east lynne-第34节

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nd〃

〃Wilson；〃　harshly　interrupted　Joyce；　〃have　the　goodness　to　recollect　yourself。〃

〃What　have　I　said　not？　Nothing　but　truth。　Men　are　shamefully　fickle；　husbands　worse　than　sweethearts；　and　I'm　sure　I'm　not　thinking　of　anything　wrong。　But　to　go　back　to　the　argument　that　we　began　withI　say　that　if　anything　happened　to　my　lady；　Miss　Barbara；　as　sure　as　fate；　would　step　into　her　shoes。〃

〃Nothing　is　going　to　happen　to　her；〃　continued　Joyce；　with　composure。

〃I　hope　it　is　not；　now　or　laterfor　the　sake　of　this　dear　little　innocent　thing　upon　my　lap；〃　went　on　the　undaunted　Wilson。　〃She　would　not　make　a　very　kind　stepmother；　for　it　is　certain　that　where　the　first　wife　had　been　hated；　her　children　won't　be　loved。　She　would　turn　Mr。　Carlyle　against　them〃

〃I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Wilson；〃　interrupted　Joyce；　in　a　firm；　unmistakable　tone；　〃if　you　think　to　pursue　those　sort　of　topics　at　East　Lynne；　I　shall　inform　my　lady　that　you　are　unsuitable　for　the　situation。〃

〃I　dare　say！〃

〃And　you　know　that　when　I　make　up　my　mind　to　a　thing　I　do　it；〃　continued　Joyce。　〃Miss　Carlyle　may　well　say　you　have　the　longest　tongue　in　West　Lynne；　but　you　might　have　the　grace　to　know　that　this　subject　is　one　more　unsuitable　to　it　than　another；　whether　you　are　eating　Mr。　Hare's　bread；　or　whether　you　are　eating　Mr。　Carlyle's。　Another　word；　Wilson；　it　appears　to　me　that　you　have　been　carrying　on　a　prying　system　in　Mrs。　Hare's　housedo　not　attempt　such　a　thing　in　this。〃

〃You　were　always　one　of　the　straight…laced　sort；　Joyce；〃　cried　Wilson；　laughing　good…humoredly。　〃But　now　that　I　have　had　my　say　out；　I　shall　stop；　and　you　need　not　fear　I　shall　be　such　a　simpleton　as　to　go　prattling　of　this　kind　of　thing　to　the　servants。〃

Now　just　fancy　this　conversation　penetrating　to　Lady　Isabel！　She　heard　every　word。　It　is　all　very　well　to　oppose　the　argument；　〃Who　attends　to　the　gossip　of　the　servants？〃　Let　me　tell　you　it　depends　upon　what　the　subject　may　be；　whether　the　gossip　is　attended　to　or　not。　It　might　not；　and　indeed　would　not；　have　made　so　great　an　impression　upon　her　had　she　been　in　strong　health；　but　she　was　weak；　feverish；　and　in　a　state　of　partial　delirium；　and　she　hastily　took　up　the　idea　that　Archibald　Carlyle　had　never　loved　her；　that　he　had　admired　her　and　made　her　his　wife　in　his　ambition；　but　that　his　heart　had　been　given　to　Barbara　Hare。

A　pretty　state　of　excitement　she　worked　herself　into　as　she　lay　there；　jealousy　and　fever；　ay；　and　love　too；　playing　pranks　with　her　brain。　It　was　near　the　dinner　hour；　and　when　Mr。　Carlyle　entered；　he　was　startled　to　see　her；　her　pallid　cheeks　were　burning　with　a　red　hectic　glow；　and　her　eyes　glistened　with　fever。

〃Isabel；　you　are　worse！〃　he　uttered；　as　he　approached　her　with　a　quick　step。

She　partially　rose　from　the　sofa；　and　clasped　hold　of　him　in　her　emotion。　〃Oh；　Archibald！　Archibald！〃　she　uttered；　〃don't　marry　her！　I　could　not　rest　in　my　grave。〃

Mr。　Carlyle；　in　his　puzzled　astonishment；　believed　her　to　be　laboring　under　some　temporary　hallucination；　the　result　of　weakness。　He　set　himself　to　soothe　her；　but　it　seemed　that　she　could　not　be　soothed。　She　burst　into　a　storm　of　tears　and　began　againwild　words。

〃She　would　ill…treat　my　child；　she　would　draw　your　love　from　it；　and　from　my　memory。　Archibald；　you　must　not　marry　her！〃

〃You　must　be　speaking　from　the　influence　of　a　dream；　Isabel；〃　he　soothingly　said；　〃you　have　been　asleep　and　are　not　yet　awake。　Be　still；　and　recollection　will　return　to　you。　There；　love；　rest　upon　me。〃

〃To　think　of　her　as　your　wife　brings　pain　enough　to　kill　me；〃　she　continued　to　reiterate。　〃Promise　me　that　you　will　not　marry　her；　Archibald；　promise　it！〃

〃I　will　promise　you　anything　in　reason；〃　he　replied；　bewildered　with　her　words；　〃but　I　do　not　know　what　you　mean。　There　is　no　possibility　of　my　marrying　any　one；　Isabel；　you　are　my　wife。〃

〃But　if　I　die？　I　mayyou　know　I　may；　and　many　think　I　shalldo　not　let　her　usurp　my　place。〃

〃Indeed　she　shall　notwhoever　you　may　be　talking　of。　What　have　you　been　dreaming？　Who　is　it　that　has　been　troubling　your　mind？〃

〃Archibald；　do　you　need　to　ask？　Did　you　love　no　one　before　you　married　me？　Perhaps　you　have　loved　her　sinceperhaps　you　love　her　still？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　began　to　discern　〃method　in　her　madness。〃　He　changed　his　cheering　tone　to　one　of　grave　earnestness。　〃Of　whom　to　you　speak；　Isabel？〃

〃Of　Barbara　Hare。〃

He　knitted　his　brow；　he　was　both　annoyed　and　vexed。　Whatever　had　put　this　bygone　nonsense　into　his　wife's　head？　He　quitted　the　sofa　where　he　had　been　supporting　her；　and　stood　upright　before　her；　calm；　dignified；　almost　solemn　in　his　seriousness。

〃Isabel；　what　notion　can　you　possibly　have　picked　up　about　myself　and　Barbara　Hare；　I　never　entertained　the　faintest　shadow　of　love　for　her；　either　before　my　marriage　or　since。　You　must　tell　me　what　has　given　rise　to　this　idea　in　your　mind。〃

〃But　she　loved　you。〃

A　moment's　hesitation；　for；　of　course；　Mr。　Carlyle　was　conscious　that　she　had；　but；　taking　all　the　circumstances　into　consideration；　more　especially　how　he　learnt　the　fact；　he　could　not；　in　honor；　acknowledge　it　to　his　wife。　〃If　it　was　so；　Isabel；　she　was　more　reprehensibly　foolish　than　I　should　have　given　Barbara's　good　sense　could　be；　for　a　woman　may　almost　as　well　lose　herself　as　to　suffer　herself　to　love　unsought。　If　she　did　give　her　love　to　me；　I　can　only　say；　I　was　entirely　unconscious　of　it。　Believe　me；　you　have　as　much　cause　to　be　jealous　of　Cornelia　as　you　have　of　Barbara　Hare。〃

An　impulse　rose　within　her　that　she　would　tell　him　all；　the　few　words　dropped　by　Susan　and　Joyce；　twelve　months　before；　the　conversation　she　had　just　overheard；　but　in　that　moment　of　renewed　confidence；　it　did　appear　to　her　that　she　must　have　been　very　foolish　to　attach　importance　to　itthat　a　sort　of　humiliation；　in　listening　to　the　converse　of　servants；　was　reflected　on　her；　and　she　remained　silent。

There　never　was　a　passion　in　this　worldthere　never　will　be　oneso　fantastic；　so　delusive；　so　powerful　as　jealousy。　Mr。　Carlyle　dismissed　the　episode　from　his　thoughts；　he　believed　his　wife's　emotion　to　have　been　simply　from　a　feverish　dream；　and　never　supposed　but　that；　with　the　dream；　its　recollection　would　pass　away　from　her。　Not　so。　Implicitly　relying　upon　her　husband's　words　at　the　moment；　feeling　quite　ashamed　at　her　own　suspicion；　Lady　Isabel　afterward　suffered　the　unhappy　fear　to　regain　its　influence；　the　ill…starred　revelations　of　Wilson　reasserted　their　power；　overmastering　the　denial　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　Shakspeare　calls　jealousy　yellow　and　green；　I　think　it　may　be　called　black　and　white　for　it　most　assuredly　views　white　as　black；　and　black　as　white。　The　most　fanciful　surmises　wear　the　aspect　of　truth；　the　greatest　improbabilities　appear　as　consistent　realities。　Not　another　word　said　Isabel　to　her　husband；　and　the　feelingyou　will　understand　this　if　you　have　ever　been　foolish　enough　to　sun　yourself　in　its　delightsonly　caused　her　to　grow　more　attached　to　him；　to　be　more　eager　for　his　love。　But　certain　it　is　that　Barbara　Hare　dwelt　on　her　heart　like　an　incubus。



CHAPTER　XIX。

CAPTAIN　THORN　AT　WEST　LYNNE。

〃Barbara；　how　fine　the　day　seems！〃

〃It　is　a　beautiful　day　mamma。〃

〃I　do　think　I　should　be　all　the　better　for　going　out。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　would；　mamma；〃　was　Barbara's　answer。　〃If　you　went　out　more；　you　would　find　the　benefit。　Every　fine　day　you　ought　to　do　so。　I　will　go　and　ask　papa　if　he　can　spare　Benjamin　and　the　carriage。〃　She　waltzed　gaily　out　of　the　room；　but　returned　in　a　moment。

〃Mamma；　it　is　all　right。　Benjamin　is　gone　to　get　the　carriage　ready。　You　would　like　a　bit　of　luncheon　before　you　goI　will　order　the　tray。〃

〃Anything　you　please；　dear；〃　said　the　sweet…tempered　gentlewoman。　〃I　don't　know　why；　but　I　feel　glad　to　go　out　to…day；　perhaps　because　it　is　lovely。〃

Benjamin　made　ready　his　carriage　and　himself；　and　drove　out　of　the　yard　at　the　back；　and　brought　the　carriage　round　to　the　front　gate。

The　carriageor　phaeton　as　it　was　often　calledwas　a　somewhat　old　fashioned　concern；　as　many　country　things　are　apt　to　be。　A　small　box　in　front　for　the　driver；　and　a　wide　seat　with　a　head　behind；　accommodating　Barbara　well　between　them　when　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hare　both　sat　in。

Benjamin　drew　the　rug　carefully　over　his　mistress's　kneesthe　servants　did　not　like　Mr。　Hare；　but　would　have　laid　down　their　lives　for　herascended　to　his　box；　and　drove　them　to　their　destination；　the　linen　draper's。　It　was　an　excellent　shop；　situated　a　little　beyond　the　office　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　Mrs。　Hare　and　Barbara　were　soon　engaged　in　that　occupation　said　to　possess　for　all　women　a　fascination。　They　had　been　in　about　an　hour；　when　Mrs。　Hare　discovered　that　her　bag　was　missing。

〃I　must　have　left　it　in　the　carriage；　Barbara。　Go　and　bring　it；　will　you；　my　dear？　The　pattern　of　that　silk　is　in　it。〃

Barbara　went　out。　The　carriage　and　Benjamin　and　the　sleek　old　horse　were　all　waiting　drowsily　together。　Barbara　could　not　see　the　bag；　and　she　appealed　to　the　servant。

〃Find　mamma's　bag；　Benjamin。　It　must　be　somewhere　in　the　carriage。〃

Benjamin　got　off　his　box　and　began　to　search。　Barbara　waited；　gazing　listlessly　down　the　street。　The　sun　was　shining　brilliantly；　and　its　rays　fell　upon　the　large　cable　chain　of　a　gent