east lynne-第94部分

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Mr。　Dill　coughed　humbly；　not　wishing　to　renew　the　point　of　the　shirt…　front。　〃She　is　not　exactly　a　servant；　Miss　Corny；　she's　a　lady's　maid；　and　ladies'　maids　do　dress　outrageously　fine。　I　had　great　respect　for　her　father；　ma'am；　never　a　better　clerk　came　into　our　office。〃

〃Perhaps　you'll　tell　me　you　have　a　respect　for　her！　The　world's　being　turned　upside　down；　I　think。　Formerly；　mistresses　kept　their　servants　to　work；　now　it　seems　they　keep　them　for　play！　She's　going　to　St。　Jude's；　you　may　be　sure　of　it；　to　stare　at　this　fine　wedding；　instead　of　being　at　home；　in　a　cotton　gown　and　white　apron；　making　beds。　Mrs。　Latimer　must　be　a　droll　mistress；　to　give　her　liberty　in　this　way。　What's　that　fly　for？〃　sharply　added　Miss　Corny；　as　one　drew　up　to　the　office　door。

〃Fly；〃　said　Mr。　Dill；　stretching　forward　his　bald　head。　〃It　must　be　the　one　I　ordered。　Then　I'll　wish　you　good…day；　Miss　Corny。〃

〃Fly　for　you？〃　cried　Miss　corny。　〃Have　you　got　the　gout；　that　you　could　not　walk　to　St。　Jude's　on　foot？〃

〃I　am　not　going　to　the　church　yet；　I　am　going　on　to　the　Grove；　Miss　Corny。　I　thought　it　would　look　more　proper　to　have　a　fly　ma'am；　more　respectful。〃

〃Not　a　doubt　but　you　need　it　in　that　trim；〃　retorted　she。　〃Why　didn't　you　put　on　pumps　and　silk　stockings　with　pink　clocks？〃

He　was　glad　to　bow　himself　out；　she　kept　on　so。　But　he　thought　he　would　do　it　with　a　pleasant　remark；　to　show　her　he　bore　no　ill…will。　〃Just　look　at　the　crowds　pouring　down；　Miss　Corny；　the　church　will　be　as　full　as　it　can　cram。〃

〃I　dare　say　it　will；〃　retorted　she。　〃One　fool　makes　many。〃

〃I　fear　Miss　Cornelia　does　not　like　this　marriage；　any　more　than　she　did　the　last；〃　quoth　Mr。　Dill　to　himself　as　he　stepped　into　his　fly。　〃Such　a　sensible　woman　as　she　is　in　other　things；　to　be　so　bitter　against　Mr。　Archibald　because　he　marries！　It's　not　like　her。　I　wonder；〃　he　added；　his　thoughts　changing；　〃whether　I　do　look　foolish　in　this　shirt？　I'm　sure　I　never　thought　of　decking　myself　out　to　appear　youngas　Miss　Corny　saidI　only　wished　to　testify　respect　to　Mr。　Archibald　and　Miss　Barbara；　nothing　else　would　have　made　me　give　five…and…twenty　shillings　for　it。　Perhaps　it's　not　etiquetteor　whatever　they　call　itto　wear　them　in　the　morning；　Miss　Corny　ought　to　know；　and　there　certainly　must　be　something　wrong　about　it；　by　the　way　it　put　her　up。　Well；　it　can't　be　helped　now；　it　must　go；　there's　no　time　to　return　home　now　to　change　it。〃

St。　Jude's　Church　was　in　a　cram；　all　the　world　and　his　wife　had　flocked　into　it。　Those　who　could　not　get　in；　took　up　their　station　in　the　churchyard　and　in　the　road。

Well；　it　was　a　goodly　show。　Ladies　and　gentlemen　as　smart　as　fine　feathers　could　make　them。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　one　of　the　first　to　enter　the　church；　self…possessed　and　calm；　the　very　sense　of　a　gentleman。　Oh；　but　he　was　noble　to　look　upon；　though　when　was　he　otherwise？　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Clithero　were　there；　Anne　Hare；　that　was；　a　surprise　for　some　of　the　gazers；　who　had　not　known　they　were　expected　at　the　wedding。　Gentle；　delicate　Mrs。　Hare　walked　up　the　church　leaning　on　the　arm　of　Sir　John　Dobede；　a　paler　shade　than　usual　on　her　sweet；　sad　face。　〃She's　thinking　of　her　wretched；　ill…doing　son；〃　quoth　the　gossips；　one　to　another。　But　who　comes　in　now；　with　an　air　as　if　the　whole　church　belonged　to　him？　An　imposing；　pompous　man；　stern　and　grim；　in　a　new　flaxen　wig；　and　a　white　rose　in　his　buttonhole。　It　is　Mr。　Justice　Hare；　and　he　leads　in　one；　whom　folks　jump　upon　seats　to　get　a　look　at。

Very　lovely　was　Barbara；　in　her　soft　white　silk　robes　and　her　floating　veil。　Her　cheeks；　now　blushing　rosy　red；　now　pale　as　the　veil　that　shaded　them；　betrayed　how　intense　was　her　emotion。　The　bridesmaids　came　after　her　with　jaunty　steps；　vain　in　their　important　office　Louisa　Dobede；　Augusta　and　Kate　Herbert；　and　Mary　Pinner。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　already　in　his　place　at　the　altar；　and　as　Barbara　neared　him；　he　advanced；　took　her　hand；　and　placed　her　on　his　left。　I　don't　think　that　it　was　quite　usual；　but　he　had　been　married　before；　and　ought　to　know。　The　clerk　directed　the　rest　where　to　stand；　and；　after　some　little　delay；　the　service　proceeded。

In　spite　of　her　emotionand　that　it　was　great；　scarcely　to　be　suppressed；　none　could　doubtBarbara　made　the　responses　bravely。　Be　you　very　sure　that　a　woman　who　/loves/　him　she　is　being　united　to；　must　experience　this　emotion。

〃Wilt　though　have　this　man　to　be　thy　wedded　husband；　to　live　together　after　God's　ordinance；　in　the　holy　estate　of　matrimony？〃　spoke　the　Rev。　Mr。　Little。　〃Wilt　thou　obey　him；　and　serve　him；　love；　honor；　and　keep　him　in　sickness　and　in　health；　and　forsaking　all　others；　keep　thee　only　unto　him；　so　long　as　ye　both　shall　live？〃

〃I　will。〃

Clearly；　firmly；　impressively　was　the　answer　given。　It　was　as　if　Barbara　had　in　her　thoughts　one　who　had　not　〃kept　holy　unto　him；〃　and　would　proclaim　her　own　resolution　never　so　to　betray　him；　God　helping　her。

The　ceremony　was　very　soon　over；　and　Barbara；　the　magic　ring　upon　her　finger　and　her　arm　within　Mr。　Carlyle's　was　led　out　to　his　chariot；　now　hershad　he　not　just　endowed　her　with　his　worldly　goods？

The　crowd　shouted　and　hurrahed　as　they　caught　sight　of　her　blushing　face；　but　the　carriage　was　soon　clear　of　the　crowd；　who　concentrated　their　curiosity　upon　the　other　carriages　that　were　to　follow　it。　The　company　were　speeding　back　to　the　Grove　to　breakfast。　Mr。　Carlyle；　breaking　the　silence；　suddenly　turned　to　his　bride　and　spoke；　his　tone　impassioned；　almost　unto　pain。

〃Barbara；　/you/　will　keep　your　vows　to　me？〃

She　raised　her　shy　blue　eyes；　so　full　of　love　to　his；　earnest　feeling　had　brought　the　tears　to　them。

〃Always；　in　the　spirit　and　in　the　letter；　until　death　shall　claim　me。　So　help　me　Heaven！〃



The　German　watering…places　were　crowded　that　early　autumn。　They　generally　are　crowded　at　that　season；　now　that　the　English　flock　abroad　in　shoals；　like　the　swallows　quitting　our　cold　country；　to　return　again　some　time。　France　has　been　pretty　well　used　up；　so　now　we　fall　upon　Germany。　Stalkenberg　was　that　year　particularly　full；　for　its　sizeyou　might　have　put　it　in　a　nutshell；　and　it　derived　its　importance；　name；　and　most　else　belonging　to　it；　from　its　lord　of　the　soil；　the　Baron　von　Stalkenberg。　A　stalwart　old　man　was　the　baron；　with　grizzly　hair；　a　grizzled　beard；　and　manners　as　loutish　as　those　of　the　boars　he　hunted。　He　had　four　sons　as　stalwart　as　himself；　and　who　promised　to　be　in　time　as　grizzled。　They　were　all　styled　the　Counts　von　Stalkenberg；　being　distinguished　by　their　Christian　names　all　save　the　eldest　son；　and　he　was　generally　called　the　young　baron。　Two　of　them　were　awaysoldiers；　and　two；　the　eldest　and　the　youngest；　lived　with　their　father　in　the　tumble…down　castle　of　Stalkenberg；　situated　about　a　mile　from　the　village　to　which　it　gave　its　name。　The　young　Baron　von　Stalkenberg　was　at　liberty　to　marry；　the　three　Counts　von　Stalkenberg　were　notunless　they　could　pick　up　a　wife　with　enough　money　to　keep　herself　and　her　husband。　In　this　creed　they　had　been　brought　up。　It　was　a　perfectly　understood　creed；　and　not　rebelled　against。

The　young　Baron　von　Stalkenberg；　who　was　only　styled　young　in　contradistinction　to　his　father；　being　in　his　forty…first　year；　wa