desperate remedies-第39部分

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be　anything　more　than　an　impulse　of　your　own。　　You　or　he　will　bring
up　the　subject　of　the　houses。　　To　rebuild　them　would　be　a　matter　of
at　least　six　hundred　pounds；　and　he　will　almost　surely　say　that　we
are　hard　in　insisting　upon　the　extreme　letter　of　the　leases。　　Then
tell　him　that　scarcely　can　you　yourself　think　of　compelling　an　old
tenant　like　his　father　to　any　such　painful　extremethere　shall　be
no　compulsion　to　build；　simply　a　surrender　of　the　leases。　　Then
speak　feelingly　of　his　cousin；　as　a　woman　whom　you　respect　and　love；
and　whose　secret　you　have　learnt　to　be　that　she　is　heart…sick　with
hope　deferred。　　Beg　him　to　marry　her；　his　betrothed　and　your　friend；
as　some　return　for　your　consideration　towards　his　father。　　Don't
suggest　too　early　a　day　for　their　marriage；　or　he　will　suspect　you
of　some　motive　beyond　womanly　sympathy。　　Coax　him　to　make　a　promise
to　her　that　she　shall　be　his　wife　at　the　end　of　a　twelvemonth；　and
get　him；　on　assenting　to　this；　to　write　to　Cytherea；　entirely
renouncing　her。'

'She　has　already　asked　him　to　do　that。'

'So　much　the　betterand　telling　her；　too；　that　he　is　about　to
fulfil　his　long…standing　promise　to　marry　his　cousin。　　If　you　think
it　worth　while；　you　may　say　Cytherea　was　not　indisposed　to　think　of
me　before　she　knew　I　was　married。　　I　have　at　home　a　note　she　wrote
me　the　first　evening　I　saw　her；　which　looks　rather　warm；　and　which　I
could　show　you。　　Trust　me；　he　will　give　her　up。　　When　he　is　married
to　Adelaide　Hinton；　Cytherea　will　be　induced　to　marry　meperhaps
before；　a　woman's　pride　is　soon　wounded。'

'And　hadn't　I　better　write　to　Mr。　Nyttleton；　and　inquire　more
particularly　what's　the　law　upon　the　houses？'

'O　no；　there's　no　hurry　for　that。　　We　know　well　enough　how　the　case
standsquite　well　enough　to　talk　in　general　terms　about　it。　　And　I
want　the　pressure　to　be　put　upon　young　Springrove　before　he　goes
away　from　home　again。'

She　looked　at　him　furtively；　long；　and　sadly；　as　after　speaking　he
became　lost　in　thought；　his　eyes　listlessly　tracing　the　pattern　of
the　carpet。　　'Yes；　yes；　she　will　be　mine；'　he　whispered；　careless　of
Cytherea　Aldclyffe's　presence。　　At　last　he　raised　his　eyes
inquiringly。

'I　will　do　my　best；　AEneas；'　she　answered。

Talibus　incusat。　　Manston　then　left　the　house；　and　again　went
towards　the　blackened　ruins；　where　men　were　still　raking　and
probing。

2。　　FROM　NOVEMBER　THE　TWENTY…NINTH　TO　DECEMBER　THE　SECOND

The　smouldering　remnants　of　the　Three　Tranters　Inn　seemed　to　promise
that；　even　when　the　searchers　should　light　upon　the　remains　of　the
unfortunate　Mrs。　Manston；　very　little　would　be　discoverable。

Consisting　so　largely　of　the　charcoal　and　ashes　of　hard　dry　oak　and
chestnut；　intermingled　with　thatch；　the　interior　of　the　heap　was　one
glowing　mass　of　embers；　which；　on　being　stirred　about；　emitted
sparks　and　flame　long　after　it　was　dead　and　black　on　the　outside。
It　was　persistently　hoped；　however；　that　some　traces　of　the　body
would　survive　the　effect　of　the　hot　coals；　and　after　a　search
pursued　uninterruptedly　for　thirty　hours；　under　the　direction　of
Manston　himself；　enough　was　found　to　set　at　rest　any　doubts　of　her
fate。

The　melancholy　gleanings　consisted　of　her　watch；　bunch　of　keys；　a
few　coins；　and　two　charred　and　blackened　bones。

Two　days　later　the　official　inquiry　into　the　cause　of　her　death　was
held　at　the　Rising　Sun　Inn；　before　Mr。　Floy；　the　coroner；　and　a　jury
of　the　chief　inhabitants　of　the　district。　　The　little　tavernthe
only　remaining　one　in　the　villagewas　crowded　to　excess　by　the
neighbouring　peasantry　as　well　as　their　richer　employers：　　all　who
could　by　any　possibility　obtain　an　hour's　release　from　their　duties
being　present　as　listeners。

The　jury　viewed　the　sad　and　infinitesimal　remains；　which　were　folded
in　a　white　cambric　cloth；　and　laid　in　the　middle　of　a　well…finished
coffin　lined　with　white　silk　（by　Manston's　order）；　which　stood　in　an
adjoining　room；　the　bulk　of　the　coffin　being　completely　filled　in
with　carefully　arranged　flowers　and　evergreensalso　the　steward's
own　doing。

Abraham　Brown；　of　Hoxton；　Londonan　old　white…headed　man；　without
the　ruddiness　which　makes　white　hairs　so　pleasingwas　sworn；　and
deposed　that　he　kept　a　lodging…house　at　an　address　he　named。　　On　a
Saturday　evening　less　than　a　month　before　the　fire；　a　lady　came　to
him；　with　very　little　luggage；　and　took　the　front　room　on　the　second
floor。　　He　did　not　inquire　where　she　came　from；　as　she　paid　a　week
in　advance；　but　she　gave　her　name　as　Mrs。　Manston；　referring　him；　if
he　wished　for　any　guarantee　of　her　respectability；　to　Mr。　Manston；
Knapwater　Park。　　Here　she　lived　for　three　weeks；　rarely　going　out。
She　slept　away　from　her　lodgings　one　night　during　the　time。　　At　the
end　of　that　time；　on　the　twenty…eighth　of　November；　she　left　his
house　in　a　four…wheeled　cab；　about　twelve　o'clock　in　the　day；
telling　the　driver　to　take　her　to　the　Waterloo　Station。　　She　paid
all　her　lodging　expenses；　and　not　having　given　notice　the　full　week
previous　to　her　going　away；　offered　to　pay　for　the　next；　but　he　only
took　half。　　She　wore　a　thick　black　veil；　and　grey　waterproof　cloak；
when　she　left　him；　and　her　luggage　was　two　boxes；　one　of　plain　deal；
with　black　japanned　clamps；　the　other　sewn　up　in　canvas。

Joseph　Chinney；　porter　at　the　Carriford　Road　Station；　deposed　that
he　saw　Mrs。　Manston；　dressed　as　the　last　witness　had　described；　get
out　of　a　second…class　carriage　on　the　night　of　the　twenty…eighth。
She　stood　beside　him　whilst　her　luggage　was　taken　from　the　van。　　The
luggage；　consisting　of　the　clamped　deal　box　and　another　covered　with
canvas；　was　placed　in　the　cloak…room。　　She　seemed　at　a　loss　at
finding　nobody　there　to　meet　her。　　She　asked　him　for　some　person　to
accompany　her；　and　carry　her　bag　to　Mr。　Manston's　house；　Knapwater
Park。　　He　was　just　off　duty　at　that　time；　and　offered　to　go　himself。
The　witness　here　repeated　the　conversation　he　had　had　with　Mrs。
Manston　during　their　walk；　and　testified　to　having　left　her　at　the
door　of　the　Three　Tranters　Inn；　Mr。　Manston's　house　being　closed。

Next；　Farmer　Springrove　was　called。　　A　murmur　of　surprise　and
commiseration　passed　round　the　crowded　room　when　he　stepped　forward。

The　events　of　the　few　preceding　days　had　so　worked　upon　his
nervously　thoughtful　nature　that　the　blue　orbits　of　his　eyes；　and
the　mere　spot　of　scarlet　to　which　the　ruddiness　of　his　cheeks　had
contracted；　seemed　the　result　of　a　heavy　sickness。　　A　perfect
silence　pervaded　the　assembly　when　he　spoke。

His　statement　was　that　he　received　Mrs。　Manston　at　the　threshold；
and　asked　her　to　enter　the　parlour。　　She　would　not　do　so；　and　stood
in　the　passage　whilst　the　maid　went　upstairs　to　see　that　the　room
was　in　order。　　The　maid　came　down　to　the　middle　landing　of　the
staircase；　when　Mrs。　Manston　followed　her　up　to　the　room。　　He　did
not　speak　ten　words　with　her　altogether。

Afterwards；　whilst　he　was　standing　at　the　door　listening　for　his　son
Edward's　return；　he　saw　her　light　extinguished；　having　first　caught
sight　of　her　shadow　moving　about　the　room。

THE　CORONER：　　'Did　her　shadow　appear　to　be　that　of　a　woman
undressing？'

SPRINGROVE：　　'I　cannot　say；　as　I　didn't　take　particular　notice。　　It
moved　backwards　and　forwards；　she　might　have　been　undressing　or
merely　pacing　up　and　down　the　room。'

Mrs。　Fitler；　the　ostler's　wife　and　chambermaid；　said　that　she
preceded　Mrs。　Manston　into　the　room；　put　down　the　candle；　and　went
out。　　Mrs。　Manston　scarcely　spoke　to　her；　except　to　ask　her　to　bring
a　little　brandy。　　Witness　went　and　fetched　it　from　the　bar；　brought
it　up；　and　put　it　on　the　dressing…table。

THE　CORONER：　　'Had　Mrs。　Manston　begun　to　undress；　when　you　came
back？'

'No；　sir；　she　was　sitting　on　the　bed；　with　everything　on；　as　when
she　came　in。'

'Did　she　begin　to　undress　before　you　left？'

'Not　exactly　before　I　had　left；　but　when　I　had　closed　the　door；　and
was　on　the　landing　I　heard　her　boot　drop　on　the　floor；　as　it　does
sometimes　when　pulled　off？'

'Had　her　face　appeared　worn　and　sleepy？'

'I　cannot　say　as　her　bonnet　and　veil　were　still　on　when　I　left；　for
she　seemed　rather　shy　and　ashamed　to　be　seen　at　the　Three　Tranters
at　all。'

'And　did　you　hear　or　see　any　more　of　her？'

'No　more；　sir。'

Mrs。　Crickett；　temporary　servant　to　Mr。　Manston；　said　that　in
accordance　with　Mr。　Manston's　orders；　everything　had　been　made
comfortable　in　the　house　for　Mrs。　Manston's　expected　return　on
Monday　night。　　Mr。　Manston　told　her　that　himself　and　Mrs。　Manston
would　be　home　late；　not　till　between　eleven　and　twelve　o'clock；　and
that　supper　was　to　be　ready。　　Not　expecting　Mrs。　Manston　so　early；
she　had　gone　out　on　a　very　important　errand　to　Mrs。　Leat　the
postmistress。

Mr。　Manston　deposed　that　in　looking　down　the　columns　of　Bradshaw　he
had　mistaken　the　time　of　the　train's　arrival；　and　hence　was　not　at
the　station　when　she　came。　　The　broken　watch　produced　was　his
wife'she　knew　it　by　a　scratch　on　the　inner　plate；　and　by　other
signs。　　The　bunch　of　keys　belonged　to　her：　　two　of　them　fitted　the
locks　of　her　two　boxes。

Mr。　Flooks；　agent　to　Lord　Claydonfield　at　Chettlewood；　said　that　Mr。
Manston　had　pleaded　as　his　excuse　for　leaving　him　rather　early　in
the　evening　after　their　day's　business　had　been　settled；　that　he　was
going　to　meet　his　wife　at　Carriford　Road　Station；　where　she　was
coming　by　the　last　train　that　night。

The　surgeon　said　that　the　remains　were　those　of　a　human　being。　　The
small　fragment　seemed　a　portion　of　one　of　the　lumbar　vertebraethe
other　the　head　of　the　os　femorisbut　they　were　both　so　far　gone
that　it　was　impossible　to　say　definitely　whether　they　belonged　to
the　body　of　a　male　or　female。　　There　was　no　moral　doubt　that　they
were　a　woman's。　　He　did　not　believe　that　death　resulted　from　burning
by　fire。　　He　thought　she　was　crushed　by　the　fall　of　the　west　gable；
which　being　of　wood；　as　well　as　the　floor；　burnt　after　it　had
fallen；　and　consumed　the　body　with　it。

Two　or　three　additional　witnesses　gave　unimportant　testimony。

The　coroner　summed　up；　and　the　jury　without　hesitation　found　that
the　deceased　Mrs。　Manston　came　by　her　death　accidentally　through　the
burning　of　the　Three　Tranters　Inn。

3。　　DECEMBER　THE　SECOND。　　AFTERNO