　of　the　dawn；　to　the　distance　of　a　quarter　of　a　mile；
reached　her　ears；　and　withdrew　her　attention　from　all　other　matters
and　sights　whatsoever。　　Thus　arrested　she　stood　for　an　instant　as
precisely　in　the　attitude　of　Imogen　by　the　cave　of　Belarius；　as　if
she　had　studied　the　position　from　the　play。　　When　they　had　advanced
a　few　steps；　she　followed　them　in　some　doubt；　still　screened　by　the
hedge。

'Do　you　believe　in　such　odd　coincidences？'　said　Cytherea。

'How　do　you　mean；　believe　in　them？　　They　occur　sometimes。'

'Yes；　one　will　occur　often　enoughthat　is；　two　disconnected　events
will　fall　strangely　together　by　chance；　and　people　scarcely　notice
the　fact　beyond　saying；　〃Oddly　enough　it　happened　that　so　and　so
were　the　same；〃　and　so　on。　　But　when　three　such　events　coincide
without　any　apparent　reason　for　the　coincidence；　it　seems　as　if
there　must　be　invisible　means　at　work。　　You　see；　three　things
falling　together　in　that　manner　are　ten　times　as　singular　as　two
cases　of　coincidence　which　are　distinct。'

'Well；　of　course：　　what　a　mathematical　head　you　have；　Cytherea！　　But
I　don't　see　so　much　to　marvel　at　in　our　case。　　That　the　man　who　kept
the　public…house　in　which　Miss　Aldclyffe　fainted；　and　who　found　out
her　name　and　position；　lives　in　this　neighbourhood；　is　accounted　for
by　the　fact　that　she　got　him　the　berth　to　stop　his　tongue。　　That　you
came　here　was　simply　owing　to　Springrove。'

'Ah；　but　look　at　this。　　Miss　Aldclyffe　is　the　woman　our　father　first
loved；　and　I　have　come　to　Miss　Aldclyffe's；　you　can't　get　over
that。'

From　these　premises；　she　proceeded　to　argue　like　an　elderly　divine
on　the　designs　of　Providence　which　were　apparent　in　such
conjunctures；　and　went　into　a　variety　of　details　connected　with　Miss
Aldclyffe's　history。

'Had　I　better　tell　Miss　Aldclyffe　that　I　know　all　this？'　she
inquired　at　last。

'What's　the　use？'　he　said。　　'Your　possessing　the　knowledge　does　no
harm；　you　are　at　any　rate　comfortable　here；　and　a　confession　to　Miss
Aldclyffe　might　only　irritate　her。　　No；　hold　your　tongue；　Cytherea。'

'I　fancy　I　should　have　been　tempted　to　tell　her　too；'　Cytherea　went
on；　'had　I　not　found　out　that　there　exists　a　very　odd；　almost
imperceptible；　and　yet　real　connection　of　some　kind　between　her　and
Mr。　Manston；　which　is　more　than　that　of　a　mutual　interest　in　the
estate。'

'She　is　in　love　with　him！'　exclaimed　Owen；　'fancy　that！'

'Ahthat's　what　everybody　says　who　has　been　keen　enough　to　notice
anything。　　I　said　so　at　first。　　And　yet　now　I　cannot　persuade　myself
that　she　is　in　love　with　him　at　all。'

'Why　can't　you？'

'She　doesn't　act　as　if　she　were。　　She　isn'tyou　will　know　I　don't
say　it　from　any　vanity；　Owenshe　isn't　the　least　jealous　of　me。'

'Perhaps　she　is　in　some　way　in　his　power。'

'Noshe　is　not。　　He　was　openly　advertised　for；　and　chosen　from
forty　or　fifty　who　answered　the　advertisement；　without　knowing　whose
it　was。　　And　since　he　has　been　here；　she　has　certainly　done　nothing
to　compromise　herself　in　any　way。　　Besides；　why　should　she　have
brought　an　enemy　here　at　all？'

'Then　she　must　have　fallen　in　love　with　him。　　You　know　as　well　as　I
do；　Cyth；　that　with　women　there's　nothing　between　the　two　poles　of
emotion　towards　an　interesting　male　acquaintance。　　'Tis　either　love
or　aversion。'

They　walked　for　a　few　minutes　in　silence；　when　Cytherea's　eyes
accidentally　fell　upon　her　brother's　feet。

'Owen；'　she　said；　'do　you　know　that　there　is　something　unusual　in
your　manner　of　walking？'

'What　is　it　like？'　he　asked。

'I　can't　quite　say；　except　that　you　don't　walk　so　regularly　as　you
used　to。'

The　woman　behind　the　hedge；　who　had　still　continued　to　dog　their
footsteps；　made　an　impatient　movement　at　this　change　in　their
conversation；　and　looked　at　her　watch　again。　　Yet　she　seemed
reluctant　to　give　over　listening　to　them。

'Yes；'　Owen　returned　with　assumed　carelessness；　'I　do　know　it。　　I
think　the　cause　of　it　is　that　mysterious　pain　which　comes　just　above
my　ankle　sometimes。　　You　remember　the　first　time　I　had　it？　　That　day
we　went　by　steam…packet　to　Lulstead　Cove；　when　it　hindered　me　from
coming　back　to　you；　and　compelled　me　to　sleep　with　the　gateman　we
have　been　talking　about。'

'But　is　it　anything　serious；　dear　Owen？'　Cytherea　exclaimed；　with
some　alarm。

'O；　nothing　at　all。　　It　is　sure　to　go　off　again。　　I　never　find　a
sign　of　it　when　I　sit　in　the　office。'

Again　their　unperceived　companion　made　a　gesture　of　vexation；　and
looked　at　her　watch　as　if　time　were　precious。　　But　the　dialogue
still　flowed　on　upon　this　new　subject；　and　showed　no　sign　of
returning　to　its　old　channel。

Gathering　up　her　skirt　decisively　she　renounced　all　further　hope；
and　hurried　along　the　ditch　till　she　had　dropped　into　a　valley；　and
came　to　a　gate　which　was　beyond　the　view　of　those　coming　behind。
This　she　softly　opened；　and　came　out　upon　t