east lynne-第96节

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Back　went　Lady　Isabel's　memory　and　her　bitter　repentance。　She　remembered　how　jealously　she　had　attributed　these　meetings　between　Mr。　Carlyle　and　Barbara　to　another　source。　Oh！　Why　had　she　suffered　her　mind　to　be　so　falsely　and　fatally　perverted？

〃Richard　came。　It　was　hastily　arranged　that　he　should　go　privately　to　Mr。　Carlyle's　office；　after　the　clerks　had　left　for　the　night；　be　concealed　there；　and　have　an　opportunity　given　him　of　seeing　Captain　Thorn。　There　was　no　difficulty；　for　Mr。　Carlyle　was　transacting　some　matter　of　business　for　the　captain；　and　appointed　him　to　be　at　the　office　at　eight　o'clock。　A　memorable　night；　that；　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　for　it　was　the　one　of　his　wife's　elopement。〃

Lady　Isabel　looked　up　with　a　start。

〃It　was；　indeed。　SheLady　Isabeland　Mr。　Carlyle　were　engaged　to　a　dinner　party；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　had　to　give　it　up；　otherwise　he　could　not　have　served　Richard。　He　is　always　considerate　and　kind；　thinking　of　others'　welfarenever　of　his　own　gratification。　Oh；　it　was　an　anxious　night。　Papa　was　out。　I　waited　at　home　with　mamma；　doing　what　I　could　to　sooth　her　restless　suspense；　for　there　was　hazard　to　Richard　in　his　night　walk　through　West　Lynne　to　keep　the　appointment；　and；　when　it　was　over；　he　was　to　come　home　for　a　short　interview　with　mamma；　who　had　not　seen　him　for　several　years。〃

Barbara　stopped；　lost　in　thought。　Not　a　word　spoke　Madame　Vine。　She　still　wondered　what　this　affair　touching　Richard　Hare　and　Thorn　could　have　to　do　with　Francis　Levison。

〃I　watched　from　the　window　and　saw　them　come　in　at　the　garden　gate　Mr。　Carlyle　and　Richardbetween　nine　and　ten　o'clock；　I　think　it　must　have　been　then。　The　first　words　they　said　to　me　were　that　it　was　not　the　Captain　Thorn　spoken　of　by　Richard。　I　felt　a　shock　of　disappointment；　which　was　wicked　enough　of　me；　but　I　had　been　so　sure　he　was　the　man；　and　to　hear　that　he　was　not；　seemed　to　throw　us　further　back　than　ever。　Mr。　Carlyle；　on　the　contrary；　was　glad　for　he　had　taken　a　liking　to　Captain　Thorn。　Well；　Richard　went　in　to　mamma；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　was　so　kind　as　to　accede　to　her　request　that　he　would　remain　and　pace　the　garden　with　me。　We　were　so　afraid　of　papa's　coming　home；　he　was　bitter　against　Richard；　and　would　inevitably　have　delivered　him　up　at　once　to　justice。　Had　he　come　in；　Mr。　Carlyle　was　to　keep　him　in　the　garden　by　the　gate　whilst　I　ran　in　to　give　notice　and　conceal　Richard　in　the　hall。　Richard　lingered；　papa　did　not　come；　and　I　cannot　tell　how　long　we　paced　there；　but　I　had　my　shawl　on；　and　it　was　a　lovely　moonlight　night。〃

That　unhappy　listener　clasped　her　hands　to　pain。　The　matter…of…fact　tone；　the　unconscious　mention　of　commonplace　trifles；　proved　that　they　had　not　been　pacing　about　in　disloyalty　to　her；　or　for　their　own　gratification。　/Why/　had　she　not　trusted　her　noble　husband？　Why　had　she　listened　to　that　false　man；　as　he　pointed　them　out　to　her　walking　there　in　the　moonlight？　Why　had　she　given　vent；　in　the　chariot；　to　that　burst　of　passionate　tears；　of　angry　reproach？　Why；　oh！　why　had　she　hastened　to　be　revenged？　But　for　seeing　them　together；　she　might　not　have　done　as　she　did。

〃Richard　came　forth　at　last；　and　departed；　to　be　again　an　exile。　Mr。　Carlyle　also　departed；　and　I　remained　at　the　gate；　watching　for　papa。　By　and　by　Mr。　Carlyle　came　back　again；　he　had　got　nearly　home　when　he　remembered　that　he　had　left　a　parchment　at　our　house。　It　seemed　to　be　nothing　but　coming　back；　for　just　after　he　had　gone　a　second　time；　Richard　returned　in　a　state　of　excitement；　stating　that　he　had　seen　ThornThorn　the　murderer；　I　meanin　Bean　lane。　For　a　moment　I　doubted　him；　but　not　for　long；　and　we　ran　after　Mr。　Carlyle。　Richard　described　Thorn's　appearance；　his　evening　dress；　his　white　hands　and　diamond　ring；　more　particularly　he　described　a　peculiar　motion　of　his　hand　as　he　threw　back　his　hair。　In　that　moment　it　flashed　across　me　that　Thorn　must　be　Captain　Levison；　the　description　was　exact。　Many　and　many　a　time　since　have　I　wondered　that　the　thought　did　not　strike　Mr。　Carlyle。〃

Lady　Isabel　sat　with　her　mouth　open；　as　if　she　could　not　take　in　the　sense　of　the　words；　and　when　it　did　become　clear　to　her；　she　utterly　rejected　it。

〃Francis　Levison　a　murderer！　Oh；　no！　bad　man　as　he　is；　he　is　not　that。〃

〃Wait；〃　said　Mrs。　Carlyle。　〃I　did　not　speak　of　this　doubtnay；　this　convictionwhich　had　come；　how　could　I　mention　to　Mr。　Carlyle　the　name　of　the　man　who　did　him　that　foul　wrong？　And　Richard　has　remained　so　long　in　exile；　with　the　ban　of　guilt　upon　him。　To…day　as　my　carriage　passed　through　West　Lynne；　Francis　Levison　was　haranguing　the　people。　I　saw　that　very　same　actionthe　throwing　back　of　the　hair　with　his　white　hand。　I　saw　the　selfsame　diamond　ring；　and　my　conviction　that　he　was　the　same　man　became　more　firmly　seated　than　ever。〃

〃It　is　impossible！〃　murmured　Lady　Isabel。

〃Wait；　I　say；〃　said　Barbara。　〃When　Mr。　Carlyle　came　home　to　dinner；　I；　for　the　first　time；　mentioned　this　to　him。　It　was　no　newsthe　fact　was　not。　This　afternoon　during　that　same　harangue；　Francis　Levison　was　recognized　by　two　witnesses　to　be　the　man　Thornthe　man　who　went　after　Afy　Hallijohn。　It　is　horrible。〃

Lady　Isabel　sat　and　looked　at　Mrs。　Carlyle。　Not　yet　did　she　believe　it。

〃Yes；　it　does　appear　to　me　as　being　perfectly　horrible；〃　continued　Mrs。　Carlyle。　〃He　murdered　Hallijohnhe；　that　bad　man；　and　my　poor　brother　has　suffered　the　odium。　When　Richard　met　him　that　night　in　Bean　lane；　he　was　sneaking　to　West　Lynne　in　search　of　the　chaise　that　afterward　bore　away　him　and　his　companion。　Papa　saw　them　drive　away。　Papa　stayed　out　late；　and；　in　returning　home；　a　chaise　and　four　tore　past；　just　as　he　was　turning　in　at　the　gate。　If　that　miserable　Lady　Isabel　had　but　known　with　whom　she　was　flying！　A　murderer！　In　addition　to　his　other　achievements。　It　is　a　mercy　for　her　that　she　is　no　longer　alive。　What　would　her　feelings　be？〃

What　were　they；　then；　as　she　sat　there？　A　/murderer/？　And　she　had　In　spite　of　her　caution；　of　her　strife　for　self…command；　she　turned　of　a　deadly　whiteness；　and　a　low；　sharp　cry　of　horror　and　despair　burst　from　her　lips。

Mrs。　Carlyle　was　astonished。　Why　should　her　communication　have　produced　this　effect　upon　Madame　Vine？　A　renewed　suspicion　that　she　knew　more　of　Francis　Levison　than　she　would　acknowledge；　stole　over　her。

〃Madame　Vine；　what　is　he　to　you？〃　she　asked；　bending　forward。

Madame　Vine；　doing　fierce　battle　with　herself；　recovered　her　outward　equanimity。　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Mrs。　Carlyle；〃　she　said；　shivering；　〃I　am　apt　to　picture　things　too　vividly。　It　is；　as　you　say；　so　very　horrible。〃

〃Is　he　nothing　to　you？　Don't　you　know　him？〃

〃He　is　nothing　to　meless　than　nothing。　As　to　knowing　himI　saw　him　yesterday；　when　they　put　him　into　the　pond。　A　man　like　that！　I　should　shudder　to　meet　him！〃

〃Ay；　indeed！〃　said　Barbara；　reassured。　〃You　will　understand；　Madame　Vine；　that　this　history　has　been　given　to　you　in　confidence。　I　look　upon　you　as　one　of　ourselves。〃

There　was　no　answer。　Madame　Vine　sat　on；　with　her　white　face。　She　and　it　wore　altogether　a　ghastly　look。

〃It　tells　like　a　fable　out　of　a　romance；〃　resumed　Mrs。　Carlyle。　〃Well　for　him　if　the　romance　be　not　ended　in　the　gibbet。　Fancy　what　it　would　be　for　himSir　Francis　Levisonto　be　hung　for　murder！〃

〃Barbara；　my　dearest！〃

The　voice　was　Mr。　Carlyle's；　and　she　flew　off　on　the　wings　of　love。　It　appeared　that　the　gentlemen　had　not　yet　departed；　and　now　thought　they　would　take　coffee　first。

She　flew　off　to　her　idolized　husband；　leaving　her　who　had　once　been　idolized　to　her　loneliness。　She　sank　down　on　the　sofa；　she　threw　her　arms　up　in　her　heart…sickness；　she　thought　she　would　faint；　she　prayed　to　die。　It　/was/　horrible；　as　Barbara　had　called　it。　For　that　man　with　the　red　stain　upon　his　hand　and　soul　she　had　flung　away　Archibald　Carlyle。

If　ever　retribution　came　home　to　woman；　it　came　home　in　that　hour　to　Lady　Isabel。



CHAPTER　XXXVII。

MR。　CARLYLE　INVITED　TO　SOME　PATE　DE　FOIE　GRAS。

A　sighing　morning　wind　swept　round　the　domains　of　East　Lynne；　bending　the　tall　poplar　trees　in　the　distance；　swaying　the　oak　and　elms　nearer；　rustling　the　fine　old　chestnuts　in　the　park；　a　melancholy；　sweeping；　fitful　wind。　The　weather　had　changed　from　brightness　and　warmth；　and　heavy；　gathering　clouds　seemed　to　be　threatening　rain；　so；　at　least；　deemed　one　wayfarer；　who　was　journeying　on　a　solitary　road　that　Saturday　night。

He　was　on　foot。　A　man　attired　in　the　garb　of　a　sailor；　with　black；　curling　ringlets　of　hair；　and　black；　curling　whiskers；　a　prodigious　pair　of　whiskers；　hiding　his　neck　above　his　blue；　turned　collar；　hiding　partially　his　face。　The　glazed　hat；　brought　low　upon　his　brows；　concealed　it　still　more；　and　he　wore　a　loose；　rough　pea…jacket　and　wide　rough　trousers　hitched　up　with　a　belt。　Bearing　steadily　on；　he　struck　into　Bean　lane；　a　by…way　already　mentioned　in　this　history；　and　from　thence；　passing　through　a　small；　unfrequented　gate；　he　found　himself　in　the　grounds　of　East　Lynne。

〃Let　me　see；〃　mused　he　as　he　closed　the　gate　behind　him；　and　slipped　the　bolt。　〃The　covered　walk？　That　must　be　near　the　acacia　trees。　Then　I　must　wind　round　to　the　right。　I　wonder　if　either　of　them　will　be　there；　waiting　for　me？〃

Yes。　Pacing　the　covered　walk　in　her　bonnet　and　mantle；　a