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He followed her and they sat down。 During the meal he told her what
he had done； with scrupulous regard to every detail； and showed her
the result。
'It is indeed a great risk to run；' she said； sipping her tea。
'But it would be a greater not to do it。'
'Yes。'
The envelope was again fastened up as before； and Manston put it in
his pocket and went out。 Shortly afterwards he was seen； on
horseback； riding in a direction towards Tolchurch。 Keeping to the
fields； as well as he could； for the greater part of the way； he
dropped into the road by the vicarage letter…box； and looking
carefully about； to ascertain that no person was near； he restored
the letter to its nook； placed the key in its hiding…place； as he
had promised the postman； and again rode homewards by a roundabout
way；
3。 AFTERNOON
The letter was brought to Owen Graye； the same afternoon； by one of
the vicar's servants who had been to the box with a duplicate key；
as usual； to leave letters for the evening post。 The man found that
the index had told falsely that morning for the first time within
his recollection； but no particular attention was paid to the
mistake； as it was considered。 The contents of the envelope were
scrutinized by Owen and flung aside as useless。
The next morning brought Springrove's second letter； the existence
of which was unknown to Manston。 The sight of Edward's handwriting
again raised the expectations of brother and sister； till Owen had
opened the envelope and pulled out the twig and verse。
'Nothing that's of the slightest use； after all；' he said to her；
'we are as far as ever from the merest shadow of legal proof that
would convict him of what I am morally certain he did； marry you；
suspecting； if not knowing； her to be alive all the time。'
'What has Edward sent？' said Cytherea。
'An old amatory verse in Manston's writing。 Fancy；' he said
bitterly； 'this is the strain he addressed her in when they were
courtingas he did you； I suppose。'
He handed her the verse and she read
'EUNICE。
'Whoso for hours or lengthy days
Shall catch her aspect's changeful rays；
Then turn away； can none recall
Beyond a galaxy of all
In hazy portraiture；
Lit by the light of azure eyes
Like summer days by summer skies：
Her sweet transitions seem to be
A kind of pictured melody；
And not a set contour。
'AE。 M。'
A strange expression had overspread Cytherea's countenance。 It
rapidly increased to the most death…like anguish。 She flung down
the paper； seized Owen's hand tremblingly； and covered her face。
'Cytherea！ What is it； for Heaven's sake？'
'OwensupposeO； you don't know what I think。'
'What？'
'〃THE LIGHT OF AZURE EYES；〃' she repeated with ashy lips。
'Well； 〃the light of azure eyes〃？' he said； astounded at her manner。
'Mrs。 Morris said in her letter to me that her eyes are BLACK！'
'H'm。 Mrs。 Morris must have made a mistakenothing likelier。'
'She didn't。'
'They might be either in this photograph；' said Owen； looking at the
card bearing Mrs。 Manston's name。
'Blue eyes would scarcely photograph so deep in tone as that；' said
Cytherea。 'No； they seem black here； certainly。'
'Well； then； Manston must have blundered in writing his verses。'
'But could he？ Say a man in love may forget his own name； but not
that he forgets the colour of his mistress's eyes。 Besides she
would have seen the mistake when she read them； and have had it
corrected。'
'That's true； she would；' mused Owen。 'Then； Cytherea； it comes to
thisyou must have been misinformed by Mrs。 Morris； since there is
no other alternative。'
'I suppose I must。'
Her looks belied her words。
'What makes you so strangeill？' said Owen again。
'I can't believe Mrs。 Morris wrong。'
'But look at this； Cytherea。 If it is clear to us that the woman
had blue eyes two years ago； she MUST have blue eyes now； whatever
Mrs。 Morris or anybody else may fancy。 Any one would think that
Manston could change the colour of a woman's eyes to hear you。'
'Yes；' she said； and paused。
'You say yes； as if he could；' said Owen impatiently。
'By changing the woman herself；' she exclaimed。 'Owen； don't you
see the horridwhat I dread？that the woman he lives with is not
Mrs。 Manstonthat she was burnt after alland that I am HIS WIFE！'
She tried to support a stoicism under the weight of this new
trouble； but no！ The unexpected revulsion of ideas was so
overwhelming that she crept to him and leant against his breast。
Before reflecting any further upon the subject Graye led her
upstairs and got her to lie down。 Then he went to the window and
stared out of it up the lane； vainly endeavouring to come to some
conclusion upon the fantastic enigma that confronted him。
Cytherea's new view seemed incredible； yet it had such a hold upon
her that it would be necessary to clear it away by positive proof
before contemplation of her fear should have preyed too deeply upon
her。
'Cytherea；' he said； 'this will not do。 You must stay here alone
all the afternoon whilst I go to Carriford。 I shall know all when I
return。'
'No； no； don't go！' she implored。
'Soon； then； not directly。' He saw her subtle reasoningthat it
was folly to be wise。
Reflection still convinced him that good would come of persevering
in his intention and dispelling his sister's idle fears。 Anything
was better than this absurd doubt in her mind。 But he resolved to
wait till Sunday； the first day on which he might reckon upon seeing
Mrs。 Manston without suspicion。 In the meantime he wrote to Edward
Springrove； requesting him to go again to Mrs。 Manston's former
lodgings。
XVIII。 THE EVENTS OF THREE DAYS
1。 MARCH THE EIGHTEENTH
Sunday morning had come； and Owen was trudging over the six miles of
hill and dale that lay between Tolchurch and Carriford。
Edward Springrove's answer to the last letter； after expressing his
amazement at the strange contradiction between the verses and Mrs。
Morris's letter； had been to the effect that he had again visited
the neighbour of the dead Mr。 Brown； and had received as near a
description of Mrs。 Manston as it was possible to get at second…
hand； and by hearsay。 She was a tall woman； wide at the shoulders；
and full…chested； and she had a straight and rather large nose。 The
colour of her eyes the informant did not know； for she had only seen
the lady in the street as she went in or out。 This confusing remark
was added。 The woman had almost recognized Mrs。 Manston when she
had called with her husband lately； but she had kept her veil down。
Her residence； before she came to Hoxton； was quite unknown to this
next…door neighbour； and Edward could get no manner of clue to it
from any other source。
Owen reached the church…door a few minutes before the bells began
chiming。 Nobody was yet in the church； and he walked round the
aisles。 From Cytherea's frequent description of how and where
herself and others used to sit； he knew where to look for Manston's
seat； and after two or three errors of examination he took up a