east lynne-第91节

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A　pause。　Miss　Carlyle　was　ruminating。　But　she　returned　to　the　charge；　as　if　difficult　to　be　convinced。

〃You　deem　that　there　could　be　no　possibility　of　an　error？　You　are　sure　that　she　is　dead？〃

〃I　am　as　sure　that　she　is　dead　as　that　we　are　living；〃　decisively　replied　the　earl：　and　he　spoke　but　according　to　his　belief。　〃Wherefore　should　you　be　inquiring　this？〃

〃A　thought　came　over　meonly　to…dayto　wonder　whether　she　was　really　dead。〃

〃Had　any　error　occurred　at　that　time；　any　false　report　of　her　death；　I　should　soon　have　found　it　out　by　her　drawing　the　annuity　I　settled　upon　her。　It　has　never　been　drawn　since。　Besides；　she　would　have　written　to　me；　as　agreed　upon。　No；　poor　thing；　she　is　gone　beyond　all　doubt；　and　has　taken　her　sins　with　her。〃

Convincing　proofs；　and　Miss　Carlyle　lent　her　ear　to　them。

The　following　morning　while　Madame　Vine　was　at　breakfast；　Mr。　Carlyle　entered。

〃Do　you　admit　intruders　here　Madame　Vine？〃　cried　he；　with　his　sweet　smile；　and　attractive　manner。

She　arose；　her　face　burning；　her　heart　throbbing。

〃Keep　your　seat；　pray；　I　have　but　a　moment　to　stay；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　have　come　to　ask　you　how　William　seems？〃

〃There　was　no　difference；〃　she　murmured；　and　then　she　took　courage　and　spoke　more　openly。　〃I　understood　you　to　say　the　other　night；　sir；　that　he　should　have　further　advice。〃

〃Ay；　I　wish　him　to　go　over　to　Lynneborough；　to　Dr。　Martin；　the　drive；　I　think；　will　do　him　good；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃And　I　would　like　you　to　accompany　him；　if　you　do　not　mind　the　trouble。　You　can　have　the　pony　carriage；　it　will　be　better　to　go　in　that　than　boxed　up　in　the　railway　carriage。　You　can　remind　Dr。　Martin　that　the　child's　constitution　is　precisely　what　his　mother's　was；〃　continued　Mr。　Carlyle；　a　tinge　lightening　his　face。　〃It　may　be　a　guide　to　his　treatment；　he　said　himself　it　was；　when　he　attended　him　for　an　illness　a　year　or　two　ago。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

He　crossed　the　hall　on　his　entrance　to　the　breakfast…room。　She　tore　upstairs　to　her　chamber；　and　sank　down　in　an　agony　of　tears　and　despair。　Oh；　to　love　him　as　she　did　now！　To　yearn　after　his　affection　with　this　passionate；　jealous　longing；　and　to　know　that　they　were　separated　for　ever　and　ever；　that　she　was　worse　to　him　than　nothing！

Softly；　my　lady。　This　is　not　bearing　your　cross。



CHAPTER　XXXVI。

APPEARANCE　OF　A　RUSSIAN　BEAR　AT　WEST　LYNNE。

Mr。　Carlyle　harangued　the　populace　from　the　balcony　of　the　Buck's　Head；　a　substantial　old　House；　renowned　in　the　days　of　posting；　now　past　and　gone。　Its　balcony　was　an　old…fashioned；　roomy　balcony；　painted　green；　where　there　was　plenty　of　space　for　his　friends　to　congregate。　He　was　a　persuasive　orator；　winning　his　way　to　ears　and　hearts；　but　had　he　spoken　with　plums　in　his　mouth；　and　a　stammer　on　his　tongue；　and　a　break…down　at　every　sentence；　the　uproarious　applause　and　shouts　would　be　equally　rife。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　intensely　popular　in　West　Lynne；　setting　aside　his　candidateship　and　his　oratory；　and　West　Lynne　made　common　cause　against　Sir　Francis　Levison。

Sir　Francis　Levison　harangued　the　mob　from　the　Raven；　but　in　a　more　ignoble　manner。　For　the　Raven　possessed　no　balcony；　and　he　was　fain　to　let　himself　down　with　a　stride　and　a　jump　from　the　first　floor　window　on　the　top　of　the　bow…window　of　the　parlor；　and　stand　there。　The　Raven；　though　a　comfortable；　old　established；　and　respectable　inn；　could　boast　only　of　casements　for　its　upper　windows；　and　they　are　not　convenient　to　deliver　speeches　from。　He　was　wont；　therefore　to　take　his　seat　on　the　bow…window；　and；　that　was　not　altogether　convenient　either；　for　it　was　but　narrow；　and　he　hardly　dared　move　an　arm　or　a　leg　for　fear　of　pitching　over　on　the　upturned　faces。　Mr。　Drake　let　himself　down　also；　to　support　him　on　one　side；　and　the　first　day；　the　lawyer　supported　him　on　the　other。　For　the　first　day　only；　for　that　worthy；　being　not　as　high　as　Sir　Francis　Levison's　or　Mr。　Drake's　shoulder；　and　about　five　times　their　breadth；　had　those　two　been　rolled　into　one；　experienced　a　slight　difficulty　in　getting　back　again。　It　was　accomplished　at　last；　Sir　Francis　pulling　him　up；　and　Mr。　Drake　hoisting　him　from　behind；　just　as　a　ladder　was　being　brought　out　to　the　rescue　amidst　shouts　of　laughter。　The　stout　man　wiped　the　perspiration　from　his　face　when　he　was　landed　in　safety；　and　recorded　a　mental　vow　never　to　descend　from　a　window　again。　After　that　the　candidate　and　his　friend　shared　the　shelf　between　them。　The　lawyer's　name　was　Rubiny；　ill…naturedly　supposed　to　be　a　corruption　of　Reuben。

They　stood　there　one　afternoon；　Sir　Francis'　eloquence　in　full　play；　but　he　was　a　shocking　speaker；　and　the　crowd；　laughing；　hissing；　groaning　and　applauding；　blocking　up　the　road。　Sir　Francis　could　not　complain　of　one　thingthat　he　got　no　audience；　for　it　was　the　pleasure　of　West　Lynne　extensively　to　support　him　in　that　respecta　few　to　cheer；　a　great　many　to　jeer　and　hiss。　Remarkably　dense　was　the　mob　on　this　afternoon；　for　Mr。　Carlyle　had　just　concluded　his　address　from　the　Buck's　Head；　and　the　crowd　who　had　been　listening　to　him　came　rushing　up　to　swell　the　ranks　of　the　other　crowd。　They　were　elbowing；　and　pushing；　and　treading　on　each　other's　heels；　when　an　open　barouche　drove　suddenly　up　to　scatter　them。　Its　horses　wore　scarlet　and　purple　rosettes；　and　one　lady；　a　very　pretty　one；　sat　inside　of　itMrs。　Carlyle。

But　the　crowd　could　not　be　so　easily　scattered；　it　was　too　thick；　the　carriage　could　advance　but　at　a　snail's　pace；　and　now　and　then　came　to　a　standstill　also；　till　the　confusion　should　be　subsided；　for　where　was　the　use　of　wasting　words？　He　did　not　bow　to　Barbara；　he　remembered　the　result　of　his　having　done　so　to　Miss　Carlyle；　and　the　little　interlude　of　the　pond　had　washed　most　of　his　impudence　out　of　him。　He　remained　at　his　post；　not　looking　at　Barbara；　not　looking　at　anything　in　particular；　waiting　till　the　interruption　should　have　passed。

Barbara；　under　cover　of　her　dainty　lace　parasol；　turned　her　eyes　upon　him。　At　that　very　moment　he　raised　his　right　hand；　slightly　shook　his　head　back；　and　tossed　his　hair　off　his　brow。　His　hand；　ungloved；　was　white　and　delicate　as　a　lady's；　and　his　rich　diamond　ring　gleamed　in　the　sun。　The　pink　flush　on　Barbara's　cheek　deepened　to　a　crimson　damask；　and　her　brow　contracted　with　a　remembrance　of　pain。

〃The　very　action　Richard　described！　The　action　he　was　always　using　at　East　Lynne！　I　believe　from　my　heart　that　the　man　is　Thorn；　that　Richard　was　laboring　under　some　mistake　when　he　said　he　knew　Sir　Francis　Levison。〃

She　let　her　hands　fall　upon　her　knee　as　she　spoke；　heedless　of　the　candidate；　heedless　of　the　crowd；　heedless　of　all　save　her　own　troubled　thoughts。　A　hundred　respected　salutations　were　offered　her；　she　answered　them　mechanically；　a　shout　was　raised；　〃Long　live　Carlyle！　Carlyle　forever！〃　Barbara　bowed　her　pretty　head　on　either　side；　and　the　carriage　at　length　got　on。

The　parting　of　the　crowd　brought　Mr。　Dill；　who　had　come　to　listen　for　once　to　the　speech　of　the　second　man；　and　Mr。　Ebenezer　James　close　to　each　other。　Mr。　Ebenezer　James　was　one　who；　for　the　last　twelve　or　fifteen　years；　had　been　trying　his　hand　at　many　trades。　And　had　not　come　out　particularly　well　at　any。　A　rolling　stone　gathers　no　moss。　First；　he　had　been　clerk　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　next；　he　had　been　seduced　into　joining　the　corps　of　the　Theatre　Royal　at　Lynneborough；　then　he　turned　auctioneer；　then　travelling　in　the　oil　and　color　line；　then　a　parson；　the　urgent　pastor　of　some　new　sect；　then　omnibus　driver；　then　collector　of　the　water　rate；　and　now　he　was　clerk　again；　not　in　Mr。　Carlyle's　office；　but　in　that　of　Ball　&　Treadman；　other　solicitors　of　West　Lynne。　A　good…humored；　good…natured；　free…of…mannered；　idle　chap　was　Mr。　Ebenezer　James；　and　that　was　the　worst　that　could　be　urged　against　him；　save　that　he　was　sometimes　out　at　pocket　and　out　at　elbows。　His　father　was　a　respectable　man；　and　had　made　money　in　trade；　but　he　had　married　a　second　wife；　had　a　second　family；　and　his　eldest　son　did　not　come　in　for　much　of　the　paternal　money；　though　he　did　for　a　large　share　of　the　paternal　anger。

〃Well；　Ebenezer；　and　how　goes　the　world　with　you？〃　cried　Mr。　Dill　by　way　of　salutation。

〃Jogging　on。　It　never　gets　to　a　trot。〃

〃Didn't　I　see　you　turning　into　your　father's　house　yesterday？〃

〃I　pretty　soon　turned　out　of　it　again。　I'm　like　the　monkey　when　I　venture　thereget　more　kicks　than　halfpence。　Hush；　old　gentleman！　We　interrupt　the　eloquence。〃

Of　course　〃the　eloquence〃　applied　to　Sir　Francis　Levison；　and　they　set　themselves　to　listenMr。　Dill　with　a　serious　face；　Mr。　Ebenezer　with　a　grinning　one。　But　soon　a　jostle　and　movement　carried　them　to　the　outside　of　the　crowd；　out　of　sight　of　the　speaker；　though　not　entirely　out　of　hearing。　By　these　means　they　had　a　view　of　the　street；　and　discerned　something　advancing　to　them；　which　they　took　for　a　Russian　bear　on　its　hind　legs。

〃I'llbeblest；〃　uttered　Mr。　Ebenezer　James；　after　a　prolonged　pause　of　staring　consternation；　〃if　I　don't　believe　its　Bethel！〃

〃Bethel！〃　repeated　Mr。　Dill；　gazing　at　the　approaching　figure。　〃What　has　he　been　doing　to　himself？〃

Mr。　Otway　Bethel　it　was；　just　arrived　from　foreign　parts　in　his　travelling　costumesomething　shaggy；　terminating　all　over　with　tail