east lynne-第36节

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mplicit　faith　in　Richard's　truth。〃

〃True；　I　did　forget；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　wish　we　could　find　out　some　one　who　knew　the　other　Thorn；　to　ascertain　that　they　were　the　same　would　be　a　great　point　gained。〃

He　went　as　far　as　the　park　gates　with　Barbara；　shook　hands　and　wished　her　good　evening。　Scarcely　had　she　departed　when　Mr。　Carlyle　saw　two　gentlemen　advancing　from　the　opposite　direction；　in　one　of　whom　he　recognized　Tom　Herbert；　and　the　otherinstinct　told　himwas　Captain　Thorn。　He　waited　till　they　came　up。

〃If　this　isn't　lucky；　seeing　you；〃　cried　Mr。　Tom　Herbert；　who　was　a　free…and…easy　sort　of　a　gentleman；　the　second　son　of　a　brother　justice　of　Mr。　Hare。　〃I　wish　to　goodness　you'd　give　us　a　draught　of　your　cider；　Carlyle。　We　went　up　to　Beauchamp's　for　a　stroll；　but　found　them　all　out；　and　I'm　awful　thirsty。　Captain　Thorn；　Carlyle。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　invited　them　to　his　house　and　ordered　in　refreshments。　Young　Herbert　coolly　threw　himself　into　an　arm…chair　and　lit　a　cigar。　〃Come；　Thorn；〃　cried　he；　〃here's　a　weed　for　you。〃

Captain　Thorn　glanced　toward　Mr。　Carlyle；　he　appeared　of　a　far　more　gentlemanly　nature　than　Tom　Herbert。

〃You'll　have　one　too；　Carlyle；〃　said　Herbert；　holding　out　his　cigar…　case。　〃Oh；　I　forgotyou　are　a　muff；　don't　smoke　one　twice　a　year。　I　say　how's　Lady　Isabel？〃

〃Very　ill　still。〃

〃By　Jove！　Is　she；　though？　Tell　her　I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；　will　you；　Carlyle？　ButI　say！　Will　she　smell　the　smoke？〃　asked　he；　with　a　mixture　of　alarm　and　concern　in　his　face。

Mr。　Carlyle　reassured　him　upon　the　point；　and　turned　to　Captain　Thorn。

〃Are　you　acquainted　with　this　neighborhood？〃

Captain　Thorn　smiled。　〃I　only　reached　West　Lynne　yesterday。〃

〃You　were　never　here　before　then？〃　continued　Mr。　Carlyle；　setting　down　the　last　as　a　probably　evasive　answer。

〃No。〃

〃He　and　my　brother　Jack；　you　know；　are　in　the　same　regiment；〃　put　in　Tom；　with　scanty　ceremony。　〃Jack　had　invited　him　down　for　some　fishing　and　that；　and　Thorn　arrives。　But　he　never　sent　word　he　was　coming；　you　see；　Jack　had　given　him　up；　and　is　off　on　some　Irish　expedition；　the　deuce　knows　where。　Precious　unlucky　that　it　should　have　happened　so。　Thorn　says　he　shall　cut　short　his　stay；　and　go　again。〃

The　conversation　turned　upon　fishing；　and　in　the　heat　of　the　argument；　the　stranger　mentioned　a　certain　pond　and　its　famous　eelsthe　〃Low　Pond。〃　Mr。　Carlyle　looked　at　him；　speaking；　however　in　a　careless　manner。

〃Which　do　you　mean？　We　have　two　ponds　not　far　apart；　each　called　the　'Low　Pond'　〃

〃I　mean　the　one　on　an　estate　about　three　miles　form　hereSquire　Thorpe's；　unless　I　am　mistaken。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　smiled。　〃I　think　you　must　have　been　in　the　neighborhood　before；　Captain　Thorn。　Squire　Thorpe　is　dead　and　the　property　has　passed　to　his　daughter's　husband；　and　that　Low　Pond　was　filled　up　three　years　ago。〃

〃I　have　heard　a　friend　mention　it；〃　was　Captain　Thorn's　reply；　spoken　in　an　indifferent　tone；　though　he　evidently　wished　not　to　pursue　the　subject。

Mr。　Carlyle；　by　easy　degrees；　turned　the　conversation　upon　Swainson；　the　place　where　Richard　Hare's　Captain　Thorn　was　suspected　to　have　come。　The　present　Captain　Thorn　said　he　knew　it　〃a　little；〃　he　had　once　been　〃staying　there　a　short　time。〃　Mr。　Carlyle　became　nearly　convinced　that　Barbara's　suspicions　were　correct。　The　description　certainly　agreed；　so　far　as　he　could　judge；　in　the　most　minute　particulars。　The　man　before　him　wore　two　rings；　a　diamondand　a　very　beautiful　diamond　tooon　the　one　hand；　a　seal　ring　on　the　other；　his　hands　were　delicate　to　a　degree；　and　his　handkerchief；　a　cambric　one　of　unusually　fine　texture；　was　not　entirely　guiltless　of　scent。　Mr。　Carlyle　quitted　the　room　for　a　moment　and　summoned　Joyce　to　him。

〃My　lady　has　been　asking　for　you；〃　said　Joyce。

〃Tell　her　I　will　be　up　the　moment　these　gentlemen　leave；　Joyce；〃　he　added；　〃find　an　excuse　to　come　into　the　room　presently；　you　can　bring　something　or　other　in；　I　want　you　to　look　at　this　stranger　who　is　with　young　Mr。　Herbert。　Notice　him　well；　I　fancy　you　may　have　seen　him　before。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　returned　to　the　room；　leaving　Joyce　surprised。　However；　she　presently　followed；　taking　in　some　water；　and　lingered　a　few　minutes；　apparently　placing　the　things　on　the　table　in　better　order。

When　the　two　departed　Mr。　Carlyle　called　Joyce；　before　proceeding　to　his　wife's　room。　〃Well；〃　he　questioned；　〃did　you　recognize　him？〃

〃Not　at　all；　sir。　He　seemed　quite　strange　to　me。〃

〃Cast　your　thoughts　back；　Joyce。　Did　you　never　see　him　in　days　gone　by？〃

Joyce　looked　puzzled；　and　she　replied　in　the　negative。

〃Is　he　the　man；　think　you；　who　used　to　ride　from　Swainson　to　see　Afy？〃

Joyce's　face　flushed　crimson。　〃Oh；　sir！〃　was　all　she　uttered。

〃The　name　is　the　sameThorn；　I　thought　it　possible　the　men　might　be；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Sir；　I　cannot　say。　I　never　saw　that　Captain　Thorn　but　once；　and　I　don't　know；　I　don't　know〃　Joyce　spoke　slowly　and　with　consideration　〃that　I　should　at　all　know　him　again。　I　did　not　think　of　him　when　I　looked　at　this　gentleman；　but；　at　any　rate；　no　appearance　in　this　one　struck　upon　my　memory　as　being　familiar。〃

So　from　Joyce　Mr。　Carlyle　obtained　no　clue；　one　way　or　the　other。　The　following　day　he　sought　out　Otway　Bethel。

〃Are　you　intimate　with　that　Captain　Thorn　who　is　staying　with　the　Herberts？〃　asked　he。

〃Yes；〃　answered　Bethel；　decisively；　〃if　passing　a　couple　of　hours　in　his　company　can　constitute　intimacy。　That's　all　I　have　seen　of　Thorn。〃

〃Are　you　sure；〃　pursued　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Sure！〃　returned　Bethel；　〃why；　what　are　you　driving　at　now？　I　called　in　at　Herbert's　the　night　before　last；　and　Tom　asked　me　to　stay　the　evening。　Thorn　had　just　come。　A　jolly　bout　we　had；　cigars　and　cold　punch。〃

〃Bethel；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　dashing　to　the　point；　〃is　it　the　Thorn　who　used　to　go　after　Afy　Hallijohn？　Come；　you　can　tell　if　you　like。〃

Bethel　remained　dumb　for　a　moment；　apparently　with　amazement。　〃What　a　confounded　lie！〃　uttered　he　at　length。　〃Why　it's　no　more　that　than　What　Thorn？〃　he　broke　off　abruptly。

〃You　are　equivocating；　Bethel。　The　Thorn　who　is　mixed　upor　said　to　bein　the　Hallijohn　affair。　Is　this　the　same　man？〃

〃You　are　a　fool；　Carlyle；　which　is　what　I　never　took　you　to　be　yet；〃　was　Mr。　Bethel's　rejoinder；　spoken　in　a　savage　tone。　〃I　have　told　you　that　I　never　knew　there　was　any　Thorn　mixed　up　with　Afy；　and　I　should　like　to　know　why　my　word　is　not　to　be　believed？　I　never　saw　Thorn　in　my　life　till　I　saw　him　the　other　night　at　the　Herberts'；　and　that　I　would　take　my　oath　to；　if　put　to　it。〃

Bethel　quitted　Mr。　Carlyle　with　the　last　word；　and　the　latter　gazed　after　him；　revolving　points　in　his　brain。　The　mention　of　Thorn's　name；　the　one　spoken　of　by　Richard　Hare；　appeared　to　excite　some　feeling　in　Bethel's　mind；　arousing　it　to　irritation。　Mr。　Carlyle　remembered　that　it　had　done　so　previously　and　now　it　had　done　so　again；　and　yet　Bethel　was　an　easy…natured　man　in　general；　far　better　tempered　than　principled。　That　there　was　something　hidden；　some　mystery　connected　with　the　affair；　Mr。　Carlyle　felt　sure；　but　he　could　not　attempt　so　much　as　a　guess　at　what　it　might　be。　And　this　interview　with　Bethel　brought　him　no　nearer　the　point　he　wished　to　find　outwhether　this　Thorn　was　the　same　man。　In　walking　back　to　his　office　he　met　Mr。　Tom　Herbert。

〃Does　Captain　Thorn　purpose　making　a　long　stay　with　you？〃　he　stopped　him　to　inquire。

〃He's　gone；　I　have　just　seen　him　off　by　the　train；〃　was　the　reply　of　Tom　Herbert。　〃It　seemed　rather　slow　with　him　without　Jack；　so　he　docked　his　visit；　and　says　he'll　pay　us　one　when　Jack's　to　the　fore。〃

As　Mr。　Carlyle　went　home　to　dinner　that　evening；　he　entered　the　grove；　ostensibly　to　make　a　short　call　on　Mrs。　Hare。　Barbara；　on　the　tenterhooks　of　impatience；　accompanied　him　outside　when　he　departed；　and　walked　down　the　path。

〃What　have　you　learnt？〃　she　eagerly　asked。

〃Nothing　satisfactory；〃　was　the　reply　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃And　the　man　has　left　again。〃

〃Left？〃　uttered　Barbara。

Mr。　Carlyle　explained。　He　told　her　how　they　had　come　to　his　house　the　previous　evening　after　Barbara's　departure；　and　his　encounter　with　Tom　Herbert　that　day；　he　mentioned；　also；　his　interview　with　Bethel。

〃Can　he　have　gone　on　purpose；　fearing　consequences？〃　wondered　Barbara。

〃Scarcely；　or　why　should　he　have　come？〃

〃You　did　not　suffer　any　word　to　escape　you　last　night　causing　him　to　suspect　for　a　moment　that　he　was　hounded？〃

〃Not　any。　You　would　make　a　bad　lawyer；　Barbara。〃

〃Who　or　what　is　he？〃

〃An　officer　in　her　majesty's　service；　in　John　Herbert's　regiment。　I　ascertained　no　more。　Tom　said　he　was　of　good　family。　But　I　cannot　help　suspecting　it　is　the　same　man。〃

〃Can　nothing　more　be　done？〃

〃Nothing　in　the　present　stage　of　the　affair；〃　continued　Mr。　Carlyle；　as　he　passed　through　the　gate　to　continue　his　way。　〃We　can　only　wait　on　again　with　what　patience　we　may；　hoping　that　time　will　bring　about　its　own　elucidation。〃

Barbara　pressed　her　forehead　down　on　the　cold　iron　of　the　gate　as　his　footsteps　died　away。　〃Aye；　to　wait　on；〃　she　murmured；　〃to　wait　on　in　dreary　pain；　to　wait　on；　perhaps；　for　years；　perhaps　forever！　And　poor　Richardwearing　out　his　days　in　poverty　and　exile！〃



CHAPTER　XX。

GOING　FROM　HOME。

〃I　should　recommend　a　com