east lynne-第101部分

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〃Is　she　not　dead？〃　interrupted　Lady　Isabel。

〃She　is　deadoh；　yes。　But　they　will　not　be　the　less　pointed　at；　the　girl　especially；　as　I　say。　They　allude　to　their　mother　now　and　then　in　conversation；　Wilson　tells　me；　but　I　would　recommend　you；　Madame　Vine；　not　to　encourage　them　in　that。　They　had　better　forget　her。〃

〃Mr。　Carlyle　would　naturally　wish　them　to　do　so。〃

〃Most　certainly。　There　is　little　doubt　that　Mr。　Carlyle　would　blot　out　the　recollection　of　her；　were　it　possible。　But　unfortunately　she　was　the　children's　mother；　and；　for　that；　there's　no　help。　I　trust　you　will　be　able　to　instill　principles　into　the　little　girl　which　will　keep　her　from　a　like　fate。〃

〃I　will　try；〃　answered　Lady　Isabel；　with　more　fervor　than　she　had　yet　spoken。　〃Do　you　have　the　children　much　with　you；　may　I　inquire？〃

〃No。　I　never　was　fond　of　being　troubled　with　children。　When　my　own　grow　up　into　childhood　I　shall　deem　the　nursery　and　the　schoolroom　the　fitter　place　for　them。　What　I　trust　I　shall　never　give　up　to　another；　will　be　the　/training/　of　my　children；〃　pursued　Barbara。　〃Let　the　offices　properly　pertaining　to　a　nurse　be　performed　by　the　nurseof　course；　taking　care　that　she　is　thoroughly　to　be　depended　on。　Let　her　have　the　/trouble/　of　the　children；　their　noise；　their　romping；　in　short；　let　the　nursery　be　her　place；　and　the　children's。　But　I　hope　that　I　shall　never　fail　to　gather　my　children　round　me　daily；　at　stated　and　convenient　periods；　for　higher　purposes；　to　instill　into　them　Christian　and　moral　duties；　to　strive　to　teach　them　how　best　to　fulfil　the　obligations　of　life。　/This/　is　a　mother's　taskas　I　understand　the　questionlet　her　do　this　work　well；　and　the　nurse　can　attend　to　the　rest。　A　child　should　never　hear　aught　from　his　mother's　lips　but　persuasive　gentleness；　and　this　becomes　impossible　if　she　is　very　much　with　her　children。〃

Lady　Isabel　silently　assented。　Mrs。　Carlyle's　views　were　correct　ones。

〃When　I　first　came　to　East　Lynne　I　found　Miss　Manning；　the　governess；　was　doing　everything　necessary　for　Mr。　Carlyle's　children　in　the　way　of　the　training　that　I　speak　of；〃　resumed　Barbara。　〃She　had　them　with　her　for　a　short　period　every　morning；　even　the　little　one；　I　saw　that　it　was　all　right；　therefore　did　not　interfere。　Since　she　leftit　is　nearly　a　month　nowI　have　taken　them　myself。　We　were　sorry　to　part　with　Miss　Manning；　she　suited　very　well。　But　she　has　been　long　engaged；　it　turns　out；　to　an　officer　in　the　navy；　and　now　they　are　to　be　married。　You　will　have　the　entire　charge　of　the　little　girl；　she　will　be　your　companion　out　of　school　hours；　did　you　understand　that？〃

〃I　am　quite　ready　and　willing　to　undertake　it；〃　said　Lady　Isabel；　her　heart　fluttering。　〃Are　the　children　well？　Do　they　enjoy　good　health？〃

〃Quite　so。　They　had　the　measles　in　the　spring；　and　the　illness　left　a　cough　upon　William；　the　eldest　boy。　Mr。　Wainwright　says　he　will　outgrow　it。〃

〃He　has　it　still；　then？〃

〃At　night　and　morning。　They　went　last　week　to　spend　the　day　with　Miss　Carlyle；　and　were　a　little　late　in　returning　home。　It　was　foggy；　and　the　boy　coughed　dreadfully　after　he　came　in。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　so　concerned　that　he　left　the　dinner　table　and　went　up　to　the　nursery；　he　gave　Joyce　strict　orders　that　the　child　should　never　again　be　out　in　the　evening　so　long　as　the　cough　was　upon　him。　We　had　never　heard　him　cough　like　that。〃

〃Do　you　fear　consumption？〃　asked　Lady　Isabel；　in　a　low　tone。

〃I　do　not　fear　that；　or　any　other　incurable　disease　for　them；〃　answered　Barbara。　〃I　think；　with　Mr。　Wainwright；　that　time　will　remove　the　cough。　The　children　come　of　a　healthy　stock　on　the　father's　side；　and　I　have　no　reason　to　think　they　do　not　on　their　mother's。　She　died　young　you　will　say。　Ay；　but　she　did　not　die　of　disease；　her　death　was　the　result　of　accident。　Mrs。　Latimer　wrote　us　word　you　were　of　gentle　birth　and　breeding；〃　she　continued；　changing　the　subject　of　conversation。　〃I　am　sure　you　will　excuse　my　speaking　of　these　particulars；〃　Barbara　added；　in　a　tone　of　apology；　〃but　this　is　our　first　interviewour　preliminary　interview；　it　may　in　a　measure　be　called；　for　we　could　not　say　much　by　letter。〃

〃I　was　born　and　reared　a　gentlewoman；〃　answered　Lady　Isabel。

〃Yes；　I　am　sure　of　it；　there　is　no　mistaking　the　tone　of　a　gentlewoman；〃　said　Barbara。　〃How　sad　it　is　when　pecuniary　reverses　fall　upon　us！　I　dare　say　you　never　thought　to　go　out　as　a　governess。〃

A　half　smile　positively　crossed　her　lips。　She　think　to　go　out　as　a　governess！the　Earl　of　Mount　Severn's　only　child！　〃Oh；　no；　never；〃　she　said；　in　reply。

〃Your　husband；　I　fear；　could　not　leave　you　well　off。　Mrs。　Latimer　said　something　to　that　effect。〃

〃When　I　lost　him；　I　lost　all；〃　was　the　answer。　And　Mrs。　Carlyle　was　struck　with　the　wailing　pain　betrayed　in　the　tone。　At　that　moment　a　maid　entered。

〃Nurse　says　the　baby　is　undressed；　and　quite　ready　for　you　ma'am；〃　she　said；　addressing　her　mistress。

Mrs。　Carlyle　rose；　but　hesitated　as　she　was　moving　away。

〃I　will　have　the　baby　here　to…night；〃　she　said　to　the　girl。　〃Tell　nurse　to　put　a　shawl　round　him　and　bring　him　down。　It　is　the　hour　for　my　baby's　supper；〃　she　smiled；　turning　to　Lady　Isabel。　〃I　may　as　well　have　him　here　for　once；　as　Mr。　Carlyle　is　out。　Sometimes　I　am　out　myself；　and　then　he　has　to　be　fed。〃

〃You　do　not　stay　indoors　for　the　baby；　then？〃

〃Certainly　not。　If　I　and　Mr。　Carlyle　have　to　be　out　in　the　evening；　baby　gives　way。　I　should　never　give　up　my　husband　for　my　baby；　never；　never；　dearly　as　I　love　him。〃

The　nurse　came　inWilson。　She　unfolded　a　shawl；　and　placed　the　baby　on　Mrs。　Carlyle's　lap。　A　proud；　fine；　fair　young　baby；　who　reared　his　head　and　opened　wide　his　great　blue　eyes；　and　beat　his　arms　at　the　lights　of　the　chandelier；　as　no　baby　of　nearly　six　months　ever　did　yet。　So　thought　Barbara。　He　was　in　his　clean　white　nightgown　and　nightcap；　with　their　pretty　crimped　frills　and　border；　altogether　a　pleasant　sight　to　look　upon。　/She/　had　once　sat　in　that　very　chair；　with　a　baby　as　fair　upon　her　own　knee；　but　all　that　was　past　and　gone。　She　leaned　her　hot　head　upon　her　hand；　and　a　rebellious　sigh　of　envy　went　forth　from　her　aching　heart。

Wilson；　the　curious；　was　devouring　her　with　her　eyes。　Wilson　was　thinking　she　never　saw　such　a　mortal　fright　as　the　new　governess。　Them　blue　spectacles　capped　everything；　she　decided；　and　what　on　earth　made　her　tie　up　her　throat　in　that　fashion？　As　well　wear　a　man's　color　and　stock　at　once！　If　her　teaching　was　no　better　than　her　looks；　Miss　Lucy　might　as　well　go　to　the　parish　charity　school！

〃Shall　I　wait；　ma'am？〃　demurely　asked　Wilson；　her　investigation　being　concluded。

〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Carlyle。　〃I　will　ring。〃

Baby　was　exceedingly　busy　taking　his　supper。　And　of　course；　according　to　all　baby　precedent；　he　ought　to　have　gone　off　into　a　sound　sleep　over　it。　But　the　supper　concluded；　and　the　gentleman　seemed　to　have　no　more　sleep　in　his　eyes　than　he　had　before　he　began。　He　sat　up；　crowed　at　the　lights；　stretched　out　his　hands　for　them；　and　set　his　mother　at　defiance；　absolutely　refusing　to　be　hushed　up。

〃Do　you　wish　to　keep　awake　all　night；　you　rebel？〃　cried　Barbara；　fondly　looking　on　him。

A　loud　crow；　by　way　of　answer。　Perhaps　it　was　intended　to　intimate　he