east lynne-第54节

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ng　his　own　course　and　his　own　pleasure。

How　fared　it　with　Lady　Isabel？　Just　as　it　must　be　expected　to　fare；　and　does　fare；　when　a　high…principled　gentlewoman　falls　from　her　pedestal。　Never　had　she　experienced　a　moment's　calm；　or　peace；　or　happiness；　since　the　fatal　night　of　quitting　her　home。　She　had　taken　a　blind　leap　in　a　moment　of　wild　passion；　when；　instead　of　the　garden　of　roses　it　had　been　her　persuader's　pleasure　to　promise　her　she　would　fall　into；　but　which；　in　truth；　she　had　barely　glanced　at；　for　that　had　not　been　her　moving　motive；　she　had　found　herself　plunged　into　a　yawning　abyss　of　horror；　from　which　there　was　never　more　any　escape　never　more；　never　more。　The　very　instantthe　very　night　of　her　departure；　she　awoke　to　what　she　had　done。　The　guilt；　whose　aspect　had　been　shunned　in　the　prospective；　assumed　at　once　its　true　frightful　color；　the　blackness　of　darkness；　and　a　lively　remorse；　a　never…dying　anguish；　took　possession　of　her　soul　forever。　Oh；　reader；　believe　me！　Ladywifemother！　Should　you　ever　be　tempted　to　abandon　your　home；　so　will　you　awake。　Whatever　trials　may　be　the　lot　of　your　married　life；　though　they　may　magnify　themselves　to　your　crushed　spirit　as　beyond　the　nature；　the　endurance　of　woman　to　bear；　/resolve/　to　bear　them；　fall　down　upon　your　knees；　and　pray　to　be　enabled　to　bear　them　pray　for　patiencepray　for　strength　to　resist　the　demon　that　would　tempt　you　to　escape；　bear　unto　death；　rather　than　forfeit　your　fair　name　and　your　good　conscience；　for　be　assured　that　the　alternative；　if　you　do　rush　on　to　it；　will　be　found　worse　than　death。

Poor　thingpoor　Lady　Isabel！　She　had　sacrificed　husband；　children；　reputation；　home；　all　that　makes　life　of　value　to　woman。　She　had　forfeited　her　duty　to　God；　had　deliberately　broken　his　commandments；　for　the　one　poor　miserable　mistake　of　flying　with　Francis　Levison。　But　the　instant　the　step　was　irrevocable；　the　instant　she　had　left　the　barrier　behind；　repentance　set　in。　Even　in　the　first　days　of　her　departure；　in　the　fleeting　moments　of　abandonment；　when　it　may　be　supposed　she　might　momentarily　forget　conscience；　it　was　sharply　wounding　her　with　its　adder　stings；　and　she　knew　that　her　whole　future　existence；　whether　spent　with　that　man　or　without　him；　would　be　a　dark　course　of　gnawing　retribution。

Nearly　a　year　went　by；　save　some　six　or　eight　weeks；　when；　one　morning　in　July；　Lady　Isabel　made　her　appearance　in　the　breakfast…room。　They　were　staying　now　at　Grenoble。　Taking　that　town　on　their　way　to　Switzerland　through　Savoy；　it　had　been　Captain　Levison's　pleasure　to　halt　in　it。　He　engaged　apartments；　furnished；　in　the　vicinity　of　the　Place　Grenette。　A　windy；　old　house　it　was；　full　of　doors　and　windows；　chimneys　and　cupboards；　and　he　said　he　should　remain　there。　Lady　Isabel　remonstrated；　she　wished　to　go　farther　on；　where　they　might　get　quicker　news　from　England；　but　her　will　now　was　as　nothing。　She　was　looking　like　the　ghost　of　her　former　self。　Talk　of　her　having　looked　ill　when　she　took　that　voyage　over　the　water　with　Mr。　Carlyle；　you　should　have　seen　her　nowmisery　marks　the　countenance　worse　than　sickness。　Her　face　was　white　and　worn；　her　hands　were　thin；　her　eyes　were　sunken　and　surrounded　by　a　black　circlecare　was　digging　caves　for　them。　A　stranger　might　have　attributed　these　signs　to　the　state　of　her　health；　/she/　knew　betterknew　that　they　were　the　effects　of　her　wretched　mind　and　heart。

It　was　very　late　for　breakfast；　but　why　should　she　rise　early　only　to　drag　through　another　endless　day？　Languidly　she　took　her　seat　at　the　table；　just　as　Captain　Levison's　servant；　a　Frenchman　whom　he　had　engaged　in　Paris；　entered　the　room　with　two　letters。

〃/Point　de　gazette/；　Pierre？〃　she　said。

〃/Non；　miladi/。〃

And　all　the　time　the　sly　fox　had　got　the　/Times/　in　his　coat　pocket。　But　he　was　only　obeying　the　orders　of　his　master。　It　had　been　Captain　Levison's　recent　pleasure　that　the　newspapers　should　not　be　seen　by　Lady　Isabel　until　he　had　over…looked　them。　You　will　speedily　gather　his　motive。

Pierre　departed　toward　Captain　Levison's　room；　and　Lady　Isabel　took　up　the　letters　and　examined　their　superscription　with　interest。　It　was　known　to　her　that　Mr。　Carlyle　had　not　lost　a　moment　in　seeking　a　divorce　and　the　announcement　that　it　was　granted　was　now　daily　expected。　She　was　anxious　for　itanxious　that　Captain　Levison　should　render　her　the　only　reparation　in　his　power　before　the　birth　of　her　unhappy　child。　Little　thought　she　that　there　was　not　the　least　intention　on　his　part　to　make　her　reparation；　any　more　than　he　had　made　it　to　others　who　had　gone　before　her。　She　had　become　painfully　aware　of　the　fact　that　the　man　for　whom　she　had　chosen　to　sacrifice　herself　was　bad；　but　she　had　not　learned　all　his　badness　yet。

Captain　Levison；　unwashed；　unshaven；　with　a　dressing…gown　loosely　flung　on；　lounged　in　to　breakfast。　The　decked…out　dandies　before　the　world　are　frequently　the　greatest　slovens　in　domestic　privacy。　He　wished　her　good　morning　in　a　careless　tone　of　apathy；　and　she　as　apathetically　answered　to　it。

〃Pierre　says　there　are　some　letters；〃　he　began。　〃What　a　precious　hot　day　it　is！〃

〃Two；〃　was　her　short　reply；　her　tone　sullen　as　his。　For　if　you　think　my　good　reader；　that　the　flattering　words；　the　ardent　expressions；　which　usually　attend　the　first　go…off　of　these　promising　unions　last　out　a　whole　ten　months；　you　are　in　egregious　error。　Compliments　the　very　opposite　to　honey　and　sweetness　have　generally　supervened　long　before。　Try　it；　if　you　don't　believe　me。

〃Two　letters；〃　she　continued；　〃and　they　are　both　in　the　same　handwritingyour　solicitors'；　I　believe。〃

Up　went　his　hand　at　the　last　word；　and　he　made　a　sort　of　grab　at　the　letters；　stalked　to　the　farthest　window；　opened　it；　and　glanced　over　its　contents。

　〃SirWe　beg　to　inform　you　that　the　suit　Carlyle　vs。　Carlyle；　is　at　　　an　end。　The　divorce　was　pronounced　without　opposition。　According　　　to　your　request；　we　hasten　to　forward　you　the　earliest　intimation　　　of　the　fact。

〃We　are；　sir；　faithfully　yours；　〃MOSS　&　GRAB。

　〃F。　LEVISON；　Esq。〃


It　was　over；　then；　and　all　claim　to　the　name　of　Carlyle　was　declared　to　have　been　forfeited　by　the　Lady　Isabel　forever。　Captain　Levison　folded　up　the　letter；　and　placed　it　securely　in　an　inner　pocket。

〃Is　there　any　news？〃　she　asked。

〃News！〃

〃Of　the　divorce；　I　mean？〃

〃Tush！〃　was　the　response　of　Captain　Levison；　as　if　wishing　to　imply　that　the　divorce　was　yet　a　far…off　affair；　and　he　proceeded　to　open　the　other　letter。

　〃SirAfter　sending　off　our　last；　dated　to…day；　we　received　tidings　　　of　the　demise　of　Sir　Peter　Levison；　your　grand…uncle。　He　expired　　　this　afternoon　in　town；　where　he　had　come　for　the　benefit　of　　　medical　advice。　We　have　much　pleasure　in　congratulating　you　upon　　　your　accession　to　the　title　and　estates；　and　beg　to　state　that　　　should　it　not　be　convenient　to　you　to　visit　England　at　present；　we　　　will　be　happy　to　transact　all　necessary　matters　for　you；　on　your　　　favoring　us　with　instructions。　And　we　remain；　sir；　most　faithfully　　　yours；

〃MOSS　&　GRAB。

　〃SIR　FRANCIS　LEVISON；　Bart。〃


The　outside　of　the　letter　was　superscribed　as　the　other；　〃F。　Levison；　Esquire；〃　no　doubt　with　a　view　to　its　more　certain　delivery。

〃At　last；　thank　the　pigs！〃　was　the　gentleman's　euphonious　expression；　as　he　tossed　the　letter；　open；　on　the　breakfast…table。

〃The　divorce　is　granted！〃　feverishly　uttered　Lady　Isabel。

He　made　no　reply；　but　seated　himself　to　breakfast。

〃May　I　read　the　letter？　Is　it　for　me　to　read？〃

〃For　what　else　should　I　have　thrown　it　there？〃　he　said。

〃A　few　days　ago　you　put　a　letter；　open　on　the　table；　I　thought　for　me；　but　when　I　took　it　up　you　swore　at　me。　Do　you　remember　it　Captain　Levison？〃

〃You　may　drop　that　odious　title；　Isabel；　which　has　stuck　to　me　too　long。　I　own　a　better；　now。〃

〃What　one；　pray？〃

〃You　can　look　and　see。〃

Lady　Isabel　took　up　the　letter　and　read　it。　Sir　Francis　swallowed　down　his　coffee；　and　rang　the　table　hand…bellthe　only　bell　you　generally　meet　with　in　France。　Pierre　answered　it。

〃Put　me　up　a　change　of　things；〃　said　he；　in　French。　〃I　start　for　England　in　an　hour。〃

〃It　is　very　well；〃　Pierre　responded；　and　departed　to　do　it。　Lady　Isabel　waited　till　the　man　was　gone；　and　then　spoke；　a　faint　flush　of　emotion　in　her　cheeks。

〃You　do　not　mean　what　you　say？　You　will　not　leave　me　yet？〃

〃I　cannot　do　otherwise；〃　he　answered。　〃There's　a　mountain　of　business　to　be　attended　to；　now　that　I　am　come　into　power。〃

〃Moss　&　Grab　say　they　will　act　for　you。　Had　there　been　a　necessity　for　your　going；　they　would　not　have　offered　that。〃

〃Ay；　they　do　say　sowith　a　nice　eye　to　the　feathering　of　their　pockets！　Besides；　I　should　not　choose　for　the　old　man's　funeral　to　take　place　without　me。〃

〃Then　I　must　accompany　you；〃　she　urged。

〃I　wish　you　would　not　talk　nonsense；　Isabel。　Are　you　in　a　state　to　travel　night　and　day？　Neither　would　home　be　agreeable　to　you　yet　awhile。〃

She　felt　the　force　of　the　objections。　Resuming　after　a　moment's　pause　〃Were　you　to　go　to　England；　you　might　not　be　back　in　time。〃

〃In　time　for　what？〃

〃Oh；　how　can　you　ask？〃　she　rejoined；　in　a　sharp　tone　of　reproach；　〃you　know　too　well。　In　time　to　make　me　your　wife　when　the　divorce　shall　appear。〃

〃I　shall　chance　i