east lynne-第121节

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〃Ay；　ay；〃　nodded　the　justice；　〃set　her　up。　Seaside？　Can't　we　go？〃

〃Certainly；　dear；　if　you　wish　it；　when　you　shall　be　a　little　stronger。〃

〃Ay；　ay；〃　nodded　the　justice　again。　It　was　his　usual　answer　now。　〃Stronger。　Where's　Barbara？〃

〃She　goes　on　Monday；　sir；〃　said　Richard；　likewise　bending　his　head。　〃Only　for　a　fortnight。　But　they　talk　of　going　again　later　in　the　autumn。〃

〃Can't　I　go；　too？〃　repeated　the　justice；　looking　pleadingly　in　Richard's　face。

〃You　shall；　dear　father。　Who　knows　but　a　month　or　two's　bracing　would　bring　you　quite　round　again？　We　might　go　all　together；　ourselves　and　the　Carlyles。　Anne　comes　to　stay　with　us　next　week；　you　know；　and　we　might　go　when　her　visit　is　over。〃

〃Aye；　all　go　together。　Anne's　coming？〃

〃Have　you　forgotten；　dear　Richard？　She　comes　to　stay　a　month　with　us；　and　Mr。　Clitheroe　and　the　children。　I　am　so　pleased　she　will　find　you　better；〃　added　Mrs。　Hare；　her　gentle　eyes　filling。　〃Mr。　Wainwright　says　you　may　go　out　for　a　drive　to…morrow。〃

〃And　I'll　be　coachman；〃　laughed　Richard。　〃It　will　be　the　old　times　come　round　again。　Do　you　remember；　father；　my　breaking　the　pole；　one　moonlight　night；　and　your　not　letting　me　drive　for　six　months　afterwards？〃

The　poor　justice　laughed　in　answer　to　Richard；　laughed　till　the　tears　ran　down　his　face；　probably　not　knowing　in　the　least　what　he　was　laughing　at。

〃Richard；〃　said　Mrs。　Hare　to　her　son；　almost　in　an　apprehensive　tone；　her　hand　pressing　his　nervously；　〃was　not　that　Afy　Hallijohn　I　saw　you　speaking　with　at　the　gate？〃

〃Did　you？　What　a　spectacle　she　had　made　of　herself！　I　wonder　she　is　not　ashamed　to　go　through　the　streets　in　such　a　guise！　Indeed；　I　wonder　she　shows　herself　at　all。〃

〃Richard；　youyouwill　not　be　drawn　in　again？〃　were　the　next　whispered　words。

〃Mother！〃　There　was　a　sternness　in　his　mild　blue　eyes　as　he　cast　them　upon　his　mother。　Those　beautiful　eyesthe　very　counterpart　of　Barbara's；　both　his　and　hers　the　counterpart　of　Mrs。　Hare's。　The　look　had　been　sufficient　refutation　without　words。

〃Mother　mine；　I　am　going　to　belong　to　you　in　the　future；　and　to　nobody　else。　West　Lynne　is　already　busy　for　me；　I　understand；　pleasantly　carving　out　my　destiny。　One　marvels　whether　I　shall　lose　myself　with　Miss　Afy；　another；　that　I　shall　set　on　offhand；　and　court　Louisa　Dobede。　They　are　all　wrong；　my　place　will　be　with　my　darling　mother；　at　least；　for　several　years　to　come。〃

She　clasped　his　hand　to　her　bosom　in　her　glad　delight。

〃We　want　happiness　together；　mother；　to　enable　us　to　forget　the　past；　for　upon　none　did　the　blow　fall；　as　upon　you　and　upon　me。　And　the　happiness　we　shall　find；　in　our　own　home；　living　for　each　other；　and　striving　to　amuse　my　poor　father。〃

〃Aye；　aye；〃　complacently　put　in　Justice　Hare。

So　it　would　be。　Richard　had　returned　to　his　home；　had　become；　to　all　intent　and　purposes；　its　master；　for　the　justice　would　never　be　in　a　state　to　hold　sway　again。　He　had　resumed　his　position；　and　regained　the　favor　of　West　Lynne；　which；　always　in　extremes；　was　now　wanting　to　kill　him　with　kindness。　A　happy；　happy　home　from　henceforth；　and　Mrs。　Hare　lifted　up　her　full　heart　in　thankfulness　to　God。　Perhaps　Richard's　went　up　also。

One　word　touching　that　wretched　prisoner　in　the　condemned　cell　at　Lynneborough。　As　you　must　have　anticipated；　the　extreme　sentence　was　not　carried　out。　And；　little　favorite　as　Sir　Francis　is　with　you　and　with　me；　we　can　but　admit　that　justice　did　not　demand　that　it　should　be。　That　he　had　willfully　killed　Hallijohn；　was　certain；　but　the　act　was　committed　in　a　moment　of　wild　rage；　it　had　not　been　premeditated。　The　sentence　was　commuted　to　transportation。　A　far　more　disgraceful　one　in　the　estimation　of　Sir　Francis；　a　far　more　unwelcome　one　in　the　eyes　of　his　wife。　It　is　no　use　to　mince　the　truth；　one　little　grain　of　comfort　had　penetrated　to　Lady　Levison；　the　anticipation　of　the　time　when　she　and　her　ill…fated　child　should　be　alone；　and　could　hide　themselves　in　some　hidden　nook　of　the　wide　world；　/he/；　and　his　crime；　and　his　end　gone；　forgotten。　But　it　seems　he　was　not　to　go　and　be　forgotten；　she　and　the　boy　must　be　tied　to　him　still；　and　she　was　lost　in　horror　and　rebellion。

He　envied　the　dead　Hallijohn；　did　that　man；　as　he　looked　forth　on　the　future。　A　cheering　prospect　truly！　The　gay　Sir　Francis　Levison　working　in　chains　with　his　gang！　Where　would　his　diamonds　and　his　perfumed　handkerchiefs　and　his　white　hands　be　then？　After　a　time　he　might　get　a　ticket…of…leave。　He　groaned　in　agony　as　the　turnkey　suggested　it　to　him。　A　ticket…of…leave　for　/him/！　Oh；　why　did　they　not　hang　him？　he　wailed　forth　as　he　closed　his　eyes　to　the　dim　light。　The　light　of　the　cell；　you　understand；　he　could　not　close　them　to　the　light　of　the　future。　No；　never　again；　it　shone　out　all　too　plainly；　dazzling　his　brain　as　with　a　flame　of　living　fire。



CHAPTER　XLVI。

UNTIL　ETERNITY。

Barbara　was　at　the　seaside；　and　Lady　Isabel　was　in　her　bed；　dying。　You　remember　the　old　French　saying；　/L'homme　propose；　et　Dieu　dispose/。　An　exemplification　of　it　was　here。

She；　Lady　Isabel；　had　consented　to　remain　at　East　Lynne　during　Mrs。　Carlyle's　absence；　on　purpose　that　she　might　be　with　her　children。　But　the　object　was　frustrated；　for　Lucy　and　Archibald　had　been　removed　to　Miss　Carlyle's。　It　was　Mr。　Carlyle's　arrangement。　He　thought　the　governess　ought　to　have　entire　respite　from　all　charge；　and　that　poor　governess　dared　not　say；　let　them　stay　with　me。　Lady　Isabel　had　also　purposed　to　be　safely　away　from　East　Lynne　before　the　time　came　for　her　to　die；　but　that　time　had　advanced　with　giant　strides；　and　the　period　for　removal　was　past。　She　was　going　out　as　her　mother　had　done；　rapidly　unexpectedly；　〃like　the　snuff　of　a　candle。〃　Wilson　was　in　attendance　on　her　mistress；　Joyce　remained　at　home。

Barbara　had　chosen　a　watering…place　near；　not　thirty　miles　off；　so　that　Mr。　Carlyle　went　there　most　evenings；　returning　to　his　office　in　the　mornings。　Thus　he　saw　little　of　East　Lynne；　paying　one　or　two　flying　visits　only。　From　the　Saturday　to　the　Wednesday　in　the　second　week；　he　did　not　come　home　at　all；　and　it　was　in　those　few　days　that　Lady　Isabel　had　changed　for　the　worse。　On　the　Wednesday　he　was　expected　home　to　dinner　and　to　sleep。

Joyce　was　in　a　state　of　frenzyor　next　door　to　it。　Lady　Isabel　was　dying；　and　what　would　become　of　the　ominous　secret？　A　conviction；　born　of　her　fears；　was　on　the　girl's　mind　that；　with　death；　the　whole　must　become　known；　and　who　was　to　foresee　what　blame　might　not　be　cast　upon　her；　by　her　master　and　mistress；　for　not　having　disclosed　it？　She　might　be　accused　of　having　been　an　abettor　in　the　plot　from　the　first！　Fifty　times　it　was　in　Joyce's　mind　to　send　for　Miss　Carlyle　and　tell　her　all。

The　afternoon　was　fast　waning；　and　the　spirit　of　Lady　Isabel　seemed　to　be　waning　with　it。　Joyce　was　in　the　room　in　attendance　upon　her。　She　had　been　in　a　fainting　state　all　day；　but　felt　better　now。　She　was　partially　raised　in　bed　by　pillows；　a　white　Cashmere　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　her　nightcap　off；　to　allow　as　much　air　as　possible　to　come　to　her；　and　the　windows　stood　open。

Footsteps　sounded　on　the　gravel　in　the　quiet　stillness　of　the　summer　air。　They　penetrated　even　to　her　ear；　for　all　her　faculties　were　keen　yet。　Beloved　footsteps；　and　a　tinge　of　hectic　rose　to　her　cheeks。　Joyce；　who　stood　at　the　window；　glanced　out。　It　was　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Joyce！〃　came　forth　a　cry　from　the　bed；　sharp　and　eager。

Joyce　turned　round。　〃My　lady？〃

〃I　should　die　happily　if　I　might　see　him。〃

〃See　him！〃　uttered　Joyce；　doubting　her　own　ears。　〃My　lady！　See　/him/！　Mr。　Carlyle！〃

〃What　can　it　signify？　I　am　already　as　one　dead。　Should　I　ask　it　or　wish　it；　think　you；　in　rude　life？　The　yearning　has　been　upon　me　for　days　Joyce；　it　is　keeping　death　away。〃

〃It　could　not　be；　my　lady；〃　was　the　decisive　answer。　〃It　must　not　be。　It　is　as　a　thing　impossible。〃

Lady　Isabel　burst　into　tears。　〃I　can't　die　for　the　trouble；〃　she　wailed。　〃You　keep　my　children　from　me。　They　must　not　come；　you　say；　lest　I　should　betray　myself。　Now　you　would　keep　my　husband。　Joyce；　Joyce；　let　me　see　him！〃

Her　husband！　Poor　thing！　Joyce　was　in　a　maze　of　distress；　though　not　the　less　firm。　Her　eyes　were　wet　with　tears；　but　she　believed　she　should　be　infringing　her　allegiance　to　her　mistress　did　she　bring　Mr。　Carlyle　to　the　presence　of　his　former　wife；　altogether　it　might　be　productive　of　nothing　but　confusion。

A　knock　at　the　chamber　door。　Joyce　called　out；　〃Come　in。〃　The　two　maids；　Hannah　and　Sarah；　were　alone　in　the　habit　of　coming　to　the　room；　and　neither　of　them　had　ever　known　Madame　Vine　as　Lady　Isabel。　Sarah　put　in　her　head。

〃Master　wants　you；　Miss　Joyce。〃

〃I'll　come。〃

〃He　is　in　the　dining…room。　I　have　just　taken　down　Master　Arthur　to　him。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　had　got　〃Master　Arthur〃　on　his　shoulder　when　Joyce　entered。　Master　Arthur　was　decidedly　given　to　noise　and　rebellion；　and　was　already；　as　Wilson　expressed　it；　〃sturdy　upon　his　pins。〃

〃How　is　Madame　Vine；　Joyce？〃

Joyce　scarcely　knew　how　to　answer。　But　she　did　not　dare　to　equivocate　as　to　her　precarious　state。　And　where　the　use；　when　a　few　hours　would　probably　see　the　end　of　it？

〃She　is　very　ill；　indeed；　sir。〃

〃Worse？〃

〃Sir；　I　fear　she　is　dying。〃

Mr。　Carlyle；　in　h