east lynne-第92节

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ating　all　over　with　tails。　A　wild　object　he　looked；　and　Mr。　Dill　rather　backed　as　he　drew　near；　as　if　fearing　he　was　a　real　animal　which　might　bite　him。

〃What's　your　name？〃　cried　he。

〃It　used　to　be　Bethel；〃　replied　the　wild　man；　holding　out　his　hand　to　Mr。　Dill。　〃So　you　are　in　the　world；　James；　and　kicking　yet？〃

〃And　hope　to　kick　in　it　for　some　time　to　come；〃　replied　Mr。　James。　〃Where　did　you　hail　from　last？　A　settlement　at　the　North　Pole？〃

〃Didn't　get　quite　as　far。　What's　the　row　here？〃

〃When　did　you　arrive；　Mr。　Otway？〃　inquired　old　Dill。

〃Now。　Four　o'clock　train。　I　say；　what's　up？〃

〃An　election；　that's　all；〃　said　Mr。　Ebenezer。　〃Attley　went　and　kicked　the　bucket。〃

〃I　don't　ask　about　the　election；　I　heard　all　that　at　the　railway　station；〃　returned　Otway　Bethel；　impatiently。　〃What's　/this/？〃　waving　his　hand　at　the　crowd。

〃One　of　the　candidates　wasting　breath　and　wordsLevison。〃

〃I　say；〃　repeated　Otway　Bethel；　looking　at　Mr。　Dill；　〃wasn't　it　rather　rather　of　the　ratherest；　for　/him/　to　oppose　Carlyle？〃

〃Infamous！　Contemptible！〃　was　the　old　gentleman's　excited　answer。　〃But　he'll　get　his　deserts　yet；　Mr。　Otway；　they　have　already　begun。　He　was　treated　to　a　ducking　yesterday　in　Justice　Hare's　green　pond。〃

〃And　he　did　look　a　miserable　devil　when　he　came　out；　trailing　through　the　streets；〃　added　Mr。　Ebenezer；　while　Otway　Bethel　burst　into　a　laugh。　〃He　was　smothered　into　some　hot　blankets　at　the　Raven；　and　a　pint　of　burnt　brandy　put　into　him。　He　seems　all　right　to…day。〃

〃Will　he　go　in　and　win？〃

〃Chut！　Win　against　Carlyle！　He　has　not　the　ghost　of　a　chance；　and　governmentif　it　is　the　government　who　put　him　onmust　be　a　pack　of　fools；　they　can't　know　the　influence　of　Carlyle。　Bethel；　is　that　style　of　costume　the　fashion　where　you　come　from？〃

〃For　slender　pockets。　I'll　sell　'em　to　you　now；　James；　at　half　price。　Let's　get　a　look　at　this　Levison；　though。　I　have　never　seen　the　fellow。〃

Another　interruption　of　the　crowd；　even　as　he　spoke；　caused　by　the　railway　van　bringing　up　some　luggage。　They　contrived；　in　the　confusion；　to　push　themselves　to　the　front；　not　far　from　Sir　Francis。　Otway　Bethel　stared　at　him　in　unqualified　amazement。

〃Why；　what　brings　/him/　here？　What　is　he　doing？〃

〃Who？〃

He　pointed　his　finger。　〃The　one　with　the　white　handkerchief　in　his　hand。〃

〃That　is　Sir　Francis。〃

〃No！〃　uttered　Bethel；　a　whole　world　of　astounded　meaning　in　his　tone。　〃By　Jove！　/He/　Sir　Francis　Levison？〃

At　that　moment　their　eyes　met；　Francis　Levison's　and　Otway　Bethel's。　Otway　Bethel　raised　his　shaggy　hat　in　salutation；　and　Sir　Francis　appeared　completely　scared。　Only　for　an　instant　did　he　lose　his　presence　of　mind。　The　next；　his　eyeglass　was　stuck　in　his　eye　and　turned　on　Mr。　Bethel；　with　a　hard；　haughty　stare；　as　much　as　to　say；　who　are　you；　fellow；　that　you　should　take　such　a　liberty？　But　his　cheeks　and　lips　were　growing　as　white　as　marble。

〃Do　you　know　Levison；　Mr。　Otway？〃　inquired　old　Dill。

〃A　little。　Once。〃

〃When　he　was　not　Levison；　but　somebody　else；〃　laughed　Mr。　Ebenezer　James。　〃Eh；　Bethel？〃

Bethel　turned　as　reproving　a　stare　on　Mr。　Ebenezer　as　the　baronet　had　just　turned　on　him。　〃What　do　you　mean；　pray？　Mind　your　own　business。〃

A　nod　to　old　Dill；　and　he　turned　off　and　disappeared；　taking　no　further　notice　of　James。　The　old　gentleman　questioned　the　latter。

〃What　was　that　little　bit　of　by…play；　Mr。　Ebenezer？〃

〃Nothing　much；〃　laughed　Mr。　Ebenezer。　〃Only　he；〃　nodding　towards　Sir　Francis；　〃was　not　always　the　great　man　he　is　now。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃I　have　held　my　tongue　about　it；　for　it's　no　affair　of　mine；　but　I　don't　mind　letting　you　into　the　secret。　Would　you　believe　that　that　grand　baronet　there；　would…be　member　for　West　Lynne；　used；　years　ago；　to　dodge　about　Abbey　Wood；　mad　after　Afy　Hallijohn？　He　didn't　call　himself　Levison　then。〃

Mr。　Dill　felt　as　if　a　hundred　pins　and　needles　were　pricking　at　his　memory；　for　there　rose　up　in　it　certain　doubts　and　troubles　touching　Richard　Hare　and　one　Thorn。　He　laid　his　eager　hand　upon　the　other's　arm。　〃Ebenezer　James；　what　did　he　call　himself？〃

〃Thorn。　A　dandy；　then；　as　he　is　now。　He　used　to　come　galloping　down　the　Swainson　road　at　dusk；　tie　his　horse　in　the　woods；　and　monopolize　Miss　Afy。〃

〃How　do　you　know　this？〃

〃Because　I've　seen　it　a　dozen　times。　I　was　spooney　after　Afy　myself　in　those　days；　and　went　down　there　a　good　deal　in　an　evening。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　him；　andperhaps　that　murdering　villain；　Dick　Hare；　Afy　would　have　listened　to　me。　Not　that　she　cared　for　Dick；　but；　you　see；　they　were　gentlemen。　I　am　thankful　to　the　stars；　now；　for　my　luck　in　escaping　her。　With　her　for　a　wife；　I　should　have　been　in　a　pickle　always；　as　it　is；　I　do　get　out　of　it　once　in　a　while。〃

〃Did　you　know　then　that　he　was　Francis　Levison？〃

〃Not　I。　He　called　himself　Thorn；　I　tell　you。　When　he　came　down　to　offer　himself　for　member；　and　oppose　Carlyle；　I　was　thunderstruck　like　Bethel　was　a　minute　ago。　Ho　ho；　said　I；　so　Thorn's　defunct；　and　Levison　has　risen。〃

〃What　had　Otway　Bethel　to　do　with　him？〃

〃Nothingthat　I　know　of。　Only　Bethel　was　fond　of　the　woods　also　after　other　game　than　Afy；　thoughand　may　have　seen　Thorn　often。　You　saw　that　he　recognized　him。〃

〃ThornLevison；　I　meandid　not　appear　to　like　the　recognition；〃　said　Mr。　Dill。

〃Who　would；　in　his　position？〃　laughed　Ebenezer　James。　〃I　don't　like　to　be　reminded　of　many　a　wild　scrape　of　my　past　life；　in　my　poor　station；　and　what　would　it　be　for　Levison；　were　it　to　come　out　that　he　once　called　himself　Thorn；　and　came　running　after　Miss　Afy　Hallijohn？〃

〃Why　did　he　call　himself　Thorn？　Why　disguise　his　own　name？〃

〃Not　knowing；　can't　say。　/Is/　his　name　Levison；　or　is　it　Thorn？〃

〃Nonsense；　Mr。　Ebenezer！〃

Mr。　Dill；　bursting　with　the　strange　news　he　had　heard；　endeavored　to　force　his　way　through　the　crowd；　that　he　might　communicate　it　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　The　crowd　was；　however；　too　dense　for　him；　and　he　had　to　wait　the　opportunity　of　escaping　with　what　patience　he　might。　When　it　came　he　made　his　way　to　the　office；　and　entered　Mr。　Carlyle's　private　room。　That　gentleman　was　seated　at　his　desk；　signing　letters。

〃Why；　Dill；　you　are　out　of　breath！〃

〃Well　I　may　be！　Mr。　Archibald；　I　have　been　listening　to　the　most　extraordinary　statement。　I　have　found　out　about　Thorn。　Who　do　you　think　he　is？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　put　down　his　pen　and　looked　full　in　the　old　man's　face；　he　had　never　seen　him　so　excited。

〃It's　that　man；　Levison。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　He　did　not。　It　was　as　good　as　Hebrew　to　him。　〃The　Levison　of　to…day；　your　opponent；　is　the　Thorn　who　went　after　Afy　Hallijohn。　It　is　so；　Mr。　Archibald。〃

〃It　cannot　be！〃　slowly　uttered　Mr。　Carlyle；　thought　upon　thought　working　havoc　with　his　brain。　〃Where　did　you　hear　this？〃

Mr。　Dill　told　his　tale。　Otway　Bethel's　recognition　of　him；　Sir　Francis　Levison's　scared　paleness；　for　he　had　noticed　that；　Mr。　Ebenezer's　revelation。　The　point　in　it　all；　that　finally　settled　most　upon　Mr。　Carlyle；　was　the　thought　that　if　Levison　were　indeed　the　man；　/he/　could　not　be　instrumental　in　bringing　him　to　justice。

〃Bethel　has　denied　to　me　more　than　once　that　he　knew　Thorn；　or　was　aware　of　such　a　man　being　in　existence；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃He　must　have　had　a　purpose　in　it；　then；〃　returned　Mr。　Dill。　〃They　knew　each　other　to…day。　Levison　recognized　him　for　certain；　although　he　carried　it　off　with　a　high　hand；　pretending　not。〃

〃And　it　was　not　as　Levison；　but　as　Thorn；　that　Bethel　recognized　him？〃

〃There's　little　doubt　of　that。　He　did　not　mention　the　name；　Thorn；　but　he　was　evidently　struck　with　astonishment　at　hearing　that　it　was　Levison。　If　they　have　not　some　secret　between　them；　Mr。　Archibald；　I'll　never　believe　my　own　eyes　again。〃

〃Mrs。　Hare's　opinion　is　that　Bethel　had　to　do　with　the　murder；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　in　a　low　tone。

〃If　that　is　their　secret；　Bethel　knows　the　murderer；　rely　upon　it；〃　was　the　answer。　〃Mr。　Archibald；　it　seems　to　me　that　now　or　never　is　the　time　to　clear　up　Richard。〃

〃Aye；　but　how　set　about　it？〃　responded　Mr。　Carlyle。

Meanwhile　Barbara　had　proceeded　home　in　her　carriage；　her　brain　as　busy　as　Mr。　Carlyle's；　perhaps　more　troubled。　Her　springing　lightly　and　hastily　out　the　moment　it　stopped；　disdaining　the　footman's　arm；　her　compressed　lips　and　absent　countenance；　proved　that　her　resolution　was　set　upon　some　plan　of　action。　William　and　Madame　Vine　met　her　in　the　hall。

〃We　have　seen　Dr。　Martin；　Mrs。　Carlyle。〃

〃And　he　says〃

〃I　cannot　stay　to　hear　now；　William。　I　will　see　you　later；　madame。〃

She　ran　upstairs　to　her　dressing…room；　Madame　Vine　following　her　with　her　reproachful　eyes。　〃Why　should　she　care？〃　thought　madame。　〃It　is　not　her　child。〃

Throwing　her　parasol　on　one　chair；　her　gloves　on　another；　down　sat　Barbara　to　her　writing…table。　〃I　will　write　to　him；　I　will　have　him　here；　if　it　be　but　for　an　hour！〃　she　passionately　exclaimed。　〃This　shall　be；　so　far；　cleared　up。　I　am　as　sure　as　sure　can　be　that　it　is　that　man。　The　very　action　Richard　described！　And　there　was　the　diamond　ring！　For　better；　for　worse；　I　will　send　for　him；　but　it　will　not　be　for　worse　if　God　is　with　us。〃

She　dashed　off　a　letter；　getting　up　ere　she　had　well　begun　it；　to　order　her　carriage　round　again。　She　wou