or cared that I was out of a situation and poor。 But the week after
you married her and were separated from her； off you rush to make
love to menot first to me either； for you went to several places
'
'No； not several places。'
'Yes； you told me so yourselfthat you went first to the only
lodging in which your wife had been known as Mrs。 Manston； and when
you found that the lodging…house…keeper had gone away and died； and
that nobody else in the street had any definite ideas as to your
wife's personal appearance； and came and proposed the arrangement we
carried outthat I should personate her。 Your taking all this
trouble shows that something more serious than love had to do with
the matter。'
'Humbugwhat trouble after all did I take？ When I found Cytherea
would not stay with me after the wedding I was much put out at being
left alone again。 Was that unnatural？'
'No。'
'And those favouring accidents you mentionthat nobody knew my
first wifeseemed an arrangement of Providence for our mutual
benefit； and merely perfected a half…formed impulsethat I should
call you my first wife to escape the scandal that would have arisen
if you had come here as anything else。'
'My love； that story won't do。 If Mrs。 Manston was burnt； Cytherea；
whom you love better than me； could have been compelled to live with
you as your lawful wife。 If she was not burnt； why should you run
the risk of her turning up again at any moment and exposing your
substitution of me； and ruining your name and prospects？'
'Whybecause I might have loved you well enough to run the risk
（assuming her not to be burnt； which I deny）。'
'Noyou would have run the risk the other way。 You would rather
have risked her finding you with Cytherea as a second wife； than
with me as a personator of herselfthe first one。'
'You came easiest to handremember that。'
'Not so very easy either； considering the labour you took to teach
me your first wife's history。 All about how she was a native of
Philadelphia。 Then making me read up the guide…book to
Philadelphia； and details of American life and manners； in case the
birthplace and history of your wife； Eunice； should ever become
known in this neighbourhoodunlikely as it was。 Ah！ and then about
the handwriting of hers that I had to imitate； and the dying my
hair； and rouging； to make the transformation complete？ You mean to
say that that was taking less trouble than there would have been in
arranging events to make Cytherea believe herself your wife； and
live with you？'
'You were a needy adventuress； who would dare anything for a new
pleasure and an easy lifeand I was fool enough to give in to you
'
'Good heavens above！did I ask you to insert those advertisements
for your old wife； and to make me answer it as if I was she？ Did I
ask you to send me the letter for me to copy and send back to you
when the third advertisement appearedpurporting to come from the
long…lost wife； and giving a detailed history of her escape and
subsequent lifeall which you had invented yourself？ You deluded
me into loving you； and then enticed me here！ Ah； and this is
another thing。 How did you know the real wife wouldn't answer it；
and upset all your plans？'
'Because I knew she was burnt。'
'Why didn't you force Cytherea to come back； then？ Now； my love； I
have caught you； and you may just as well tell first as last； WHAT
WAS YOUR MOTIVE IN HAVING ME HERE AS YOUR FIRST WIFE？'
'Silence！' he exclaimed。
She was silent for the space of two minutes； and then persisted in
going on to mutter； 'And why was it that Miss Aldclyffe allowed her
favourite young lady； Cythie； to be overthrown and supplanted
without an expostulation or any show of sympathy？ Do you know I
often think you exercise a secret power over Miss Aldclyffe。 And
she always shuns me as if I shared the power。 A poor； ill…used
creature like me sharing power； indeed！'
'She thinks you are Mrs。 Manston。'
'That wouldn't make her avoid me。'
'Yes it would；' he exclaimed impatiently。 'I wish I was dead
dead！' He had jumped up from his seat in uttering the words； and
now walked wearily to the end of the room。 Coming back more
decisively； he looked in her face。
'We must leave this place if Raunham suspects what I think he does；'
he said。 'The request of Cytherea and her brother may simply be for
a satisfactory proof； to make her feel legally freebut it may mean
more。'
'What may it mean？'
'How should I know？'
'Well； well； never mind； old boy；' she said； approaching him to make
up the quarrel。 'Don't be so alarmedanybody would think that you
were the woman and I the man。 Suppose they do find out what I am
we can go away from here and keep house as usual。 People will say
of you； 〃His first wife was burnt to death〃 （or 〃ran away to the
Colonies；〃 as the case may be）； 〃He married a second； and deserted
her for Anne Seaway。〃 A very everyday casenothing so horrible；
after all。'
He made an impatient movement。 'Whichever way we do it； NOBODY MUST
KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT MY WIFE EUNICE。 And now I must think about
arranging matters。'
Manston then retired to his office； and shut himself up for the
remainder of the evening。
XIX。 THE EVENTS OF A DAY AND NIGHT
1。 MARCH THE TWENTY…FIRST。 MORNING
Next morning the steward went out as usual。 He shortly told his
companion； Anne； that he had almost matured their scheme； and that
they would enter upon the details of it when he came home at night。
The fortunate fact that the rector's letter did not require an
immediate answer would give him time to consider。
Anne Seaway then began her duties in the house。 Besides daily
superintending the cook and housemaid one of these duties was； at
rare intervals； to dust Manston's office with her own hands； a
servant being supposed to disturb the books and papers
unnecessarily。 She softly wandered from table to shelf with the
duster in her hand； afterwards standing in the middle of the room；
and glancing around to discover if any noteworthy collection of dust
had still escaped her。
Her eye fell upon a faint layer which rested upon the ledge of an
old…fashioned chestnut cabinet of French Renaissance workmanship；
placed in a recess by the fireplace。 At a height of about four feet
from the floor the upper portion of the front receded； forming the
ledge alluded to； on which opened at each end two small doors； the
centre space between them being filled out by a panel of similar
size； making the third of three squares。 The dust on the ledge was
nearly on a level with the woman's eye； and； though insignificant in
quantity； showed itself distinctly on account of this obliquity of
vision。 Now opposite the central panel； concentric quarter…circles
were traced in the deposited film； expressing to her that this
panel； too； was a door like the others； that it had lately been
opened； and had skimmed the dust with its lower edge。
At last； then； her curiosity was slightly rewarded。 For the right
of the matter was that Anne had been incited to this exploration of
Manston's office rather by a wish to know the reason of his long
seclusion here； after the arrival of the rector's letter； and their
subsequent discourse； than by any immediate desire for cleanliness。
Still； there would have been nothing remarkable to Anne in this
sight but for one recollection。 Manston had once casually told her
that each of the two side…lockers included half the middle space；
the panel of which did not open； and was only put in for symmetry。
It was possible that he had opened this compartment by candlelight
the preceding night； or he would have seen the marks in the dust；
and effaced them； that he might not be proved guilty of telling her
an untruth。 She balanced herself on one foot and stood pondering。
She considered that it was very vexing and unfair in him to refuse
her all knowledge of his remaining secrets； under the peculiar
circumstances of her connection with him。 She went close to the
cabinet。 As there was no keyhole； the door must be capable of being
opened by the unassisted hand。 The circles in the dust told her at
which edge to apply her force。 Here she pulled with the tips of her
fingers； but the panel would not come forward。 She fetched a chair
and looked over the top of the cabinet； but no bolt； knob； or spring
was to be seen。
'O； never mind；' she said； with indifference； 'I'll ask him about
it； and he will tell me。' Down she came and turned away。 Then
looking back again she thought it was absurd such a trifle should
puzzle her。 She retraced her steps； and opened a drawer beneath the
ledge of the cabinet； pushing in her hand and feeling about on the
underside of the board。
Here she found a small round sinking； and pressed her finger into
it。 Nothing came of the pressure。 She withdrew her hand and looked
at the tip of her finger： it was marked with the impress of the
circle； and； in addition； a line ran across it diametrically。
'How stupid of me； it is the head of a screw。' Whatever mysterious
contrivance had originally existed for opening the puny cupboard of
the cabinet； it had at some time been broken； and this rough
substitute provided。 Stimulated curiosity would not allow her to
recede now。 She fetched a screwdriver； withdrew the screw； pulled
the door open with a penknife； and found inside a cavity about ten
inches square。 The cavity contained
Letters from different women； with unknown signatures； Christian
names only （surnames being despised in Paphos）。 Letters from his
wife Eunice。 Letters from Anne herself； including that she wrote in
answer to his advertisement。 A small pocket…book。 Sundry scraps of
paper。
The letters from the strange women with pet names she glanced
carelessly through； and then put them aside。 They were too similar
to her own regretted delusion； and curiosity requires contrast to
excite it。
The letters from his wife were next examined。 They were dated back
as far as Eunice's first meeting with Manston； and the early ones
before their marriage contained the usual pretty effusions of women
at such a period of their existence。 Some little time after he had
made her his wife