east lynne-第114部分

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〃She　was　Lucy's　mother；　you　know；　and　I　loved　her。　I　think　that's　why　I　love　Lucy；　for　she　is　the　very　image　of　her。　Where　did　you　know　her？　Here？〃

〃I　knew　her　by　hearsay；〃　murmured　Lady　Isabel；　arousing　to　recollection。

〃Oh；　hearsay！　/Has/　Carlyle　shot　the　beast；　or　is　he　on　his　legs　yet？　By　Jove！　To　think　that　he　should　sneak　himself　up；　in　this　way；　at　West　Lynne！〃

〃You　must　apply　elsewhere　for　information；〃　she　gasped。　〃I　know　nothing　of　these　things。〃

She　turned　away　with　a　beating　heart；　and　took　Lucy's　hand；　and　departed。　Lord　Vane　set　off　on　a　run　toward　the　house；　his　heels　flying　behind　him。

And　now　the　contest　began　in　earnestthat　is；　the　canvass。　Sir　Francis　Levison；　his　agent；　and　a　friend　from　town；　who；　as　it　turned　out；　instead　of　being　some　great　gun　of　the　government；　was　a　private　chum　of　the　baronet's　by　name　Drake；　sneaked　about　the　town　like　dogs　with　their　tails　burnt；　for　they　were　entirely　alive　to　the　color　in　which　they　were　held；　their　only　attendants　being　a　few　young　gentlemen　and　ladies　in　rags；　who　commonly　brought　up　the　rear。　The　other　party　presented　a　stately　crowdcounty　gentry；　magistrates；　Lord　Mount　Severn。　Sometimes　Mr。　Carlyle　would　be　with　them；　arm…and…　arm　with　the　latter。　If　the　contesting　groups　came　within　view　of　each　other；　and　were　likely　to　meet；　the　brave　Sir　Francis　would　disappear　down　an　entry；　behind　a　hedge；　any　place　convenient；　with　all　his　〃face　of　brass；〃　he　could　not　meet　Mr。　Carlyle　and　that　condemning　jury　around　him。

One　afternoon　it　pleased　Mrs。　Carlyle　to　summon　Lucy　and　the　governess　to　accompany　her　into　West　Lynne。　She　was　going　shopping。　Lady　Isabel　had　a　dread　and　horror　of　appearing　in　there　while　that　man　was　in　town；　but　she　could　not　help　herself。　There　was　no　pleading　illness；　for　she　was　quite　well；　there　must　be　no　saying；　〃I　will　not　go；〃　for　she　was　only　a　dependant。　They　started；　and　had　walked　as　far　as　Mrs。　Hare's　gate；　when　Miss　Carlyle　turned　out　of　it。

〃Your　mamma's　not　well；　Barbara。〃

〃Is　she　not？〃　cried　Barbara；　with　quick　concern。　〃I　must　go　and　see　her。〃

〃She　has　had　one　of　those　ridiculous　dreams　again；〃　pursued　Miss　Carlyle；　ignoring　the　presence　of　the　governess　and　Lucy。　〃I　was　sure　of　it　by　her　very　look　when　I　got　in；　shivering　and　shaking；　and　glancing　fearfully　around；　as　if　she　feared　a　dozen　spectres　were　about　to　burst　out　of　the　walls。　So　I　taxed　her　with　it；　and　she　could　make　no　denial。　Richard　is　in　some　jeopardy；　she　protests；　or　will　be。　And　there　she　is；　shaking　still；　although　I　told　her　that　people　who　put　faith　in　dreams　were　only　fit　for　a　lunatic　asylum。〃

Barbara　looked　distressed。　She　did　not　believe　in　dreams　any　more　than　Miss　Carlyle；　but　she　could　not　forget　how　strangely　peril　to　Richard　/had/　supervened　upon　some　of　these　dreams。

〃I　will　go　in　now　and　see　mamma；〃　she　said。　〃If　you　are　returning　home；　Cornelia；　Madame　Vine　can　walk　with　you；　and　wait　for　me　there。〃

〃Let　me　go　in　with　you；　mamma！〃　pleaded　Lucy。

Barbara　mechanically　took　the　child's　hand。　The　gates　closed　on　them；　and　Miss　Carlyle　and　Lady　Isabel　proceeded　in　the　direction　of　the　town。　But　not　far　had　they　gone　when；　in　turning　a　corner；　the　wind；　which　was　high；　blew　away　with　the　veil　of　Lady　Isabel；　and；　in　raising　her　hand　in　trepidation　to　save　it　before　it　was　finally　gone；　she　contrived　to　knock　off　her　blue　spectacles。　They　fell　to　the　ground；　and　were　broken。

〃How　did　you　manage　that？〃　uttered　Miss　Carlyle。

How；　indeed？　She　bent　her　face　on　the　ground；　looking　at　the　damage。　What　should　she　do？　The　veil　was　over　the　hedge；　the　spectacles　were　brokenhow　could　she　dare　show　her　naked　face？　That　face　was　rosy　just　then；　as　in　former　days；　the　eyes　were　bright；　and　Miss　Carlyle　caught　their　expression；　and　stared　in　very　amazement。

〃Good　heavens　above；〃　she　uttered；　〃what　an　extraordinary　likeness！〃　And　Lady　Isabel's　heart　turned　faint　and　sick　within　her。

Well　it　might。　And；　to　make　matters　worse；　bearing　down　right　upon　them；　but　a　few　paces　distant；　came　Sir　Francis　Levison。

Would　/he/　recognize　her？

Standing　blowing　in　the　wind　at　the　turning　of　the　road　were　Miss　Carlyle　and　Lady　Isabel　Vane。　The　latter；　confused　and　perplexed；　was　picking　up　the　remnant　of　her　damaged　spectacles；　the　former；　little　less　perplexed；　gazed　at　the　face　which　struck　upon　her　memory　as　being　so　familiar。　Her　attention；　however；　was　called　off　the　face　to　the　apparition　of　Sir　Francis　Levison。

He　was　close　upon　them；　Mr。　Drake　and　the　other　comrade　being　with　him；　and　some　tagrag　in　attendance；　as　usual。　It　was　the　first　time　he　and　Miss　Carlyle　had　met　face　to　face。　She　bent　her　condemning　brow；　haughty　in　its　bitter　scorn；　full　upon　him；　for　it　was　not　in　the　nature　of　Miss　Carlyle　to　conceal　her　sentiments；　especially　when　they　were　rather　of　the　strongest。　Sir　Francis；　when　he　arrived　opposite；　raised　his　hat　to　her。　Whether　it　was　done　in　courtesy；　in　confused　unconsciousness；　or　in　mockery；　cannot　be　told。　Miss　Carlyle　assumed　it　to　have　been　the　latter；　and　her　lips；　in　their　anger　grew　almost　as　pale　as　those　of　the　unhappy　woman　who　was　cowering　behind　her。

〃Did　you　intend　that　insult　for　me；　Francis　Levison？〃

〃As　you　please　to　take　it；〃　returned　he；　calling　up　insolence　to　his　aid。

〃/You/　dare　to　lift　off　your　hat　to　me！　Have　you　forgotten　that　I　am　Miss　Carlyle？〃

〃It　would　be　difficult　for　/you/　to　be　forgotten；　once　seen。〃

Now　this　answer　/was/　given　in　mockery；　his　tone　and　manner　were　redolent　of　it；　insolently　so。　The　two　gentlemen　looked　on　in　discomfort；　wondering　what　it　meant；　Lady　Isabel　hid　her　face　as　best　she　could；　terrified　to　death　lest　his　eyes　should　fall　on　it：　while　the　spectators；　several　of　whom　had　collected　now；　listened　with　interest；　especially　some　farm　laborers　of　Squire　Pinner's　who　had　happened　to　be　passing。

〃You　contemptible　worm！〃　cried　Miss　Carlyle；　〃do　you　think　you　can　outrage　me　with　impunity　as　you；　by　your　presence　in　it；　are　outraging　West　Lynne？　Out　upon　you　for　a　bold；　bad　man！〃

Now　Miss　Corny；　in　so　speaking；　had　certainly　no　thought　of　present　and　immediate　punishment　for　the　gentleman；　but　it　appeared　that　the　mob　around　had。　The　motion　was　commented　by　those　stout…shouldered　laborers。　Whether　excited　thereto　by　the　words　of　Miss　Carlylewho；　whatever　may　have　been　her　faults　of　manner；　held　the　respect　of　the　neighborhood；　and　was　looked　up　to　only　in　a　less　degree　than　her　brother；　whether　Squire　Pinner；　their　master；　had　let　drop；　in　their　hearing；　a　word　of　the　ducking　he　had　hinted　at；　when　at　East　Lynne；　or　whether　their　own　feelings　alone　spurred　them　on；　was　best　known　to　the　men　themselves。　Certain　it　is；　that　the　ominous　sound　of　〃Duck　him；〃　was　breathed　forth　by　a　voice；　and　it　was　caught　up　and　echoed　around。

〃Duck　him！　Duck　him！　The　pond　be　close　at　hand。　Let's　give　him　a　taste　of　his　deservings！　What　do　he　the　scum；　turn　himself　up　at　West　Lynne　for；　bearding　Mr。　Carlyle？　What　have　he　done　with　Lady　Isabel？　/Him/　put　up　for　others　at　West　Lynne！　West　Lynne's　respectable；　it　don't　want　him；　it　have　got　a　better　man；　it　won't　have　a　villain。　Now；　lads！〃

His　face　turned　white；　and　he　trembled　in　his　shoesworth