east lynne-第62部分

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Wilson　backed　out　of　the　room　and　closed　the　door　softly；　but　her　mistress　caught　a　compassionate　look　directed　toward　her。　Her　heart　seemed　bursting　with　indignation　and　despair；　there　seemed　to　be　no　side　on　which　she　could　turn　for　refuge。　Pitied　by　her　own　servants！

She　reopened　her　desk　and　dashed　off　a　haughty；　peremptory　note　for　the　attendance　of　the　dressmaker　at　East　Lynne；　commanding　its　immediate　dispatch。

Miss　Corny　groaned　in　her　wrath。

〃You　will　be　sorry　for　not　listening　to　me；　ma'am；　when　your　husband　shall　be　brought　to　poverty。　He　works　like　a　horse　now；　and　with　all　his　slaving；　can　scarcely；　I　fear；　keep　expenses　down。〃

Poor　Lady　Isabel；　ever　sensitive；　began　to　think　they　might；　with　one　another；　be　spending　more　than　Mr。　Carlyle's　means　would　justify；　she　knew　their　expenses　were　heavy。　The　same　tale　had　been　dinned　into　her　ears　ever　since　she　married　him。　She　gave　up　in　that　moment　all　thought　of　the　new　dress　for　herself　and　for　Isabel；　but　her　spirit；　in　her　deep　unhappiness；　felt　sick　and　faint　within　her。

Wilson；　meanwhile；　had　flown　to　Joyce's　room；　and　was　exercising　her　dearly　beloved　tongue　in　an　exaggerated　account　of　the　matterhow　Miss　Carlyle　put　upon　my　lady；　and　had　forbidden　a　new　dress　to　her；　as　well　as　the　frock　to　Miss　Isabel。

And　yet　a　few　more　days　passed　on。



CHAPTER　XXIV。

RICHARD　HARE　AT　MR。　DILL'S　WINDOW。

Bright　was　the　moon　on　that　genial　Monday　night；　bright　was　the　evening　star；　as　they　shone　upon　a　solitary　wayfarer　who　walked　on　the　shady　side　of　the　road　with　his　head　down；　as　though　he　did　not　care　to　court　observation。　A　laborer；　apparently；　for　he　wore　a　smock…frock　and　had　hobnails　in　his　shoes；　but　his　whiskers　were　large　and　black；　quite　hiding　the　lower　part　of　his　face；　and　his　broad…brimmed　〃wide…　awake〃　came　far　over　his　brows。　He　drew　near　the　dwelling　of　Richard　Hare；　Esq。；　plunged　rapidly　over　some　palings；　after　looking　well　to　the　right　and　to　the　left；　into　a　field；　and　thence　over　the　side　wall　into　Mr。　Hare's　garden；　where　he　remained　amidst　the　thick　trees。

Now；　by　some　mischievous　spirit　of　intuition　or　contrariety；　Justice　Hare　was　spending　this　evening　at　home；　a　thing　he　did　not　do　once　in　six　months　unless　he　had　friends　with　him。　Things　in　real　life　do　mostly　go　by　the　rules　of　contrary；　as　children　say　in　their　play；　holding　the　corners　of　the　handkerchief；　〃Here　we　go　round　and　round　by　the　rules　of　conte…rary；　if　I　tell　you　to　hold　fast；　you　must　loose；　if　I　tell　you　to　loose；　you　must　hold　fast。〃　Just　so　in　the　play　of　life。　When　we　want　people　to　〃hold　fast；〃　they　〃loose；〃　and　when　we　want　them　to　〃loose；〃　they　〃hold　fast。〃

Barbara；　anxious；　troubled；　worn　out　almost　with　the　suspense　of　looking　and　watching　for　her　brother；　feeling　a　feverish　expectation　that　night　would　bring　himbut　so　had　she　felt　for　the　two　or　three　nights　pastwould　have　given　her　hand　for　her　father　to　go　out。　But　nothings　were　going　by　the　rule　of　contrary。　There　sat　the　stern　justice　in　full　view　of　the　garden　and　the　grove；　his　chair　drawn　precisely　in　front　of　the　window；　his　wig　awry；　and　a　long　pipe　in　his　mouth。

〃Are　you　not　going　out；　Richard？〃　Mrs。　Hare　ventured　to　say。

〃No。〃

〃Mamma；　shall　I　ring　for　the　shutters　to　be　closed？〃　asked　Barbara；　by　and　by。

〃Shutters　closed？〃　said　the　justice。　〃Who'd　shut　out　this　bright　moon？　You　have　got　the　lamp　at　the　far　end　of　the　room；　young　lady；　and　can　go　to　it。〃

Barbara　ejaculated　an　inward　prayer　for　patiencefor　safety　of　Richard；　if　he　did　come；　and　waited　on；　watching　the　grove　in　the　distance。　It　came；　the　signal；　her　quick　eye　caught　it；　a　movement　as　if　some　person　or　thing　had　stepped　out　beyond　the　trees　and　stepped　back　again。　Barbara's　face　turned　white　and　her　lips　dry。

〃I　am　so　hot！〃　she　exclaimed；　in　her　confused　eagerness　for　an　excuse；　〃I　must　take　a　turn　in　the　garden。〃

She　stole　out；　throwing　a　dark　shawl　over　her　shoulders；　that　might　render　her　less　conspicuous　to　the　justice；　and　her　dress　that　evening　was　a　dark　silk。　She　did　not　dare　to　stand　still　when　she　reached　the　trees；　or　to　penetrate　them；　but　she　caught　glimpses　of　Richard's　face；　and　her　heart　ached　at　the　change　in　it。　It　was　white；　thin；　and　full　of　care；　and　his　hair；　he　told　her；　was　turning　gray。

〃Oh；　Richard；　darling；　and　I　may　not　stop　to　talk　to　you！〃　she　wailed；　in　a　deep　whisper。　〃Papa　is　at　home；　you　see；　of　all　the　nights　in　the　world。〃

〃Can't　I　see　my　mother？〃

〃How　can　you？　You　must　wait　till　to…morrow　night。〃

〃I　don't　like　waiting　a　second　night；　Barbara。　There's　danger　in　every　inch　of　ground　that　this　neighborhood　contains。〃

〃But　you　must　wait；　Richard；　for　reasons。　That　man　who　caused　all　the　mischiefThorn〃

〃Hang　him！〃　gloomily　interrupted　Richard。

〃He　is　at　West　Lynne。　At　least　there　is　a　Thorn；　weI　and　Mr。　Carlyle　believe　to　be　the　same；　and　we　want　you　to　see　him。〃

〃Let　me　see　him；〃　panted　Richard；　whom　the　news　appeared　to　agitate；　〃let　me　see　him；　Barbara；　I　say〃

Barbara　had　passed　on　again；　returning　presently。

〃You　know；　Richard；　I　must　keep　moving；　with　papa's　eyes　there。　He　is　a　tall　man；　very　good…looking；　very　fond　of　dress　and　ornament；　especially　of　diamonds。〃

〃That's　he；〃　cried　Richard；　eagerly。

〃Mr。　Carlyle　will　contrive　that　you　shall　see　him；〃　she　continued；　stooping　as　if　to　tie　her　shoe。　〃Should　it　prove　to　be　the　same；　perhaps　nothing　can　be　doneimmediately　donetoward　clearing　you；　but　it　shall　be　a　great　point　ascertained。　Are　you　sure　you　should　know　him　again？〃

〃Sure！　That　I　should　know　/him/？〃　uttered　Richard　Hare。　〃Should　I　know　my　own　father？　Should　I　know　you？　And　are　you　not　engraven　on　my　heart　in　letters　of　blood；　as　is　he？　How　and　when　am　I　to　see　him；　Barbara？〃

〃I　can　tell　you　nothing　till　I　have　seen　Mr。　Carlyle。　Be　here　to…morrow；　as　soon　as　ever　the　dusk　will　permit　you。　Perhaps　Mr。　Carlyle　will　contrive　to　bring　him　here。　If〃

The　window　was　thrown　open；　and　the　stentorian　voice　of　Justice　Hare　was　heard　from　it。

〃Barbara；　are　you　wandering　about　there　to　take　cold？　Come　in！　Come　in；　I　say！〃

〃Oh；　Richard；　I　am　so　sorry！〃　she　lingered　to　whisper。　〃But　papa　is　sure　to　be　out　to…morrow　evening；　he　would　not　stay　in　two　evenings　running。　Good…night；　dear。〃

There　must　be　no　delay　now；　and　the　next　day　Barbara；　braving　comments；　appeared　once　more　at　the　office　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　Terribly　did　the　rules　of　contrary　seem　in　action　just　then。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　not　in；　and　the　clerks　did　not　know　when　to　expect　him；　he　was　gone　out　for　some　hours；　they　believed。

〃Mr。　Dill；〃　urged　Barbara；　as　the　old　gentleman　came　to　the　door　to　greet　her；　〃I　/must/　see　him。〃

〃He　will　not　be　in　till　late　in　the　afternoon；　Miss　Barbara。　I　expect　him　then。　Is　it　anything　I　can　do？〃

〃No；　no；〃　sighed　Barbara。

At　that　moment　Lady　Isabel　and　her　little　girl　passed　in　the　chariot。　She　saw　Barbara　at　her　husband's　door；　what　should　she　be　doing　there；　unless　paying　him　a　visit？　A　slight；　haughty　bow　to　Barbara；　a　pleasant　nod　and　smile　to　Mr。　Dill；　and　the　carriage　bowled　on。

It　was　four　o'clock　before　Barbara　could　see　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　communicate　her　tidings　that　Richard　had　arrived。

Mr。　Carlyle　held　de