east lynne-第107节

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s　charity；　the　justice　in　his；　had　cast　more　odium　to　Richard；　with　regard　to　his　after　conduct　touching　this　girl；　than　it　had　on　the　score　of　the　murder。

〃Come；〃　said　Lawyer　Ball；　in　a　coaxing　tone；　〃let　us　be　pleasant。　Of　course　you　were　not　with　Richard　HareWest　Lynne　is　always　ill…　naturedyou　were　on　a　visit　to　Captain　Thorn；　asas　any　other　young　lady　might　be？〃

Afy　hung　her　head；　cowed　down　to　abject　meekness。

〃Answer　the　question；〃　came　forth　the　chairman's　voice　again。　〃/Were/　you　with　Thorn？〃

〃Yes；〃　though　the　answer　was　feeble　enough。

Mr。　Ball　coughed　an　insinuating　cough。

〃Did　you　remain　with　himsay　two　or　three　years？〃

〃Not　three。〃

〃A　little　over　two；　perhaps？〃

〃There　was　no　harm　in　it；〃　shrieked　Afy；　with　a　catching　sob　of　temper。　〃If　I　chose　to　live　in　London；　and　he　chose　to　make　a　morning　call　upon　me；　now　and　then；　as　an　old　friend；　what's　that　to　anybody？　Where　was　the　harm；　I　ask？〃

〃Certainlywhere　was　the　harm？　/I/　am　not　insinuating　any；〃　returned　Lawyer　Ball；　with　a　wink　of　the　eye　furthest　from　the　witness　and　the　bench。　〃And；　during　the　time　thatthat　he　was　making　these　little　morning　calls　upon　you；　did　you　know　him　to　be　Levison？〃

〃Yes。　I　knew　him　to　be　Captain　Levison　then。〃

〃Did　he　ever　tell　you　why　he　had　assumed　the　name　of　Thorn？〃

〃Only　for　a　whim；　he　said。　The　day　he　spoke　to　me　in　the　pastrycook's　shop　at　Swainson；　something　came　over　him；　in　the　spur　of　the　moment；　not　to　give　his　right　name；　so　he　gave　the　first　that　came　into　his　head。　He　never　thought　to　retain　it；　or　that　other　people　would　hear　of　him　by　it。〃

〃I　dare　say　not；〃　laconically　spoke　Lawyer　Ball。　〃Well；　Miss　Afy；　I　believe　that　is　all　for　the　present。　I　want　Ebenezer　James　in　again；〃　he　whispered　to　an　officer　of　the　justice…room；　as　the　witness　retired。

Ebenezer　James　reappeared　and　took　Afy's　place。

〃You　informed　their　worships；　just　now；　that　you　had　met　Thorn　in　London；　some　eighteen　months　subsequent　to　the　murder；〃　began　Lawyer　Ball；　launching　another　of　his　shafts。　〃This　must　have　been　during　the　period　of　Afy　Hallijohn's　sojourn　with　him。　Did　you　also　see　/her/？〃

Mr。　Ebenezer　opened　his　eyes。　He　knew　nothing　of　the　evidence　just　given　by　Afy；　and　wondered　how　on　earth　it　had　come　outthat　she　had　been　with　Thorn　at　all。　He　had　never　betrayed　it。

〃Afy？〃　stammered　he。

〃Yes；　Afy；〃　sharply　returned　the　lawyer。　〃Their　worships　know　that　when　she　took　that　trip　of　hers　from　West　Lynne　it　was　to　join　Thorn　not　Richard　Harethough　the　latter　has　borne　the　credit　of　it。　I　ask　you；　did　you　see　her？　for　she　was　then　still　connected　with　him。〃

〃Wellyes；　I　did；〃　replied　Mr。　Ebenezer；　his　own　scruples　removed；　but　wondering　still　how　it　had　been　discovered；　unless　Afy　hadas　he　had　prophesied　she　wouldlet　out　in　her　〃tantrums。〃　〃In　fact；　it　was　Afy　whom　I　first　saw。〃

〃State　the　circumstances。〃

〃I　was　up　Paddington　way　one　afternoon；　and　saw　a　lady　going　into　a　house。　It　was　Afy　Hallijohn。　She　lived　there；　I　foundhad　the　drawing…room　apartments。　She　invited　me　to　stay　to　tea　with　her；　and　I　did。〃

〃Did　you　see　Captain　Levison　there？〃

〃I　saw　Thornas　I　thought　him　to　be。　Afy　told　me　I　must　be　away　by　eight　o'clock；　for　she　was　expecting　a　friend　who　sometimes　came　to　sit　with　her　for　an　hour's　chat。　But；　in　talking　over　old　timesnot　that　I　could　tell　her　much　about　West　Lynne；　for　I　had　left　it　almost　as　long　as　she　hadthe　time　slipped　on　past　the　hour。　When　Afy　found　that　out　she　hurried　me　off；　and　I　had　barely　got　outside　the　gate　when　a　cab　drove　up；　and　Thorn　alighted　from　it；　and　let　himself　in　with　a　latch…key。　That　is　all　I　know。〃

〃When　you　knew　that　the　scandal　of　Afy's　absence　rested　on　Richard　Hare；　why　could　you　not　have　said　this；　and　cleared　him；　on　your　return　to　West　Lynne？〃

〃It　was　no　affair　of　mine；　that　I　should　make　it　public。　Afy　asked　me　not　to　say　I　had　seen　her；　and　I　promised　her　I　would　not。　As　to　Richard　Hare；　a　little　extra　scandal　on　his　back　was　nothing；　while　there　remained　on　it　the　worse　scandal　of　murder。〃

〃Stop　a　bit；〃　interposed　Mr。　Rubiny；　as　the　witness　was　about　to　retire。　〃You　speak　of　the　time　being　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　sir。　Was　it　dark？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　how　can　you　be　certain　it　was　Thorn　who　got　out　of　the　cab　and　entered？〃

〃I　am　quite　certain。　There　was　a　gas…lamp　right　at　the　spot；　and　I　saw　him　as　well　as　I　should　have　seen　him　in　daylight。　I　knew　his　voice；　too；　could　have　sworn　to　it　anywhere；　and　I　would　almost　have　sworn　to　him　by　his　splendid　diamond　ring。　It　flashed　in　the　lamplight。〃

〃His　voice！　Did　he　speak　to　you？〃

〃No。　But　he　spoke　to　the　cabman。　There　was　a　half　dispute　between　them。　The　man　said　Thorn　had　not　paid　him　enough；　that　he　had　not　allowed　for　having　been　kept　waiting　twenty　minutes　on　the　road。　Thorn　swore　at　him　a　bit；　and　then　flung　him　an　extra　shilling。〃

The　next　witness　was　a　man　who　had　been　groom　to　the　late　Sir　Peter　Levison。　He　testified　that　the　prisoner；　Francis　Levison　had　been　on　a　visit　to　his　master　late　in　the　summer　and　part　of　the　autumn；　the　year　that　Hallijohn　was　killed。　That　he　frequently　rode　out　in　the　direction　of　West　Lynne；　especially　toward　evening；　would　be　away　three　or　four　hours；　and　come　home　with　the　horse　in　a　foam。　Also　that　he　picked　up　two　letters　at　different　times；　which　Mr。　Levison　had　carelessly　let　fall　from　his　pocket；　and　returned　them　to　him。　Both　the　notes　were　addressed　〃Captain　Thorn。〃　But　they　had　not　been　through　the　post；　for　there　was　no　further　superscription　on　them；　and　the　writing　looked　like　a　lady's。　He　remembered　quite　well　hearing　of　the　murder　of　Hallijohn；　the　witness　added；　in　answer　to　a　question；　it　made　a　great　stir　through　out　the　country。　It　was　just　at　that　same　time　that　Mr。　Levison　concluded　his　visit；　and　returned　to　London。

〃A　/wonderful/　memory！〃　Mr。　Rubiny　sarcastically　remarked。

The　witness；　a　quiet；　respectable　man；　replied　that　he　/had/　a　good　memory；　but　that　circumstances　had　impressed　upon　it　particularly　the　fact　that　Mr。　Levison's　departure　followed　close　upon　the　murder　of　Hallijohn。

〃One　day；　when　Sir　Peter　was　round　at　the　stables；　gentlemen；　he　was　urging　his　nephew　to　prolong　his　visit；　and　asked　what　sudden　freak　was　taking　him　off。　Mr。　Levison　replied　that　unexpected　business　called　him　to　London。　While　they　were　talking；　the　coachman　came　up；　all　in　a　heat；　telling　that　Hallijohn；　of　West　Lynne；　had　been　murdered　by　young　Mr。　Hare。　I　remember　Sir　Peter　said　he　could　not　believe　it；　and　that　it　must　have　been　an　accident；　not　murder。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃There　was　more　said。　Mr。　Levison；　in　a　shameful　sort　of　manner；　asked　his　uncle；　would　he　let　him　have　five　or　ten　pounds？　Sir　Peter　seemed　angry；　and　asked；　what　had　he　done　with　the　fifty…pound　note　he　had　made　him　a　present　of　only　the　previous　morning？　Mr。　Levison　replied　that　he　had　sent　that　away　to　a　brother　officer；　to　whom　he　was　in　debt。　Sir　Peter　refused　to　believe　it；　and　said　he　had　more　likely　squandered　it　upon　some　disgraceful　folly。　Mr。　Levison　denied　that　he　had；　but　he　looked　confused；　indeed；　his　matter　altogether　was　confused　that　morning。〃

〃Did　he　get　the　five　or　ten　pounds？〃

〃I　don't　know；　gentlemen。　I　dare　say　he　did；　for　my　master　was　as　persuadable　as　a　woman；　though　he'd　fly　out　a　bit　sometimes　at　first。　Mr。　Levison　departed　for　London　that　same　night。〃

The　last　witness　called　was　Mr。　Dill。　On　the　previous　Tuesday　evening；　he　had　been　returning　home　from　spending　an　hour　at　Mr。　Beauchamp's；　when；　in　a　field　opposite　to　Mr。　Justice　Hare's；　he　suddenly　heard　a　commotion。　It　arose　from　the　meeting　of　Sir　Francis　Levison　and　Otway　Bethel。　The　former　appeared　to　have　been　enjoying　a　solitary　moonlight　ramble；　and　the　latter　to　have　encountered　him　unexpectedly。　Words　ensued。　Bethel　accused　Sir　Francis　of　〃shirking〃　him。　Sir　Francis　answered　angrily　that　he　knew　nothing　of　him；　and　nothing　he　wanted　to　know。

〃　'You　were　glad　enough　to　know　something　of　me　the　night　of　Hallijohn's　murder；'　retorted　Bethel　to　this。　'Do　you　remember　that　I　could　hang　you。　One　little　word　from　me；　and　you'd　stand　in　Dick　Hare's　place。'

〃　'You　fool！'　passionately　cried　Sir　Francis。　'You　couldn't　hang　me　without　putting　your　own　head　in　a　noose。　Did　you　not　have　your　hush　money？　Are　you　wanting　to　do　me　out　of　more？'

〃　'A　cursed　paltry　note　of　fifty　pounds！'　foamed　Otway　Bethel；　'which；　many　a　time　since；　I　have　wished　my　fingers　were　blown　off　before　they　touched。　I　never　should　have　touched　it；　but　that　I　was　altogether　overwhelmed　with　the　moment's　confusion。　I　have　not　been　able　to　look　Mrs。　Hare　in　the　face　since；　knowing　that　I　held　the　secret　that　would　save　her　son　from　the　hangman。'

〃　'And　put　yourself　in　his　place；'　sneered　Sir　Francis。

〃　'No。　Put　you。'

〃　'That's　as　it　might　be。　But；　if　I　went　to　the　hangman；　you　would　go　with　me。　There　would　be　no　excuse　or　escape　for　you。　You　know　it。'　〃

The　warfare　continued　longer；　but　this　was　the　cream　of　it。　Mr。　Dill　heard　the　whole；　and　repeated　it　now　to　the　magistrate。　Mr。　Rubiny　protested　that　it　was　〃inadmissible；〃　〃hearsay　evidence；〃　〃contrary　to　law；〃　but　the　bench　oracularly　put　Mr。　Rubiny　down；　and　told　him　they　did　not　want　any　stranger　to　come