east lynne-第7部分

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〃Only　now；　by　the　eight　o'clock　train；　which　got　in　beyond　its　time；　having　drawled　unpardonably　at　the　stations。　They　little　thought　they　had　me　in　it；　as　their　looks　betrayed　when　I　got　out。　I　have　not　been　home　yet。〃

〃No！　What　will　Cornelia　say？〃

〃I　went　to　the　office　for　five　minutes。　But　I　have　a　few　words　to　say　to　Beauchamp；　and　am　going　up　at　once。　Thank　you；　I　cannot　come　in　now；　I　intend　to　do　so　on　my　return。〃

〃Papa　has　gone　up　to　Mr。　Beauchamp's。〃

〃Mr。　Hare！　Has　he？〃

〃He　and　Squire　Pinner；〃　continued　Barbara。　〃They　have　gone　to　have　a　smoking　bout。　And　if　you　wait　there　with　papa；　it　will　be　too　late　to　come　in；　for　he　is　sure　not　to　be　home　before　eleven　or　twelve。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　bent　his　head　in　deliberation。　〃Then　I　think　it　is　of　little　use　my　going　on；〃　said　he；　〃for　my　business　with　Beauchamp　is　private。　I　must　defer　it　until　to…morrow。〃

He　took　the　gate　out　of　her　hand；　closed　it；　and　placed　the　hand　within　his　own　arm；　to　walk　with　her　to　the　house。　It　was　done　in　a　matter…of…fact；　real　sort　of　way；　nothing　of　romance　or　sentiment　hallowed　it；　but　Barbara　Hare　felt　that　she　was　in　Eden。

〃And　how　have　you　all　been；　Barbara；　these　few　days？〃

〃Oh；　very　well。　What　made　you　start　off　so　suddenly？　You　never　said　you　were　going；　or　came　to　wish　us　good…bye。〃

〃You　have　just　expressed　it；　Barbara'suddenly。'　A　matter　of　business　suddenly　arose；　and　I　suddenly　went　upon　it。〃

〃Cornelia　said　you　were　only　gone　for　a　day。〃

〃Did　she？　When　in　London　I　find　so　many　things　to　do！　Is　Mrs。　Hare　better？〃

〃Just　the　same。　I　think　mamma's　ailments　are　fancies；　half　of　them；　if　she　would　rouse　herself　she　would　be　better。　What　is　in　that　parcel？〃

〃You　are　not　to　inquire；　Miss　Barbara。　It　does　not　concern　you。　It　only　concerns　Mrs。　Hare。〃

〃Is　it　something　you　have　brought　for　mamma；　Archibald？〃

〃Of　course。　A　countryman's　visit　to　London　entails　buying　presents　for　his　friends；　at　least；　it　used　to　be　so；　in　the　old…fashioned　days。〃

〃When　people　made　their　wills　before　starting；　and　were　a　fortnight　doing　the　journey　in　a　wagon；〃　laughed　Barbara。　〃Grandpapa　used　to　tell　us　tales　of　that；　when　we　were　children。　But　is　it　really　something　for　mamma？〃

〃Don't　I　tell　you　so？　I　have　brought　something　for　you。〃

〃Oh！　What　is　it？〃　she　uttered；　her　color　rising；　and　wondering　whether　he　was　in　jest　or　earnest。

〃There's　an　impatient　girl！　'What　is　it？'　Wait　a　moment；　and　you　shall　see　what　it　is。〃

He　put　the　parcel　or　roll　he　was　carrying　upon　a　garden　chair；　and　proceeded　to　search　his　pockets。　Every　pocket　was　visited；　apparently　in　vain。

〃Barbara；　I　think　it　is　gone。　I　must　have　lost　it　somehow。〃

Her　heart　beat　as　she　stood　there；　silently　looking　up　at　him　in　the　moonlight。　/Was/　it　lost？　/What/　had　it　been？

But；　upon　a　second　search；　he　came　upon　something　in　the　pocket　of　his　coat…tail。　〃Here　it　is；　I　believe；　what　brought　it　there？〃　He　opened　a　small　box；　and　taking　out　a　long；　gold　chain；　threw　it　around　her　neck。　A　locket　was　attached　to　it。

Her　cheeks'　crimson　went　and　came；　her　heart　beat　more　rapidly。　She　could　not　speak　a　word　of　thanks；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　took　up　the　roll；　and　walked　on　into　the　presence　of　Mrs。　Hare。

Barbara　followed　in　a　few　minutes。　Her　mother　was　standing　up；　watching　with　pleased　expectation　the　movements　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　No　candles　were　in　the　room；　but　it　was　bright　with　firelight。

〃Now；　don't　laugh　at　me；〃　quoth　he；　untying　the　string　of　the　parcel。　〃It　is　not　a　roll　of　velvet　for　a　dress；　and　it　is　not　a　roll　of　parchment；　conferring　twenty　thousand　pounds　a　year。　But　it　isan　air　cushion！〃

It　was　what　poor　Mrs。　Hare；　so　worn　with　sitting　and　lying；　had　often　longed　for。　She　had　heard　such　a　luxury　was　to　be　bought　in　London；　but　never　remembered　to　have　seen　one。　She　took　it　almost　with　a　greedy　hand；　casting　a　grateful　look　at　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃How　am　I　to　thank　you　for　it？〃　she　murmured　through　her　tears。

〃If　you　thank　me　at　all；　I　will　never　bring　you　anything　again；〃　cried　he；　gaily。　〃I　have　been　telling　Barbara　that　a　visit　to　London　entails　bringing　gifts　for　friends；〃　he　continued。　〃Do　you　see　how　smart　I　have　made　her？〃

Barbara　hastily　took　off　the　chain；　and　laid　it　before　her　mother。

〃What　a　beautiful　chain！〃　muttered　Mrs。　Hare；　in　surprise。　〃Archibald；　you　are　too　good；　too　generous！　This　must　have　cost　a　great　deal；　this　is　beyond　a　trifle。〃

〃Nonsense！〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I'll　tell　you　both　how　I　happened　to　buy　it。　I　went　into　a　jeweller's　about　my　watch；　which　has　taken　to　lose　lately　in　a　most　unceremonious　fashion；　and　there　I　saw　a　whole　display　of　chains　hanging　up；　some　ponderous　enough　for　a　sheriff；　some　light　and　elegant　enough　for　Barbara。　I　dislike　to　see　a　thick　chain　on　a　lady's　neck。　They　put　me　in　mind　of　the　chain　she　lost；　the　day　she　and　Cornelia　went　with　me　to　Lynchborough；　which　loss　Barbara　persisted　in　declaring　was　my　fault；　for　dragging　her　through　the　town　sight…seeing；　while　Cornelia　did　her　shoppingfor　it　was　then　the　chain　was　lost。〃

〃But　I　was　only　joking　when　I　said　so；〃　was　the　interruption　of　Barbara。　〃Of　course　it　would　have　happened　had　you　not　been　with　me；　the　links　were　always　snapping。〃

〃Well；　these　chains　in　the　shop　in　London　put　me　in　mind　of　Barbara's　misfortune；　and　I　chose　one。　Then　the　shopman　brought　forth　some　lockets；　and　enlarged　upon　their　convenience　for　holding　deceased　relatives'　hair；　not　to　speak　of　sweethearts'；　until　I　told　him　he　might　attach　one。　I　thought　it　might　hold　that　piece　of　hair　you　prize；　Barbara；〃　he　concluded；　dropping　his　voice。

〃What　piece？〃　asked　Mrs。　Hare。

Mr。　Carlyle　glanced　round　the　room；　as　if　fearful　the　very　walls　might　hear　his　whisper。　〃Richard's。　Barbara　showed　it　me　one　day　when　she　was　turning　out　her　desk；　and　said　it　was　a　curl　taken　off　in　that　illness。〃

Mrs。　Hare　sank　back　in　her　chair；　and　hid　her　face　in　her　hands；　shivering　visibly。　The　words　evidently　awoke　some　poignant　source　of　deep　sorrow。　〃Oh；　my　boy！　My　boy！〃　she　wailed〃my　boy！　My　unhappy　boy！　Mr。　Hare　wonders　at　my　ill…health；　Archibald；　Barbara　ridicules　it；　but　there　lies　the　source　of　all　my　misery；　mental　and　bodily。　Oh；　Richard！　Richard！〃

There　was　a　distressing　pause；　for　the　topic　admitted　of　neither　hope　nor　consolation。　〃Put　your　chain　on　again；　Barbara；〃　Mr。　Carlyle　said；　after　a　while；　〃and　I　wish　you　health　to　wear　it　out。　Health　and　reformation；　young　lady！〃

Barbara　smiled　and　glanced　at　him　with　her　pretty　blue　eyes；　so　full　of　love。　〃What　have　you　brought　for　Cornelia？〃　she　resumed。

〃Something　splendid；〃　he　answered；　with　a　mock　serious　face；　〃only　I　hope　I　have　not　been　taken　in。　I　bought　her　a　shawl。　The　venders　vowed　it　was　true　Parisian　cashmere。　I　gave　eighteen　guineas　for　it。〃

〃That　is　a　great　deal；〃　observed　Mrs。　Hare。　〃It　ought　to　be　a　very　good　one。　I　never　gave　more　than　six　guineas　for　a　shawl　in　all　my　life。〃

〃And　Cornelia；　I　dare　say；　never　more　than　half　six；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Well；　I　shall　wish　you　good　evening；　and　go　to　her；　for　if　she　knows　I　am　back　all　this　while；　I　shall　be　lectured。〃

He　shook　hands　with　them　both。　Barbara；　however；　accompanied　him　to　the　front　door；　and　stepped　o