east lynne-第70部分

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　〃F。　LEVISON；　Esq。〃


It　was　over；　then；　and　all　claim　to　the　name　of　Carlyle　was　declared　to　have　been　forfeited　by　the　Lady　Isabel　forever。　Captain　Levison　folded　up　the　letter；　and　placed　it　securely　in　an　inner　pocket。

〃Is　there　any　news？〃　she　asked。

〃News！〃

〃Of　the　divorce；　I　mean？〃

〃Tush！〃　was　the　response　of　Captain　Levison；　as　if　wishing　to　imply　that　the　divorce　was　yet　a　far…off　affair；　and　he　proceeded　to　open　the　other　letter。

　〃SirAfter　sending　off　our　last；　dated　to…day；　we　received　tidings　　　of　the　demise　of　Sir　Peter　Levison；　your　grand…uncle。　He　expired　　　this　afternoon　in　town；　where　he　had　come　for　the　benefit　of　　　medical　advice。　We　have　much　pleasure　in　congratulating　you　upon　　　your　accession　to　the　title　and　estates；　and　beg　to　state　that　　　should　it　not　be　convenient　to　you　to　visit　England　at　present；　we　　　will　be　happy　to　transact　all　necessary　matters　for　you；　on　your　　　favoring　us　with　instructions。　And　we　remain；　sir；　most　faithfully　　　yours；

〃MOSS　&　GRAB。

　〃SIR　FRANCIS　LEVISON；　Bart。〃


The　outside　of　the　letter　was　superscribed　as　the　other；　〃F。　Levison；　Esquire；〃　no　doubt　with　a　view　to　its　more　certain　delivery。

〃At　last；　thank　the　pigs！〃　was　the　gentleman's　euphonious　expression；　as　he　tossed　the　letter；　open；　on　the　breakfast…table。

〃The　divorce　is　granted！〃　feverishly　uttered　Lady　Isabel。

He　made　no　reply；　but　seated　himself　to　breakfast。

〃May　I　read　the　letter？　Is　it　for　me　to　read？〃

〃For　what　else　should　I　have　thrown　it　there？〃　he　said。

〃A　few　days　ago　you　put　a　letter；　open　on　the　table；　I　thought　for　me；　but　when　I　took　it　up　you　swore　at　me。　Do　you　remember　it　Captain　Levison？〃

〃You　may　drop　that　odious　title；　Isabel；　which　has　stuck　to　me　too　long。　I　own　a　better；　now。〃

〃What　one；　pray？〃

〃You　can　look　and　see。〃

Lady　Isabel　took　up　the　letter　and　read　it。　Sir　Francis　swallowed　down　his　coffee；　and　rang　the　table　hand…bellthe　only　bell　you　generally　meet　with　in　France。　Pierre　answered　it。

〃Put　me　up　a　change　of　things；〃　said　he；　in　French。　〃I　start　for　England　in　an　hour。〃

〃It　is　very　well；〃　Pierre　responded；　and　departed　to　do　it。　Lady　Isabel　waited　till　the　man　was　gone；　and　then　spoke；　a　faint　flush　of　emotion　in　her　cheeks。

〃You　do　not　mean　what　you　say？　You　will　not　leave　me　yet？〃

〃I　cannot　do　otherwise；〃　he　answered。　〃There's　a　mountain　of　business　to　be　attended　to；　now　that　I　am　come　into　power。〃

〃Moss　&　Grab　say　they　will　act　for　you。　Had　there　been　a　necessity　for　your　going；　they　would　not　have　offered　that。〃

〃Ay；　they　do　say　sowith　a　nice　eye　to　the　feathering　of　their　pockets！　Besides；　I　should　not　choose　for　the　old　man's　funeral　to　take　place　without　me。〃

〃Then　I　must　accompany　you；〃　she　urged。

〃I　wish　you　would　not　talk　nonsense；　Isabel。　Are　you　in　a　state　to　travel　night　and　day？　Neither　would　home　be　agreeable　to　you　yet　awhile。〃

She　felt　the　force　of　the　objections。　Resuming　after　a　moment's　pause　〃Were　you　to　go　to　England；　you　might　not　be　back　in　time。〃

〃In　time　for　what？〃

〃Oh；　how　can　you　ask？〃　she　rejoined；　in　a　sharp　tone　of　reproach；　〃you　know　too　well。　In　time　to　make　me　your　wife　when　the　divorce　shall　appear。〃

〃I　shall　chance　it；〃　coolly　observed　Sir　Francis。

〃Chance　it！　/chance/　the　legitimacy　of　the　child？　You　must　assure　that；　before　all　things。　More　terrible　to　me　than　all　the　rest　would　it　be；　if〃

〃Now　don't　put　yourself　in　a　fever；　Isabel。　How　many　times　am　I　to　be　compelled　to　beg　that　of　you！　It　does　no　good。　Is　it　my　fault；　if　I　am　called　suddenly　to　England？〃

〃Have　you　no　pity　for　your　child？〃　she　urged　in　agitation。　〃Nothing　can　repair　the　injury；　if　you　once　suffer　it　to　come　upon　him。　He　will　be　a　by…word　amidst　men　throughout　his　life。〃

〃You　had　better　have　written　to　the　law　lords　to　urge　on　the　divorce；〃　he　returned。　〃I　cannot　help　the　delay。〃

〃There　has　been　no　delay；　quite　the　contrary。　But　it　may　be　expected　hourly　now。〃

〃You　are　worrying　yourself　for　nothing；　Isabel。　I　shall　be　back　in　time。〃

He　quitted　the　room　as　he　spoke；　and　Lady　Isabel　remained　in　it；　the　image　of　despair。　Nearly　an　hour　elapsed　when　she　remembered　the　breakfast　things；　and　rang　for　them　to　be　removed。　A　maid…servant　entered　to　do　it；　and　she　thought　how　ill　miladi　looked。

〃Where　is　Pierre？〃　miladi　asked。

〃Pierre　was　making　himself　ready　to　attend　monsieur　to　England。〃

Scarcely　had　she　closed　the　door　upon　herself　and　the　tray　when　Sir　Francis　Levison　appeared；　equipped　for　traveling。　〃Good…bye；　Isabel；〃　said　he；　without　further　circumlocution　or　ceremony。

Lady　Isabel；　excited　beyond　all　self…control；　slipped　the　bolt　of　the　door；　and；　half　leaning　against　it；　half　leaning　at　his　feet；　held　up　her　hand　in　supplication。

〃Francis；　have　you　any　consideration　left　for　meany　in　the　world？〃

〃How　can　you　be　so　alarmed；　Isabel？　Of　course　I　have；〃　he　continued；　in　a　peevish；　though　kind　tone；　as　he　took　hold　of　her　hands　to　raise　her。

〃No；　not　yet。　I　will　remain　here　until　you　say　you　will　wait　another　day　or　two。　You　know　that　the　French　Protestant　minister　is　prepared　to　marry　us　the　instant　news　of　the　divorce　shall　arrive；　if　you　do　care　still　for　me；　you　will　wait。〃

〃I　cannot　wait；〃　he　replied；　his　tone　changing　to　one　of　determination。　〃It　is　useless　to　urge　it。〃

He　broke　from　her　and　left　the　room；　and　in　another　minute　had　left　the　house；　Pierre　attending　him。　A　feeling；　amounting　to　a　conviction；　rushed　over　the　unhappy　lady　that　she　had　seen　him　for　the　last　time　until　it　was　too　late。

She　was　right。　It　was　too　late　by　weeks　and　months。

December　came　in。　The　Alps　were　covered　with　snow；　Grenoble　borrowed　the　shade；　and　looked　cold；　and　white；　and　sleety；　and　sloppy；　the　gutters；　running　through　the　middle　of　certain　of　the　streets；　were　unusually　black；　and　the　people　crept　along　especially　dismal。　Close　to　the　fire　in　the　barn　of　a　French　bedroom；　full　of　windows；　and　doors；　and　draughts；　with　its　wide　hearth　and　its　wide　chimney；　into　which　we　could　put　four　or　five　of　our　English　ones；　shivered　Lady　Isabel　Vane。　She　had　an　invalid　cap　on；　and　a　thick　woolen　invalid　shawl；　and　she　shook　and　shivered　perpetually；　though　she　had　drawn　so　close　to　the　wood　fire　that　there　was　a　danger　of　her　petticoats　igniting；　and　the　attendant　had　frequently　to　spring　up　and　interpose　between　them　and　the　crackling　logs。　Little　did　it　seem　to　matter　to　Lady　Isabel；　she　sat　in　one　position；　her　countenance　the　picture　of　stony　despair。

So　had　she　sat；　so　looking；　since　she　began　to　get　better。　She　had　had　a　long　illness；　terminating　in　a　low　fever；　but　the　attendants　whispered　among　themselves　that　miladi　would　soon　get　about　if　she　would　only　rouse　herself。　She　had　got　so　far　about　as　to　sit　up　in　the　windy　chamber；　and　it　seemed　to　be　to　her　a　matter　of　perfect　indifference　whether　she　ever　got　out　of　it。

This　day　she　had　partaken　of　her　early　dinnersuch　as　it　was；　for　her　appetite　failedand　had　dozed　asleep　in　the　arm　chair；　when　a　noise　arose　from　below；　like　a　carriage　driving　into　the　courtyard　through　the　/porte　cochere/。　It　instantly　aroused　her。　Had　/he/　come？

〃Who　is　it？〃　she　asked　of　the　nurse。

〃Miladi；　it　is　monsie