east lynne-第103章

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　in　the　sun。　The　pink　flush　on　Barbara's　cheek　deepened　to　a　crimson　damask；　and　her　brow　contracted　with　a　remembrance　of　pain。

〃The　very　action　Richard　described！　The　action　he　was　always　using　at　East　Lynne！　I　believe　from　my　heart　that　the　man　is　Thorn；　that　Richard　was　laboring　under　some　mistake　when　he　said　he　knew　Sir　Francis　Levison。〃

She　let　her　hands　fall　upon　her　knee　as　she　spoke；　heedless　of　the　candidate；　heedless　of　the　crowd；　heedless　of　all　save　her　own　troubled　thoughts。　A　hundred　respected　salutations　were　offered　her；　she　answered　them　mechanically；　a　shout　was　raised；　〃Long　live　Carlyle！　Carlyle　forever！〃　Barbara　bowed　her　pretty　head　on　either　side；　and　the　carriage　at　length　got　on。

The　parting　of　the　crowd　brought　Mr。　Dill；　who　had　come　to　listen　for　once　to　the　speech　of　the　second　man；　and　Mr。　Ebenezer　James　close　to　each　other。　Mr。　Ebenezer　James　was　one　who；　for　the　last　twelve　or　fifteen　years；　had　been　trying　his　hand　at　many　trades。　And　had　not　come　out　particularly　well　at　any。　A　rolling　stone　gathers　no　moss。　First；　he　had　been　clerk　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　next；　he　had　been　seduced　into　joining　the　corps　of　the　Theatre　Royal　at　Lynneborough；　then　he　turned　auctioneer；　then　travelling　in　the　oil　and　color　line；　then　a　parson；　the　urgent　pastor　of　some　new　sect；　then　omnibus　driver；　then　collector　of　the　water　rate；　and　now　he　was　clerk　again；　not　in　Mr。　Carlyle's　office；　but　in　that　of　Ball　&　Treadman；　other　solicitors　of　West　Lynne。　A　good…humored；　good…natured；　free…of…mannered；　idle　chap　was　Mr。　Ebenezer　James；　and　that　was　the　worst　that　could　be　urged　against　him；　save　that　he　was　sometimes　out　at　pocket　and　out　at　elbows。　His　father　was　a　respectable　man；　and　had　made　money　in　trade；　but　he　had　married　a　second　wife；　had　a　second　family；　and　his　eldest　son　did　not　come　in　for　much　of　the　paternal　money；　though　he　did　for　a　large　share　of　the　paternal　anger。

〃Well；　Ebenezer；　and　how　goes　the　world　with　you？〃　cried　Mr。　Dill　by　way　of　salutation。

〃Jogging　on。　It　never　gets　to　a　trot。〃

〃Didn't　I　see　you　turning　into　your　father's　house　yesterday？〃

〃I　pretty　soon　turned　out　of　it　again。　I'm　like　the　monkey　when　I　venture　thereget　more　kicks　than　halfpence。　Hush；　old　gentleman！　We　interrupt　the　eloquence。〃

Of　course　〃the　eloquence〃　applied　to　Sir　Francis　Levison；　and　they　set　themselves　to　listenMr。　Dill　with　a　serious　face；　Mr。　Ebenezer　with　a　grinning　one。　But　soon　a　jostle　and　movement　carried　them　to　the　outside　of　the　crowd；　out　of　sight　of　the　speaker；　though　not　entirely　out　of　hearing。　By　these　means　they　had　a　view　of　the　street；　and　discerned　something　advancing　to　them；　which　they　took　for　a　Russian　bear　on　its　hind　legs。

〃I'llbeblest；〃　uttered　Mr。　Ebenezer　James；　after　a　prolonged　pause　of　staring　consternation；　〃if　I　don't　believe　its　Bethel！〃

〃Bethel！〃　repeated　Mr。　Dill；　gazing　at　the　approaching　figure。　〃What　has　he　been　doing　to　himself？〃

Mr。　Otway　Bethel　it　was；　just　arrived　from　foreign　parts　in　his　travelling　costumesomething　shaggy；　terminating　all　over　with　tails。　A　wild　object　he　looked；　and　Mr。　Dill　rather　backed　as　he　drew　near；　as　if　fearing　he　was　a　real　animal　which　might　bite　him。

〃What's　your　name？〃　cried　he。

〃It　used　to　be　Bethel；〃　replied　the　wild　man；　holding　out　his　hand　to　Mr。　Dill。　〃So　you　are　in　the　world；　James；　and　kicking　yet？〃

〃And　hope　to　kick　in　it　for　some　time　to　come；〃　replied　Mr。　James。　〃Where　did　you　hail　from　last？　A　settlement　at　the　North　Pole？〃

〃Didn't　get　quite　as　far。　What's　the　row　here？〃

〃When　did　you　arrive；　Mr。　Otway？〃　inquired　old　Dill。

〃Now。　Four　o'clock　train。　I　say；　what's　up？〃

〃An　election；　that's　all；〃　said　Mr。　Ebenezer。　〃Attley　went　and　kicked　the　bucket。〃

〃I　don't　ask　about　the　election；　I　heard　all　that　at　the　railway　station；〃　returned　Otway　Bethel；　impatiently。　〃What's　/this/？〃　waving　his　hand　at　the　crowd。

〃One　of　the　candidates　wasting　breath　and　wordsLevison。〃

〃I　say；〃　repeated　Otway　Bethel；　looking　at　Mr。　Dill；　〃wasn't　it　rather　rather　of　the　ratherest；　for　/him/　to　oppose　Carlyle？〃

〃Infamous！　Contemptible！〃　was　the　old　gentleman's　excited　answer。　〃But　he'll　get　his　deserts　yet；　Mr。　Otway；　they　have　already　begun。　He　was　treated　to　a　ducking　yesterday　in　Justice　Hare's　green　pond。〃

〃And　he　did　look　a　miserable　devil　when　he　came　out；　trailing　through　the　streets；〃　added　Mr。　Ebenezer；　while　Otway　Bethel　burst　into　a　laugh。　〃He　was　smothered　into　some　hot　blankets　at　the　Raven；　and　a　pint　of　burnt　brandy　put　into　him。　He　seems　all　right　to…day。〃

〃Will　he　go　in　and　win？〃

〃Chut！　Win　against　Carlyle！　He　has　not　the　ghost　of　a　chance；　and　governmentif　it　is　the　government　who　put　him　onmust　be　a　pack　of　fools；　they　can't　know　the　influence　of　Carlyle。　Bethel；　is　that　style　of　costume　the　fashion　where　you　come　from？〃

〃For　slender　pockets。　I'll　sell　'em　to　you　now；　James；　at　half　price。　Let's　get　a　look　at　this　Levison；　though。　I　have　never　seen　the　fellow。〃

Another　interruption　of　the　crowd；　even　as　he　spoke；　caused　by　the　railway　van　bringing　up　some　luggage。　They　contrived；　in　the　confusion；　to　push　themselves　to　the　front；　not　far　from　Sir　Francis。　Otway　Bethel　stared　at　him　in　unqualified　amazement。

〃Why；　what　brings　/him/　here？　What　is　he　doing？〃

〃Who？〃

He　pointed　his　finger。　〃The　one　with　the　white　handkerchief　in　his　hand。〃

〃That　is　Sir　Francis。〃

〃No！〃　uttered　Bethel；　a　whole　world　of　astounded　meaning　in　his　tone。　〃By　Jove！　/He/　Sir　Francis　Levison？〃

At　that　moment　their　eyes　met；　Francis　Levison's　and　Otway　Bethel's。　Otway　Bethel　raised　his　shaggy　hat　in　salutation；　and　Sir　Francis　appeared　completely　scared。　Only　for　an　instant　did　he　lose　his　presence　of　mind。　The　next；　his　eyeglass　was　stuck　in　his　eye　and　turned　on　Mr。　Bethel；　with　a　hard；　haughty　stare；　as　much　as　to　say；　who　are　you；　fellow；　that　you　should　take　such　a　liberty？　But　his　cheeks　and　lips　were　growing　as　white　as　marble。

〃Do　you　know　Levison；　Mr。　Otway？〃　inquired　old　Dill。

〃A　little。　Once。〃

〃When　he　was　not　Levison；　but　somebody　else；〃　laughed　Mr。　Ebenezer　James。　〃Eh；　Bethel？〃

Bethel　turned　as　reproving　a　stare　on　Mr。　Ebenezer　as　the　baronet　had　just　turned　on　him。　〃What　do　you　mean；　pray？　Mind　your　own　business。〃

A　nod　to　old　Dill；　and　he　turned　off　and　disappeared；　taking　no　further　notice　of　James。　The　old　gentleman　questioned　the　latter。

〃What　was　that　little　bit　of　by…play；　Mr。　Ebenezer？〃

〃Nothing　much；〃　laughed　Mr。　Ebenezer。　〃Only　he；〃　nodding　towards　Sir　Francis；　〃was　not　always　the　great　man　he　is　now。〃

〃Ah！〃

〃I　have　held　my　tongue　about　it；　for　it's　no　affair　of　mine；　but　I　don't　mind　letting　you　into　the　secret。　Would　you　believe　that　that　grand　baronet　there；　would…be　member　for　West　Lynne；　used；　years　ago；　to　dodge　about　Abbey　Wood；　mad　after　Afy　Hallijohn？　He　didn't　call　himself　Levison　then。〃

Mr。　Dill　felt　as　if　a　hundred　pins　and　needles　were　pricking　at　his　memory；　for　there　rose　up　in　it　certain　doubts　and　troubles　touching　Richard　Hare　and　one　Thorn。　He　laid　his　eager　hand　upon　the　other's　arm。　〃Ebenezer　James；　what　did　he　call　himself？〃

〃Thorn。　A　dandy；　then；　as　he　is　now。　He　used　to　come　galloping　down　the　Swainson　road　at　dusk；　tie　his　horse　in　the　woods；　and　monopolize　Miss　Afy。〃

〃How　do　you　know　this？〃

〃Because　I've　seen　it　a　dozen　times。　I　was　spooney　after　Afy　myself　in　those　days；　and　went　down　there　a　good　deal　in　an　evening。　If　it　hadn't　been　for　him；　andperhaps　that　murdering　villain；　Dick　Hare；　Afy　would　have　listened　to　me。　Not　that　she　cared　for　Dick；　but；　you　see；　they　were　gentlemen。　I　am　thankful　to　the　stars；　now；　for　my　luck　in　escaping　her。　With　her　for　a　wife；　I　should　have　been　in　a　pickle　always；　as　it　is；　I　do　get　out　of　it　once　in　a　while。〃

〃Did　you　know　then　that　he　was　Francis　Levison？〃

〃Not　I。　He　called　himself　Thorn；　I　tell　you。　When　he　came　down　to　offer　himself　for　member；　and　oppose　Carlyle；　I　was　thunderstruck　like　Bethel　was　a　minute　ago。　Ho　ho；　said　I；　so　Thorn's　defunct；　and　Levison　has　risen。〃

〃What　had　Otway　Bethel　to　do　with　him？〃

〃Nothingthat　I　know　of。　Only　Bethel　was　fond　of　the　woods　also　after　other　game　than　Afy；　thoughand　may　have　seen　Thorn　often。　You　saw