east lynne-第20节

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hat　you　will　continue　at　East　Lynne　while　it　can　be　of　service；　however　prolonged　that　period　may　be；　I　assure　you；　I　say　it　in　all　sincerity。〃

〃You　are　very　kind；〃　she　faltered；　〃and　for　a　few　days；　until　I　can　think；　until　Oh；　Mr。　Carlyle；　are　papa's　affairs　really　so　bad　as　they　said　yesterday？〃　she　broke　off；　her　perplexities　recurring　to　her　with　vehement　force。　〃Is　there　nothing　left？〃

Now　Mr。　Carlyle　might　have　given　the　evasive　assurance　that　there　would　be　plenty　left；　just　to　tranquilize　her。　But　to　have　used　deceit　with　her　would　have　pricked　against　every　feeling　of　his　nature；　and　he　saw　how　implicitly　she　relied　upon　his　truth。

〃I　fear　things　are　not　very　bright；〃　he　answered。　〃That　is；　so　far　as　we　can　see　at　present。　But　there　may　have　been　some　settlement　effected　for　you　that　you　do　not　know　of。　Warburton　&　Ware〃

〃No；〃　she　interrupted：　〃I　never　heard　of　a　settlement；　and　I　am　sure　there　is　none。　I　see　the　worst　plainly。　I　have　no　home；　no　home　and　no　money。　This　house　is　yours；　the　town　house　and　Mount　Severn　go　to　Mr。　Vane；　and　I　have　nothing。〃

〃But　surely　Mr。　Vane　will　be　delighted　to　welcome　you　to　your　old　home。　The　houses　pass　to　himit　almost　seems　as　though　you　had　the　greater　right　in　them；　than　he　or　Mrs。　Vane。〃

〃My　home　with　them！〃　she　retorted；　as　if　the　words　had　stung　her。　〃What　are　you　saying；　Mr。　Carlyle？〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Lady　Isabel。　I　should　not　have　presumed　to　touch　upon　these　points　myself；　but〃

〃Nay；　I　think　I　ought　to　beg　yours；〃　she　interrupted；　more　calmly。　〃I　am　only　grateful　for　the　interest　you　take　in　themthe　kindness　you　have　shown。　But　I　could　not　make　my　home　with　Mrs。　Vane。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　rose。　He　could　do　no　good　by　remaining；　and　did　not　think　it　well　to　intrude　longer。　He　suggested　that　it　might　be　more　pleasant　if　Isabel　had　a　friend　with　her；　Mrs。　Ducie　would　no　doubt　be　willing　to　come；　and　she　was　a　kind；　motherly　woman。

Isabel　shook　her　head　with　a　passing　shudder。　〃Have　strangers；　here；　withallthatin　papa's　chamber！〃　she　uttered。　〃Mrs。　Ducie　drove　over　yesterday；　perhaps　to　remainI　don't　know；　but　I　was　afraid　of　questions；　and　would　not　see　her。　When　I　think　ofthatI　feel　thankful　that　I　am　alone。〃

The　housekeeper　stopped　Mr。　Carlyle　as　he　was　going　out。

〃Sir；　what　is　the　news　from　Castle　Marling？　Pound　said　there　was　a　letter。　Is　Mr。　Vane　coming？〃

〃He　was　out　yachting。　Mrs。　Vane　expected　him　home　yesterday；　so　it　is　to　be　hoped　he　will　be　here　to…day。〃

〃Whatever　will　be　done　if　he　does　not　come？〃　she　breathed。　〃The　leaden　coffin　ought　to　be　soldered　down；　for　you　know；　air；　the　state　he　was　in　when　he　died。〃

〃It　can　be　soldered　down　without　Mr。　Vane。〃

〃Of　coursewithout　Mr。　Vane。　It's　not　that；　sir。　Will　those　men　allow　it　to　be　done？　The　undertakers　were　here　this　morning　at　daybreak；　and　those　men　intimated　that　they　were　not　going　to　/lose　sight/　of　the　dead。　The　words　sounded　significant　to　us；　but　we　asked　them　no　questions。　Have　they　a　right　to　prevent　it；　sir？〃

〃Upon　my　word　I　cannot　tell；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　proceeding　is　so　rare　a　one；　that　I　know　little　what　right　of　law　they　have　or　have　not。　Do　not　mention　this　to　Lady　Isabel。　And　when　Mr。　Vawhen　Lord　Mount　Severn　arrives；　send　down　to　apprise　me　of　it。〃



CHAPTER　XI。

THE　NEW　PEERTHE　BANK…NOTE

A　post…chaise　was　discerned　thundering　up　the　avenue　that　Sunday　afternoon。　It　contained　the　new　peer；　Lord　Mount　Severn。　The　more　direct　line　of　rail　from　Castle　Marling；　brought　him　only　to　within　five　miles　of　West　Lynne；　and　thence　he　had　travelled　in　a　hired　chaise。　Mr。　Carlyle　soon　joined　him；　and　almost　at　the　same　time　Mr。　Warburton　arrived　from　London。　Absence　from　town　at　the　period　of　the　earl's　death　had　prevented　Mr。　Warburton's　earlier　attendance。　Business　was　entered　upon　immediately。

The　present　earl　knew　that　his　predecessor　had　been　an　embarrassed　man；　but　he　had　no　conception　of　the　extent　of　the　evil；　they　had　not　been　intimate；　and　rarely　came　in　contact。　As　the　various　items　of　news　were　now　detailed　to　himthe　wasteful　expenditure；　the　disastrous　ruin；　the　total　absence　of　provision　for　Isabelhe　stood　petrified　and　aghast。　He　was　a　tall　stout　man；　of　three…and…forty　years；　his　nature　honorable；　his　manner　cold；　and　his　countenance　severe。

〃It　is　the　most　iniquitous　piece　of　business　I　ever　heard　of！〃　he　exclaimed　to　the　two　lawyers。　〃Of　all　the　reckless　fools；　Mount　Severn　must　have　been　the　worst！〃

〃Unpardonably　improvident　as　regards　his　daughter；〃　was　the　assenting　remark。

〃Improvident！　It　must　have　been　rank　madness！〃　retorted　the　earl。　〃No　man　in　his　senses　could　leave　a　child　to　the　mercy　of　the　world；　as　he　has　left　her。　She　has　not　a　shillingliterally；　not　a　shilling　in　her　possession。　I　put　the　question　to　her；　what　money　there　was　in　the　house　when　the　earl　died。　Twenty　or　twenty…five　pounds；　she　answered；　which　she　had　given　to　Mason；　who　required　it　for　housekeeping　purposes。　If　the　girl　wants　a　yard　of　ribbon　for　herself；　she　has　not　the　pence　to　pay　for　it！　Can　you　realize　such　a　case　to　the　mind？〃　continued　the　excited　peer。　〃I　will　stake　my　veracity　that　such　a　one　never　occurred　yet。〃

〃No　money　for　her　own　personal　wants！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Not　a　halfpenny　in　the　world。　And　there　are　no　funds；　and　will　be　none；　that　I　can　see；　for　her　to　draw　upon。〃

〃Quite　correct；　my　lord；〃　nodded　Mr。　Warburton。　〃The　entailed　estates　go　to　you；　and　what　trifling　matter　of　personal　property　may　be　left　the　creditors　will　take　care　of。〃

〃I　understand　East　Lynne　is　yours；〃　cried　the　earl；　turning　sharply　upon　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃Isabel　has　just　said　so。〃

〃It　is；〃　was　the　reply。　〃It　became　mine　last　June。　I　believe　his　lordship　kept　the　fact　a　close　secret。〃

〃He　was　obliged　to　keep　it　a　secret；〃　interposed　Mr。　Warburton；　addressing　Lord　Mount　Severn；　〃for　not　a　stiver　of　the　purchase　money　could　he　have　fingered　had　it　got　wind。　Except　ourselves　and　Mr。　Carlyle's　agents；　the　fact　was　made　known　to　none。〃

〃It　is　strange；　sir；　that　you　could　not　urge　the　claims　of　his　child　upon　the　earl；〃　rejoined　the　new　peer　to　Mr。　Warburton；　his　tone　one　of　harsh　reproof。　〃You　were　in　his　confidence；　you　knew　the　state　of　his　affairs；　it　was　in　your　line　of　duty　to　do　it。〃

〃Knowing　the　state　of　his　affairs；　my　lord；　we　knew　how　useless　the　urging　it　would　be；〃　returned　Mr。　Warburton。　〃Your　lordship　has　but　a　faint　idea　of　the　burdens　Lord　Mount　Severn　had　upon　him。　The　interest　alone　upon　his　debts　was　frightfuland　the　deuce's　own　work　it　was　to　get　it。　Not　to　speak　of　the　kites　he　let　loose；　he　would　fly　them；　and　nothing　could　stop　him；　and　they　had　to　be　provided　for。〃

〃Oh；　I　know；〃　replied　the　earl；　with　a　gesture　of　contempt。　〃Drawing　one　bill　to　cover　another；　that　was　his　system。〃

〃Draw！〃　echoed　Mr。　Warburton。　〃He　would　have　drawn　a　bill　on　Aldgate　pump。　It　was　a　downright　mania　with　him。〃

〃Urged　to　it　by　his　necessities；　I　conclude；〃　put　in　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃He　had　no　business　to　have　such　necessities；　sir；〃　cried　the　earl；　wrathfully。　〃But　let　us　proceed　to　business。　What　money　is　there　lying　at　his　banker's；　Mr。　Warburton？　Do　you　know？〃

〃None；〃　was　the　blank　reply。　〃We　overdrew　the　account　ourselves；　a　fortnight　ago；　to　meet　one　of　his　pressing　liabilities。　We　hold　a　little；　and；　had　he　lived　a　week　or　two　longer；　the　autumn　rents　would　have　been　paid　inthough　they　must　have　been　as　quickly　paid　out　again。〃

〃I'm　glad　there's　something。　What　is　the　amount？〃

〃My　lord；〃　answered　Mr。　Warburton；　shaking　his　head　in　a　self…　condoling　manner；　〃I　am　sorry　to　tell　you　that　what　we　hold　will　not　half　satisfy　our　own　claims；　money　actually　paid　out　of　our　pockets。〃

〃Then　where　on　earth　is　the　money　to　come　from；　sir？　For　the　funeral　for　the　servants'　wagesfor　everything；　in　fact？〃

〃There　is　none　to　come　from　anywhere；〃　was　the　reply　of　Mr。　Warburton。

Lord　Mount　Severn　strode　the　carpet　more　fiercely。　〃Wicked　improvidence！　Shameful　profligacy；　callous…hearted　man！　To　live　a　rogue　and　die　a　beggarleaving　his　daughter　to　the　charity　of　strangers！〃

〃Her　case　presents　the　worst　feature　of　the　whole；〃　remarked　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃What　will　she　do　for　a　home？〃

〃She　must；　of　course；　find　it　with　me；〃　replied　his　lordship；　〃and；　I　should　hope；　a　better　one　than　this。　With　all　these　debts　and　duns　at　his　elbow；　Mount　Severn's　house　could　not　have　been　a　bower　of　roses。〃

〃I　fancy　she　knew　nothing　of　the　state　of　affairs；　had　seen　little；　if　anything；　of　the　embarrassments；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Nonsense！〃　said　the　peer。

〃Mr。　Carlyle　is　right；　my　lord；〃　observed　Mr。　Warburton；　looking　over　his　spectacles。　〃Lady　Isabel　was　in　safety　at　Mount　Severn　till　the　spring；　and　the　purchase　money　from　East　Lynnewhat　the　earl　could　touch　of　itwas　a　stop…gap　for　many　things；　and　made　matters　easy　for　the　moment。　However；　his　imprudences　are　at　an　end　now。〃

〃No；　they　are　not　at　an　end；〃　returned　Lord　Mount　Severn；　〃they　leave　their　effects　behind　them。　I　hear　there　was　a　fine　scene　yesterday　morning；　some　of　the　unfortunate　wretches　he　has　taken　in　made　their　appearance　here；　all　the　way　from　town。〃

〃Oh；　they　are　Jews　half　of　them；〃　slightingly　spoke　Mr。　Warburton。　〃If　they　do　lose　a　little；　it　will　be　an