east lynne-第87节

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lyle；　his　heartless　after…treatment　of　that　unhappy　lady。　Alice　was　passionate　and　fiery。　She　professed　not　to　believe　a　word　of　her　sister's　wrongs；　and　as　to　the　other　stories；　they　were　no　affairs　of　hers；　she　said：　〃what　had　she　to　do　with　his　past　life？〃

But　Alice　Challoner　did　believe；　her　sister's　earnestness　and　distress；　as　she　told　the　tale；　carried　conviction　with　them。　She　did　not　very　much　care　for　Sir　Francis；　he　was　not　entwined　round　her　heart；　as　he　was　round　Blanche's；　but　she　was　dazzled　with　the　prospect　of　so　good　a　settlement　in　life；　and　she　would　not　give　him　up。　If　Blanche　broke　her　heartwhy；　she　must　break　it。　But　she　need　not　have　mixed　taunts　and　jeers　with　her　refusal　to　believe；　she　need　not　have　/triumphed/　openly　over　Blanche。　Was　it　well　done？　Was　it　the　work　of　an　affectionate　sister！　As　we　sow；　so　shall　we　reap。　She　married　Sir　Francis　Levison；　leaving　Blanche　to　her　broken　heart；　or　to　any　other　calamity　that　might　grow　out　of　the　injustice。　And　there　sat　Lady　Levison　now；　her　three　years　of　marriage　having　served　to　turn　her　love　for　Sir　Francis　into　contempt　and　hate。

A　little　boy；　two　years　old；　the　only　child　of　the　marriage；　was　playing　about　the　room。　His　mother　took　no　notice　of　him；　she　was　buried　in　all…absorbing　thoughtthought　which　caused　her　lips　to　contract；　and　her　brow　to　scowl。　Sir　Francis　entered；　his　attitude　lounging；　his　air　listless。　Lady　Levison　roused　herself；　but　no　pleasant　manner　of　tone　was　hers；　as　she　set　herself　to　address　him。

〃I　want　some　money；〃　she　said。

〃So　do　I；〃　he　answered。

An　impatient　stamp　of　the　foot　and　a　haughty　toss。　〃And　I　must　have　it。　I　/must/。　I　told　you　yesterday　that　I　must。　Do　you　suppose　I　can　go　on；　without　a　sixpence　of　ready　money　day　after　day？〃

〃Do　you　suppose　it　is　of　any　use　to　put　yourself　in　this　fury？〃　retorted　Sir　Francis。　〃A　dozen　times　a　week　do　you　bother　me　for　money　and　a　dozen　times　do　I　tell　you　I　have　got　none。　I　have　got　none　for　myself。　You　may　as　well　ask　that　baby　for　money　as　ask　me。〃

〃I　wish　he　had　never　been　born！〃　passionately　uttered　Lady　Levison；　〃unless　he　had　had　a　different　father。〃

That　the　last　sentence；　and　the　bitter　scorn　of　its　tone；　would　have　provoked　a　reprisal　from　Sir　Francis；　his　flashing　countenance　betrayed。　But　at　that　moment　a　servant　entered　the　room。

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir。　That　man；　Brown；　forced　his　way　into　the　hall；　and〃

〃I　can't　see　himI　won't　see　him！〃　interrupted　Sir　Francis　backing　to　the　furthest　corner　of　the　room；　in　what　looked　very　like　abject　terror；　as　if　he　had　completely　lost　his　presence　of　mind。　Lady　Levison's　lips　curled。

〃We　got　rid　of　him；　sir；　after　a　dreadful　deal　of　trouble；　I　was　about　to　say；　but　while　the　door　was　open　in　the　dispute；　Mr。　Meredith　entered。　He　has　gone　into　the　library；　sir；　and　vows　he　won't　stir　till　he　sees　you；　whether　you　are　sick　or　well。〃

A　moment's　pause；　a　half…muttered　oath；　and　the　Sir　Francis　quitted　the　room。　The　servant　retired；　and　Lady　Levison　caught　up　her　child。

〃Oh；　Franky　dear；〃　she　wailed　forth；　burying　her　face　in　his　warm　neck。　〃I'd　leave　him　for　good　and　all；　if　I　dared；　but　I　fear　he　might　keep　you。〃

Now；　the　secret　was；　that　for　the　last　three　days　Sir　Francis　had　been　desperately　ill；　obliged　to　keep　his　bed；　and　could　see　nobody；　his　life　depending　upon　quiet。　Such　was　the　report；　or　something　equivalent　to　it；　which　had　gone　in　to　Lord　Headthelot；　or　rather；　to　the　official　office；　for　that　renowned　chief　was　himself　out　of　town；　it　had　also　been　delivered　to　all　callers　at　Sir　Francis　Levison's　house；　the　royal　truth　being　that　Sir　Francis　was　as　well　as　you　or　I；　but；　from　something　that　had　transpired　touching　one　of　his　numerous　debts；　did　not　dare　to　show　himself。　That　morning　the　matter　had　been　arrangedpatched　up　for　a　time。

〃My　stars；　Levison！〃　began　Mr。　Meredith；　who　was　a　whipper…in　of　the　ministry；　〃what　a　row　there　is　about　you！　Why；　you　look　as　well　as　ever　you　were。〃

〃A　great　deal　better　to…day；〃　coughed　Sir　Francis。

〃To　think　that　you　should　have　chosen　the　present　moment　for　skulking！　Here　have　I　been　dancing　attendance　at　your　door；　day　after　day；　in　a　state　of　incipient　fever；　enough　to　put　me　into　a　real　one；　and　could　neither　get　admitted　nor　a　letter　taken　up。　I　should　have　blown　the　house　up　to…day　and　got　in　amidst　the　flying　debris。　By　the　way；　are　you　and　my　lady　/two/　just　now？〃

〃Two？〃　growled　Sir　Francis。

〃She　was　stepping　into　her　carriage　yesterday　when　they　turned　me　from　the　door；　and　I　made　inquiry　of　her。　Her　ladyship's　answer　was；　that　she　knew　nothing　either　of　Francis　or　his　illness。〃

〃Her　ladyship　is　subject　to　flights　of　distemper；〃　chafed　Sir　Francis。　〃What　desperate　need　have　you　of　me；　just　now？　Headthelot's　away　and　there's　nothing　doing。〃

〃Nothing　doing　up　here；　a　deal　too　much　doing　somewhere　else。　Attley's　seat's　in　the　market。〃

〃Well？〃

〃And　you　ought　to　have　been　down　there　about　it　three　or　four　days　ago。　Of　course　you　must　step　into　it。〃

〃Of　course　I　shan't；〃　returned　Sir　Francis。　〃To　represent　West　Lynne　will　not　suit　me。〃

〃Not　suit　you？　West　Lynne！　Why；　of　all　places；　it　is　most　suitable。　It's　close　to　your　own　property。〃

〃If　you　call　ten　miles　close。　I　shall　not　put　up　for　West　Lynne；　Meredith。〃

〃Headthelot　came　up　this　morning；〃　said　Mr。　Meredith。

The　information　somewhat　aroused　Sir　Francis。　〃Headthelot？　What　brings　him　back？〃

〃You。　I　tell　you；　Levison；　there's　a　hot　row。　Headthelot　expected　you　would　be　at　West　Lynne　days　past；　and　he　has　come　up　in　an　awful　rage。　Every　additional　vote　we　can　count　in　the　House　is　worth　its　weight　in　gold；　and　you；　he　says　are　allowing　West　Lynne　to　slip　through　your　fingers！　You　must　start　for　it　at　once　Levison。〃

Sir　Francis　mused。　Had　the　alternative　been　given　him；　he　would　have　preferred　to　represent　a　certain　warm　place　underground；　rather　than　West　Lynne。　But；　to　quit　Headthelot；　and　the　snug　post　he　anticipated；　would　be　ruin　irretrievable；　nothing　short　of　outlawry；　or　the　queen's　prison。　It　was　awfully　necessary　to　get　his　threatened　person　into　parliament；　and　he　began　to　turn　over　in　his　mind　whether　he　/could/　bring　himself　to　make　further　acquaintance　with　West　Lynne。　〃The　thing　must　have　blown　over　for　good　by　this　time；〃　was　the　result　of　his　cogitations；　unconsciously　speaking　aloud。

〃I　can　understand　your　reluctance　to　appear　at　West　Lynne；〃　cried　Mr。　Meredith；　〃the　scene；　unless　I　mistake；　of　that　notorious　affair　of　yours。　But　private　feelings　must　give　way　to　public　interests；　and　the　best　thing　you　can　do　is　to　/start/。　Headthelot　is　angry　enough　as　it　is。　He　says；　had　you　been　down　at　first；　as　you　ought　to　have　been；　you　would　have　slipped　in　without　opposition；　but　now　there　will　be　a　contest。〃

Sir　Francis　looked　up　sharply。　〃A　contest？　Who　is　going　to　stand　the　funds？〃

〃Pshaw！　As　if　we　should　let　funds　be　any　barrier！　Have　you　heard　who　is　in　the　field？〃

〃No；〃　was　the　apathetic　answer。

〃Carlyle。〃

〃Carlyle！〃　uttered　Sir　Francis；　startled。　〃Oh；　by　George；　though！　I　can't　stand　against　him。〃

〃Well；　there's　the　alternative。　If　you　can't；　Thornton　will。〃

〃I　should　run　no　chance。　West　Lynne　would　not　elect　me　in　preference　to　him。　I'm　not　sure；　indeed；　that　West　Lynne　would　have　me　in　any　case。〃

〃Nonsense！　You　know　our　interest　there。　Government　put　in　Attley；　and　it　can　put　you　in。　Yes；　or　no；　Levison？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Sir　Francis。

An　hour's　time；　and　Sir　Francis　Levison　went　forth。　On　his　way　to　be　conveyed　to　West　Lynne？　Not　yet。　He　turned　his　steps　to　Scotland　Yard。　In　considerably　less　than　an　hour　the　following　telegram；　marked　〃Secret；〃　went　down　from　the　head　office　to　the　superintendent　of　police　at　West　Lynne。

〃Is　Otway　Bethel　at　West　Lynne？　If　not；　where　is　he？　And　when　will　he　be　returning　to　it？〃

It　elicited　a　prompt　answer。

〃Otway　Bethel　is　not　at　West　Lynne。　Supposed　to　be　in　Norway。　Movements　uncertain。〃



CHAPTER　XXXV。

A　MISHAP　TO　THE　BLUE　SPECTACLES。

Mr。　Carlyle　and　Barbara　were　seated　at　breakfast；　when；　somewhat　to　their　surprise；　Mr。　Dill　was　shown　in。　Following　close　upon　his　heels　came　Justice　Hare；　and　close　upon　his　heels　came　Squire　Pinner；　while　bringing　up　the　rear　was　Colonel　Bethel。　All　the　four　had　come　up　separately；　not　together；　and　all　four　were　out　of　breath；　as　if　it　had　been　a　race　which　should　arrive　soonest。

Quite　impossible　was　it　for　Mr。　Carlyle；　at　first；　to　understand　the　news　they　brought。　All　were　talking　at　once；　in　the　utmost　excitement；　and　the　fury　of　Justice　Hare　alone　was　sufficient　to　produce　temporary　deafness。　Mr。　Carlyle　caught　a　word　of　the　case　presently。

〃A　second　man？　Opposition？　Well；　let　him　come　on；〃　he　good…humoredly　cried。　〃We　shall　have　the　satisfaction　of　ascertaining　who　wins　in　the　end。〃

〃But　you　have　not　heard　who　it　is；　Mr。　Archibald；〃　cried　Old　Dill；　〃It〃

〃Stand　a　contest　with　/him/？〃　raved　Justice　Hare。　〃He〃

〃The　fellow　wants　hanging；〃　interjected　Colonel　Bethel。

〃Couldn't　he　be　ducked？〃　suggested　Squire　Pinner。

Now　all　these　sentences　were　ranted　out　together；　and　their　respective　utterers　were　fain　to　stop　till　the　noise　subsided　a　little。　Barbara　could　only　look　from　one　to　the　other　in　a