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me； though under themateriallyuntoward conditions I have
mentioned； would make us happy； it would give her a locus standi。
If she wished to be out of the sound of her misfortunes we would go
to another part of Englandemigratedo anything。'
'I'll call Cytherea；' said Owen。 'It is a matter which she alone
can settle。' He did not speak warmly。 His pride could not endure
the pity which Edward's visit and errand tacitly implied。 Yet； in
the other affair； his heart went with Edward； he was on the same
beat for paying off old debts himself。
'Cythie； Mr。 Springrove is here；' he said； at the foot of the
staircase。
His sister descended the creaking old steps with a faltering tread；
and stood in the firelight from the hearth。 She extended her hand
to Springrove； welcoming him by a mere motion of the lip； her eyes
averteda habit which had engendered itself in her since the
beginning of her illness and defamation。 Owen opened the door and
went outleaving the lovers alone。 It was the first time they had
met since the memorable night at Southampton。
'I will get a light；' she said； with a little embarrassment。
'Nodon't； please； Cytherea；' said Edward softly； 'Come and sit
down with me。'
'O yes。 I ought to have asked YOU to；' she returned timidly。
'Everybody sits in the chimney…corner in this parish。 You sit on
that side。 I'll sit here。'
Two recessesone on the right； one on the left handwere cut in
the inside of the fireplace； and here they sat down facing each
other； on benches fitted to the recesses； the fire glowing on the
hearth between their feet。 Its ruddy light shone on the underslopes
of their faces； and spread out over the floor of the room with the
low horizontality of the setting sun； giving to every grain of sand
and tumour in the paving a long shadow towards the door。
Edward looked at his pale love through the thin azure twines of
smoke that went up like ringlets between them； and invested her； as
seen through its medium； with the shadowy appearance of a phantom。
Nothing is so potent for coaxing back the lost eyes of a woman as a
discreet silence in the man who has so lost themand thus the
patient Edward coaxed hers。 After lingering on the hearth for half
a minute； waiting in vain for another word from him； they were
lifted into his face。
He was ready primed to receive them。 'Cytherea； will you marry me？'
he said。
He could not wait in his original position till the answer came。
Stepping across the front of the fire to her own side of the chimney
corner； he reclined at her feet； and searched for her hand。 She
continued in silence awhile。
'Edward； I can never be anybody's wife；' she then said sadly； and
with firmness。
'Think of it in every light；' he pleaded； 'the light of love； first。
Then； when you have done that； see how wise a step it would be。 I
can only offer you poverty as yet； but I wantI do so long to
secure you from the intrusion of that unpleasant past； which will
often and always be thrust before you as long as you live the
shrinking solitary life you do nowa life which purity chooses； it
may be； but to the outside world it appears like the enforced
loneliness of neglect and scornand tongues are busy inventing a
reason for it which does not exist。'
'I know all about it；' she said hastily； 'and those are the grounds
of my refusal。 You and Owen know the whole truththe two I love
best on earthand I am content。 But the scandal will be
continually repeated； and I can never give any one the opportunity
of saying to youthatyour wife 。 。 。 。' She utterly broke down
and wept。
'Don't； my own darling！' he entreated。 'Don't； Cytherea！'
'Please to leave mewe will be friends； Edwardbut don't press me…
…my mind is made upI cannotI will not marry you or any man under
the present ambiguous circumstancesnever will II have said it：
never！'
They were both silent。 He listlessly regarded the illuminated
blackness overhead； where long flakes of soot floated from the sides
and bars of the chimney…throat like tattered banners in ancient
aisles； whilst through the square opening in the midst one or two
bright stars looked down upon them from the grey March sky。 The
sight seemed to cheer him。
'At any rate you will love me？' he murmured to her。
'Yesalwaysfor ever and for ever！'
He kissed her once； twice； three times； and arose to his feet；
slowly withdrawing himself from her side towards the door。 Cytherea
remained with her gaze fixed on the fire。 Edward went out grieving；
but hope was not extinguished even now。
He smelt the fragrance of a cigar； and immediately afterwards saw a
small red star of fire against the darkness of the hedge。 Graye was
pacing up and down the lane； smoking as he walked。 Springrove told
him the result of the interview。
'You are a good fellow； Edward；' he said； 'but I think my sister is
right。'
'I wish you would believe Manston a villain； as I do；' said
Springrove。
'It would be absurd of me to say that I like him nowfamily feeling
prevents it； but I cannot in honesty say deliberately that he is a
bad man。'
Edward could keep the secret of Manston's coercion of Miss Aldclyffe
in the matter of the houses a secret no longer。 He told Owen the
whole story。
'That's one thing；' he continued； 'but not all。 What do you think
of thisI have discovered that he went to Budmouth post…office for
a letter the day before the first advertisement for his wife
appeared in the papers。 One was there for him； and it was directed
in his wife's handwriting； as I can prove。 This was not till after
the marriage with Cytherea； it is true； but if （as it seems to show）
the advertising was a farce； there is a strong presumption that the
rest of the piece was。'
Owen was too astounded to speak。 He dropped his cigar； and fixed
his eyes upon his companion。
'Collusion！'
'Yes。'
'With his first wife？'
'Yeswith his wife。 I am firmly persuaded of it。'
'What did you discover？'
'That he fetched from the post…office at Budmouth a letter from her
the day BEFORE the first advertisement appeared。'
Graye was lost in a long consideration。 'Ah！' he said； 'it would be
difficult to prove anything of that sort now。 The writing could not
be sworn to； and if he is guilty the letter is destroyed。'
'I have other suspicions'
'Yesas you said' interrupted Owen； who had not till now been able
to form the complicated set of ideas necessary for picturing the
position。 'Yes； there is this to be rememberedCytherea had been
taken from him before that letter cameand his knowledge of his
wife's existence could not have originated till after the wedding。
I could have sworn he believed her dead then。 His manner was
unmistakable。'
'Well； I have other suspicions；' repeated Edward； 'and if I only had
the rightif I were her husband or brother； he should be convicted
of bigamy yet。'
'The reproof was not needed；' said Owen； with a little bitterness。
'What can I doa man with neither money nor friendswhilst Manston
has Miss Aldclyffe and all her fortune to back him up？ God only
knows what lies between the mistress and her steward； but since this
has transpiredif it is trueI can believe the connection to be
even an unworthy onea thing I certainly never so much as owned to
myself before。'
3。 THE FIFTH OF MARCH
Edward's disclosure had the effect of directing Owen Graye's
thoughts into an entirely new and uncommon channel。
On the Monday after Springrove's visit； Owen had walked to the top
of a hill in the neighbourhood of Tolchurcha wild hill that had no
name； beside a barren down where it never looked like summer。 In
the intensity of his meditations on the ever…present subject； he sat
down on a weather…beaten boundary…stone gazing towards the distant
valleysseeing only Manston's imagined form。
Had his defenceless sister been trifled with？ that was the question
which affected him。 Her refusal of Edward as a husband was； he
knew； dictated solely by a humiliated sense of inadequacy to him in
repute； and had not been formed till since the slanderous tale
accounting for her seclusion had been circulated。 Was it not true；
as Edward had hinted； that he； her brother； was neglecting his duty
towards her in allowing Manston to thrive unquestioned； whilst she
was hiding her head for no fault at all？
Was it possible that Manston was sensuous villain enough to have
contemplated； at any moment before the marriage with Cytherea； the
return of his first wife； when he should have grown weary of his new
toy？ Had he believed that； by a skilful manipulation of such
circumstances as chance would throw in his way； he could escape all
suspicion of having known that she lived？ Only one fact within his
own direct knowledge afforded the least ground for such a
supposition。 It was that； possessed by a woman only in the humble
and unprotected station of a lady's hired companion； his sister's
beauty might scarcely have been sufficient to induce a selfish man
like Manston to make her his wife； unless he had foreseen the
possibility of getting rid of her again。
'But for that stratagem of Manston's in relation to the
Springroves；' Owen thought； 'Cythie might now h