east lynne-第16部分

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ok　up　their　pipes　for　another　whiff　when　the　meal　was　over；　but　Miss　Carlyle　retired　to　bed；　the　smoke；　to　which　she　had　not　been　accustomed　since　her　father's　death；　had　made　her　head　ache　and　her　eyes　smart。　About　eleven　they　wished　Mr。　Carlyle　good…night；　and　departed；　but　Mr。　Dill；　in　obedience　to　a　nod　from　his　superior；　remained。

〃Sit　down　a　moment；　Dill；　I　want　to　ask　you　a　question。　You　are　intimate　with　the　Thorns；　of　Swainson；　do　they　happen　to　have　any　relative；　a　nephew　or　cousin；　perhaps；　a　dandy　young　fellow？〃

〃I　went　over　last　Sunday　fortnight　to　spend　the　day　with　young　Jacob；〃　was　the　answer　of　Mr。　Dill；　one　wider　from　the　point　than　he　generally　gave。　Mr。　Carlyle　smiled。

〃/Young/　Jacob！　He　must　be　forty；　I　suppose。〃

〃About　that。　But　you　and　I　estimate　age　differently；　Mr。　Archibald。　They　have　no　nephew；　the　old　man　never　had　but　those　two　children；　Jacob　and　Edward。　Neither　have　they　any　cousin。　Rich　men　they　are　growing　now。　Jacob　has　set　up　his　carriage。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　mused；　but　he　expected　the　answer；　for　neither　had　he　heard　of　the　brothers　Thorn；　tanners；　curriers；　and　leather…dressers；　possessing　a　relative　of　the　name。　〃Dill；〃　said　he；　〃something　has　arisen　which；　in　my　mind；　casts　a　doubt　upon　Richard　Hare's　guilt。　I　question　whether　he　had　anything　to　do　with　the　murder。〃

Mr。　Dill　opened　his　eyes。　〃But　his　flight；　Mr。　Archibald；　And　his　stopping　away？〃

〃Suspicious　circumstances；　I　grant。　Still；　I　have　good　cause　to　doubt。　At　the　time　it　happened；　some　dandy　fellow　used　to　come　courting　Afy　Hallijohn　in　secret；　a　tall；　slender　man；　as　he　is　described　to　me；　bearing　the　name　of　Thorn；　and　living　at　Swainson。　Could　it　have　been　one　of　the　Thorn　family？〃

〃Mr。　Archibald！〃　remonstrated　the　old　clerk；　〃as　if　those　two　respected　gentlemen；　with　their　wives　and　babies；　would　come　sneaking　after　that　flyaway　Afy！〃

〃No　reflection　on　them；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃This　was　a　young　man；　three　or　four　and　twenty；　a　head　taller　than　either。　I　thought　it　might　be　a　relative。〃

〃I　have　repeatedly　heard　them　say　that　they　are　alone　in　the　world；　that　they　are　the　two　last　of　the　name。　Depend　upon　it；　it　was　nobody　connected　with　them；〃　and　wishing　Mr。　Carlyle　good…night；　he　departed。

The　servant　came　in　to　remove　the　glasses　and　the　obnoxious　pipes。　Mr。　Carlyle　sat　in　a　brown　study；　presently　he　looked　round　at　the　man。

〃Is　Joyce　gone　to　bed？〃

〃No；　sir。　She　is　just　going。〃

〃Send　her　here　when　you　have　taken　away　those　things。〃

Joyce　came　inthe　upper　servant　at　Miss　Carlyle's。　She　was　of　middle　height；　and　would　never　see　five　and　thirty　again；　her　forehead　was　broad；　her　gray　eyes　were　deeply　set；　and　her　face　was　pale。　Altogether　she　was　plain；　but　sensible…looking。　She　was　the　half…　sister　of　Afy　Hallijohn。

〃Shut　the　door；　Joyce。〃

Joyce　did　as　she　was　bid；　came　forward；　and　stood　by　the　table。

〃Have　you　ever　heard　from　your　sister；　Joyce？〃　began　Mr。　Carlyle；　somewhat　abruptly。

〃No；　sir；〃　was　the　reply；　〃I　think　it　would　be　a　wonder　if　I　did　hear。〃

〃Why　so？〃

〃If　she　would　go　off　after　Richard　Hare；　who　had　sent　her　father　into　his　grave；　she　would　be　more　likely　to　hide　herself　and　her　doings　than　to　proclaim　them　to　me；　sir。〃

〃Who　was　that　other；　that　fine　gentleman；　who　came　after　her？〃

The　color　mantled　in　Joyce's　cheeks；　and　she　dropped　her　voice。

〃Sir！　Did　you　hear　of　him？〃

〃Not　at　that　time。　Since。　He　came　from　Swainson；　did　he　not？〃

〃I　believe　so；　sir。　Afy　never　would　say　much　about　him。　We　did　not　agree　upon　the　point。　I　said　a　person　of　his　rank　would　do　her　no　good；　and　Afy　flew　out　when　I　spoke　against　him。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　caught　her　up。　〃His　rank。　What　was　his　rank？〃

〃Afy　bragged　of　his　being　next　door　to　a　lord；　and　he　looked　like　it。　I　only　saw　him　once；　I　had　gone　home　early；　and　there　sat　him　and　Afy。　His　white　hands　were　all　glittering　with　rings；　and　his　shirt　was　finished　off　with　shining　stones　where　the　buttons　ought　to　be。〃

〃Have　you　seen　him　since？〃

〃Never　since；　never　but　once；　and　I　don't　think　I　should　know　him　if　I　did　see　him。　He　got　up；　sir；　as　soon　as　I　went　into　the　parlor；　shook　hands　with　Afy；　and　left。　A　fine；　upright　man　he　was；　nearly　as　tall　as　you；　sir；　but　very　slim。　Those　soldiers　always　carry　themselves　well。〃

〃How　do　you　know　he　was　a　soldier？〃　quickly　rejoined　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Afy　told　me　so。　'The　Captain'　she　used　to　call　him；　but　she　said　he　was　not　a　captain　yet　awhilethe　next　grade　to　it；　aa〃

〃Lieutenant？〃　suggested　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Yes；　sir；　that　was　itLieutenant　Thorn。〃

〃Joyce；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃has　it　never　struck　you　that　Afy　is　more　likely　to　have　followed　Lieutenant　Thorn　than　Richard　Hare？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　answered　Joyce；　〃I　have　felt　certain　always　that　she　is　with　Richard　Hare；　and　nothing　can　turn　me　from　the　belief。　All　West　Lynne　is　convinced　of　it。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　did　not　attempt　to　〃turn　her　from　her　belief。〃　He　dismissed　her；　and　sat　on　still；　revolving　the　case　in　all　its　bearings。

Richard　Hare's　short　interview　with　his　mother　had　soon　terminated。　It　lasted　but　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　both　dreading　interruptions　from　the　servants；　and　with　a　hundred　pounds　in　his　pocket；　and　desolation　in　his　heart；　the　ill…fated　young　man　once　more　quitted　his　childhood's　home。　Mrs。　Hare　and　Barbara　watched　him　steal　down　the　path　in　the　telltale　moonlight；　and　gain　the　road；　both　feeling　that　those　farewell　kisses　they　had　pressed　upon　his　lips　would　not　be　renewed　for　years；　and　might　not　be　forever。



CHAPTER　VII。

MISS　CARLYLE　AT　HOME。

The　church　clocks　at　West　Lynne　struck　eight　one　lovely　morning　in　July；　and　then　the　bells　chimed　out；　giving　token　that　it　was　Sunday。

East　Lynne　had　changed　owners；　and　now　it　was　the　property　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　He　had　bought　it　as　it　stood；　furniture　and　all；　but　the　transfer　had　been　conducted　with　secrecy；　and　was　suspected　by　none；　save　those　engaged　in　the　negotiations。　Whether　Lord　Mount　Severn　thought　it　might　prevent　any　one　getting　on　the　scent；　or　whether　he　wished　to　take　farewell　of　a　place　he　had　formerly　been　fond　of；　certain　it　is　that　he　craved　a　week　or　two's　visit　to　it。　Mr。　Carlyle　most　readily　and　graciously　acquiesced；　and　the　earl；　his　daughter；　and　retinue　had　arrived　the　previous　day。

West　Lynne　was　in　ecstacies。　It　called　itself　an　aristocratic　place；　and　it　indulged　hopes　that　the　earl　might　be　intending　to　confer　permanently　the　light　of　his　presence；　by　taking　up　his　residence　again　at　East　Lynne。　The　toilettes　prepared　to　meet　his　admiring　eyes　were　prodigious　and　pretty　Barbara　Hare　was　not　the　only　young　lady　who　had　thereby　to　encounter　the　paternal　storm。

Miss　Carlyle　was　ready　for　church　at　the　usual　time；　plainly；　but　well　dressed。　As　she　and　Archibald　were　leaving　their　house；　they　saw　something　looming　up　the　street；　flashing　and　gleaming　in　the　sun。　A　pink　parasol　came　first；　a　pink　bonnet　and　feather　came　behind　it；　a　gray　brocaded　dress　and　white　gloves。

〃The　vain　little　idiot！〃　ejaculated　Miss　Carlyle。　But　Barbara　smiled　up　the　street　toward　them；　unconscious　of　the　apostrophe。

〃Well　done；　Barbara！〃　was　the　salutation　of　Miss　Carlyle。　〃The　justice　might　well　call　outyou　are　finer　t