按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I did not tell him of my marriage； because I thought you might not
like it； and I gave my real maiden name； and an address at the post…
office here。 But God knows if the letter will ever reach him。
'Do write me an answer； and send something。Your affectionate wife；
EUNICE。'
'FRIDAY；
October 28。
'MY DEAR HUSBAND；The order for ten pounds has just come； and I am
truly glad to get it。 But why will you write so bitterly？ Ah
well； if I had only had the money I should have been on my way to
America by this time； so don't think I want to bore you of my own
free…will。 Who can you have met with at that new place？ Remember I
say this in no malignant tone； but certainly the facts go to prove
that you have deserted me！ You are inconstantI know it。 O； why
are you so？ Now I have lost you； I love you in spite of your
neglect。 I am weakly fondthat's my nature。 I fear that upon the
whole my life has been wasted。 I know there is another woman
supplanting me in your heartyes； I know it。 Come to medo come。
EUNICE。'
'41 CHARLES SQUARE； HOXTON；
November
19。
'DEAR AENEAS；Here I am back again after my visit。 Why should you
have been so enraged at my finding your exact address？ Any woman
would have tried to do ityou know she would have。 And no woman
would have lived under assumed names so long as I did。 I repeat
that I did not call myself Mrs。 Manston until I came to this lodging
at the beginning of this monthwhat could you expect？
'A helpless creature I； had not fortune favoured me unexpectedly。
Banished as I was from your house at dawn； I did not suppose the
indignity was about to lead to important results。 But in crossing
the park I overheard the conversation of a young man and woman who
had also risen early。 I believe her to be the girl who has won you
away from me。 Well； their conversation concerned you and Miss
Aldclyffe； VERY PECULIARLY。 The remarkable thing is that you
yourself； without knowing it； told me of what； added to their
conversation； completely reveals a secret to me that neither of you
understand。 Two negatives never made such a telling positive
before。 One clue more； and you would see it。 A single
consideration prevents my revealing itjust one doubt as to whether
your ignorance was real； and was not feigned to deceive me。
Civility now； please。
EUNICE。'
'41 CHARLES SQUARE；
Tuesday； November 22。
'MY DARLING HUSBAND；Monday will suit me excellently for coming。 I
have acted exactly up to your instructions； and have sold my rubbish
at the broker's in the next street。 All this movement and bustle is
delightful to me after the weeks of monotony I have endured。 It is
a relief to wish the place good…byeLondon always has seemed so
much more foreign to me than Liverpool The mid…day train on Monday
will do nicely for me。 I shall be anxiously looking out for you on
Sunday night。
'I hope so much that you are not angry with me for writing to Miss
Aldclyffe。 You are not； dear； are you？ Forgive me。Your loving
wife； EUNICE。'
This was the last of the letters from the wife to the husband。 One
other； in Mrs。 Manston's handwriting； and in the same packet； was
differently addressed。
'THREE TRANTERS INN； CARRIFORD；
November 28； 1864。
'DEAR COUSIN JAMES；Thank you indeed for answering my letter so
promptly。 When I called at the post…office yesterday I did not in
the least think there would be one。 But I must leave this subject。
I write again at once under the strangest and saddest conditions it
is possible to conceive。
'I did not tell you in my last that I was a married woman。 Don't
blame meit was my husband's influence。 I hardly know where to
begin my story。 I had been living apart from him for a timethen
he sent for me （this was last week） and I was glad to go to him。
Then this is what he did。 He promised to fetch me； and did not
leaving me to do the journey alone。 He promised to meet me at the
station herehe did not。 I went on through the darkness to his
house； and found his door locked and himself away from home。 I have
been obliged to come here； and I write to you in a strange room in a
strange village inn！ I choose the present moment to write to drive
away my misery。 Sorrow seems a sort of pleasure when you detail it
on paperpoor pleasure though。
'But this is what I want to knowand I am ashamed to tell it。 I
would gladly do as you say； and come to you as a housekeeper； but I
have not the money even for a steerage passage。 James； do you want
me badly enoughdo you pity me enough to send it？ I could manage
to subsist in London upon the proceeds of my sale for another month
or six weeks。 Will you send it to the same address at the post…
office？ But how do I know that you 。 。 。 '
Thus the letter ended。 From creases in the paper it was plain that
the writer； having got so far； had become dissatisfied with her
production； and had crumpled it in her hand。 Was it to write
another； or not to write at all？
The next thing Anne Seaway perceived was that the fragmentary story
she had coaxed out of Manston； to the effect that his wife had left
England for America； might be truthful； according to two of these
letters； corroborated by the evidence of the railway…porter。 And
yet； at first； he had sworn in a passion that his wife was most
certainly consumed in the fire。
If she had been burnt； this letter； written in her bedroom； and
probably thrust into her pocket when she relinquished it； would have
been burnt with her。 Nothing was surer than that。 Why； then； did
he say she was burnt； and never show Anne herself this letter？
The question suddenly raised a new and much stranger onekindling a
burst of amazement in her。 How did Manston become possessed of this
letter？
That fact of possession was certainly the most remarkable revelation
of all in connection with this epistle； and perhaps had something to
do with his reason for never showing it to her。
She knew by several proofs； that before his marriage with Cytherea；
and up to the time of the porter's confession； Manston believed
honestly believedthat Cytherea would be his lawful wife； and
hence； of course； that his wife Eunice was dead。 So that no
communication could possibly have passed between his wife and
himself from the first moment that he believed her dead on the night
of the fire； to the day of his wedding。 And yet he had that letter。
How soon afterwards could they have communicated with each other？
The existence of the letteras much as； or more than its contents
implying that Mrs Manston was not burnt； his belief in that calamity
must have terminated at the moment he obtained possession of the
letter； if no earlier。 Was； then； the only solution to the riddle
that Anne could discern； the true one？that he had communicated
with his wife somewhere about the commencement of Anne's residence
with him； or at any time since？
It was the most unlikely thing on earth that a woman who had
forsaken her husband should countenance his scheme to personify her…
…whether she were in America； in London； or in the neighbourhood of
Knapwater。
Then came the old and harassing question； what was Manston's real
motive in risking his name on the deception he was practising as
regarded Anne。 It could not be； as he had always pretended； mere
passion。 Her thoughts had reverted to Mr。 Raunham's letter； asking
for proofs of her identity with the original Mrs。 Manston。 She
could see no loophole of escape for the man who supported her。
True； in her own estimation； his worst alternative was not so very
bad after allthe getting the name of libertine； a possible
appearance in the divorce or some other court of law； and a question
of damages。 Such an exposure might hinder his worldly progress for
some time。 Yet to him this alternative was； apparently； terrible as
death itself。
She restored the letters to their hiding…place； scanned anew the
other letters and memoranda； from which she could gain no fresh
information； fastened up the cabinet； and left everything in its
former condition。
Her mind was ill at ease。 More than ever she wished that she had
never seen Manston。 Where the person suspected of mysterious moral
obliquity is the possessor of great physical and intellectual
attractions； the mere sense of incongruity adds an extra shudder to
dread。 The man's strange bearing terrified Anne as it had terrified
Cytherea； for with all the woman Anne's faults； she had not
descended to such depths of depravity as to willingly participate in
crime。 She had not even known that a living wife was being
displaced till her arrival at Knapwater put retreat out of the
question； and had looked upon personation simply as a mode of
subsistence a degree better than toiling in poverty and alone； after
a bustling and somewhat pampered life as housekeeper in a gay
mansion。
'Non il