east lynne-第63部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


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

Mr。　Carlyle　held　deceit　and　all　underhand　doings　in　especial　abhorrence；　yet　he　deemed　that　he　was　acting　right；　under　the　circumstances；　in　allowing　Captain　Thorn　to　be　secretly　seen　by　Richard　Hare。　In　haste　he　arranged　his　plans。　It　was　the　evening　of　his　own　dinner　engagement　at　Mrs。　Jefferson's　but　that　he　must　give　up。　Telling　Barbara　to　dispatch　Richard　to　his　office　as　soon　as　he　should　make　his　appearance　at　the　grove；　and　to　urge　him　to　come　boldly　and　not　fear；　for　none　would　know　him　in　his　disguise；　he　wrote　a　hurried　note　to　Thorn；　requesting　him　also　to　be　at　his　office　at　eight　o'clock　that　evening；　as　he　had　something　to　communicate　to　him。　The　latter　plea　was　no　fiction；　for　he　had　received　an　important　communication　that　morning　relative　to　the　business　on　which　Captain　Thorn　had　consulted　him；　and　his　own　absence　from　the　office　in　the　day　had　alone　prevented　his　sending　for　him　earlier。

Other　matters　were　calling　the　attention　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　it　was　five　o'clock　ere　he　departed　for　East　Lynne；　he　would　not　have　gone　so　early；　but　that　he　must　inform　his　wife　of　his　inability　to　keep　his　dinner　engagement。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　one　who　never　hesitated　to　sacrifice　personal　gratification　to　friendship　or　to　business。

The　chariot　was　at　the　door；　and　Lady　Isabel　dressed　and　waiting　for　him　in　her　dressing…room。　〃Did　you　forget　that　the　Jeffersons　dined　at　six？〃　was　her　greeting。

〃No；　Isabel；　but　it　was　impossible　for　me　to　get　here　before。　And　I　should　not　have　come　so　soon；　but　to　tell　you　that　I　cannot　accompany　you。　You　must　make　my　excuses　to　Mrs。　Jefferson。〃

A　pause。　Strange　thoughts　were　running　through　Lady　Isabel's　mind。　〃Why　so？〃　she　inquired。

〃Some　business　has　arisen　which　I　am　compelled　to　attend　to　this　evening。　As　soon　as　I　have　snatched　a　bit　of　dinner　at　home　I　must　hasten　back　to　the　office。〃

Was　he　making　this　excuse　to　spend　the　hours　of　her　absence　with　Barbara　Hare？　The　idea　that　it　was　so　took　firm　possession　of　her　mind；　and　remained　there。　Her　face　expressed　a　variety　of　feelings；　the　most　prominent　that　of　resentment。　Mr。　Carlyle　saw　it。

〃You　must　not　be　vexed；　Isabel。　I　assure　you　it　is　no　fault　of　mine。　It　is　important　private　business　which　cannot　be　put　off；　and　which　I　cannot　delegate　to　Dill。　I　am　sorry　it　should　have　so　happened。〃

〃You　never　return　to　the　office　in　the　evening；〃　she　remarked；　with　pale　lips。

〃No；　because　if　anything　arises　to　take　us　there　after　hours；　Dill　officiates。　But　the　business　to…night　must　be　done　by　myself。〃

Another　pause。　Lady　Isabel　suddenly　broke　it。　〃Shall　you　join　us　later　in　the　evening？〃

〃I　believe　I　shall　not　be　able　to　do　so。〃

She　drew　her　light　shawl　around　her　shoulders；　and　swept　down　the　staircase。　Mr。　Carlyle　followed　to　place　her　in　the　carriage。　When　he　said　farewell；　she　never　answered　but　looked　out　straight　before　her　with　a　stony　look。

〃What　time；　my　lady？〃　inquired　the　footman；　as　he　alighted　at　Mrs。　Jefferson's。

〃Early。　Half…past　nine。〃

A　little　before　eight　o'clock；　Richard　Hare；　in　his　smock…frock　and　his　slouching　hat　and　his　false　whiskers；　rang　dubiously　at　the　outer　door　of　Mr。　Carlyle's　office。　That　gentleman　instantly　opened　it。　He　was　quite　alone。

〃Come　in；　Richard；〃　said　he；　grasping　his　hand。　〃Did　you　meet　any　whom　you　knew？〃

〃I　never　looked　at　whom　I　met；　sir；〃　was　the　reply。　〃I　thought　that　if　I　looked　at　people；　they　might　look　at　me；　so　I　came　straight　ahead　with　my　eyes　before　me。　How　the　place　has　altered！　There's　a　new　brick　house　on　the　corner　where　old　Morgan's　shop　used　to　stand。〃

〃That's　the　new　police　station。　West　Lynne　I　assure　you；　is　becoming　grand　in　public　buildings。　And　how　have　you　been；　Richard？〃

〃Ailing　and　wretched；〃　answered　Richard　Hare。　〃How　can　I　be　otherwise；　Mr。　Carlyle；　with　so　false　an　accusation　attached　to　me；　and　working　like　a　slave；　as　I　have　to　do？〃

〃You　may　take　off　the　disfiguring　hat；　Richard。　No　one　is　here。〃

Richard　slowly　heaved　it　from　his　brows；　and　his　fair　face；　so　like　his　mother's；　was　disclosed。　But　the　moment　he　was　uncovered　he　turned　shrinkingly　toward　the　entrance　door。　〃If　any　one　should　come　in；　sir？〃

〃Impossible！〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　front　door　is　fast；　and　the　office　is　supposed　to　be　empty　at　this　hour。〃

〃For　if　I　should　be　seen　and　recognized；　it　might　come　to　hanging；　you　know；　sir。　You　are　expecting　that　cursed　Thorn　here；　Barbara　told　me。〃

〃Directly；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　observing　the　mode　of　addressing　him　〃sir。〃　It　spoke　plainly　of　the　scale　of　society　in　which　Richard　had　been　mixing；　that　he　was　with　those　who　said　it　habitually；　nay；　that　he　used　it　habitually　himself。　〃From　your　description　of　the　Lieutenant　Thorn　who　destroyed　Hallijohn；　we　believe　this　Captain　Thorn　to　be　the　same　man；〃　pursued　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃In　person　he　appears　to　tally　exactly；　and　I　have　ascertained　that　a　few　years　ago　he　was　a　deal　at　Swainson；　and　got　into　some　sort　of　scrape。　He　is　in　John　Herbert's　regiment；　and　is　here　with　him　on　a　visit。〃

〃But　what　an　idiot　he　must　be　to　venture　here！〃　uttered　Richard。　〃Here　of　all　places　in　the　world！〃

〃He　counts；　no　doubt；　on　not　being　known。　So　far　as　I　can　find　out；　Richard；　nobody　here　did　know　him；　save　you　and　Afy。　I　shall　put　you　in　Mr。　Dill's　roomyou　may　remember　the　little　window　in　itand　from　thence　you　can　take　a　full　view　of　Thorn；　whom　I　shall　keep　in　the　front　office。　You　are　sure　you　would　recognize　him　at　this　distance　of　time？〃

〃I　should　know　him　if　it　were　fifty　years　to　come；　I　should　know　him　were　he　disguised　as　I　am　disguised。　We　cannot；〃　Richard　sank　his　voice；　〃forget　a　man　who　has　been　the　object　of　our　frenzied　jealousy。〃

〃What　has　brought　you　to　East　Lynne　again；　Richard？　Any　particular　object？〃

〃Chiefly　a　hankering　within　me　that　I　could　not　get　rid　of；〃　replied　Richard。　〃It　was　not　so　much　to　see　my　mother　and　Barbarathough　I　did　want　that；　especially　since　my　illnessas　that　a　feeling　was　within　me　that　I　could　not　rest　away　from　it。　So　I　said　I'd　risk　it　again；　just　for　a　day。〃

〃I　thought　you　might　possibly　want　some　assistance；　as　before。〃

〃I　do　want　that；　also；〃　said　Richard。　〃Not　much。　My　illness　has　run　me　into　debt；　and　if　my　mother　can　let　me　have　a　little；　I　shall　be　thankful。〃

〃I　am　sure　she　will；〃　answered　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃You　shall　have　it　from　me　to…night。　What　has　been　the　matter　with　you？〃

〃The　beginning　of　it　was　a　kick　from　a　horse；　sir。　That　was　last　winter；　and　it　laid　me　up　for　six　weeks。　Then；　in　the　spring；　after　I　got　well　and　was　at　work　again；　I　caught　some　sort　of　fever；　and　down　again　I　was　for　six　weeks。　I　have　not　been　to　say　well　since。〃

〃How　is　it　you　have　never　written　or　sent　me　your　address？〃

〃Because　I　dared　not；〃　answered　Richard；　timorously；　〃I　should　always　be　in　fear；　not　of　you；　Mr。　Carlyle；　but　of　its　becoming　known　some　way　or　other。　The　time　is　getting　on；　sir；　is　that　Thorn　sure　to　come？〃

〃He　sent　me　word　that　he　would；　in　reply　to　my　note。　Andthere　he　is！〃　uttered　Mr。　Carlyle；　as　a　ring　was　heard　at　the　bell。　〃Now；　Richard；　come　this　way。　Bring　you