east lynne-第88节

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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　astonishment。

〃Who　is　this　formidable　opponent？〃　asked　Mr。　Carlyle。

There　was　a　pause。　Not　one　of　them　but　had　the　delicacy　to　shrink　from　naming　that　man　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　The　information　came　at　last　from　Old　Dill；　who　dropped　his　voice　while　he　spoke　it。

〃Mr。　Archibald；　the　candidate　who　has　come　forward；　is　that　man　Levison。〃

〃Of　course；　Carlyle；　you'll　go　into　it　now；　neck　and　crop；〃　cried　Justice　Hare。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　silent。

〃You　won't　let　the　beast　frighten　you　from　the　contest！〃　uttered　Colonel　Bethel　in　a　loud　tone。

〃There's　a　meeting　at　the　Buck's　Head　at　ten；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　not　replying　to　the　immediate　question。　〃I　will　be　with　you　there。〃

〃Did　you　not　say；　Mr。　Dill；　that　was　where　the　scoundrel　Levison　is　at　the　Buck's　Head？〃

〃He　was　there；〃　answered　Mr。　Dill。　〃I　expect　he　is　ousted　by　this　time。　I　asked　the　landlord　what　he　thought　of　himself；　for　taking　in　such　a　character；　and　what　he　supposed　the　justice　would　say　to　him。　He　vowed　with　tears　in　his　eyes　that　the　fellow　should　not　be　there　another　hour；　and　that　he　should　never　have　entered　it；　had　he　known　who　he　was。〃

A　little　more　conversation；　and　the　visitors　filed　off。　Mr。　Carlyle　sat　down　calmly　to　finish　his　breakfast。　Barbara　approached　him。

〃Archibald；　you　will　not　suffer　this　man's　insolent　doings　to　deter　you　from　your　plansyou　will　not　withdraw？〃　she　whispered。

〃I　think　not；　Barbara。　He　has　thrust　himself　offensively　upon　me　in　this　measure；　I　believe　my　better　plan　will　be　to　take　no　more　heed　of　him　than　I　should　of　the　dirt　under　my　feet。〃

〃Rightright；〃　she　answered；　a　proud　flush　deepening　the　rose　on　her　cheeks。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　walking　into　West　Lynne。　There　were　the　placards；　sure　enough；　side　by　side　with　his　own；　bearing　the　name　of　that　wicked　coward　who　had　done　him　the　greatest　injury　one　man　can　do　to　another。　Verily；　he　must　possess　a　face　of　brass　to　venture　there。

〃Archibald；　have　you　heard　the　disgraceful　news？〃

The　speaker　was　Miss　Carlyle；　who　had　come　down　upon　her　brother　like　a　ship　with　all　sails　set。　Her　cheeks　wore　a　flush；　her　eyes　glistened；　her　tall　form　was　drawn　up　to　its　most　haughty　height。

〃I　have　heard　it；　Cornelia；　and；　had　I　not；　the　walls　would　have　enlightened　me。〃

〃Is　he　out　of　his　mind？〃

〃Out　of　his　reckoning；　I　fancy；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃You　will　carry　on　the　contest　now；〃　she　continued；　her　countenance　flashing。　〃I　was　averse　to　it　before；　but　I　now　withdraw　all　my　objection。　You　will　be　no　brother　of　mine　if　you　yield　the　field　to　him。〃

〃I　do　not　intend　to　yield　it。〃

〃Good。　You　bear　on　upon　your　course；　and　let　him　crawl　on　upon　his。　Take　no　more　heed　of　him　than　if　he　were　a　viper。　Archibald；　you　must　canvass　now。〃

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃I　shall　be　elected　without　canvass。　You'll　see；　Cornelia。〃

〃There　will　be　plenty　canvassing　for　you；　if　you　don't　condescend　to　take　the　trouble；　my　indifferent　brother。　I'll　give　a　thousand　pounds　myself；　for　ale；　to　the　electors。〃

〃Take　care；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Keep　your　thousand　pounds　in　your　pocket；　Cornelia。　I　have　no　mind　to　be　unseated；　on　the　plea　of　'bribery　and　corruption。'　Here's　Sir　John　Dobede　galloping　in；　with　a　face　as　red　as　the　sun　in　a　fog。〃

〃Well；　it　may　be　he　has　heard　the　news。　I　can　tell　you；　Archibald；　West　Lynne　is　in　a　state　of　excitement　that　has　not　been　its　lot　for　many　a　day。〃

Miss　Carlyle　was　right。　Excitement　and　indignation　had　taken　possession　of　West　Lynne。　How　the　people　rallied　around　Mr。　Carlyle！　Town　and　country　were　alike　up　in　arms。　But　government　interest　was　rife　at　West　Lynne；　and；　whatever　the　private　and　public　feeling　might　be；　collectively　or　individually；　many　votes　should　be　recorded　for　Sir　Francis　Levison。

One　of　the　first　to　become　cognizant　of　the　affair　was　Lord　Mount　Severn。　He　was　at　his　club　one　evening　in　London；　poring　over　an　evening　paper；　when　the　names　〃Carlyle；〃　〃West　Lynne；〃　caught　his　view。　Knowing　that　Mr。　Carlyle　had　been　named　as　the　probable　member；　and　heartily　wishing　that　he　might　become　such；　the　earl　naturally　read　the　paragraph。

He　read　it；　and　read　it　again；　he　rubbed　his　eyes；　he　rubbed　his　glasses；　he　pinched　himself；　to　see　whether　he　was　awake　or　dreaming。　For　believe　what　that　paper　assertedthat　Sir　Francis　Levison　had　entered　the　lists　in　opposition　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　was　at　West　Lynne；　busily　canvassinghe　could　not。

〃Do　you　know　anything　of　this　infamous　assertion？〃　he　inquired　of　an　intimate　friend〃infamous；　whether　true　or　false。〃

〃It's　true；　I　heard　of　it　an　hour　ago。　Plenty　of　cheek　that　Levison　must　have。〃

〃/Cheek！/〃　repeated　the　dismayed　earl；　feeling　as　if　every　part　of　him；　body　and　mind；　were　outraged　by　the　news；　〃don't　speak　of　it　in　that　way。　The　hound　deserves　to　be　gibbeted。〃

He　threw　aside　the　paper；　quitted　the　club；　returned　home　for　a　carpet　bag；　and　went　shrieking　and　whistling　down　to　West　Lynne；　taking　his　son　with　him。　Or；　if　he　did　not　whistle　and　shriek　the　engine　did。　Fully　determined　was　the　earl　of　Mount　Severn　to　show　/his/　opinion　of　the　affair。

On　these　fine　spring　mornings；　their　breakfast　over；　Lady　Isabel　was　in　the　habit　of　going　into　the　grounds　with　the　children。　They　were　on　the　lawn　before　the　house；　when　two　gentlemen　came　walking　up　the　avenue；　or；　rather；　one　gentleman；　and　a　handsome　young　stripling　growing　into　another。　Lady　Isabel　thought　she　should　have　dropped；　for　she　stood　face　to　face　with　Lord　Mount　Severn。　The　earl　stopped　to　salute　the　children；　and　raised　his　hat　to　the　strange　lady。

〃It　is　my　governess；　Madame　Vine；〃　said　Lucy。

A　silent　courtesy　from　Madame　Vine。　She　turned　away　her　head　and　gasped　for　breath。

〃Is　your　papa　at　home；　Lucy？〃　cried　the　earl。

〃Yes；　I　think　he　is　at　breakfast。　I'm　so　glad　you　are　come！〃

Lord　Mount　Severn　walked　on；　holding　William　by　the　hand；　who　had　eagerly　offered　to　〃take　him〃　to　papa。　Lord　Vane　bent　over　Lucy　to　kiss　her。　A　little　while；　a　very　few　more　years；　and　my　young　lady　would　not　hold　up　her　rosy　lips　so　boldly。

〃You　have　grown　a　dearer　girl　than　ever；　Lucy。　Have　you　forgotten　our　compact？〃

〃No；〃　laughed　she。

〃And　you　will　not　forget　it？〃

〃Never；〃　said　the　child；　shaking　her　head。　〃You　shall　see　if　I　do。〃

〃Lucy　is　to　be　my　wife；〃　cried　he；　turning　to　Madame　Vine。　〃It　is　a　bargain；　and　we　have　both　promised。　I　mean　to　wait　for　her　till　she　is　old　enough。　I　like　her　better　than　anybody　else　in　the　world。〃

〃And　I　like　him；〃　spoke　up　Miss　Lucy。　〃And　it's　all　true。〃

Lucy　was　a　childit　may　almost　be　said　an　infantand　the　viscount　was　not　of　an　age　to　render　important　such　avowed　passions。　Nevertheless；　the　words　did　thrill　through　the　veins　of　the　hearer。　She　spoke；　she　thought；　not　as　Madame　Vine　would　have　spoken　and　thought；　but　as　the　unhappy　mother；　the　ill…fated　Lady　Isabel。

〃You　must　not　say　these　things　to　Lucy。　It　could　never　be。〃

Lord　Vane　laughed。

〃Why？〃　asked　he。

〃Your　father　and　mother　would　not　approve。〃

〃My　father　wouldI　know　he　would。　He　likes　Lucy。　As　to　my　motheroh；　well；　she　can't　expect　to　be　master　and　mistress　too。　You　be　off　for　a　minute；　Lucy；　I　want　to　say　some　thing　to　Madame　Vine。　Has　Carlyle　shot　that　fellow？〃　he　continued；　as　Lucy　sprung　away。　〃My　father　is　so　stiff；　especially　when　he's　put　up；　that　he　would　not　sully　his　lips　with　the　name；　or　make　a　single　inquiry　when　we　arrived；　neither　would　he　let　me；　and　I　walked　up　here　with　my　tongue　burning。〃

She　would　have　responded；　what　fellow？　But　she　suspected　too　well；　and　the　words　died　away　on　her　unwilling　lips。

〃That　brute；　Levison。　If　Carlyle　riddled　his　body　with　shots　for　this　move；　and　then　kicked　him　till　he　died；　he'd　only　get　his　deserts；　and　the　world　would　applaud。　/He/　oppose　Carlyle！　I　wish　I　had　been　a　man　a　few　years　ago；　he'd　have　got　a　shot　through　his　heart　then。　I　say；〃　dropping　his　voice；　〃did　you　know　Lady　Isabel？〃

〃Yesnoyes。〃

She　was　at　a　loss　what　to　sayalmost　as　unconscious　what　she　did　say。

〃She　was　Lucy's　mother；　you　know；　and　I　loved　her。　I　think　that's　why　I　love　Lucy；　for　she　is　the　very　image　of　her。　Where　did　you　know　her？　Here？〃

〃I　knew　her　by　hearsay；〃　murmured　Lady　Isabel；　arousing　to　recollection。

〃Oh；　hearsay！　/Has/　Carlyle　shot　the　beast；　or　is　he　on　his　legs　yet？　By　Jove！　To　think　that　he　should　sneak　himself　up；　in　this　way；　at　West　Lynne！〃

〃You　must　apply　elsewhere　for　information；〃　she　gasped。　〃I　know　nothing　of　these　things。〃

She　turned　away　with　a　beating　heart；　and　took　Lucy's　hand；　and　departed。　Lord　Vane　set　off　on　a　run　toward　the　house；　his　heels　flying　behind　him。

And　now　the　contest　began　in　earnestthat　is；　the　canvass。　Sir　Francis　Levison；　his　agent；　and　a　friend　from　town；　who；　as　it　turned　out；　instead　of　being　some　great　gun　of　the　government；　was　a　private　chum　of　the　baronet's　by　name　Drake；　sneaked　about　the　town　like　dogs　with　their　tails　burnt；　for　they　were　entirely　alive　to　the　color　in　which　they　were　held；　their　only　attendants　being　a　few　young　gentlemen　and　ladies　in　rags；　who　commonly　brought　up