east lynne-第6节

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Her　cheeks'　crimson　went　and　came；　her　heart　beat　more　rapidly。　She　could　not　speak　a　word　of　thanks；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　took　up　the　roll；　and　walked　on　into　the　presence　of　Mrs。　Hare。

Barbara　followed　in　a　few　minutes。　Her　mother　was　standing　up；　watching　with　pleased　expectation　the　movements　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　No　candles　were　in　the　room；　but　it　was　bright　with　firelight。

〃Now；　don't　laugh　at　me；〃　quoth　he；　untying　the　string　of　the　parcel。　〃It　is　not　a　roll　of　velvet　for　a　dress；　and　it　is　not　a　roll　of　parchment；　conferring　twenty　thousand　pounds　a　year。　But　it　isan　air　cushion！〃

It　was　what　poor　Mrs。　Hare；　so　worn　with　sitting　and　lying；　had　often　longed　for。　She　had　heard　such　a　luxury　was　to　be　bought　in　London；　but　never　remembered　to　have　seen　one。　She　took　it　almost　with　a　greedy　hand；　casting　a　grateful　look　at　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃How　am　I　to　thank　you　for　it？〃　she　murmured　through　her　tears。

〃If　you　thank　me　at　all；　I　will　never　bring　you　anything　again；〃　cried　he；　gaily。　〃I　have　been　telling　Barbara　that　a　visit　to　London　entails　bringing　gifts　for　friends；〃　he　continued。　〃Do　you　see　how　smart　I　have　made　her？〃

Barbara　hastily　took　off　the　chain；　and　laid　it　before　her　mother。

〃What　a　beautiful　chain！〃　muttered　Mrs。　Hare；　in　surprise。　〃Archibald；　you　are　too　good；　too　generous！　This　must　have　cost　a　great　deal；　this　is　beyond　a　trifle。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I'll　tell　you　both　how　I　happened　to　buy　it。　I　went　into　a　jeweller's　about　my　watch；　which　has　taken　to　lose　lately　in　a　most　unceremonious　fashion；　and　there　I　saw　a　whole　display　of　chains　hanging　up；　some　ponderous　enough　for　a　sheriff；　some　light　and　elegant　enough　for　Barbara。　I　dislike　to　see　a　thick　chain　on　a　lady's　neck。　They　put　me　in　mind　of　the　chain　she　lost；　the　day　she　and　Cornelia　went　with　me　to　Lynchborough；　which　loss　Barbara　persisted　in　declaring　was　my　fault；　for　dragging　her　through　the　town　sight…seeing；　while　Cornelia　did　her　shoppingfor　it　was　then　the　chain　was　lost。〃

〃But　I　was　only　joking　when　I　said　so；〃　was　the　interruption　of　Barbara。　〃Of　course　it　would　have　happened　had　you　not　been　with　me；　the　links　were　always　snapping。〃

〃Well；　these　chains　in　the　shop　in　London　put　me　in　mind　of　Barbara's　misfortune；　and　I　chose　one。　Then　the　shopman　brought　forth　some　lockets；　and　enlarged　upon　their　convenience　for　holding　deceased　relatives'　hair；　not　to　speak　of　sweethearts'；　until　I　told　him　he　might　attach　one。　I　thought　it　might　hold　that　piece　of　hair　you　prize；　Barbara；〃　he　concluded；　dropping　his　voice。

〃What　piece？〃　asked　Mrs。　Hare。

Mr。　Carlyle　glanced　round　the　room；　as　if　fearful　the　very　walls　might　hear　his　whisper。　〃Richard's。　Barbara　showed　it　me　one　day　when　she　was　turning　out　her　desk；　and　said　it　was　a　curl　taken　off　in　that　illness。〃

Mrs。　Hare　sank　back　in　her　chair；　and　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　shivering　visibly。　The　words　evidently　awoke　some　poignant　source　of　deep　sorrow。　〃Oh；　my　boy！　My　boy！〃　she　wailed〃my　boy！　My　unhappy　boy！　Mr。　Hare　wonders　at　my　ill…health；　Archibald；　Barbara　ridicules　it；　but　there　lies　the　source　of　all　my　misery；　mental　and　bodily。　Oh；　Richard！　Richard！〃

There　was　a　distressing　pause；　for　the　topic　admitted　of　neither　hope　nor　consolation。　〃Put　your　chain　on　again；　Barbara；〃　Mr。　Carlyle　said；　after　a　while；　〃and　I　wish　you　health　to　wear　it　out。　Health　and　reformation；　young　lady！〃

Barbara　smiled　and　glanced　at　him　with　her　pretty　blue　eyes；　so　full　of　love。　〃What　have　you　brought　for　Cornelia？〃　she　resumed。

〃Something　splendid；〃　he　answered；　with　a　mock　serious　face；　〃only　I　hope　I　have　not　been　taken　in。　I　bought　her　a　shawl。　The　venders　vowed　it　was　true　Parisian　cashmere。　I　gave　eighteen　guineas　for　it。〃

〃That　is　a　great　deal；〃　observed　Mrs。　Hare。　〃It　ought　to　be　a　very　good　one。　I　never　gave　more　than　six　guineas　for　a　shawl　in　all　my　life。〃

〃And　Cornelia；　I　dare　say；　never　more　than　half　six；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Well；　I　shall　wish　you　good　evening；　and　go　to　her；　for　if　she　knows　I　am　back　all　this　while；　I　shall　be　lectured。〃

He　shook　hands　with　them　both。　Barbara；　however；　accompanied　him　to　the　front　door；　and　stepped　outside　with　him。

〃You　will　catch　cold；　Barbara。　You　have　left　your　shawl　indoors。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　shall　not。　How　very　soon　you　are　leaving。　You　have　scarcely　stayed　ten　minutes。〃

〃But　you　forget　I　have　not　been　at　home。〃

〃You　were　on　your　road　to　Beauchamp's；　and　would　not　have　been　at　home　for　an　hour　or　two　in　that　case；〃　spoke　Barbara；　in　a　tone　that　savored　of　resentment。

〃That　was　different；　that　was　upon　business。　But；　Barbara；　I　think　your　mother　looks　unusually　ill。〃

〃You　know　she　suffers　a　little　thing　to　upset　her；　and　last　night　she　had　what　she　calls　one　of　her　dreams；〃　answered　Barbara。　〃She　says　that　it　is　a　warning　that　something　bad　is　going　to　happen；　and　she　has　been　in　the　most　unhappy；　feverish　state　possible　all　day。　Papa　has　been　quite　angry　over　her　being　so　weak　and　nervous；　declaring　that　she　ought　to　rouse　herself　out　of　her　'nerves。'　Of　course　we　dare　not　tell　him　about　the　dream。〃

〃It　related　tothe〃

Mr。　Carlyle　stopped；　and　Barbara　glanced　round　with　a　shudder；　and　drew　closer　to　him　as　she　whispered。　He　had　not　given　her　his　arm　this　time。

〃Yes；　to　the　murder。　You　know　mamma　has　always　declared　that　Bethel　had　something　to　do　with　it；　she　says　her　dreams　would　have　convinced　her　of　it；　if　nothing　else　did；　and　she　dreamt　she　saw　him　withwith　you　know。〃

〃Hallijohn？〃　whispered　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃With　Hallijohn；〃　assented　Barbara；　with　a　shiver。　〃He　was　standing　over　him　as　he　lay　on　the　floor；　just　as　he　/did/　lay　on　it。　And　that　wretched　Afy　was　standing　at　the　end　of　the　kitchen；　looking　on。〃

〃But　Mrs。　Hare　ought　not　to　suffer　dreams　to　disturb　her　peace　by　day；〃　remonstrated　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　not　to　be　surprised　at　that　she　dreams　of　the　murder；　because　she　is　always　dwelling　upon　it；　but　she　should　strive　and　throw　the　feeling　from　her　with　the　night。〃

〃You　know　what　mamma　is。　Of　course　she　ought　to　do　so；　but　she　does　not。　Papa　wonders　what　makes　her　get　up　so　ill　and　trembling　of　a　morning；　and　mamma　has　to　make　all　sorts　of　evasive　excuses；　for　not　a　hint；　as　you　are　aware；　must　be　breathed　to　him　about　the　murder。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　gravely　nodded。

〃Mamma　does　so　harp　about　Bethel。　And　I　know　that　dream　arose　from　nothing　in　the　world　but　because　she　saw　him　pass　the　gate　yesterday。　Not　that　she　thinks　that　it　was　he　who　did　it；　unfortunately；　there　is　no　room　for　that；　but　she　will　persist　that　he　had　a　hand　in　it　in　some　way；　and　he　haunts　her　dreams。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　walked　on　in　silence；　indeed　there　was　no　reply　that　he　could　make。　A　cloud　had　fallen　upon　the　house　of　Mr。　Hare；　and　it　was　an　unhappy　subject。　Barbara　continued；

〃But　for　mamma　to　have　taken　it　into　her　head　that　'some　evil　is　going　to　happen；'　because　she　had　this　dream；　and　to　make　herself　miserable　over　it；　is　so　absurd；　that　I　have　felt　quite　cross　with　her　all　day。　Such　nonsense；　you　know；　Archibald；　to　believe　that　dreams　give　signs　of　what　is　going　to　happen；　so　far　behind　these　enlightened　days！〃

〃Your　mamma's　trouble　is　great；　Barbara；　and　she　is　not　strong。〃

〃I　think　all　our　troubles　have　been　great　sincesince　that　dark　evening；〃　responded　Barbara。

〃Have　you　heard　from　Anne？〃　inquired　Mr。　Carlyle；　willing　to　change　the　subject。

〃Yes；　she　is　very　well。　What　do　you　think　they　are　going　to　name　the　baby？　Anne；　after　her　mamma。　So　very　ugly　a　name！　Anne！〃

〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　simple　and　unpretending；　I　like　it　much。　Look　at　the　long；　pretentious　names　of　our　family　Archibald！　Cornelia！　And　yours；　tooBarbara！　What　a　mouthful　they　all　are！〃

Barbara　contracted　her　eyebrows。　It　was　equivalent　to　saying　that　he　did　not　like　her　name。

They　reached　the　gate；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　was　about　to　pass　out　of　it　when　Barbara　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm　to　detain　him；　and　spoke　in　a　timid　voice；

〃Archibald！〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　have　not　said　a　word　of　thanks　to　you　for　this；〃　she　said；　touching　the　chain　and　locket；　〃my　tongue　seemed　tied。　Do　not　deem　me　ungrateful。〃

〃You　foolish　girl！　It　is　not　worth　them。　There！　Now　I　am　paid。　Good…　night；　Barbara。〃

He　had　bent　down　and　kissed　her　cheek；　swung　through　the　gate；　laughing；　and　strode　away。　〃Don't　say　I　never　gave　you　anything；〃　he　turned　his　head　round　to　say；　〃Good…night。〃

All　her　veins　were　tingling；　all　her　pulses　beating；　her　heart　was　throbbing　with　its　sense　of　bliss。　He　had　never　kissed　her；　that　she　could　remember；　since　she　was　a　child。　And　when　she　returned　indoors；　her　spirits　were　so　extravagantly　high　that　Mrs。　Hare　wondered。

〃Ring　for　the　lamp；　Barbara；　and　you　can　get　to　your　work。　But　don't　have　the　shutters　closed；　I　like　to　look　out　on　these　light　nights。〃

Barbara；　however；　did　not　get　to　her　work；　she　also；　perhaps；　liked　〃looking　out　on　a　light　night；〃　for　she　sat　down　at　the　window。　She　was　living　the　last　half　hour　over　again。　〃　'Don't　say　I　never　gave　you　anything；'　〃　she　murmured；　〃did　he　allude　to　the　chain　or　to　the　kiss？　Oh；　Archibald；　why　don't　you　say　that　you　love　me？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　had　been　all　his　life　upon　intimate　terms　with　the　Hare　family。