east lynne-第6部分

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　visit　of　Mr。　Carlyle　to　the　Earl　of　Mount　Severn；　sat　Mrs。　Hare；　a　pale；　delicate　woman；　buried　in　shawls　and　cushions：　but　the　day　had　been　warm。　At　the　window　sat　a　pretty　girl；　very　fair；　with　blue　eyes；　light　hair；　a　bright　complexion；　and　small　aquiline　features。　She　was　listlessly　turning　over　the　leaves　of　a　book。

〃Barbara；　I　am　sure　it　must　be　tea…time　now。〃

〃The　time　seems　to　move　slowly　with　you；　mamma。　It　is　scarcely　a　quarter　of　an　hour　since　I　told　you　it　was　but　ten　minutes　past　six。〃

〃I　am　so　thirsty！〃　announced　the　poor　invalid。　〃Do　go　and　look　at　the　clock　again；　Barbara。〃

Barbara　Hare　rose　with　a　gesture　of　impatience；　not　suppressed；　opened　the　door；　and　glanced　at　the　large　clock　in　the　hall。　〃It　wants　nine　and　twenty　minutes　to　seven；　mamma。　I　wish　you　would　put　your　watch　on　of　a　day；　four　times　you　have　sent　me　to　look　at　that　clock　since　dinner。〃

〃I　am　so　thirsty！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Hare；　with　a　sort　of　sob。　〃If　seven　o'clock　would　but　strike！　I　am　dying　for　my　tea。〃

It　may　occur　to　the　reader；　that　a　lady　in　her　own　house；　〃dying　for　her　tea；〃　might　surely　order　it　brought　in；　although　the　customary　hour　had　not　struck。　Not　so　Mrs。　Hare。　Since　her　husband　had　first　brought　her　home　to　that　house；　four　and　twenty…years　ago；　she　had　never　dared　to　express　a　will　in　it；　scarcely；　on　her　own　responsibility；　to　give　an　order。　Justice　Hare　was　stern；　imperative；　obstinate；　and　self…conceited；　she；　timid；　gentle　and　submissive。　She　had　loved　him　with　all　her　heart；　and　her　life　had　been　one　long　yielding　of　her　will　to　his；　in　fact；　she　had　no　will；　his　was　all　in　all。　Far　was　she　from　feeling　the　servitude　a　yoke：　some　natures　do　not：　and　to　do　Mr。　Hare　justice；　his　powerful　will　that　/must/　bear　down　all　before　it；　was　in　fault：　not　his　kindness：　he　never　meant　to　be　unkind　to　his　wife。　Of　his　three　children；　Barbara　alone　had　inherited　his　will。

〃Barbara；〃　began　Mrs。　Hare　again；　when　she　thought　another　quarter　of　an　hour　at　least　must　have　elapsed。

〃Well；　mamma？〃

〃Ring；　and　tell　them　to　be　getting　it　in　readiness　so　that　when　seven　strikes　there　may　be　no　delay。〃

〃Goodness；　mamma！　You　know　they　do　always　have　it　ready。　And　there's　no　such　hurry；　for　papa　may　not　be　at　home。〃　But　she　rose；　and　rang　the　bell　with　a　petulant　motion；　and　when　the　man　answered　it；　told　him　to　have　tea　in　to　its　time。

〃If　you　knew　dear；　how　dry　my　throat　is；　how　parched　my　mouth；　you　would　have　more　patience　with　me。〃

Barbara　closed　her　book　with　a　listless　air；　and　turned　listlessly　to　the　window。　She　seemed　tired；　not　with　fatigue　but　with　what　the　French　express　by　the　word　/ennui/。　〃Here　comes　papa；〃　she　presently　said。

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad！〃　cried　poor　Mrs。　Hare。　〃Perhaps　he　will　not　mind　having　the　tea　in　at　once；　if　I　told　him　how　thirsty　/I/　am。〃

The　justice　came　in。　A　middle　sized　man；　with　pompous　features；　and　a　pompous　walk；　and　a　flaxen　wig。　In　his　aquiline　nose；　compressed　lips；　and　pointed　chin；　might　be　traced　a　resemblance　to　his　daughter；　though　he　never　could　have　been　half　so　good…looking　as　was　pretty　Barbara。

〃Richard；〃　spoke　up　Mrs。　Hare　from　between　her　shawls；　the　instant　he　opened　the　door。

〃Well？〃

〃Would　you　please　let　me　have　tea　in　now？　Would　you　very　much　mind　taking　it　a　little　earlier　this　evening？　I　am　feverish　again；　and　my　tongue　is　so　parched　I　don't　know　how　to　speak。〃

〃Oh；　it's　near　seven；　you　won't　have　long　to　wait。〃

With　this　exceedingly　gracious　answer　to　an　invalid's　request；　Mr。　Hare　quitted　the　room　again　and　banged　the　door。　He　had　not　spoken　unkindly　or　roughly；　simply　with　indifference。　But　ere　Mrs。　Hare's　meek　sigh　of　disappointment　was　over；　the　door　re…opened；　and　the　flaxen　wig　was　thrust　in　again。

〃I　don't　mind　if　I　do　have　it　now。　It　will　be　a　fine　moonlight　night　and　I　am　going　with　Pinner　as　far　as　Beauchamp's　to　smoke　a　pipe。　Order　it　in；　Barbara。〃

The　tea　was　made　and　partaken　of；　and　the　justice　departed　for　Mr。　Beauchamp's；　Squire　Pinner　calling　for　him　at　the　gate。　Mr。　Beauchamp　was　a　gentleman　who　farmed　a　great　deal　of　land；　and　who　was　also　Lord　Mount　Severn's　agent　or　steward　for　East　Lynne。　He　lived　higher　up　the　road　some　little　distance　beyond　East　Lynne。

〃I　am　so　cold；　Barbara；〃　shivered　Mrs。　Hare；　as　she　watched　the　justice　down　the　gravel　path。　〃I　wonder　if　your　papa　would　say　it　was　foolish　of　me；　if　I　told　them　to　light　a　bit　of　fire？〃

〃Have　it　lighted　if　you　like；〃　responded　Barbara；　ringing　the　bell。　〃Papa　will　know　nothing　about　it；　one　way　or　the　other；　for　he　won't　be　home　till　after　bedtime。　Jasper；　mamma　is　cold；　and　would　like　a　fire　lighted。〃

〃Plenty　of　sticks；　Jasper；　that　it　may　burn　up　quickly；〃　said　Mrs。　Hare；　in　a　pleading　voice；　as　if　the　sticks　were　Jasper's　and　not　hers。

Mrs。　Hare　got　her　fire；　and　she　drew　her　chair　in　front；　and　put　her　feet　on　the　fender；　to　catch　its　warmth。　Barbara；　listless　still；　went　into　the　hall；　took　a　woolen　shawl　from　the　stand　there；　threw　it　over　her　shoulders；　and　went　out。　She　strolled　down　the　straight　formal　path；　and　stood　at　the　iron　gate；　looking　over　it　into　the　public　road。　Not　very　public　in　that　spot；　and　at　that　hour；　but　as　lonely　as　one　could　wish。　The　night　was　calm　and　pleasant；　though　somewhat　chilly　for　the　beginning　of　May；　and　the　moon　was　getting　high　in　the　sky。

〃When　will　he　come　home？〃　she　murmured；　as　she　leaned　her　head　upon　the　gate。　〃Oh；　what　would　life　be　like　without　him？　How　miserable　these　few　days　have　been！　I　wonder　what　took　him　there！　I　wonder　what　is　detaining　him！　Corny　said　he　was　only　gone　for　a　day。〃

The　faint　echo　of　footsteps　in　the　distance　stole　upon　her　ear；　and　Barbara　drew　a　little　back；　and　hid　herself　under　the　shelter　of　the　trees；　not　choosing　to　be　seen　by　any　stray　passer…by。　But；　as　they　drew　near；　a　sudden　change　came　over　her；　her　eyes　lighted　up；　her　cheeks　were　dyed　with　crimson；　and　her　veins　tingled　with　excess　of　rapturefor　she　knew　those　footsteps；　and　loved　them；　only　too　well。

Cautiously　peeping　over　the　gate　again；　she　looked　down　the　road。　A　tall　form；　whose　very　height　and　strength　bore　a　grace　of　which　its　owner　was　unconscious；　was　advancing　rapidly　toward　her　from　the　direction　of　West　Lynne。　Again　she　shrank　away；　true　love　is　ever　timid；　and　whatever　may　have　been　Barbara　Hare's　other　qualities；　her　love　at　least　was　true　and　deep。　But　instead　of　the　gate　opening；　with　the　firm　quick　motion　peculiar　to　the　hand　which　guided　it；　the　footsteps　seemed　to　pass；　and　not　to　have　turned　at　all　toward　it。　Barbara's　heart　sank；　and　she　stole　to　the　gate　again；　and　looked　out　with　a　yearning　look。

Yes；　sure　enough　he　was　striding　on；　not　thinking　of　her；　not　coming　to　her；　and　she；　in　the　disappointment　and　impulse　of　the　moment；　called　to　him；

〃Archibald！〃

Mr。　Carlyleit　was　no　otherturned　on　his　heel；　and　approached　the　gate。

〃Is　it　you；　Barbara！　Watching　for　thieves　and　poachers？　How　are　you？〃

〃How　are　you？〃　she　returned；　holding　the　gate　open　for　him　to　enter；　as　he　shook　hands；　and　striving　to　calm　down　her　agitation。　〃When　did　you　return？〃

〃Only　now；　by　the　eight　o'clock　train；　which　got　in　beyond　its　time；　having　drawled　unpardonably　at　the　stations。