east lynne-第12节

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t　me　by　denying　that　any　one　had　been　there　that　night。　'She　had　been　at　home；'　she　said；　'and　had　strolled　out　at　the　back　door；　to　the　path　that　led　from　West　Lynne；　and　was　lingering　there　when　she　heard　a　shot。　Five　minutes　afterward　she　returned　to　the　house；　and　found　Locksley　standing　over　her　dead　father。'　〃

Mr。　Carlyle　remained　silent；　rapidly　running　over　in　his　mind　the　chief　points　of　Richard　Hare's　communication。　〃Four　of　you；　as　I　understand　it；　were　in　the　vicinity　of　the　cottage　that　night；　and　from　one　or　the　other　the　shot　no　doubt　proceeded。　You　were　at　a　distance；　you　say；　Richard；　Bethel；　also；　could　not　have　been〃

〃It　was　not　Bethel　who　did　it；〃　interrupted　Richard；　〃it　was　an　impossibility。　I　saw　him；　as　I　tell　you；　in　the　same　moment　that　the　gun　was　fired。〃

〃But　now；　where　was　Locksley？〃

〃It　is　equally　impossible　that　it　could　have　been　Locksley。　He　was　within　my　view　at　the　same　time；　at　right　angles　from　me；　deep　in　the　wood；　away　from　the　paths　altogether。　It　was　Thorn　did　the　deed；　beyond　all　doubt；　and　the　verdict　ought　to　have　been　willful　murder　against　him。　Carlyle；　I　see　you　don't　believe　my　story。〃

〃What　you　say　has　startled　me；　and　I　must　take　time　to　consider　whether　I　believe　it　or　not；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　in　his　straightforward　manner。　〃The　most　singular　thing　is；　if　you　witnessed　this；　Thorn's　running　from　the　cottage　in　the　manner　you　describe；　that　you　did　not　come　forward　and　denounce　him。〃

〃I　didn't　do　it；　because　I　was　a　fool；　a　weak　coward；　as　I　have　been　all　my　life；〃　rejoined　Richard。　〃I　can't　help　it；　it　was　born　with　me；　and　will　go　with　me　to　my　grave。　What　would　my　word　have　availed　that　it　was　Thorn；　when　there　was　nobody　to　corroborate　it？　And　the　discharged　gun；　mine；　was　a　damnatory　proof　against　me。〃

〃Another　thing　strikes　me　as　curious；〃　cried　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃If　this　man；　Thorn；　was　in　the　habit　of　coming　to　West　Lynne；　evening　after　evening；　how　was　it　that　he　never　was　observed？　This　is　the　first　time　I　have　heard　any　stranger's　name　mentioned　in　connection　with　the　affair；　or　with　Afy。〃

〃Thorn　chose　by…roads；　and　he　never　came；　save　that　once；　but　at　dusk　and　dark。　It　was　evident　to　me　at　the　time　that　he　was　striving　to　do　it　on　the　secret。　I　told　Afy　so；　and　that　it　augured　no　good　for　her。　You　are　not　attaching　credit　to　what　I　say；　and　it　is　only　as　I　expected；　nevertheless；　I　swear　that　I　have　related　the　facts。　As　surely　as　that　weI；　Thorn；　Afy　and　Hallijohn；　must　one　day　meet　together　before　our　Maker；　I　have　told　you　the　truth。〃

The　words　were　solemn；　their　tone　earnest；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　remained　silent；　his　thoughts　full。

〃To　what　end；　else；　should　I　say　this？〃　went　on　Richard。　〃It　can　do　me　no　service；　all　the　assertion　I　could　put　forth　would　not　go　a　jot　toward　clearing　me。〃

〃No；　it　would　not；〃　assented　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃If　ever　you　are　cleared；　it　must　be　by　proofs。　ButI　will　keep　my　thought　on　the　matter；　and　should　anything　arise　What　sort　of　a　man　was　this　Thorn？〃

〃In　age　he　might　be　three　or　four　and　twenty；　tall　and　slender；　an　out…and…out　aristocrat。〃

〃And　his　connections？　Where　did　he　live？〃

〃I　never　knew。　Afy；　in　her　boasting　way；　would　say　he　had　come　from　Swainson；　a　ten　mile　ride。〃

〃From　Swainson？〃　quickly　interrupted　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Could　it　be　one　of　the　Thorns　of　Swainson？〃

〃None　of　the　Thorns　that　I　know。　He　was　a　totally　different　sort　of　man；　with　his　perfumed　hands；　and　his　rings；　and　his　dainty　gloves。　That　he　was　an　aristocrat　I　believe；　but　of　bad　taste　and　style；　displaying　a　profusion　of　jewellery。〃

A　half　smile　flitted　over　Carlyle's　face。

〃Was　it　real；　Richard？〃

〃It　was。　He　would　wear　diamond　shirt…studs；　diamond　rings；　diamond　pins；　brilliants；　all　of　the　first　water。　My　impression　was；　that　he　put　them　on　to　dazzle　Afy。　She　told　me　once　that　she　could　be　a　grander　lady；　if　she　chose；　than　I　could　ever　make　her。　'A　lady　on　the　cross；'　I　answered；　'but　never　on　the　square。'　Thorn　was　not　a　man　to　entertain　honest　intentions　to　one　in　the　station　of　Afy　Hallijohn；　but　girls　are　simple　as　geese。〃

〃By　your　description；　it　could　not　have　been　one　of　the　Thorns　of　Swainson。　Wealthy　tradesmen；　fathers　of　young　families；　short；　stout；　and　heavy　as　Dutchmen；　staid　and　most　respectable。　Very　unlikely　men　are　they；　to　run　into　an　expedition　of　that　sort。〃

〃What　expedition？〃　questioned　Richard。　〃The　murder？〃

〃The　riding　after　Afy。　Richard；　where　is　Afy？〃

Richard　Hare　lifted　his　eyes　in　surprise。　〃How　should　I　know？　I　was　just　going　to　ask　you。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　paused。　He　thought　Richard's　answer　an　evasive　one。　〃She　disappeared　immediately　after　the　funeral；　and　it　was　thoughtin　short；　Richard；　the　neighborhood　gave　her　credit　for　having　gone　after　and　joined　you。〃

〃No！　did　they？　What　a　pack　of　idiots！　I　have　never　seen　or　heard　of　her；　Carlyle；　since　that　unfortunate　night。　If　she　went　after　anybody；　it　was　after　Thorn。〃

〃Was　the　man　good…looking？〃

〃I　suppose　the　world　would　call　him　so。　Afy　thought　such　an　Adonis　had　never　been　coined；　out　of　fable。　He　had　shiny　black　hair　and　whiskers；　dark　eyes　and　handsome　features。　But　his　vain　dandyism　spoilt　him；　would　you　believe　that　his　handkerchiefs　were　soaked　in　scent？　They　were　of　the　finest　cambric；　silky　as　a　hair；　as　fine　as　the　one　Barbara　bought　at　Lynneborough　and　gave　a　guinea　for；　only　hers　had　a　wreath　of　embroidery　around　it。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　could　ascertain　no　more　particulars；　and　it　was　time　Richard　went　indoors。　They　proceeded　up　the　path。　〃What　a　blessing　it　is　the　servants'　windows　don't　look　this　way；〃　shivered　Richard；　treading　on　Mr。　Carlyle's　heels。　〃If　they　should　be　looking　out　upstairs！〃

His　apprehensions　were　groundless；　and　he　entered　unseen。

Mr。　Carlyle's　part　was　over；　he　left　the　poor　banned　exile　to　his　short　interview　with　his　hysterical　and　tearful　mother；　Richard　nearly　as　hysterical　as　she；　and　made　the　best　of　his　way　home　again；　pondering　over　what　he　had　heard。

The　magistrates　made　a　good　evening　of　it。　Mr。　Carlyle　entertained　them　to　suppermutton　chops　and　bread　and　cheese。　They　took　up　their　pipes　for　another　whiff　when　the　meal　was　over；　but　Miss　Carlyle　retired　to　bed；　the　smoke；　to　which　she　had　not　been　accustomed　since　her　father's　death；　had　made　her　head　ache　and　her　eyes　smart。　About　eleven　they　wished　Mr。　Carlyle　good…night；　and　departed；　but　Mr。　Dill；　in　obedience　to　a　nod　from　his　superior；　remained。

〃Sit　down　a　moment；　Dill；　I　want　to　ask　you　a　question。　You　are　intimate　with　the　Thorns；　of　Swainson；　do　they　happen　to　have　any　relative；　a　nephew　or　cousin；　perhaps；　a　dandy　young　fellow？〃

〃I　went　over　last　Sunday　fortnight　to　spend　the　day　with　young　Jacob；〃　was　the　answer　of　Mr。　Dill；　one　wider　from　the　point　than　he　generally　gave。　Mr。　Carlyle　smiled。

〃/Young/　Jacob！　He　must　be　forty；　I　suppose。〃

〃About　that。　But　you　and　I　estimate　age　differently；　Mr。　Archibald。　They　have　no　nephew；　the　old　man　never　had　but　those　two　children；　Jacob　and　Edward。　Neither　have　they　any　cousin。　Rich　men　they　are　growing　now。　Jacob　has　set　up　his　carriage。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　mused；　but　he　expected　the　answer；　for　neither　had　he　heard　of　the　brothers　Thorn；　tanners；　curriers；　and　leather…dressers；　possessing　a　relative　of　the　name。　〃Dill；〃　said　he；　〃something　has　arisen　which；　in　my　mind；　casts　a　doubt　upon　Richard　Hare's　guilt。　I　question　whether　he　had　anything　to　do　with　the　murder。〃

Mr。　Dill　opened　his　eyes。　〃But　his　flight；　Mr。　Archibald；　And　his　stopping　away？〃

〃Suspicious　circumstances；　I　grant。　Still；　I　have　good　cause　to　doubt。　At　the　time　it　happened；　some　dandy　fellow　used　to　come　courting　Afy　Hallijohn　in　secret；　a　tall；　slender　man；　as　he　is　described　to　me；　bearing　the　name　of　Thorn；　and　living　at　Swainson。　Could　it　have　been　one　of　the　Thorn　family？〃

〃Mr。　Archibald！〃　remonstrated　the　old　clerk；　〃as　if　those　two　respected　gentlemen；　with　their　wives　and　babies；　would　come　sneaking　after　that　flyaway　Afy！〃

〃No　reflection　on　them；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃This　was　a　young　man；　three　or　four　and　twenty；　a　head　taller　than　either。　I　thought　it　might　be　a　relative。〃

〃I　have　repeatedly　heard　them　say　that　they　are　alone　in　the　world；　that　they　are　the　two　last　of　the　name。　Depend　upon　it；　it　was　nobody　connected　with　them；〃　and　wishing　Mr。　Carlyle　good…night；　he　departed。

The　servant　came　in　to　remove　the　glasses　and　the　obnoxious　pipes。　Mr。　Carlyle　sat　in　a　brown　study；　presently　he　looked　round　at　the　man。

〃Is　Joyce　gone　to　bed？〃

〃No；　sir。　She　is　just　going。〃

〃Send　her　here　when　you　have　taken　away　those　things。〃

Joyce　came　inthe　upper　servant　at　Miss　Carlyle's。　She　was　of　middle　height；　and　would　never　see　five　and　thirty　again；　her　forehead　was　broad；　her　gray　eyes　were　deeply　set；　and　her　face　was　pale。　Altogether　she　was　plain；　but　sensible…looking。　She　was　the　half…　sister　of　Afy　Hallijohn。

〃Shut　the　door；　Joyce。〃

Joyce　did　as　she　was　bid；　came　forward；　and　stood　by　the　table。

〃Have　you　ever　heard　from　your　sister；　Joyce？〃　began　Mr。　Carlyle；　somewhat　abruptly。

〃No；　sir；〃　was　the　reply；　〃I　think　it　would　be　a　wonder　if　I　did　hear。〃

〃Why　so？〃

〃If　she　would　go　off　after　Richard　Hare；　who　had　sent　her　father　into　his　grave；　she　woul