east lynne-第81部分

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〃What　have　you　been　doing　ever　since；　then？　Where　have　you　been？〃

〃Never　mind；　I　say；〃　repeated　Afy。　〃West　Lynne　has　not　been　so　complimentary　to　me；　it　appears；　that　I　need　put　myself　out　of　my　way　to　satisfy　its　curiosity。　I　was　knocking　about　a　bit　at　first；　but　I　soon　settled　down　as　steady　as　Old　Timeas　steady　as　you。〃

〃Are　you　married？〃　inquired　Joyce；　noting　the　word　〃settled。〃

〃Catch　me　marrying；〃　retorted　Afy；　〃I　like　my　liberty　too　well。　Not　but　what　I　might　be　induced　to　change　my　condition；　if　anything　out　of　the　way　eligible　occurred；　it　must　be　very　eligible；　though；　to　tempt　me。　I　am　what　I　suppose　you　call　yourselfa　lady's　maid。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　Joyce；　much　relieved。　〃And　are　you　comfortable；　Afy？　Are　you　in　good　service？〃

〃Middling；　for　that。　The　pay's　not　amiss；　but　there's　a　great　deal　to　do；　and　Lady　Mount　Severn's　too　much　of　a　Tartar　for　me。〃

Joyce　looked　at　her　in　surprise。　〃What　have　you　to　do　with　Lady　Mount　Severn？〃

〃Well；　that's　good！　It's　where　I　am　at　service。〃

〃At　Lady　Mount　Severn's？〃

〃Why　not？　I　have　been　there　two　years。　It　is　not　a　great　deal　longer　I　shall　stop；　though；　she　had　too　much　vinegar　in　her　for　me。　But　it　poses　me　to　imagine　what　on　earth　could　have　induced　you　to　fancy　I　should　go　off　with　that　Dick　Hare；〃　she　added；　for　she　could　not　forget　the　grievance。

〃Look　at　the　circumstances；〃　argued　Joyce。　〃You　both　disappeared。〃

〃But　not　together。〃

〃Nearly　together。　There　were　only　a　few　days　intervening。　And　you　had　neither　money　nor　friends。〃

〃You　don't　know　what　I　had。　But　I　would　rather　have　died　of　want　on　father's　grave　than　have　shared　his　means；〃　continued　Afy；　growing　passionate　again。

〃Where　is　he？　Not　hung；　or　I　should　have　heard　of　it。〃

〃He　has　never　been　seen　since　that　night；　Afy。〃

〃Nor　heard　of？〃

〃Nor　heard　of。　Most　people　think　he　is　in　Australia；　or　some　other　foreign　land。〃

〃The　best　place　for　him；　the　more　distance　he　puts　between　him　and　home；　the　better。　If　he　does　come　back；　I　hope　he'll　get　his　desserts　which　is　a　rope's　end。　I'd　go　to　his　hanging。〃

〃You　are　as　bitter　against　him　as　Mr。　Justice　Hare。　He　would　bring　his　son　back　to　suffer；　if　he　could。〃

〃A　cross…grained　old　camel！〃　remarked　Afy；　in　allusion　to　the　qualities；　social　and　amiable；　of　the　revered　justice。　〃I　don't　defend　Dick　HareI　hate　him　too　much　for　thatbut　if　his　father　had　treated　him　differently；　Dick　might　have　been　different。　Well；　let's　talk　of　something　else；　the　subject　invariably　gives　me　the　shivers。　Who　is　mistress　here？〃

〃Miss　Carlyle。〃

〃Oh；　I　might　have　guessed　that。　Is　she　as　fierce　as　ever？〃

〃There　is　little　alteration　in　her。〃

〃And　there　won't　be　on　this　side　the　grave。　I　say；　Joyce；　I　don't　want　to　encounter　her；　she　might　set　on　at　me；　like　she　has　done　many　a　time　in　the　old　days。　Little　love　was　there　lost　between　me　and　Corny　Carlyle。　Is　Mr。　Carlyle　at　home？〃

〃He　will　be　home　to　dinner。　I　dare　say　you　would　like　some　tea；　you　shall　come　and　take　it　with　me　and　Wilson；　in　the　nursery。〃

〃I　was　thinking　you　might　have　the　grace　to　offer　me　something；〃　cried　Afy。　〃I　intend　to　stop　till　to…morrow　in　the　neighborhood。　My　lady　gave　me　two　days'　holidayfor　she　was　going　to　see　her　dreadful　old　grandmother；　where　she　can't　take　a　maidand　I　thought　I'd　use　it　in　coming　to　have　a　look　at　the　old　place　again。　Don't　stare　at　me　in　that　blank　way；　as　if　you　feared　I　should　ask　the　grand　loan　of　sleeping　here。　I　shall　sleep　at　the　Mount　Severn　Arms。〃

〃I　was　not　glancing　at　such　a　thought；　Afy。　Come　and　take　your　bonnet　off。〃

〃Is　the　nursery　full　of　children？〃

〃There　is　only　one　child　in　it。　Miss　Lucy　and　Master　William　are　with　the　governess。〃

Wilson　received　Afy　with　lofty　condescension；　having　Richard　Hare　in　her　thoughts。　But　Joyce　explained　that　it　was　all　a　misapprehension　that　her　sister　had　never　been　near　Richard　Hare；　but　was　as　indignant　against　him　as　they　were。　Upon　which　Wilson　grew　cordial　and　chatty；　rejoicing　in　the　delightful　recreation　her　tongue　would　enjoy　that　evening。

Afy's　account　of　herself；　as　to　past　proceedings；　was　certainly　not　the　most　satisfactory　in　the　world；　but；　altogether；　taken　in　the　present；　it　was　so　vast　an　improvement　upon　Joyce's　conclusions；　that　she　had　not　felt　so　elated　for　many　a　day。　When　Mr。　Carlyle　returned　home　Joyce　sought　him；　and　acquainted　him　with　what　had　happened；　that　Afy　was　come；　was　maid　to　Lady　Mount　Severn；　and；　above　all；　that　she　had　never　been　with　Richard　Hare。

〃Ah！　You　remember　what　I　said；　Joyce；〃　he　remarked。　〃That　I　did　not　believe　Afy　was　with　Richard　Hare。〃

〃I　have　been　telling　her　so；　sir；　to　be　sure；　when　I　informed　her　what　people　had　believed；〃　continued　Joyce。　〃She　nearly　went　into　one　of　her　old　passions。〃

〃Does　she　seem　steady；　Joyce？〃

〃I　think　so；　sirsteady　for　her。　I　was　thinking；　sir；　that　as　she　appears　to　have　turned　out　so　respectable；　and　is　with　Lady　Mount　Severn；　you；　perhaps；　might　see　no　objection　to　her　sleeping　here　for　to…night。　It　would　be　better　than　for　her　to　go　to　the　inn；　as　she　talks　of　doing。〃

〃None　at　all；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Let　her　remain。〃

Later　in　the　evening；　after　Mr。　Carlyle's　dinner；　a　message　came　that　Afy　was　to　go　to　him。　Accordingly　she　proceeded　to　his　presence。

〃So；　Afy；　you　have　returned　to　let　West　Lynne　know　that　you　are　alive。　Sit　down。〃

〃West　Lynne　may　go　a…walking　for　me　in　future；　sir；　for　all　the　heed　I　shall　take　of　it；〃　retorted　Afy。　〃A　set　of　wicked…minded　scandal…　mongers；　to　take　and　say　I　had　gone　after　Richard　Hare！〃

〃You　should　not　have　gone　off　at　all；　Afy。〃

〃Well；　sir；　that　was　my　business；　and　I　chose　to　go。　I　could　not　stop　in　the　cottage　after　that　night's　work。〃

〃There　is　a　mystery　attached　to　that　night's　work；　Afy；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃a　mystery　that　I　cannot　fathom。　Perhaps　you　can　help　me　out。〃

〃What　mystery；　sir？〃　returned　Afy。

Mr。　Carlyle　leaned　forward；　his　arms　on　the　table。　Afy　had　taken　a　chair　at　the　other　end　of　it。　〃Who　was　it　that　committed　the　murder？〃　he　demanded；　in　a　grave　and　somewhat　imperative　tone。

Afy　stared　some　moments　before　she　replied；　astonished　at　the　question。　〃Who　committed　the　murder；　sir？〃　she　uttered　at　length。　〃Richard　Hare　committed　it。　Everybody　knows　that。〃

〃Did　you　see　it　done？〃

〃No；〃　replied　Afy。　〃If　I　had　seen　it；　the　fright　and　horror　would　have　killed　me。　Richard　Hare　quarreled　with　my　father；　and　drew　the　gun　upon　him　in　passion。〃

〃You　assume　this　to　have　been　the　case；　Afy；　as　others　have　assumed　it。　I　do　not　think　that　it　was　Richard　Hare　who　killed　your　father。〃

〃Not　Richard　Hare！〃　exclaimed　Afy；　after　a　pause。　〃Then　who　do　you　think　did　it；　sirI？〃

〃Nonsense；　Afy。〃

〃I　know　he　did　it；〃　proceeded　Afy。　〃It　is　true　that　I　did　not　see　it　done；　but　I　know　it　for　all　that。　I　/know/　it；　sir。〃

〃You　cannot　know　it；　Afy。〃

〃I　do　know　it；　sir；　I　would　not　assert　it　to　you　if　I　did　not。　If　Richard　Hare　was　here；　present　before　us；　and　swore　until　he　was　black　in　the　face　that　it　was　not　him；　I　could　convict　him。〃

〃By　what　means？〃

〃I　had　rather　not　say；　sir。　But　you　may　believe　me；　for　I　am　speaking　truth。〃

〃There　was　another　friend　of　yours　present　that