east lynne-第124节

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〃She　never　spoke　after　you　left　her；　Archibald。　There　was　a　slight　struggle　at　the　last；　a　fighting　for　breath；　otherwise　she　went　off　quite　peacefully。　I　felt　sure；　when　I　first　saw　her　this　afternoon；　that　she　could　not　last　till　midnight。〃



CHAPTER　XLVII。

I。　M。　V。

Lord　Mount　Severn；　wondering　greatly　what　the　urgent　summons　could　be　for；　lost　no　time　in　obeying　it；　and　was　at　East　Lynne　the　following　morning　early。　Mr。　Carlyle　had　his　carriage　at　the　stationhis　close　carriageand　shut　up　in　that　he　made　the　communication　to　the　earl　as　they　drove　to　East　Lynne。

The　earl　could　with　difficulty　believe　it。　Never　had　he　been　so　utterly　astonished。　At　first　he　really　could　not　understand　the　tale。

〃Did　shedid　shecome　back　to　your　house　to　die？〃　he　blundered。　〃You　never　took　her　in？　I　don't　understand。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　explained　further；　and　the　earl　at　length　understood。　But　he　did　not　recover　his　perplexed　astonishment。

〃What　a　mad　act　to　come　back　here。　Madame　Vine！　How　on　earth　did　she　escape　detection？〃

〃She　did　escape　it；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　strange　likeness　Madame　Vine　possessed　to　my　first　wife　did　often　strike　me　as　being　marvelous；　but　I　never　suspected　the　truth。　It　was　a　likeness；　and　not　a　likeness；　for　every　part　of　her　face　and　form　was　changed　except　her　eyes；　and　those　I　never　saw　but　through　those　disguising　glasses。〃

The　earl　wiped　his　hot　face。　The　news　had　ruffled　him　no　measured　degree。　He　felt　angry　with　Isabel；　dead　though　she　was；　and　thankful　that　Mrs。　Carlyle　was　away。

〃Will　you　see　her？〃　whispered　Mr。　Carlyle　as　they　entered　the　house。

〃Yes。〃

They　went　up　to　the　death…chamber；　Mr。　Carlyle　procuring　the　key。　It　was　the　only　time　that　he　entered　it。　Very　peaceful　she　looked　now；　her　pale　features　so　composed　under　her　white　cap　and　hands。　Miss　Carlyle　and　Joyce　had　done　all　that　was　necessary；　nobody　else　had　been　suffered　to　approach　her。　Lord　Mount　Severn　leaned　over　her；　tracing　the　former　looks　of　Isabel；　and　the　likeness　grew　upon　him　in　a　wonderful　degree。

〃What　did　she　die　of？〃　he　asked。

〃She　said　a　broken　heart。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　earl。　〃The　wonder　is　that　it　did　not　break　before。　Poor　thing！　Poor　Isabel！〃　he　added；　touching　her　hand；　〃how　she　marred　her　own　happiness！　Carlyle；　I　suppose　this　is　your　wedding　ring？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　cast　his　eyes　upon　the　ring。　〃Very　probably。〃

〃To　think　of　her　never　having　discarded　it！〃　remarked　the　earl；　releasing　the　cold　hand。　〃Well；　I　can　hardly　believe　the　tale　now。〃

He　turned　and　quitted　the　room　as　he　spoke。　Mr。　Carlyle　looked　steadfastly　at　the　dead　face　for　a　minute　or　two；　his　fingers　touching　the　forehead；　but　what　his　thoughts　or　feelings　may　have　been；　none　can　tell。　Then　he　replaced　the　sheet　over　her　face；　and　followed　the　earl。

They　descended　in　silence　to　the　breakfast…room。　Miss　Carlyle　was　seated　at　the　table　waiting　for　them。　〃Where　/could/　all　your　eyes　have　been？〃　exclaimed　the　earl　to　her；　after　a　few　sentences；　referring　to　the　event　just　passed。

〃Just　where　yours　would　have　been；〃　replied　Miss　Corny；　with　a　touch　of　her　old　temper。　〃You　saw　Madame　Vine　as　well　as　we　did。〃

〃But　not　continuously。　Only　two　or　three　times　in　all。　And　I　do　not　remember　ever　to　have　seen　her　without　her　bonnet　and　veil。　That　Carlyle　should　not　have　recognized　her　is　almost　beyond　belief。〃

〃It　/seems/　so；　to　speak　of　it；〃　said　Miss　Corny；　〃but　facts　are　facts。　She　was　young　and　gay；　active；　when　she　left　here；　upright　as　a　dart；　her　dark　hair　drawn　from　her　open　brow；　and　flowing　on　her　neck；　her　cheeks　like　crimson　paint；　her　face　altogether　beautiful。　Madame　Vine　arrived　here　a　pale；　stooping　woman；　lame　of　one　leg；　/shorter/　than　Lady　Isabeland　her　figure　stuffed　out　under　those　sacks　of　jackets。　Not　a　bit；　scarcely；　of　her　forehead　to　be　seen；　for　gray　velvet　and　gray　bands　of　hair；　her　head　smothered　under　a　close　cap；　large；　blue；　double　spectacles　hiding　the　eyes　and　their　sides；　and　the　throat　tied　up；　the　chin　partially。　The　mouth　was　entirely　altered　in　its　character；　and　that　upward　scar；　always　so　conspicuous；　made　it　almost　ugly。　Then　she　had　lost　some　of　her　front　teeth；　you　know；　and　she　lisped　when　she　spoke。　Take　her　for　all　in　all；〃　summed　up　Miss　Carlyle；　〃she　looked　no　more　like　Isabel　who　went　away　from　here　than　I　look　like　Adam。　Just　get　your　dearest　friend　damaged　and　disguised　as　she　was；　my　lord；　and　see　if　you'd　recognize　him。〃

The　observation　came　home　to　Lord　Mount　Severn。　A　gentleman　whom　he　knew　well；　had　been　so　altered　by　a　fearful　accident；　that　little　resemblance　could　be　traced　to　his　former　self。　In　fact；　his　own　family　could　not　recognize　him：　and　/he/　used　an　artificial　disguise。　It　was　a　case　in　point；　andreaderI　assure　you　it　was　a　true　one。

〃It　was　the　/disguise/　that　we　ought　to　have　suspected；〃　quietly　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　likeness　was　not　sufficiently　striking　to　cause　suspicion。〃

〃But　she　turned　the　house　from　that　scent　as　soon　as　she　came　into　it；〃　struck　in　Miss　Corny；　〃telling　of　the　'neuralgic　pains'　that　affected　her　head　and　face；　rendering　the　guarding　them　from　exposure　necessary。　Remember；　Lord　Mount　Severn；　that　the　Ducies　had　been　with　her　in　Germany；　and　had　never　suspected　her。　Remember　also　another　thing；　that；　however　great　a　likeness　we　may　have　detected；　we　could　not　and　did　not　speak　of　it；　one　to　another。　Lady　Isabel's　name　is　never　so　much　as　whispered　among　us。〃

〃True：　all　true；〃　nodded　the　earl。　And　they　sat　themselves　down　to　breakfast。

On　the　Friday；　the　following　letter　was　dispatched　to　Mrs。　Carlyle。

　〃MY　DEARESTI　find　I　shall　not　be　able　to　get　to　you　on　Saturday　　　afternoon；　as　I　promised；　but　will　leave　here　by　the　late　train　　　that　night。　Mind　you　don't　sit　up　for　me。　Lord　Mount　Severn　is　　　here　for　a　few　days；　he　sends　his　regards　to　you。

　〃And　now；　Barbara；　prepare　for　news　that　will　prove　a　shock。　Madame　　　Vine　is　dead。　She　grew　rapidly　worse；　they　tell　me；　after　our　　　departure；　and　died　on　Wednesday　night。　I　am　glad　you　were　away。

　〃Love　from　the　children。　Lucy　and　Archie　are　still　at　Cornelia's；　　　Arthur　wearing　out　Sarah's　legs　in　the　nursery。

〃Ever　yours；　my　dearest；　〃ARCHIBALD　CARLYLE。〃


Of　course；　as　Madame　Vine；　the　governess；　died　at　Mr。　Carlyle's　house；　he　could　not；　in　courtesy；　do　less　than　follow　her　to　the　grave。　So　decided　West　Lynne；　when　they　found　which　way　the　wind　was　going　to　blow。　Lord　Mount　Severn　followed　also；　to　keep　him　company；　being　on　a　visit　to　him；　and　very　polite；　indeed；　of　his　lordship　to　do　it　condescending；　also！　West　Lynne　remembered　another　funeral　at　which　those　two　had　been　the　only　mournersthat　of　the　earl。　By　some　curious　coincidence　the　French　governess　was　buried　close　to　the　earl's　grave。　As　good　there　as　anywhere　else；　quoth　West　Lynne。　There　happened　to　be　a　vacant　spot　of　ground。

The　funeral　took　place　on　a　Sunday　morning。　A　plain；　respectable　funeral。　A　hearse　and　pair；　and　mourning　coach　and　pair；　with　a　chariot　for　the　Rev。　Mr。　Little。　No　pall…bearers　or　mutes；　or　anything　of　that　show…off　kind；　and　no　plumes　on　the　horses；　only　on　the　hearse。　West　Lynne　looked　on　with　approbation；　and　conjectured　that　the　governess　had　left　sufficient　money　to　bury　herself；　but；　of　course；　that　was　Mr。　Carlyle's　affair；　not　West　Lynne's。　Quiet　enough　lay　she　in　her　last　resting…place。

They　left　her　in　it；　the　earl　and　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　entered　the　mourning…coach；　to　be　conveyed　back　again　to　East　Lynne。

〃Just　a　little　stone　of　white　marble；　two　feet　high　by　a　foot　and　a　half　broad；〃　remarked　the　earl；　on　their　road；　pursuing　a　topic　they　were　speaking　upon。　〃With　the　initials　'I。　V。'　and　the　date　of　the　year。　Nothing　more。　What　do　you　think？〃

〃I。　M。　V。；〃　corrected　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Yes。〃

At　this　moment　the　bells　of　another　church；　not　St。　Jude's；　broke　out　in　a　joyous　peal；　and　the　earl　inclined　his　ear　to　listen。

〃What　can　they　be　ringing　for？〃　he　cried。

They　were　ringing　for　a　wedding。　Afy　Hallijohn；　by　the　help　of　two　clergymen　and　six　bridesmaids；　of　which　you　may　be　sure　Joyce　was　/not/　one；　had　just　been　converted　into　Mrs。　Joe　Jiffin。　When　Afy　took　a　thing　into　her　heard；　she　somehow　contrived　to　carry　it　through；　and　to　bend　even　clergymen　and　bridesmaids　to　her　will。　Mr。　Jiffin　was　blest　at　last。

In　the　afternoon　the　earl　left　East　Lynne；　and　somewhat　later　Barbara　arrived　at　it。　Wilson　scarcely　gave　her　mistress　time　to　step　into　the　house　before　her；　and　she　very　nearly　left　the　baby　in　the　fly。　Curiously　anxious　was　Wilson　to　hear　all　particulars　as　to　whatever　could　have　took　off　that　French　governess。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　much　surprised　at　their　arrival。

〃How　could　I　stay　away；　Archibald；　even　until　Monday；　after　the　news　you　sent　me？〃　said　Barbara。　〃What　did　she　die　of？　It　must　have　been　awfully　sudden。〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　was　his　dreamy　answer。　He　was　debating　a　question　with　himself；　one　he　had　thought　over　a　good　deal　since　Wednesday　night。　Should　he；　or　should　he　not；　tell　his　wife？　He　would　have　preferred　not　to　tell　her；　and；　were　the　secret　confined　to　his　own　breast；　he　would　decidedly　not　have　done　so。　But　it　was　known　to　three　othersto　Miss　Carlyle；　to　lord　Mount　Severn；　and　to　Joyce。　All　trustworthy　and　of　good　inten