east lynne-第48节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃What　is　it　that　she　wants　with　you　so　much；　that　Barbara　Hare？〃

〃It　is　private　business；　Isabel。　She　has　to　bring　me　messages　from　her　mother。〃

〃Must　the　business　be　kept　from　me？〃

He　was　silent　for　a　moment；　considering　whether　he　might　tell　her。　But　it　was　impossible　he　could　speak；　even　to　his　wife；　of　the　suspicion　they　were　attaching　to　Captain　Thorn。　It　would　have　been　unfair　and　wrong；　neither　could　he　betray　that　a　secret　visit　was　expected　from　Richard。　To　no　one　in　the　world　could　he　betray　that；　however　safe　and　true。

〃It　would　not　make　you　the　happier　to　know　it；　Isabel。　There　is　a　dark　secret；　you　are　aware；　touching　the　Hare　family。　It　is　connected　with　that。〃

She　did　not　put　faith　in　a　word　of　the　reply。　She　believed　he　could　not　tell　her　because　her　feelings；　as　his　wife；　would　be　outraged　by　the　confession；　and　it　goaded　her　anger　into　recklessness。　Mr。　Carlyle；　on　his　part；　never　gave　a　thought　to　the　supposition　that　she　might　be　jealous；　he　had　believed　that　nonsense　at　an　end　years　ago。　He　was　perfectly　honorable　and　true；　strictly　faithful　to　his　wife；　giving　her　no　shadow　of　cause　or　reason　to　be　jealous　of　him；　and　being　a　practical；　matter…of…fact　man；　it　did　not　occur　to　him　that　she　could　be　so。

Lady　Isabel　was　sitting；　the　following　morning；　moody　and　out　of　sorts。　Captain　Levison；　who　had　accompanied　Mr。　Carlyle　in　the　most　friendly　manner　possible　to　the　park　gate　on　his　departure；　and　then　stolen　along　the　hedgewalk；　had　returned　to　Lady　Isabel　with　the　news　of　an　〃ardent〃　interview　with　Barbara；　who　had　been　watching　for　his　going　by　at　the　gate　of　the　grove。　She　sat；　sullenly　digesting　the　tidings；　when　a　note　was　brought　in。　It　proved　to　be　an　invitation　to　dinner　for　the　following　Tuesday；　at　a　Mrs。　Jefferson'sfor　Mr。　and　Lady　Isabel　Carlyle　and　Miss　Carlyle。

〃Do　you　go？〃　asked　Miss　Carlyle。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Isabel。　〃Mr。　Carlyle　and　I　both　want　a　change　of　some　sort；〃　she　added；　in　a　mocking　sort　of　spirit；　〃it　may　be　well　to　have　it；　if　only　for　an　evening。〃

In　truth　this　unhappy　jealousy；　this　distrust　of　her　husband；　appeared　to　have　altered　Lady　Isabel's　very　nature。

〃And　leave　Captain　Levison？〃　returned　Miss　Carlyle。

Lady　Isabel　went　over　to　her　desk；　making　no　reply。

〃What　will　you　do　with　him；　I　ask？〃　persisted　Miss　Carlyle。

〃He　can　remain　herehe　can　dine　by　himself。　Shall　I　accept　the　invitation　for　you？〃

〃No；　I　shall　not　go；〃　said　Miss　Carlyle。

〃Then；　in　that　case；　there　can　be　no　difficulty　in　regard　to　Captain　Levison；〃　coldly　spoke　Lady　Isabel。

〃I　don't　want　his　companyI　am　not　fond　of　it；〃　cried　Miss　Carlyle。　〃I　would　go　to　Mrs。　Jefferson's；　but　that　I　should　want　a　new　dress。〃

〃That's　easily　had；〃　said　Lady　Isabel。　〃I　shall　want　one　myself。〃

〃/You/　want　a　new　dress！〃　uttered　Miss　Carlyle。　〃Why；　you　have　a　dozen！〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　could　count　a　dozen　in　all；〃　returned　Lady　Isabel；　chafing　at　the　remark；　and　the　continual　thwarting　put　upon　her　by　Miss　Carlyle；　which　had　latterly　seemed　more　than　hard　to　endure。　Petty　evils　are　more　difficult　to　support　than　great　ones；　take　notice。

Lady　Isabel　concluded　her　note；　folded；　sealed　it；　and　then　rang　the　bell。　As　the　man　left　the　room　with　it；　she　desired　that　Wilson　might　be　sent　to　her。

〃Is　it　this　morning；　Wilson；　that　the　dressmaker　comes　to　try　on　Miss　Isabel's　dress？〃　she　inquired。

Wilson　hesitated　and　stammered；　and　glanced　from　her　mistress　to　Miss　Carlyle。　The　latter　looked　up　from　her　work。

〃The　dressmaker's　not　coming；〃　spoke　she；　sharply。　〃I　countermanded　the　order　for　the　frock；　for　Isabel　does　not　require　it。〃

〃She　does　require　it；〃　answered　Lady　Isabel；　in　perhaps　the　most　displeased　tone　she　had　ever　used　to　Miss　Carlyle。　〃I　am　a　competent　judge　of　what　is　necessary　for　my　children。〃

〃She　no　more　requires　a　new　frock　than　that　table　requires　one；　or　that　you　require　the　one　you　are　longing　for；〃　stoically　persisted　Miss　Carlyle。　〃She　has　got　ever　so　many　lying　by；　and　her　striped　silk；　turned；　will　make　up　as　handsome　as　ever。〃

Wilson　backed　out　of　the　room　and　closed　the　door　softly；　but　her　mistress　caught　a　compassionate　look　directed　toward　her。　Her　heart　seemed　bursting　with　indignation　and　despair；　there　seemed　to　be　no　side　on　which　she　could　turn　for　refuge。　Pitied　by　her　own　servants！

She　reopened　her　desk　and　dashed　off　a　haughty；　peremptory　note　for　the　attendance　of　the　dressmaker　at　East　Lynne；　commanding　its　immediate　dispatch。

Miss　Corny　groaned　in　her　wrath。

〃You　will　be　sorry　for　not　listening　to　me；　ma'am；　when　your　husband　shall　be　brought　to　poverty。　He　works　like　a　horse　now；　and　with　all　his　slaving；　can　scarcely；　I　fear；　keep　expenses　down。〃

Poor　Lady　Isabel；　ever　sensitive；　began　to　think　they　might；　with　one　another；　be　spending　more　than　Mr。　Carlyle's　means　would　justify；　she　knew　their　expenses　were　heavy。　The　same　tale　had　been　dinned　into　her　ears　ever　since　she　married　him。　She　gave　up　in　that　moment　all　thought　of　the　new　dress　for　herself　and　for　Isabel；　but　her　spirit；　in　her　deep　unhappiness；　felt　sick　and　faint　within　her。

Wilson；　meanwhile；　had　flown　to　Joyce's　room；　and　was　exercising　her　dearly　beloved　tongue　in　an　exaggerated　account　of　the　matterhow　Miss　Carlyle　put　upon　my　lady；　and　had　forbidden　a　new　dress　to　her；　as　well　as　the　frock　to　Miss　Isabel。

And　yet　a　few　more　days　passed　on。



CHAPTER　XXIV。

RICHARD　HARE　AT　MR。　DILL'S　WINDOW。

Bright　was　the　moon　on　that　genial　Monday　night；　bright　was　the　evening　star；　as　they　shone　upon　a　solitary　wayfarer　who　walked　on　the　shady　side　of　the　road　with　his　head　down；　as　though　he　did　not　care　to　court　observation。　A　laborer；　apparently；　for　he　wore　a　smock…frock　and　had　hobnails　in　his　shoes；　but　his　whiskers　were　large　and　black；　quite　hiding　the　lower　part　of　his　face；　and　his　broad…brimmed　〃wide…　awake〃　came　far　over　his　brows。　He　drew　near　the　dwelling　of　Richard　Hare；　Esq。；　plunged　rapidly　over　some　palings；　after　looking　well　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　into　a　field；　and　thence　over　the　side　wall　into　Mr。　Hare's　garden；　where　he　remained　amidst　the　thick　trees。

Now；　by　some　mischievous　spirit　of　intuition　or　contrariety；　Justice　Hare　was　spending　this　evening　at　home；　a　thing　he　did　not　do　once　in　six　months　unless　he　had　friends　with　him。　Things　in　real　life　do　mostly　go　by　the　rules　of　contrary；　as　children　say　in　their　play；　holding　the　corners　of　the　handkerchief；　〃Here　we　go　round　and　round　by　the　rules　of　conte…rary；　if　I　tell　you　to　hold　fast；　you　must　loose；　if　I　tell　you　to　loose；　you　must　hold　fast。〃　Just　so　in　the　play　of　life。　When　we　want　people　to　〃hold　fast；〃　they　〃loose；〃　and　when　we　want　them　to　〃loose；〃　they　〃hold　fast。〃

Barbara；　anxious；　troubled；　worn　out　almost　with　the　suspense　of　looking　and　watching　for　her　brother；　feeling　a　feverish　expectation　that　night　would　bring　himbut　so　had　she　felt　for　the　two　or　three　nights　pastwould　have　given　her　hand　for　her　father　to　go　out。　But　nothings　were　going　by　the　rule　of　contrary。　There　sat　the　stern　justice　in　full　view　of　the　garden　and　the　grove；　his　chair　drawn　precisely　in　front　of　the　window；　his　wig　awry；　and　a　long　pipe　in　his　mouth。

〃Are　you　not　going　out；　Richard？〃　Mrs。　Hare　ventured　to　say。

〃No。〃

〃Mamma；　shall　I　ring　for　the　shutters　to　be　closed？〃　asked　Barbara；　by　and　by。

〃Shutters　closed？〃　said　the　justice。　〃Who'd　shut　out　this　bright　moon？　You　have　got　the　lamp　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　young　lady；　and　can　go　to　it。〃

Barbara　ejaculated　an　inward　prayer　for　patiencefor　safety　of　Richard；　if　he　did　come；　and　waited　on；　watching　the　grove　in　the　distance。　It　came；　the　signal；　her　quick　eye　caught　it；　a　movement　as　if　some　person　or　thing　had　stepped　out　beyond　the　trees　and　stepped　back　again。　Barbara's　face　turned　white　and　her　lips　dry。

〃I　am　so　hot！〃　she　exclaimed；　in　her　confused　eagerness　for　an　excuse；　〃I　must　take　a　turn　in　the　garden。〃

She　stole　out；　throwing　a　dark　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　that　might　render　her　less　conspicuous　to　the　justice；　and　her　dress　that　evening　was　a　dark　silk。　She　did　not　dare　to　stand　still　when　she　reached　the　trees；　or　to　penetrate　them；　but　she　caught　glimpses　of　Richard's　face；　and　her　heart　ached　at　the　change　in　it。　It　was　white；　thin；　and　full　of　care；　and　his　hair；　he　told　her；　was　turning　gray。

〃Oh；　Richard；　darling；　and　I　may　not　stop　to　talk　to　you！〃　she　wailed；　in　a　deep　whisper。　〃Papa　is　at　home；　you　see；　of　all　the　nights　in　the　world。〃

〃Can't　I　see　my　mother？〃

〃How　can　you？　You　must　wait　till　to…morrow　night。〃

〃I　don't　like　waiting　a　second　night；　Barbara。　There's　danger　in　every　inch　of　ground　that　this　neighborhood　contains。〃

〃But　you　must　wait；　Richard；　for　reasons。　That　man　who　caused　all　the　mischiefThorn〃

〃Hang　him！〃　gloomily　interrupted　Richard。

〃He　is　at　West　Lynne。　At　least　there　is　a　Thorn；　weI　and　Mr。　Carlyle　believe　to　be　the　same；　and　we　want　you　to　see　him。〃

〃Let　me　see　him；〃　panted　Richard；　whom　the　news　appeared　to　agitate；　〃let　me　see　him；　Barbara；　I　say〃

Barbara　had　passed　on　again；　returning　presently。

〃You　know；　Richard；　I　must　keep　moving；　with　papa's　eyes　there。　He　is　a　tall　man；　very　good…looking；　very　fond　of　dress　and