east lynne-第78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！


nd　caused　her　heart　to　beat　as　if　it　would　burst　its　bounds；　and　she　started　from　her　chair　like　one　who　has　received　an　electric　shock。

It　was　nothing　to　be　startled　at　eitherfor　ordinary　peoplefor　it　was　but　the　sound　of　children's　voices。　/Her/　children！　Were　they　being　brought　in　to　her？　She　pressed　her　hand　upon　her　heaving　bosom。

No；　they　were　but　traversing　the　hall；　and　the　voices　faded　away　up　the　wide　staircase。　Perhaps　they　had　been　in　to　desert；　as　in　the　old　times；　and　were　now　going　up　to　bed。　She　looked　at　her　new　watchhalf　past　seven。

Her　/new/　watch。　The　old　one　had　been　changed　away　for　it。　All　her　trinkets　had　been　likewise　parted　with；　sold　or　exchanged　away；　lest　they　should　be　recognized　at　East　Lynne。　Nothing　whatever　had　she　kept　except　her　mother's　miniature　and　a　small　golden　cross；　set　with　its　seven　emeralds。　Have　you　forgotten　that　cross？　Francis　Levison　accidentally　broke　it　for　her；　the　first　time　they　ever　met。　If　she　had　looked　upon　the　breaking　of　that　cross　which　her　mother　had　enjoined　her　to　set　such　store　by；　as　an　evil　omen；　at　the　time　of　the　accident；　how　awfully　had　the　subsequent　events　seemed　to　bear　her　fancy　out！　These　two　articlesthe　miniature　and　the　crossshe　could　not　bring　her　mind　to　part　with。　She　had　sealed　them　up；　and　placed　them　in　the　remotest　spot　of　her　dressing…case；　away　from　all　chance　of　public　view。　Peter　entered。

〃My　mistress　says；　ma'am；　she　would　be　glad　to　see　you；　if　you　are　not　too　tired。　Will　you　please　to　walk　into　the　drawing…room？〃

A　mist　swam　before　her　eyes。　Was　she　about　to　enter　the　presence　of　Mrs。　Carlyle？　Had　the　moment　really　come？　She　moved　to　the　door；　which　Peter　held　open。　She　turned　her　head　from　the　man；　for　she　could　feel　how　ashy　white　were　her　face　and　lips。

〃Is　Mrs。　Carlyle　alone？〃　she　asked；　in　a　subdued　voice。　The　most　indirect　way　she　could　put　the　question；　as　to　whether　Mr。　Carlyle　was　there。

〃Quite　alone；　ma'am。　My　master　is　dining　out　to…day。　Madame　Vine；　I　think？〃　he　added；　waiting　to　announce　her；　as；　the　hall　traversed；　he　laid　his　hand　on　the　drawing…room　door。

〃Madame　Vine；〃　she　said；　correcting　him。　For　Peter　had　spoken　the　name；　Vine；　broadly；　according　to　our　English　habitude；　she　set　him　right；　and　pronounced　it　/a　la　mode　Francaise/。

〃Madame　Vine；　ma'am；〃　quoth　Peter　to　his　mistress；　as　he　ushered　in　Lady　Isabel。

The　old　familiar　drawing…room；　its　large　handsome　proportions；　the　well　arranged　furniture；　its　bright　chandelier！　It　all　came　back　to　her　with　a　heart…sickness。　No　longer　/her/　drawing…room；　that　she　should　take　pride　in　it；　she　had　flung　it　away　from　her　when　she　flung　away　the　rest。

Seated　under　the　blaze　of　the　chandelier　was　Barbara。　Not　a　day　older　did　she　look　than　when　Lady　Isabel　had　first　seen　her　at　the　churchyard　gates；　when　she　had　inquired　of　her　husband　who　was　that　pretty　girl。　〃Barbara　Hare；〃　he　answered。　Ay。　She　was　Barbara　Hare　then；　but　now　she　was　Barbara　Carlyle；　and　she；　she；　who　had　been　Isabel　Carlyle；　was　Isabel　Vane　again！　Oh；　woe！　Woe！

Inexpressibly　more　beautiful；　looked　Barbara　than　Lady　Isabel　had　ever　seen　heror　else　she　fancied　it。　Her　evening　dress　was　of　pale　sky…　blueno　other　color　suited　Barbara　so　well；　and　there　was　no　other　she　was　so　fond　ofand　on　her　fair　neck　there　was　a　gold　chain；　and　on　her　arms　were　gold　bracelets。　Her　pretty　features　were　attractive　as　ever；　her　cheeks　were　flushed；　her　blue　eyes　sparkled；　and　her　light　hair　was　rich　and　abundant。　A　contrast；　her　hair；　to　that　of　the　worn　woman　opposite　to　her。

Barbara　came　forward；　her　hand　stretched　out　with　a　kindly　greeting。　〃I　hope　you　are　not　very　much　tired　after　your　journey？〃

Lady　Isabel　murmured　somethingshe　did　not　know　whatand　pushed　the　chair　set　for　her　as　much　as　possible　into　the　shade。

〃You　are　not　ill；　are　you？〃　uttered　Barbara；　noting　the　intensely　pale　faceas　much　as　could　be　seen　of　it　for　the　cap　and　the　spectacles。

〃Not　ill；〃　was　the　low　answer；　〃only　a　little　fatigued。〃

〃Would　you　prefer　that　I　spoke　with　you　in　the　morning？　You　would　like；　possibly；　to　retire　to　bed　at　once。〃

But　Lady　Isabel　declined。　Better　get　the　interview　over　by　candlelight　than　by　daylight。

〃You　look　so　very　pale；　I　feared　you　might　be　ill。〃

〃I　am　generally　pale；　sometimes　remarkably　so；　but　my　health　is　good。〃

〃Mrs。　Latimer　wrote　us　word　that　you　would　be　quite　sure　to　suit　us；〃　freely　spoke　Barbara。　〃I　hope　you　will；　and　that　you　may　find　your　residence　here　agreeable。　Have　you　lived　much　in　England？〃

〃In　the　early　portion　of　my　life。〃

〃And　you　have　lost　your　husband　and　your　children？　Stay。　I　beg　your　pardon　if　I　am　making　a　mistake；　I　think　Mrs。　Latimer　did　mention　children。〃

〃I　have　lost　them；〃　was　the　faint；　quiet　response。

〃Oh；　but　it　must　be　terrible　grief　when　children　die！〃　exclaimed　Barbara；　clasping　her　hands　in　emotion。　〃I　would　not　lose　my　babe　for　the　world！　I　/could/　not　part　with　him。〃

〃Terrible　grief；　and　hard　to　bear；〃　outwardly　assented　Lady　Isabel。　But　in　her　heart　she　was　thinking　that　death　was　not　the　worst　kind　of　parting。　There　was　another　far　more　dreadful。　Mrs。　Carlyle　began　to　speak　of　the　children　she　was　to　take　charge　of。

〃You　are　no　doubt　aware　that　they　are　not　mine；　Mrs。　Latimer　would　tell　you。　They　are　the　children　of　Mr。　Carlyle's　first　wife。〃

〃And　Mr。　Carlyle's；〃　interrupted　Lady　Isabel。　What　in　the　world　made　her　put　in　that？　She　wondered　herself　the　moment　the　words　were　out　of　her　mouth。　A　scarlet　streak　flushed　her　cheeks；　and　she　remembered　that　there　must　be　no　speaking　upon　impulse　at　East　Lynne。

〃Mr。　Carlyle's；　of　course；〃　said　Barbara；　believing　Madame　Vine　had　asked　the　question。　〃Their　positionthe　girl's　in　particularis　a　sad　one；　for　their　mother　left　them。　Oh；　it　was　a　shocking　business！〃

〃She　is　dead；　I　hear；〃　said　Lady　Isabel　hoping　to　turn　the　immediate　point　of　conversation。　Mrs。　Carlyle；　however；　continued　as　though　she　had　not　heard　her。

〃Mr。　Carlyle　married　Lady　Isabel　Vane；　the　late　Lord　Mount　Severn's　daughter。　She　was　attractive　and　beautiful；　but　I　do　not　fancy　she　cared　very　much　for　her　husband。　However　that　may　have　been；　she　ran　away　from　him。〃

〃It　was　very　sad；〃　observed　Lady　Isabel；　feeling　that　she　was　expected　to　say　something。　Besides；　she　had　her　/role/　to　play。

〃Sad？　It　was　wickedit　was　infamous！〃　returned　Mrs。　Carlyle；　giving　way　to　some　excitement。　〃Of　all　men　living；　of　all　husbands；　Mr。　Carlyle　least　deserved　such　a　requital。　You　will　say　so　when　you　come　to　know。　And　the　affair　altogether　was　a　mystery；　for　it　never　was　observed　or　suspected　by　any　one　that　Lady　Isabel　entertained　a　liking　for　another。　It　was　Francis　Levison　she　eloped　withSir　Francis　he　is　now。　He　had　been　staying　at　East　Lynne；　but　no　one　detected　any　undue　intimacy　between　them；　not　even　Mr。　Carlyle。　To　him；　as　others；　her　conduct　must　always　remain　a　mystery。〃

Madame　appeared　to　be　occupied　with　her　spectacles；　setting　them　straight。　Barbara　continued；

〃Of　course　the　disgrace　is　reflected　on　the　children；　and　always　will　be；　the　shame　of　having　a　divorced　mother〃

〃Is　she　not　dead？〃　interrupted　Lady　Isabel。

〃She　is　deadoh；　yes。　But　they　will　not　be　the　less　pointed　at；　the　girl　especially；　as　I　say。　They　allude　to　their　mother　now　and　then　in　conversation；　Wilson　tells　me；　but　I　would　recommend　you；　Madame　Vine；　not　to　encourage　them　in　that。　They　had　better　forget　her。〃

〃Mr。　Carlyle　would　naturally　wish　them　to　do　so。〃

〃Most　certainly。　There　is　little　doubt　that　Mr。　Carlyle　would　blot　out　the　recollection　of　her；　were　it　possible。　But　unfortunately　she　was　the　children's　mother；　and；　for　that；　there's　no　help。　I　trust　you　will　be　able　to　instill　principles　into　the　little　girl　which　will　keep　her　from　a　like　fate。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　answered　Lady　Isabel；　with　more　fervor　than　she　had　yet　spoken。　〃Do　you　have　the　children　much　with　you；　may　I　inquire？〃

〃No。　I　never　was　fond　of　being　troubled　with　children。　When　my　own　grow　up　into　childhood　I　shall　deem　the　nursery　and　the　schoolroom　the　fitter　place　for　them。　What　I　trust　I　shall　never　give　up　to　another；　will　be　the　/training/　of　my　children；〃　pursued　Barbara。　〃Let　the　offices　properly　pertaining　to　a　nurse　be　performed　by　the　nurseof　course；　taking　care　that　she　is　thoroughly　to　be　depended　on。　Let　her　have　the　/trouble/　of　the　children；　their　noise；　their　romping；　in　short；　let　the　nursery　be　her　place；　and　the　children's。　But　I　hope　that　I　shall　never　fail　to　gather　my　children　round　me　daily；　at　stated　and　convenient　periods；　for　higher　purposes；　to　instill　into　them　Christian　and　moral　duties；　to　strive　to　teach　them　how　best　to　fulfil　the　obligations　of　life。　/This/　is　a　mother's　taskas　I　understand　the　questionlet　her　do　this　work　well；　and　the　nurse　can　attend　to　the　rest。　A　child　should　never　hear　aught　from　his　mother's　lips　but　persuasive　gentleness；　and　this　becomes　impossible　if　she　is　very　much　with　her　children。〃

Lady　Isabel　silently　assented。　Mrs。　Carlyle's　views　were　correct　ones。

〃When　I　first　came　to　East　Lynne　I　found　Miss　Manning；　the　governess；　was　doing　everything　necessary　for　Mr。　Carlyle's　children　in　the　way　of　the　training　that　I　speak　of；〃　resumed　Barbara。　〃She　had　them　with　her　f