east lynne-第46节

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〃My　family　is　well　connected；〃　was　Captain　Thorn's　next　venture。

〃Excuse　me；　family　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　If　the　poorest　day　laborer；　if　a　pauper　out　of　the　workhouse　came　to　me　for　advice；　he　should　be　heartily　welcome　to　it；　provided　he　were　an　honest　man　in　the　face　of　the　day。　Again　I　repeat；　you　must　take　no　offence　at　what　I　say；　for　I　cast　no　reflection　on　you；　I　only　urge　that　you　and　your　character　are　unknown　to　me。〃

Curious　words　from　a　lawyer　to　a　client…aspirant；　and　Captain　Thorn　found　them　so。　But　Mr。　Carlyle's　tone　was　so　courteous；　his　manner　so　affable；　in　fact　he　was　so　thoroughly　the　gentleman；　that　it　was　impossible　to　feel　hurt。

〃Well；　how　can　I　convince　you　that　I　am　respectable？　I　have　served　my　country　ever　since　I　was　sixteen；　and　my　brother　officers　have　found　no　cause　of　complaintany　position　as　an　officer　and　a　gentleman　would　be　generally　deemed　a　sufficient　guarantee。　Inquire　of　John　Herbert。　The　Herberts；　too；　are　friends　of　yours；　and　they　have　not　disdained　to　give　me　room　amidst　their　family。〃

〃True；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle；　feeling　that　he　could　not　well　object　further；　and　also　that　all　men　should　be　deemed　innocent　until　proved　guilty。　〃At　any　rate；　I　will　advise　you　what　must　be　done　at　present；〃　he　added；　〃though　if　the　affair　is　one　that　must　go　on；　I　do　not　promise　that　I　can　continue　to　act　for　you。　I　am　very　busy　just　now。〃

Captain　Thorn　explained　his　dilemma；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　told　him　what　to　do　in　it。　〃Were　you　not　at　West　Lynne　some　ten　years　ago？〃　he　suddenly　inquired；　at　the　close　of　the　conversation。　〃You　denied　it　to　me　once　at　my　house；　but　I　concluded　from　an　observation　you　let　fall；　that　you　had　been　here。〃

〃Yes；　I　was；〃　replied　Captain　Thorn；　in　a　confidential　tone。　〃I　don't　mind　owning　it　to　you　in　confidence；　but　I　do　not　wish　it　to　get　abroad。　I　was　not　at　West　Lynne；　but　in　its　neighborhood。　The　fact　is；　when　I　was　a　careless　young　fellow；　I　was　stopping　a　few　miles　from　here；　and　got　into　a　scrape；　though　aain　short　it　was　an　affair　of　gallantry。　I　did　not　show　out　very　well　at　the　time；　and　I　don't　care　that　it　should　be　known　in　the　country　again。〃

Mr。　Carlyle's　pulsefor　Richard　Hare's　sakebeat　a　shade　quicker。　The　avowal　of　〃an　affair　of　gallantry〃　was　almost　a　confirmation　of　his　suspicions。

〃Yes；〃　he　pointedly　said。　〃The　girl　was　Afy　Hallijohn。〃

〃Afywho？〃　repeated　Captain　Thorn；　opening　his　eyes；　and　fixing　them　on　Mr。　Carlyle's。

〃Afy　Hallijohn。〃

Captain　Thorn　continued　to　look　at　Mr。　Carlyle；　an　amused　expression；　rather　than　any　other；　predominant　on　his　features。　〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　observed。　〃Afy　Hallijohn？　I　never　heard　the　name　before　in　my　life。〃

〃Did　you　ever　hear　or　know　that　a　dreadful　tragedy　was　enacted　in　this　place　about　that　period？〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　in　a　low；　meaning　tone。　〃That　Afy　Hallijohn's　father　was〃

〃Oh；　stay；　stay；　stay；〃　hastily　interrupted　Captain　thorn。　〃I　am　telling　a　story　in　saying　I　never　heard　her　name。　Afy　Hallijohn？　Why；　that's　the　girl　Tom　Herbert　was　telling　me　aboutwhowhat　was　it？　disappeared　after　her　father　was　murdered。〃

〃Murdered　in　his　own　cottagealmost　in　Afy's　presencemurdered　by　by〃　Mr。　Carlyle　recollected　himself；　he　had　spoken　more　impulsively　than　was　his　custom。　〃Hallijohn　was　my　father's　faithful　clerk　for　many　years；〃　he　more　calmly　concluded。

〃And　he　who　committed　the　murder　was　young　Hare；　son　of　Justice　Hare；　and　brother　to　that　attractive　girl；　Barbara。　Your　speaking　of　this　has　recalled；　what　they　told　me　to　my　recollection；　the　first　evening　I　was　at　the　Herberts。　Justice　Hare　was　there；　smokinghalf　a　dozen　pipes　there　were　going　at　once。　I　also　saw　Miss　Barbara　that　evening　at　your　park　gates；　and　Tom　told　me　of　the　murder。　An　awful　calamity　for　the　Hares。　I　suppose　that　is　the　reason　the　young　lady　is　Miss　Hare　still。　One　with　her　good　fortune　and　good　looks　ought　to　have　changed　her　name　ere　this。〃

〃No；　it　is　not　the　reason；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃What　is　the　reason；　then？〃

A　faint　flush　tinged　the　brow　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　know　more　than　one　who　would　be　glad　to　get　Barbara；　in　spite　of　the　murder。　Do　not　depreciate　Miss　Hare。〃

〃Not　I；　indeed；　I　like　the　young　lady　too　well；〃　replied　Captain　Thorn。　〃The　girl；　Afy；　has　never　been　heard　of　since；　has　she？〃

〃Never；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Do　you　know　her　well？〃　he　deliberately　added。

〃I　never　knew　her　at　all；　if　you　mean　Afy　Hallijohn。　Why　should　you　think　I　did？　I　never　heard　of　her　till　Tom　Herbert　amused　me　with　the　history。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　most　devoutly　wished　he　could　tell　whether　the　man　before　him　was　speaking　the　truth　or　falsehood。　He　continued；

〃Afy's　favorsI　speak　in　no　invidious　senseI　mean　her　smiles　and　chatterwere　pretty　freely　dispersed；　for　she　was　heedless　and　vain。　Amidst　others　who　got　the　credit　for　occasional　basking　in　her　rays；　was　a　gentleman　of　the　name　of　Thorn。　Was　it　not　yourself？〃

Captain　Thorn　stroked　his　moustache　with　an　air　that　seemed　to　say　he　/could/　boast　of　his　share　of　such　baskings：　in　short；　as　if　he　felt　half　inclined　to　do　it。　〃Upon　my　word；〃　he　simpered；　〃you　do　me　too　much　honor；　I　cannot　confess　to　having　been　favored　by　Miss　Afy。〃

〃Then　she　was　not　thethe　damsel　you　speak　of；　who　drove　youif　I　understand　arightfrom　the　locality？〃　resumed　Mr。　Carlyle；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　him；　so　as　to　take　in　every　tone　of　the　answer　and　shade　of　countenance　as　he　gave　it。

〃I　should　think　not；　indeed。　It　was　a　married　lady；　more's　the　pity；　young；　pretty；　vain　and　heedless；　as　you　represent　this　Afy。　Things　went　smoother　after　a　time；　and　she　and　her　husbanda　stupid　country　yeomanbecame　reconciled；　but　I　have　been　ashamed　of　it　since　I　have　grown　wiser；　and　I　do　not　care　ever　to　be　recognized　as　the　actor　in　it；　or　to　have　it　raked　up　against　me。〃

Captain　Thorn　rose　and　took　a　somewhat　hasty　leave。　Was　he；　or　was　he　not；　the　man？　Mr。　Carlyle　could　not　solve　the　doubt。

Mr。　Dill　came　in　as　he　disappeared；　closed　the　door；　and　advanced　to　his　master；　speaking　in　an　under　tone。

〃Mr。　Archibald；　has　it　struck　you　that　the　gentleman　just　gone　out　may　be　the　Lieutenant　Thorn　you　once　spoke　to　me　abouthe　who　had　used　to　gallop　over　from　Swainson　to　court　Afy　Hallijohn？〃

〃It　has　struck　me　so；　most　forcibly；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Dill；　I　would　give　five　hundred　pounds　out　of　my　pocket　this　moment　to　be　assured　of　the　factif　he　is　the　same。〃

〃I　have　seen　him　several　times　since　he　has　been　staying　with　the　Herberts；〃　pursued　the　old　gentleman；　〃and　my　doubts　have　naturally　been　excited　as　to　whether　it　could　be　the　man　in　question。　Curious　enough；　Bezant；　the　doctor；　was　over　here　yesterday　from　Swainson；　and　as　I　was　walking　with　him；　arm…in…arm；　we　met　Captain　Thorn。　The　two　recognized　each　other　and　bowed；　merely　as　distant　acquaintances。　'Do　you　know　that　gentleman？'　said　I　to　Bezant。　'Yes；'　he　answered；　'it　is　Mr。　Frederick。'　'Mr。　Frederick　with　something　added　on　to　it；'　said　I；　'his　name　is　Thorn。'　'I　know　that；'　returned　Bezant；　'but　when　he　was　in　Swainson　some　years　ago；　he　chose　to　drop　the　Thorn；　and　the　town　in　general　knew　him　only　as　Mr。　Frederick。'　'What　was　he　doing　there；　Bezant？'　I　asked。　'Amusing　himself　and　getting　into　mischief；'　was　the　answer；　'nothing　very　bad；　only　the　random　scrapes　of　young　men。'　'Was　he　often　on　horseback；　riding　to　a　distance？'　was　my　next　question。　'Yes；　that　he　was；'　replied　Bezant；　'none　more　fond　of　galloping　across　the　country　than　he；　I　used　to　tell　him　he'd　ride　his　horse's　tail　off。'　Now；　Mr。　Archibald；　what　do　you　think？〃　concluded　the　old　clerk；　〃and　so　far　as　I　could　make　out；　this　was　about　the　very　time　of　the　tragedy　at　Hallijohn's。〃

〃Think？〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃What　can　I　think　but　that　it　is　the　same　man。　I　am　convinced　of　it　now。〃

And；　leaning　back　into　his　chair；　he　fell　into　a　deep　reverie；　regardless　of　the　parchments　that　lay　before　him。

The　weeks　went　ontwo　or　threeand　things　seemed　to　be　progressing　backward；　rather　than　forwardif　that's　not　Irish。　Francis　Levison's　affairsthat　is；　the　adjustment　of　themdid　not　advance　at　all。

Another　thing　that　may　be　said　to　be　progressing　backward；　for　it　was　going　on　fast　to　bad；　instead　of　good；　was　the　jealousy　of　Lady　Isabel。　How　could　it　be　otherwise；　kept　up；　as　it　was；　by　Barbara's　frequent　meetings　with　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　by　Captain　Levison's　exaggerated　whispers　of　them。　Discontented；　ill　at　ease　with　herself　and　with　everybody　about　her；　Isabel　was　living　now　in　a　state　of　excitement；　a　dangerous　resentment　against　her　husband　beginning　to　rise　up　in　her　heart。　That　very　daythe　one　of　Captain　Levison's　visit　to　Levison　Parkin　driving　through　West　Lynne　in　the　pony　carriage；　she　had　come　upon　her　husband　in　close　converse　with　Barbara　Hare。　So　absorbed　were　they；　that　they　never　saw　her；　though　her　carriage　passed　close　to　the　pavement　where　they　stood。

On　the　morning　following　this；　as　the　Hare　family　were　seated　at　breakfast；　the　postman　was　observed　coming　toward　the　house。　Barbara　sprang　from　her　seat　to　the　open　window；　and　the　man　advanced　to　her。

〃Only　one　miss。　It　is　for　yourself。〃

〃Who　is　it　from？〃　began　the　justice；　as　Barbara　returned　to　her　chair。　In　letters　as　in　other　things；　he　was　always　curious　to　know