east lynne-第65部分

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〃Certainly　I　will。〃

〃I　cannot　part　with　him　before　ten　o'clock；　unless　I　am　forced；〃　she　whispered；　pressing　Mr。　Carlyle's　hands；　in　her　earnest　gratitude。　〃You　don't　know　what　it　is；　Archibald；　to　have　a　lost　son　home　for　an　hour　but　once　in　seven　years。　At　ten　o'clock　we　will　part。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　and　Barbara　began　to　pace　in　the　path　in　compliance　with　the　wish　of　Mrs。　Hare；　keeping　near　the　entrance　gate。　When　they　were　turning　the　second　time；　Mr。　Carlyle　offered　her　his　arm；　it　was　an　act　of　mere　politeness。　Barbara　took　it；　and　there　they　waited　and　waited；　but　the　justice　did　not　come。

Punctually　to　the　minute；　half　after　nine；　Lady　Isabel's　carriage　arrived　at　Mrs。　Jefferson's；　and　she　came　out　immediatelya　headache　being　the　plea　for　her　early　departure。　She　had　not　far　to　go　to　reach　East　Lynneabout　two　milesand　it　was　a　by…road　nearly　all　the　way。　They　could　emerge　into　the　open　road；　if　they　pleased；　but　it　was　a　trifle　further。　Suddenly　a　gentleman　approached　the　carriage　as　it　was　bowling　along；　and　waved　his　hand　to　the　coachman　to　pull　up。　In　spite　of　the　glowing　moonlight；　Lady　Isabel　did　not　at　first　recognize　him；　for　he　wore　a　disfigured　fur　cap；　the　ears　of　which　were　tied　over　his　ears　and　cheeks。　It　was　Francis　Levison。　She　put　down　the　window。

〃I　thought　it　must　be　your　carriage。　How　early　you　are　returning！　Were　you　tired　of　your　entertainers？〃

〃Why；　he　knew　what　time　my　lady　was　returning；〃　thought　John　to　himself；　〃he　asked　me。　A　false　sort　of　a　chap　that；　I've　a　notion。〃

〃I　came　out　for　a　midnight　stroll；　and　have　tired　myself；〃　he　proceeded。　〃Will　you　take　compassion　on　me；　and　give　me　a　seat　home？〃

She　acquiesced。　She　could　not　do　otherwise。　The　footman　sprang　from　behind　the　door；　and　Francis　Levison　took　his　place　beside　Lady　Isabel。　〃Take　the　high　road；〃　he　put　out　his　head　to　say　to　the　coachman；　and　the　man　touched　his　hatwhich　high　road　would　cause　them　to　pass　Mr。　Hare's。

〃I　did　not　know　you；〃　she　began；　gathering　herself　into　her　own　corner。　〃What　ugly　thing　is　that　you　have　on？　It　is　like　a　disguise。〃

He　was　taking　off　the　〃ugly　thing〃　as　she　spoke　and　began　to　twirl　it　round　his　hand。　〃Disguise？　Oh；　no；　I　have　no　creditors　in　the　immediate　neighborhood　of　East　Lynne。〃

False　as　ever　it　was　worn　as　a　disguise　and　he　knew　it。

〃Is　Mr。　Carlyle　at　home？〃　she　inquired。

〃No。〃　Then；　after　a　pause〃I　expect　he　is　more　agreeably　engaged。〃

The　tone；　a　most　significant　one；　brought　the　tingling　blood　to　the　cheeks　of　Lady　Isabel。　She　wished　to　preserve　a　dignified　silence；　and　did　for　a　few　moments；　but　the　jealous　question　broke　out；

〃Engaged　in　what　manner？〃

〃As　I　came　by　Hare's　house　just　now；　I　saw　two　people；　a　gentleman　and　a　young　lady；　coupled　lovingly　together；　enjoying　a　/tete…a…tete/　by　moonlight。　Unless　I　am　mistaken；　he　was　the　favored　individual　whom　you　call　lord　and　master。〃

Lady　Isabel　almost　gnashed　her　teeth；　the　jealous　doubts　which　had　been　tormenting　her　all　the　evening　were　confirmed。　That　the　man　whom　she　hatedyes；　in　her　blind　anger；　she　hated　him　thenshould　so　impose　upon　her；　should　excuse　himself　by　lies；　lies　base　and　false　as　he　was；　from　accompanying　her　out；　on　purpose　to　pass　the　hours　with　Barbara　Hare！　Had　she　been　alone　in　the　carriage；　a　torrent　of　passion　had　probably　escaped　her。

She　leaned　back；　panting　in　her　emotion；　but　hiding　it　from　Captain　Levison。　As　they　came　opposite　to　Justice　Hare's　she　deliberately　bent　forward　and　scanned　the　garden　with　eager　eyes。

There；　in　the　bright　moonlight；　all　too　bright　and　clear；　slowly　paced　arm　in　arm；　and　drawn　close　to　each　other；　her　husband　and　Barbara　Hare。　With　a　choking　sob　that　could　no　longer　be　controlled　or　hidden；　Lady　Isabel　sunk　back　again。

He；　that　bold；　bad　man；　dared　to　put　his　arm　around　her；　to　draw　her　to　his　side；　to　whisper　that　/his/　love　was　left　to　her；　if　another's　was　withdrawn。　She　was　most　assuredly　out　of　her　senses　that　night；　or　she　never　would　have　listened。

A　jealous　woman　is　mad；　an　outraged　woman　is　doubly　mad；　and　the　ill…　fated　Lady　Isabel　truly　believed　that　every　sacred　feeling　which　ought　to　exist　between　man　and　wife　was　betrayed　by　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Be　avenged　on　that　false　hound；　Isabel。　He　was　never　worthy　of　you。　Leave　your　life　of　misery；　and　come　to　happiness。〃

In　her　bitter　distress　and　wrath；　she　broke　into　a　storm　of　sobs。　Were　they　caused　by　passion　against　her　husband；　or　by　those　bold　and　shameless　words？　Alas！　Alas！　Francis　Levison　applied　himself　to　soothe　her　with　all　the　sweet　and　dangerous　sophistry　of　his　crafty　nature。

The　minutes　flew　on。　A　quarter　to　ten；　now　a　quarter　past　ten；　and　still　Richard　Hare　lingered　on　with　his　mother；　and　still　Mr。　Carlyle　and　Barbara　paced　patiently　the　garden　path。　At　half…past　ten　Richard　came　forth；　after　having　taken　his　last　farewell。　Then　came　Barbara's　tearful　farewell；　which　Mr。　Carlyle　witnessed；　and　then　a　hard　grasp　of　that　gentleman's　hand；　and　Richard　plunged　amidst　the　trees　to　depart　the　way　he　came。

〃Good　night；　Barbara；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Will　you　not　come　in　and　say　good　night　to　mamma？〃

〃Not　now；　it　is　late。　Tell　her　how　glad　I　am　things　have　gone　off　so　well。〃

He　started　off　at　a　strapping　pace　toward　his　home；　and　Barbara　leaned　on　the　gate　to　indulge　her　tears。　Not　a　soul　passed　to　interrupt　her；　and　the　justice　did　not　come。　What　could　have　become　of　him？　What　could　the　Buck's　Head　be　thinking　of；　to　retain　respectable　elderly　justices　from　their　beds；　who　ought　to　go　home　early　and　set　a　good　example　to　the　parish？　Barbara　knew；　the　next　day；　that　Justice　Hare；　with　a　few　more　gentlemen；　had　been　seduced　from　the　staid　old　inn　to　a　friend's　house；　to　an　entertainment　of　supper；　pipes；　and　whist；　two　tables；　penny　points；　and　it　was　between　twelve　and　one　ere　the　party　rose　from　the　fascination。　So　far；　wellas　it　happened。

Barbara　knew　not　how　long　she　lingered　at　the　gate；　ten　minutes　it　may　have　been。　Nobody　summoned　her。　Mrs。　Hare　was　indulging　her　grief　indoors；　giving　no　thought　to　Barbara；　and　the　justice　did　not　make　his　appearance。　Exceedingly　surprised　was　Barbara　to　hear　fast　footsteps；　and　to　find　that　they　were　Mr。　Carlyle's。

〃The　more　haste；　the　less　speed；　Barbara；〃　he　called　out　as　he　came　up。　〃I　had　got　half…way　home　and　have　had　to　come　back　again。　When　I　went　into　your　sitting…room；　I　left　a　small　parcel；　containing　a　parchment；　on　the　sideboard。　Will　you　get　it　for　me？〃

Barbara　ran　indoors　and　brought　forth　the　parcel；　and　Mr。　Carlyle；　with　a　brief　word　of　thanks；　sped　away　with　it。

She　leaned　on　the　gate　as　before；　the　ready　tears　flowing　again；　her　heart　was　aching　for　Richard；　it　was　aching　for　the　disappointment　the　night　had　brought　forth　respecting　Captain　Thorn。　Still　nobody　passed；　still　the　steps　of　her　father　were　not　heard；　and　Barbara　stayed　on。　Butwhat　was　that　figure　cowering　under　the　shade　of　the　hedge　at　a　distance；　and　seemingly；　watching　her？　Barbara　strained　her　eyes；　while　her　heart　beat　as　if　it　would　burst　its　bounds。　Surely；　surely；　it　was　her　brother？　What　had　he　ventured　back　for？

Richard　Hare　it　was。　When　fully　assured　that　Barbara　was　standing　there；　he　knew　the　justice　was