east lynne-第98节

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in　under　the　ban　for　good；　and；　remember；　your　mother's　happiness　is　at　stake　equally　with　yoursI　could　almost　say　her　life。　Do　you　suppose　I　would　advise　you　for　danger？　You　used　to　say　there　was　some　place；　a　mile　or　two　from　this；　where　you　could　sojourn　in　safety。〃

〃So　there　is。　But　I　always　feel　safer　when　I　get　away　from　it。〃

〃There　your　quarters　must　be；　for　two　or　three　days　at　any　rate。　I　have　turned　matters　over　in　my　own　mind；　and　will　tell　you　what　I　think　should　be　done；　so　far　as　the　preliminary　step　goes；　though　I　do　not　interfere　myself。〃

〃Only　the　preliminary　step！　There　must　be　a　pretty　many　to　follow　it；　sir；　if　it's　to　come　to　anything。　Well；　what　is　it？〃

〃Apply　to　Ball　&　Treadman；　and　get　them　to　take　it。〃

They　were　now　slowly　pacing　the　covered　walk；　Barbara　on　her　husband's　arm；　Richard　by　the　side　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　Dick　stopped　when　he　heard　the　last　words。

〃I　don't　understand　you；　Mr。　Carlyle。　You　might　as　well　advise　me　to　go　before　the　bench　of　magistrates　at　once。　Ball　&　Treadman　would　walk　me　off　there　as　soon　as　I　showed　myself。〃

〃Nothing　of　the　sort；　Richard。　I　do　not　tell　you　to　go　openly　to　their　office；　as　another　client　would。　What　I　would　advise　is　thismake　a　friend　of　Mr。　Ball；　he　can　be　a　good　man　and　true；　if　he　chooses；　tell　the　whole　story　to　him　in　a　private　place　and　interview；　and　ask　him　whether　he　will　carry　it　through。　If　he　is　fully　impressed　with　the　conviction　that　you　are　innocent；　as　the　facts　appear　to　warrant；　he　will　undertake　it。　Treadman　need　know　nothing　of　the　affair　at　first；　and　when　Ball　puts　things　in　motion；　he　need　not　know　that　you　are　here；　or　where　you　are　to　be　found。〃

〃I　don't　dislike　Ball；〃　mused　Richard；　〃and　if　he　would　only　give　his　word　to　be　true；　I　know　he　would　be。　The　difficulty　will　be；　who　is　to　get　the　promise　from　him？〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　will　so　far　pave　the　way　for　you。　That　done；　my　interference　is　over。〃

〃How　will　he　go　about　it；　think　you；　if　he　does　take　it　up？〃

〃That　is　his　affair。　I　know　how　I　should。〃

〃How；　sir？〃

〃You　cannot　expect　me　to　say；　Richard。　I　might　as　well　act　for　you。〃

〃I　know。　You'd　go　at　it　slap…dash；　and　arrest　Levison　offhand　on　the　charge。〃

A　smile　parted　Mr。　Carlyle's　lips；　for　Dick　had　just　guessed　it。　But　his　countenance　gave　no　clue　by　which　anything　could　be　gathered。

A　thought　flashed　across　Richard's　mind；　a　thought　which　rose　up　on　end　even　his　false　hair。　〃Mr。　Carlyle；〃　he　uttered；　in　an　accent　of　horror；　〃if　Ball　should　take　it　up　in　that　way　against　Levison；　he　must　apply　to　the　bench　for　a　warrant。〃

〃Well？〃　quietly　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃And　they'd　send　and　clap　me　into　prison。　You　know　the　warrant　is　always　out　against　me。〃

〃You'd　never　make　a　conjurer；　Richard。　I　don't　pretend　to　say；　or　guess　at；　what　Ball's　proceedings　may　be。　But；　in　applying　to　the　bench　for　a　warrant　against　Levisonshould　that　form　part　of　themis　there　any　necessity　for　him　to　bring　you　into　say：　'Gentlemen；　Richard　Hare　is　within　reach；　ready　to　be　taken？'　Your　fears　run　away　with　your　common　sense；　Richard。〃

〃Ah；　well；　if　you　had　lived　with　the　cord　around　your　neck　this　many　a　year；　not　knowing　any　one　hour　but　it　might　get　tied　the　next；　you'd　lose　your　common　sense；　too；　at　times；〃　humbly　sighed　poor　Richard。　〃What's　to　be　my　first　move；　sir？〃

〃Your　first　move；　Richard；　must　be　to　go　to　this　place　of　concealment；　which　you　know　of；　and　remain　quiet　there　until　Monday。　On　Monday；　at　dusk；　be　here　again。　Meanwhile；　I　will　see　Ball。　By　the　way；　though；　before　speaking　to　Ball；　I　must　hear　from　yourself　that　Thorn　and　Levison　are　one。〃

〃I　will　go　down　to　the　Raven　at　once；〃　eagerly　cried　Richard。　〃I'll　come　back　here；　to　this　walk；　as　soon　as　I　have　obtained　sight　of　him。〃　With　the　last　words　he　turned；　and　was　speeding　off；　when　Barbara　caught　him。

〃You　will　be　so　tired；　Richard。〃

〃Tired！〃　echoed　Richard　Hare。　〃A　hundred　miles　on　foot　would　not　tire　me　if　Thorn　was　at　the　end　of　them；　waiting　to　be　identified。　I　may　not　be　back　for　two　or　three　hours；　but　I　will　come；　and　wait　here　till　you　come　out　to　me。〃

〃You　must　be　hungry　and　thirsty；〃　returned　Barbara；　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃How　I　wish　we　dare　have　you　in；　and　shelter　you。　But　I　can　manage　to　bring　some　refreshments　out　here。〃

〃I　don't　require　it；　Barbara。　I　left　the　train　at　the　station　next　before　West　Lynne；　and　dropped　into　a　roadside　public　house　as　I　walked；　and　got　a　good　supper。　Let　me　go；　dear；　I　am　all　in　a　fever。〃

Richard　departed；　reached　the　part　of　West　Lynne　where　the　Raven　was　situated；　and　was　so　far　favored　by　fortune　that　he　had　not　long　to　wait。　Scarcely　had　he　taken　up　his　lounge　outside；　when　two　gentlemen　came　forth　from　it；　arm…in…arm。　Being　the　headquarters　of　one　of　the　candidates；　the　idlers　of　the　place　thought　they　could　not　do　better　than　make　it　their　headquarters　also；　and　the　road　and　pavement　were　never　free　from　loitering　starers　and　gossipers。　Richard　Hare；　his　hat　well　over　his　eyes；　and　his　black　ringlets　made　the　most　of；　only　added　one　to　the　rest。

Two　gentlemen　came　forth；　arm…in…arm。　The　loiterers　raised　a　feeble　shout　of　〃Levison　forever！〃　Richard　did　not　join　in　the　shout；　but　his　pulses　were　beating；　and　his　heart　leaped　up　within　him。　The　one　was　Thorn；　the　other　the　gentleman　he　had　seen　with　Thorn　in　London；　pointed　out　to　himas　he　had　believedas　Sir　Francis　Levison。

〃Which　of　those　two　is　Levison？〃　he　inquired　of　a　man　near　whom　he　stood。

〃Don't　you　know　him？　Him　with　the　hat　off；　bowing　his　thanks　to　us；　is　Levison。〃

No　need　to　inquire　further。　It　was　the　Thorn　of　Richard's　memory。　His　ungloved　hand；　raised　to　his　hat；　was　as　white　as　ever；　more　sparkling　than　ever；　as　it　flashed　in　the　street　gaslight；　was　the　diamond　ring。　By　the　hand　and　ring　alone　Richard　would　have　sworn　to　the　man；　had　it　been　needful。

〃Who　is　the　other　one？〃　he　continued。

〃Some　gent　as　came　down　from　London　with　him。　His　name's　Drake。　Be　you　yellow；　sailor；　or　be　you　scarlet…and…purple？〃

〃I　am　neither。　I　am　only　a　stranger；　passing　through　the　town。〃

〃On　the　tramp？〃

〃Tramp？　No。〃　And　Richard　moved　away；　to　make　the　best　of　his　progress　to　East　Lynne　and　report　to　Mr。　Carlyle。

Now　it　happened；　on　that　windy　night；　that　Lady　Isabel；　her　mind　disordered；　her　brow　fevered　with　its　weight　of　care；　stole　out　into　the　grounds；　after　the　children　had　left　her　for　the　night；　courting　any　discomfort　she　might　meet。　As　if　they　could；　even　for　a　moment；　cool　the　fire　within！　To　the　solitude　of　this　very　covered　walk　bent　she　her　steps；　and；　not　long　had　she　paced　it；　when　she　descried　some　man　advancing；　in　the　garb　of　a　sailor。　Not　caring　to　be　seen；　she　turned　short　off　amidst　the　trees；　intending　to　emerge　again　when　he　had　passed。　She　wondered　who　he　was；　and　what　brought　him　there。

But　he　did　not　pass。　He　lingered　in　the　walk；　keeping　her　a　prisoner。　A　minute　more　and　she　saw　him　joined　by　Mrs。　Carlyle。　They　met　with　a　loving　embrace。

Embrace　a　strange　man？　Mrs。　Carlyle？　All　the　blood　in　Lady　Isabel's　body　rushed　to　her　brain。　Was　she；　his　second　wife；　false　to　himmore　shamelessly　false　than　even　herself　had　been；　inasmuch　as　she　had　had　the　grace　to　quit　him　and　East　Lynne　beforeas　the　servant　girls　say；　when　they　change　their　sweethearts〃taking　up〃　with　another？　The　positive　conviction　that　such　was　the　case　seized　firm　hold　upon　her　fancy；　her　thoughts　were　in　a　tumult；　her　mind　was　a　chaos。　Was　there　any　small　corner　of　rejoicing　in　her　heart　that　it　was　so？　And　yet；　what　was　it　to　her？　It　could　not　alter　by　one　iota　her　own　position　it　could　not　restore　to　her　the　love　she　had　forfeited。

Coupled　lovingly　together；　they　were　now　sauntering　up　the　walk；　the　sailor's　arm　thrown　round　the　waist　of　Mrs。　Carlyle。　〃Oh！　The　shameless　woman！〃　Ay；　she　could　be　bitter　enough　upon　graceless　doings　when　enacted　by　another。

But；　what　was　her　astonishment　when　she　saw　Mr。　Carlyle　advance；　and　that　his　appearance　caused　not　the　slightest　change　in　their　gracelessness；　for　the　sailor's　arm　was　not　withdrawn。　Two　or　three　minutes　they　stoodthe　threetalking　together　in　a　group。　Then　the　good…nights　were　exchanged；　the　sailor　left　them；　and　Mr。　Carlyle；　his　own　arm　lovingly　pressed　where　the　other's　had　been；　withdrew　with　his　wife。　The　truththat　it　was　Barbara's　brotherdashed　to　the　mind　of　Lady　Isabel。

〃Was　I　mad？〃　she　cried；　with　a　hollow　laugh。　〃/She/　false　to　him？　No；　no；　that　fate　was　reserved　for　me　alone！〃

She　followed　them　to　the　houseshe　glanced　in　at　the　windows　of　the　drawing…room。　Lights　and　fire　were　in　the　room；　but　the　curtains　and　windows　were　not　closed　for　the　night；　for　it　was　through　those　windows　that　Mr。　Carlyle　and　his　wife　had　passed　in　and　out　on　their　visits　to　the　covered　walk。　There　they　were；　alone　in　their　happiness；　and　she　stopped　to　glance　in　upon　it。　Lord　Mount　Severn　had　departed　for　London；　to　be　down　again　early　in　the　week。　The　tea　was　on　the　table；　but　Barbara　had　not　begun　to　make　it。　She　sat　on　the　sofa；　by　the　fire；　her　face；　with　its　ever　loving　gaze　upon　it；　turned　up　to　her　husband's。　He　stood　near；　was　talking　with　apparent　earnestness；　and　looking　down　at　Barbara。　Another　moment；　and　a　smile　crossed　his