east lynne-第85节

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r　he　nor　the　child　could　again　belong　to　her　in　this　world。

A　strange　rising　of　the　throat　in　her　wild　despair；　a　meek　courtesy；　as　she　turned　from　him；　his　last　words　ringing　in　her　ears：　〃I　shall　call　in　further　advice　for　him；　Madame　Vine。〃

William　was　clinging　round　Mrs。　Carlyle；　in　a　coaxing　attitude；　when　she　re…entered　the　gray　parlor。　〃I　know　what　I　could　eat；　mamma；　if　you'd　let　me　have　it；〃　cried　he；　in　answer　to　her　remonstrance　that　he　must　eat　something。

〃What　could　you　eat？〃

〃Some　cheese。〃

〃Cheese！　Cheese　with　tea！〃　laughed　Mrs。　Carlyle。

〃For　the　last　week　or　two　he　has　fancied　strange　things；　the　effect　of　a　diseased　appetite；〃　exclaimed　Madame　Vine；　〃but　if　I　allow　them　to　be　brought　in　he　barely　tastes　them。〃

〃I　am　sure；　mamma；　I　could　eat　some　cheese　now；〃　said　William。

〃You　may　have　it；〃　answered　Mrs。　Carlyle。

As　she　turned　to　leave　the　room；　the　impatient　knock　and　ring　of　a　visitor　was　heard。　Barbara　wondered　who　could　be　arriving　at　that；　their　dinner　hour。　Sailing　majestically　into　the　hall；　her　lips　compressed；　her　aspect　threatening；　came　Miss　Carlyle。

Now　it　turned　out　that　Miss　Corny　had　been　standing　at　her　own　window；　grimly　eyeing　the　ill　doings　of　the　street；　from　the　fine　housemaid　opposite；　who　was　enjoying　a　flirting　interview　with　the　baker；　to　the　ragged　urchins；　pitch…polling　in　the　gutter　and　the　dust。　And　there　she　caught　sight　of　the　string；　justices　and　others；　who　came　flowing　out　of　the　office　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　So　many　of　them　were　they　that　Miss　Corny　involuntarily　thought　of　a　conjuror　flinging　flowers　out　of　a　hatthe　faster　they　come；　the　more　it　seems　there　are　to　come。　〃What　on　earth　is　up？〃　cried　Miss　Corny；　pressing　her　nose　flat　against　the　pane；　that　she　might　see　better。

They　filed　off；　some　one　way；　some　another。　Miss　Carlyle's　curiosity　was　keener　than　her　appetite；　for　she　stayed　on　the　watch；　although　just　informed　that　her　dinner　was　served。　Presently　Mr。　Carlyle　appeared　and　she　knocked　at　the　window　with　her　knuckles。　He　did　not　hear　it；　he　had　turned　off　at　a　quick　pace　toward　home。　Miss　Corny's　temper　rose。

The　clerks　came　out　next；　one　after　another；　and　the　last　was　Mr。　Dill。　He　was　less　hurried　than　Mr。　Carlyle　had　been；　and　heard　Miss　Corny's　signal。

〃What　in　the　name　of　wonder；　did　all　that　stream　of　people　want　at　the　office？〃　began　she；　when　Mr。　Dill　had　entered　in　obedience　to　it。

〃That　was　the　deputation；　Miss　Cornelia。〃

〃What　deputation？〃

〃The　deputation　to　Mr。　Archibald。　They　want　him　to　become　their　new　member。〃

〃Member　of　what？〃　cried　she；　not　guessing　at　the　actual　meaning。

〃Of　parliament；　Miss　Corny；　to　replace　Mr。　Attley。　The　gentlemen　came　to　solicit　him　to　be　put　in　nomination。〃

〃Solicit　a　donkey！〃　irascibly　uttered　Miss　Corny；　for　the　tidings　did　not　meet　her　approbation。　〃Did　Archibald　turn　them　out　again？〃

〃He　gave　them　no　direct　answer；　ma'am。　He　will　consider　of　it　between　now　and　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃/Consider/　of　it！〃　shrieked　she。　〃Why；　he'd　never；　never　be　such　a　flat　as　to　comply。　He　go　into　parliament！　What　next？〃

〃Why　should　he　not；　Miss　Corny？　I'm　sure　I　should　be　proud　to　see　him　there。〃

Miss　Corny　gave　a　sniff。　〃You　are　proud　of　things　more　odd　than　even　John　Dill。　Remember　that　fine　shirt　front！　What　has　become　of　it？　Is　it　laid　up　in　lavender？〃

〃Not　exactly　in　lavender；　Miss　Corny。　It　lies　in　the　drawer；　for　I　have　never　liked　to　put　it　on　since；　after　what　you　said。〃

〃Why　don't　you　sell　it　at　half…price；　and　buy　a　couple　of　good　useful　ones　with　the　money？〃　returned　she；　tartly。　〃Better　that　than　keep　the　foppish　thing　as　a　witness　of　your　folly。　Perhaps　he'll　be　buying　embroidered　fronts　next；　if　he　goes　into　that　idle；　do…nothing　House　of　Commons。　I'd　rather　enter　myself　for　six　months　at　the　treadmill。〃

〃Oh；　Miss　Corny！　I　don't　think　you　have　well　considered　it。　It's　a　great　honor；　and　worthy　of　him。　He　will　be　elevated　above　us　all；　as　it　were；　and　he　deserves　to　be。〃

〃Elevate　him　on　a　weathercock！〃　raged　Miss　Corny。　〃There；　you　may　go。　I've　heard　quite　enough。〃

Brushing　past　the　old　gentleman；　leaving　him　to　depart　or　not；　as　he　might　please；　Miss　Carlyle　strode　upstairs；　flung　on　her　shawl　and　bonnet；　and　strode　down　again。　Her　servant　looked　considerably　surprised；　and　addressed　her　as　she　crossed　the　hall。

〃Your　dinner；　ma'am？〃　he　ventured　to　say。

〃What's　my　dinner　to　you？〃　returned　Miss　Corny；　in　her　wrath。　〃You　have　had　yours。〃

Away　she　strode。　And　thus　it　happened　that　she　was　at　East　Lynne　almost　as　soon　as　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Where's　Archibald？〃　began　she；　without　ceremony；　the　moment　she　saw　Barbara。

〃He　is　here。　Is　anything　the　matter？〃

Mr。　Carlyle；　hearing　the　voice；　came　out　and　she　pounced　upon　him　with　her　tongue。

〃What's　this　about　your　becoming　the　new　member　for　West　Lynne？〃

〃West　Lynne　wishes　it；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Sit　down；　Cornelia。〃

〃Sit　down　yourself；〃　retorted　she；　keeping　on　her　feet。　〃I　want　my　question　answered。　/Of　course/　you　will　decline？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　have　made　up　my　mind　to　accept。〃

Miss　Corny　untied　the　strings　of　her　bonnet；　and　flung　them　behind　her。

〃Have　you　counted　the　cost？〃　she　asked；　and　there　was　something　quite　sepulchral　in　her　solemn　tone。

〃I　have　given　it　consideration；　Cornelia；　both　as　regards　money　and　time。　The　expenses　are　not　worth　naming；　should　there　be　no　opposition。　And　if　there　is　any〃

〃Ay！〃　groaned　Miss　Corny。　〃If　there　is？〃

〃Well？　I　am　not　without　a　few　hundred　to　spare　for　the　playing；〃　he　said；　turning　upon　her　the　good…humored　light　of　his　fine　countenance。

Miss　Carlyle　emitted　some　dismal　groans。

〃That　ever　I　should　have　lived　to　see　this　day！　To　hear　money　talked　of　as　though　it　were　dirt。　And　what's　to　become　of　your　business？〃　she　sharply　added。　〃Is　that　to　be　let　run　to　rack　and　ruin；　while　you　are　kicking　up　your　heels　in　that　wicked　London；　under　plea　of　being　at　the　House　night　after　night？〃

〃Cornelia；〃　he　gravely　said；　〃were　I　dead；　Dill　could　carry　on　the　business　just　as　well　as　it　is　being　carried　on　now。　I　might　go　into　a　foreign　country　for　seven　years　and　come　back　to　find　the　business　as　flourishing　as　ever；　for　Dill　could　keep　it　together。　And　even　were　the　business　to　drop　offthough　I　tell　you　it　will　not　do　soI　am　independent　of　it。〃

Miss　Carlyle　faced　tartly　round　upon　Barbara。

〃Have　you　been　setting　him　on　to　this？〃

〃I　think　he　had　made　up　his　mind　before　he　spoke　to　me。　But；〃　added　Barbara；　in　her　truth；　〃I　urged　him　to　accept　it。〃

〃Oh；　you　did！　Nicely　moped　and　miserable　you'll　be　here；　if　he　goes　to　London　for　months　on　the　stretch。　You　did　not　think　of　that；　perhaps。〃

〃But　he　would　not　have　me　here；〃　said　Barbara；　her　eyelashes　becoming　wet　at　the　thought；　as　she　unconsciously　moved　to　her　husband's　side。　〃He　would　take　me　with　him。〃

Miss　Carlyle　made　a　pause；　and　looked　at　them　alternately。

〃Is　that　decided？〃　she　asked。

〃Of　course　it　is；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle；　willing　to　joke　the　subject　and　his　sister　into　good…humor。　〃Would　you　wish　to　separate　man　and　wife；　Cornelia？〃

She　made　no　reply。　She　rapidly　tied　her　bonnet…strings；　the　ribbons　trembling　ominously　in　her　fingers。

〃You　are　not　going；　Cornelia？　You　must　stay　to　dinner；　now　that　you　are　hereit　is　readyand　we　will　talk　this　further　over　afterward。〃

〃This　has　been　dinner　enough　for　me　for　one　day；〃　spoke　she；　putting　on　her　gloves。　〃That　I　should　have　lived　to　see　my　father's　son　throw　up　his　business；　and　change　himself　into　a　lazy；　stuck…up　parliament　man！〃

〃Do　stay　and　dine　with　us；　Cornelia；　I　think　I　can　subdue　your　prejudices；　if　you　will　let　me　talk　to　you。〃

〃If　you　wanted　to　talk　to　me　about　it；　why　did　you　not　come　in　when　you　left　the　office？〃　cried　Miss　Corny；　in　a　greater　amount　of　wrath　than　she　had　shown　yet。　And　there's　no　doubt　that；　in　his　not　having　done　so；　lay　one　of　the　sore　points。

〃I　did　not　think　of　it；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　should　have　come　in　and　told　you　of　it　to…morrow　morning。〃

〃I　dare　say　you　would；〃　she　ironically　answered。　〃Good　evening　to　you　both。〃

And；　in　spite　of　their　persuasions；　she　quitted　the　house　and　went　stalking　down　the　avenue。

Two　or　three　days　more；　and　the　address　of　Mr。　Carlyle　to　the　inhabitants　of　West　Lynne　appeared　in　the　local　papers；　while　the　walls　and　posts　convenient　were　embellished　with　various　colored　placards；　〃Vote　for　Carlyle。〃　〃Carlyle　forever！〃

Wonders　never　cease。　Surprises　are　the　lot　of　man；　but　perhaps　a　greater　surprise　had　never　been　experienced　by　those　who　knew　what　was　what；　than　when　it　went　forth　to　the　world　that　Sir　Francis　Levison　had　converted　himself　fromfrom　what　he　wasinto　a　red…hot　politician。

Had　he　been　offered　the　post　of　prime　minister？　Or　did　his　conscience　smite　him；　as　was　the　case　with　a　certain　gallant　captain　renowned　in　song？　Neither　the　one　nor　the　other。　The　simple　fact　was；　that　Sir　Francis　Levison　was　in　a　state　of　pecuniary　embarrassment；　and　required　something　to　prop　him　upsome　snug　sinecureplenty　to　get　and　nothing　to　do。

Patch　himself　up　he　must。　But　how？　He　had　tried　the　tables；　but　luck　was　against　him；　he　made　a　desperate　venture　upon　the　turf；　a　grand　/coup/　that　would　have　set　him　on　his　legs　fo