east lynne-第79节

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le's　children　in　the　way　of　the　training　that　I　speak　of；〃　resumed　Barbara。　〃She　had　them　with　her　for　a　short　period　every　morning；　even　the　little　one；　I　saw　that　it　was　all　right；　therefore　did　not　interfere。　Since　she　leftit　is　nearly　a　month　nowI　have　taken　them　myself。　We　were　sorry　to　part　with　Miss　Manning；　she　suited　very　well。　But　she　has　been　long　engaged；　it　turns　out；　to　an　officer　in　the　navy；　and　now　they　are　to　be　married。　You　will　have　the　entire　charge　of　the　little　girl；　she　will　be　your　companion　out　of　school　hours；　did　you　understand　that？〃

〃I　am　quite　ready　and　willing　to　undertake　it；〃　said　Lady　Isabel；　her　heart　fluttering。　〃Are　the　children　well？　Do　they　enjoy　good　health？〃

〃Quite　so。　They　had　the　measles　in　the　spring；　and　the　illness　left　a　cough　upon　William；　the　eldest　boy。　Mr。　Wainwright　says　he　will　outgrow　it。〃

〃He　has　it　still；　then？〃

〃At　night　and　morning。　They　went　last　week　to　spend　the　day　with　Miss　Carlyle；　and　were　a　little　late　in　returning　home。　It　was　foggy；　and　the　boy　coughed　dreadfully　after　he　came　in。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　so　concerned　that　he　left　the　dinner　table　and　went　up　to　the　nursery；　he　gave　Joyce　strict　orders　that　the　child　should　never　again　be　out　in　the　evening　so　long　as　the　cough　was　upon　him。　We　had　never　heard　him　cough　like　that。〃

〃Do　you　fear　consumption？〃　asked　Lady　Isabel；　in　a　low　tone。

〃I　do　not　fear　that；　or　any　other　incurable　disease　for　them；〃　answered　Barbara。　〃I　think；　with　Mr。　Wainwright；　that　time　will　remove　the　cough。　The　children　come　of　a　healthy　stock　on　the　father's　side；　and　I　have　no　reason　to　think　they　do　not　on　their　mother's。　She　died　young　you　will　say。　Ay；　but　she　did　not　die　of　disease；　her　death　was　the　result　of　accident。　Mrs。　Latimer　wrote　us　word　you　were　of　gentle　birth　and　breeding；〃　she　continued；　changing　the　subject　of　conversation。　〃I　am　sure　you　will　excuse　my　speaking　of　these　particulars；〃　Barbara　added；　in　a　tone　of　apology；　〃but　this　is　our　first　interviewour　preliminary　interview；　it　may　in　a　measure　be　called；　for　we　could　not　say　much　by　letter。〃

〃I　was　born　and　reared　a　gentlewoman；〃　answered　Lady　Isabel。

〃Yes；　I　am　sure　of　it；　there　is　no　mistaking　the　tone　of　a　gentlewoman；〃　said　Barbara。　〃How　sad　it　is　when　pecuniary　reverses　fall　upon　us！　I　dare　say　you　never　thought　to　go　out　as　a　governess。〃

A　half　smile　positively　crossed　her　lips。　She　think　to　go　out　as　a　governess！the　Earl　of　Mount　Severn's　only　child！　〃Oh；　no；　never；〃　she　said；　in　reply。

〃Your　husband；　I　fear；　could　not　leave　you　well　off。　Mrs。　Latimer　said　something　to　that　effect。〃

〃When　I　lost　him；　I　lost　all；〃　was　the　answer。　And　Mrs。　Carlyle　was　struck　with　the　wailing　pain　betrayed　in　the　tone。　At　that　moment　a　maid　entered。

〃Nurse　says　the　baby　is　undressed；　and　quite　ready　for　you　ma'am；〃　she　said；　addressing　her　mistress。

Mrs。　Carlyle　rose；　but　hesitated　as　she　was　moving　away。

〃I　will　have　the　baby　here　to…night；〃　she　said　to　the　girl。　〃Tell　nurse　to　put　a　shawl　round　him　and　bring　him　down。　It　is　the　hour　for　my　baby's　supper；〃　she　smiled；　turning　to　Lady　Isabel。　〃I　may　as　well　have　him　here　for　once；　as　Mr。　Carlyle　is　out。　Sometimes　I　am　out　myself；　and　then　he　has　to　be　fed。〃

〃You　do　not　stay　indoors　for　the　baby；　then？〃

〃Certainly　not。　If　I　and　Mr。　Carlyle　have　to　be　out　in　the　evening；　baby　gives　way。　I　should　never　give　up　my　husband　for　my　baby；　never；　never；　dearly　as　I　love　him。〃

The　nurse　came　inWilson。　She　unfolded　a　shawl；　and　placed　the　baby　on　Mrs。　Carlyle's　lap。　A　proud；　fine；　fair　young　baby；　who　reared　his　head　and　opened　wide　his　great　blue　eyes；　and　beat　his　arms　at　the　lights　of　the　chandelier；　as　no　baby　of　nearly　six　months　ever　did　yet。　So　thought　Barbara。　He　was　in　his　clean　white　nightgown　and　nightcap；　with　their　pretty　crimped　frills　and　border；　altogether　a　pleasant　sight　to　look　upon。　/She/　had　once　sat　in　that　very　chair；　with　a　baby　as　fair　upon　her　own　knee；　but　all　that　was　past　and　gone。　She　leaned　her　hot　head　upon　her　hand；　and　a　rebellious　sigh　of　envy　went　forth　from　her　aching　heart。

Wilson；　the　curious；　was　devouring　her　with　her　eyes。　Wilson　was　thinking　she　never　saw　such　a　mortal　fright　as　the　new　governess。　Them　blue　spectacles　capped　everything；　she　decided；　and　what　on　earth　made　her　tie　up　her　throat　in　that　fashion？　As　well　wear　a　man's　color　and　stock　at　once！　If　her　teaching　was　no　better　than　her　looks；　Miss　Lucy　might　as　well　go　to　the　parish　charity　school！

〃Shall　I　wait；　ma'am？〃　demurely　asked　Wilson；　her　investigation　being　concluded。

〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Carlyle。　〃I　will　ring。〃

Baby　was　exceedingly　busy　taking　his　supper。　And　of　course；　according　to　all　baby　precedent；　he　ought　to　have　gone　off　into　a　sound　sleep　over　it。　But　the　supper　concluded；　and　the　gentleman　seemed　to　have　no　more　sleep　in　his　eyes　than　he　had　before　he　began。　He　sat　up；　crowed　at　the　lights；　stretched　out　his　hands　for　them；　and　set　his　mother　at　defiance；　absolutely　refusing　to　be　hushed　up。

〃Do　you　wish　to　keep　awake　all　night；　you　rebel？〃　cried　Barbara；　fondly　looking　on　him。

A　loud　crow；　by　way　of　answer。　Perhaps　it　was　intended　to　intimate　he　did。　She　clasped　him　to　her　with　a　sudden　gesture　of　rapture；　a　sound　of　love；　and　devoured　his　pretty　face　with　kisses。　Then　she　took　him　in　her　arms；　putting　him　to　sit　upright；　and　approached　Madame　Vine。

〃Did　you　ever　see　a　more　lovely　child？〃

〃A　fine　baby；　indeed；〃　she　constrained　herself　to　answer；　and　she　could　have　fancied　it　her　own　little　Archibald　over　again　when　he　was　a　baby。　〃But　he　is　not　much　like　you。〃

〃He　is　the　very　image　of　my　darling　husband。　When　you　see　Mr。　Carlyle　〃　Barbara　stopped；　and　bent　her　ear；　as　listening。

〃Mr。　Carlyle　is　probably　a　handsome　man！〃　said　poor　Lady　Isabel；　believing　that　the　pause　was　made　to　give　her　an　opportunity　of　putting　in　an　observation。

〃He　is　handsome：　but　that　is　the　least　good　about　him。　He　is　the　most　noble　man！　Revered；　respected　by　everyone；　I　may　say　loved！　The　only　one　who　could　not　appreciate　him　was　his　wife；　and　we　must　assume　that　she　did　not；　by　the　ending　that　came。　However　she　could　leave　himhow　she　could　even　look　at　another；　after　calling　Mr。　Carlyle　husband　will　always　be　a　marvel　to　those　who　know　him。〃

A　bitter　groanand　it　nearly　escaped　her　lips。

〃That　certainly　is　the　pony　carriage；〃　cried　Barbara；　bending　her　ear　again。　〃If　so；　how　very　early　Mr。　Carlyle　is　home！　Yes；　I　am　sure　it　is　the　sound　of　the　wheels。〃

How　Lady　Isabel　sat　she　scarcely　knew；　how　she　concealed　her　trepidation　she　never　would　know。　A　pause：　an　entrance　to　the　hall；　Barbara；　baby　in　arms；　advanced　to　the　drawing…room　door；　and　a　tall　form　entered。　Once　more　Lady　Isabel　was　in　the　presence　of　her　sometime　husband。

He　did　not　perceive　that　any　one　was　present；　and　he　bent　his　head　and　fondly　kissed　his　wife。　Isabel's　jealous　eyes　were　turned　upon　them。　She　saw　Barbara's　passionate；　lingering　kiss　in　return；　she　heard　her　fervent；　whispered　greeting；　〃My　darling！〃　and　she　watched　him　turn　to　press　the　same　fond　kisses　on　the　rosy　open　lips　of　his　child。　Isabel　flung　her　hand　over　her　face。　Had　she　bargained　for　this？　It　was　part　of　the　cross　she　had　undertaken　to　carry；　and　she　/must/　bear　it。

Mr。　Carlyle　came　forward　and　saw　her。　He　looked　somewhat　surprised。　〃Madame　Vine；〃　said　Barbara；　and　he　held　out　his　hand　and　welcomed　her　in　the　same　cordial；　pleasant　manner　that　his　wife　had　done。　She　put　her　shaking　hand　into　his；　there　was　no　help　for　it。　Little　thought　Mr。　Carlyle　that　that　hand　had　been　tenderly　clasped　in　his　a　thousand　timesthat　it　was　the　one　pledged　to　him　at　the　altar　of　Castle　Marling。

She　sat　down　on　her　chair　again；　unable　to　stand；　feeling　as　though　every　drop　of　blood　within　her　had　left　her　body。　It　had　certainly　left　her　face。　Mr。　Carlyle　made　a　few　civil　inquiries　as　to　her　journey；　but　she　did　not　dare　to　raise　her　eyes　to　his；　as　she　breathed　forth　the　answers。

〃You　are　at　home　soon；　Archibald；〃　said　Barbara；　addressing　him。　〃I　did　not　expect　you　so　early。　I　did　not　think　you　could　get　away。　Do　you　know　what　I　was　wishing　to…day？〃　she　continued。　〃Papa　is　going　to　London　with　Squire　Pinner　to　see　those　new　agricultural　implementsor　whatever　it　is。　They　are　sure　to　be　away　as　much　as　three　days。　I　was　thinking　if　we　could　but　persuade　mamma　to　come　to　us　for　the　time　papa　is　to　be　away；　it　would　be　a　delightful　little　change　for　hera　break　in　her　monotonous　life。〃

〃I　wish　you　could；〃　warmly　spoke　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Her　life；　since　you　left；　is　a　monotonous　one；　though；　in　her　gentle　patience；　she　will　not　say　so。　It　is　a　happy　thought；　Barbara；　and　I　only　hope　it　may　be　carried　out。　Mrs。　Carlyle's　mother　is　an　invalid；　and　lonely；　for　she　has　no　child　at　home　with　her　now；〃　he　added；　in　a　spirit　of　politeness；　addressing　himself　to　Madame　Vine。

She　simply　bowed　her　head；　trust　herself　to　speak　she　did　not。　Mr。　Carlyle　scanned　her　face　attentively；　as　she　sat；　her　spectacles　bent　downward。　She　did　not　appear　inclined　to　be　sociable；　and　he　turned　to　the　baby；　who　was　wider　awake　than　ever。

〃Young　sir；　I　should　like　to　know　what　brings　you　up；　and　here；　at　this　hour。〃

〃You　may　well　ask；〃　said　Barbara。　〃I　just　had　him　b