east lynne-第4节

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Isabel　smiled　and　shook　her　head。　〃They　saw　my　diamonds　at　the　drawing…room。〃

〃If　you　had　done　such　an　awkward　thing　for　me；　Frank　Levison；〃　burst　forth　the　old　lady；　〃my　doors　should　have　been　closed　against　you　for　a　month。　There；　if　you　are　to　go；　Emma；　you　had　better　go；　dancing　off　to　begin　an　evening　at　ten　o'clock　at　night！　In　my　time　we　used　to　go　at　seven；　but　it's　the　custom　now　to　turn　night　into　day。〃

〃When　George　the　Third　dined　at　one　o'clock　upon　boiled　mutton　and　turnips；〃　put　in　the　graceless　captain；　who　certainly　held　his　grandmother　in　no　greater　reverence　than　did　Mrs。　Vane。

He　turned　to　Isabel　as　he　spoke；　to　hand　her　downstairs。　Thus　she　was　conducted　to　her　carriage　the　second　time　that　night　by　a　stranger。　Mrs。　Vane　got　down　by　herself；　as　she　best　could；　and　her　temper　was　not　improved　by　the　process。

〃Good…night；〃　said　she　to　the　captain。

〃I　shall　not　say　good…night。　You　will　find　me　there　almost　as　soon　as　you。〃

〃You　told　me　you　were　not　coming。　Some　bachelor's　party　in　the　way。〃

〃Yes；　but　I　have　changed　my　mind。　Farewell　for　the　present；　Lady　Isabel。〃

〃What　an　object　you　will　look；　with　nothing　on　your　neck　but　a　schoolgirl's　chain！〃　began　Mrs。　Vane；　returning　to　the　grievance　as　the　carriage　drove　on。

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Vane；　what　does　it　signify？　I　can　only　think　of　my　broken　cross。　I　am　sure　it　must　be　an　evil　omen。〃

〃An　evilwhat？〃

〃An　evil　omen。　Mamma　gave　me　that　cross　when　she　was　dying。　She　told　me　to　let　it　be　to　me　as　a　talisman；　always　to　keep　it　safely；　and　when　I　was　in　any　distress；　or　in　need　of　counsel；　to　look　at　it　and　strive　to　recall　what　her　advice　would　be；　and　to　act　accordingly。　And　now　it　is　brokenbroken！〃

A　glaring　gaslight　flashed　into　the　carriage；　right　into　the　face　of　Isabel。　〃I　declare；〃　uttered　Mrs。　Vane；　〃you　are　crying　again！　I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Isabel；　I　am　not　going　to　chaperone　red　eyes　to　the　Duchess　of　Dartford's；　so　if　you　can't　put　a　stop　to　this；　I　shall　order　the　carriage　home；　and　go　on　alone。〃

Isabel　meekly　dried　her　eyes；　sighing　deeply　as　she　did　so。　〃I　can　have　the　pieces　joined；　I　dare　say；　but　it　will　never　be　the　same　cross　to　me　again。〃

〃What　have　you　done　with　the　pieces？〃　irascibly　asked　Mrs。　Vane。

〃I　folded　them　in　the　thin　paper　Mrs。　Levison　gave　me；　and　put　it　inside　my　frock。　Here　it　is；〃　touching　the　body。　〃I　have　no　pocket　on。〃

Mrs。　Vane　gave　vent　to　a　groan。　She　never　had　been　a　girl　herselfshe　had　been　a　woman　at　ten；　and　she　complimented　Isabel　upon　being　little　better　than　an　imbecile。　〃Put　it　inside　my　frock！〃　she　uttered　in　a　torrent　of　scorn。　〃And　you　eighteen　years　of　age！　I　fancied　you　left　off　'frocks'　when　you　left　the　nursery。　For　shame；　Isabel！〃

〃I　meant　to　say　my　dress；〃　corrected　Isabel。

〃Meant　to　say　you　are　a　baby　idiot！〃　was　the　inward　comment　of　Mrs。　Vane。

A　few　minutes　and　Isabel　forgot　her　grievance。　The　brilliant　rooms　were　to　her　as　an　enchanting　scene　of　dreamland；　for　her　heart　was　in　its　springtide　of　early　freshness；　and　the　satiety　of　experience　had　not　come。　How　could　she　remember　trouble；　even　the　broken　cross；　as　she　bent　to　the　homage　offered　her　and　drank　in　the　honeyed　words　poured　forth　into　her　ear？

〃Halloo！〃　cried　an　Oxford　student；　with　a　long　rent…roll　in　prospective；　who　was　screwing　himself　against　the　wall；　not　to　be　in　the　way　of　the　waltzers；　〃I　thought　you　had　given　up　coming　to　these　places？〃

〃So　I　had；〃　replied　the　fast　nobleman　addressed；　the　son　of　a　marquis。　〃But　I　am　on　the　lookout；　so　am　forced　into　them　again。　I　think　a　ball…room　the　greatest　bore　in　life。〃

〃On　the　lookout　for　what？〃

〃For　a　wife。　My　governor　has　stopped　supplies；　and　has　vowed　by　his　beard　not　to　advance　another　shilling；　or　pay　a　debt；　till　I　reform。　As　a　preliminary　step　toward　it；　he　insists　upon　a　wife；　and　I　am　trying　to　choose　one　for　I　am　deeper　in　debt　than　you　imagine。〃

〃Take　the　new　beauty；　then。〃

〃Who　is　she？〃

〃Lady　Isabel　Vane。〃

〃Much　obliged　for　the　suggestion；〃　replied　the　earl。　〃But　one　likes　a　respectable　father…in…law；　and　Mount　Severn　is　going　to　smash。　He　and　I　are　too　much　in　the　same　line；　and　might　clash；　in　the　long　run。〃

〃One　can't　have　everything；　the　girl's　beauty　is　beyond　common。　I　saw　that　rake；　Levison；　make　up　to　her。　He　fancies　he　can　carry　all　before　him；　where　women　are　concerned。〃

〃So　he　does；　often；〃　was　his　quiet　reply。

〃I　hate　the　fellow！　He　thinks　so　much　of　himself；　with　his　curled　hair　and　shining　teeth；　and　his　white　skin；　and　he's　as　heartless　as　an　owl。　What　was　that　hushed…up　business　about　Miss　Charteris？〃

〃Who's　to　know？　Levison　slipped　out　of　the　escapade　like　an　eel；　and　the　woman　protested　that　he　was　more　sinned　against　than　sinning。　Three…fourths　of　the　world　believed　them。〃

〃And　she　went　abroad　and　died；　and　Levison　here　he　comes！　And　Mount　Severn's　daughter　with　him。〃

They　were　approaching　at　that　moment；　Francis　Levison　and　Lady　Isabel。　He　was　expressing　his　regret　at　the　untoward　accident　of　the　cross　for　the　tenth　time　that　night。　〃I　feel　that　it　can　never　be　atoned　for；〃　whispered　he；　〃that　the　heartfelt　homage　of　my　whole　life　would　not　be　sufficient　compensation。〃

He　spoke　in　a　tone　of　thrilling　gentleness；　gratifying　to　the　ear　but　dangerous　to　the　heart。　Lady　Isabel　glanced　up　and　caught　his　eyes　gazing　upon　her　with　the　deepest　tendernessa　language　hers　had　never　yet　encountered。　A　vivid　blush　again　arose　to　her　cheek；　her　eyelids　fell；　and　her　timid　words　died　away　in　silence。

〃Take　care；　take　care；　my　young　Lady　Isabel；〃　murmured　the　Oxonian　under　his　breath；　as　they　passed　him；　〃that　man　is　as　false　as　he　is　fair。〃

〃I　think　he　is　a　rascal；〃　remarked　the　earl。

〃I　know　he　is；　I　know　a　thing　or　two　about　him。　He　would　ruin　her　heart　for　the　renown　of　the　exploit；　because　she's　a　beauty；　and　then　fling　it　away　broken。　He　has　none　to　give　in　return　for　the　gift。〃

〃Just　as　much　as　my　new　race…horse　has；〃　concluded　the　earl。　〃She　is　very　beautiful。〃



CHAPTER　III。

BARBARA　HARE。

West　Lynne　was　a　town　of　some　importance；　particularly　in　its　own　eyes；　though　being　neither　a　manufacturing　one　nor　a　cathedral　one；　nor　even　the　chief　town　of　the　county；　it　was　somewhat　primitive　in　its　manners　and　customs。　Passing　out　at　the　town；　toward　the　east；　you　came　upon　several　detached　gentleman's　houses；　in　the　vicinity　of　which　stood　the　church　of　St。　Jude；　which　was　more　aristocratic；　in　the　matter　of　its　congregation；　than　the　other　churches　of　West　Lynne。　For　about　a　mile　these　houses　were　scattered；　the　church　being　situated　at　their　commencement；　close　to　that　busy　part　of　the　place；　and　about　a　mile　further　on　you　came　upon　the　beautiful　estate　which　was　called　East　Lynne。

Between　the　gentlemen's　houses　mentioned　and　East　Lynne；　the　mile　of　road　was　very　solitary；　being　much　overshadowed　with　trees。　One　house　alone　stood　there；　and　that　was　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile　before　you　came　to　East　Lynne。　It　was　on　the　left　hand　side；　a　square；　ugly；　red　brick　house　with　a　weathercock　on　the　top；　standing　some　little　distance　from　the　road。　A　flat　lawn　extended　before　it；　and　close　to　the　palings；　which　divided　it　from　the　road；　was　a　grove　of　trees；　some　yards　in　depth。　The　lawn　was　divided　by　a　narrow　middle　gravel　path；　to　which　you　gained　access　from　the　portico　of　the　house。　You　entered　upon　a　large　flagged　hall　with　a　reception　room　on　either　hand；　and　the　staircase；　a　wide　one；　facing　you；　by　the　side　of　the　staircase　you　passed　on　to　the　servants'　apartments　and　offices。　That　place　was　called　the　Grove；　and　was　the　property　and　residence　of　Richard　Hare；　Esq。；　commonly　called　Mr。　Justice　Hare。

The　room　to　the　left　hand；　as　you　went　in；　was　the　general　sitting…　room；　the　other　was　very　much　kept　boxed　up　in　lavender　and　brown　Holland；　to　be　opened　on　state　occasions。　Justice　and　Mrs。　Hare　had　three　children；　a　son　and　two　daughters。　Annie　was　the　elder　of　the　girls；　and　had　married　young；　Barbara；　the　younger　was　now　nineteen；　and　Richard　the　eldestbut　we　shall　come　to　him　hereafter。

In　this　sitting…room；　on　a　chilly　evening；　early　in　May；　a　few　days　subsequent　to　that　which　had　witnessed　the　visit　of　Mr。　Carlyle　to　the　Earl　of　Mount　Severn；　sat　Mrs。　Hare；　a　pale；　delicate　woman；　buried　in　shawls　and　cushions：　but　the　day　had　been　warm。　At　the　window　sat　a　pretty　girl；　very　fair；　with　blue　eyes；　light　hair；　a　bright　complexion；　and　small　aquiline　features。　She　was　listlessly　turning　over　the　leaves　of　a　book。

〃Barbara；　I　am　sure　it　must　be　tea…time　now。〃

〃The　time　seems　to　move　slowly　with　you；　mamma。　It　is　scarcely　a　quarter　of　an　hour　since　I　told　you　it　was　but　ten　minutes　past　six。〃

〃I　am　so　thirsty！〃　announced　the　poor　invalid。　〃Do　go　and　look　at　the　clock　again；　Barbara。〃

Barbara　Hare　rose　with　a　gesture　of　impatience；　not　suppressed；　opened　the　door；　and　glanced　at　the　large　clock　in　the　hall。　〃It　wants　nine　and　twenty　minutes　to　seven；　mamma。　I　wish　you　would　put　your　watch　on　of　a　day；　four　times　you　have　sent　me　to　look　at　that　clock　since　dinner。〃

〃I　am　so　thirsty！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Hare；　with　a　sort　of　sob。　〃If　seven　o'clock　would　but　strike！　I　am　dying　for　my　tea。〃

It　may　occur　to　the　reader；　that　a　lady　in　her　own　house；