east lynne-第90节

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stressing　blush　which　this　gaze　called　into　her　cheeks。　〃It's　very　odd；〃　thought　Miss　Corny。　〃The　likeness；　especially　in　the　eyes；　is　Where　are　you　going；　madame？〃

They　were　passing　a　spectacle　shop；　and　Madame　Vine　had　halted　at　the　door；　one　foot　on　its　step。　〃I　must　have　my　glasses　to　be　mended；　if　you　please。〃

Miss　Carlyle　followed　her　in。　She　pointed　out　what　she　wanted　done　to　the　old　glasses；　and　said　she　would　buy　a　pair　of　new　ones　to　wear　while　the　job　was　about。　The　man　had　no　blue　ones；　no　green；　plenty　of　white。　One　ugly；　old　pair　of　green　things　he　had；　with　tortoise…shell　rims；　left　by　some　stranger；　ages　and　ages　ago；　to　be　mended；　and　never　called　for　again。　This　very　pair　of　ugly　old　green　things　was　chosen　by　Lady　Isabel。　She　put　them　on；　there　and　then；　Miss　Carlyle's　eyes　searching　her　face　inquisitively　all　the　time。

〃Why　do　you　wear　glasses？〃　began　Miss　Corny；　abruptly　as　soon　as　they　were　indoors。

Another　deep　flush；　and　an　imperceptible　hesitation。

〃My　eyes　are　not　strong。〃

〃They　look　as　strong　as　eyes　can　look。　But　why　wear　colored　glasses？　White　ones　would　answer　every　purpose；　I　should　suppose。〃

〃I　am　accustomed　to　colored　ones。　I　should　not　like　white　ones　now。〃

Miss　Corny　paused。

〃What　is　your　Christian　name；　madame？〃　began　she；　again。

〃Jane；〃　replied　madame；　popping　out　an　unflinching　story　in　her　alarm。

〃Here！　Here！　What's　up？　What's　this？〃

It　was　a　crowd　in　the　street；　and　rather　a　noisy　one。　Miss　Corny　flew　to　the　window；　Lady　Isabel　in　her　wake。　Two　crowds；　it　may　almost　be　said；　for；　from　the　opposite　way；　the　scarlet…and…purple　partyas　Mr。　Carlyle's　was　called；　in　allusion　to　his　colorscame　in　view。　Quite　a　collection　of　gentlemenMr。　Carlyle　and　Lord　Mount　Severn　heading　them。

What　could　it　mean；　the　mob　they　were　encountering？　The　yellow　party；　doubtless；　but　in　a　disreputable　condition。　Who　or　what　/was/　that　object　in　advance　of　it；　supported　between　Drake　and　the　lawyer；　and　looking　like　a　drowned　rat；　hair　hanging；　legs　tottering；　cheeks　shaking；　and　clothes　in　tatters；　while　the　mob；　behind；　had　swollen　to　the　length　of　the　street；　and　was　keeping　up　a　perpetual　fire　of　derisive　shouts；　groans；　and　hisses。　The　scarlet…and…purple　halted　in　consternation；　and　Lord　Mount　Severn；　whose　sight　was　not　as　good　as　it　had　been　twenty　years　back；　stuck　his　pendent　eye　glasses　astride　on　the　bridge　of　his　nose。

/Sir　Francis　Levison？/　Could　it　be？　Yes；　it　actually　was！　What　on　earth　had　put　him　into　that　state？　Mr。　Carlyle's　lip　curled；　he　continued　his　way　and　drew　the　peer　with　him。

〃What　the　deuce　is　a…gate　now？〃　called　out　the　followers　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃That's　Levison！　Has　he　been　in　a　railway　smash；　and　got　drenched　by　the　engine？〃

〃He　has　been　/ducked/！〃　grinned　the　yellows；　in　answer。　〃They　have　been　and　ducked　him　in　the　rush　pool　on　Mr。　Justice　Hare's　land。〃

The　soaked　and　miserable　man　increased　his　speed　as　much　as　his　cold　and　trembling　legs　would　allow　him；　he　would　have　borne　on　without　legs　at　all；　rather　than　remain　under　the　enemy's　gaze。　The　enemy　loftily　continued　their　way；　their　heads　in　the　air；　and　scorning　further　notice；　all；　save　young　Lord　Vane。　He　hovered　round　the　ranks　of　the　unwashed；　and　looked　vastly　inclined　to　enter　upon　an　Indian　jig；　on　his　own　account。

〃What　a　thundering　ass　I　was　to　try　it　on　at　West　Lynne！〃　was　the　enraged　comment　of　the　sufferer。

Miss　Carlyle　laid　her　hand　upon　the　shrinking　arm　of　her　pale　companion。

〃You　see　himmy　brother　Archibald？〃

〃I　see　him；〃　faltered　Lady　Isabel。

〃And　you　see　/him/；　that　pitiful　outcast；　who　is　too　contemptible　to　live？　Look　at　the　two；　and　contrast　them。　Look　well。〃

〃Yes！〃　was　the　gaping　answer。

〃The　woman　who　called　him；　that　noble　man；　husband；　quitted　him　for　the　other！　Did　she　come　to　repentance；　think　you？〃

You　may　wonder　that　the　submerged　gentleman　should　be　/walking/　through　the　streets；　on　his　way　to　his　quarters；　the　Raven　Innfor　he　had　been　ejected　from　the　Buck's　Headbut　he　could　not　help　himself。　As　he　was　dripping　and　swearing　on　the　brink　of　the　pond；　wondering　how　he　should　get　to　the　Raven；　an　empty　fly　drove　past；　and　Mr。　Drake　immediately　stopped　it；　but　when　the　driver　saw　that　he　was　expected　to　convey　not　only　a　passenger；　but　a　tolerable　quantity　of　water　as　well；　and　that　the　passenger；　moreover；　was　Sir　Francis　Levison；　he　refused　the　job。　His　fly　was　fresh　lined　with　red　velvet；　and　he　〃weren't　a　going　to　have　it　spoilt；〃　he　called　out；　as　he　whipped　his　horse　and　drove　away；　leaving　the　three　in　wrathful　despair。　Sir　Francis　wanted　another　conveyance　procured；　his　friends　urged　that　if　he　waited　for　that　he　might　catch　his　death；　and　that　the　shortest　way　would　be　to　hasten　to　the　inn　on　foot。　He　objected。　But　his　jaws　were　chattering；　his　limbs　were　quaking；　so　they　seized　him　between　them；　and　made　off；　but　never　bargained　for　the　meeting　of　Mr。　Carlyle　and　his　party。　Francis　Levison　would　have　stopped　in　the　pond；　of　his　own　accord；　head　downward；　rather　than　faced　/them/。

Miss　Carlyle　went　that　day　to　dine　at　East　Lynne；　walking　back　with　Mrs。　Carlyle；　Madame　Vine　and　Lucy。　Lord　Vane　found　them　out；　and　returned　at　the　same　time；　of　course　East　Lynne　was　the　headquarters　of　himself　and　his　father。　He　was　in　the　seventh　heaven；　and　had　been　ever　since　the　encounter　with　the　yellows。

〃You'd　have　gone　into　laughing　convulsions；　Lucy　had　you　seen　the　drowned　cur。　I'd　give　all　my　tin　for　six　months　to　come　to　have　a　photograph　of　him　as　he　looked　then！〃

Lucy　laughed　in　glee；　she　was　unconscious；　poor　child；　how　deeply　the　〃drowned　cur〃　had　injured　her。

When　Miss　Carlyle　was　in　her　dressing…room　taking　her　things　offthe　room　where　once　had　slept　Richard　Hareshe　rang　for　Joyce。　These　two　rooms　were　still　kept　for　Miss　Carlylefor　she　did　sometimes　visit　them　for　a　few　daysand　were　distinguished　by　her　name〃Miss　Carlyle's　rooms。〃

〃A　fine　row　we　have　had　in　the　town；　Joyce；　this　afternoon。〃

〃I　have　heard　of　it；　ma'am。　Served　him　right；　if　they　had　let　him　drown！　Bill　White；　Squire　Pinner's　plowman；　called　in　here　and　told　us　the　news。　He'd　have　burst　with　it；　if　he　hadn't；　I　expect；　I　never　saw　a　chap　so　excited。　Peter　cried。〃

〃Cried？〃　echoed　Miss　Carlyle。

〃Well；　ma'am；　you　know　he　was　very　fond　of　Lady　Isabel；　was　Peter；　and　somehow　his　feelings　overcame　him。　He　said　he　had　not　heard　anything　to　please　him　so　much　for　many　a　day；　and　with　that　he　burst　out　crying；　and　gave　Bill　White　half　a　crown　out　of　his　pocket。　Bill　White　said　it　was　he　who　held　one　leg　when　they　soused　him　in。　Afy　saw　it　if　you'll　excuse　me　mentioning　her　name　to　you；　ma'am；　for　I　know　you　don't　think　well　of　herand　when　she　got　in　here；　she　fell　into　hysterics。〃

〃How　did　she　see　it？〃　snapped　Miss　Carlyle；　her　equanimity　upset　by　the　sound　of　the　name。　〃I　didn't　see　her；　and　I　was　present。〃

〃She　was　coming　here　with　a　message　from　Mrs。　Latimer　to　the　governess。〃

〃What　did　she　go　into　hysterics　for？〃　again　snapped　Miss　Carlyle。

〃It　upset　her　so；　she　said；〃　returned　Joyce。

〃It　wouldn't　have　done　her　harm　had　they　ducked　her　too；〃　was　the　angry　response。

Joyce　was　silent。　To　contradict　Miss　Corny　brought　triumph　to　nobody。　And　she　was　conscious；　in　her　innermost　heart；　that　Afy　merited　a　little　wholesome　correction；　not　perhaps　to　the　extent　of　a　ducking。

〃Joyce；〃　resumed　Miss　Carlyle；　abruptly　changing　the　subject；　〃who　does　the　governess　put　you　in　mind　of？〃

〃Ma'am？〃　repeated　Joyce；　in　some　surprise；　as　it　appeared。　〃The　governess？　Do　you　mean　Madame　Vine？〃

〃Do　I　mean　you；　or　do　I　mean　me？　Are　we　governesses？〃　irascibly　cried　Miss　Corny。　〃Who　should　I　mean；　but　Madame　Vine？〃

She　turned　herself　round　from　the　looking…glass；　and　gazed　full　in　Joyce's　face；　waiting　for　the　answer。　Joyce　lowered　her　voice　as　she　gave　it。

〃There　are　times　when　she　puts　me　in　mind　of　my　late　lady　both　in　her　face　and　manner。　But　I　have　never　said　so；　ma'am；　for　you　know　Lady　Isabel's　name　must　be　an　interdicted　one　in　this　house。〃

〃Have　you　seen　her　without　her　glasses？〃

〃No；　never；〃　said　Joyce。

〃I　did　to…day；〃　returned　Miss　Carlyle。　〃And　I　can　tell　you；　Joyce；　that　I　was　confounded　at　the　likeness。　It　is　an　extraordinary　likeness。　One　would　think　it　was　a　ghost　of　Lady　Isabel　Vane　come　into　the　world　again。〃

That　evening　after　dinner；　Miss　Carlyle　and　Lord　Mount　Severn　sat　side　by　side　on　the　same　sofa；　coffee　cups　in　hand。　Miss　Carlyle　turned　to　the　earl。

〃Was　it　a　positively　ascertained　fact　that　Lady　Isabel　died？〃

The　earl　stared　with　all　his　might；　he　thought　it　the　strangest　question　that　ever　was　asked　him。　〃I　scarcely　understand　you；　Miss　Carlyle。　Died？　Certainly　she　died。〃

〃When　the　result　of　the　accident　was　communicated　to　you；　you　made　inquiry　yourself　into　its　truth；　its　details；　I　believe？〃

〃It　was　my　duty　to　do　so。　There　was　no　one　else　to　undertake　it。〃

〃Did　you　ascertain　positively；　beyond　all　doubt；　that　she　did　die？〃

〃Of　a　surety　I　did。　She　died　in　the　course　of　the　same　night。　Terribly　injured　she　was。〃

A　pause。　Miss　Carlyle　was　ruminating。　But　she　returned　to　the　charge；　as　if　difficult　to　be　convinced。

〃You　deem　that　there　could　be　no　possibility　of　an　error？　You　are　su