east lynne-第114节

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g　children！　It　is　astonishing　how　very　readily；　when　the　right　means　are　taken；　they　may　be　brought　to　look　with　pleasure；　rather　than　fear；　upon　their　unknown　journey。

The　brilliant　hectic；　type　of　the　disease；　had　gone　from　his　cheeks；　his　features　were　white　and　wasted；　and　his　eyes　large　and　bright。　His　silky　brown　hair　was　pushed　off　his　temples；　and　his　little　hot　hands　were　thrown　outside　the　bed。

〃It　won't　be　very　long　to　wait；　you　know；　will　it；　Madame　Vine？〃

〃For　what；　darling？〃

〃Before　they　all　come。　Papa　and　mamma；　and　Lucy；　and　all　of　them。〃

A　jealous　feeling　shot　across　her　wearied　heart。　Was　/she/　nothing　to　him？　〃Do　you　not　care　that　I　should　come　to　you；　William？〃

〃Yes；　I　hope　you　will。　But　do　you　think　we　shall　know　/everybody/　in　Heaven？　Or　will　it　be　only　our　own　relations？〃

〃Oh；　child！　I　think　there　will　be　no　relations；　as　you　call　it；　up　there。　We　can　trust　all　that　to　God；　however　it　may　be。〃

William　lay　looking　upward　at　the　sky；　apparently　in　thought；　a　dark　blue；　serene　sky；　from　which　shone　the　hot　July　sun。　His　bed　had　been　moved　toward　the　window；　for　he　liked　to　sit　in　it；　and　look　at　the　landscape。　The　window　was　open　now；　and　the　butterflies　and　bees　sported　in　the　summer　air。

〃I　wonder　how　it　will　be？〃　pondered　he；　aloud。　〃There　will　be　the　beautiful　city；　its　gates　of　pearl；　and　its　shining　precious　stones；　and　its　streets　of　gold；　and　there　will　be　the　clear　river；　and　the　trees　with　their　fruits　and　their　healing　leaves；　and　the　lovely　flowers；　and　there　will　be　the　harps；　and　music；　and　singing。　And　what　else　will　there　be？〃

〃Everything　that　is　desirable　and　beautiful；　William；　but；　what　we　may　not　anticipate　here。〃

Another　pause。　〃Madame　Vine；　will　Jesus　come　for　me；　do　you　think；　or　will　He　send　an　angel？〃

〃Jesus　has　/promised/　to　come　for　His　own　redeemedfor　those　who　love　Him　and　wait　for　Him。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　and　then　I　shall　be　happy　forever。　It　will　be　so　pleasant　to　be　there；　never　to　be　tired　or　ill　again。〃

〃Pleasant？　Ay！　Oh；　William！　Would　that　the　time　were　come！〃

She　was　thinking　of　herselfof　her　freedomthough　the　boy　knew　it　not。　She　buried　her　face　in　her　hands　and　continued　speaking；　William　had　to　bend　his　ear　to　catch　the　faint　whisper。

〃　'And　there　shall　be　no　more　death；　neither　sorrow；　nor　crying：　neither　shall　there　be　any　more　pain；　for　the　former　things　are　passed　away。'　〃

〃Madame　Vine；　do　you　think　mamma　will　be　there？〃　he　presently　asked。　〃I　mean　mamma　that　was。〃

〃Ay；　ere　long。〃

〃But　how　shall　I　know　her？　You　see；　I　have　nearly　forgotten　what　she　was　like。〃

She　leaned　over　him；　laying　her　forehead　upon　his　wasted　arm；　and　burst　into　a　flood　of　impassioned　tears。　〃You　will　know　her；　never　fear；　William；　she　has　not　forgotten　you。〃

〃But　how　can　we　be　sure　that　she　will　be　there？〃　debated　William；　after　a　pause　of　thought。　〃You　know〃sinking　his　voice；　and　speaking　with　hesitation〃she　was　not　quite　good；　she　was　not　good　enough　to　papa　or　to　us。　Sometimes　I　think；　suppose　she　did　not　grow　good；　and　did　not　ask　God　to　forgive　her！〃

〃Oh；　William！〃　sobbed　the　unhappy　lady；　〃her　whole　life；　after　she　left　you；　was　one　long　scene　of　repentance；　of　seeking　forgiveness。　Her　repentance；　her　sorrow；　was　greater　than　she　could　bear；　and〃

〃And　what？〃　asked　William；　for　there　was　a　pause。

〃Her　heart　broke　in　ityearning　after　you　and　your　father。〃

〃What　makes　you　think　it？〃

〃Child；　I　/know/　it！〃

William　considered。　Then；　had　he　been　strong　enough；　he　would　have　started　up　with　energy。　〃Madame　Vine；　you　could　only　know　that　by　mamma's　telling　you！　Did　you　ever　see　her？　Did　you　know　her　abroad？〃

Lady　Isabel's　thoughts　were　far　awayup　in　the　clouds　perhaps。　She　reflected　not　on　the　possible　consequences　of　her　answer；　or　she　had　never　given　it。

〃Yes；　I　knew　her　abroad。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　the　boy。　〃Why　did　you　never　tell　us？　What　did　she　say？　What　was　she　like？〃

〃She　said〃sobbing　wildly〃that　she　was　parted　from　her　children　here；　but　she　should　meet　them　in　Heaven；　and　be　with　them　forever。　William；　darling！　all　the　awful　pain；　and　sadness；　and　guilt　of　this　world　will　be　washed　out；　and　God　will　wipe　your　tears　away。〃

〃What　was　her　face　like？〃　he　questioned　softly。

〃Like　yours。　Very　much　like　Lucy's。〃

〃Was　she　pretty？〃

A　momentary　pause。　〃Yes。〃

〃Oh；　dear；　I　am　ill。　Hold　me！〃　cried　out　William；　as　his　head　sank　to　one　side；　and　great　drops；　as　large　as　peas；　broke　forth　upon　his　clammy　face。　It　appeared　to　be　one　of　the　temporary　faint　attacks　that　overpowered　him　at　times　lately；　and　Lady　Isabel　rang　the　bell　hastily。

Wilson　came　in；　in　answer。　Joyce　was　the　usual　attendant　upon　the　sick　room；　but　Mrs。　Carlyle；　with　her　infant；　was　passing　the　day　at　the　Grove；　unconscious　of　the　critical　state　of　William；　and　she　had　taken　Joyce　with　her。　It　was　the　day　following　the　trial。　Mr。　Justice　Hare　had　been　brought　to　West　Lynne　in　his　second　attack；　and　Barbara　had　gone　to　see　him；　to　console　her　mother；　and　to　welcome　Richard　to　his　home　again。　If　one　carriage　drove；　that　day；　to　the　Grove；　with　cards　and　inquiries；　fifty　did；　not　to　speak　of　the　foot　callers。　〃It　is　all　meant　by　way　of　attention　to　you；　Richard；〃　said　gentle　Mrs。　Hare；　smiling　through　her　loving　tears　at　her　restored　son。　Lucy　and　Archie　were　dining　at　Miss　Carlyle's；　and　Sarah　attended　little　Arthur；　leaving　Wilson　free。　She　came　in；　in　answer　to　Madame　Vine's　ring。

〃Is　he　off　in　another　faint？〃　unceremoniously　cried　she；　hastening　to　the　bed。

〃I　think　so。　Help　to　raise　him。〃

William　did　not　faint。　No；　the　attack　was　quite　different　from　those　he　was　subject　to。　Instead　of　losing　consciousness　and　power；　as　was　customary；　he　shook　as　if　he　had　the　ague；　and　laid　hold　both　of　Madame　Vine　and　Wilson；　grasping　them　convulsively。

〃Don't　let　me　fall！　Don't　let　me　fall！〃　he　gasped。

〃My　dear；　you　cannot　fall；〃　responded　Madame　Vine。　〃You　forget　that　you　are　on　the　bed。〃

He　clasped　them　yet；　and　trembled　still；　as　from　fear。　〃Don't　let　me　fall！　Don't　let　me　fall〃　the　incessant　burden　of　his　cry。

The　paroxysm　passed。　They　wiped　his　brow；　and　stood　looking　at　him；　Wilson　with　a　pursed　up　mouth；　and　a　peculiar　expression　of　face。　She　put　a　spoonful　of　restorative　jelly　between　his　lips；　and　he　swallowed　it；　but　shook　his　head　when　she　would　have　given　him　another。　Turning　his　face　to　the　pillow；　in　a　few　minutes　he　was　in　a　doze。

〃What　could　it　have　been？〃　exclaimed　Lady　Isabel；　in　an　undertone；　to　Wilson。

〃/I/　know；〃　was　the　oracular　answer。　〃I　saw　this　same　sort　of　an　attack　once　before；　madame。〃

〃And　what　caused　it？〃

〃Twasn't　in　a　child　though；〃　went　on　Wilson〃'twas　in　a　grown　person。　But　that's　nothing；　it　comes　for　the　same　thing　in　all。　I　think　he　was　taken　for　death。〃

〃Who？〃　uttered　Lady　Isabel；　startled。

Wilson　made　no　reply　in　words；　but　she　pointed　with　her　finger　to　the　bed。

〃Oh；　Wilson；　he　is　not　so　ill　as　that。　Mr。　Wainwright　said　this　morning；　that　he　might　last　a　week　or　two。〃

Wilson　composedly　sat　herself　down　in　the　easiest　chair。　She　was　not　wont　to　put　herself　out　of　the　way　for　the　governess；　and　that　governess　was　too　much　afraid　of　her；　in　one　sense；　to　let　her　know　her　place。　〃As　to　Wainwright；　he's　nobody；〃　quoth　she。　〃And　if　he　saw　the　child's　breath　going　out　before　his　face；　and　knew　that　the　next　moment　would　be　his　last；　he'd　vow　to　us　all　that　he　was　good　for　twelve　hours　to　come。　You　don't　know　Wainwright　as　I　do；　madame。　He　was　our　doctor　at　mother's；　and　he　has　attended　in　all　the　places　I　have　lived　in　since　I　went　out　to　service。　Five　years　I　was　maid　at　Mrs。　Hare's。　I　came　here　when　Miss　Lucy　was　a　baby；　and　in　all　my　places　has　he　attended；　like　one's　shadow。　My　Lady　Isabel　thought　great　guns　of　old　Wainwright；　I　remember。　It　was　more　than　I　did。〃

My　Lady　Isabel　made　no　response　to　this。　She　took　a　seat　and　watched　William　through　her　glasses。　His　breathing　was　more　labored　than　usual。

〃That　idiot；　Sarah；　says　to　me　to…day；　says　she；　'Which　of　his　two　grandpapas　will　they　bury　him　by；　old　Mr。　Carlyle　or　Lord　Mount　Severn？'　'Don't　be　a　calf！'　I　answered　her。　'D'ye　think　they'll　stick　him　out　in　the　corner　with　my　lord？he'll　be　put　into　the　Carlyle　vault；　of　course；'　It　would　have　been　different；　you　see；　Madame　Vine；　if　my　lady　had　died　at　home；　all　properMr。　Carlyle's　wife。　They'd　have　buried　her；　no　doubt；　by　her　father；　and　the　boy　would　have　been　laid　with　her。　But　she　did　not。〃

No　reply　was　made　by　Madame　Vine；　and　a　silence　ensued；　nothing　to　be　heard　but　that　fleeting　breath。

〃I　wonder　how　that　beauty　feels？〃　suddenly　broke　forth　Wilson　again；　her　tone　one　of　scornful　irony。

Lady　Isabel；　her　eyes　and　her　thoughts　absorbed　by　William；　positively　thought　Wilson's　words　must　relate　to　him。　She　turned　to　her　in　surprise。

〃That　bright　gem　in　the　prison　at　Lynneborough；〃　exclaimed　Wilson。　〃I　hope　he　may　have　found　himself　pretty　well　since　yesterday！　I　wonder　how　many　trainfuls　from　West　Lynne　will　go　to　his　hanging？〃

Isabel's　face　turned　crimson；　her　heart　sick。　She　had　not　dared　to　inquire　how　the　trial　terminated。　The　subject　altogether　was　too　dreadful；　and　nobody　had　happened　to　mention　it　in　her　hearing。

〃Is　he　condemned？〃　she　breathed；