east lynne-第93节

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She　dashed　off　a　letter；　getting　up　ere　she　had　well　begun　it；　to　order　her　carriage　round　again。　She　would　trust　none　but　herself　to　put　it　in　the　post。

　〃MY　DEAR　MR。　SMITHWe　want　you　here。　Something　has　arisen　that　it　　　is　necessary　to　see　you　upon。　You　can　get　here　by　Saturday。　Be　in　　　/these/　grounds；　near　the　covered　walk；　that　evening　at　dusk。　Ever　　　yours；　〃B。〃


And　the　letter　was　addressed　to　Mr。　Smith；　of　some　street　in　Liverpool；　the　address　furnished　by　Richard。　Very　cautions　to　see；　was　Barbara。　She　even　put　〃Mr。　Smith；〃　inside　the　letter。

〃Now　stop；〃　cried　Barbara　to　herself；　as　she　was　folding　it。　〃I　ought　to　send　him　a　five　pound　note；　for　he　may　not　have　the　means　to　come；　and　I　don't　think　I　have　one　of　that　amount　in　the　house。〃

She　looked　in　her　secretaire。　Not　a　single　five…pound　note。　Out　of　the　room　she　ran；　meeting　Joyce；　who　was　coming　along　the　corridor。

〃Do　you　happen　to　have　a　five…pound　note；　Joyce？〃

〃No；　ma'am；　not　by　me。〃

〃I　dare　say　Madame　Vine　has。　I　paid　her　last　week；　and　there　were　two　five…pound　notes　amongst　it。〃　And　away　went　Barbara　to　the　gray　parlor。

〃Could　you　lend　me　a　five…pound　note；　Madame　Vine？　I　have　occasion　to　enclose　one　in　a　letter；　and　find　I　do　not　possess　one。〃

Madame　Vine　went　to　her　room　to　get　it。　Barbara　waited。　She　asked　William　what　Dr。　Martin　said。

〃He　tried　my　chest　withoh；　I　forget　what　they　call　itand　he　said　I　must　be　a　brave　boy　and　take　my　cod…liver　oil　well；　and　port　wine；　and　everything　I　liked　that　was　good。　And　he　said　he　should　be　at　West　Lynne　next　Wednesday　afternoon；　and　I　am　to　go　there；　and　he　would　call　in　and　see　me。〃

〃Where　are　you　to　meet　him？〃

〃He　said；　either　at　papa's　office　or　at　Aunt　Cornelia's；　as　we　might　decide。　Madame　fixed　it　for　papa's　office；　for　she　thought　he　might　like　to　see　Dr。　Martin。　I　say；　mamma。〃

〃What？〃　asked　Barbara。

〃Madame　Vine　has　been　crying　ever　since。　Why　should　she？〃

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　Crying！〃

〃Yes　but　she　wipes　her　eyes　under　her　spectacles；　and　thinks　I　don't　see　her。　I　know　I　am　very　ill；　but　why　should　she　cry　for　that？〃

〃Nonsense；　William。　Who　told　you　you　were　very　ill？〃

〃Nobody。　I　suppose　I　am；〃　he　thoughtfully　added。　〃If　Joyce　or　Lucy　cried；　now；　there'd　be　some　sense　in　it；　for　they　have　known　me　all　my　life。〃

〃You　are　so　apt　to　fancy　things！　You　are　always　doing　it。　It　is　not　likely　that　madame　would　be　crying　because　you　are　ill。〃

Madame　came　in　with　the　bank…note。　Barbara　thanked　her；　ran　upstairs；　and　in　another　minute　or　two　was　in　her　carriage。

She　was　back　again；　and　dressing　when　the　gentlemen　returned　to　dinner。　Mr。　Carlyle　came　upstairs。　Barbara；　like　most　persons　who　do　things　without　reflection；　having　had　time　to　cool　down　from　her　ardor；　was　doubting　whether　she　had　acted　wisely　in　sending　so　precipitately　for　Richard。　She　carried　her　doubt　and　care　to　her　husband；　her　sure　refuge　in　perplexity。

〃Archibald；　I　fear　I　have　done　a　foolish　thing。〃

He　laughed。　〃I　fear　we　all　do　that　at　times；　Barbara。　What　is　it？〃

He　had　seated　himself　in　one　of　Barbara's　favorite　low　chairs；　and　she　stood　before　him；　leaning　on　his　shoulder；　her　face　a　little　behind；　so　that　he　could　not　see　it。　In　her　delicacy　she　would　not　look　at　him　while　she　spoke　what　she　was　going　to　speak。

〃It　is　something　that　I　have　had　upon　my　mind　for　years；　and　I　did　not　like　to　tell　it　to　you。〃

〃For　years？〃

〃You　remember　that　night；　years　ago；　when　Richard　was　at　the　Grove　in　disguise〃

〃Which　night；　Barbara？　He　came　more　than　once。〃

〃The　nightthe　night　that　Lady　Isabel　quitted　East　Lynne；〃　she　answered；　not　knowing　how　better　to　bring　it　to　his　recollection　and　she　stole　her　hand　lovingly　into　his；　as　she　said　it。　〃Richard　came　back　after　his　departure；　saying　he　had　met　Thorn　in　Bean　lane。　He　described　the　peculiar　motion　of　the　hand　as　he　threw　back　his　hair　from　his　brow；　he　spoke　of　the　white　hand　and　the　diamond　ringhow　it　glittered　in　the　moonlight。　Do　you　remember？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃The　motion　appeared　perfectly　familiar　to　me；　for　I　had　seen　it　repeatedly　used　by　one　then　staying　at　East　Lynne。　I　wondered　you　did　not　recognize　it。　From　that　night　I　had　little　doubt　as　to　the　identity　of　Thorn。　I　believed　that　he　and　Captain　Levison　were　one。〃

A　pause。　〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　so；　Barbara？〃

〃How　could　I　speak　of　that　man　to　you；　at　that　time？　Afterwards；　when　Richard　was　here；　that　snowy　winter's　day；　he　asserted　that　he　knew　Sir　Frances　Levison；　that　he　had　seen　him　and　Thorn　together；　and　that　put　me　off　the　scent。　But　to…day；　as　I　was　passing　the　Raven；　in　the　carriagegoing　very　slow；　on　account　of　the　crowdhe　was　perched　out　there；　addressing　the　people；　and　I　saw　the　very　same　actionthe　old　action　that　I　had　used　to　see。〃

Barbara　paused。　Mr。　Carlyle　did　not　interrupt　her。

〃I　feel　a　conviction　that　they　are　the　samethat　Richard　must　have　been　under　some　unaccountable　mistake　in　saying　that　he　knew　Francis　Levison。　Besides；　who　but　he；　in　evening　dress；　would　have　been　likely　to　go　through　Bean　lane　that　night？　It　leads　to　no　houses；　but　one　wishing　to　avoid　the　high　road　could　get　into　it　from　these　grounds；　and　so　on　to　West　Lynne。　He　must　have　gone　back　directly　on　foot　to　West　Lynne；　to　get　the　post　carriage；　as　was　proved；　and　he　would　naturally　go　through　Bean　lane。　Forgive　me；　Archibald；　for　recalling　these　things　to　you；　but　I　feel　so　sure　that　Levison　and　Thorn　are　one。〃

〃I　know　they　are；〃　he　quietly　said。

Barbara；　in　her　astonishment　drew　back　and　stared　him　in　the　facea　face　of　severe　dignity　it　was　just　then。

〃Oh；　Archibald！　Did　you　know　it　at　that　time？〃

〃I　did　not　know　it　until　this　afternoon。　I　never　suspected　it。〃

〃I　wonder　you　did　not。　I　have　wondered　often。〃

〃So　do　I　now。　Dill；　Ebenezer　James；　and　Otway　Bethelwho　came　home　to…daywere　standing　before　the　Raven；　listening　to　his　speech；　when　Bethel　recognized　him；　not　as　Levisonhe　was　infinitely　astonished　to　find　he　was　Levison。　Levison；　they　say；　was　scared　at　the　recognition；　and　changed　color。　Bethel　would　give　no　explanation；　and　moved　away；　but　James　told　Dill　that　Levison　was　the　man　Thorn　who　used　to　be　after　Afy　Hallijohn。〃

〃How　did　you　know？〃　breathlessly　asked　Barbara。

〃Because　Mr。　Ebenezer　was　after　Afy　himself；　and　repeatedly　saw　Thorn　in　the　wood。　Barbara；　I　believe　now　that　it　was　Levison　who　killed　Hallijohn；　but　I　should　like　to　know　what　Bethel　had　to　do　with　it。〃

Barbara　clasped　her　hands。　〃How　strange　it　is！〃　she　exclaimed；　in　some　excitement。　〃Mamma　told　me；　yesterday；　that　she　was　convinced　something　or　other　was　going　to　turn　up　relative　to　the　murder。　She　had　had　the　most　distressing　dream；　she　said；　connected　with　Richard　and　Bethel；　and　somebody　else；　whom　she　appeared　to　know　in　the　dream；　but　could　not　recognize　or　remember　when　she　was　awake。　She　was　as　ill　as　could　beshe　does　put　such　faith　in　these　wretched　dreams。〃

〃One　would　think　you　did　also；　Barbara；　by　your　vehemence。〃

〃No；　no；　you　know　better。　But　it　is　strangeyou　must　acknowledge　that　it　isthat；　so　sure　as　anything　fresh　happens　touching　the　subject　of　the　murder；　so　sure　is　a　troubled　dream　the　forerunner　of　it。　Mamma　does　not　have　them　at　other　times。　Bethel　denied　to　you　that　he　knew　Thorn。〃

〃I　know　he　did。〃

〃And　now　it　turns　out　that　he　does　know　him；　and　he　is　always　in　mamma's　dreamsnone　more　prominent　in　them　than　Bethel。　But；　Archibald；　I　am　not　telling　youI　have　sent　for　Richard。〃

〃You　have？〃

〃I　felt　sure　that　Levison　was　Thorn。　I　did　not　expect　that　others　would　recognize　him；　and　I　acted　on　the　impulse　of　the　moment　and　wrote　to　Richard；　telling　him　to　be　here　on　Saturday　evening。　The　letter　is　gone。〃

〃Well；　we　must　shelter　him　as　best　we　can。〃

〃Archibalddear　Archibald；　what　can　be　done　to　clear　him？〃　she　asked；　the　tears　rising　to　her　eyes。

〃Being　Levison；　I　cannot　act。〃

〃What！〃　she　uttered。　〃Not　actnot　act　for　Richard！〃

He　bent　his　clear；　truthful　eyes　upon　her。

〃My　dearest；　how　can　I？〃

She　looked　a　little　rebellious；　and　the　tears　fell。

〃You　have　not　considered；　Barbara。　Any　one　in　the　world　but　Levison；　it　would　look　like　my　own　revenge。〃

〃Forgive　me！〃　she　softly　whispered。　〃You　are　always　right。　I　did　not　think　of　it　in　that　light。　But；　what　steps　do　you　imagine　can　be　taken？〃

〃It　is　a　case　encompassed　with　difficulties；〃　mused　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Let　us　wait　until　Richard　comes。〃

〃Do　you　happen　to　have　a　five…pound　note　in　your　pocket；　Archibald？　I　had　not　one　to　send　to　him；　and　borrowed　it　from　Madame　Vine。〃

He　took　out　his　pocket　book　and　gave　it　to　her。

In　the　gray　parlor；　in　the　dark　twilight　of　the　April　eveningor　it　was　getting　far　into　the　nightwere　William　Carlyle　and　Lady　Isabel。　It　had　been　a　warm　day；　but　the　spring　evenings　were　still　chilly；　and　a　fire　burned　in　the　grate。　There　was　no　blaze；　the　red　embers　were　smoldering　and　half　dead；　but　Madame　Vine　did　not　bestir　herself　to　heed　the　fire。　William　lay　on　the　sofa；　and　she　sat　by；　looking　at　him。　Her　glasses　were　off；　for　the　tears　wetted　them　continually；　and　it　was　not　the　recognition　of　the　children　she　feared。　He　was　tired　with　the　drive　to　Lynneborough　and　back；　and　lay　with　eyes　shut；　she　thought　asleep。　Presentl