east lynne-第31节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Barbara　struggled　with　her　emotionstruggled　manfullyand　the　sobs　and　shrieks　subsided；　not　the　excitement　or　the　passion。　She　put　away　his　arm；　and　stood　with　her　back　to　the　stile；　leaning　against　it。　Mr。　Carlyle　felt　inclined　to　fly　to　the　pond　for　water；　but　he　had　nothing　but　his　hat　to　get　it　in。

〃Are　you　better；　Barbara？　What　can　have　caused　it？〃

〃What　can　have　caused　it？〃　she　burst　forth；　giving　full　swing　to　the　reins；　and　forgetting　everything。　〃/You/　can　ask　me　that？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　was　struck　dumb；　but　by　some　inexplicable　laws　of　sympathy；　a　dim　and　very　unpleasant　consciousness　of　the　truth　began　to　steal　over　him。

〃I　don't　understand　you；　Barbara。　If　I　have　offended　you　in　any　way；　I　am　truly　sorry。〃

〃Truly　sorry；　no　doubt！〃　was　the　retort；　the　sobs　and　the　shrieks　alarmingly　near。　〃What　do　you　care　for　me？　If　I　go　under　the　sod　to…morrow；〃　stamping　it　with　her　foot；　〃you　have　your　wife　to　care　for；　what　am　I？〃

〃Hush！〃　he　interposed；　glancing　round；　more　mindful　for　her　than　she　was　for　herself。

〃Hush；　yes！　You　would　like　me　to　hush；　what　is　my　misery　to　you？　I　would　rather　be　in　my　grave；　Archibald　Carlyle；　than　endure　the　life　I　have　led　since　you　married　her。　My　pain　is　greater　than　I　well　know　how　to　bear。〃

〃I　cannot　affect　to　misunderstand　you；〃　he　said；　feeling　more　at　a　nonplus　than　he　had　felt　for　many　a　day；　and　heartily　wishing　the　whole　female　creation；　save　Isabel；　somewhere。　〃But　my　dear　Barbara。　I　never　gave　you　cause　to　think　Ithat　Icared　for　you　more　than　I　did。〃

〃Never　gave　me　cause！〃　she　gasped。　〃When　you　have　been　coming　to　our　house　constantly；　almost　like　my　shadow；　when　you　gave　me　this〃　dashing　open　her　mantle；　and　holding　up　the　locket　to　his　view；　〃when　you　have　been　more　intimate　with　me　than　a　brother。〃

〃Stay；　Barbara。　There　it　isa　brother。　I　have　been　nothing　else；　it　never　occurred　to　me　to　be　anything　else；〃　he　added；　in　his　straightforward　truth。

〃Ay；　as　a　brother；　nothing　else！〃　and　her　voice　rose　once　more　with　her　excitement；　it　seemed　that　she　would　not　long　control　it。　〃What　cared　you　for　my　feelings？　What　recked　you　that　you　gained　my　love？〃

〃Barbara；　hush！〃　he　implored：　〃do　be　calm　and　reasonable。　If　I　ever　gave　you　cause　to　think　I　regarded　you　with　deeper　feelings；　I　can　only　express　to　you　my　deep　regret；　my　repentance；　and　assure　you　it　was　done　unconsciously。〃

She　was　growing　calmer。　The　passion　was　fading；　leaving　her　face　still　and　white。　She　lifted　it　toward　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃You　treated　me　ill　in　showing　signs　of　love；　if　you　felt　it　not。　Why　did　you　kiss　me？〃

〃I　kissed　you　as　I　might　kiss　a　sister。　Or　perhaps　as　a　pretty　girl；　man　likes　to　do　so。　The　close　terms　on　which　our　families　have　lived；　excused；　if　it　did　not　justify；　a　degree　of　familiarity　that　might　have　been　unseemly　in〃

〃You　need　not　tell　me　that；〃　hotly　interrupted　Barbara。　〃Had　it　been　a　stranger　who　had　won　my　love　and　then　thrown　me　from　him；　do　you　suppose　I　would　have　reproached　him　as　I　am　now　reproaching　you？　No；　I　would　have　died；　rather　than　that　he　should　have　suspected　it。　If　/she/　had　not　come　between　us；　should　you　have　loved　me？〃

〃Do　not　pursue　this　unthankful　topic；〃　he　besought；　almost　wishing　the　staring　cow　would　run　away　with　her。

〃I　ask　you；　should　you　have　loved　me？〃　persisted　Barbara；　passing　her　handkerchief　over　her　ashy　lips。

〃I　don't　know。　How　can　I　know？　Do　I　not　say　to　you；　Barbara；　that　I　only　thought　of　you　as　a　friend；　a　sister？　I　cannot　tell　what　might　have　been。〃

〃I　could　bear　it　better；　but　that　it　was　known；〃　she　murmured。　〃All　West　Lynne　had　coupled　us　together　in　their　prying　gossip；　and　they　have　only　pity　to　cast　on　me　now。　I　would　far　rather　you　have　killed　me；　Archibald。〃

〃I　can　but　express　to　you　my　deep　regret；〃　he　repeated。　〃I　can　only　hope　you　will　soon　forget　it　all。　Let　the　remembrance　of　this　conversation　pass　away　with　to…night；　let　us　still　be　to　each　other　as　friendsas　brother　and　sister。　Believe　me；〃　he　concluded；　in　a　deeper　tone；　〃the　confession　has　not　lessened　you　in　my　estimation。〃

He　made　a　movement　as　though　he　would　get　over　the　stile；　but　Barbara　did　not　stir；　the　tears　were　silently　coursing　down　her　pallid　face。　At　that　moment　there　was　an　interruption。

〃Is　that　you；　Miss　Barbara？〃

Barbara　started　as　if　she　had　been　shot。　On　the　other　side　of　the　stile　stood　Wilson；　their　upper　maid。　How　long　might　she　have　been　there？　She　began　to　explain　that　Mr。　Hare　had　sent　Jasper　out；　and　Mrs。　Hare　had　thought　it　better　to　wait　no　longer　for　the　man's　return；　so　had　dispatched　her；　Wilson；　for　Miss　Barbara。　Mr。　Carlyle　got　over　the　stile；　and　handed　over　Miss　Barbara。

〃You　need　not　come　any　further　now；〃　she　said　to　him　in　a　low　tone。

〃I　should　see　you　home；〃　was　his　reply；　and　he　held　out　his　arm。　Barbara　took　it。

They　walked　in　silence。　Arrived　at　the　back　gate　of　the　grove；　which　gave　entrance　to　the　kitchen　garden；　Wilson　went　forward。　Mr。　Carlyle　took　both　Barbara's　hands　in　his。

〃Good…night；　Barbara。　God　bless　you。〃

She　had　had　time　for　reflection；　and　the　excitement　gone；　she　saw　her　outbreak　in　all　its　shame　and　folly。　Mr。　Carlyle　noticed　how　subdued　and　white　she　looked。

〃I　think　I　have　been　mad；〃　she　groaned。　〃I　must　have　been　mad　to　say　what　I　did。　Forget　that　it　was　uttered。〃

〃I　told　you　I　would。〃

〃You　will　not　betray　me　totoyour　wife？〃　she　panted。

〃Barbara！〃

〃Thank　you。　Good…night。〃

But　he　still　retained　her　hands。　〃In　a　short　time；　Barbara；　I　trust　you　will　find　one　more　worthy　to　receive　your　love　than　I　have　been。〃

〃Never！〃　she　impulsively　answered。　〃I　do　not　love　and　forget　so　lightly。　In　the　years　to　come；　in　my　old　age；　I　shall　still　be　nothing　but　Barbara　Hare。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　walked　away　in　a　fit　of　musing。　The　revelation　had　given　him　pain；　and　possibly　a　little　bit　of　flattery　into　the　bargain；　for　he　was　fond　of　pretty　Barbara。　Fond　in　his　waynot　hersnot　with　the　sort　of　fondness　he　felt　for　his　wife。　He　asked　his　conscience　whether　his　manner　to　her　in　the　past　days　had　been　a　tinge　warmer　than　we　bestow　upon　a　sister；　and　he　decided　that　it　might　have　been；　but　he　most　certainly　never　cast　a　suspicion　to　the　mischief　it　was　doing。

〃I　heartily　hope　she'll　soon　find　somebody　to　her　liking　and　forget　me；〃　was　his　concluding　thought。　〃As　to　living　and　dying　Barbara　Hare；　that's　all　moonshine；　and　sentimental　rubbish　that　girls　like　to〃

〃Archibald！〃

He　was　passing　the　very　last　tree　in　the　park；　the　nearest　to　his　house；　and　the　interruption　came　from　a　dark　form　standing　under　it。

〃Is　it　you；　my　dearest？〃

〃I　came　out　to　meet　you。　Have　you　not　been　very　long？〃

〃I　think　I　have；〃　he　answered；　as　he　drew　his　wife　to　his　side；　and　walked　on　with　her。

〃We　met　one　of　the　servants　at　the　second　stile；　but　I　went　on　all　the　way。〃

〃You　have　been　intimate　with　the　Hares？〃

〃Quite　so。　Cornelia　is　related　to　them。〃

〃Do　you　think　Barbara　pretty？〃

〃Very。〃

〃Thenintimate　as　you　wereI　wonder　you　never　fell　in　love　with　her。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　laughed；　a　very　conscious　laugh；　considering　the　recent　interview。

〃Did　you；　Archibald？〃

The　words　were　spoken　in　a　low　tone；　almost；　or　he　fancied　it；　a　tone　of　emotion；　and　he　looked　at　her　in　amazement。　〃Did　I　what；　Isabel？〃

〃You　never　loved　Barbara　Hare？〃

〃Loved　/her/！　What　is　your　head　running　on；　Isabel？　I　never　loved　but　one；　and　that　one　I　made　my　own；　my　cherished　wife。〃



CHAPTER　XVIII。

MISS　CARLYLEISABEL　UNHAPPY。

Another　year　came　in。　Isabel　would　have　been　altogether　happy　but　for　Miss　Carlyle；　that　lady　still　inflicted　her　presence　upon　East　Lynne；　and　made　it　the　bane　of　its　household。　She　deferred　outwardly　to　Lady　Isabel　as　the　mistress；　but　the　real　mistress　was　herself。　Isabel　was　little　more　than　an　automaton。　Her　impulses　were　checked；　her　wishes　frustrated；　her　actions　tacitly　condemned　by　the　imperiously…willed　Miss　Carlyle。　Poor　Isabel；　with　her　refined　manners　and　her　timid　and　sensitive　temperament；　had　no　chance　against　the　strong…minded　woman；　and　she　was　in　a　state　of　galling　subjection　in　her　own　house。

Not　a　day　passed　but　Miss　Carlyle；　by　dint　of　hints　and　innuendoes；　contrived　to　impress　upon　Lady　Isabel　the　unfortunate　blow　to　his　own　interests　that　Mr。　Carlyle's　marriage　had　been；　the　ruinous　expense　she　had　entailed　upon　the　family。　It　struck　a　complete　chill　to　Isabel's　heart；　and　she　became　painfully　impressed　with　the　incubus　she　must　be　to　Mr。　Carlyleso　far　as　his　pocket　was　concerned。　Lord　Mount　Severn；　with　his　little　son；　had　paid　them　a　short　visit　at　Christmas　and　Isabel　had　asked　him；　apparently　with　unconcern；　whether　Mr。　Carlyle　had　put　himself　very　much　out　to　the　way　to　marry　her；　whether　it　had　entailed　on　him　an　expense　and　a　style　of　living　he　would　not　otherwise　have　deemed　himself　justified　in　affording。　Lord　Mount　Severn's　reply　was　an　unfortunate　one：　his　opinion　was；　that　it　had；　he　said；　and　that　Isabel　ought　to　feel　grateful　to　him　for　his　generosity。　She　sighed　as　she　listened；　and　from　thenceforth　determined　to　put　up　with　Miss　Carlyle。

More　timid　and　sensitive　by　nature　than　many　would　believe　or　can　imagine；　reared　in　seclusion　more　simply　and　quietly　than　falls　to　the　general　lot　of　peers'　daught