east lynne-第37节

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　his　days　in　poverty　and　exile！〃



CHAPTER　XX。

GOING　FROM　HOME。

〃I　should　recommend　a　complete　change　of　scene　altogether；　Mr。　Carlyle。　Say　some　place　on　the　French　or　Belgian　coast。　Sea　bathing　might　do　wonders。〃

〃Should　you　think　it　well　for　her　to　go　so　far　from　home？〃

〃I　should。　In　these　cases　of　protracted　weakness；　where　you　can　do　nothing　but　try　to　coax　the　strength　back　again；　change　of　air　and　scene　are　of　immense　benefit。〃

〃I　will　propose　it　to　her；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃I　have　just　done　so；〃　replied　Dr。　Martin；　who　was　the　other　speaker。　〃She　met　it　with　objection；　which　I　expected；　for　invalids　naturally　feel　a　disinclination　to　move　from　home。　But　it　is　necessary　that　she　should　go。〃

The　object　of　their　conversation　was　Lady　Isabel。　Years　had　gone　on；　and　there　were　three　children　now　at　East　LynneIsabel；　William；　and　Archibaldthe　latter　twelve　months　old。　Lady　Isabel　had；　a　month　or　two　back；　been　attacked　with　illness；　she　recovered　from　the　disorder；　but　it　had　left　her　in　an　alarming　state　of　weakness；　she　seemed　to　get　worse　instead　of　better；　and　Dr。　Martin　was　summoned　from　Lynneborough。　The　best　thing　he　could　recommendas　you　save　seenwas　change　of　air。

Lady　Isabel　was　unwilling　to　take　the　advice；　more　especially　to　go　so　far　as　the　〃French　coast。〃　And　but　for　a　circumstance　that　seemed　to　have　happened　purposely　to　induce　her　to　decide；　would　probably　never　have　gone。　Mrs。　Duciethe　reader　may　not　have　forgotten　her　name　had；　in　conjunction　with　her　husband；　the　honorable　Augustus；　somewhat　run　out　at　the　elbows；　and　found　it　convenient　to　enter　for　a　time　on　the　less　expensive　life　of　the　Continent。　For　eighteen　months　she　had　been　staying　in　Paris；　the　education　of　her　younger　daughters　being　the　plea　put　forth；　and　a　very　convenient　plea　it　is；　and　serves　hundreds。　Isabel　had　two　or　three　letters　from　her　during　her　absence；　and　she　now　received　another；　saying　they　were　going　to　spend　a　month　or　two　at　Boulogne…sur…Mer。　Mr。　Carlyle；　Mr。　Wainwright；　and　Dr。　Martinin　short；　everybodydeclared　this　must　remove　all　Lady　Isabel's　unwillingness　to　go　from　home；　for　Mrs。　Ducie's　society　would　do　away　with　the　loneliness　she　had　anticipated；　which　had　been　the　ostensible　score　of　her　objection。

〃Boulogne…sur…Mer；　of　all　places；　in　the　world！〃　remonstrated　Lady　Isabel。　〃It　is　spoken　of　as　being　crowded　and　vulgar。〃

〃The　more　amusing　for　you；　my　lady；〃　cried　Dr。　Martin；　while　Mr。　Carlyle　laughed　at　her。　And　finding　she　had　no　chance　against　them　all；　she　consented　to　go；　and　plans　were　hastily　decided　upon。

〃Joyce；〃　said　Lady　Isabel　to　her　waiting　maid；　〃I　shall　leave　you　at　home；　I　must　take　Wilson　instead。〃

〃Oh；　my　lady！　What　have　I　done？〃

〃You　have　done　all　that　you　ought；　Joyce；　but　you　must　stay　with　the　children。　If　I　may　not　take　them；　the　next　best　thing　will　be　to　leave　them　in　your　charge；　not　Miss　Carlyle's；〃　she　said；　shaking　her　voice；　〃if　it　were　Wilson　who　remained；　I　could　not　do　that。〃

〃My　lady；　I　must　do　whatever　you　think　best。　I　wish　I　could　attend　you　and　stay　with　them；　but　of　course　I　cannot　do　both。〃

〃I　am　sent　away　to　get　health　and　strength；　but　it　may　be　that　I　shall　die；　Joyce。　If　I　never　come　back；　will　you　promise　to　remain　with　my　children？〃

Joyce　felt　a　creeping　sensation　in　her　veins；　the　sobs　rose　in　her　throat；　but　she　swallowed　them　down　and　constrained　her　voice　to　calmness。　〃My　lady；　I　hope　you　will　come　back　to　us　as　well　as　you　used　to　be。　I　trust　you　will　hope　so　too；　my　lady；　and　not　give　way　to　low　spirits。〃

〃I　sincerely　hope　and　trust　I　shall；〃　answered　Lady　Isabel；　fervently。　〃Still；　there's　no　telling；　for　I　am　very　ill。　Joyce；　give　me　your　promise。　In　case　of　the　worst；　you　will　remain　with　the　children。〃

〃I　will；　my　ladyas　long　as　I　am　permitted。〃

〃And　be　kind　to　them　and　love　them；　and　shield　them　fromfromany　unkindness　that　may　be　put　upon　them；〃　she　added；　her　head　full　of　Miss　Carlyle；　〃and　talk　to　them　sometimes　of　their　poor　mother；　who　is　gone？〃

〃I　will；　I　willoh　my　lady；　I　will！〃　And　Joyce　sat　down　in　the　rocking…chair　as　Lady　Isabel　quitted　her；　and　burst　into　tears。

Mr。　Carlyle　and　Lady　Isabel；　with　Wilson　and　Peter　in　attendance；　arrived　at　Boulogne；　and　proceeded　to　the　Hotel　des　Bains。　It　may　be　as　well　to　mention　that　Peter　had　been　transferred　from　Miss　Carlyle's　service　to　theirs；　when　the　establishment　was　first　formed　at　East　Lynne。　Upon　entering　the　hotel　they　inquired　for　Mrs。　Ducie；　and　then　a　disappointment　awaited　them。　A　letter　was　handed　them　which　had　arrived　that　morning　from　Mrs。　Ducie；　expressing　her　regret　that　certain　family　arrangements　prevented　her　visiting　Boulogne；　she　was　proceeding　to　some　of　the　baths　in　Germany　instead。

〃I　might　almost　have　known　it；〃　remarked　Isabel。　〃She　was　always　the　most　changeable　of　women。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　went　out　in　search　of　lodgings；　Isabel　objecting　to　remain　in　the　bustling　hotel。　He　succeeded　in　finding　some　very　desirable　ones；　situated　in　the　Rue　de　l'Ecu；　near　the　port；　and　they　moved　into　them。　He　thought　the　journey　had　done　her　good；　for　she　looked　better；　and　said　she　already　felt　stronger。　Mr。　Carlyle　remained　with　her　three　days；　he　had　promised　only　one；　but　he　was　pleased　with　everything　around　him；　pleased　with　Isabel's　returning　glimpses　of　health；　and　amused　with　the　scenes　of　the　busy　town。

The　tide　served　at　eight　o'clock　the　following　morning；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　left　by　the　Folkestone　boat。　Wilson　made　his　breakfast；　and　after　swallowing　it　in　haste；　he　returned　to　his　wife's　room　to　say　farewell。

〃Good…bye；　my　love；〃　he　said；　stooping　to　kiss　her；　〃take　care　of　yourself。〃

〃Give　my　dear　love　to　the　darlings；　Archibald。　Andand〃

〃And　what？〃　he　asked。　〃I　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。〃

〃Do　not　get　making　love　to　Barbara　Hare　while　I　am　away。〃

She　spoke　in　a　tone　half　jest；　half　seriouscould　he　but　have　seen　how　her　heart　was　breaking！　Mr。　Carlyle　took　it　wholly　as　a　jest；　and　went　away　laughing。　Had　he　believed　she　was　serious；　he　could　have　been　little　more　surprised　had　she　charged　him　not　to　go　about　the　country　on　a　dromedary。

Isabel　rose　later；　and　lingered　over　her　breakfast；　listless　enough。　She　was　wondering　how　she　would　make　the　next　few　weeks　pass；　what　she　should　do　with　her　time。　She　had　taken　two　sea　baths　since　her　arrival；　but　they　had　appeared　not　to　agree　with　her；　leaving　her　low　and　shivering　afterwards；　so　it　was　not　deemed　advisable　that　she　should　attempt　more。　It　was　a　lovely　morning；　and　she　determined　to　venture　on　to　the　pier；　to　where　they　had　sat　on　the　previous　evening。　She　had　not　Mr。　Carlyle's　arm；　but　it　was　not　far；　and　she　could　take　a　good　rest　at　the　end　of　it。

She　went；　attended　by　Peter；　took　her　seat；　and　told　him　to　come　for　her　in　an　hour。　She　watched　the　strollers　on　the　pier　as　they　had　done　the　previous　evening；　not　in　crowds　now；　but　stragglers；　coming　on　at　intervals。　There　came　a　gouty　man；　in　a　list　shoe；　there　came　three　young　ladies　and　their　governess；　there　came　two　fast　puppies　in　shooting　jackets　and　eye…glasses；　which　they　turned　with　a　broad　stare　on　Lady　Isabel；　but　there　was　something　about　her　which　caused　them　to　drop　their　glasses　and　their　ill　manners　together。　After　an　interval；　there　appeared　another；　a　tall；　handsome；　gentlemanly　man。　Her　eyes　fell　upon　him；　andwhat　was　it　that　caused　every　nerve　in　her　frame　to　vibrate；　every　pulse　to　quicken？　/Whose/　form　was　it　that　was　thus　advancing　and　changing　the　monotony　of　her　mind　into　tumult？　It　was　that　of　one　whom　she　was　soon　to　find　had　never　been　entirely　forgotten。

Captain　Levison　came　slowly　on；　approaching　the　pier　where　she　sat。　He　glanced　at　her；　not　with　the　hardihood　displayed　by　the　two　young　men；　but　with　quite　sufficiently　evident　admiration。

〃What　a　lovely　girl！〃　thought　he　to　himself。　〃Who　can　she　be；　sitting　there　alone？〃

All　at　once　a　recollection　flashed　into　his　mind；　he　raised　his　hat　and　extended　his　hand；　his　fascinating　smile　in　full　play。

〃I　certainly　cannot　be　mistaken。　Have　I　the　honor　of　once　more　meeting　Lady　Isabel　Vane？〃

She　rose　from　the　seat；　and　allowed　him　to　take　her　hand；　answering　a　few　words　at　random；　for　her　wits　seemed　wool…gathering。

〃I　beg　your　pardonI　should　have　said　Lady　Isabel　Carlyle。　Time　has　elapsed　since　we　parted；　and　in　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　again　so　unexpectedly；　I　thought　of　you　as　you　were　then。〃

She　sat　down　again；　the　brilliant　flush　of　emotion　dying　away　upon　her　cheeks。　It　was　the　loveliest　face　Francis　Levison　had　seen　since　he　saw　hers；　and　he　thought　so　as　he　gazed　at　it。

〃What　can　have　brought　you　to　this　place？〃　he　inquired；　taking　a　seat　beside　her。

〃I　have　been　ill；〃　she　explained；　〃and　am　ordered　to　the　sea…side。　We　should　not　have　come　here　but　for　Mrs。　Ducie；　we　expected　to　meet　her。　Mr。　Carlyle　only　left　me　this　morning。〃

〃Mrs。　Ducie　is　off　to　Ems。　I　see　them　occasionally。　They　have　been　fixtures　in　Paris　for　some　time。　You　do　indeed　look　ill；〃　he　abruptly　added；　in　a　tone　of　sympathy；　〃alarmingly　ill。　Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃

She　was　aware　that　she　looked　unusually　ill　at　that　moment；　for　the　agitation　and　surprise　of　meeting　him　were　fading　away；　leaving　her　face　an　ashy　white