east lynne-第89部分

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〃Say　I　am　dead；　if　you　like；〃　responded　Miss　Corny；　who　was　in　one　of　her　cross　moods。

Mr。　Carlyle　ordered　the　pony　carriage；　and　drove　forth　with　John。　He　drew　in　at　the　grove。　Barbara　and　Mrs。　Hare　were　seated　together；　and　looked　surprised　at　the　early　visit。

〃Do　you　want　Mr。　Hare；　Archibald？　He　is　out。　He　went　while　the　breakfast　was　on　the　table；　apparently　in　a　desperate　hurry。〃

〃I　don't　want　Mr。　Hare；　I　want　Barbara。　I　have　come　to　carry　her　off。〃

〃To　carry　off　Barbara！〃　echoed　Mrs。　Hare。

〃Cornelia　is　not　well；　she　had　caught　a　violent　cold；　and　wishes　Barbara　to　spend　the　day　with　her。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Carlyle；　I　cannot　leave　mamma　to…day。　She　is　not　well　herself；　and　she　would　be　dull　without　me。〃

〃Neither　can　I　spare　her；　Archibald。　It　is　not　a　day　for　Barbara　to　go　out。〃

How　could　he　get　to　say　a　word　to　Barbara　alone？　Whilst　he　deliberated；　talking　on；　though；　all　the　while　to　Mrs。　Hare；　a　servant　appeared　at　the　sitting…room　door。

〃The　fishmonger's　boy　is　come　up；　ma'am。　His　master　has　sent　him　to　say　that　he　fears　there'll　be　no　fish　in　to…day；　in　anything　like　time。　The　trains　won't　get　up；　with　this　weather。〃

Mrs。　Hare　rose　from　her　seat　to　hold　a　confab　at　the　door　with　the　maid；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　seized　his　opportunity。

〃Barbara；〃　he　whispered；　〃make　no　opposition。　You　/must/　come。　What　I　really　want　you　for　is　connected　with　Richard。〃

She　looked　up　at　him；　a　startled　glance；　and　the　crimson　flew　to　her　face。　Mrs。　Hare　returned　to　her　seat。　〃Oh；　such　a　day！〃　she　shivered。　〃I　am　sure　Cornelia　cannot　expect　Barbara。〃

〃But　Cornelia　does。　And　there　is　my　pony　carriage　waiting　to　take　her　before　I　go　to　the　office。　Not　a　flake　of　snow　can　come　near　her；　Mrs。　Hare。　The　large　warm　apron　will　be　up；　and　an　umbrella　shield　her　bonnet　and　face。　Get　your　things　on；　Barbara。〃

〃Mamma　if　you　would　not　very　much　mind　being　left；　I　should　like　to　go；〃　said　Barbara；　with　almost　trembling　eagerness。

〃But　you　would　be　sure　to　take　cold；　child。〃

〃Oh；　dear　no。　I　can　wrap　up　well。〃

〃And　I　will　see　that　she　comes　home　all　right　this　evening；〃　added　Mr。　Carlyle。

In　a　few　minutes　they　were　seated　in　the　pony　carriage。　Barbara's　tongue　was　burning　to　ask　questions；　but　John　sat　behind　them；　and　would　have　overheard。　When　they　arrived　at　East　Lynne；　Mr。　Carlyle　gave　her　his　arm　up　the　steps；　and　took　her　into　the　breakfast…room。

〃Will　you　prepare　yourself　for　a　surprise；　Barbara？〃

Suspensefearhad　turned　her　very　pale。　〃Something　that　has　happened　to　Richard！〃　she　uttered。

〃Nothing　that　need　agitate　you。　He　is　here。〃

〃Here？　Where？

〃Here。　Under　this　roof。　He　slept　here　last　night。〃

〃Oh；　Archibald！〃

〃Only　fancy；　Barbara；　I　opened　the　window　at　nine　last　night　to　look　at　the　weather；　and　in　burst　Richard。　We　could　not　let　him　go　out　again　in　the　snow；　so　he　slept　here；　in　that　room　next　Cornelia's。〃

〃Does　she　know　of　it？〃

〃Of　course。　And　Joyce　also；　we　were　obliged　to　tell　Joyce。　It　is　he　you　have　come　to　spend　the　day　with。　But　just　imagine　Richard's　fear。　Your　father　came　this　morning；　calling　up　the　stairs　after　me；　saying　he　heard　Richard　was　here。　I　thought　Richard　would　have　gone　out　of　his　mind　with　fright。〃

A　few　more　explanations；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　took　Barbara　into　the　room；　Miss　Carlyle　and　her　knitting　still　keeping　Richard　company。　In　fact；　that　was　to　be　the　general　sitting　room　of　the　day；　and　a　hot　lunch；　Richard's　dinner；　would　be　served　to　Miss　Carlyle's　chamber　at　one　o'clock。　Joyce　only　admitted　to　wait　on　her。

〃And　now　I　must　go；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　after　chatting　a　few　minutes。　〃The　office　is　waiting　for　me；　and　my　poor　ponies　are　in　the　snow。〃

〃But　you'll　be　sure　to　be　home　early；　Mr。　Carlyle；〃　said　Richard。　〃I　dare　not　stop　here；　I　must　be　off　not　a　moment　later　than　six　or　seven　o'clock。〃

〃I　will　be　home；　Richard。〃

Anxiously　did　Richard　and　Barbara　consult　that　day；　Miss　Carlyle　of　course　putting　in　her　word。　Over　and　over　again　did　Barbara　ask　the　particulars　of　the　slight　interviews　Richard　had　had　with　Thorn；　over　and　over　again　did　she　openly　speculate　upon　what　his　name　really　was。　〃If　you　could　but　discover　some　one　whom　he　knows；　and　inquire　it；〃　she　exclaimed。

〃I　have　seen　him　with　one　person；　but　I　can't　inquire　of　him。　They　are　too　thick　together；　he　and　Thorn；　and　are　birds　of　a　feather　also；　I　suspect。　Great　swells　both。〃

〃Oh；　Richard　don't　use　those　expressions。　They　are　unsuited　to　a　gentleman。〃

Richard　laughed　bitterly。　〃A　gentleman？〃

〃Who　is　it　you　have　seen　Thorn　with？〃　inquired　Barbara。

〃Sir　Francis　Levison；〃　replied　Richard；　glancing　at　Miss　Carlyle；　who　drew　in　her　lips　ominously。

〃With　whom？〃　uttered　Barbara；　betraying　complete　astonishment。　〃Do　you　know　Sir　Francis　Levison？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　I　know　/him/。　Nearly　the　only　man　about　town　that　I　do　know。〃

Barbara　seemed　lost　in　a　puzzled　reverie；　and　it　was　some　time　before　she　aroused　herself　from　it。

〃Are　they　at　all　alike？〃　she　asked。

〃Very　much　so；　I　suspect。　Both　bad　men。〃

〃But　I　meant　in　person。〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　Except　that　they　are　both　tall。〃

Again　Barbara　sank　into　thought。　Richard's　words　had　surprised　her。　She　was　aroused　by　it　from　hearing　a　child's　voice　in　the　next　room。　She　ran　into　it；　and　Miss　Carlyle　immediately　fastened　the　intervening　door。

It　was　little　Archibald　Carlyle。　Joyce　had　come　in　with　the　tray　to　lay　the　luncheon；　and　before　she　could　lock　the　door；　Archibald　ran　in　after　her。　Barbara　lifted　him　in　her　arms　to　carry　him　back　to　the　nursery。

〃Oh；　you　heavy　boy！〃　she　exclaimed。

Archie　laughed。　〃Wilson　says　that；〃　he　lisped；　〃if　ever　she　has　to　carry　me。〃

〃I　have　brought　you　a　truant；　Wilson；〃　cried　Barbara。

〃Oh；　is　it　you；　Miss　Barbara？　How　are　you；　miss？　Naughty　boy！yes；　he　ran　away　without　my　noticing　himhe　is　got　now　so　that　he　can　open　the　door。〃

〃You　must　be　so　kind　as　to　keep　him　strictly　in　for　to…day；〃　concluded　Miss　Barbara；　authoritatively。　〃Miss　Carlyle　is　not　well；　and　cannot　be　subjected　to　the　annoyance　of　his　running　into　the　room。〃

Evening　came；　and　the　time　of　Richard's　departure。　It　was　again　snowing　heavily；　though　it　had　ceased　in　the　middle　of　the　day。　Money　for　the　present　had　been　given　to　him；　arrangements　had　been　discussed。　Mr。　Carlyle　insisted　upon　Richard's　sending　him　his　address；　as　soon　as　he　should　own　one　to　send；　and　Richard　faithfully　promised。　He　was　in　very　low　spirits；　almost　as　low　as　Barbara；　who　could　not　conceal　her　tears；　they　dropped　in　silence　on　her　pretty　silk　dress。　He　was　smuggled　down　the　stairs；　a　large　cloak　of　Miss　Carlyle's　enveloping　him；　into　the　room　he　had　entered　by　storm　the　previous　night。　Mr。　Carlyle　held　the　window　open。

〃Good…bye；　Barbara　dear。　If　ever　you　should　be　able　to　tell　my　mother　of　this　day；　say　that　my　chief　sorrow　was　not　to　see　her。〃

〃Oh；　Richard！〃　she　sobbed　forth；　broken…hearted；　〃good…bye。　May　God　be　with　you　and　bless　you！〃

〃Farewell；　Richard；〃　said　Miss　Carlyle；　〃don't　you　be　fool　enough　to　get　into　any　more　scrapes。〃

Last　of　all　he　rung　the　hand　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　The　latter　went　outside　with　him　for　an　instant；　and　their　leave…taking　was　alone。

Barbara　returned　to　the　chamber　he　had　quitted