east lynne-第53节

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〃It　is　so；　sir；　incredible　as　you　may　deem　my　words；〃　pursued　Joyce；　wringing　her　hands。　〃My　lady　has　been　miserably　unhappy；　and　that　has　driven　her　to　it。〃

〃Joyce；　are　you　in　your　senses　or　out　of　them？〃　demanded　Mr。　Carlyle；　a　certain　sternness　in　his　tone。　〃Your　lady　miserably　unhappy！　What　do　you　mean？〃

Before　Joyce　could　answer；　an　addition　was　received　to　the　company　in　the　person　of　Miss　Carlyle；　who　appeared　in　black　stockings　and　a　shawl；　and　the　lofty　nightcap。　Hearing　voices　in　Joyce's　room；　which　was　above　her　own；　and　full　of　curiosity；　she　ascended；　not　choosing　to　be　shut　out　from　the　conference。

〃Whatever's　up？〃　cried　she。　〃Is　Lady　Isabel　found？〃

〃She　is　not　found；　and　she　never　will　be　found　but　in　her　winding…　sheet；〃　returned　Joyce；　whose　lamentable　and　unusual　state　of　excitement　completely　overpowered　her　customary　quiet　respect　and　plain　good　sense。　〃And；　ma'am；　I　am　glad　that　you　have　come　up；　for　what　I　was　about　to　say　to　my　master　I　would　prefer　to　say　in　your　presence。　When　my　lady　is　brought　into　this　house；　and　laid　before　us　dead；　what　will　your　feelings　be？　My　master　has　done　his　duty　by　her　in　love；　but　youyou　have　made　her　life　a　misery。　Yes；　ma'am；　you　have。〃

〃Hoity…toity！〃　muttered　Miss　Carlyle；　staring　at　Joyce　in　consternation。　〃What　is　all　this？　Where's　my　lady？〃

〃She　has　gone　and　taken　the　life　that　was　not　hers　to　take；〃　sobbed　Joyce；　〃and　I　say　she　has　been　driven　to　it。　She　has　not　been　allowed　to　indulge　a　will　of　her　own；　poor　thing；　since　she　came　to　East　Lynne；　in　her　own　house　she　has　been　less　free　than　either　of　her　servants。　You　have　curbed　her；　ma'am；　and　snapped　at　her；　and　you　made　her　feel　that　she　was　but　a　slave　to　your　caprices　and　temper。　All　these　years　she　has　been　crossed　and　put　upon；　everything；　in　short；　but　beatenma'am；　you　know　she　hasand　has　borne　it　all　in　silence；　like　a　patient　angel；　never；　as　I　believe；　complaining　to　master；　he　can　say　whether　she　has　or　not。　We　all　loved　her；　we　all　felt　for　her；　and　my　master's　heart　would　have　bled　had　he　suspected　what　she　had　to　put　up　with　day　after　day；　and　year　after　year。〃

Miss　Carlyle's　tongue　was　glued　to　her　mouth。　Her　brother；　confounded　at　the　rapid　words；　could　scarcely　gather　in　their　sense。

〃What　is　it　that　you　are　saying；　Joyce？〃　he　asked；　in　a　low　tone。　〃I　do　not　understand。〃

〃I　have　longed　to　say　it　to　you　many　a　hundred　times；　sir；　but　it　is　right　that　you　should　hear　it；　now　things　have　come　to　this　dreadful　ending。　Since　the　very　night　Lady　Isabel　came　home　here；　your　wife；　she　had　been　taunted　with　the　cost　she　has　brought　to　East　Lynne　and　to　you。　If　she　wanted　but　the　simplest　thing；　she　was　forbidden　to　have　it；　and　told　that　she　was　bringing　her　husband　to　poverty。　For　this　very　dinner　party　that　she　went　to　to…night　she　wished　for　a　new　dress；　and　your　cruel　words；　ma'am；　forbade　her　having　it。　She　ordered　a　new　frock　for　Miss　Isabel；　and　you　countermanded　it。　You　have　told　her　that　master　worked　like　a　dog　to　support　her　extravagances；　when　you　know　that　she　never　was　extravagant；　that　none　were　less　inclined　to　go　beyond　proper　limits　than　she。　I　have　seen　her；　ma'am；　come　away　from　your　reproaches　with　the　tears　in　her　eyes；　and　her　hands　meekly　clasped　upon　her　bosom；　as　though　life　was　heavy　to　bear。　A　gentle…　spirited；　high…born　lady；　as　I　know　she　was；　could　not　fail　to　be　driven　to　desperation；　and　I　know　that　she　has　been。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　turned　to　his　sister。　〃Can　this　be　true？〃　he　inquired；　in　a　tone　of　deep　agitation。

She　did　not　answer。　Whether　it　was　the　shade　cast　by　the　nightcap；　or　the　reflection　of　the　wax　taper；　her　face　looked　of　a　green　cast；　and；　for　the　first　time　probably　in　Miss　Carlyle's　life；　her　words　failed　her。

〃May　God　forgive　you；　Cornelia！〃　he　muttered；　as　he　went　out　of　the　chamber。

He　descended　to　his　own。　That　his　wife　had　laid　violent　hands　upon　herself；　his　reason　utterly　repudiated；　she　was　one　of　the　least　likely　to　commit　so　great　a　sin。　He　believed　that；　in　her　unhappiness；　she　might　have　wandered　out　in　the　grounds；　and　was　lingering　there。　By　this　time　the　house　was　aroused；　and　the　servants　were　astir。　Joyce　surely　a　supernatural　strength　was　given　her；　for　though　she　had　been　able　to　put　her　foot　to　the　ground；　she　had　not　yet　walked　upon　itcrept　downstairs；　and　went　into　Lady　Isabel's　dressing…room。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　hastily　assuming　the　articles　of　attire　he　had　not　yet　put　on；　to　go　out　and　search　the　grounds；　when　Joyce　limped　in；　holding　out　a　note。　Joyce　did　not　stand　on　ceremony　that　night。

〃I　found　this　in　the　dressing…glass　drawer；　sir。　It　is　my　lady's　writing。〃

He　took　it　in　his　hand　and　looked　at　the　address〃Archibald　Carlyle。〃　Though　a　calm　man；　one　who　had　his　emotions　under　his　own　control；　he　was　no　stoic；　and　his　fingers　shook　as　he　broke　the　seal。

　〃When　years　go　on；　and　my　children　ask　where　their　mother　is；　and　　　why　she　left　them；　tell　them　that　you；　their　father；　goaded　her　to　　　it。　If　they　inquire　what　she　is；　tell　them；　also；　if　you　so　will；　　　but　tell　them；　at　the　same　time；　that　you　outraged　and　betrayed　　　her；　driving　her　to　the　very　depth　of　desperation　ere　she　quitted　　　them　in　her　despair。〃

The　handwriting；　his　wife's；　swam　before　the　eyes　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　All；　save　the　disgraceful　fact　that　she　had　/flown/and　a　horrible　suspicion　began　to　dawn　upon　him；　with　whomwas　totally　incomprehensible。　How　had　he　outraged　her？　In　what　manner　had　he　goaded　her　to　it。　The　discomforts　alluded　to　by　Joyce；　and　the　work　of　his　sister；　had　evidently　no　part　in　this；　yet　what　had　/he/　done？　He　read　the　letter　again；　more　slowly。　No　he　could　not　comprehend　it；　he　had　not　the　clue。

At　that　moment　the　voices　of　the　servants　in　the　corridor　outside　penetrated　his　ears。　Of　course　they　were　peering　about；　and　making　their　own　comments。　Wilson；　with　her　long　tongue；　the　busiest。　They　were　saying　that　Captain　Levison　was　not　in　his　room；　that　his　bed　had　not　been　slept　in。

Joyce　sat　on　the　edge　of　a　chairshe　could　not　standwatching　her　master　with　a　blanched　face。　Never　had　she　seen　him　betray　agitation　so　powerful。　Not　the　faintest　suspicion　of　the　dreadful　truth　yet　dawned　upon　her。　He　walked　to　the　door；　the　open　note　in　his　hand；　then　turned；　wavered；　and　stood　still；　as　if　he　did　not　know　what　he　was　doing。　Probably　he　did　not。　Then　he　took　out　his　pocket…book；　put　the　note　inside　it；　and　returned　it　to　his　pocket；　his　hands　trembling　equally　with　his　livid　lips。

〃You　need　not　mention　this；〃　he　said　to　Joyce；　indicating　the　note。　〃It　concerns　myself　alone。〃

〃Sir；　does　it　say　she's　dead？〃

〃She　is　not　dead；〃　he　answered。　〃Worse　than　that；〃　he　added　in　his　heart。

〃Whywho's　this？〃　uttered　Joyce。

It　was　little　Isabel；　stealing　in　with　a　frightened　face；　in　her　white　nightgown。　The　commotion　had　aroused　her。

〃What's　the　matter？〃　she　asked。　〃Where's　mamma？〃

〃Child；　you'll　catch　your　death　of　cold；〃　said　Joyce。　〃Go　back　to　bed。〃

〃But　I　want　mamma。〃

〃In　the　morning；　dear；〃　evasively　returned　Joyce。　〃Sir；　please；　must　not　Isabel　go　back　to　bed？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　made　no　reply　to　the　question；　most　likely　he　never　heard　its　import。　But　he　touched　Isabel's　shoulder　to　draw　Joyce's　attention　to　the　child。

〃Joyce/Miss　Lucy/　in　future。〃

He　left　the　room；　and　Joyce　remained　silent　from　amazement。　She　heard　him　go　out　at　the　hall　door　and　bang　it　after　him。　Isabelnay；　we　must　say　〃Lucy〃　alsowent　and　stood　outside　the　chamber　door；　the　servants　gathered　in　a　group　near；　did　not　observe　her。　Presently　she　came　running　back；　and　disturbed　Joyce　from　her　reverie。

〃Joyce；　is　it　true？〃

〃Is　what　true；　my　dear？〃

〃They　are　saying　that　Captain　Levison　has　taken　away　my　mamma。〃

Joyce　fell　back　in　her　chair　with　a　scream。　It　changed　to　a　long；　low　moan　of　anguish。

〃What　has　he　taken　her　forto　kill　her？　I　thought　it　was　only　kidnappers　who　took　people。〃

〃Child；　child；　go　to　bed。〃

〃Oh；　Joyce；　I　want　mamma。　When　will　she　come　back？〃

Joyce　hid　her　face　in　her　hands　to　conceal　its　emotion　from　the　motherless　child。　And　just　then　Miss　Carlyle　entered　on　tiptoe；　and　humbly　sat　down　on　a　low　chair；　her　green　facegreen　that　nightin　its　grief；　its　remorse；　and　its　horror；　looking　nearly　as　dark　as　her　stockings。

She　broke　into　a　subdued　wail。

〃God　be　merciful　to　this　dishonored　house！〃

Mr。　Justice　Hare　turned　into　the　gate　between　twelve　and　oneturned　in　with　a　jaunty　air；　for　the　justice　was　in　spirits；　he　having　won　nine　sixpences；　and　his　friend's　tap　of　ale　having　been　unusually　good。　When　he　reached　his　bedroom；　he　told　Mrs。　Hare　of　a　chaise　and　four　which　had　gone　tearing　past　at　a　furious　pace　as　he　was　closing　the　gate；　coming　from　the　direction　of　East　Lynne。　He　wondered　where　it　could　be　going　at　that　midnight　hour；　and　whom　it　contained。



CHAPTER　XXV。

CHARMING　RESULTS。

Nearly　a　year　went　by。

Lady　Isabel　Carlyle　had　spent　it　on　the　continentthat　refuge　for　such　fugitivesnow　moving　about　from　place　to　place　with　her　companion；　now　stationary　and　alone。　Quite　half　the　timetaking　one　absence　with　the　otherhe　had　been　away　from　her；　chiefly　in　Paris；　pursuing　his　own　course　and　his　own　pleasure。

How　fared　it　with　Lady　Isabel？　Just　as　it　must　be　expec