east lynne-第106部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



Lady　Isabel　stole　across　the　drawing…room　to　the　other　door；　which　was　ajar。　Barbara　was　seated　at　the　piano；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　stood　by　her；　his　arm　on　her　chair；　and　bending　his　face　on　a　level　with　hers；　possibly　to　look　at　the　music。　So　once　had　stolen；　so　once　had　peeped　the　unhappy　Barbara；　to　hear　this　selfsame　song。　/She/　had　been　his　wife　then；　she　had　craved；　and　received　his　kisses　when　it　was　over。　Their　positions　were　reversed。

Barbara　began。　Her　voice　had　not　the　brilliant　power　of　Lady　Isabel's；　but　it　was　a　sweet　and　pleasant　voice　to　listen　to。

　　〃When　other　lips　and　other　hearts　　　　　　Their　tales　of　love　shall　tell；　　　　In　language　whose　excess　imparts　　　　　　The　power　they　feel　so　well；　　　　There　may；　perhaps；　in　such　a　scene；　　　　　　Some　recollection　be；　　　　Of　days　that　have　as　happy　been　　　　　　And　you'll　remember　me。〃

Days　that　had　as　happy　been！　Ay！　/did/　he　remember　her？　Did　a　thought　of　her；　his　first　and　best　love；　flit　across　him；　as　the　words　fell　on　his　ear？　Did　a　past　vision　of　the　time　when　she　had　sat　there　and　sung　it　to　him　arouse　his　heart　to　even　momentary　recollection？

Terribly；　indeed；　were　their　positions　reversed；　most　terribly　was　she　feeling　it。　And　by　whose　act　and　will　had　the　change　been　wrought？　Barbara　was　now　the　cherished　wife；　East　Lynne's　mistress。　And　what　was　she？　Not　even　the　courted；　welcomed　guest　of　an　hour；　as　Barbara　had　been；　but　an　interloper；　a　criminal　woman　who　had　thrust　herself　into　the　house；　her　act；　in　doing　so；　not　justifiable；　her　position　a　most　false　one。　Was　it　right；　even　if　she　did　succeed　in　remaining　undiscovered；　that　she　and　Barbara　should　dwell　in　the　same　habitation；　Mr。　Carlyle　being　in　it？　Did　she　deem　it　to　be　right？　No；　she　did　not；　but　one　act　of　ill…doing　entails　more。　These　thoughts　were　passing　through　her　mind　as　she　stood　there；　listening　to　the　song；　stood　there　as　one　turned　to　stone；　her　throbbing　temples　pressed　against　the　door's　pillar。

The　song　was　over；　and　Barbara　turned　to　her　husband；　a　whole　world　of　love　in　her　bright　blue　eyes。　He　laid　his　hand　upon　her　head；　Lady　Isabel　saw　that；　but　she　would　not　wait　to　see　the　caress　that　most　probably　followed　it。　She　turned　and　crossed　the　room　again；　her　hands　clasped　tightly　on　her　bosom；　her　breath　catching　itself　in　hysterical　sobs。　Miss　Carlyle　was　entering　the　hall。　They　had　not　yet　met；　and　Lady　Isabel　swept　meekly　past　her　with　a　hurried　courtesy。　Miss　Carlyle　spoke；　but　she　dared　not　answer；　to　wait　would　have　been　to　betray　herself。

Sunday　came；　and　that　was　the　worst　of　all。　In　the　old　East　Lynne　pew　at　St。　Jude's；　so　conspicuous　to　the　congregation；　sat　she；　as　in　former　times；　no　excuse；　dared　she；　the　governess　make；　to　remain　away。　It　was　the　first　time　she　had　entered　an　English　Protestant　church　since　she　had　last　sat　in　it；　there；　with　Mr。　Carlyle。　Can　you　wonder　that　the　fact　alone；　with　all　the　terrible　remembrances　it　brought　in　its　train；　was　sufficient　to　overwhelm　her　with　emotion？　She　sat　at　the　upper　end　now；　with　Lucy；　Barbara　occupied　the　place　that　had　been　hers；　by　the　side　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　Barbara　there；　in　her　own　right　his　wife；　she　severed　from　him　forever　and　forever！

She　scarcely　raised　her　head；　she　tightened　her　thick　veil　over　her　face；　she　kept　her　spectacles　bent　toward　the　ground。　Lucy　thought　she　must　be　crying；　she　never　had　seen　anyone　so　still　at　church　before。　Lucy　was　mistaken；　tears　came　not　to　solace　the　bitter　anguish　of　hopeless；　self…condemning　remorse。　How　she　sat　out　the　service　she　could　not　tell；　she　could　not　tell　how　she　could　sit　out　other　services；　as　the　Sundays　came　round！　The　congregation　did　not　forget　to　stare　at　her。　What　an　extraordinary　looking　governess　Mrs。　Carlyle　had　picked　up！

They　went　out　when　it　was　over。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Carlyle　in　advance；　she；　humbly　following　them　with　Lucy。　She　glanced　aside　at　the　tomb　in　the　churchyard's　corner；　where　moldered　the　remains　of　her　father；　and　a　yearning　cry　went　forth　from　the　very　depth　of　her　soul。　〃Oh；　that　I　were　laid　there　with　him！　Why　did　I　come　back　again　to　East　Lynne？〃

Why；　truly？　But　she　had　never　thought　that　her　cross　would　be　so　sharp　as　this。



CHAPTER　XXXIV。

AN　M。　P。　FOR　WEST　LYNNE。

As　this　is　not　a　history　of　the　British　constitution；　it　does　not　concern　it　to　relate　how　or　why　West　Lynne　got　into　hot　water　with　the　House　of　Commons。　The　House　threatened　to　disfranchise　it；　and　West　Lynne　under　the　fear；　went　into　mourning　for　its　sins。　The　threat　was　not　carried　out；　but　one　of　the　sitting　members　was　unseated　with　ignominy；　and　sent　to　the　right　about。　Being　considerably　humiliated　thereby；　and　in　disgust　with　West　Lynne；　he　retired　accordingly；　and　a　fresh　writ　was　issued。　West　Lynne　then　returned　the　Hon。　Mr。　Attley；　a　county　nobleman's　son；　but　he　died　in　the　very　midst　of　his　first　session；　and　another　writ　had　to　be　issued。

Of　course　the　consideration　now　was；　who　should　be　the　next　lucky　man　fixed　upon。　All　the　notables　within　ten　miles　were　discussed；　not　excepting　the　bench　justices。　Mr。　Justice　Hare？　No！　he　was　too　uncompromising；　he　would　study　his　own　will；　but　not　that　of　West　Lynne。　Squire　Pinner？　He　never　made　a　speech　in　his　life；　and　had　not　an　idea　beyond　turnips　and　farming　stock。　Colonel　Bethel？　He　had　no　money　to　spend　upon　an　election。　Sir　John　Dobede？　He　was　too　old。　〃By　a　good　twenty　years；〃　laughed　Sir　John；　to　himself。　〃But　here　we　stand；　like　a　pack　of　noodles；　conning　over　the　incapables；　and　passing　by　the　right　one；〃　continued　Sir　John。　〃There's　only　one　man　amongst　us　fit　to　be　our　member。〃

〃Who's　that？〃　cried　the　meeting。

〃Archibald　Carlyle。〃

A　pause　of　consternationconsternation　at　their　collective　forgetfulnessand　then　a　loud　murmur　of　approaching　to　a　shout；　filled　the　room。　Archibald　Carlyle。　It　should　be　no　other。

〃If　we　can　get　him；〃　cried　Sir　John。　〃He　may　decline；　you　know。〃

The　best　thing；　all　agreed；　was　to　act　promptly。　A　deputation；　half　the　length　of　the　streetits　whole　length；　if　you　include　the　tagrag　and　bobtail　that　attended　behindset　off　on　the　spur　of　the　moment　to　the　office　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　They　found　that　gentleman　about　to　leave　it　for　the　evening；　to　return　home　to　dinner；　for；　in　the　discussion　of　the　all…important　topic；　the　meeting　had　suffered　time　to　run　on　to　a　late　hour；　those　gentlemen　who　dined　at　a　somewhat　earlier　one　had；　for　once　in　their　lives；　patiently　allowed　their　dinners　and　their　stomachs　to　waitwhich　is　saying　a　great　deal　for　the　patience　of　a　justice。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　taken　by　surprise。　〃Make　me　your　member？〃　cried　he；　merrily。　〃How　do　you　know　I　should　not　sell　you　all？〃

〃We'll　trust　you；　Carlyle。　Too　happy　to　do　it。〃

〃I　am　not　sure　that　I　could　spare　the　time；〃　deliberated　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Now；　Carlyle；　you　must　remember　that　you　avowed　to　me；　no　longer　than　last　Christmas；　your　intention　of　going　into　parliament　some　time；〃　struck　in　Mr。　Justice　Herbert。　〃You　can't　deny　it。〃

〃Some　time！yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃but　I　did　not　say　when。　I　have　no　thoughts　of　it　yet　awhile。〃

〃You　must　allow　us　to　put　you　in　nominationyou　must；　indeed；　Mr。　Carlyle。　There's　nobody　else　fit　for　it。　As　good　send　a　pig　to　the　House　as　some　of　u