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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 the road； following it in
the direction of the railway station。
Presently she heard Owen Graye's footsteps in her rear； his
quickened pace implying that he had parted from his sister。 The
woman thereupon increased her rapid walk to a run； and in a few
minutes safely distanced her fellow…traveller。
The railway at Carriford Road consisted only of a single line of
rails； and the short local down…train by which Owen was going to
Budmouth was shunted on to a siding whilst the first up…train
passed。 Graye entered the waiting…room； and the door being open he
listlessly observed the movements of a woman wearing a long grey
cloak； and closely hooded； who had asked for a ticket for London。
He followed her with his eyes on to the platform； saw her waiting
there and afterwards stepping into the train： his recollection of
her ceasing with the perception。
4。 EIGHT TO TEN O'CLOCK A。M。
Mrs。 Crickett； twice a widow； and now the parish clerk's wife； a
fine…framed； scandal…loving woman； with a peculiar corner to her eye
by which； without turning her head； she could see what people were
doing almost behind her； lived in a cottage standing nearer to the
old manor…house than any other in the village of Carriford； and she
had on that account been temporarily engaged by the steward； as a
respectable kind of charwoman and general servant； until a settled
arrangement could be made with some person as permanent domestic。
Every morning； therefore； Mrs。 Crickett； immediately she had lighted
the fire in her own cottage； and prepared the breakfast for herself
and husband； paced her way to the Old House to do the same for Mr。
Manston。 Then she went home to breakfast； and when the steward had
eaten his； and had gone out on his rounds； she returned again to
clear away； make his bed； and put the house in order for the day。
On the morning of Owen Graye's departure； she went through the
operations of her first visit as usualproceeded home to breakfast；
and went back again； to perform those of the second。
Entering Manston's empty bedroom； with her hands on her hips； she
indifferently cast her eyes upon the bed； previously to dismantling
it。
Whilst she looked； she thought in an inattentive manner； 'What a
remarkably quiet sleeper Mr。 Manston must be！' The upper bed…
clothes were flung back； certainly； but the bed was scarcely
disarranged。 'Anybody would almost fancy；' she thought； 'that he
had made it himself after rising。'
But these evanescent thoughts vanished as they had come； and Mrs。
Crickett set to work； she dragged off the counterpane； blankets and
sheets； and stooped to lift the pillows。 Thus stooping； something
arrested her attention； she looked closelymore closelyvery
closely。 'Well； to be sure！' was all she could say。 The clerk's
wife stood as if the air had suddenly set to amber； and held her
fixed like a fly in it。
The object of her wonder was a trailing brown hair； very little less
than a yard long； which proved it clearly to be a hair from some
woman's head。 She drew it off the pillow； and took it to the
window； there holding it out she looked fixedly at it； and became
utterly lost in meditation： her gaze； which had at first actively
settled on the hair； involuntarily dropped past its object by
degrees and was lost on the floor； as the inner vision obscured the
outer one。
She at length moistened her lips； returned her eyes to the hair；
wound it round her fingers； put it in some paper； and secreted the
whole in her pocket。 Mrs。 Crickett's thoughts were with her work no
more that morning。
She searched the house from roof…tree to cellar； for some other
trace of feminine existence or appurtenance； but none was to be
found。
She went out into the yard； coal…hole； stable； hay…loft； green…
house； fowl…house； and piggery； and still there was no sign。 Coming
in again； she saw a bonnet； eagerly pounced upon it； and found it to
be her own。
Hastily completing her arrangements in the other rooms； she entered
the village again； and called at once on the postmistress； Elizabeth
Leat； an intimate friend of hers； and a female who sported several
unique diseases and afflictions。
Mrs。 Crickett unfolded the paper； took out the hair； and waved it on
high before the perplexed eyes of Elizabeth； which immediately
mooned and wandered after it like a cat's。
'What is it？' said Mrs。 Leat； contracting her eyelids； and
stretching out towards the invisible object a narrow bony hand that
would have been an unmitigated delight to the pencil of Carlo
Crivelli。
'You shall hear；' said Mrs。 Crickett； complacently gathering up the
treasure into her own fat hand； and the secret was then solemnly
imparted； together with the accident of its discovery。
A shaving…glass was taken down from a nail； laid on its back in the
middle of a table by the window； and the hair spread carefully out
upon it。 The pair then bent over the table from opposite sides；
their elbows on the edge； their hands supporting their heads； their
foreheads nearly touching； and their eyes upon the hair。
'He ha' been mad a'ter my lady Cytherea；' said Mrs。 Crickett； 'and
'tis my very belief the hair is'
'No 'tidn'。 Hers idn' so dark as that；' said Elizabeth。
'Elizabeth； you know that as the faithful wife of a servant of the
Church； I should be glad to think as you do about the girl。 Mind I
don't wish to say anything against Miss Graye； but this I do say；
that I believe her to be a nameless thing； and she's no right to
stick a moral clock in her face； and deceive the country in such a
way。 If she wasn't of a bad stock at the outset she was bad in the
planten； and if she wasn't bad in the planten； she was bad in the
growen； and if not in the growen； she's made bad by what she's gone
through since。'
'But I have another reason for knowing it idn' hers；' said Mrs。
Leat。
'Ah！ I know whose it is thenMiss Aldclyffe's； upon my song！'
''Tis the colour of hers； but I don't believe it to be hers either。'
'Don't you believe what they d' say about her and him？'
'I say nothen about that； but you don't