east lynne-第154部分

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orm　you　of　this；　but　I　shall　be　spared　the　troubleas　you　/have/　come　out　to　me。〃

The　perspiration；　cold　as　ice；　began　to　pour　off　Mr。　Jiffin　in　his　agony　and　horror。　You　might　have　wrung　every　thread　he　had　on。　〃You　don't　meantoimplythatyougivemeupMissAfy？〃　he　jerked　out；　unevenly。

〃Well；　yes；　I　do；〃　replied　Afy。　〃It's　as　good　to　be　plain；　and　then　there　can　be　no　misapprehension。　I'll　shake　hands　now　with　you；　Jiffin；　for　the　last　time；　and　I　am　very　sorry　that　we　both　made　such　a　mistake。〃

Poor　Jiffin　looked　at　her。　His　gaze　would　have　melted　a　heart　of　stone。　〃Miss　Afy；　you　/can't/　mean　it！　You'd　never；　sure；　crush　a　fellow　in　this　manner；　whose　whole　soul　is　yours；　who　trusted　you　entirely？　There's　not　an　earthly　thing　I　would　not　do　to　please　you。　You　have　been　the　light　of　my　existence。〃

〃Of　course；〃　returned　Afy；　with　a　lofty　and　indifferent　air；　as　if　to　be　〃the　light　of　his　existence〃　was　only　her　due。　〃But　it's　all　done　and　over。　It　is　not　at　all　a　settlement　that　will　suit　me；　you　see；　Jiffin。　A　butter　and　bacon　factor　is　so　veryso　verywhat　I　have　not　been　accustomed　to！　And　then；　those　aprons！　I　never　could　get　reconciled　to　them。〃

〃I'll　discard　the　aprons　altogether；〃　cried　he；　in　a　fever。　〃I'll　get　a　second　shopman；　and　buy　a　little　gig；　and　do　nothing　but　drive　you　out。　I'll　do　anything　if　you　will　but　have　me　still；　Miss　Afy。　I　have　bought　the　ring；　you　know。〃

〃Your　intentions　are　very　kind；〃　was　the　distant　answer；　〃but　it's　a　thing　impossible；　my　mind　is　fully　made　up。　So　farewell　for　good；　Jiffin；　and　I　wish　you　better　luck　in　your　next　venture。〃

Afy；　lifting　her　capacious　dress；　for　the　streets　had　just　been　watered；　minced　off。　And　Mr。　Joe　Jiffin；　wiping　his　wet　face　as　he　gazed　after　her；　instantly　wished　that　he　could　be　nailed　up　in　one　of　his　pickled　pork　barrels；　and　so　be　out　of　his　misery。

〃That's　done　with；　thank　goodness；〃　soliloquized　Afy。　〃Have　/him/；　indeed。　After　what　Richard　let　out　on　the　trial。　As　if　I　should　look　after　anybody　less　than　Dick　Hare！　I　shall　get　him；　too。　I　always　knew　Dick　Hare　loved　me　above　everything　on　earth；　and　he　does　still；　or　he'd　never　had　said　what　he　did　in　open　court。　'It's　better　to　be　born　lucky　than　rich。'　Won't　West　Lynne　envy　me！　Mrs。　Richard　Hare　of　the　Grove。　Old　Hare　is　on　his　last　legs；　and　then　Dick　comes　into　his　own。　Mrs。　Hare　must　have　her　jointure　house　elsewhere；　for　we　shall　want　the　Grove　for　ourselves。　I　wonder　if　Madame　Barbara　will　condescend　to　recognize　me。　And　that　blessed　Corny？　I　shall　be　a　sort　of　cousin　of　Corny's　then。　I　wonder　how　much　Dick　comes　intothree　or　four　thousand　a　year？　And　to　think　that　I　had　nearly　escaped　this　by　tying　myself　to　that　ape　of　a　Jiffin！　What　sharks　do　get　in　our　unsuspecting　paths　in　this　world！〃

On　went　Afy；　through　West　Lynne；　till　she　arrived　close　to　Mr。　Justice　Hare's。　Then　she　paced　slowly。　It　had　been　a　frequent　walk　of　hers　since　the　trial。　Luck　favored　her　to…day。　As　she　was　passing　the　gate；　young　Richard　Hare　came　up　from　the　direction　of　East　Lynne。　It　was　the　first　time　Afy　had　obtained　speech　of　him。

〃Good　day；　Richard。　Why！　you　were　never　going　to　pass　an　old　friend？〃

〃I　have　so　many　friends；〃　said　Richard；　〃I　can　scarcely　spare　time　for　them　individually。〃

〃But　you　might　for　me。　Have　you　forgotten　old　days？〃　continued　she；　bridling　and　flirting；　and　altogether　showing　herself　off　to　advantage。

〃No；　I　have　not；〃　replied　Richard。　〃And　I　am　not　likely　to　do　so；〃　he　pointedly　added。

〃Ah；　I　felt　sure　of　that。　My　heart　told　me　so。　When　you　went　off；　that　dreadful　night；　leaving　me　to　anguish　and　suspense；　I　thought　I　should　have　died。　I　never　have　had；　so　to　say；　a　happy　moment　until　this；　when　I　meet　you　again。〃

〃Don't　be　a　fool；　Afy！〃　was　Richard's　gallant　rejoinder；　borrowing　the　favorite　reproach　of　Miss　Carlyle。　〃I　was　young　and　green　once；　you　don't　suppose　I　have　remained　so。　We　will　drop　the　past；　if　you　please。　How　is　Mr。　Jiffin？〃

〃Oh；　the　wretch！〃　shrieked　Afy。　〃Is　it　possible　that　you　can　have　fallen　into　the　popular　scandal　that　I　have　anything　to　say　to　/him/？　You　know　I'd　never　demean　myself　to　it。　That's　West　Lynne　all　over！　Nothing　but　inventions　in　it　from　week's　end　to　week's　end。　A　man　who　sells　cheese！　Who　cuts　up　bacon！　Well；　I　am　surprised　at　you；　Mr。　Richard！〃

〃I　have　been　thinking　what　luck　you　were　in　to　get　him；〃　said　Richard；　with　composure。　〃But　it　is　your　business　not　mine。〃

〃Could　/you/　bear　to　see　me　stooping　to　him？〃　returned　Afy；　dropping　her　voice　to　the　most　insinuating　whisper。

〃Look　you；　Afy。　What　ridiculous　folly　you　are　nursing　in　your　head　I　don't　trouble　myself　to　guess；　but；　the　sooner　you　get　it　out　again　the　better。　I　was　an　idiot　once；　I　don't　deny　it；　but　you　cured　me　of　that；　and　cured　me　with　a　vengeance。　You　must　pardon　me　for　intimating　that　from　henceforth　we　are　strangers；　in　the　street　as　elsewhere。　I　have　resumed　my　own　standing　again；　which　I　periled　when　I　ran　after　you。〃

Afy　turned　faint。　〃How　can　you　speak　those　cruel　words？〃　gasped　she。

〃You　have　called　them　forth。　I　was　told　yesterday　that　Afy　Hallijohn；　dressed　up　to　a　caricature；　was　looking　after　me　again。　It　won't　do；　Afy。〃

〃Oh…o…o…oh！〃　sobbed　Afy；　growing　hysterical；　〃and　is　this　to　be　all　my　recompense　for　the　years　I　have　spent　pining　after　you；　keeping　single　for　your　sake！〃

〃Recompense！　Oh；　if　you　want　that；　I'll　get　my　mother　to　give　Jiffin　her　custom。〃　And　with　a　ringing　laugh；　which；　though　it　had　nothing　of　malice　in　it；　showed　Afy　that　he　took　her　reproach　for　what　it　was　worth；　Richard　turned　in　at　his　own　gate。

It　was　a　deathblow　to　Afy's　vanity。　The　worst　it　had　ever　received；　and　she　took　a　few　minutes　to　compose　herself；　and　smooth　her　ruffled　feathers。　Then　she　turned　and　sailed　back　toward　Mr。　Jiffin's；　her　turban　up　in　the　skies　and　the　plume　de　coq　tossing　to　the　admiration　of　all　beholders；　especially　of　Miss　Carlyle；　who　had　the　gratification　of　surveying　her　from　her　window。　Arrived　at　Mr。　Jiffin's；　she　was　taken　ill　exactly　opposite　his　door；　and　staggered　into　the　shop　in　a　most　exhausted　state。

Round　the　counter　flew　Mr。　Jiffin；　leaving　the　shopman　staring　behind　it。　What　/was/　the　matter？　What　/could/　he　do　for　her？

〃Faintheat　of　the　sunwalked　too　fastallowed　to　sit　down　for　five　minutes！〃　gasped　Afy；　in　disjointed　sentences。

Mr。　Jiffin　tenderly　conducted　her　through　the　shop　to　his　parlor。　Afy　cast　half　an　eye　round；　saw　how　comfortable　were　its　arrangements；　and　her　symptoms　of　faintness　increased。　Gasps　and　hysterical　sobs　came　forth　together。　Mr。　Jiffin　was　as　one　upon　spikes。

〃She'd　recover　better　there　than　in　the　public　shopif　she'd　only　excuse　his　bringing　her　in；　and　consent　to　stop　for　a　few　minutes。　No　harm　could　come　to　her；　and　West　Lynne　could　never　say　it。　He'd　stand　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　right　away　from　her；　he'd　prop　open　the　two　doors　and　the　windows；　he'd　call　in　the　maidanything　she　thought　right。　Should　he　get　her　a　glass　of　wine？〃

Afy　declined　the　wine　by　a　gesture；　and　sat　fanning　herself。　Mr。　Jiffin　looking　on　from　a　respectful　distance。　Gradually　she　grew　composedgrew　herself　again。　As　she　gained　courage；　Mr。　Jiffin　lost　it；　and　he　ventured　upon