east lynne-第11节

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ly　had；　but　they　were　not　sharp　ones。

〃Is　my　mother　coming　out　to　me？〃　asked　Richard；　after　a　few　interchanged　sentences　with　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃No。　You　are　to　go　indoors。　Your　father　is　away；　and　the　servants　are　shut　up　in　the　kitchen　and　will　not　see　you。　Though　if　they　did；　they　could　never　recognize　you　in　that　trim。　A　fine　pair　of　whiskers；　Richard。〃

〃Let　us　go　in；　then。　I　am　all　in　a　twitter　till　I　get　away。　Am　I　to　have　the　money？〃

〃Yes；　yes。　But；　Richard；　your　sister　says　you　wish　to　disclose　to　me　the　true　history　of　that　lamentable　night。　You　had　better　speak　while　we　are　here。〃

〃It　was　Barbara　herself　wanted　you　to　hear　it。　I　think　it　of　little　moment。　If　the　whole　place　heard　the　truth　from　me；　it　would　do　no　good；　for　I　should　get　no　beliefnot　even　from　you。〃

〃Try　me；　Richard；　in　as　few　words　as　possible。〃

〃Well；　there　was　a　row　at　home　about　my　going　so　much　to　Hallijohn's。　The　governor　and　my　mother　thought　I　went　after　Afy；　perhaps　I　did；　and　perhaps　I　didn't。　Hallijohn　had　asked　me　to　lend　him　my　gun；　and　that　evening；　when　I　went　to　see　Afwhen　I　went　to　see　some　one　never　mind〃

〃Richard；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃there's　an　old　saying；　and　it　is　sound　advice：　'Tell　the　whole　truth　to　your　lawyer　and　your　doctor。'　If　I　am　to　judge　whether　anything　can　be　attempted　for　you；　you　must　tell　it　to　me；　otherwise；　I　would　rather　hear　nothing。　It　shall　be　sacred　trust。〃

〃Then；　if　I　must；　I　must；〃　returned　the　yielding　Richard。　〃I　did　love　the　girl。　I　would　have　waited　till　I　was　my　own　master　to　make　her　my　wife；　though　it　had　been　for　years　and　years。　I　could　not　do　it；　you　know；　in　the　face　of　my　father's　opposition。〃

〃Your　wife？〃　rejoined　Mr。　Carlyle；　with　some　emphasis。

Richard　looked　surprised。　〃Why；　you　don't　suppose　I　meant　anything　else！　I　wouldn't　have　been　such　a　blackguard。〃

〃Well；　go　on；　Richard。　Did　she　return　your　love？〃

〃I　can't　be　certain。　Sometimes　I　thought　she　did；　sometimes　not；　she　used　to　play　and　shuffle；　and　she　liked　too　much　to　be　withhim。　I　would　think　her　capricioustelling　me　I　must　not　come　this　evening；　and　I　must　not　come　the　other；　but　I　found　out　they　were　the　evenings　when　she　was　expecting　him。　We　were　never　there　together。〃

〃You　forget　that　you　have　not　indicted　'him'　by　any　name；　Richard。　I　am　at　fault。〃

Richard　Hare　bent　forward　till　his　black　whiskers　brushed　Mr。　Carlyle's　shoulder。　〃It　was　that　cursed　Thorn。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　remembered　the　name　Barbara　had　mentioned。　〃Who　was　Thorn？　I　never　heard　of　him。〃

〃Neither　had　anybody　else；　I　expect；　in　West　Lynne。　He　took　precious　good　care　of　that。　He　lives　some　miles　away；　and　used　to　come　over　in　secret。〃

〃Courting　Afy？〃

〃Yes；　he　did　come　courting　her；〃　returned　Richard；　in　a　savage　tone。　〃Distance　was　no　barrier。　He　would　come　galloping　over　at　dusk；　tie　his　horse　to　a　tree　in　the　wood；　and　pass　an　hour　or　two　with　Afy。　In　the　house；　when　her　father　was　not　at　home；　roaming　about　the　woods　with　her；　when　he　was。〃

〃Come　to　the　point；　Richardto　the　evening。〃

〃Hallijohn's　gun　was　out　of　order；　and　he　requested　the　loan　of　mine。　I　had　made　an　appointment　with　Afy　to　be　at　her　house　that　evening；　and　I　went　down　after　dinner；　carrying　the　gun　with　me。　My　father　called　after　me　to　know　where　I　was　going；　I　said；　out　with　young　Beauchamp；　not　caring　to　meet　his　opposition；　and　the　lie　told　against　me　at　the　inquest。　When　I　reached　Hallijohn's；　going　the　back　way　along　the　fields；　and　through　the　wood…path；　as　I　generally　did　go；　Afy　came　out；　all　reserve；　as　she　could　be　at　times；　and　said　she　was　unable　to　receive　me　then；　that　I　must　go　back　home。　We　had　a　few　words　about　it；　and　as　we　were　speaking；　Locksley　passed；　and　saw　me　with　the　gun　in　my　hand；　but　it　ended　in　my　giving　way。　She　could　do　just　what　she　liked　with　me；　for　I　loved　the　very　ground　she　trod　on。　I　gave　her　the　gun；　telling　her　it　was　loaded；　and　she　took　it　indoors；　shutting　me　out。　I　did　not　go　away；　I　had　a　suspicion　that　she　had　got　Thorn　there；　though　she　denied　it　to　me；　and　I　hid　myself　in　some　trees　near　the　house。　Again　Locksley　came　in　view　and　saw　me　there；　and　called　out　to　know　why　I　was　hiding。　I　shied　further　off；　and　did　not　answer　himwhat　were　my　private　movements　to　him？and　that　also　told　against　me　at　the　inquest。　Not　long　afterwardstwenty　minutes；　perhapsI　heard　a　shot；　which　seemed　to　be　in　the　direction　of　the　cottage。　'Somebody　having　a　late　pop　at　the　partridges；'　thought　I；　for　the　sun　was　then　setting；　and　at　the　moment　I　saw　Bethel　emerge　from　the　trees；　and　run　in　the　direction　of　the　cottage。　That　was　the　shot　that　killed　Hallijohn。〃

There　was　a　pause。　Mr。　Carlyle　looked　keenly　at　Richard　there　in　the　moonlight。

〃Very　soon；　almost　in　the　same　moment；　as　it　seemed；　some　one　came　panting　and　tearing　along　the　path　leading　from　the　cottage。　It　was　Thorn。　His　appearance　startled　me：　I　had　never　seen　a　man　show　more　utter　terror。　His　face　was　livid；　his　eyes　seemed　starting；　and　his　lips　were　drawn　back　from　his　teeth。　Had　I　been　a　strong　man　I　should　surely　have　attacked　him。　I　was　mad　with　jealousy；　for　I　then　saw　that　Afy　had　sent　me　away　that　she　might　entertain　him。〃

〃I　thought　you　said　this　Thorn　never　came　but　at　dusk；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃I　never　knew　him　to　do　so　until　that　evening。　All　I　can　say　is；　he　was　there　then。　He　flew　along　swiftly；　and　I　afterwards　heard　the　sound　of　his　horse's　hoofs　galloping　away。　I　wondered　what　was　up　that　he　should　look　so　scared；　and　scutter　away　as　though　the　deuce　was　after　him；：　I　wondered　whether　he　had　quarreled　with　Afy。　I　ran　to　the　house；　leaped　up　the　two　steps；　andCarlyleI　fell　over　the　prostrate　body　of　Hallijohn！　He　was　lying　just　within；　on　the　kitchen　floor；　dead。　Blood　was　round　about　him；　and　my　gun；　just　discharged；　was　thrown　near。　He　had　been　shot　in　the　side。〃

Richard　stopped　for　breath。　Mr。　Carlyle　did　not　speak。

〃I　called　to　Afy。　No　one　answered。　No　one　was　in　the　lower　room；　and　it　seemed　that　no　one　was　in　the　upper。　A　sort　of　panic　came　over　me；　a　fear。　You　know　they　always　said　at　home　I　was　a　coward：　I　could　not　have　remained　another　minute　with　that　dead　man；　had　it　been　to　save　my　own　life。　I　caught　up　the　gun；　and　was　making　off；　when〃

〃Why　did　you　catch　up　the　gun？〃　interrupted　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Ideas　pass　through　our　minds　quicker　than　we　can　speak　them；　especially　in　these　sorts　of　moments；〃　was　the　reply　of　Richard　Hare。　〃Some　vague　notion　flashed　on　my　brain　that　/my　gun/　ought　not　to　be　found　near　the　murdered　body　of　Hallijohn。　I　was　flying　from　the　door；　I　say；　when　Locksley　emerged　from　the　wood；　full　in　view；　and　what　possessed　me　I　can't　tell；　but　I　did　the　worst　thing　I　could　doflung　the　gun　indoors　again；　and　got　away；　although　Locksley　called　after　me　to　stop。〃

〃Nothing　told　against　you　so　much　as　that；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Locksley　deposed　that　he　had　seen　you　leave　the　cottage；　gun　in　hand；　apparently　in　great　commotion；　that　the　moment　you　saw　him；　you　hesitated；　as　from　fear；　flung　back　the　gun；　and　escaped。〃

Richard　stamped　his　foot。　〃Aye；　and　all　owing　to　my　cursed　cowardice。　They　had　better　have　made　a　woman　of　me；　and　brought　me　up　in　petticoats。　But　let　me　go　on。　I　came　upon　Bethel。　He　was　standing　in　that　half…circle　where　the　trees　have　been　cut。　Now　I　knew　that　Bethel；　if　he　had　gone　straight　in　the　direction　of　the　cottage；　must　have　met　Thorn　quitting　it。　'Did　you　encounter　that　hound？'　I　asked　him。　'What　hound？'　returned　Bethel。　'That　fine　fellow；　that　Thorn；　who　comes　after　Afy；'　I　answered；　for　I　did　not　mind　mentioning　her　name　in　my　passion。　'I　don't　know　any　Thorn；'　returned　Bethel；　'and　I　did　not　know　anybody　was　after　Afy　but　yourself。'　'Did　you　hear　a　shot？'　I　went　on。　'Yes；　I　did；'　he　replied；　'I　suppose　it　was　Locksley；　for　he's　about　this　evening；'　'And　I　saw　you；'　I　continued；　'just　at　the　moment　the　shot　was　fired；　turn　round　the　corner　in　the　direction　of　Hallijohn's。'　'So　I　did；'　he　said；　'but　only　to　strike　into　the　wood；　a　few　paces　up。　What's　your　drift？'　'Did　you　not　encounter　Thorn；　running　from　the　cottage？'　I　persisted。　'I　have　encountered　no　one；'　he　said；　'and　I　don't　believe　anybody's　about　but　ourselves　and　Locksley。'　I　quitted　him；　and　came　off；〃　concluded　Richard　Hare。　〃He　evidently　had　not　seen　Thorn；　and　knew　nothing。〃

〃And　you　decamped　the　same　night；　Richard；　it　was　a　fatal　step。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　a　fool。　I　thought　I'd　wait　quiet；　and　see　how　things　turned　out；　but　you　don't　know　all。　Three　or　four　hours　later；　I　went　to　the　cottage　again；　and　I　managed　to　get　a　minute's　speech　with　Afy。　I　never　shall　forget　it；　before　I　could　say　one　syllable　she　flew　out　at　me；　accusing　me　of　being　the　murderer　of　her　father；　and　she　fell　into　hysterics　out　there　on　the　grass。　The　noise　brought　people　from　the　houseplenty　were　in　it　thenand　I　retreated。　'If　/she/　can　think　me　guilty；　the　world　will　think　me　guilty；'　was　my　argument；　and　that　night　I　went　right　off；　to　stop　in　hiding　for　a　day　or　two；　till　I　saw　my　way　clear。　It　never　came　clear；　the　coroner's　inquest　sat；　and　the　verdict　floored　me　over。　And　Afybut　I　won't　curse　her　fanned　the　flame　against　me　by　denying　that　any　one　had　been　there　that　night。　'She　had　been　at　home；'　she　said；　'and　had　s