east lynne-第44节

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Possibly　the　sentence　reminded　Lady　Isabel　that　another；　who　was　young；　might　be　envying　her；　for　her　cheeksIsabel'sflushed　crimson。　Mr。　Carlyle　held　out　his　strong　arm　of　help　to　Mrs。　Hare。

〃If　sufficiently　rested；　I　fancy　you　would　be　more　comfortable　on　a　sofa　indoors。　Allow　me　to　support　you　thither。〃

〃And　you　can　take　my　arm　on　the　other　side；〃　cried　Miss　Carlyle；　placing　her　tall　form　by　Mrs。　Hare。　〃Between　us　both　we　will　pull　you　bravely　along；　your　feet　need　scarcely　touch　the　ground。〃

Mrs。　Hare　laughed；　but　said　she　thought　Mr。　Carlyle's　arm　would　be　sufficient。　She　took　it；　and　they　were　turning　toward　the　house；　when　her　eye　caught　the　form　of　a　gentleman　passing　along　the　road　by　the　park　gate。

〃Barbara；　run；〃　she　hurriedly　exclaimed。　〃There's　Tom　Herbert　going　toward　our　house；　and　he　will　just　call　in　and　tell　them　to　send　the　phaeton；　if　you　ask　him；　which　will　save　the　trouble　to　Mr。　Carlyle's　servants　of　going　expressly。　Make　haste；　child！　You　will　be　up　with　him　in　half　a　minute。〃

Barbara；　thus　urged；　set　off；　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　toward　the　gates；　before　the　rest　of　the　party　well　knew　what　was　being　done。　It　was　too　late　for　Mr。　Carlyle　to　stop　her　and　repeat　that　the　servant　should　go；　for　Barbara　was　already　up　with　Mr。　Tom　Herbert。　The　latter　had　seen　her　running　toward　him；　and　waited　at　the　gate。

〃Are　you　going　past　our　house？〃　inquired　Barbara；　perceiving　then　that　Otway　Bethel　also　stood　there；　but　just　beyond　the　view　of　the　women。

〃Yes。　Why？〃　replied　Tom　Herbert；　who　was　not　famed　for　his　politeness；　being　blunt　by　nature　and　〃fast〃　by　habit。

〃Mamma　would　be　so　much　obliged　to　you；　if　you　would　just　call　in　and　leave　word　that　Benjamin　is　to　bring　up　the　phaeton。　Mamma　walked　here；　intending　to　walk　home；　but　she　finds　herself　so　fatigued　as　to　be　unequal　to　it。〃

〃All　right。　I'll　call　and　send　him。　What　time？〃

Nothing　had　been　said　to　Barbara　about　the　time；　so　she　was　at　liberty　to　name　her　own。　〃Ten　o'clock。　We　shall　be　home　then　before　papa。〃

〃That　you　will；〃　responded　Tom　Herbert。　〃He　and　the　governor；　and　two　or　three　more　old　codgers；　are　blowing　clouds　till　you　can't　see　across　the　room；　and　they　are　sure　to　get　at　it　after　supper。　I　say；　Miss　Barbara　are　you　engaged　for　a　few　picnics？〃

〃Good　for　a　great　many；〃　returned　Barbara。

〃Our　girls　want　to　get　up　some　in　the　next　week　or　two。　Jack's　home；　you　know。〃

〃Is　he？〃　said　Barbara；　in　surprise。

〃We　had　a　letter　yesterday；　and　he　came　to…daya　brother　officer　with　him。　Jack　vows　if　the　girls　don't　cater　well　for　them　in　the　way　of　amusement；　he'll　never　honor　them　by　spending　his　leave　at　home　again；　so　mind　you　keep　yourself　in　readiness　for　any　fun　that　may　turn　up。　Good　evening。〃

〃Good　evening；　Miss　Hare；〃　added　Otway　Bethel。

As　Barbara　was　returning　the　salutation；　she　became　conscious　of　other　footsteps　advancing　from　the　same　direction　that　they　had　come；　and　moved　her　head　hastily　round。　Two　gentlemen；　walking　arm…in…arm；　were　close　upon　her；　in　one　of　whom　she　recognized　〃Jack；〃　otherwise　Major　Herbert。　He　stopped；　and　held　out　his　hand。

〃It　is　some　years　since　we　met；　but　I　have　not　forgotten　the　pretty　face　of　Miss　Barbara；〃　he　cried。　〃A　young　girl's　face　it　was　then；　but　it　is　a　stately　young　lady's　now。〃

Barbara　laughed。　〃Your　brother　has　just　told　me　you　had　arrived　at　West　Lynne；　but　I　did　not　know　you　were　so　close　to　me。　He　has　been　asking　me　if　I　am　ready　for　some　pic〃

Barbara's　voice　faltered；　and　the　rushing　crimson　dyed　her　face。　Whose　face　was　/that/；　who　was　he；　standing　opposite　to　her；　side　by　side　with　John　Herbert？　She　had　seen　the　face　but　once；　yet　it　had　implanted　itself　upon　her　memory　in　characters　of　fire。　Major　Herbert　continued　to　talk；　but　Barbara　for　once　lost　her　self…possession；　she　could　not　listen；　she　could　only　stare　at　that　face　as　if　fascinated　to　the　gaze；　looking　herself　something　like　a　simpleton；　her　shy　blue　eyes　anxious　and　restless；　and　her　lips　turning　to　an　ashy　whiteness。　A　strange　feeling　of　wonder；　of　superstition　was　creeping　over　Barbara。　Was　that　man　behind　her　in　sober；　veritable　realityor　was　it　but　a　phantom　called　up　in　her　mind　by　the　associations　rising　from　her　mamma's　dream；　or　by　the　conversation　held　not　many　moments　ago　with　Mr。　Carlyle。

Major　Herbert　may　have　deemed　that　Barbara；　who　evidently　could　not　attend　to　himself；　but　was　attending　to　his　companion；　wished　for　an　introduction；　and　he　accordingly　made　it。　〃/Captain　Thorn/Miss　Hare。〃

Then　Barbara　roused　herself；　her　senses　were　partially　coming　to　her；　and　she　became　alive　to　the　fact　that　they　must　deem　her　behavior　unorthodox　for　a　young　lady。

〃II　looked　at　Captain　Thorn；　for　I　thought　I　remembered　his　face；〃　she　stammered。

〃I　was　in　West　Lynne　for　a　day　or　two；　some　five　years　ago；〃　he　observed。

〃Ahyes；〃　returned　Barbara。　〃Are　you　going　to　make　a　long　stay　now？〃

〃We　have　several　weeks'　leave　of　absence。　Whether　we　shall　remain　here　all　the　time　I　cannot　say。〃

Barbara　parted　from　them。　Thought　upon　thought　crowded　upon　her　brain　as　she　flew　back　to　East　Lynne。　She　ran　up　the　steps　to　the　hall；　gliding　toward　a　group　which　stood　near　its　further　endher　mother；　Miss　Carlyle；　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　little　Isabel；　Lady　Isabel　she　did　not　see。　Mrs。　Hare　was　then　going　up　to　see　Joyce。

In　the　agitation　of　the　moment　she　stealthily　touched　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　he　stepped　away　from　the　rest　to　speak　to　her；　she　drawing　back　toward　the　door　of　one　of　the　reception　rooms；　and　motioning　him　to　approach。

〃Oh；　Archibald；　I　must　speak　to　you　alone！　Could　you　not　come　out　again　for　a　little　while？〃

He　nodded；　and　walked　out　openly　by　her　side。　Why　should　he　not？　What　had　he　to　conceal？　But；　unfortunately；　Lady　Isabel；　who　had　but　gone　into　that　same　room　for　a　minute；　and　was　coming　out　again　to　join　Mrs。　Hare；　both　saw　Barbara's　touch　upon　her　husband's　arm；　marked　her　agitation；　and　heard　her　words。　She　went　to　one　of　the　hall　windows　and　watched　them　saunter　toward　the　more　private　part　of　the　ground；　she　saw　her　husband　send　back　Isabel。　Never；　since　her　marriage；　had　Lady　Isabel's　jealousy　been　excited　as　it　was　excited　that　evening。

〃II　feelI　scarcely　know　whether　I　am　awake　or　dreaming；〃　began　Barbara；　putting　up　her　hand　to　her　brow　and　speaking　in　a　dreamy　tone。　〃Pardon　me　for　bringing　you　out　in　this　unceremonious　fashion。〃

〃What　state　secrets　have　you　to　discuss？〃　asked　Mr。　Carlyle　in　a　jesting　manner。

〃We　were　speaking　of　mamma's　dream。　She　said　the　impression　it　had　left　upon　her　mindthat　the　murderer　was　in　West　Lynnewas　so　vivid　that　in　spite　of　common　sense　she　could　not　persuade　herself　that　he　was　not。　Welljust　now〃

〃Barbara；　what　/can/　be　the　matter？〃　uttered　Mr。　Carlyle；　perceiving　that　her　agitation　was　so　great　as　to　impede　her　words。

〃/I　have　just　seen　him！/〃　she　rejoined。

〃Seen　him！〃　echoed　Mr。　Carlyle；　looking　at　her　fixedly；　a　doubt　crossing　his　mind　whether　Barbara's　mind　might　be　as　uncollected　as　her　manner。

〃What　were　nearly　my　last　words　to　you？　That　if　ever　that　Thorn　did　come　to　West　Lynne　again；　I　would　leave　no　stone　unturned　to　bring　it　home　to　him。　He　is　here；　Archibald。　Now；　when　I　went　to　the　gate　to　speak　to　Tom　Herbert；　his　brother；　Major　Herbert；　was　also　there；　and　with　him　Captain　Thorn。　Bethel；　also。　Do　you　wonder　I　say　that　I　know　not　whether　I　am　awake　or　dreaming？　They　have　some　weeks'　holiday；　and　are　here　to　spend　it。〃

〃It　is　a　singular　coincidence；〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Had　anything　been　wanting　to　convince　me　that　Thorn　is　the　guilty　man；　this　would　have　done　it；〃　went　on　Barbara；　in　her　excitement。　〃Mamma's　dream；　with　the　steadfast　impression　it　left　upon　her　that　Hallijohn's　murderer　was　now　at　West　Lynne〃

In　turning　the　sharp　corner　of　the　covered　walk　they　came　in　contact　with　Captain　Levison；　who　appeared　to　be　either　standing　or　sauntering　there；　his　hands　underneath　his　coat…tails。　Again　Barbara　felt　vexed；　wondering　how　much　he　had　heard；　and　beginning　in　her　heart　to　dislike　the　man。　He　accosted　them　familiarly；　and　appeared　as　if　he　would　have　turned　with　them；　but　none　could　put　down　presumption　more　effectually　than　Mr。　Carlyle；　calm　and　gentlemanly　though　he　always　was。

〃I　will　join　you　presently；　Captain　Levison；〃　he　said　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。　And　he　turned　back　with　Barbara　toward　the　open　parts　of　the　park。

〃Do　you　like　that　Captain　Levison？〃　she　abruptly　inquired；　when　they　were　beyond　hearing。

〃I　cannot　say　I　do；〃　was　Mr。　Carlyle's　reply。　〃He　is　one　who　does　not　improve　upon　acquaintance。〃

〃To　me　it　looks　as　though　he　had　placed　himself　in　our　way　to　hear　what　we　were　saying。〃

〃No；　no；　Barbara。　What　interest　could　it　bear　for　him？〃

Barbara　did　not　contest　the　point；　she　turned　to　the　one　nearer　at　heart。　〃What　must　be　our　course　with　regard　to　Thorn？〃

〃It　is　more　than　I　can　tell　you；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　cannot　go　up　to　the　man　and　unceremoniously　accuse　him　of　being　Hallijohn's　murderer。〃

They　took　their　way　to　the　house；　for　there　was　nothing　further　to　discuss。　Captain　Levison　entered　it　before　them；　and　saw　Lady　Isabel　standing　at　the　hall　window。　Yes；　she　was　standing　and　looking　still；　brooding　over　her　fancied　wrongs。