east lynne-第8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！



〃Thorn！〃　echoed　Barbara；　lifting　her　head。　〃Who　is　Thorn？〃

〃I　don't　know　who。　I　wish　I　did；　I　wish　I　could　unearth　him。　He　was　a　friend　of　Afy's。〃

Barbara　threw　back　her　neck　with　a　haughty　gesture。　〃Richard！〃

〃What？〃

〃You　forget　yourself　when　you　mention　that　name　to　me。〃

〃Well；〃　returned　Richard。　〃It　was　not　to　discuss　these　things　that　I　put　myself　in　jeopardy；　and　to　assert　my　innocence　can　do　no　good；　it　cannot　set　aside　the　coroner's　verdict　of　'Wilful　murder　against　Richard　Hare；　the　younger。'　Is　my　father　as　bitter　against　me　as　ever？〃

〃Quite。　He　never　mentions　your　name；　or　suffers　it　to　be　mentioned；　he　gave　his　orders　to　the　servants　that　it　never　was　to　be　spoken　in　the　house　again。　Eliza　could　not；　or　would　not　remember；　and　she　persisted　in　calling　your　room　'Mr。　Richard's。'　I　think　the　woman　did　it　heedlessly；　not　maliciously；　to　provoke　papa；　she　was　a　good　servant；　and　had　been　with　us　three　years　you　know。　The　first　time　she　transgressed；　papa　warned　her；　the　second；　he　thundered　at　her　as　I　believe　nobody　else　in　the　world　can　thunder；　and　the　third　he　turned　her　from　the　doors；　never　allowing　her　to　get　her　bonnet；　one　of　the　others　carrying　her　bonnet　and　shawl　to　the　gate；　and　her　boxes　were　sent　away　the　same　day。　Papa　took　an　oathdid　you　hear　of　it？〃

〃What　oath？　He　takes　many。〃

〃This　was　a　solemn　one；　Richard。　After　the　delivery　of　the　verdict；　he　took　an　oath　in　the　justice…room；　in　the　presence　of　his　brother　magistrates；　that　if　he　could　find　you　he　would　deliver　you　up　to　justice；　and　that　he　/would/　do　it；　though　you　might　not　turn　up　for　ten　years　to　come。　You　know　his　disposition；　Richard；　and　therefore　may　be　sure　he　will　keep　it。　Indeed；　it　is　most　dangerous　for　you　to　be　here。〃

〃I　know　that　he　never　treated　me　as　he　ought；〃　cried　Richard；　bitterly。　〃If　my　health　was　delicate；　causing　my　poor　mother　to　indulge　me；　ought　that　to　have　been　a　reason　for　his　ridiculing　me　on　every　possible　occasion；　public　and　private？　Had　my　home　been　made　happier　I　should　not　have　sought　the　society　I　did　elsewhere。　Barbara；　I　must　be　allowed　an　interview　with　my　mother。〃

Barbara　Hare　reflected　before　she　spoke。　〃I　do　not　see　how　it　can　be　managed。〃

〃Why　can't　she　come　out　to　me　as　you　have　done？　Is　she　up；　or　in　bed？〃

〃It　is　impossible　to　think　of　it　to…night；〃　returned　Barbara　in　an　alarmed　tone。　〃Papa　may　be　in　at　any　moment；　he　is　spending　the　evening　at　Beauchamp's。〃

〃It　is　hard　to　have　been　separated　from　her　for　eighteen　months；　and　to　go　back　without　seeing　her；〃　returned　Richard。　〃And　about　the　money？　It　is　a　hundred　pounds　that　I　want。〃

〃You　must　be　here　again　to…morrow　night；　Richard；　the　money；　no　doubt；　can　be　yours；　but　I　am　not　so　sure　about　your　seeing　mamma。　I　am　terrified　for　your　safety。　But；　if　it　is　as　you　say；　that　you　are　innocent；〃　she　added；　after　a　pause；　〃could　it　not　be　proved？〃

〃Who　is　to　prove　it？　The　evidence　is　strong　against　me；　and　Thorn；　did　I　mention　him；　would　be　as　a　myth　to　other　people；　nobody　knew　anything　of　him。〃

〃Is　he　a　myth？〃　said　Barbara；　in　a　low　voice。

〃Are　you　and　I　myths？〃　retorted　Richard。　〃So；　even　you　doubt　me？〃

〃Richard；〃　she　suddenly　exclaimed；　〃why　not　tell　the　whole　circumstances　to　Archibald　Carlyle？　If　any　one　can　help　you；　or　take　measures　to　establish　your　innocence；　he　can。　And　you　know　that　he　is　true　as　steel。〃

〃There's　no　other　man　living　should　be　trusted　with　the　secret　that　I　am　here；　except　Carlyle。　Where　is　it　they　suppose　that　I　am；　Barbara？〃

〃Some　think　that　you　are　dead；　some　that　you　are　in　Australia；　the　very　uncertainty　has　nearly　killed　mamma。　A　report　arose　that　you　had　been　seen　at　Liverpool；　in　an　Australian…bound　ship；　but　we　could　not　trace　it　to　any　foundation。〃

〃It　had　none。　I　dodged　my　way　to　London；　and　there　I　have　been。〃

〃Working　in　a　stable…yard？〃

〃I　could　not　do　better。　I　was　not　brought　up　to　anything；　and　I　did　understand　horses。　Besides；　a　man　that　the　police…runners　were　after　could　be　more　safe　in　obscurity；　considering　that　he　was　a　gentleman；　than〃

Barbara　turned　suddenly；　and　placed　her　hand　upon　her　brother's　mouth。　〃Be　silent　for　your　life；〃　she　whispered；　〃here's　papa。〃

Voices　were　heard　approaching　the　gatethose　of　Justice　Hare　and　Squire　Pinner。　The　latter　walked　on；　the　former　came　in。　The　brother　and　sister　cowered　together；　scarcely　daring　to　breathe；　you　might　have　heard　Barbara's　heart　beating。　Mr。　Hare　closed　the　gate　and　walked　on　up　the　path。

〃I　must　go；　Richard；〃　said　Barbara；　hastily；　〃I　dare　not　stay　another　minute。　Be　here　again　to…morrow　night；　and　meanwhile　I　will　see　what　can　be　done。〃

She　was　speeding　away；　but　Richard　held　her　back。　〃You　did　not　seem　to　believe　my　assertion　of　innocence。　Barbara；　we　are　here　alone　in　the　still　night；　with　God　above　us；　as　truly　as　that　you　and　I　must　sometime　meet　Him　face　to　face；　I　told　you　the　truth。　It　was　Thorn　murdered　Hallijohn；　and　I　had　nothing　whatever　to　do　with　it。〃

Barbara　broke　out　of　the　trees　and　flew　along；　but　Mr。　Hare　was　already　in；　locking　and　barring　the　door。　〃Let　me　in；　papa；〃　she　called　out。

The　justice　opened　the　door　again；　and　thrusting　forth　his　flaxen　wig；　his　aquiline　nose；　and　his　amazed　eyes；　gazed　at　Barbara。

〃Halloo！　What　brings　you　out　at　this　time　of　night；　young　lady？〃

〃I　went　down　to　the　gate　to　look　for　you；〃　she　panted；　〃and　hadhad　strolled　over　to　the　side　path。　Did　you　not　see　me？〃

Barbara　was　truthful　by　nature　and　habit；　but　in　such　a　cause；　how　could　she　avoid　dissimulation？

〃Thank　you；　papa；〃　she　said；　as　she　went　in。

〃You　ought　to　have　been　in　bed　an　hour　ago；〃　angrily　responded　Mr。　Justice　Hare。



CHAPTER　V。

MR。　CARLYLE'S　OFFICE。

In　the　centre　of　West　Lynne　stood　two　houses　adjoining　each　other；　one　large；　the　other　much　smaller。　The　large　one　was　the　Carlyle　residence；　and　the　small　one　was　devoted　to　the　Carlyle　offices。　The　name　of　Carlyle　bore　a　lofty　standing　in　the　county；　Carlyle　and　Davidson　were　known　as　first…class　practitioners；　no　pettifogging　lawyers　were　they。　It　was　Carlyle　&　Davidson　in　the　days　gone　by；　now　it　was　Archibald　Carlyle。　The　old　firm　were　brothers…in…lawthe　first　Mrs。　Carlyle　having　been　Mr。　Davidson's　sister。　She　had　died　and　left　one　child。　The　second　Mrs。　Carlyle　died　when　her　son　was　born　Archibald；　and　his　half…sister　reared　him；　loved　him　and　ruled　him。　She　bore　for　him　all　the　authority　of　a　mother；　the　boy　had　known　no　other；　and；　when　a　little　child　he　had　called　her　Mamma　Corny。　Mamma　Corny　had　done　her　duty　by　him；　that　was　undoubted；　but　Mamma　Corny　had　never　relaxed　her　rule；　with　an　iron　hand　she　liked　to　rule　him　now；　in　great　things　as　in　small；　just　as　she　had　done　in　the　days　of　his　babyhood。　And　Archibald　generally　submitted；　for　the　force　of　habit　is　strong。　She　was　a　woman　of　strong　sense；　but；　in　some　things；　weak　of　judgment；　and　the　ruling　passions　of　her　life　were　love　of　Archibald　and　love　of　saving　money。　Mr。　Davidson　had　died　earlier　than　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　his　fortunehe　had　never　marriedwas　left　equally　divided　between　Cornelia　and　Archibald。　Archibald　was　no　blood　relation　to　him；　but　he　loved　the　open…hearted　boy　better　than　his　niece　Cornelia。　Of　Mr。　Carlyle's　property；　a　small　portion　only　was　bequeathed　to　his　daughter；　the　rest　to　his　son；　and　in　this；　perhaps　there　was　justice；　since　the　20；000　pounds　brought　to　Mr。　Carlyle　by　his　second　wife　had　been　chiefly　instrumental　in　the　accumulation　of　his　large　fortune。

Miss　Carlyle；　or；　as　she　was　called　in　town；　Miss　Corny；　had　never　married；　it　was　pretty　certain　she　never　would；　people　thought　that　her　intense　love　of　her　young　brother　kept　her　single；　for　it　was　not　likely　that　the　daughter　of　the　rich　Mr。　Carlyle　had　wanted　for　offers。　Other　maidens　confess　to　soft　and　tender　impressions。　Not　so　Miss　Carlyle。　All　who　had　approached　her　with　the　lovelorn　tale；　she　sent　quickly　to　the　right…about。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　seated　in　his　own　private　room　in　his　office　the　morning　after　his　return　from　town。　His　confidential　clerk　and　manager　stood　near　him。　It　was　Mr。　Dill；　a　little；　meek…looking　man　with　a　bald　head。　He　was　on　the　rolls；　had　been　admitted　years　and　years　ago；　but　he　had　never　set　up　for　himself；　perhaps　he　deemed　the　post　of　head　manager　in　the　office　of　Carlyle　&　Davidson；　with　its　substantial　salary；　sufficient　for　his　ambition；　and　manager　he　had　been　to　them　when　the　present　Mr。　Carlyle　was　in　long　petticoats。　He　was　a　single　man；　and　occupied　handsome　apartments　near。

Between　the　room　of　Mr。　Carlyle　and　that　of　the　clerks；　was　a　small　square　space　or　hall；　having　ingress　also　from　the　house　passage；　another　room　opened　from　it；　a　narrow　one；　which　was　Mr。　Dill's　own　peculiar　sanctum。　Here　he　saw　clients　when　Mr。　Carlyle　was　out　or　engaged；　and　here　he　issued　private　orders。　A　little　window；　not　larger　than　a　pane　of　glass；　looked　out　from　the　clerk's　office；　they　called　it　old　Dill's　peep…hole　and　wished　it　anywhere　else；　for　his　spectacles　might　be　discerned　at　it　more　frequently　than　was　agreeable。　The　old　gentleman　had　a　desk；　also；　in　their　office；　and　there　he　frequently　sat。　He　was　sitting　there；　in　state；　this　same　morning；　keeping　a　sharp　lookout　around　him；　when　the　door　ti