east lynne-第41节

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〃Something　of　that　sort；　I　conclude。〃

〃But　how　is　it　to　be　done？　I　am　at　home；　and　he　is　over　there。　His　affairs　are　in　a　state　of　confusion；　and　nobody　can　come　to　the　bottom　of　them　without　an　explanation　from　him。　Some　liabilities；　for　which　I　have　furnished　the　money；　the　creditors　swear　have　not　been　liquidated。　He　must　come　over　if　he　wants　anything　done。〃

〃Where　is　he　to　come　to？　He　must　be　in　England　/sub　rosa/。〃

〃He　can't　be　here；〃　hastily　rejoined　Sir　Peter。　〃Lady　Levison　would　not　have　him　for　a　day。〃

〃He　might　be　at　East　Lynne；〃　good…naturedly　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Nobody　would　think　of　looking　for　him　there。　I　think　it　is　a　pity　that　you　should　not　meet；　if　you　do　feel　inclined　to　help　him。〃

〃You　are　a　deal　more　considerate　to　him　than　he　deserves；　Mr。　Carlyle。　May　I　ask　if　you　intend　to　act　for　him　in　a　professional　capacity？〃

〃I　do　not。〃

A　few　more　words；　and　it　was　decided　that　Captain　Levison　should　be　immediately　sent　for。　As　Mr。　Carlyle　left　Sir　Peter's　presence；　he　encountered　Lady　Levison。

〃I　can　scarcely　be　ignorant　that　your　conference　with　my　husband　has　reference　to　his　grandnephew；〃　she　observed。

〃It　has；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃I　have　had　a　very　bad　opinion　of　him；　Mr。　Carlyle；　at　the　same　time　I　do　not　wish　you　to　carry　away　a　wrong　impression　of　me。　Francis　Levison　is　my　husband's　nephew；　his　presumptive　heir；　it　may；　therefore；　appear　strange　that　I　set　my　face　against　him。　Two　or　three　years　ago；　previous　to　my　marriage　with　Sir　Peter；　in　fact　before　I　knew　Sir　Peter；　I　was　brought　into　contact　with　Francis　Levison。　He　got　acquainted　with　some　friends　of　mine；　and　at　their　house　I　met　him。　He　behaved　shamefully　ill；　he　repaid　their　hospitality　with　gross　ingratitude；　other　details　and　facts　regarding　his　conduct　also　became　known　to　me。　Altogether　I　believe　him　to　be　a　base　and　despicable　man；　both　by　nature　and　inclination；　and　that　he　will　remain　such　to　the　end　of　time。〃

〃I　know　very　little　indeed　of　him；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃May　I　inquire　the　nature　of　his　ill…conduct　in　that　instance？〃

〃He　ruined　themhe　ruined　them；　Mr。　Carlyle。　They　were　simple；　unsuspicious　country　people；　understanding　neither　fraud　nor　vice；　nor　the　ways　of　an　evil　world。　Francis　Levison　got　them　to　put　their　names　to　bills；　'as　a　matter　of　form；　to　accommodate　him　for　a　month　or　so；'　he　stated；　and　so　they　believed。　They　were　not　wealthy；　they　lived　upon　their　own　small　estate；　with　none　too　much　of　superfluous　money　to　spare；　and　when　the　time　came　for　them　to　payas　come　it　didit　brought　ruin；　and　they　had　to　leave　their　home。　He　deliberately　did　it　knowing　what　would　be　the　end。　And　I　could　tell　you　of　other　things。　Sir　Peter　may　have　informed　you　that　I　object　to　receive　him　here。　I　do。　My　objection　is　to　the　manto　his　character；　not　owing；　as　I　hear　it　has　been　said；　to　any　jealous　paltry　feeling　touching　his　being　the　heir。　I　must　lose　my　own　self…respect　before　I　admit　Francis　Levison　to　my　house　as　an　inmate。　Sir　Peter　may　assist　him　in　welcomemay　pay　his　debt；　and　get　him　out　of　his　scrapes　as　often　as　he　pleases；　but　I　will　not　have　him　here。〃

〃Sir　Peter　said　you　declined　to　receive　him。　But　it　is　necessary　that　he　should　come　to　England；　if　his　affairs　are　to　be　set　straight；　and　also　that　he　should　see　Sir　Peter。〃

〃Come　to　England！〃　interrupted　Lady　Levison。　〃How　can　he　come　to　England　under　present　circumstances；　unless；　indeed；　he　comes　/en　cachette/？〃

〃/En　cachette/；　of　course；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃There　is　no　other　way。　I　have　offered　to　let　him　stay　at　East　Lynne。　He　is；　you　may　be　aware；　a　sort　of　connection　of　Lady　Isabel's。〃

〃Take　care　that　he　does　not　repay　/your/　hospitality　with　ingratitude；〃　warmly　returned　Lady　Levison。　〃It　would　only　be　in　accordance　with　his　practice。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　laughed。

〃I　do　not　see　what　harm　he　could　do　me；　allowing　that　he　had　the　inclination。　He　would　not　scare　my　clients　from　me；　or　beat　my　children；　and　I　can　take　care　of　my　pocket。　A　few　days　will；　no　doubt；　be　the　extent　of　his　sojourn。〃

Lady　Levison　smiled　too；　and　shook　hands　with　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃In　your　house；　perhaps；　there　may　be　no　field　for　his　vagaries；　but　rely　upon　it；　where　there　is　one　he　is　sure　to　be　at　some　mischief　or　other。〃

This　visit　of　Mr。　Carlyle's　to　Levison　Park　took　place　on　a　Friday　morning；　and　on　his　return　to　his　office　he　dispatched　an　account　of　it　to　Captain　Levison　at　Boulogne；　telling　him　he　had　better　come　over。　But　now　Mr。　Carlyle；　like　many　another　man　whose　mind　has　its　share　of　work；　was　sometimes　forgetful　of　trifles；　and　it　entirely　slipped　his　memory　to　mention　the　expected　arrival　at　home。　The　following　evening；　Saturday；　he　and　Lady　Isabel　were　dining　in　the　neighborhood；　when　the　conversation　at　table　turned　upon　the　Ducies　and　their　embarrassments。　The　association　of　ideas　led　Mr。　Carlyle's　thoughts　to　Boulogne；　to　Captain　Levison　and　/his/　embarrassments；　and　it　immediately　occurred　to　him　that　he　had　not　told　his　wife　of　the　anticipated　visit。　He　kept　it　in　his　mind　then；　and　spoke　as　soon　as　they　were　in　the　chariot　returning　home。

〃Isabel；〃　began　he；　〃I　suppose　we　have　always　rooms　ready　for　visitors；　because　I　am　expecting　one。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　or　if　not；　they　are　soon　made　ready。〃

〃Ah；　but　to…morrow's　Sunday；　and　I　have　no　doubt　that's　the　day　he　will　take　advantage　of　to　come。　I　am　sorry　I　forgot　to　mention　it　yesterday。〃

〃Who　is　coming；　then？〃

〃Captain　Levison。〃

〃Who？〃　repeated　Lady　Isabel；　in　a　sharp　tone　of　consternation。

〃Captain　Levison。　Sir　Peter　consents　to　see　him；　with　a　view　to　the　settlement　of　his　liabilities；　but　Lady　Levison　declines　to　receive　him　at　the　Park。　So　I　offered　to　give　him　house…room　at　East　Lynne　for　a　few　days。〃

There　is　an　old　saying；　〃the　heart　leaping　into　the　mouth；〃　and　Lady　Isabel's　leaped　into　hers。　She　grew　dizzy　at　the　wordsher　senses　seemed　momentarily　to　desert　her。　Her　first　sensation　was　as　if　the　dull　earth　had　opened　and　shown　her　a　way　into　Paradise；　her　second；　a　lively　consciousness　that　Francis　Levison　ought　not　to　be　suffered　to　come　again　into　companionship　with　her。　Mr。　Carlyle　continued　to　converse　of　the　man's　embarrassments；　of　his　own　interview　with　Sir　Peter　and　Lady　Levison；　but　Isabel　was　as　one　who　heard　not。　She　was　debating　the　question；　how　she　could　prevent　his　coming？

〃Archibald；〃　she　presently　said；　〃I　do　not　wish　Francis　Levison　to　stay　at　East　Lynne。〃

〃It　will　only　be　for　a　few　daysperhaps　but　a　day　or　two。　Sir　Peter　is　in　the　humor　to　discharge　the　claims；　and；　the　moment　his　resolve　is　known；　the　ex…captain　can　walk　on　her　majesty's　dominions；　an　unmolested　man；　free　to　go　where　he　will。〃

〃That　may　be；〃　interrupted　Lady　Isabel；　in　an　accent　of　impatience；　〃but　why　should　he　come　to　our　house？〃

〃I　proposed　it　myself。　I　had　no　idea　you　would　dislike　his　coming。　Why　should　you？〃

〃I　don't　like　Francis　Levison；〃　she　murmured。　〃That　is；　I　don't　care　to　have　him　at　East　Lynne。〃

〃My　dear；　I　fear　there　is　no　help　for　it　now；　he　is　most　likely　on　his　road；　and　will　arrive　to…morrow。　I　cannot　turn　him　out　again；　after　my　own　voluntary　invitation。　Had　I　known　it　would　be　disagreeable　to　you；　I　would　not　have　proposed　it。〃

〃To…morrow！〃　she　exclaimed；　all　the　words　that　caught　her　ear。　〃Is　he　coming　to…morrow？〃

〃Being　Sunday；　a　free　day；　he　will　be　sure　to　take　advantage　of　it。　What　has　he　done　that　you　should　object　to　his　coming？　You　did　not　say　in　Boulogne　that　you　disliked　him。〃

〃He　had　done　nothing；〃　was　her　faltering　answer；　feeling　that　her　grounds　of　opposition　must　melt　under　her　one　by　one。

〃Lady　Levison　appears　to　possess　a　very　ill　opinion　of　him；〃　resumed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃She　says　she　knew　him　in　years　gone　by。　She　mentioned　one　or　two　things　which；　if　true；　must　be　bad　enough。　But　possibly　she　may　be　prejudiced。〃

〃She　is　prejudiced；〃　said　Isabel。　〃At　least　Francis　Levison　told　me　at　Boulogne。　There　appeared　to　be　no　love　lost　between　them。〃

〃At　any　rate；　his　ill　doings　or　well　doings　cannot　affect　us　for　the　short　period　he　is　likely　to　remain。　You　have　taken　a　prejudice　against　him　also；　I　suppose；　Isabel。〃

She　suffered　Mr。　Carlyle　to　remain　in　the　belief；　and　sat　with　clasped　hands　and　a　despairing　spirit　feeling　that　fate　was　against　her。

How　could　she　accomplish　her　task　of　forgetting　this　man；　if　he　was　thus　to　be　thrown　into　her　home　and　her　companionship？　Suddenly　she　turned　to　her　husband；　and　laid　her　cheek　upon　his　shoulder。

He　thought　she　was　tired。　He　passed　his　arm　round　her　waist；　drew　her　face　to　a　more　comfortable　position；　and　bent　his　own　lovingly　upon　it。　It　came　to　her　mind；　as　she　lay　there；　to　tell　him　a　portion　of　the　truth；　like　it　had　done　once　before。　It　was　a　strong　arm　of　shelter；　that　round　hera　powerful　pillar　of　protection；　him　upon　whom　she　leaned；　why　did　she　not　confide　herself　to　him　as　trustingly　as　a　little　child？　Simply　because　her　courage　failed。　Once；　twice；　the　opening　words　were　upon　her　lips；　but　come　forth　they　did　not；　and　then　the　carriage　stopped　at　East　Lynne；　and　the　opportunity　was　over。　Oh！　How　many　a　time　in　her　after　years　did　Lady　Isabel　recall　that　midnight　drive　with　her　husband；　and　wish；　in　her　vain　repentance；　that　she　had　ope