east lynne-第147部分

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　with　cards　and　inquiries；　fifty　did；　not　to　speak　of　the　foot　callers。　〃It　is　all　meant　by　way　of　attention　to　you；　Richard；〃　said　gentle　Mrs。　Hare；　smiling　through　her　loving　tears　at　her　restored　son。　Lucy　and　Archie　were　dining　at　Miss　Carlyle's；　and　Sarah　attended　little　Arthur；　leaving　Wilson　free。　She　came　in；　in　answer　to　Madame　Vine's　ring。

〃Is　he　off　in　another　faint？〃　unceremoniously　cried　she；　hastening　to　the　bed。

〃I　think　so。　Help　to　raise　him。〃

William　did　not　faint。　No；　the　attack　was　quite　different　from　those　he　was　subject　to。　Instead　of　losing　consciousness　and　power；　as　was　customary；　he　shook　as　if　he　had　the　ague；　and　laid　hold　both　of　Madame　Vine　and　Wilson；　grasping　them　convulsively。

〃Don't　let　me　fall！　Don't　let　me　fall！〃　he　gasped。

〃My　dear；　you　cannot　fall；〃　responded　Madame　Vine。　〃You　forget　that　you　are　on　the　bed。〃

He　clasped　them　yet；　and　trembled　still；　as　from　fear。　〃Don't　let　me　fall！　Don't　let　me　fall〃　the　incessant　burden　of　his　cry。

The　paroxysm　passed。　They　wiped　his　brow；　and　stood　looking　at　him；　Wilson　with　a　pursed　up　mouth；　and　a　peculiar　expression　of　face。　She　put　a　spoonful　of　restorative　jelly　between　his　lips；　and　he　swallowed　it；　but　shook　his　head　when　she　would　have　given　him　another。　Turning　his　face　to　the　pillow；　in　a　few　minutes　he　was　in　a　doze。

〃What　could　it　have　been？〃　exclaimed　Lady　Isabel；　in　an　undertone；　to　Wilson。

〃/I/　know；〃　was　the　oracular　answer。　〃I　saw　this　same　sort　of　an　attack　once　before；　madame。〃

〃And　what　caused　it？〃

〃Twasn't　in　a　child　though；〃　went　on　Wilson〃'twas　in　a　grown　person。　But　that's　nothing；　it　comes　for　the　same　thing　in　all。　I　think　he　was　taken　for　death。〃

〃Who？〃　uttered　Lady　Isabel；　startled。

Wilson　made　no　reply　in　words；　but　she　pointed　with　her　finger　to　the　bed。

〃Oh；　Wilson；　he　is　not　so　ill　as　that。　Mr。　Wainwright　said　this　morning；　that　he　might　last　a　week　or　two。〃

Wilson　composedly　sat　herself　down　in　the　easiest　chair。　She　was　not　wont　to　put　herself　out　of　the　way　for　the　governess；　and　that　governess　was　too　much　afraid　of　her；　in　one　sense；　to　let　her　know　her　place。　〃As　to　Wainwright；　he's　nobody；〃　quoth　she。　〃And　if　he　saw　the　child's　breath　going　out　before　his　face；　and　knew　that　the　next　moment　would　be　his　last；　he'd　vow　to　us　all　that　he　was　good　for　twelve　hours　to　come。　You　don't　know　Wainwright　as　I　do；　madame。　He　was　our　doctor　at　mother's；　and　he　has　attended　in　all　the　places　I　have　lived　in　since　I　went　out　to　service。　Five　years　I　was　maid　at　Mrs。　Hare's。　I　came　here　when　Miss　Lucy　was　a　baby；　and　in　all　my　places　has　he　attended；　like　one's　shadow。　My　Lady　Isabel　thought　great　guns　of　old　Wainwright；　I　remember。　It　was　more　than　I　did。〃

My　Lady　Isabel　made　no　response　to　this。　She　took　a　seat　and　watched　William　through　her　glasses。　His　breathing　was　more　labored　than　usual。

〃That　idiot；　Sarah；　says　to　me　to…day；　says　she；　'Which　of　his　two　grandpapas　will　they　bury　him　by；　old　Mr。　Carlyle　or　Lord　Mount　Severn？'　'Don't　be　a　calf！'　I　answered　her。　'D'ye　think　they'll　stick　him　out　in　the　corner　with　my　lord？he'll　be　put　into　the　Carlyle　vault；　of　course；'　It　would　have　been　different；　you　see；　Madame　Vine；　if　my　lady　had　died　at　home；　all　properMr。　Carlyle's　wife。　They'd　have　buried　her；　no　doubt；　by　her　father；　and　the　boy　would　have　been　laid　with　her。　But　she　did　not。〃

No　reply　was　made　by　Madame　Vine；　and　a　silence　ensued；　nothing　to　be　heard　but　that　fleeting　breath。

〃I　wonder　how　that　beauty　feels？〃　suddenly　broke　forth　Wilson　again；　her　tone　one　of　scornful　irony。

Lady　Isabel；　her　eyes　and　her　thoughts　absorbed　by　William；　positively　thought　Wilson's　words　must　relate　to　him。　She　turned　to　her　in　surprise。

〃That　bright　gem　in　the　prison　at　Lynneborough；〃　exclaimed　Wilson。　〃I　hope　he　may　have　found　himself　pretty　well　since　yesterday！　I　wonder　how　many　trainfuls　from　West　Lynne　will　go　to　his　hanging？〃

Isabel's　face　turned　crimson；　her　heart　sick。　She　had　not　dared　to　inquire　how　the　trial　terminated。　The　subject　altogether　was　too　dreadful；　and　nobody　had　happened　to　mention　it　in　her　hearing。

〃Is　he　condemned？〃　she　breathed；　in　a　low　tone。

〃He　is　condemned；　and　good　luck　to　him！　And　Mr。　Otway　Bethel's　let　loose　again；　and　good　luck　to　/him/。　A　nice　pair　they　are！　Nobody　went　from　this　house　to　hear　the　trialit　might　not　have　been　pleasant；　you　know；　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　but　people　came　in　last　night　and　told　us　all　about　it。　Young　Richard　Hare　chiefly　convicted　him。　He　is　back　again；　and　so　nice…looking；　they　sayten　times　more　so　than　he　was　when　quite　a　young　man。　You　should　have　heard；　they　say；　the　cheering　and　shouts　that　greeted　Mr。　Richard　when　his　innocence　came　out；　it　pretty　near　rose　off　the　roof　of　the　court；　and　the　judge　didn't　stop　it。〃

Wilson　paused；　but　there　was　no　answering　comment。　On　she　went　again。

〃When　Mr。　Carlyle　brought　the　news　home　last　evening；　and　broke　it　to　his　wife；　telling　her　how　Mr。　Richard　had　been　received　with　acclamations；　she　nearly　fainted；　for　she's　not　strong　yet。　Mr。　Carlyle　called　out　to　me　to　bring　some　waterI　was　in　the　next　room　with　the　babyand　there　she　was；　the　tears　raining　from　her　eyes；　and　he　holding　her　to　him。　I　always　said　there　was　a　whole　world　of　love　between　those　two；　though　he　did　go　and　marry　another。　Mr。　Carlyle　ordered　me　to　put　the　water　down；　and　sent　me　away　again。　But　I　don't　fancy　he　told　her　of　old　Hare's　attack　until　this　morning。〃

Lady　Isabel　lifted　her　aching　forehead。　〃What　attack？〃

〃Why；　madame；　don't　you　know。　I　declare　you　box　yourself　up　in　the　house；　keeping　from　everybody；　and　you　hear　nothing。　You　might　as　well　be　living　at　the　bottom　of　a　coal…pit。　Old　Hare　had　another　stroke　in　the　court　at　Lynneborough；　and　that's　why　my　mistress　is　gone　to　the　Grove　to…day。〃

〃Who　says　Richard　Hare's　come　home；　Wilson？〃

The　questionthe　weak；　scarcely　audible　questionhad　come　from　the　dying　boy。　Wilson　threw　up　her　hands；　and　made　a　bound　to　the　bed。　〃The　like　of　that！〃　she　uttered；　aside　to　Mrs。　Vine。　〃One　never　knows　when　to　take　these　sick　ones。　Master　William；　you　hold　your　tongue　and　drop　to　sleep　again。　Your　papa　will　be　home　soon　from　Lynneborough；　and　if　you　talk　and　get　tired；　he'll　say　it's　my　fault。　Come　shut　your　eyes。　Will　you　have　a　bit　more　jelly？〃

William；　making　no　reply　to　the　offer　of　jelly；　buried　his　face　again　on　the　pillow。　But　he　was　grievously　restless；　the　nearly　worn…out　spirit　was　ebbing　and　flowing。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　at　Lynneborough。　He　always　had　much　business　there　at　assize　time　and　the　/Nisi　Prius/　Court；　but　the　previous　day　he　had　not　gone　himself；　Mr。　Dill　had　been　dispatched　to　represent　him。

Between　seven　and　eight　he　returned　home；　and　came　into　William's　chamber。　The　boy　brightened　up　at　the　well…known　presence。

〃Papa！〃

Mr。　Carlyle　sat　down　on　the　bed　and　kissed　him。　The　passing　beams　of　the　sun；　slanting　from　the　horizon；　shone　into　the　room；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　could　view　well　the　dying　face。　The　gray　hue　of　death　was　certainly　on　it。

〃Is　he　worse？〃　he　exclaimed　hastily；　to　Madame　Vine；　who　was　jacketed；　and　capped；　and　spectacled；　and　tied　up　round　the　throat；　and　otherwise　disguised；　in　her　univers