east lynne-第72节

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〃I　do　not　consider　it　so。　I　shall　not　quit　East　Lynne。〃

〃Are　you　aware　that；　in　leaving　your　house；　I　take　my　income　with　me；　Archibald？〃

〃Most　certainly。　Your　income　is　yours；　and　you　will　require　it　for　your　own　purposes。　I　have　neither　a　right　to；　nor　wish　for　it。〃

〃It　will　make　a　pretty　good　hole　in　your　income；　the　withdrawing　of　it；　I　can　tell　you　that。　Take　care　that　you　and　East　Lynne　don't　go　bankrupt　together。〃

At　this　moment　the　summons　of　a　visitor　was　heard。　Even　that　excited　the　ire　of　Miss　Carlyle。　〃I　wonder　who's　come　bothering　to…night？〃　she　uttered。

Peter　entered。　〃It　is　Major　Thorn；　sir。　I　have　shown　him　into　the　drawing…room。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　was　surprised。　He　had　not　thought　Major　Thorn　within　many　a　mile　of　West　Lynne。　He　proceeded　to　the　drawing…room。

〃Such　a　journey！〃　said　Major　Thorn　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　my　general　luck　to　get　ill…weather　when　I　travel。　Rain　and　hail；　thunder　and　heat；　nothing　bad　comes　amiss　when　I　am　out。　The　snow　lay　on　the　rails；　I　don't　know　how　thick；　at　one　station　we　were　detained　two　hours。〃

〃Are　you　proposing　to　make　any　stay　at　West　Lynne？〃

〃Off　again　to…morrow。　My　leave；　this　time；　is　to　be　spent　at　my　mother's。　I　may　bestow　a　week　of　it　or　so　on　West　Lynne；　but　am　not　sure。　I　must　be　back　in　Ireland　in　a　month。　Such　a　horrid　boghole　we　are　quartered　in　just　now！〃

〃To　go　from　one　subject　to　another；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃there　is　a　question　I　have　long　thought　to　put　to　you；　Thorn；　did　we　ever　meet　again。　Which　year　was　it　that　you　were　staying　at　Swainson？〃

Major　Thorn　mentioned　it。　It　was　the　year　of　Hallijohn's　murder。

〃As　I　thoughtin　fact；　know；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Did　you；　while　you　were　stopping　there；　ever　come　across　a　namesake　of　yoursone　Thorn？〃

〃I　believe　I　did。　But　I　don't　know　the　man；　of　my　knowledge；　and　I　saw　him　but　once　only。　I　don't　think　he　was　living　at　Swainson。　I　never　observed　him　in　the　town。〃

〃Where　did　you　meet　with　him？〃

〃At　a　roadside　beer…shop；　about　two　miles　from　Swainson。　I　was　riding　one　day；　when　a　fearful　storm　came　on；　and　I　took　shelter　there。　Scarcely　had　I　entered；　when　another　horsemen　rode　up；　and　he　likewise　took　sheltera　tall；　dandified　man；　aristocratic　and　exclusive。　When　he　departedfor　he　quitted　first；　the　storm　being　overI　asked　the　people　who　he　was。　They　said　they　did　not　know；　though　they　had　often　seen　him　ride　by；　but　a　man　who　was　there；　drinking；　said　he　was　a　Captain　Thorn。　The　same　man；　by　the　way；　volunteered　the　information　that　he　came　from　a　distance；　somewhere　near　West　Lynne；　I　remember　that。〃

〃That　Captain　Thorn　did？〃

〃Nothat　he；　himself　did。　He　appeared　to　know　nothing　of　Captain　Thorn；　beyond　the　name。

It　seemed　to　be　ever　so！　Scraps　of　information；　but　nothing　tangible。　Nothing　to　lay　hold　of；　or　to　know　the　man　by。　Would　it　be　thus　always？

〃Should　you　recognize　him　again　were　you　to　see　him？〃　resumed　Mr。　Carlyle　awakening　from　his　reverie。

〃I　think　I　should。　There　was　something　peculiar　in　his　countenance；　and　I　remember　it　well　yet。〃

〃Were　you　by　chance　to　meet　him；　and　discover　his　real　namefor　I　have　reason　to　believe　that　Thorn；　the　one　he　went　by　then；　was　an　assumed　onewill　you　oblige　me　by　letting　me　know　it？〃

〃With　all　the　pleasure　in　life；〃　replied　the　major。　〃The　chances　are　against　it　though；　confined　as　I　am　to　that　confounded　sister　country。　Other　regiments　get　the　luck　of　being　quartered　in　the　metropolis；　or　near　it；　ours　doesn't。〃

When　Major　Thorn　departed；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　was　about　to　return　to　the　room　where　he　left　his　sister；　he　was　interrupted　by　Joyce。

〃Sir；〃　she　began。　〃Miss　Carlyle　tells　me　that　there　is　going　to　be　a　change　at　East　Lynne。〃

The　words　took　Mr。　Carlyle　by　surprise。

〃Miss　Carlyle　has　been　in　a　hurry　to　tell　you；〃　he　remarkeda　certain　haughty　displeasure　in　his　tone。

〃She　did　not　speak　for　the　sake　of　telling　me；　sir；　it　is　not　likely；　but　I　fancy　she　was　thinking　about　her　own　plans。　She　inquired　whether　I　would　go　with　her　when　she　left；　or　whether　I　meant　to　remain　at　East　Lynne。　I　would　not　answer　her；　sir；　until　I　had　spoken　to　you。〃

〃Well？〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃I　gave　a　promise　sir；　totomy　late　ladythat　I　would　remain　with　her　children　as　long　as　I　was　permitted。　She　asked　it　of　me　when　she　was　illwhen　she　thought　she　was　going　to　die。　What　I　would　inquire　of　you；　sir；　is；　whether　the　change　will　make　any　difference　to　my　staying？〃

〃No；〃　he　decisively　replied。　〃I　also；　Joyce；　wish　you　to　remain　with　the　children。〃

〃It　is　well；　sir；〃　Joyce　answered；　and　her　face　looked　bright　as　she　quitted　the　room。



CHAPTER　XXXI。

MR。　DILL　IN　AN　EMBROIDERED　SHIRT…FRONT。

It　was　a　lovely　morning　in　June；　and　all　West　Lynne　was　astir。　West　Lynne　generally　was　astir　in　the　morning；　but　not　in　the　bustling　manner　that　might　be　observed　now。　People　were　abroad　in　numbers；　passing　down　to　St。　Jude's　Church；　for　it　was　the　day　of　Mr。　Carlyle's　marriage　to　Barbara　Hare。

Miss　Carlyle　made　herself　into　a　sort　of　martyr。　She　would　not　go　near　it；　fine　weddings　in　fine　churches　did　not　suit　her；　she　proclaimed；　they　could　tie　themselves　up　together　fast　enough　without　her　presence。　She　had　invited　the　little　Carlyles　and　their　governess　and　Joyce　to　spend　the　day　with　her；　and　she　persisted　in　regarding　the　children　as　martyrs　too；　in　being　obliged　to　submit　to　the　advent　of　a　second　mother。　She　was　back　in　her　old　house　again；　next　door　to　the　office；　settled　there　for　life　now　with　her　servants。　Peter　had　mortally　offended　her　in　electing　to　remain　at　East　Lynne。

Mr。　Dill　committed　himself　terribly　on　the　wedding　morning。　About　ten　o'clock　he　made　his　appearance　at　Miss　Carlyle's；　he　was　a　man　of　the　old　stage；　possessing　old…fashioned　notions；　and　he　had　deemed　that　to　step　in　to　congratulate　her　on　the　auspicious　day　would　be　only　good　manners。

Miss　Carlyle　was　seated　in　her　dining…room；　her　hands　folded　before　her。　It　was　rare　indeed　that　/she/　was　caught　doing　nothing。　She　turned　her　eyes　on　Mr。　Dill　as　he　entered。

〃Why；　what　on　earth　has　taken　you？〃　began　she；　before　he　could　speak。　〃You　are　decked　out　like　a　young　duck！〃

〃I　am　going　to　the　wedding；　Miss　Cornelia。　Did　you　know　it？　Mrs。　Hare　was　so　kind　as　to　invite　me　to　the　breakfast；　and　Mr。　Archibald　insists　upon　my　going　to　church。　I　am　not　too　fine；　am　I？〃

Poor　old　Dill's　〃finery〃　consisted　of　a　white　waistcoat　with　gold　buttons；　and　an　embroidered　shirt…front。　Miss　Corny　was　pleased　to　regard　it　with　sarcastic　wrath。

〃Fine！〃　echoed　she。　〃I　don't　know　what　/you/　call　it。　I　would　not　make　myself　such　a　spectacle　for　untold　gold。　You'll　have　all　the　ragamuffins　in　the　street　forming　a　tail　after　you；　thinking　you　are　the　bridegroom。　A　man　of　your　years　to　deck　yourself　out　in　a　worked　shirt！　I　would　have　had　some　rosettes　on　my　coat…tails；　while　I　was　about　it。〃

〃My　coat's　quite　plain；　Miss　Cornelia；〃　he　meekly　remonstrated。

〃Plain！　What　would　you　have　it？〃　snapped　Miss　Cornelia。　〃Perhaps　you　covet　a　wreath　of　embroidery　round　it；　gold　leaves　and　scarlet　flowers；　with　a　swansdown　collar？　It　would　only　be　in　keeping　with　that　shirt　and　waistcoat。　I　might　as　well　have　gone　and　ordered　a　white　tarletan　dress；　looped　up　with　peas；　and　streamed　through　the　town　in　that　guise。　It　would　be　just　as　consistent。〃

〃People　like　to　dress　a　little　out　of　common　at　a　wedding；　Miss　Cornelia；　it's　only　respectful；　when　they　are　invited　guests。〃

〃I　don't　say　people　should　go　to　a　wedding　in　a　hop　sack。　But　there's　a　medium。　Pray；　do　you　know　your　age？〃

〃I　am　turned　sixty；　Miss　Corny。〃

〃You　just　are。　And　do　you　consider　it　decent　for　an　old　man；　going　on　for　seventy；　to　be　decorated　off　as　you　are　now？　I　don't；　and　so　I　tell　you　my　mind。　Why；　you'll　be　the　laughing…stock　of　the　parish！　Take　care　the　boys　don't　tie　a　tin　kettle　to　you！〃

Mr。　Dill　thought　he　would　leave　the　subject。　His　own　impression　was；　that　he　was　/not/　too　fine；　and　that　the　parish　would　not　regard　him　as　being　so；　still；　he　had　a　great　reverence　for　Miss　Corny's　judgment；　and　was　not　altogether　easy。　He　had　had　his　white　gloves　in　his　hand　when　he　entered；　but　he　surreptitiously　smuggled　them　into　his　pocket；　lest　they　might　offend。　He　passed　to　the　subject　which　had　brought　him　thither。

〃What　I　came　in　for；　was　to　offer　you　my　congratulations　on　this　auspicious　day；　Miss　Cornelia。　I　hope　Mr。　Archibald　and　his　wife；　and　you；　ma'am〃

〃There！　You　need　not　trouble　yourself　to　go　on；〃　interrupted　Miss　Corny；　hotly　arresting　him。　〃We　want　condolence　here　to…day；　rather　than　the　other　thing。　I'm　sure　I'd　nearly　as　soon　see　Archibald　go　to　his　hanging。〃

〃Oh；　Miss　Corny！〃

〃I　would；　and　you　need　not　stare　at　me　as　if　you　were　throttled。　What　business　has　he　to　go　and　fetter　himself　with　a　wife　again。　One　would　have　thought　he　had　had　enough　with　the　other。　It　is　as　I　have　always　said；　there's　a　soft　place　in　Archibald's　brain。〃

Old　Dill　knew　there　was　no　〃soft　place〃　in　the　brain　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　but　he　deemed　it　might　be　as　well　not　to　say　so；　in　Miss　Corny's　present　humor。　〃Marriage　is　a　happy　state；　as　I　have　heard；　ma'am；　and　honorable；　and　I　am　sure　Mr。　Archibald〃

〃Very　happy！　Very　honorable！〃　fiercely　cried　Miss　Carlyle；　sarcasm　in　her　t