east lynne-第26节

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The　question　turned　home；　and　Isabel　turned　crimson。　〃I　shall　love　my　husband　in　time；〃　was　all　she　answered；　as　she　bent　her　head；　and　played　nervously　with　her　watch　chain。

〃My　poor　child！〃　involuntarily　exclaimed　the　earl。　But　he　was　one　who　liked　to　fathom　the　depth　of　everything。　〃Who　has　been　staying　at　Castle　Marling　since　I　left？〃　he　asked　sharply。

〃Mrs。　Levison　came　down。〃

〃I　alluded　to　gentlemenyoung　men。〃

〃Only　Francis　Levison；〃　she　replied。

〃Francis　Levison！　You　have　never　been　so　foolish　as　to　fall　in　love　with　/him/？〃

The　question　was　so　pointed；　so　abrupt；　and　Isabel's　self…　consciousness；　moreover；　so　great；　that　she　betrayed　lamentable　confusion；　and　the　earl　had　no　further　need　to　ask。　Pity　stole　into　his　hard　eyes　as　they　fixed　themselves　on　her　downcast；　glowing　face。

〃Isabel；〃　he　gravely　began；　〃Captain　Levison　is　not　a　good　man；　if　ever　you　were　inclined　to　think　him　one；　dispossess　your　mind　of　the　idea；　and　hold　him　at　arm's　distance。　Drop　his　acquaintanceencourage　no　intimacy　with　him。〃

〃I　have　already　dropped　it；〃　said　Isabel；　〃and　I　shall　not　take　it　up　again。　But　Lady　Mount　Severn　must　think　well　of　him；　or　she　would　not　have　him　there。〃

〃She　thinks　none　too　well　of　him；　none　can　of　Francis　Levison；〃　returned　the　earl　significantly。

Before　Isabel　could　reply；　Mr。　Carlyle　entered。　He　held　out　his　hand　to　the　earl；　the　earl　did　not　appear　to　see　it。

〃Isabel；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　sorry　to　turn　you　out；　but　I　suppose　you　have　but　this　one　sitting…room。　I　wish　to　say　a　few　words　to　Mr。　Carlyle。〃

She　quitted　them；　and　the　earl　wheeled　round　and　faced　Mr。　Carlyle；　speaking　in　a　stern；　haughty　tone。

〃How　came　this　marriage　about；　sir？　Do　you　possess　so　little　honor；　that；　taking　advantage　of　my　absence；　you　must　intrude　yourself　into　my　family；　and　clandestinely　espouse　Lady　Isabel　Vane？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　stood　confounded；　and　confused。　He　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　height；　looking　every　whit　as　fearless　and　far　more　noble　than　the　peer。　〃My　lord；　I　do　not　understand　you。〃

〃Yet　I　speak　plainly。　What　is　it　but　a　clandestine　procedure　to　take　advantage　of　a　guardian's　absence　and　beguile　a　young　girl　into　a　marriage　beneath　her？〃

〃There　has　been　nothing　clandestine　in　my　conduct　toward　Lady　Isabel　Vane；　there　shall　be　nothing　but　honor　in　my　conduct　toward　Lady　Isabel　Carlyle。　Your　lordship　has　been　misinformed。〃

〃I　have　not　been　informed　at　all；〃　retorted　the　earl。　〃I　was　allowed　to　learn　this　from　the　public　papersI；　the　only　relative　of　Lady　Isabel。〃

〃When　I　proposed　for　Lady　Isabel〃

〃But　a　month　ago；〃　sarcastically　interrupted　the　earl。

〃But　a　month　ago；〃　calmly　repeated　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃my　first　action；　after　Isabel　accepted　me；　was　to　write　to　you。　But　that　I　imagine　you　may　not　have　received　the　letter；　by　stating　you　first　heard　of　our　marriage　through　the　papers；　I　should　say；　the　want　of　courtesy　lay　on　your　lordship's　side　for　having　vouchsafed　me　no　reply　to　it。〃

〃What　were　the　contents　of　the　letter？〃

〃I　stated　what　had　occurred；　mentioning　what　I　was　able　to　do　in　the　way　of　settlements；　and　also　that　both　Isabel　and　myself　wished　the　ceremony　to　take　place　as　soon　as　might　be。〃

〃And　pray　where　did　you　address　the　letter？〃

〃Lady　Mount　Severn　could　not　give　me　the　address。　She　said　if　I　would　intrust　the　letter　to　her；　she　would　forward　it　with　the　rest　she　wrote；　for　she　expected　daily　to　hear　from　you。　I　did　give　her　the　letter；　and　I　heard　no　more　of　the　matter；　except　that　her　ladyship　sent　me　a　message　when　Isabel　was　writing　to　me；　that　as　you　had　returned　no　reply；　you　of　course　approved。〃

〃Is　this　the　fact？〃　cried　the　earl。

〃My　lord；〃　coldly　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃whatever　may　be　my　defects　in　your　eyes；　I　am　at　least　a　man　of　truth。　Until　this　moment；　the　suspicion　that　you　were　in　ignorance　of　the　contemplated　marriage　never　occurred　to　me。〃

〃So　far；　then；　I　beg　your　pardon；　Mr。　Carlyle。　But　how　came　the　marriage　about　at　allhow　came　it　to　be　hurried　over　in　this　unseemly　fashion？　You　made　the　offer　at　Easter；　Isabel　tells　me；　and　you　married　her　three　weeks　after　it。〃

〃And　I　would　have　married　her　and　brought　her　away　with　me　the　day　I　did　make　it；　had　it　been　practicable；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　have　acted　throughout　for　her　comfort　and　happiness。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！〃　exclaimed　the　earl；　returning　to　his　disagreeable　tone。　〃Perhaps　you　will　put　me　in　possession　of　the　facts；　and　of　your　motives。〃

〃I　warn　you　that　the　facts　to　you　will　not　bear　a　pleasant　sound；　Lord　Mount　Severn。〃

〃Allow　me　to　be　the　judge　of　that；〃　said　the　earl。

〃Business　took　me　to　Castle　Marling　on　Good　Friday。　On　the　following　day　I　called　at　your　house；　after　your　own　and　Isabel's　invitation；　it　was　natural　I　should；　in　fact；　it　would　have　been　a　breach　of　good　feeling　not　to　do　so；　I　found　Isabel　ill…treated　and　miserable；　far　from　enjoying　a　happy　home　in　your　house〃

〃What；　sir？〃　interrupted　the　earl。　〃Ill…treated　and　miserable？〃

〃Ill…treated　even　to　blows；　my　lord。〃

The　earl　stood　as　one　petrified；　staring　at　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃I　learnt　it；　I　must　premise；　through　the　chattering　revelations　of　your　little　son；　Isabel；　of　course；　would　not　have　mentioned　it　to　me；　but　when　the　child　had　spoken；　she　did　not　deny　it。　In　short　she　was　too　broken…hearted；　too　completely　bowed　in　spirit　to　deny　it。　It　aroused　all　my　feelings　of　indignationit　excited　in　me　an　irresistible　desire　to　emancipate　her　from　this　cruel　life；　and　take　her　where　she　would　find　affection；　and　I　hope　happiness。　There　was　only　one　way　which　I　could　do　this；　and　I　risked　it。　I　asked　her　to　become　my　wife；　and　to　return　to　her　home　at　East　Lynne。〃

The　earl　was　slowly　recovering　from　his　petrifaction。　〃Then；　am　I　to　understand；　that　when　you　called　that　day　at　my　house；　you　carried　no　intention　with　you　of　proposing　to　Isabel？〃

〃Not　any。　It　was　an　impromptu　step；　the　circumstances　under　which　I　found　her　calling　it　forth。〃

The　earl　paced　the　room；　perplexed　still；　and　evidently　disturbed。　〃May　I　inquire　if　you　love　her？〃　he　abruptly　said。

Mr。　Carlyle　paused　ere　he　spoke；　and　a　red　flush　dyed　his　face。　〃Those　sort　of　feelings　man　rarely　acknowledges　to　man；　Lord　Mount　Severn；　but　I　will　answer　you。　I　do　love　her；　passionately　and　sincerely；　I　learnt　to　love　her　at　East　Lynne；　but　I　could　have　carried　my　love　silently　within　me　to　the　end　of　my　life　and　never　betrayed　it；　and　probably　should　have　done　so；　but　for　the　unexpected　visit　to　Castle　Marling。　If　the　idea　of　making　her　my　wife　had　never　previously　occurred　to　me　as　practicable；　it　was　that　I　deemed　her　rank　incompatible　with　my　own。〃

〃As　it　was；〃　said　the　earl。

〃Country　solicitors　have　married　peers'　daughters　before　now；〃　remarked　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　only　add　another　to　the　list。〃

〃But　you　cannot　keep　her　as　a　peer's　daughter；　I　presume？〃

〃East　Lynne　will　be　her　home。　Our　establishment　will　be　small　and　quiet；　as　compared　with　her　father's。　I　explained　to　Isabel　how　quiet　at　the　first；　and　she　might　have　retracted　had　she　wished。　I　explained　also　in　full　to　Lady　Mount　Severn。　East　Lynne　will　descend　to　our　eldest　son；　should　we　have　children。　My　profession　is　most　lucrative；　my　income　good；　were　I　to　die　to…morrow；　Isabel　would　enjoy　East　Lynne　and　about　three　thousand　pounds　per　annum。　I　gave　these　details　in　the　letter；　which　appears　to　have　miscarried。〃

The　earl　made　no　immediate　reply；　he　was　absorbed　in　thought。

〃Your　lordship　perceives；　I　hope；　that　there　has　been　nothing　'clandestine'　in　my　conduct　to　Lady　Isabel。〃

Lord　Mount　Severn　held　out　his　hand。　〃I　refused　my　hand　when　you　came　in；　Mr。　Carlyle；　as　you　may　have　observed；　perhaps　you　will　refuse　yours　now；　though　I　should　be　proud　to　shake　it。　When　I　find　myself　in　the　wrong；　I　am　not　above　acknowledging　the　fact；　and　I　must　state　my　opinion　that　you　have　behaved　most　kindly　and　honorably。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　smiled　and　put　his　hand　into　the　earl's。　The　latter　retained　it；　while　he　spoke　in　a　whisper。

〃Of　course　I　cannot　be　ignorant　that；　in　speaking　of　Isabel's　ill…　treatment；　you　alluded　to　my　wife。　Has　it　transpired　beyond　yourselves？〃

〃You　may　be　sure　that　neither　Isabel　nor　myself　would　mention　it；　we　shall　dismiss　it　from　among　our　reminiscences。　Let　it　be　as　though　you　had　never　heard　it；　it　is　past　and　done　with。〃

〃Isabel；〃　said　the　earl；　as　he　was　departing　that　evening；　for　he　remained　to　spend　the　day　with　them；　〃I　came　here　this　morning　almost　prepared　to　strike　your　husband；　and　I　go　away　honoring　him。　Be　a　good　and　faithful　wife　to　him；　for　he　deserves　it。〃

〃Of　course　I　shall；〃　she　answered；　in　surprise。

Lord　Mount　Severn　steamed　on　to　Castle　Marling；　and　there　he　had　a　stormy　interview　with　his　wifeso　stormy　that　the　sounds　penetrated　to　the　ears　of　the　domestics。　He　left　again　the　same　day；　in　anger；　and　proceeded　to　Mount　Severn。

〃He　will　have　time　to　cool　down；　before　we　meet　in　London；〃　was　the　comment　of　my　lady。



CHAPTER　XV。

COMING　HOME。

Miss　Carlyle；　having　resolved　upon　her　course；　quitted　her　own　house；　and　removed　to　East　Lynne　with　Peter　and　her　handmaidens。　In　spite　of　Mr。　Dill's　grieved　remonstrances；　she　discharged　the　servants　whom　Mr。　Carlyle　had　engaged；　all　save　one　m