east lynne-第19节

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〃I　am　very　sorry；〃　she　stammered；　and　with　the　effort　of　speaking；　emotion　quite　got　the　better　of　her；　and　she　burst　into　tears。　〃I　did　not　know　anything　of　all　this；　my　father's　affairs　were　not　spoken　of　before　me。　I　believe　I　have　not　anything；　if　I　had；　I　would　divide　it　amongst　you　as　equally　as　I　could。　But；　should　the　means　ever　be　in　my　powershould　money　ever　be　mine；　I　will　thankfully　pay　all　your　claims。〃

/All/　your　claims！　Lady　Isabel　little　thought　what　that　〃all〃　would　comprise。　However；　such　promises；　made　at　such　a　moment；　fell　heedlessly　upon　the　ear。　Scarcely　one　present　but　felt　sympathy　and　sorrow　for　her；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　drew　her　from　the　room。　He　closed　the　door　upon　the　noisy　crew；　and　then　sobs　came　forth　hysterically。

〃I　am　so　grieved；　Lady　Isabel！　Had　I　foreseen　this　annoyance；　you　should　have　been　spared　it。　Can　you　go　upstairs　alone；　or　shall　I　call　Mrs。　Mason？〃

〃Oh；　yes！　I　can　go　alone；　I　am　not　ill；　only　frightened　and　sick。　This　is　not　the　worst；〃　she　shivered。　〃There　are　two　men　upupwith　papa。〃

〃Up　with　papa。〃　Mr。　Carlyle　was　puzzled。　He　saw　that　she　was　shaking　from　head　to　foot；　as　she　stood　before　him。

〃I　cannot　understand　it；　and　it　terrifies　me；〃　she　continued；　attempting　an　explanation。　〃They　are　sitting　in　the　room；　close　to　him：　they　have　taken　him；　they　say。〃

A　blank；　thunderstruck　pause。　Mr。　Carlyle　looked　at　herhe　did　not　speak；　and　then　he　turned　and　looked　at　the　butler；　who　was　standing　near。　But　the　man　only　responded　by　giving　his　head　a　half　shake；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　saw　that　it　was　an　ominous　one。

〃I　will　clear　the　house　of　these；〃　he　said　to　Lady　Isabel；　pointing　back　to　the　dining…room；　〃and　then　join　you　upstairs。〃

〃Two　ruffians；　sir；　and　they　have　got　possession　of　the　body；〃　whispered　the　butler　in　Mr。　Carlyle's　ear；　as　Lady　Isabel　departed。　〃They　obtained　entrance　to　the　chamber　by　a　sly；　deceitful　trick；　saying　they　were　the　undertaker's　men；　and　that　he　can't　be　buried　unless　their　claims　are　paid；　if　it's　for　a　month　to　come。　It　has　upset　all　our　stomachs；　sir；　Mrs。　Mason　while　telling　mefor　she　was　the　first　one　to　know　itwas　as　sick　as　she　could　be。〃

At　present　Mr。　Carlyle　returned　to　the　dining…room；　and　bore　the　brunt　of　the　anger　of　those　savages；　and　it　may　be　said；　ill…used　men。　Not　that　it　was　vented　upon　himquite　the　contrarybut　on　the　memory　of　the　unhappy　peer；　who　lay　overhead。　A　few　had　taken　the　precaution　to　insure　the　earl's　life；　and　they　were　the　best　off。　They　left　the　house　after　a　short　space　of　time；　for　Mr。　Carlyle's　statement　was　indisputable；　and　they　knew　the　law　better　than　to　remain；　trespassers　on　his　property。

But　the　custodians　of　the　dead　could　not　be　got　rid　of。　Mr。　Carlyle　proceeded　to　the　death…chamber；　and　examined　their　authority。　A　similar　case　had　never　occurred　under　his　own　observation；　though　it　had　under　his　father's；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　remembered　hearing　of　it。　The　body　of　a　church　dignitary；　who　had　died　deeply　in　debt；　was　arrested　as　it　was　being　carried　through　the　cloisters　to　its　grave　in　the　cathedral。　These　men；　sitting　over　Lord　Mount　Severn；　enforced　heavy　claims；　and　there　they　must　sit　until　the　arrival　of　Mr。　Vane　from　Castle　Marlingnow　the　Earl　of　Mount　Severn。

On　the　following　morning；　Sunday；　Mr。　Carlyle　proceeded　again　to　East　Lynne；　and　found；　to　his　surprise；　that　there　was　no　arrival。　Isabel　sat　in　the　breakfast…room　alone；　the　meal　on　the　table　untouched；　and　she　shiveringas　it　seemedon　a　low　ottoman　before　the　fire。　She　looked　so　ill　that　Mr。　Carlyle　could　not　forbear　remarking　upon　it。

〃I　have　not　slept；　and　I　am　very　cold；〃　she　answered。　〃I　did　not　close　my　eyes　all　night；　I　was　so　terrified。〃

〃Terrified　at　what？〃　he　asked。

〃At　those　men；〃　she　whispered。　〃It　is　strange　that　Mr。　Vane　has　not　come。〃

〃Is　the　post　in？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　apathetically　replied。　〃I　have　received　nothing。〃

She　had　scarcely　spoke　when　the　butler　entered　with　his　salver　full　of　letters；　most　of　them　bearing　condolence　with　Lady　Isabel。　She　singled　out　one　and　hastened　to　open　it；　for　it　bore　the　Castle　Marling　post…　mark。　〃It　is　Mrs。　Vane's　handwriting；〃　she　remarked　to　Mr。　Carlyle。


CASTLE　MARLING；　Saturday。

　〃MY　DEAR　ISABELI　am　dreadfully　grieved　and　shocked　at　the　news　　　conveyed　in　Mr。　Carlyle's　letter　to　my　husband；　for　he　has　gone　　　cruising　in　his　yacht；　and　I　opened　it。　Goodness　knows　where　he　　　may　be；　round　the　coast　somewhere；　but　he　said　he　should　be　home　　　for　Sunday；　and　as　he　is　pretty　punctual　in　keeping　his　word；　I　　　expect　him。　Be　assured　he　will　not　lose　a　moment　in　hastening　to　　　East　Lynne。

　〃I　cannot　express　what　I　feel　for　you；　and　am　too　/bouleversee/　to　　　write　more。　Try　and　keep　up　your　spirits；　and　believe　me；　dear　　　Isabel；　with　sincere　sympathy　and　regret；　faithfully　yours；

〃EMMA　MOUNT　SEVERN。〃


The　color　came　into　Isabel's　pale　cheek　when　she　read　the　signature。　She　thought；　had　she　been　the　writer；　she　should；　in　that　first；　early　letter；　have　still　signed　herself　Emma　Vane。　Isabel　handed　the　note　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　very　unfortunate；〃　she　sighed。

Mr。　Carlyle　glanced　over　it　as　quickly　as　Mrs。　Vane's　illegible　writing　allowed　him；　and　drew　in　his　lips　in　a　peculiar　manner　when　he　came　to　the　signature。　Perhaps　at　the　same　thought　which　had　struck　Isabel。

〃Had　Mrs。　Vane　been　worth　a　rush；　she　would　have　come　herself；　knowing　your　lonely　situation；〃　he　uttered；　impulsively。

Isabel　leaned　her　head　upon　her　hand。　All　the　difficulties　and　embarrassments　of　her　position　came　crowding　on　her　mind。　No　orders　had　been　given　in　preparation　for　the　funeral；　and　she　felt　that　she　had　no　right　to　give　any。　The　earls　of　Mount　Severn　were　buried　at　Mount　Severn；　but　to　take　her　father　thither　would　involve　great　expense；　would　the　present　earl　sanction　that？　Since　the　previous　morning；　she　seemed　to　have　grown　old　in　the　world's　experience；　her　ideas　were　changed；　the　bent　of　her　thoughts　had　been　violently　turned　from　its　course。　Instead　of　being　a　young　lady　of　high　position；　of　wealth　and　rank；　she　appeared　to　herself　more　in　the　light　of　an　unfortunate　pauper　and　interloper　in　the　house　she　was　inhabiting。　It　has　been　the　custom　in　romance　to　present　young　ladies；　especially　if　they　be　handsome　and　interesting；　as　being　entirely　oblivious　of　matter…of…fact　cares　and　necessities；　supremely　indifferent　to　future　prospects　of　povertypoverty　that　brings　hunger　and　thirst　and　cold　and　nakedness；　but；　be　assured；　this　apathy　never　existed　in　real　life。　Isabel　Vane's　grief　for　her　fatherwhom；　whatever　may　have　been　the　aspect　he　wore　for　others；　/she/　had　deeply　loved　and　reverenced　was　sharply　poignant；　but　in　the　midst　of　that　grief；　and　of　the　singular　troubles　his　death　had　brought　forth；　she　could　not　shut　her　eyes　to　her　own　future。　Its　blank　uncertainty；　its　shadowed…forth　embarrassments　did　obtrude　themselves　and　the　words　of　that　plain…　speaking　creditor　kept　ringing　in　her　ears：　〃You　won't　have　a　roof　to　put　your　head　under；　or　a　guinea　to　call　your　own。〃　Where　was　she　to　go？　With　whom　to　live？　She　was　in　Mr。　Carlyle's　house　now。　And　how　was　she　to　pay　the　servants？　Money　was　owing　to　them　all。

〃Mr。　Carlyle；　how　long　has　this　house　been　yours？〃　she　asked；　breaking　the　silence。

〃It　was　in　June　that　the　purchase　was　completed。　Did　Lord　Mount　Severn　never　tell　you　he　had　sold　it　to　me？〃

〃No；　never。　All　these　things　are　yours？〃　glancing　round　the　room。

〃The　furniture　was　sold　with　the　house。　Not　these　sort　of　things；〃　he　added；　his　eye　falling　on　the　silver　on　the　breakfast　table；　〃not　the　plate　and　linen。〃

〃Not　the　plate　and　linen！　Then　those　poor　men　who　were　here　yesterday　have　a　right　to　them；〃　she　quickly　cried。

〃I　scarcely　know。　I　believe　the　plate　goes　with　the　entailand　the　jewels　go　also。　The　linen　cannot　be　of　consequence　either　way。〃

〃Are　my　clothes　my　own？〃

He　smiled　as　he　looked　at　her；　smiled　at　her　simplicity；　and　assured　her　that　they　were　nobody's　else。

〃I　did　not　know；〃　she　sighed；　〃I　did　not　understand。　So　many　strange　things　have　happened　in　the　last　day　or　two；　that　I　seem　to　understand　nothing。〃

Indeed；　she　could　not　understand。　She　had　no　definite　ideas　on　the　subject　of　this　transfer　of　East　Lynne　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　plenty　of　indefinite　ones；　and　they　were　haunting　her。　Fears　of　debt　to　him；　and　of　the　house　and　its　contents　being　handed　over　to　him　in　liquidation；　perhaps　only　partial；　were　working　in　her　brain。

〃Does　my　father　owe　you　any　money？〃　she　breathed　in　a　timid　tone。

〃Not　any；〃　he　replied。　〃Lord　Mount　Severn　was　never　indebted　to　me　in　his　life。〃

〃Yet　you　purchased　East　Lynne？〃

〃As　any　one　else　might　have　done；〃　he　answered；　discerning　the　drift　of　her　thoughts。　〃I　was　in　search　of　an　eligible　estate　to　invest　money　in；　and　East　Lynne　suited　me。〃

〃I　feel　my　position；　Mr。　Carlyle；〃　she　resumed；　the　rebellious　fears　forcing　themselves　to　her　eyes；　〃thus　to　be　intruding　upon　you　for　a　shelter。　And　I　cannot　help　myself。〃

〃You　can　help　grieving　me；〃　he　gently　answered；　〃which　you　do　much　when　you　talk　of　obligation。　The　obligation　is　on　my　side；　Lady　Isabel；　and　when　I　express　a　hope　that　you　will　continue　at　East　Lynne　while　it　can　be　of　service；　however　prolonged　that　p