in the life of the steward。 Manston said no more； but； taking his
newspaper； followed Owen from the office； and disappeared in the
gloom of the street。
Edward Springrove was now in London again； and on this same evening；
before leaving Casterbridge； Owen wrote a careful letter to him；
stating therein all the facts that had come to his knowledge； and
begging him； as he valued Cytherea； to make cautious inquiries。 A
tall man was standing under the lamp…post； about half…a…dozen yards
above the post…office； when he dropped the letter into the box。
That same night； too； for a reason connected with the rencounter
with Owen Graye； the steward entertained the idea of rushing off
suddenly to London by the mail…train； which left Casterbridge at ten
o'clock。 But remembering that letters posted after the hour at
which Owen had obtained his informationwhatever that wascould
not be delivered in London till Monday morning； he changed his mind
and went home to Knapwater。 Making a confidential explanation to
his wife； arrangements were set on foot for his departure by the
mail on Sunday night。
3。 MARCH THE ELEVENTH
Starting for church the next morning several minutes earlier than
was usual with him； the steward intentionally loitered along the
road from the village till old Mr。 Springrove overtook him。 Manston
spoke very civilly of the morning； and of the weather； asking how
the farmer's barometer stood； and when it was probable that the wind
might change。 It was not in Mr。 Springrove's naturegoing to
church as he was； tooto return anything but a civil answer to such
civil questions； however his feelings might have been biassed by
late events。 The conversation was continued on terms of greater
friendliness。
'You must be feeling settled again by this time； Mr。 Springrove；
after the rough turn…out you had on that terrible night in
November。'
'Ay； but I don't know about feeling settled； either； Mr。 Manston。
The old window in the chimney…corner of the old house I shall never
forget。 No window in the chimney…corner where I am now； and I had
been used to it for more than fifty years。 Ted says 'tis a great
loss to me； and he knows exactly what I feel。'
'Your son is again in a good situation； I believe？' said Manston；
imitating that inquisitiveness into the private affairs of the
natives which passes for high breeding in country villages。
'Yes； sir。 I hope he'll keep it； or do something else and stick to
it。'
''Tis to be hoped he'll be steady now。'
'He's always been that； I assure 'ee；' said the old man tartly。
'YesyesI mean intellectually steady。 Intellectual wild oats
will thrive in a soil of the strictest morality。'
'Intellectual gingerbread！ Ted's steady enoughthat's all I know
about it。'
'Of courseof course。 Has he respectable lodgings？ My own
experience has shown me that that's a great thing to a young man
living alone in London。'
'Warwick Street； Charing Crossthat's where he is。'
'Well； to be surestrange！ A very dear friend of mine used to live
at number fifty…two in that very same street。'
'Edward lives at number forty…ninehow very near being the same
house！' said the old farmer； pleased in spite of himself。
'Very；' said Manston。 'Well； I suppose we had better step along a
little quicker； Mr。 Springrove； the parson's bell has just begun。'
'Number forty…nine；' he murmured。
4。 MARCH THE TWELFTH
Edward received Owen's letter in due time； but on account of his
daily engagements he could not attend to any request till the clock
had struck five in the afternoon。 Rushing then from his office in
Westminster； he called a hansom and proceeded to Hoxton。 A few
minutes later he knocked at the door of number forty…one； Charles
Square； the old lodging of Mrs。 Manston。
A tall man who would have looked extremely handsome had he not been
clumsily and closely wrapped up in garments that were much too
elderly in style for his years； stood at the corner of the quiet
square at the same instant； having； too； alighted from a cab； that
had been driven along Old Street in Edward's rear。 He smiled
confidently when Springrove knocked。
Nobody came to the door。 Springrove knocked again。
This brought out two peopleone at the door he had been knocking
upon； the other from the next on the right。
'Is Mr。 Brown at home？' said Springrove。
'No； sir。'
'When will he be in？'
'Quite uncertain。'
'Can you tell me where I may find him？'
'No。 O； here he is coming； sir。 That's Mr。 Brown。'
Edward looked down the pavement in the direction pointed out by the
woman； and saw a man approaching。 He proceeded a few steps to meet
him。
Edward was impatient； and to a certain extent still a countryman；
who had not； after the manner of city men； subdued the natural
impulse to speak out the ruling thought without preface。 He said in
a quiet tone to the stranger； 'One word with youdo you remember a
lady lodger of yours of the name of Mrs。 Manston？'
Mr。 Brown half closed his eyes at Springrove； somewhat as if he were
looking into a telescope at the wrong end。
'I have never let lodgings in my life；' he said； after his survey。
'Didn't you attend an inquest a year and a half ago； at Carriford？'
'Never knew there was such a place in the world； sir； and as to
lodgings； I have taken acres first and last during the last thirty
years； but I have never let an inch。'
'I suppose there is some mistake；' Edward murmured； and turned away。
He and Mr。 Brown were now opposite the door next to the one he had
knocked at。 The woman who was still standing there had heard the
inquiry and the result of it。
'I expect it is the other Mr。 Brown； who used to live there； that
you want； sir；' she said。 'The Mr。 Brown that was inquired for the
other day？'
'Very likely that is the man；' said Edward； his interest
reawakening。
'He couldn't make a do of lodging…letting here； and at last he went
to Cornwall； where he came from； and where his brother still lived；
who had often asked him to come home again。 But there was little
luck in the change； for after London they say he couldn't stand the
rainy west winds they get there； and he died in the December
following。 Will you step into the passage？'
'That's unfortunate；' said Edward； going in。 'But perhaps you
remember a Mrs。 Manston living next door to you？'
'O yes；' said the landlady； closing the door。 'The lady who was
supposed to have met with such a horrible fate； and was alive all
the time。 I saw her the other day。'
'Since the fire at Carriford？'
'Yes。 Her husband came to ask if Mr。 Brown was still living here
just as you might。 He seemed anxious about it； and then one
evening； a week or fortnight afterwards； when he came again to make
further inquiries； she was with him。 But I did not speak to her
she stood back； as if she were shy。 I was interested； however； for
old Mr。 Brown had told me all about her when he came back from the
inquest。'
'Did you know Mrs。 Manston before she called the other day？'
'No。 You see she was only Mr。 Brown's lodger for two or three
weeks； and I didn't know she was living there till she was near upon
leaving againwe don't notice next…door people much here in London。
I much regretted I had not known her when I heard what had happened。
It led me and Mr。 Brown to talk about her a great deal afterwards。
I little thought I should see her alive after all。'
'And when do you say they came here together？'
'I don't exactly remember the daythough I remember a very
beautiful dream I had that same nightah； I shall never forget it！
Shoals of lodgers coming along the square with angels' wings and
bright golden sovereigns in their hands wanting apartments at West
End prices。 They would not give any less； no； not if you'
'Yes。 Did Mrs。 Manston leave anything； such as papers； when she
left these lodgings originally？' said Edward； though his heart sank
as he asked。 He felt that he was outwitted。 Manston and his wife
had been there before him； clearing the ground of all traces。
'I have always said 〃No〃 hitherto；' replied the woman； 'considering
I could say no more if put upon my oath； as I expected to be。 But
speaking in a common everyday way now the occurrence is past； I
believe a few things of some kind （though I doubt if they were
papers） were left in a workbox she had； because she talked about it
to Mr。 Brown； and was rather angry at what occurredyou see； she
had a temper by all account； and so I didn't like to remind the lady
of this workbox when she came the other day with her husband。'
'And about the workbox？'
'Well； from what was casually dropped； I think Mrs。 Manston had a
few articles of furniture she didn't want； and when she was leaving
they were put in a sale just by。 Amongst her things were two
workboxes very much alike。 One of these she intended to sell； the
other she didn't； and Mr。 Brown； who collected the things together；
took the wrong one to the sale。'
'What was in it？'
'O； nothing in particular； or of any valuesome accounts； and her
usual sewing materials I thinknothing more。 She didn't take much
trouble to get it backshe said the bills were worth nothing to her
or anybody else； but that she should have liked to keep the box
because her husband gave it her when they were first married； and if
he found she had parted with it； he would be vexed。'
'Did Mrs。 Manston； when she called recently with her husband； allude
to this； or inquire for it； or did Mr。 Manston？'
'Noand I rather wondered at it。 But she seemed to have forgotten
itindeed； she didn't make any inquiry at all； only standing behind
him； listening to his； and he probably had never been told anything
about it。'
'Whose sale were these articles of hers taken to？'
'Who was the auctioneer？ Mr。 Halway。 His place is the third
turning from the end of that street you see there。 Anybody will
tell you the shophis name is written up。'
Edward went off to follow up his clue with a promptness which was
dictated more by a dogged will to do his utmost than by a hope of
doing much。 When he was out of sight； the tall and cloaked man； who
had watched him； came up to the woman's door； with an appearan