east lynne-第115节

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　dreadful；　and　nobody　had　happened　to　mention　it　in　her　hearing。

〃Is　he　condemned？〃　she　breathed；　in　a　low　tone。

〃He　is　condemned；　and　good　luck　to　him！　And　Mr。　Otway　Bethel's　let　loose　again；　and　good　luck　to　/him/。　A　nice　pair　they　are！　Nobody　went　from　this　house　to　hear　the　trialit　might　not　have　been　pleasant；　you　know；　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　but　people　came　in　last　night　and　told　us　all　about　it。　Young　Richard　Hare　chiefly　convicted　him。　He　is　back　again；　and　so　nice…looking；　they　sayten　times　more　so　than　he　was　when　quite　a　young　man。　You　should　have　heard；　they　say；　the　cheering　and　shouts　that　greeted　Mr。　Richard　when　his　innocence　came　out；　it　pretty　near　rose　off　the　roof　of　the　court；　and　the　judge　didn't　stop　it。〃

Wilson　paused；　but　there　was　no　answering　comment。　On　she　went　again。

〃When　Mr。　Carlyle　brought　the　news　home　last　evening；　and　broke　it　to　his　wife；　telling　her　how　Mr。　Richard　had　been　received　with　acclamations；　she　nearly　fainted；　for　she's　not　strong　yet。　Mr。　Carlyle　called　out　to　me　to　bring　some　waterI　was　in　the　next　room　with　the　babyand　there　she　was；　the　tears　raining　from　her　eyes；　and　he　holding　her　to　him。　I　always　said　there　was　a　whole　world　of　love　between　those　two；　though　he　did　go　and　marry　another。　Mr。　Carlyle　ordered　me　to　put　the　water　down；　and　sent　me　away　again。　But　I　don't　fancy　he　told　her　of　old　Hare's　attack　until　this　morning。〃

Lady　Isabel　lifted　her　aching　forehead。　〃What　attack？〃

〃Why；　madame；　don't　you　know。　I　declare　you　box　yourself　up　in　the　house；　keeping　from　everybody；　and　you　hear　nothing。　You　might　as　well　be　living　at　the　bottom　of　a　coal…pit。　Old　Hare　had　another　stroke　in　the　court　at　Lynneborough；　and　that's　why　my　mistress　is　gone　to　the　Grove　to…day。〃

〃Who　says　Richard　Hare's　come　home；　Wilson？〃

The　questionthe　weak；　scarcely　audible　questionhad　come　from　the　dying　boy。　Wilson　threw　up　her　hands；　and　made　a　bound　to　the　bed。　〃The　like　of　that！〃　she　uttered；　aside　to　Mrs。　Vine。　〃One　never　knows　when　to　take　these　sick　ones。　Master　William；　you　hold　your　tongue　and　drop　to　sleep　again。　Your　papa　will　be　home　soon　from　Lynneborough；　and　if　you　talk　and　get　tired；　he'll　say　it's　my　fault。　Come　shut　your　eyes。　Will　you　have　a　bit　more　jelly？〃

William；　making　no　reply　to　the　offer　of　jelly；　buried　his　face　again　on　the　pillow。　But　he　was　grievously　restless；　the　nearly　worn…out　spirit　was　ebbing　and　flowing。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　at　Lynneborough。　He　always　had　much　business　there　at　assize　time　and　the　/Nisi　Prius/　Court；　but　the　previous　day　he　had　not　gone　himself；　Mr。　Dill　had　been　dispatched　to　represent　him。

Between　seven　and　eight　he　returned　home；　and　came　into　William's　chamber。　The　boy　brightened　up　at　the　well…known　presence。

〃Papa！〃

Mr。　Carlyle　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　kissed　him。　The　passing　beams　of　the　sun；　slanting　from　the　horizon；　shone　into　the　room；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　could　view　well　the　dying　face。　The　gray　hue　of　death　was　certainly　on　it。

〃Is　he　worse？〃　he　exclaimed　hastily；　to　Madame　Vine；　who　was　jacketed；　and　capped；　and　spectacled；　and　tied　up　round　the　throat；　and　otherwise　disguised；　in　her　universal　fashion。

〃He　appears　worse　this　evening；　sirmore　weak。〃

〃Papa；〃　panted　William；　〃is　the　trial　over？〃

〃What　trial；　my　boy？〃

〃Sir　Francis　Levison's。〃

〃It　was　over　yesterday。　Never　trouble　your　head　about　him；　my　brave　boy；　he　is　not　worth　it。〃

〃But　I　want　to　know。　Will　they　hang　him？〃

〃He　is　sentenced　to　it。〃

〃Did　he　kill　Hallijohn？〃

〃Yes。　Who　has　been　talking　to　him　upon　the　subject？〃　Mr。　Carlyle　continued　to　Madame　Vine；　with　marked　displeasure　in　his　tone。

〃Wilson　mentioned　it；　sir；〃　was　the　low　answer。

〃Oh；　papa！　What　will　he　do？　Will　Jesus　forgive　/him/？〃

〃We　must　hope　it。〃

〃Do　you　hope　it；　papa？〃

〃Yes。　I　wish　that　all　the　world　may　be　forgiven；　William；　whatever　may　have　been　their　sins。　My　child；　how　restless　you　seem！〃

〃I　can't　keep　in　one　place；　the　bed　gets　wrong。　Pull　me　up　on　the　pillow；　will　you　Madame　Vine？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　gently　lifted　the　boy　himself。

〃Madame　Vine　is　an　untiring　nurse　to　you；　William；〃　he　observed；　gratefully　casting　a　glance　toward　her　in　the　distance；　where　she　had　retreated；　and　was　shaded　by　the　window　curtain。

William　made　no　reply；　he　seemed　to　be　trying　to　recall　something。　〃I　forget！　I　forget！〃

〃Forget　what？〃　asked　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃It　was　something　I　wanted　to　ask　you；　or　to　tell　you。　Isn't　Lucy　come　home？〃

〃I　suppose　not。〃

〃Papa；　I　want　Joyce。〃

〃I　will　send　her　home　to　you。　I　am　going　for　your　mamma　after　dinner。〃

〃For　mamma？oh；　I　remember　now。　Papa；　how　shall　I　know　mamma　in　Heaven？　Not　this　mamma。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　did　not　immediately　reply。　The　question　may　have　puzzled　him。　William　continued　hastily；　possibly　mistaking　the　motive　of　the　silence。

〃She　/will/　be　in　Heaven；　you　know。〃

〃Yes；　yes；　child；〃　speaking　hurriedly。

〃Madame　Vine　knows　she　will。　She　saw　her　abroad；　and　mamma　told　her　thatwhat　was　it；　madame？〃

Madame　Vine　grew　sick　with　alarm。　Mr。　Carlyle　turned　his　eyes　upon　her　scarlet　faceas　much　as　he　could　get　to　see　of　it。　She　would　have　escaped　from　the　room　if　she　could。

〃Mamma　was　more　sorry　than　she　could　bear；〃　went　on　William；　finding　he　was　not　helped。　〃She　wanted　you；　papa；　and　she　wanted　us；　and　her　heart　broke；　and　she　died。〃

A　flush　rose　to　Mr。　Carlyle's　brow。　He　turned　inquiringly　to　Madame　Vine。

〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；〃　she　murmured；　with　desperate　energy。　〃I　ought　not　to　have　spoken；　I　ought　not　to　have　interfered　in　your　family　affairs。　I　spoke　only　as　I　thought　it　must　be；　sir。　The　boy　seemed　troubled　about　his　mother。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　was　at　sea。　〃Did　you　meet　his　mother　abroad？　I　scarcely　understand。〃

She　lifted　her　hand　and　covered　her　glowing　face。　〃No；　sir。〃　Surely　the　recording　angel　blotted　out　the　words！　If　ever　a　prayer　for　forgiveness　went　up　from　an　aching　heart；　it　must　have　gone　up　then；　for　the　equivocation　over　her　child's　death…bed！

Mr。　Carlyle　went　toward　her。　〃Do　you　perceive　the　change　in　his　countenance？〃　he　whispered。

〃Yes；　sir。　He　has　looked　like　this　since　a　strange　fit　of　trembling　that　came　on　in　the　afternoon。　Wilson　thought　he　might　be　taken　for　death。　I　fear　that　some　four　and　twenty　hours　will　end　it。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　rested　his　elbow　on　the　window　frame；　and　his　hand　upon　his　brow；　his　drooping　eyelids　falling　over　his　eyes。　〃It　is　hard　to　lose　him。〃

〃Oh；　sir；　he　will　be　better　off！〃　she　wailed；　choking　down　the　sobs　and　the　emotion　that　arose　threateningly。　〃We　/can/　bear　death；　it　is　not　the　worst　parting　that　the　earth　knows。　He　will　be　quit　of　this　cruel　world；　sheltered　in　Heaven。　I　wish　we　were　all　there！〃

A　servant　came　to　say　that　Mr。　Carlyle's　dinner　was　served；　and　he　proceeded　to　it　with　what　appetite　he　had。　When　he　returned　to　the　sick　room　the　daylight　had　faded；　and　a　solitary　candle　was　placed　where　its　rays　could　not　fall　upon　the　child's　face。　Mr。　Carlyle　took　the　light　in　his　hand　to　scan　that　face　again。　He　was　lying　sideways　on　the　pillow；　his　hollow　breath　echoing　through　the　room。　The　light　caused　him　to　open　his　eyes。

〃Don't；　papa；　please。　I　like　it　dark。〃

〃Only　for　a　moment；　my　precious　boy。〃　And　not　for　more　than　a　moment　did　Mr。　Carlyle　hold　it。　The　blue；　pinched；　ghastly　look　was　there　yet。　Death　was　certainly　coming　on　quick。

At　that　moment　Lucy　and　Archibald　came　in；　on　their　return　from　their　visit　to　Miss　Carlyle。　The　dying　boy　looked　up　eagerly。

〃Good…bye；　Lucy；〃　he　said；　putting　out　his　cold；　damp　hand。

〃I　am　not　going　out；〃　replied　Lucy。　〃We　have　but　just　come　home。〃

〃Good…bye；　Lucy；〃　repeated　he。

She　laid　hold　of　the　little　hand　then；　leaned　over；　and　kissed　him。　〃Good…bye；　William；　but　indeed　I　am　not　going　out　anywhere。〃

〃I　am；〃　said　he。　〃I　am　going　to　Heaven。　Where's　Archie？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　lifted　Archie　on　to　the　bed。　Lucy　looked　frightened；　Archie　surprised。

〃Archie；　good…bye；　good…bye；　dear；　I　am　going　to　Heaven；　to　that　bright；　blue　sky；　you　know。　I　shall　see　mamma　there；　and　I'll　tell　her　that　you　and　Lucy　are　coming　soon。〃

Lucy；　a　sensitive　child；　broke　into　a　loud　storm　of　sobs；　enough　to　disturb　the　equanimity　of　any　sober　sick　room。　Wilson　hastened　in　at　the　sound；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　sent　the　two　children　away；　with　soothing　promises　that　they　should　see　William　in　the　morning；　if　he　continued　well　enough。

Down　on　her　knees；　her　face　buried　in　the　counterpane；　a　corner　of　it　stuffed　into　her　mouth　that　it　might　help　to　stifle　her　agony；　knelt　Lady　Isabel。　The　moment's　excitement　was　well　nigh　beyond　her　strength　of　endurance。　Her　own　childhis　childthey　alone　around　its　death…　bed；　and　she　might　not　ask　or　receive　a　word　of　comfort；　of　consolation！

Mr。　Carlyle　glanced　at　her　as　he　caught　her　choking　sobs　just　as　he　would　have　glanced　at　any　other　attentive　governessfeeling　her　sympathy；　doubtless；　but　nothing　more；　she　was　not　heart　and　part　with　him　and　his　departing　boy。　Lower　and　lower　bent　he　over　that　boy；　for　his　eyes　were　wet。　〃Don't　cry；　papa；〃　whispered　William；　raising　his　feeble　hand　caressingly　to　his　father's　cheek；　〃I　am　not　afraid　to　go。　Jesus　is　coming　for　me。〃

〃Afraid　to　go！　Indeed　I　hope　not；　my　gentle　boy。　You　are　going　to　God　t