east lynne-第108节

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〃　but　the　bench　oracularly　put　Mr。　Rubiny　down；　and　told　him　they　did　not　want　any　stranger　to　come　there　and　teach　them　their　business。

Colonel　Bethel　had　leaned　forward　at　the　conclusion　of　Mr。　Dill's　evidence；　dismay　on　his　face；　agitation　in　his　voice。　〃Are　you　sure　that　you　made　no　mistakethat　the　other　in　this　interview　was　Otway　Bethel？〃

Mr。　Dill　sadly　shook　his　head。　〃Am　I　one　to　swear　to　a　wrong　man；　colonel？　I　wish　I　had　not　heard　itsave　that　it　may　be　the　means　of　clearing　Richard　Hare。〃

Sir　Francis　Levison　had　braved　out　the　proceedings　with　a　haughty；　cavalier　air；　his　delicate　hands　and　his　diamond　ring　remarkably　conspicuous。　Was　that　stone　the　real　thing；　or　a　false　one；　substituted　for　the　real？　Hard　up　as　he　had　long　been　for　money；　the　suspicion　might　arise。　A　derisive　smile　crossed　his　features　at　parts　of　the　evidence；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃You　may　convict　me　as　to　Mademoiselle　Afy；　but　you　can't　as　to　the　murder。〃　When；　however；　Mr。　Dill's　testimony　was　given；　what　a　change　was　there！　His　mood　tamed　down　to　what　looked　like　abject　fear；　and　he　shook　in　his　shoes　as　he　stood。

〃Of　course　your　worships　will　take　bail　for　Sir　Francis？〃　said　Mr。　Rubiny；　at　the　close　of　the　proceedings。

Bail！　The　bench　looked　at　one　another。

〃Your　worships　will　not　refuse　ita　gentleman　in　Sir　Francis　Levison's　position！〃

The　bench　thought　they　never　had　so　insolent　an　application　made　to　them。　Bail　for　him！on　this　charge！　No；　not　if　the　lord　chancellor　himself　came　down　to　offer　it。

Mr。　Otway　Bethel；　conscious；　probably；　that　nobody　would　offer　bail　for　him；　not　even　the　colonel；　did　not　ask　the　bench　to　take　it。　So　the　two　were　fully　committed　to　take　their　trial　for　the　〃Wilful　murder；　otherwise　the　killing　and　slaying　of　George　Hallijohn；〃　and　before　night　would　be　on　their　road　to　the　county　prison　at　Lynneborough。

And　that　vain；　ill…starred　Afy！　What　of　her？　Well；　Afy　had　retreated　to　the　witness…room　again；　after　giving　evidence；　and　there　she　remained　to　the　close；　agreeably　occupied　in　a　mental　debate。　What　would　they　make　out　from　her　admission　regarding　her　sojourn　in　London　and　the　morning　calls？　How　would　that　precious　West　Lynne　construe　it？　She　did　not　much　care；　she　would　brave　it　out；　and　assail　them　with　towering　indignation；　did　any　dare　to　cast　a　stone　at　her。

Such　was　her　final　decision；　arrived　at　just　as　the　proceedings　terminated。　Afy　was　right　glad　to　remain　where　she　was；　till　some　of　the　bustle　had　gone。

〃How　was　it　ended？〃　asked　she　of　Mr。　Ball；　who；　being　a　bachelor；　was　ever　regarded　with　much　graciousness　by　Afy；　for　she　kept　her　eyes　open　to　contingencies；　although　Mr。　Joe　Jiffin　was　held　in　reserve。

〃They　are　both　committed　for　wilful　murderoff　to　Lynneborough　within　an　hour！〃

Afy's　color　rose。　〃What　a　shame！　To　commit　two　innocent　men　upon　such　a　charge。〃

〃I　can　tell　you　what；　Miss　Afy；　the　sooner　you　disabuse　your　mind　of　that　prejudice；　the　better。　Levison　has　been　as　good　as　proved　guilty　to…day；　but　if　proof　were　wanting；　he　and　Bethel　have　criminated　each　other。　'When　rogues　fall　out；　honest　men　get　their　own。'　Not　that　I　can　quite　fathom　Bethel's　share　in　the　exploit；　though　I　can　pretty　well　guess　at　it。　And；　in　proving　themselves　guilty　they　have　proved　the　innocence　of　Richard　Hare。〃

Afy's　face　was　changing　to　whiteness；　her　confident　air　to　one　of　dread；　her　vanity　to　humiliation。

〃Itcan'tbetrue！〃　she　gasped。

〃It's　true　enough。　The　part　you　have　hitherto　ascribed　to　Thorn；　was　enacted　by　Richard　Hare。　He　heard　the　shot　from　his　place　in　the　wood；　and　saw　Thorn　run；　ghastly；　trembling；　horrified；　from　his　wicked　work。　Believe　me；　it　was　Thorn　who　killed　your　father。〃

Afy　grew　cold　as　she　listened。　That　one　awful　moment；　when　conviction　that　his　words　were　true；　forced　itself　upon　her；　was　enough　to　sober　her　for　a　whole　lifetime。　/Thorn！/　Her　sight　failed；　her　head　reeled；　her　very　heart　turned　to　sickness。　One　struggling　cry　of　pain；　and；　for　the　second　time　that　day；　Afy　Hallijohn　fell　forward　in　a　fainting　fit。

Shouts；　hisses；　execrations；　yells！　The　prisoners　were　being　brought　forth；　to　be　conveyed　to　Lynneborough。　A　whole　posse　of　constables　was　necessary　to　protect　them　against　the　outbreak　of　the　mob；　which　outbreak　was　not　directed　against　Otway　Bethel；　but　against　Sir　Francis　Levison。　Cowering　like　the　guilty　culprit　that　he　was；　shivered　he；　hiding　his　white　facewondering　whether　it　would　be　a　repetition　of　Justice　Hare's　green　pond；　or　tearing　him　asunder　piecemealand　cursing　the　earth　because　it　did　not　open　and　let　him　in！



CHAPTER　XLI。

FIRM！

Miss　Lucy　was　/en　penitence/。　She　had　been　guilty　of　some　childish　fault　that　day　at　Aunt　Cornelia's；　which；　coming　to　the　knowledge　of　Mrs。　Carlyle；　after　their　return　home　the　young　lady　was　ordered　to　the　nursery　for　the　rest　of　the　day；　and　to　be　regaled　upon　bread　and　water。

Barbara　was　in　her　pleasant　dressing…room。　There　was　to　be　a　dinner　party　at　East　Lynne　that　evening；　and　she　had　just　finished　dressing。　Very　lovely　looked　she　in　her　dinner　dress；　with　purple　and　scarlet　flowers　in　her　bosom。　She　glanced　at　her　watch　somewhat　anxiously；　for　the　gentlemen　had　not　made　their　appearance。　Half…past　six！　And　they　were　to　dine　at　seven。

Madame　Vine　tapped　at　the　door。　Her　errand　was　to　beg　grace　for　Lucy。　She　had　been　promised　half　an　hour　in　the　drawing…room；　when　the　ladies　entered　it　from　the　dessert…table；　and　was　now　in　agony　of　grief　at　the　disappointment。　Would　Mrs。　Carlyle　pardon　her；　and　allow　her　to　be　dressed？

〃You　are　too　lenient　to　the　child；　madame；〃　spoke　Barbara。　〃I　don't　think　you　ever　would　punish　her　at　all。　But　when　she　commits　faults；　they　must　be　corrected。〃

〃She　is　very　sorry　for　her　fault；　she　promises　not　to　be　rude　again。　She　is　crying　as　if　she　would　cry　her　heart　out。〃

〃Not　for　her　ill…behavior；　but　because　she's　afraid　of　missing　the　drawing…room　to…night；〃　cried　Barbara。

〃Do；　pray；　restore　her　to　favor；〃　pleaded　madame。

〃I　shall　see。　Just　look；　Madame　Vine！　I　broke　this；　a　minute　or　two　ago。　Is　it　not　a　pity？〃

Barbara　held　in　her　hand　a　beautiful　toilette　ornament；　set　in　pure　gold。　One　of　the　petals　had　come　off。

Madame　Vine　examined　it。　〃I　have　some　cement　upstairs　that　would　join　it；〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　could　do　it　in　two　minutes。　I　bought　it　in　France。〃

〃Oh；　I　wish　you　would；〃　was　Barbara's　delighted　response。　〃Do　bring　it　here　and　join　it　now。　Shall　I　bribe　you？〃　she　added；　laughing。　〃You　make　this　all　right；　and　then　you　shall　bear　back　grace　to　Lucyfor　I　perceive　that　is　what　your　heart　is　set　upon。〃

Madame　Vine　went；　and　returned　with　her　cement。　Barbara　watched　her；　as　she　took　the　pieces　in　her　hand；　to　see　how　the　one　must　fit　on　to　the　other。

〃This　has　been　broken　once；　as　Joyce　tells　me；〃　Barbara　said。　〃But　it　must　have　been　imperceptibly　joined；　for　I　have　looked　in　vain　for　the　damage。　Mr。　Carlyle　bought　it　for　his　first　wife；　when　they　were　in　London；　after　their　marriage。　She　broke　it　subsequently　here；　at　East　Lynne。　You　will　never　do　it；　Madame　Vine；　if　your　hand　shakes　like　that。　What　is　the　matter？〃

A　great　deal　was　the　matter。　First；　the　ominous　words　had　been　upon　her　tongue。　〃It　was　here　where　the　stem　joins　the　flower；〃　but　she　recollected　herself　in　time。　Next　came　up　the　past　vision　of　the　place　and　hour　when　the　accident　occurred。　Her　hanging　sleeve　had　swept　it　off　the　table。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　in　the　room；　and　he　had　soothed　her　sorrowher　almost　childish　sorrow　with　kisses　sweet。　Ah　me！　poor　thing！　I　think　our　hands　would　have　shaken　as　hers　did。　The　ornament　and　the　kisses　were　Barbara's　now。

〃I　ran　quickly　up　the　stairs　and　back　again；〃　was　the　explanation　she　offered　to　Mrs。　Carlyle　for　her　shaking　hands。

At　that　moment　Mr。　Carlyle　and　their　guests　were　heard　to　return；　and　ascend　to　their　respective　apartments；　Lord　Vane's　gleeful　voice　echoing　through　the　house。　Mr。　Carlyle　came　into　his　wife's　dressing…　room；　and　Madame　Vine　would　have　made　a　precipitate　retreat。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Barbara；　〃finish　it；　now　you　have　begun。　Mr。　Carlyle　will　be　going　to　his　room。　Look　at　the　misfortune　I　have　had。　Archibald；　I　have　broken　this。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　glanced　carelessly　at　the　trinket；　and　at　Madame　Vine's　white　fingers。　He　crossed　to　the　door　of　his　dressing…room　and　opened　it；　then　held　out　his　hand　in　silence　for　Barbara　to　approach　and　drew　her　in　with　him。　Madame　Vine　went　on　with　her　work。

Presently　Barbara　returned；　and　approached　the　table　where　stood　Madame　Vine；　while　she　drew　on　her　gloves。　Her　eyelashes　were　wet。

〃I　could　not　help　shedding　a　few　tears　of　joy；〃　exclaimed　Barbara；　with　a　pretty　blush；　perceiving　that　madame　observed　the　signs。　〃Mr。　Carlyle　has　been　telling　me　that　my　brother's　innocence　is　now　all　but　patent　to　the　world。　It　came　out　upon　the　examination　of　those　two　men；　Sir　Francis　and　Otway　Bethel。　Lord　Mount　Severn　was　present　at　the　proceedings；　and　says　they　have　in　some　way　incriminated　each　other。　Papa　sat　in　his　place　as　chairman；　I　wonder　that　he　liked　to　do　so。〃

Lower　bent　the　head　of　Madame　Vine　over　her　employment。　〃Has　anything　been　proved　against　them？〃　she　asked；　in　her　usual　soft　tone；　almost　a　whisper。

〃There　is　not　the　least