east lynne-第1节

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East　Lynne


by　Mrs。　Henry　Wood







CHAPTER　I。

THE　LADY　ISABEL。

In　an　easy…chair　of　the　spacious　and　handsome　library　of　his　town…　house；　sat　William；　Earl　of　Mount　Severn。　His　hair　was　gray；　the　smoothness　of　his　expansive　brow　was　defaced　by　premature　wrinkles；　and　his　once　attractive　face　bore　the　pale；　unmistakable　look　of　dissipation。　One　of　his　feet　was　cased　in　folds　of　linen；　as　it　rested　on　the　soft　velvet　ottoman；　speaking　of　gout　as　plainly　as　any　foot　ever　spoke　yet。　It　would　seemto　look　at　the　man　as　he　sat　there　that　he　had　grown　old　before　his　time。　And　so　he　had。　His　years　were　barely　nine　and　forty；　yet　in　all　save　years；　he　was　an　aged　man。

A　noted　character　had　been　the　Earl　of　Mount　Severn。　Not　that　he　had　been　a　renowned　politician；　or　a　great　general；　or　an　eminent　statesman；　or　even　an　active　member　in　the　Upper　House；　not　for　any　of　these　had　the　earl's　name　been　in　the　mouths　of　men。　But　for　the　most　reckless　among　the　reckless；　for　the　spendthrift　among　spendthrifts；　for　the　gamester　above　all　gamesters；　and　for　a　gay　man　outstripping　the　gayby　these　characteristics　did　the　world　know　Lord　Mount　Severn。　It　was　said　his　faults　were　those　of　his　head；　that　a　better　heart　or　a　more　generous　spirit　never　beat　in　human　form；　and　there　was　much　truth　in　this。　It　had　been　well　for　him　had　he　lived　and　died　plain　William　Vane。　Up　to　his　five　and　twentieth　year；　he　had　been　industrious　and　steady；　had　kept　his　terms　in　the　Temple；　and　studied　late　and　early。　The　sober　application　of　William　Vane　had　been　a　by　word　with　the　embryo　barristers　around；　Judge　Vane；　they　ironically　called　him；　and　they　strove　ineffectually　to　allure　him　away　to　idleness　and　pleasure。　But　young　Vane　was　ambitious；　and　he　knew　that　on　his　own　talents　and　exertions　must　depend　his　own　rising　in　the　world。　He　was　of　excellent　family；　but　poor；　counting　a　relative　in　the　old　Earl　of　Mount　Severn。　The　possibility　of　his　succeeding　to　the　earldom　never　occurred　to　him；　for　three　healthy　lives；　two　of　them　young；　stood　between　him　and　the　title。　Yet　those　have　died　off；　one　of　apoplexy；　one　of　fever；　in　Africa；　the　third　boating　at　Oxford；　and　the　young　Temple　student；　William　Vane；　suddenly　found　himself　Earl　of　Mount　Severn；　and　the　lawful　possessor　of　sixty　thousand　a　year。

His　first　idea　was；　that　he　should　never　be　able　to　spend　the　money；　that　such　a　sum；　year　by　year；　could　/not/　be　spent。　It　was　a　wonder　his　head　was　not　turned　by　adulation　at　the　onset；　for　he　was　courted；　flattered　and　caressed　by　all　classes；　from　a　royal　duke　downward。　He　became　the　most　attractive　man　of　his　day；　the　lion　in　society；　for　independent　of　his　newly…acquired　wealth　and　title；　he　was　of　distinguished　appearance　and　fascinating　manners。　But　unfortunately；　the　prudence　which　had　sustained　William　Vane；　the　poor　law　student；　in　his　solitary　Temple　chambers　entirely　forsook　William　Vane；　the　young　Earl　of　Mount　Severn；　and　he　commenced　his　career　on　a　scale　of　speed　so　great；　that　all　staid　people　said　he　was　going　to　ruin　and　the　deuce　headlong。

But　a　peer　of　the　realm；　and　one　whose　rent…roll　is　sixty　thousand　per　annum；　does　not　go　to　ruin　in　a　day。　There　sat　the　earl；　in　his　library　now；　in　his　nine…and…fortieth　year；　and　ruin　had　not　come　yet　that　is；　it　had　not　overwhelmed　him。　But　the　embarrassments　which　had　clung　to　him；　and　been　the　destruction　of　his　tranquility；　the　bane　of　his　existence；　who　shall　describe　them？　The　public　knew　them　pretty　well；　his　private　friends　knew　better；　his　creditors　best；　but　none；　save　himself　knew；　or　could　ever　know；　the　worrying　torment　that　was　his　portion；　wellnigh　driving　him　to　distraction。　Years　ago；　by　dint　of　looking　things　steadily　in　the　face；　and　by　economizing；　he　might　have　retrieved　his　position；　but　he　had　done　what　most　people　do　in　such　casesput　off　the　evil　day　/sine　die/；　and　gone　on　increasing　his　enormous　list　of　debts。　The　hour　of　exposure　and　ruin　was　now　advancing　fast。

Perhaps　the　earl　himself　was　thinking　so；　as　he　sat　there　before　an　enormous　mass　of　papers　which　strewed　the　library　table。　His　thoughts　were　back　in　the　past。　That　was　a　foolish　match　of　his；　that　Gretna　Green　match　for　love；　foolish　so　far　as　prudence　went；　but　the　countess　had　been　an　affectionate　wife　to　him；　had　borne　with　his　follies　and　his　neglect；　had　been　an　admirable　mother　to　their　only　child。　One　child　alone　had　been　theirs；　and　in　her　thirteenth　year　the　countess　had　died。　If　they　had　but　been　blessed　with　a　sonthe　earl　moaned　over　the　long…continued　disappointment　stillhe　might　have　seen　a　way　out　of　his　difficulties。　The　boy；　as　soon　as　he　was　of　age；　would　have　joined　with　him　in　cutting　off　the　entail；　and

〃My　lord；〃　said　a　servant　entering　the　room　and　interrupting　the　earl's　castles　in　the　air；　〃a　gentleman　is　asking　to　see　you。〃

〃Who？〃　cried　the　earl；　sharply；　not　perceiving　the　card　the　man　was　bringing。　No　unknown　person；　although　wearing　the　externals　of　a　foreign　ambassador；　was　ever　admitted　unceremoniously　to　the　presence　of　Lord　Mount　Severn。　Years　of　duns　had　taught　the　servants　caution。

〃His　card　is　here；　my　lord。　It　is　Mr。　Carlyle；　of　West　Lynne。〃

〃Mr。　Carlyle；　of　West　Lynne；〃　groaned　the　earl；　whose　foot　just　then　had　an　awful　twinge；　〃what　does　he　want？　Show　him　up。〃

The　servant　did　as　he　was　bid；　and　introduced　Mr。　Carlyle。　Look　at　the　visitor　well；　reader；　for　he　will　play　his　part　in　this　history。　He　was　a　very　tall　man　of　seven　and　twenty；　of　remarkably　noble　presence。　He　was　somewhat　given　to　stooping　his　head　when　he　spoke　to　any　one　shorter　than　himself；　it　was　a　peculiar　habit；　almost　to　be　called　a　bowing　habit；　and　his　father　had　possessed　it　before　him。　When　told　of　it　he　would　laugh；　and　say　he　was　unconscious　of　doing　it。　His　features　were　good；　his　complexion　was　pale　and　clear；　his　hair　dark；　and　his　full　eyelids　drooped　over　his　deep　gray　eyes。　Altogether　it　was　a　countenance　that　both　men　and　women　liked　to　look　uponthe　index　of　an　honorable；　sincere　naturenot　that　it　would　have　been　called　a　handsome　face；　so　much　as　a　pleasing　and　a　distinguished　one。　Though　but　the　son　of　a　country　lawyer；　and　destined　to　be　a　lawyer　himself；　he　had　received　the　training　of　a　gentleman；　had　been　educated　at　Rugby；　and　taken　his　degree　at　Oxford。　He　advanced　at　once　to　the　earl；　in　the　straightforward　way　of　a　man　of　businessof　a　man　who　has　come　on　business。

〃Mr。　Carlyle；〃　said　the　latter；　holding　out　his　handhe　was　always　deemed　the　most　affable　peer　of　the　age〃I　am　happy　to　see　you。　You　perceive　I　cannot　rise；　at　least　without　great　pain　and　inconvenience。　My　enemy；　the　gout；　has　possession　of　me　again。　Take　a　seat。　Are　you　staying　in　town？〃

〃I　have　just　arrived　from　West　Lynne。　The　chief　object　of　my　journey　was　to　see　your　lordship。〃

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　asked　the　earl；　uneasily；　for　a　suspicion　had　crossed　his　mind　that　Mr。　Carlyle　might　be　acting　for　some　one　of　his　many　troublesome　creditors。

Mr。　Carlyle　drew　his　chair　nearer　to　the　earl；　and　spoke　in　a　low　tone；

〃A　rumor　came　to　my　ears；　my　lord；　that　East　Lynne　was　in　the　market。〃

〃A　moment；　sir；〃　exclaimed　the　earl；　with　reserve；　not　to　say　hauteur　in　his　tone；　for　his　suspicions　were　gaining　ground；　〃are　we　to　converse　confidentially　together；　as　men　of　honor；　or　is　there　something　concealed　behind？〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃In　a　wordexcuse　my　speaking　plainly；　but　I　must　feel　my　groundare　you　here　on　the　part　of　some　of　my　rascally　creditors；　to　pump　information　out　of　me；　that　otherwise　they　would　not　get？〃

〃My　lord；〃　uttered　the　visitor；　〃I　should　be　incapable　of　so　dishonorable　an　action。　I　know　that　a　lawyer　gets　credit　for　possessing　but　lax　notions　on　the　score　of　honor；　but　you　can　scarcely　suspect　that　I　should　be　guilty　of　underhand　work　toward　you。　I　never　was　guilty　of　a　mean　trick　in　my　life；　to　my　recollection；　and　I　do　not　think　I　ever　shall　be。〃

〃Pardon　me；　Mr。　Carlyle。　If　you　knew　half　the　tricks　and　/ruses/　played　upon　me；　you　would　not　wonder　at　my　suspecting　all　the　world。　Proceed　with　your　business。〃

〃I　heard　that　East　Lynne　was　for　private　sale；　your　agent　dropped　half　a　word　to　me　in　confidence。　If　so；　I　should　wish　to　be　the　purchaser。〃

〃For　whom？〃　inquired　the　earl。

〃Myself。〃

〃You！〃　laughed　the　earl。　〃Egad！　Lawyering　can't　be　such　bad　work；　Carlyle。〃

〃Nor　is　it；〃　rejoined　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃with　an　extensive；　first…class　connection；　such　as　ours。　But　you　must　remember　that　a　good　fortune　was　left　me　by　my　uncle；　and　a　large　one　by　my　father。〃

〃I　know。　The　proceeds　of　lawyering　also。〃

〃Not　altogether。　My　mother　brought　a　fortune　on　her　marriage；　and　it　enabled　my　father　to　speculate　successfully。　I　have　been　looking　out　for　an　eligible　property　to　invest　my　money　upon；　and　East　Lynne　will　suit　me　well；　provided　I　can　have　the　refusal　of　it；　and　we　can　agree　about　the　terms。〃

Lord　Mount　Severn　mused　for　a　few　moments　before　he　spoke。　〃Mr。　Carlyle；〃　he　began；　〃my　affairs　are　very　bad；　and　ready　money　I　must　find　somewhere。　Now　East　Lynne　is　not　entailed；　neither　is　it　mortgaged　to　anything　like　its　value；　though　the　latter　fact；　as　you　may　imagine；　is　not　patent　to　the　world。　When　I　bought