east lynne-第33节

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He　smiled　and　shook　his　head。　〃I　wish　I　might。　But　they　limited　my　stay　with　you　to　four　minutes；　and　Wainwright　has　posted　himself　outside　the　door；　with　his　watch　in　his　hand。〃

Quite　true。　There　stood　the　careful　surgeon；　and　the　short　interview　was　over　almost　as　soon　as　it　had　begun。

The　baby　lived；　and　appeared　likely　to　live；　and　of　course　the　next　thing　was　to　look　out　for　a　maid　for　it。　Isabel　did　not　get　strong　very　quickly。　Fever　and　weakness　had　a　struggle　with　each　other　and　with　her。　One　day；　when　she　was　dressing　and　sitting　in　her　easy　chair；　Miss　Carlyle　entered。

〃Of　all　the　servants　in　the　neighborhood；　who　should　you　suppose　is　come　up　after　the　place　of　nurse？〃

〃Indeed；　I　cannot　guess。〃

〃Why；　Wilson；　Mrs。　Hare's　maid。　Three　years　and　five　months　she　has　been　with　them；　and　now　leaves　in　consequence　of　a　fall　out　with　Barbara。　Will　you　see　her？〃

〃Is　she　likely　to　suit？　Is　she　a　good　servant？〃

〃She's　not　a　bad　servant；　as　servants　go；〃　responded　Miss　Carlyle。　〃She's　steady　and　respectable；　but　she　has　got　a　tongue　as　long　as　from　here　to　Lynneborough。〃

〃That　won't　hurt　baby；〃　said　Lady　Isabel。　〃But　if　she　has　lived　as　lady's　maid；　she　probably　does　not　understand　the　care　of　infants。〃

〃Yes　she　does。　She　was　upper　servant　at　Squire　Pinner's　before　going　to　Mrs。　Hare's。　Five　years　she　lived　there。〃

〃I　will　see　her；〃　said　Lady　Isabel。

Miss　Carlyle　left　the　room　to　send　the　servant　in；　but　came　back　first　alone。

〃Mind；　Lady　Isabel；　don't　you　engage　her。　If　she　is　likely　to　suit　you；　let　her　come　again　for　the　answer；　and　meanwhile　I　will　go　down　to　Mrs。　Hare's　and　learn　the　ins　and　outs　of　her　leaving。　It　is　all　very　plausible　for　her　to　put　upon　Barbara；　but　that　is　only　one　side　of　the　question。　Before　engaging　her；　it　may　be　well　to　hear　the　other。〃

Of　course　this　was　but　right。　Isabel　acquiesced；　and　the　servant　was　introduced；　a　tall；　pleasant…looking　woman；　with　black　eyes。　Lady　Isabel　inquired　why　she　was　leaving　Mrs。　Hare's。

〃My　lady；　it　is　through　Miss　Barbara's　temper。　Latterlyoh；　for　this　year　past；　nothing　has　pleased　her；　she　had　grown　nearly　as　imperious　as　the　justice　himself。　I　have　threatened　many　times　to　leave；　and　last　evening　we　came　to　another　outbreak；　and　I　left　this　morning。〃

〃Left　entirely？〃

〃Yes；　my　lady。　Miss　Barbara　provoked　me　so；　that　I　said　last　night　I　would　leave　as　soon　as　breakfast　was　over。　And　I　did　so。　I　should　be　very　glad　to　take　your　situation；　my　lady；　if　you　would　please　to　try　me。〃

〃You　have　been　the　upper　maid　at　Mrs。　Hare's？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　my　lady。〃

〃Then　possibly　this　situation　might　not　suit　you　so　well　as　you　imagine。　Joyce　is　the　upper　servant　here；　and　you　would；　in　a　manner；　be　under　her。　I　have　great　confidence　in　Joyce；　and　in　case　of　my　illness　or　absence；　Joyce　would　superintend　the　nursery。〃

〃I　should　not　mind　that；〃　was　the　applicant's　answer。　〃We　all　like　Joyce；　my　lady。〃

A　few　more　questions；　and　then　the　girl　was　told　to　come　again　in　the　evening　for　her　answer。　Miss　Carlyle　went　to　the　Grove　for　the　〃ins　and　outs〃　of　the　affair；　where　Mrs。　Hare　frankly　stated　that　she　had　nothing　to　urge　against　Wilson；　save　her　hasty　manner　of　leaving；　and　believed　the　chief　blame　to　be　due　to　Barbara。　Wilson；　therefore；　was　engaged；　and　was　to　enter　upon　her　new　service　the　following　morning。

In　the　afternoon　succeeding　to　it；　Isabel　was　lying　on　the　sofa　in　her　bedroom；　asleep；　as　was　supposed。　In　point　of　fact；　she　was　in　that　state；　half　asleep；　half　wakeful　delirium；　which　those　who　suffer　from　weakness　and　fever　know　only　too　well。　Suddenly　she　was　aroused　from　it　by　hearing　her　own　name　mentioned　in　the　adjoining　room；　where　sat　Joyce　and　Wilson；　the　latter　holding　the　sleeping　infant　on　her　knee；　the　former　sewing；　the　door　between　the　rooms　being　ajar。

〃How　ill　she　does　look；〃　observed　Wilson。

〃Who？〃　asked　Joyce。

〃Her　ladyship。　She　looks　just　as　if　she'd　never　get　over　it。〃

〃She　is　getting　over　it　quickly；　now；〃　returned　Joyce。　〃If　you　had　seen　her　but　a　week　ago；　you　would　not　say　she　was　looking　ill　now；　speaking　in　comparison。〃

〃My　goodness！　Would　not　somebody's　hopes　be　up　again　if　anything　should　happen？〃

〃Nonsense！〃　crossly　rejoined　Joyce。

〃You　may　cry　out　'nonsense'　forever；　Joyce；　but　they　would；〃　went　on　Wilson。　〃And　she　would　snap　him　up　to　a　dead　certainty；　she'd　never　let　him　escape　her　a　second　time。　She　is　as　much　in　love　with　him　as　she　ever　was！〃

〃It　was　all　talk　and　fancy；〃　said　Joyce。　〃West　Lynne　must　be　busy。　Mr。　Carlyle　never　cared　for　her。〃

〃That's　more　than　you　know。　I　have　seen　a　little；　Joyce；　I　have　seen　him　kiss　her。〃

〃A　pack　of　rubbish！〃　remarked　Joyce。　〃That　tells　nothing。〃

〃I　don't　say　it　does。　There's　not　a　young　man　living　but　what's　fond　of　a　sly　kiss　in　the　dark；　if　he　can　get　it。　He　gave　her　that　locket　and　chain　she　wears。〃

〃Who　wears？〃　retorted　Joyce；　determined　not　graciously　to　countenance　the　subject。　〃I　don't　want　to　hear　anything　about　it。〃

〃　'Who；'　now！　Why；　Miss　Barbara。　She　has　hardly　had　it　off　her　neck　since；　my　belief　is　she　wears　it　in　her　sleep。〃

〃More　simpleton　she；〃　returned　Joyce。

〃The　night　before　he　left　West　Lynne　to　marry　Lady　Isabeland　didn't　the　news　come　upon　us　like　a　thunderclap！Miss　Barbara　had　been　at　Miss　Carlyle's　and　he　brought　her　home。　A　lovely　night　it　was；　the　moon　rising；　and　nearly　as　light　as　day。　He　somehow　broke　her　parasol　in　coming　home；　and　when　they　got　to　our　gate　there　was　a　love　scene。〃

〃Were　you　a　third　in　it？〃　sarcastically　demanded　Joyce。

〃Yeswithout　meaning　to　be。　It　was　a　regular　love　scene；　I　could　hear　enough　for　that。　If　ever　anybody　thought　to　be　Mrs。　Carlyle；　Barbara　did　that　night。〃

〃Why；　you　great　baby！　You　have　just　said　it　was　the　night　before　he　went　to　get　married！〃

〃I　don't　care；　she　did。　After　he　was　gone；　I　saw　her　lift　up　her　hands　and　her　face　in　ecstacy；　and　say　he　would　never　know　how　much　she　loved　him　until　she　was　his　wife。　Be　you　very　sure；　Joyce；　many　a　love…passage　had　passed　between　them　two；　but　I　suppose　when　my　lady　was　thrown　in　his　way　he　couldn't　resist　her　rank　and　her　beauty；　and　the　old　love　was　cast　over。　It　is　in　the　nature　of　man　to　be　fickle；　specially　those　that　can　boast　of　their　own　good　looks；　like　Mr。　Carlyle。〃

〃Mr。　Carlyle's　not　fickle。〃

〃I　can　tell　you　more　yet。　Two　or　three　days　after　that；　Miss　Corny　came　up　to　our　house　with　the　news　of　his　marriage。　I　was　in　mistress's　bedroom；　and　they　were　in　the　room　underneath；　the　windows　open；　and　I　heard　Miss　Corny　tell　the　tale；　for　I　was　leaning　out。　Up　came　Miss　Barbara　upon　an　excuse　and　flew　into　her　room；　and　I　went　into　the　corridor。　A　few　moments　and　I　heard　a　noiseit　was　a　sort　of　wail；　or　groanand　I　opened　the　door　softly；　fearing　she　might　be　fainting。　Joyce；　if　my　heart　never　ached　for　anybody　before；　it　ached　then。　She　was　lying　upon　the　floor；　her　hands　writhed　together；　and　her　poor　face　all　white；　like　one　in　mortal　agony。　I'd　have　given　a　quarter's　wages　to　be　able　to　say　a　word　of　comfort　to　her；　but　I　didn't　dare　interfere　with　such　sorrow　as　that。　I　came　out　again　and　shut　the　door　without　her　seeing　me。〃

〃How　thoroughly　stupid　she　must　have　been！〃　uttered　Joyce；　〃to　go　caring　for　one　who　did　not　care　for　her。〃

〃I　tell　you；　Joyce；　you　don't　know　that　he　did　not　care。　You　are　as　obstinate　as　the　justice；　and　I　wish　to　goodness　you　wouldn't　interrupt　me。　They　came　up　here　to　pay　the　wedding　visitmaster；　mistress；　and　she；　came　in　state　in　the　grand　chariot；　with　the　coachman　and　Jasper。　If　you　have　got　any　memory　at　all；　you　can't　fail　to　recollect　it。　Miss　Barbara　remained　behind　at　East　Lynne　to　spend　the　rest　of　the　day。〃

〃I　remember　it。〃

〃I　was　sent　to　fetch　her　home　in　the　evening；　Jasper　being　out。　I　came　the　field　way；　for　the　dust　by　the　road　was　enough　to　smother　one；　and　by　the　last　stile　but　one；　what　do　you　think　I　came　upon？〃

Joyce　lifted　her　eyes。　〃A　snake　perhaps。〃

〃I　came　upon　Miss　Barbara　and　Mr。　Carlyle。　What　had　passed；　nobody　knows　but　themselves。　She　was　leaning　back　against　the　stile；　crying；　low；　soft　sobs　breaking　from　her；　like　one　might　expect　to　hear　from　a　breaking　heart。　It　seemed　as　if　she　had　been　reproaching　him；　as　if　some　explanation　had　passed；　and　I　heard　him　say　that　from　henceforth　they　could　only　be　brother　and　sister。　I　spoke　soon；　for　fear　they　should　see　me；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　got　over　the　stile。　Miss　Barbara　said　to　him　that　he　need　not　come　any　further；　but　he　held　out　his　arm；　and　came　with　her　to　our　back　gate。　I　went　on　then　to　open　the　door；　and　I　saw　him　with　his　head　bent　down　to　her；　and　her　two　hands　held　in　his。　We　don't　know　how　it　is　between　them；　I　tell　you。〃

〃At　any　rate；　she　is　a　downright　fool　to　suffer　herself　to　love　him　still！〃　uttered　Joyce；　indignantly。

〃So　she　is；　but　she　does　do　it。　She'll　often　steal　out　to　the　gate　about　the　time　she　knows　he'll　be　passing；　and　watch　him　by；　not　letting　him　see　her。　It　is　nothing　but　her　unhappiness；　her　jealousy　of　Lady　Isabel；　that　makes　her　cross。　I　assure　you；　Joyce；　in　this　past　year　she　had　so　changed　that　she's　not　like　the　same　person。　If　Mr。　Carlyle　should　ever　get　tired　of　my　lady；　and〃

〃Wilson；〃　harshly　interrupted　Joyce