east lynne-第29节

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ight　be　lingering　on　the　road。

〃There　ought　to　be　railings　round　the　tomb；〃　she　presently　said；　after　a　successful　battle　with　her　emotion。

〃I　thought　so；　and　I　suggested　it　to　Lord　Mount　Severn　but　he　appeared　to　think　differently。　I　will　have　it　done。〃

〃I　put　you　to　great　expense；〃　she　said；　〃taking　one　thing　with　another。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　glanced　quickly　at　her；　a　dim　fear　penetrating　his　mind　that　his　sister　might　have　been　/talking/　in　her　hearing。　〃An　expense　I　would　not　be　without　for　the　whole　world。　You　know　it；　Isabel。〃

〃And　I　have　nothing　to　repay　you　with；〃　she　sighed。

He　looked　expressively　amused；　and；　gazing　into　her　face；　the　expression　of　his　eyes　made　her　smile。　〃Here　is　John　with　the　carriage；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Let　us　go；　Archibald。〃

Standing　outside　the　gates；　talking　to　the　rector's　family；　were　several　ladies；　one　of　them　Barbara　Hare。　She　watched　Mr。　Carlyle　place　his　wife　in　the　carriage；　she　watched　him　drive　away。　Barbara's　lips　were　white；　as　she　bowed　in　return　to　his　greeting。

〃The　heat　is　so　great！〃　murmured　Barbara；　when　those　around　noticed　her　paleness。

〃Ah！　You　ought　to　have　gone　in　the　phaeton；　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hare　as　they　desired　you。〃

〃I　wished　to　walk；〃　returned　the　unhappy　Barbara。

〃What　a　pretty　girl　that　is！〃　uttered　Lady　Isabel　to　her　husband。　〃What　is　her　name？〃

〃Barbara　Hare。〃



CHAPTER　XVII。

VISIT　OF　THE　HARE　FAMILY。

The　county　carriages　began　to　pour　to　East　Lynne；　to　pay　the　wedding　visit；　as　it　is　called；　to　Mr。　and　Lady　Isabel　Carlyle。　Of　course　they　displayed　themselves　in　their　most　courtly　state。　Mr。　Carlyle；　always　a　popular　man；　had　gained　double　his　former　importance　by　his　marriage　with　the　daughter　of　the　late　Earl　of　Mount　Severn。　Among　the　earliest　visitors　went　Justice　and　Mrs。　Hare；　with　Barbara。

Isabel　was　in　her　dressing…gown；　attended　by　Joyce；　whom　she　was　just　asking　to　take　the　place　of　her　late　maid；　if　Miss　Carlyle　would　consent　to　the　transfer。

Joyce's　face　lighted　up　with　pleasure　at　the　proposal。　〃Oh；　my　lady；　you　are　very　kind！　I　should　so　like　it！　I　would　serve　you　faithfully　to　the　best　of　my　ability。〃

Isabel　laughed。　〃But　Miss　Carlyle　may　not　be　inclined　to　transfer　you。〃

〃I　think　she　would　be；　my　lady。　She　said　a　day　or　two　ago；　that　I　appeared　to　suit　you；　and　you　might　have　me　altogether　if　you　wished；　provided　I　could　still　make　her　gowns。　I　make　them　to　please　her；　you　see；　my　lady。〃

〃Do　you　make　her　caps　also？〃　demurely　asked　Lady　Isabel。

Joyce　smiled。　〃Yes；　my　lady；　but　I　am　allowed　to　make　them　only　according　to　her　own　pattern。〃

〃Joyce；　if　you　become　my　maid；　you　must　wear　smarter　caps　yourself。　I　do　not　wish　you　to　be　fine　like　Marvel。〃

〃Oh；　my　lady！　I　shall　never　be　fine；〃　shuddered　Joyce。　And　Joyce　believed　she　had　cause　to　shudder　at　finery。

She　was　about　to　speak　further；　when　a　knock　came　to　the　dressing…room　door。　Joyce　went　to　open　it；　and　saw　one　of　the　housemaids；　a　girl　who　had　recently　been　engaged；　a　native　of　West　Lynne。　Isabel　heard　the　colloquy；

〃Is　my　lady　there？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Some　visitors。　Pete　ordered　me　to　come　and　tell　you。　I　say；　Joyce；　it's　the　Hares。　And　/she's/　with　them。　I　watched　her　get　out　of　the　carriage。〃

〃Who？〃　sharply　returned　Joyce。

〃Why；　Miss　Barbara。　Only　fancy　her　coming　to　pay　the　wedding　visit　/here/。　My　lady　had　better　take　care　that　she　don't　get　a　bowl　of　poison　mixed　for　her。　Master's　out　or　else　I'd　have　given　a　shilling　to　see　the　interview　between　the　three。〃

Joyce　sent　the　girl　away；　shut　the　door；　and　turned　to　her　mistress；　quite　unconscious　that　the　half…whispered　conversation　had　been　audible。

〃Some　visitors　are　in　the　drawing…room；　my　lady；　Susan　says。　Mr。　Justice　Hare　and　Mrs。　Hare　and　Miss　Barbara。〃

Isabel　descended；　her　mind　full　of　the　mysterious　words　spoken　by　Susan。　The　justice　was　in　a　new　flaxen　wig；　obstinate…looking　and　pompous；　Mrs。　Hare；　pale；　delicate；　and　lady…like；　Barbara　beautiful；　such　was　the　impression　they　made　upon　Isabel。

They　paid　rather　a　long　visit；　Isabel　quite　falling　in　love　with　the　gentle　and　suffering　Mrs。　Hare；　and　had　risen　to　leave　when　Miss　Carlyle　entered。　She　wished　them　to　remain　longerhad　something；　she　said；　to　show　Barbara。　The　justice　declined；　he　had　a　brother　justice　coming　to　dine　with　him　at　five；　and　it　was　then　half…past　four。　Barbara　might　stop　if　she　liked。

Barbara's　faced　turned　crimson；　but　nevertheless　she　accepted　the　invitation；　immediately　proffered　her　by　Miss　Carlyle　to　remain　at　East　Lynne　for　the　rest　of　the　day。

Dinner　time　approached；　and　Isabel　went　to　dress　for　it。　Joyce　was　waiting；　and　entered　upon　the　subject　of　the　service。

〃My　lady；　I　have　spoken　to　Miss　Carlyle；　and　she　is　willing　that　I　should　be　transferred　to　you；　but　she　says　I　ought　first　to　acquaint　you　with　certain　unpleasant　facts　in　my　history；　and　the　same　thought　had　occurred　to　me。　Miss　Carlyle　is　not　over　pleasant　in　manner；　my　lady；　but　she　is　very　upright　and　just。〃

〃What　facts？〃　asked　Lady　Isabel；　sitting　down　to　have　her　hair　brushed。

〃My　lady；　I'll　tell　you　as　shortly　as　it　can。　My　father　was　a　clerk　in　Mr。　Carlyle's　officeof　course　I　mean　the　late　Mr。　Carlyle。　My　mother　died　when　I　was　eight　years　old；　and　my　father　afterwards　married　again；　a　sister　of　Mr。　Kane's　wife〃

〃Mr。　Kane；　the　music　master？〃

〃Yes；　my　lady。　She　and　Mrs。　Kane　were　quite　ladies；　had　been　governesses。　People　said　she　lowered　herself　greatly　in　marrying　my　father。　However；　they　did　marry；　and　at　the　end　of　the　year　my　little　sister　Afy　was　born。　We　lived　in　a　pretty　cottage　in　the　wood　and　were　happy。　But　in　twelve　months　more　my　step…mother　died；　and　an　aunt　of　hers　adopted　Afy。　I　lived　with　my　father；　going　to　school；　then　to　learn　dressmaking；　and　finally　going　out　to　work　to　ladies'　houses。　After　many　years。　Afy　came　home。　Her　aunt　had　died　and　her　income　with　her；　but　not　the　vanity　and　love　of　finery　that　Afy　had　acquired。　She　did　nothing　but　dress　herself　and　read　novels。　My　father　was　angry；　he　said　no　good　could　come　of　it。　She　had　several　admirers；　Mr。　Richard　Hare；　Miss　Barbara's　own　brother；〃　continued　Joyce；　lowering　her　voice；　〃and　she　flirted　with　them　all。　My　father　used　to　go　out　to　shoot　on　fine　evenings　after　office；　or　to　his　duties　as　secretary　to　the　library；　and　so　Afy　was　generally　all　alone　until　I　came　home　at　nine　o'clock；　and　was　free　to　flirt　with　her　beaux。〃

〃Had　she　any　she　favored　particularly；　was　it　thought？〃　asked　Lady　Isabel。

〃The　chief　one；　my　lady；　was　Richard　Hare。　She　got　acquainted　with　somebody　else；　a　stranger；　who　used　to　ride　over　from　a　distance　to　see　her；　but　I　fancy　there　was　nothing　in　itRichard　was　the　one。　And　it　went　on　tilltillhe　killed　her　father。〃

〃Who？〃　uttered　the　startled　Isabel。

〃Richard　Hare；　my　lady。　Father　had　told　Afy　that　Mr。　Richard　should　not　come　there　any　longer；　for　when　gentlemen　go　in　secret　after　poor　girls；　it's　well　known　they　have　not　got　marriage　in　their　thoughts；　father　would　have　interfered　more　than　he　did；　but　that　he　judged　well　of　Mr。　Richard；　and　did　not　think　he　was　one　to　do　Afy　real　harm；but　he　did　not　know　how　flighty　she　was。　However；　one　day　he　heard　people　talk　about　it　in　West　Lynne；　coupling　her　name　and　Mr。　Richard's　offensively　together；　and　at　night　he　told　Afy；　before　me；　that　it　should　not　go　on　any　longer；　and　she　must　not　encourage　him。　My　lady；　the　next　night　Richard　Hare　shot　my　father。〃

〃How　very　dreadful！〃

〃Whether　it　was　done　on　purpose；　or　that　they　had　a　scuffle；　and　the　gun　went　off　accidentally　and　killed　my　father；　no　one　can　tell。　Afy　said　she　had　been　in　the　woods　at　the　back　of　the　house；　and　when　she　came　in；　father　lay　dead；　and　Mr。　Locksley　was　standing　over　him。　He　said　he　had　heard　the　shot；　and　come　up　just　in　time　to　see　Richard　fly　from　the　house；　his　shoes　covered　with　blood。　He　has　never　been　heard　of　since；　but　there　is　a　judgment　of　murder　out　against　him；　and　the　fear　and　shame　is　killing　his　mother　by　inches。〃

〃And　Afy？〃

〃The　worst　is　to　come　my　lady。　Afy　followed　him　directly　after　the　inquest；　and　nothing　has　been　known　since　of　either　of　them。　I　was　taken　ill；　after　all　these　shocks；　with　nervous　fever；　and　Miss　Carlyle　took　care　of　me；　and　I　have　remained　with　her　ever　since。　This　was　what　I　had　to　tell　you；　my　lady；　before　you　decided　to　take　me　into　service；　it　is　not　every　lady　who　would　like　to　engage　one　whose　sister　has　turned　out　so　badly。〃

Lady　Isabel　did　not　see　that　it　could　make　any　difference；　or　that　it　ought　to。　She　said　so；　and　then　leaned　back　in　her　chair　and　mused。

〃What　dress；　my　lady？〃

〃Joyce；　what　was　that　I　heard　you　and　Susan　gossiping　over　at　the　door？〃　Lady　Isabel　suddenly　asked。　〃About　Miss　Hare　giving　me　a　bowl　of　poison。　Something　in　the　dramatic　line　that　would　be。　You　should　tell　Susan　not　to　make　her　whispers　so　loud。〃

〃It　was　only　a　bit　of　nonsense；　my　lady。　These　ignorant　servants　will　talk；　and　every　one　at　West　Lynne　knew　Miss　Barbara　was　in　love　with　Mr。　Carlyle。　But　I　don't　fancy　she　would　have　been　the　one　to　make　him　happy　with　all　her　love。〃

A　hot　flush　passed　over　the　brow　of　Lady　Isabel；　a　sensation　very　like　jealousy　flew　to　her　heart。　No　woman　likes　to　hear　of　another's　b