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you threaten me when you knowyou knowthat I would befriend you
readily without a threat！'
'Yes； yes； I think you would；' he said more kindly； 'but your
indifference for so many； many years has made me doubt it。'
'No； not indifference'twas enforced silence。 My father lived。'
He took her hand； and held it gently。
* * *
'Now listen；' he said； more quietly and humanly； when she had become
calmer： 'Springrove must marry the woman he's engaged to。 You may
make him； but only in one way。'
'Well： but don't speak sternly； AEneas！'
'Do you know that his father has not been particularly thriving for
the last two or three years？'
'I have heard something of it； once or twice； though his rents have
been promptly paid； haven't they？'
'O yes； and do you know the terms of the leases of the houses which
are burnt？' he said； explaining to her that by those terms she might
compel him even to rebuild every house。 'The case is the clearest
case of fire by negligence that I have ever known； in addition to
that；' he continued。
'I don't want them rebuilt； you know it was intended by my father；
directly they fell in； to clear the site for a new entrance to the
park？'
'Yes； but that doesn't affect the position； which is that Farmer
Springrove is in your power to an extent which is very serious for
him。'
'I won't do it'tis a conspiracy。'
'Won't you for me？' he said eagerly。
Miss Aldclyffe changed colour。
'I don't threaten now； I implore；' he said。
'Because you might threaten if you chose；' she mournfully answered。
'But why be sowhen your marriage with her was my own pet idea long
before it was yours？ What must I do？'
'Scarcely anything： simply this。 When I have seen old Mr。
Springrove； which I shall do in a day or two； and told him that he
will be expected to rebuild the houses； do you see the young man。
See him yourself； in order that the proposals made may not appear to
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；