east lynne-第106节

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he　had　his　reasons。

〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃Afy；〃　replied　she；　looking　daggers　at　everybody；　and　sedulously　keeping　her　back　turned　upon　Francis　Levison　and　Otway　Bethel。

〃You　name　in　full；　if　you　please。　You　were　not　christened　'Afy'？〃

〃Aphrodite　Hallijohn。　You　all　know　my　name　as　well　as　I　do。　Where's　the　use　of　asking　useless　questions？〃

〃Swear　the　witness；〃　spoke　up　Mr。　Justice　Hare。　The　first　word　he　had　uttered。

〃I　won't　be　sworn；〃　said　Afy。

〃You　must　be　sworn；〃　said　Mr。　Justice　Herbert。

〃But　I　say　I　won't；〃　repeated　Afy。

〃Then　we　must　commit　you　to　prison　for　contempt　of　court。〃

There　was　no　mercy　in　his　tone；　and　Afy　turned　white。　Sir　John　Dobede　interposed。

〃Young　woman；　had　/you/　a　hand　in　the　murder　of　your　father？〃

〃I？〃　returned　Afy；　struggling　with　passion；　temper；　and　excitement。　〃How　dare　you　ask　me　such　an　unnatural　question；　sir？　He　was　the　kindest　father；〃　she　added；　battling　with　her　tears。　〃I　loved　him　dearly。　I　would　have　saved　his　life　with　mine。〃

〃And　yet　you　refuse　to　give　evidence　that　may　assist　in　bringing　his　destroyer　to　justice。〃

〃No；　I　don't　refuse　on　that　score。　I　should　like　his　destroyer　to　be　hanged；　and　I'd　go　to　see　it。　But　who　knows　what　other　questions　you　may　be　asking　me；　about　things　that　concerned　neither　you　nor　anybody　else？　That's　why　I　object。〃

〃We　have　only　to　deal　with　what　bears　upon　the　murder。　The　questions　put　to　you　will　relate　to　that。〃

Afy　considered。　〃Well；　you　may　swear　me；　then；〃　she　said。

Little　notion　had　she　of　the　broad　gauge　those　questions　would　run　upon。　And　she　was　sworn　accordingly。　Very　unwillingly　yet；　for　Afy；　who　would　have　told　lies　by　the　bushel　/un/sworn；　did　look　upon　an　oath　as　a　serious　matter；　and　felt　herself　compelled　to　speak　the　truth　when　examined　under　it。

〃How　did　you　become　acquainted　with　a　gentleman　you　often　saw　in　those　daysCaptain　Thorn？〃

〃There；〃　uttered　the　dismayed　Afy。　〃You　are　beginning　already。　/He/　had　nothing　to　do　with　ithe　did　not　do　the　murder。〃

〃You　have　sworn　to　answer　the　questions　put；〃　was　the　uncompromising　rejoinder。　〃How　did　you　become　acquainted　with　Captain　Thorn？〃

〃I　met　him　at　Swainson；〃　doggedly　answered　Afy。　〃I　went　over　there　one　day；　just　for　a　spree；　and　I　met　him　at　a　pastrycook's。〃

〃And　he　fell　in　love　with　your　pretty　face？〃　said　Lawyer　Ball；　taking　up　the　examination。

In　the　incense　to　her　vanity；　Afy　nearly　forgot　her　scruples。　〃Yes；　he　did；〃　she　answered；　casting　a　smile　of　general　satisfaction　round　upon　the　court。

〃And　got　out　of　you　where　you　lived；　and　entered　upon　his　courting；　riding　over　nearly　every　evening　to　see　you？〃

〃Well；〃　acknowledged　Afy；　〃there　was　no　harm　in　it。〃

〃Oh；　certainly　not！〃　acquiesced　the　lawyer；　in　a　pleasant；　free　tone；　to　put　the　witness　at　her　ease。　〃Rather　good；　I　should　say：　I　wish　I　had　had　the　like　luck。　Did　you　know　him　at　the　time　by　the　name　of　Levison？〃

〃No！　He　said　he　was　Captain　Thorn；　and　I　thought　he　was。〃

〃Did　you　know　where　he　lived？〃

〃No！　He　never　said　that。　I　thought　he　was　stopping　temporarily　at　Swainson。〃

〃Anddear　me！　what　a　sweet　bonnet　that　is　you　have　on！〃

Afy；　whose　egregious　vanity　was　her　besetting　sinwho　possessed　enough　of　it　for　any　ten　pretty　women　goingcast　a　glance　out　of　the　corners　of　her　eyes　at　the　admired　bonnet；　and　became　Mr。　Ball's　entirely。

〃And　how　long　was　it；　after　your　first　meeting　with　him；　before　you　discovered　his　real　name？〃

〃Not　for　a　long　timeseveral　months。〃

〃Subsequent　to　the　murder；　I　presume？〃

〃Oh；　yes！〃

Mr。　Ball's　eyes　gave　a　twinkle；　and　the　unconscious　Afy　surreptitiously　smoothed；　with　one　finger；　the　glossy　parting　of　her　hair。

〃Besides　Captain　Thorn；　what　gentlemen　were　in　the　wood　the　night　of　the　murder？〃

〃Richard　Hare　was　there。　Otway　Bethel　and　Locksley　also。　Those　were　all　I　saw　until　the　crowd　came。〃

〃Were　Locksley　and　Mr。　Otway　Bethel　martyrs　to　your　charms；　as　the　other　two　were？〃

〃No；　indeed！〃　was　the　witness's　answer；　with　an　indignant　toss　of　the　head。　〃A　couple　of　poaching　fellows　like　them！　They　had　better　have　tried　it　on！〃

〃Which　of　the　two；　Hare　or　Thorn；　was　inside　the　cottage　with　you　that　evening？〃

Afy　came　out　of　her　vanity　and　hesitated。　She　was　beginning　to　wonder　where　the　questions　would　get　to。

〃You　are　upon　your　oath；　witness！〃　thundered　Mr。　Justice　Hare。　〃If　it　was　myif　it　was　Richard　Hare　who　was　with　you；　say　so。　But　there　must　be　no　equivocation　here。〃

Afy　was　startled。　〃It　was　Thorn；〃　she　answered　to　Mr。　Ball。

〃And　where　was　Richard　Hare？〃

〃I　don't　know。　He　came　down；　but　I　sent　him　away；　I　would　not　admit　him。　I　dare　say　he　lingered　in　the　wood。〃

〃Did　he　leave　a　gun　with　you？〃

〃Yes。　It　was　one　he　had　promised　to　lend　my　father。　I　put　it　down　just　inside　the　door。　He　told　me　it　was　loaded。〃

〃How　long　after　this　was　it；　that　your　father　interrupted　you？〃

〃He　didn't　interrupt　us　at　all；〃　returned　Afy。　〃I　never　saw　my　father　until　I　saw　him　dead。〃

〃Were　you　not　in　the　cottage　all　the　time？〃

〃No；　we　went　out　for　a　stroll　at　the　back。　Captain　Thorn　wished　me　good…bye　there；　and　I　stayed　out。〃

〃Did　you　hear　the　gun　go　off？〃

〃I　heard　a　shot　as　I　was　sitting　on　the　stump　of　a　tree；　and　was　thinking；　but　I　attached　no　importance　to　it；　never　supposing　it　was　in　the　cottage。〃

〃What　was　it　that　Captain　Thorn　had　to　get　from　the　cottage　after　he　quitted　you？　What　had　he　left　there？〃

Now；　this　was　a　random　shaft。　Lawyer　Ball；　a　keen　man；　who　had　well　weighed　all　points　in　the　tale　imparted　to　him　by　Richard；　as　well　as　other　points；　had　colored　them　with　his　own　deductions；　and　spoke　accordingly。　Afy　was　taken　in。

〃He　had　left　his　hat　therenothing　else。　It　was　a　warm　evening；　and　he　had　gone　out　without　it。〃

〃He　told　you；　I　believe；　sufficient　to　convince　you　of　the　guilt　of　Richard　Hare？〃　Another　shaft　thrown　at　random。

〃I　did　not　want　convincingI　knew　it　without。　Everybody　else　knew　it。〃

〃To　be　sure；〃　equably　returned　Lawyer　Ball。　〃Did　Captain　Thorn　/see/　it　donedid　he　tell　you　that？〃

〃He　had　got　his　hat；　and　was　away　down　the　wood　some　little　distance；　when　he　heard　voices　in　dispute　in　the　cottage；　and　recognized　one　of　them　to　be　that　of　my　father。　The　shot　followed　close　upon　it；　and　he　guessed　some　mischief　had　been　done；　though　he　did　not　suspect　its　extent。〃

〃Thorn　told　you　thiswhen？〃

〃The　same　nightmuch　later。〃

〃How　came　you　to　see　him？〃

Afy　hesitated；　but　she　was　sternly　told　to　answer　the　question。

〃A　boy　came　up　to　the　cottage　and　called　me　out；　and　said　a　strange　gentleman　wanted　to　see　me　in　the　wood；　and　had　given　him　sixpence　to　come　for　me。　I　went；　and　found　Captain　Thorn。　He　asked　me　what　the　commotion　was　about；　and　I　told　him　Richard　Hare　had　killed　my　father。　He　said；　that　now　I　spoke　of　him；　he　could　recognize　Richard　Hare's　as　having　been　the　other　voice　in　the　dispute。〃

〃What　boy　was　thatthe　one　who　came　for　you？〃

〃It　was　Mother　Whiteman's　little　son。〃

〃And　Captain　Thorn　then　gave　you　this　version　of　the　tragedy？〃

〃It　was　the　right　version；〃　resentfully　spoke　Afy。

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃

〃Oh！　because　I'm　sure　it　was。　Who　else　would　kill　him　but　Richard　Hare？　It　is　a　scandalous　shame；　your　wanting　to　put　it　upon　Thorn！〃

〃Look　at　the　prisoner；　Sir　Francis　Levison。　Is　it　he　whom　you　knew　as　Thorn？〃

〃Yes；　but　that　does　not　make　him　guilty　of　the　murder。〃

〃Of　course　it　does　not；〃　complacently　assented　Lawyer　Ball。　〃How　long　did　you　remain　with　Captain　Thorn　in　Londonupon　that　little　visit；　you　know？〃

Afy　started　like　anybody　moonstruck。

〃When　you　quitted　this　place；　after　the　tragedy；　it　was　to　join　Captain　Thorn　in　London。　How　long；　I　ask；　did　you　remain　with　him？〃

Entirely　a　random　shaft；　this。　But　Richard　had　totally　denied　to　Lawyer　Ball　the　popular　assumption　that　Afy　had　been　with　him。

〃Who　says　I　was　with　him？　Who　says　I　went　after　him？〃　flashed　Afy；　with　scarlet　cheeks。

〃I　do；〃　replied　Lawyer　Ball；　taking　notes　of　her　confusion。　〃Come；　it's　over　and　done　withit's　of　no　use　to　deny　it　now。　We　all　go　upon　visits　to　friends　sometimes。〃

〃I　never　heard　anything　so　bold！〃　cried　Afy。　〃Where　will　you　tell　me　I　went　next？〃

〃You　are　upon　your　oath；　woman！〃　again　interposed　Justice　Hare；　and　a　trembling；　as　of　agitation；　might　be　detected　in　his　voice；　in　spite　of　its　ringing　severity。　〃Were　you　with　the　prisoner　Levison；　or　were　you　with　Richard　Hare？〃

〃I　with　Richard　Hare！〃　cried　Afy；　agitated　in　her　turn；　and　shaking　like　an　aspen…leaf；　partly　with　discomfiture；　partly　with　unknown　dread。　〃How　dare　that　cruel　falsehood　be　brought　up　again；　to　my　face？　I　never　saw　Richard　Hare　after　the　night　of　the　murder。　I　swear　it。　I　swear　that　I　never　saw　him　since。　Visit　/him/！　I'd　sooner　visit　Calcraft；　the　hangman。〃

There　was　truth　in　the　wordsin　the　tone。　The　chairman　let　fall　the　hand　which　had　been　raised　to　his　face；　holding　on　his　eye…glasses；　and　a　sort　of　self…condemning　fear　arose；　confusing　his　brain。　His　son；　proved　innocent　of　one　part；　/might/　be　proved　innocent　of　the　other；　and　thenhow　would　his　own　harsh　conduct　show　out！　West　Lynne；　in　its　charity；　the　justice　in　his；　had　cast　more　odium　to　Richard；　with　regard　to　his　after　conduct　touc