east lynne-第49部分

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〃Do　you　propose　staying　in　Boulogne　long？〃

〃I　don't　know。　As　I　may　find　amusement。　Paris　is　a　fast　capital；　with　its　heated　rooms　and　its　late　hours；　and　I　came　down　for　the　refreshment　of　a　few　sea　dips。　Am　I　walking　too　fast　for　you？〃

〃You　increased　your　pace　alarmingly　when　you　spoke　of　Sir　Peter's　marriage。　And　I　am　not　sorry　for　it；〃　she　added；　good…naturedly；　〃for　it　has　proved　to　me　how　strong　I　am　getting。　A　week　ago　I　could　not　have　walked　half　so　fast。〃

He　interrupted　with　eager　apologies；　and　soon　they　reached　her　home。　Captain　Levison　entered　with　heruninvited。　He　probably　deemed　between　connections　great　ceremonies　might　be　dispensed　with；　and　he　sat　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　chatting　to　amuse　her。　When　he　rose；　he　inquired　what　she　meant　to　do　with　herself　in　the　afternoon。

〃To　lie　down；〃　replied　Isabel。　〃I　am　not　strong　enough　to　sit　up　all　day。〃

〃Should　you　be　going　out　afterwards；　you　must　allow　me　to　take　care　of　you；〃　he　observed。　〃I　am　glad　that　I　happened　to　be　here；　for　I　am　sure　you　are　not　fit　to　wander　out　without　an　arm；　and　only　followed　by　a　servant。　When　Mr。　Carlyle　comes；　he　will　thank　me　for　my　pains。〃

What　was　she　to　urge　in　objection？　Simply　nothing。　He　spoke；　let　us　not　doubt；　from　a　genuine　wish　to　serve　her；　in　a　plain；　easy　tone；　as　any　acquaintance　might　speak。　Lady　Isabel　schooled　herself　severely。　If　those　old　feelings　were　not　quite　dead　within　her；　why；　she　must　smother　them　down　again　as　effectually　as　if　they　were；　the　very　fact　of　recognizing　such　to　her　own　heart；　brought　a　glow　of　shame　to　her　brow。　She　would　meet　Captain　Levison；　and　suffer　his　companionship；　as　she　would　that　of　the　most　indifferent　stranger。

It　was　just　the　wrong　way　for　her　to　go　to　work；　though。

As　the　days　passed　on；　Lady　Isabel　improved　wonderfully。　She　was　soon　able　to　go　to　the　sands　in　the　morning　and　sit　there　to　enjoy　the　sea　air；　watching　the　waves　come　up　to　recede　with　the　tide。　She　made　no　acquaintance　whatever　in　the　place；　and　when　she　had　a　companion　it　was　Captain　Levison。　He　would　frequently　join　her　there；　sometimes　take　her；　almost　always　give　her　his　arm　home。　Of　all　things；　she　disliked　the　having　to　take　his　arm；　would　a　thousand　times　over　rather　have　taken　good　old　Peter's。　A　secret　prick　of　the　conscience　whispered　it　might　be　better　if　she　did　not。　One　day　she　said；　in　a　joking　sort　of　mannershe　would　not　say　it　in　any　otherthat　now　she　was　strong；　she　had　no　need　of　his　arm　and　his　escort。　He　demanded；　in　evident　astonishment；　what　had　arisen　that　he　might　not　still　afford　it；　seeing　her　husband　was　not　with　her　to　give　her　his。　She　had　no　answer　in　reply　to　this；　no　excuse　to　urge；　and；　in　default　of　one；　took　his　arm；　as　usual。　In　the　evening　he　would　be　ready　to　take　her　to　the　pier；　but　they　sat　apart；　mixing　not　with　the　bustling　crowd　he　lending　to　his　manner；　as　he　conversed　with　her；　all　that　he　would　call　up　of　fascinationand　fascination；　such　as　Francis　Levison's；　might　be　dangerous　to　any　ear；　in　the　sweet　evening　twilight。　The　walk　over；　he　left　her　at　her　own　door；　she　never　asked　him　in　in　the　evening；　and　he　did　not　intrude　without；　as　he　sometimes　would　of　a　morning。

Now；　where　was　the　help　for　this？　You　may　say　that　she　should　have　remained　indoors；　and　not　have　subjected　herself　to　his　companionship。　But　the　remaining　indoors　would　not　have　brought　her　health；　and　it　was　health　that　she　was　staying　in　Boulogne　to　acquire；　and　the　sooner　it　came　the　better　pleased　she　would　be；　for　she　wanted　to　be　at　home　with　her　husband　and　children。

In　a　fortnight　from　the　period　of　his　departure；　Mr。　Carlyle　was　expected　in　Boulogne。　But　what　a　marvellous　change　had　this　fortnight　wrought　in　Lady　Isabel！　She　did　not　dare　to　analyze　her　feelings；　but　she　was　conscious　that　all　the　fresh　emotions　of　her　youth　had　come　again。　The　blue　sky　seemed　as　of　the　sweetest　sapphire；　the　green　fields　and　waving　trees　were　of　an　emerald　brightness；　the　perfume　of　the　flowers　was　more　fragrant　than　any　perfume　had　yet　seemed。　She　knew　that　the　sky；　that　the　grassy　plains；　the　leafy　trees；　the　brilliant　flowers；　were　but　as　they　ever　had　been；　she　knew　that　the　sunny　atmosphere　possessed　no　more　of　loveliness　or　power　of　imparting　delight　than　of　old；　and　she　knew　that　the　change；　the　sensation　of　ecstacy；　was　in　her　own　heart。　No　wonder　that　she　shrank　from　self…　examination。

The　change　from　listless　languor　to　her　present　feeling　brought　the　hue　and　contour　of　health　to　her　face　far　sooner　than　anything　else　could　have　done。　She　went　down　with　Captain　Levison　to　meet　Mr。　Carlyle；　the　evening　he　came　in；　and　when　Mr。　Carlyle　saw　her　behind　the　cords；　as　he　was　going　to　the　custom…house；　he　scarcely　knew　her。　Her　features　had　lost　their　sharpness；　her　cheeks　wore　a　rosy　flush；　and　the　light　of　pleasure　at　meeting　him　again　shone　in　her　eyes。

〃What　can　you　have　been　doing　to　yourself；　my　darling？〃　he　uttered　in　delight　as　he　emerged　from　the　custom…house　and　took　her　hands　in　his。　〃You　look　almost　well。〃

〃Yes；　I　am　much　better；　Archibald；　but　I　am　warm　now　and　flushed。　We　have　waited　here　some　time；　and　the　setting　sun　was　full　upon　us。　How　long　the　boat　was　in　coming　in！〃

〃The　wind　was　against　us；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　wondering　who　the　exquisite　was　at　his　wife's　side。　He　thought　he　remembered　his　face。

〃Captain　Levison；〃　said　Lady　Isabel。　〃I　wrote　you　word　in　one　of　my　letters　that　he　was　here。　Have　you　forgotten　it？〃　Yes；　it　had　slipped　from　his　memory。

〃And　I　am　happy　that　it　happened　so；〃　said　that　gentleman；　interposing；　〃for　it　has　enabled　me　to　attend　Lady　Isabel　in　some　of　her　walks。　She　is　stronger　now；　but　at　first　she　was　unfit　to　venture　alone。〃

〃I　feel　much　indebted　to　you；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　warmly。

The　following　day　was　Sunday；　and　Francis　Levison　was　asked　to　dine　with　themthe　first　meal　he　had　been　invited　to　in　the　house。　After　dinner；　when　Lady　Isabel　left　them；　he　grew　confidential　over　his　claret　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　laying　open　all　his　intricate　affairs　and　his　cargo　of　troubles。

〃This　compulsory　exile　abroad　is　becoming　intolerable；〃　he　concluded；　〃and　a　Paris　life　plays　the　very　deuce　with　one。　Do　you　see　any　chance　of　my　getting　back　to　England？〃

〃Not　the　least；〃　was　the　candid　answer；　〃unless　you　can　manage　to　satisfy　or　partially　satisfy　those　claims　you　have　been　telling　me　of。　Will　not　Sir　Peter　assist　you？〃

〃I　believe　he　would；　were　the　case　fairly　represented　to　him；　but　how　am　I　to　get　over　to　do　it？　I　have　written　several　letters　to　him　lately；　and　for　some　time　I　got　no　reply。　Then　came　an　epistle　from　Lady　Levison；　not　short　and　sweet；　but　short　and　sour。　It　was　to　the　effect　that　Sir　Peter　was　ill；　and　could　not　at　present　be　troubled　with　business　matters。〃

〃He　cannot　be　very　ill；〃　remarked　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃he　passed　through　West　Lynne；　in　his　open　carriage；　a　week　ago。〃

〃He　ought　to　help　me；〃　grumbled　Captain　Levison。　〃I　am　his　heir；　so　long　as　Lady　Levison　does　not　give　him　one。　I　do　not　hear　that　she　has　expectations。〃

〃You　should　contrive　to　see　him。〃

〃I　know　I　should；　but　it　is　not　possible　under　present　circumstances。　With　these　thunder…clouds　hanging　over　me；　I　dare　not　set　foot　in　England；