east lynne-第83节

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ight　his　wife；　she　severed　from　him　forever　and　forever！

She　scarcely　raised　her　head；　she　tightened　her　thick　veil　over　her　face；　she　kept　her　spectacles　bent　toward　the　ground。　Lucy　thought　she　must　be　crying；　she　never　had　seen　anyone　so　still　at　church　before。　Lucy　was　mistaken；　tears　came　not　to　solace　the　bitter　anguish　of　hopeless；　self…condemning　remorse。　How　she　sat　out　the　service　she　could　not　tell；　she　could　not　tell　how　she　could　sit　out　other　services；　as　the　Sundays　came　round！　The　congregation　did　not　forget　to　stare　at　her。　What　an　extraordinary　looking　governess　Mrs。　Carlyle　had　picked　up！

They　went　out　when　it　was　over。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Carlyle　in　advance；　she；　humbly　following　them　with　Lucy。　She　glanced　aside　at　the　tomb　in　the　churchyard's　corner；　where　moldered　the　remains　of　her　father；　and　a　yearning　cry　went　forth　from　the　very　depth　of　her　soul。　〃Oh；　that　I　were　laid　there　with　him！　Why　did　I　come　back　again　to　East　Lynne？〃

Why；　truly？　But　she　had　never　thought　that　her　cross　would　be　so　sharp　as　this。



CHAPTER　XXXIV。

AN　M。　P。　FOR　WEST　LYNNE。

As　this　is　not　a　history　of　the　British　constitution；　it　does　not　concern　it　to　relate　how　or　why　West　Lynne　got　into　hot　water　with　the　House　of　Commons。　The　House　threatened　to　disfranchise　it；　and　West　Lynne　under　the　fear；　went　into　mourning　for　its　sins。　The　threat　was　not　carried　out；　but　one　of　the　sitting　members　was　unseated　with　ignominy；　and　sent　to　the　right　about。　Being　considerably　humiliated　thereby；　and　in　disgust　with　West　Lynne；　he　retired　accordingly；　and　a　fresh　writ　was　issued。　West　Lynne　then　returned　the　Hon。　Mr。　Attley；　a　county　nobleman's　son；　but　he　died　in　the　very　midst　of　his　first　session；　and　another　writ　had　to　be　issued。

Of　course　the　consideration　now　was；　who　should　be　the　next　lucky　man　fixed　upon。　All　the　notables　within　ten　miles　were　discussed；　not　excepting　the　bench　justices。　Mr。　Justice　Hare？　No！　he　was　too　uncompromising；　he　would　study　his　own　will；　but　not　that　of　West　Lynne。　Squire　Pinner？　He　never　made　a　speech　in　his　life；　and　had　not　an　idea　beyond　turnips　and　farming　stock。　Colonel　Bethel？　He　had　no　money　to　spend　upon　an　election。　Sir　John　Dobede？　He　was　too　old。　〃By　a　good　twenty　years；〃　laughed　Sir　John；　to　himself。　〃But　here　we　stand；　like　a　pack　of　noodles；　conning　over　the　incapables；　and　passing　by　the　right　one；〃　continued　Sir　John。　〃There's　only　one　man　amongst　us　fit　to　be　our　member。〃

〃Who's　that？〃　cried　the　meeting。

〃Archibald　Carlyle。〃

A　pause　of　consternationconsternation　at　their　collective　forgetfulnessand　then　a　loud　murmur　of　approaching　to　a　shout；　filled　the　room。　Archibald　Carlyle。　It　should　be　no　other。

〃If　we　can　get　him；〃　cried　Sir　John。　〃He　may　decline；　you　know。〃

The　best　thing；　all　agreed；　was　to　act　promptly。　A　deputation；　half　the　length　of　the　streetits　whole　length；　if　you　include　the　tagrag　and　bobtail　that　attended　behindset　off　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　to　the　office　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　They　found　that　gentleman　about　to　leave　it　for　the　evening；　to　return　home　to　dinner；　for；　in　the　discussion　of　the　all…important　topic；　the　meeting　had　suffered　time　to　run　on　to　a　late　hour；　those　gentlemen　who　dined　at　a　somewhat　earlier　one　had；　for　once　in　their　lives；　patiently　allowed　their　dinners　and　their　stomachs　to　waitwhich　is　saying　a　great　deal　for　the　patience　of　a　justice。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　taken　by　surprise。　〃Make　me　your　member？〃　cried　he；　merrily。　〃How　do　you　know　I　should　not　sell　you　all？〃

〃We'll　trust　you；　Carlyle。　Too　happy　to　do　it。〃

〃I　am　not　sure　that　I　could　spare　the　time；〃　deliberated　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Now；　Carlyle；　you　must　remember　that　you　avowed　to　me；　no　longer　than　last　Christmas；　your　intention　of　going　into　parliament　some　time；〃　struck　in　Mr。　Justice　Herbert。　〃You　can't　deny　it。〃

〃Some　time！yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃but　I　did　not　say　when。　I　have　no　thoughts　of　it　yet　awhile。〃

〃You　must　allow　us　to　put　you　in　nominationyou　must；　indeed；　Mr。　Carlyle。　There's　nobody　else　fit　for　it。　As　good　send　a　pig　to　the　House　as　some　of　us。〃

〃An　extremely　flattering　reason　for　proposing　to　shift　the　honor　upon　me；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Well；　you　know　what　we　mean；　Carlyle；　there's　not　a　man　in　the　whole　county　so　suitable　as　you；　search　it　to　the　extremity　of　its　boundariesyou　must　know　there　is　not。〃

〃I　don't　know　anything　of　the　sort；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃At　any　rate；　we　shall　do　it；　for　we　have　determined　upon　having　you。　When　you　walk　into　West　Lynne　to…morrow；　you'll　see　the　walks　alive　with　placards；　'Carlyle　forever！'　〃

〃Suppose　you　allow　me　until　to…morrow　to　consider　of　it；　and　defer　the　garnishing　of　the　walls　a　day　later；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　a　serious　tone　peeping　out　in　the　midst　of　his　jocularity。

〃You　do　not　fear　the　expenses？〃

It　was　but　a　glance　he　returned　in　answer。　As　soon　as　the　question　had　been　putit　was　stupid　old　Pinner　who　propounded　itthey　had　felt　how　foolish　it　was。　And　indeed　the　cost　would　be　a　mere　nothing；　were　there　no　opposition。

〃Come；　decide　now；　Carlyle。　Give　us　your　promise。〃

〃If　I　decide　now；　it　will　be　in　the　negative；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　a　question　that　demands　consideration。　Give　me　till　to…morrow　for　that；　and　it　is　possible　that　I　may　accede　to　your　request。〃

This　was　the　best　that　could　be　made　of　him；　and　the　deputation　backed　out；　and　as　nothing　more　could　be　done；　departed　to　their　several　dinner…tables。　Mr。　Dill；　who　had　been　present；　remained　rubbing　his　hands　with　satisfaction；　and　casting　admiring　glances　at　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃What's　the　matter；　Dill？〃　asked　the　latter；　〃you　look　as　though　you　were　pleased　at　this　movement；　and　assumed　that　I　should　accept　it。〃

〃And　so　you　will；　Mr。　Archibald。　And　as　to　the　looking　pleased；　there's　not　a　man；　woman　or　child　in　West　Lynne　who　won't　do　that。〃

〃Don't　make　too　sure；　Dill。〃

〃Of　which；　sirof　your　becoming　our　member；　or　of　the　people　looking　pleased？〃

〃Of　either；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。

He　quitted　the　office　to　walk　home；　revolving　the　proposition　as　he　did　so。　That　he　had　long　thought　of　some　time　entering　parliament　was　certain；　though　no　definite　period　of　the　〃when〃　had　fixed　itself　in　his　mind。　He　saw　not　why　he　should　confine　his　days　entirely　to　toil；　to　the　work　of　his　calling。　Pecuniary　considerations　did　not　require　it；　for　his　realized　property；　combined　with　the　fortune　brought　by　Barbara；　was　quite　sufficient　to　meet　expenses；　according　to　their　present　style　of　living。　Not　that　he　had　the　least　intention　of　giving　up　his　business；　it　was　honorable；　as　he　conducted　it；　and　lucrative；　and　he　really　liked　it。　He　would　not　have　been　condemned　to　lead　an　idle　life　for　the　world；　but　there　was　no　necessity　for　his　being　always　at　it。　Mr。　Dill　made　as　good　a　principal　as　he　did；　andif　length　of　service　and　experience　might　be　counteda　better　one。　He　could　safely　be　left　to　manage　during　the　time　it　would　be　necessary　for　him；　Mr。　Carlyle；　to　be　in　London。　He　would　rather　represent　West　Lynne　than　any　other　spot　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　no　matter　what　might　be　the　other's　importance；　and；　as　West　Lynne　was　now　in　want　of　a　member；　perhaps　his　opportunity　had　come。　That　he　would　make　a　good　and　efficient　public　servant；　he　believed；　his　talents　were　superior；　his　oratory　persuasive；　and　he　had　the　gift　of　a　true　and　honest　spirit。　That　he　would　have　the　interest　of　West　Lynne；　at　heart　was　certain；　and　he　knew　that　he　should　serve　his　constituents　to　the　very　best　of　his　power　and　ability。　They　knew　it　also。

Before　Mr。　Carlyle　had　reached　East　Lynne；　he　had　decided　that　it　should　be。

It　was　a　fine　spring　evening。　The　lilac　was　in　bloom；　the　hedges　and　trees　were　clothed　in　their　early　green；　and　all　things　seemed　full　of　promise。　Even　Mr。　Carlyle's　heart　was　rejoicing　in　the　prospect　opened　to　it；　he　was　sure　he　should　like　a　public　life；　but　in　the　sanguine　moments　of　realization　or　of　hope；　some　dark　shade　will　step　in　to　mar　the　brightness。

Barbara　stood　at　the　drawing…room　window　watching　for　him。　Not　in　her　was　the　dark　shade；　her　dress　was　a　marvel　of　vanity　and　prettiness；　and　she　had　chosen　to　place　on　her　fair　hair　a　dainty　headdress　of　laceas　if　her　hair　required　any　such　ornament！　She　waltzed　up　to　Mr。　Carlyle　when　he　entered；　and　saucily　held　up　her　face；　the　light　of　love　dancing　in　her　bright　blue　eyes。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　he　provokingly　asked；　putting　his　hands　behind　him；　and　letting　her　stand　there。

〃Oh；　wellif　you　won't　say　good…evening　to　me；　I　have　a　great　mind　to　say　you　should　not　kiss　me　for　a　week；　Archibald。〃

He　laughed。　〃Who　would　be　punished　by　that？〃　whispered　he。

Barbara　pouted　her　pretty　lips；　and　the　tears　positively　came　into　her　eyes。　〃Which　is　as　much　as　to　say　it　would　be　no　punishment　to　you。　Archibald；　/don't/　you　care　for　me？〃

He　threw　his　arms　around　her　and　clasped　her　to　his　heart；　taking　plenty　of　kisses　then。　〃You　know　whether　I　care　not；〃　he　fondly　whispered。

But　now；　will　you　believe　that　that　unfortunate　Lady　Isabel　had　been　a　witness　to　this？　Well；　it　was　only　what　his　greeting　to　her　had　once　been。　Her　pale　face　flushed　scarlet；　and　she　glided　out　of　the　room　again　as　softly　as　she　had　entered　it。　They　had　not　se