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unceremoniously。
She could not tell the rector of her aversion to Manston； and of her
unquenched love for Edward。
'Your terrified state no doubt；' he said； answering for her； in the
manner of those accustomed to the pulpit。 'But into such a solemn
compact as marriage； all…important considerations； both legally and
morally； enter； it was your duty to have seen everything clearly
proved。 Doubtless Mr。 Manston is prepared with proofs； but as it
concerns nobody but yourself that her identity should be publicly
established （and by your absenteeism you act as if you were
satisfied） he has not troubled to exhibit them。 Nobody else has
taken the trouble to prove what does not affect them in the least
that's the way of the world always。 You； who should have required
all things to be made clear； ran away。'
'That was partly my doing；' said Owen。
The same explanationher want of love for Manstonapplied here
too； but she shunned the revelation。
'But never mind；' added the rector； 'it was all the greater credit
to your womanhood； perhaps。 I say； then； get your brother to write
a line to Mr。 Manston； saying you wish to be satisfied that all is
legally clear （in case you should want to marry again； for
instance）； and I have no doubt that you will be。 Or； if you would
rather； I'll write myself？'
'O no； sir； no；' pleaded Cytherea； beginning to blanch； and
breathing quickly。 'Please don't say anything。 Let me live here
with Owen。 I am so afraid it will turn out that I shall have to go
to Knapwater and be his wife； and I don't want to go。 Do conceal
what we have told you。 Let him continue his deceptionit is much
the best for me。'
Mr。 Raunham at length divined that her love for Manston； if it had
ever existed； had transmuted itself into a very different feeling
now。
'At any rate；' he said； as he took his leave and mounted his mare；
'I will see about it。 Rest content； Miss Graye； and depend upon it
that I will not lead you into difficulty。'
'Conceal it；' she still pleaded。
'We'll seebut of course I must do my duty。'
'Nodon't do your duty！' She looked up at him through the gloom；
illuminating her own face and eyes with the candle she held。
'I will consider； then；' said Mr。 Raunham； sensibly moved。 He
turned his horse's head； bade them a warm adieu； and left the door。
The rector of Carriford trotted homewards under the cold and clear
March sky； its countless stars fluttering like bright birds。 He was
unconscious of the scene。 Recovering from the effect of Cytherea's
voice and glance of entreaty； he laid the subject of the interview
clearly before himself。
The suspicions of Cytherea and Owen were honest； and had foundation…
…that he must own。 Was hea clergyman； magistrate； and
conscientious manjustified in yielding to Cytherea's importunities
to keep silence； because she dreaded the possibility of a return to
Manston？ Was she wise in her request？ Holding her present belief；
and with no definite evidence either way； she could； for one thing；
never conscientiously marry any one else。 Suppose that Cytherea
were Manston's wifei。e。； that the first wife was really burnt？
The adultery of Manston would be proved； and； Mr。 Raunham thought；
cruelty sufficient to bring the case within the meaning of the
statute。 Suppose the new woman was； as stated； Mr。 Manston's
restored wife？ Cytherea was perfectly safe as a single woman whose
marriage had been void。 And if it turned out that； though this
woman was not Manston's wife； his wife was still living； as Owen had
suggested； in America or elsewhere； Cytherea was safe。
The first supposition opened up the worst contingency。 Was she
really safe as Manston's wife？ Doubtful。 But； however that might
be； the gentle； defenceless girl； whom it seemed nobody's business
to help or defend； should be put in a track to proceed against this
man。 She had but one life； and the superciliousness with which all
the world now regarded her should be compensated in some measure by
the man whose carelessnessto set him in the best lighthad caused
it。
Mr。 Raunham felt more and more positively that his duty must be
done。 An inquiry must be made into the matter。 Immediately on
reaching home； he sat down and wrote a plain and friendly letter to
Mr。 Manston； and despatched it at once to him by hand。 Then he
flung himself back in his chair； and went on with his meditation。
Was there anything in the suspicion？ There could be nothing；
surely。 Nothing is done by a clever man without a motive； and what
conceivable motive could Manston have for such abnormal conduct？
Corinthian that he might be； who had preyed on virginity like St。
George's dragon； he would never have been absurd enough to venture
on such a course for the possession alone of the womanthere was no
reason for itshe was inferior to Cytherea in every respect；
physical and mental。
On the other hand； it seemed rather odd； when he analyzed the
action； that a woman who deliberately hid herself from her husband
for more than a twelvemonth should be brought back by a mere
advertisement。 In fact； the whole business had worked almost too
smoothly and effectually for unpremeditated sequence。 It was too
much like the indiscriminate righting of everything at the end of an
old play。 And there was that curious business of the keys and
watch。 Her way of accounting for their being left behind by
forgetfulness had always seemed to him rather forced。 The only
unforced explanation was that suggested by the newspaper writers
that she left them behind on purpose to blind people as to her
escape； a motive which would have clashed with the possibility of
her being fished back by an advertisement； as the present woman had
been。 Again； there were the two charred bones。 He shuffled the
books and papers in his study； and walked about the room； restlessly
musing on the same subject。 The parlour…maid entered。
'Can young Mr。 Springrove from London see you to…night； sir？'
'Young Mr。 Springrove？' said the rector； surprised。
'Yes； sir。'
'Yes； of course he can see me。 Tell him to come in。'
Edward came so impatiently into the room； as to show that the few
short moments his announcement had occupied had been irksome to him。
He stood in the doorway with the same black bag in his hand； and the
same old gray cloak on his shoulders； that he had worn fifteen
months earlier when returning on the night of the fire。 This
appearance of his conveyed a true impression； he had become a
stagnant man。 But he was excited now。
'I have this moment come from London；' he said； as the door was
closed behind him。
The prophetic insight； which so strangely accompanies critical
experiences； prompted Mr。 Raunham's reply。
'About the Grayes and Manston？'
'Yes。 That woman is not Mrs。 Manston。'
'Prove it。'
'I can prove that she is somebody elsethat her name is Anne
Seaway。'
'And are their suspicions true indeed！'
'And I can do what's more to the purpose at present。'
'Suggest Manston's motive？'
'Only suggest it； remember。 But my assumption fits so perfectly
with the facts that have been secretly unearthed and conveyed to me；
that I can hardly conceive of another。'
There was in Edward's bearing that entire unconsciousness of himself
which； natural to wild animals； only prevails in a sensitive man at
moments of extreme intentness。 The rector saw that he had no
trivial story to communicate； whatever the story was。
'Sit down；' said Mr。 Raunham。 'My mind has been on the stretch all
the evening to form the slightest guess at such an object； and all
to no purposeentirely to no purpose。 Have you said anything to
Owen Graye？'
'Nothingnor to anybody。 I could not trust to the effect a letter
might have upon yourself； either； the intricacy of the case brings
me to this interview。'
Whilst Springrove had been speaking the two had sat down together。
The conversation； hitherto distinct to every corner of the room； was
carried on now in tones so low as to be scarcely audible to the
interlocutors； and in phrases which hesitated to complete
themselves。 Three…quarters of an hour passed。 Then Edward arose；
came out of the rector's study and again flung his cloak around him。
Instead of going thence homeward； he went first to the Carriford
Road Station with a telegram； having despatched which he proceeded
to his father's house for the first time since his arrival in the
village。
3。 FROM NINE TO TEN O'CLOCK P。M。
The next presentation is the interior of the Old House on the
evening of the preceding section。 The steward was sitting by his
parlour fire； and had been reading the letter arrived from the
rectory。 Opposite to him sat the woman known to the village and
neighbourhood as Mrs。 Manston。
'Things are looking desperate with us；' he said gloomily。 His gloom
was not that of the hypochondriac； but the legitimate gloom which
has its origin in a syllogism。 As he uttered the words he handed
the letter to her。
'I almost expected some such news as this；' she replied； in a tone
of much greater indifference。 'I knew suspicion lurked in the eyes
of that young man who stared at me so in the church path： I could