east lynne-第117节

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To　the　burial　of　William　Carlyle　came　Lord　Mount　Severn　and　his　son。　Wilson　had　been　right　in　her　surmises　as　to　the　resting…place。　The　Carlyle　vault　was　opened　for　him；　and　an　order　went　forth　to　the　sculptor　for　an　inscription　to　be　added　to　their　marble　tablet　in　the　church：　〃William　Vane　Carlyle；　eldest　son　of　Archibald　Carlyle；　of　East　Lynne。〃　Amongst　those　who　attended　the　funeral　as　mourners　went　one　more　notable　in　the　eyes　of　the　gazers　than　the　restRichard　Hare　the　younger。

Lady　Isabel　was　ill。　Ill　in　mind；　and　ominously　ill　in　body。　She　kept　her　room；　and　Joyce　attended　on　her。　The　household　set　down　madame's　illness　to　the　fatigue　of　having　attended　upon　Master　William；　it　was　not　thought　of　seriously　by　any　one；　especially　as　she　declined　to　see　a　doctor。　All　her　thoughts　now　were　directed　to　the　getting　away　from　East　Lynne；　for　it　would　never　do　to　remain　there　to　die；　and　she　knew　that　death　was　on　his　way　to　her；　and　that　no　human　power　or　skill　not　all　the　faculty　combinedcould　turn　him　back　again。　The　excessive　dread　of　detection　was　not　upon　her　as　it　had　been　formerly。　I　mean　she　did　not　dread　the　consequences　so　much；　if　detection　came。　In　nearing　the　grave；　all　fears　and　hopes；　of　whatever　nature；　relating　to　this　world；　lose　their　force；　and　fears　or　hopes　regarding　the　next　world　take　their　place。　Our　petty　feelings　here　are　lost　in　the　greater。

In　returning　to　East　Lynne；　Lady　Isabel　had　entered　upon　a　daring　act；　and　she　found；　in　the　working；　that　neither　strength　nor　spirit　was　equal　to　it。　Human　passions　and　tempers　were　brought　with　us　into　this　world；　and　they　can　only　quit　us　when　we　bid　it　farewell；　to　enter　upon　immortality　in　the　next。

When　Lady　Isabel　was　Mr。　Carlyle's　wife；　she　had　never　wholly　loved　him。　The　very　utmost　homage　that　esteem；　admiration；　affection　could　give　was　his；　but　that　mysterious　passion　called　by　the　name　of　love；　and　which；　as　I　truly　and　heartily　believe；　cannot；　in　its　refined　etherealism；　be　known　to　many　of　us；　had　not　been　given　to　him。　It　was　now。　From　the　very　night　she　came　back　to　East　Lynne；　her　love　for　Mr。　Carlyle　had　burst　forth　with　an　intensity　never　before　felt。　It　had　been　smoldering　almost　ever　since　she　quitted　him。　〃Reprehensible！〃　groans　a　moralist。　Very。　Everybody　knows　that；　as　Afy　would　say。　But　her　heart；　you　see；　had　/not/　done　with　human　passions；　and　they　work　ill；　and　contrariness；　let　the　word　stand；　critic；　if　you　please；　and　precisely　everything　they　should　not。

I　shall　get　in　for　it；　I　fear；　if　I　attempt　to　defend　her。　But　it　was　not　exactly　the　same　thing；　as　though　she　suffered　herself　to　fall　in　love　with　somebody　else's　husband。　Nobody　would　defend　that。　We　have　not　turned　Mormons　yet；　and　the　world　does　not　walk　upon　its　head。　But　this　was　a　peculiar　case。　She；　poor　thing；　almost　regarded　Mr。　Carlyle　as　/her/　husband。　The　bent　of　her　thoughts　was　only　too　much　inclined　to　this。　The　evil　human　heart　again。　Many　and　many　a　time　did　she　wake　up　from　a　reverie；　and　strive　to　drive　this　mistaken　view　of　things　away　from　her；　taking　shame　to　herself。　Ten　minutes　afterward；　she　would　catch　her　brain　reveling　in　the　same　rebellious　vision。　Mr。　Carlyle's　love　was　not　hers　now；　it　was　Barbara's。　Mr。　Carlyle　did　not　belong　to　her；　he　belonged　to　his　wife。　It　was　not　only　that　he　was　not　hershe　was　another's。　You　may；　therefore；　if　you　have　the　pleasure　of　being　experienced　in　this　sort　of　thing；　guess　a　little　of　what　her　inward　life　was。　Had　there　been　no　Barbara　in　the　case；　she　might　have　lived　and　borne　it；　as　it　was；　it　had　killed　her　before　her　time；　that　and　the　remorse　together。

There　had　been　other　things；　too。　The　re…appearance　of　Francis　Levison　at　West　Lynne；　in　fresh　contact；　as　may　be　said；　with　herself；　had　struck　terror　to　her　heart；　and　the　dark　charge　brought　against　him　augmented　awfully　her　remorse。　Then；　the　sharp　lances　perpetually　thrust　upon　her　memorythe　Lady　Isabel's　memoryfrom　all　sides；　were　full　of　cruel　stings；　unintentionally　though　they　were　hurled。　And　there　was　the　hourly　chance　of　discovery；　and　the　never　ceasing　battle　with　her　conscience；　for　being　at　East　Lynne　at　all。　No　wonder　that　the　chords　of　life　were　snapping；　the　wonder　would　have　been　had　they　remained　whole。

〃She　brought　it　upon　herselfshe　ought　not　to　have　come　back　to　East　Lynne！〃　groans　our　moralist　again。

Didn't　I　say　so？　Of　course　she　ought　not。　Neither　ought　she　to　have　suffered　her　thoughts　to　stray；　in　the　manner　they　did；　towards　Mr。　Carlyle。　She　ought　not；　but　she　did。　If　we　all　did　just　what　we　〃ought；〃　this　lower　proverb　touching　/fruit　defendu/　would　go　out　as　a　dead　letter。

She　was　nearer　to　death　than　she　imagined。　She　knew；　judging　by　her　declining　strength　and　her　inner　feelings；　that　it　could　not　be　far　off；　but　she　did　not　deem　it　was　coming　so　very　soon。　Her　mother　had　died　in　a　similar　way。　Some　said　of　consumptionDr。　Martin　did；　you　may　remember；　some　said　of　〃waste；〃　the　earl；　her　husband；　said　a　broken　heartyou　heard　him　say　so　to　Mr。　Carlyle　in　the　first　chapter　of　this　history。　The　earl　was　the　one　who　might　be　supposed　to　know　best。　Whatever　may　have　been　Lady　Mount　Severn's　malady；　sheto　give　you　the　phrase　that　was　in　people's　mouth's　at　the　time〃went　out　like　the　snuff　of　a　candle。〃　It　was　now　the　turn　of　Lady　Isabel。　She　had　no　more　decided　disorder　than　the　countess　had　had；　yet　death　had　marked　her。　She　felt　that　it　had；　and　in　its　approach　she　dreaded　not；　as　she　once　had　done；　the　consequences　that　must　ensue；　did　discovery　come。　Which　brings　us　back　to　the　point　whence　ensued　this　long　digression。　I　dare　say　you　are　chafing　at　it；　but　it　is　not　often　I　trouble　you　with　one。

But　she　would　not　willingly　let　discovery　come；　neither　had　she　the　least　intention　of　remaining　at　East　Lynne　to　die。　Where　she　should　take　refuge　was　quite　a　secondary　consideration；　only　let　her　get　smoothly　and　plausibly　away。　Joyce；　in　her　dread；　was　forever　urging　it。　Of　course；　the　preliminary　step　was　to　arrange　matters　with　Mrs。　Carlyle；　and　in　the　afternoon　of　the　day　following　the　funeral；　Lady　Isabel　proceeded　to　her　dressing…room；　and　craved　an　interview。

Mr。　Carlyle　quitted　the　room　as　she　entered　it。　Barbara；　fatigued　with　a　recent　drive；　was　lying　on　the　sofa。　She　would　scarcely　take　the　notice。

〃We　shall　be　so　sorry　to　lose　you；　Madame　Vine。　You　are　all　we　could　wish　for　Lucy；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　feels　truly　grateful　for　your　love　and　attention　to　his　poor　boy。〃

〃To　leave　you　will　give　me　pain　also；〃　Madame　Vine　answered；　in　a　subdued　tone。　Pain？　Ay。　Mrs。　Carlyle　little　guessed　at　its　extent。　All　she　cared　for　on　earth　she　should　leave　behind　her　at　East　Lynne。

〃Indeed　you　must　not　leave；〃　resumed　Barbara。　〃It　would　be　unjust　to　allow　you　to　do　so。　You　have　made　yourself　ill；　waiting　upon　poor　William；　and　you　must　stay　here　and　take　a　holiday　until　you　are　cured。　You　will　soon　get　well；　if　you　will　only　suffer　yourself　to　be　properly　waited　on　and　taken　care　of。〃

〃You　are　very　considerate。　Pray　do　not　think　me　insensible　if　I　decline。　I　believe　my　strength　is　beyond　getting　upthat　I　shall　never　be　able　to　teach　again。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense；〃　said　Barbara；　in　her　quick　way。　〃We　are　all　given　to　fancy　the　worst　when　we　are　ill。　I　was　feeling　terribly　weak；　only　a　few　minutes　ago；　and　said　something　of　the　same　sort　to　Archibald。　He　talked　and　soothed　me　out　of　it。　I　wish　you　had　your　dear　husband　living；　Madame　Vine；　to　support　you　and　love　you；　as　I　have　him。〃

A　tinge　of　scarlet　streaked　Madame　Vine's　pale　face；　and　she　laid　her　hand　upon　her　beating　heart。

〃How　could　you　think　of　leaving？　We　should　be　glad　to　help　re…establish　your　health；　in　any　case；　but　it　is　only　fair　to　do　it　now。　I　felt　sure；　by　the　news　brought　to　me　when　I　was　ill；　that　your　attention　upon　William　was　overtasking　your　strength。〃

〃It　is　not　the　attendance　upon　William　that　has　brought　me　into　this　state；〃　was　the　quick　answer。　〃I　/must/　leave；　I　have　well　considered　it　over。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　go　to　the　seaside？〃　exclaimed　Barbara　with　sudden　energy。　〃I　am　going　there　on　Monday　next。　Mr。　Carlyle　insists　upon　it　that　I　try　a　little　change。　I　had　intended　only　to　take　my　baby；　but　we　can　make　different　arrangements；　and　take　you　and　Lucy。　It　might　do　you　good；　Madame　Vine。〃

She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　it　would　make　me　worse。　All　that　I　want　is　perfect　quiet。　I　must　beg　you　to　understand　that　I　shall　leave。　And　I　should　be　glad　if　you　could　allow　the　customary　notice　to　be　dispensed　with；　so　that　I　may　be　at　liberty　to　depart　within　a　few　days。〃

〃Look　here；　then；〃　said　Barbara；　after　a　pause　of　consideration；　〃you　remain　at　East　Lynne　until　my　return；　which　will　be　in　a　fortnight。　Mr。　Carlyle　cannot　stay　with　me；　so　I　know　I　shall　be　tired　in　less　time　than　that。　I　do　not　want　you　to　remain　to　teach；　you　know；　Madame　Vine；　I　do　not　wish　you　to　do　a　single　thing。　Lucy　shall　have　a　holiday；　and　Mr。　Kane　can　come　up　for　her　music。　Only　I　could　not　be　content　to　leave　her；　unless　under　your　surveillance；　she　is　getting　of　an　age　now　not　to　be　consigned　to　servants；　not　to　Joyce。　Upon　my　return；　if　you　still　wish　to　leave；　you　shall　then　be　at　liberty　to　do　so。　What　do　you　say？〃

Madame　Vine　said　〃Yes。〃　Said　it　e