east lynne-第104章

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〃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　that　he　recognized　him。〃

〃ThornLevison；　I　meandid　not　appear　to　like　the　recognition；〃　said　Mr。　Dill。

〃Who　would；　in　his　position？〃　laughed　Ebenezer　James。　〃I　don't　like　to　be　reminded　of　many　a　wild　scrape　of　my　past　life；　in　my　poor　station；　and　what　would　it　be　for　Levison；　were　it　to　come　out　that　he　once　called　himself　Thorn；　and　came　running　after　Miss　Afy　Hallijohn？〃

〃Why　did　he　call　himself　Thorn？　Why　disguise　his　own　name？〃

〃Not　knowing；　can't　say。　/Is/　his　name　Levison；　or　is　it　Thorn？〃

〃Nonsense；　Mr。　Ebenezer！〃

Mr。　Dill；　bursting　with　the　strange　news　he　had　heard；　endeavored　to　force　his　way　through　the　crowd；　that　he　might　communicate　it　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　The　crowd　was；　however；　too　dense　for　him；　and　he　had　to　wait　the　opportunity　of　escaping　with　what　patience　he　might。　When　it　came　he　made　his　way　to　the　office；　and　entered　Mr。　Carlyle's　private　room。　That　gentleman　was　seated　at　his　desk；　signing　letters。

〃Why；　Dill；　you　are　out　of　breath！〃

〃Well　I　may　be！　Mr。　Archibald；　I　have　been　listening　to　the　most　extraordinary　statement。　I　have　found　out　about　Thorn。　Who　do　you　think　he　is？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　put　down　his　pen　and　looked　full　in　the　old　man's　face；　he　had　never　seen　him　so　excited。

〃It's　that　man；　Levison。〃

〃I　do　not　understand　you；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　He　did　not。　It　was　as　good　as　Hebrew　to　him。　〃The　Levison　of　to…day；　your　opponent；　is　the　Thorn　who　went　after　Afy　Hallijohn。　It　is　so；　Mr。　Archibald。〃

〃It　cannot　be！〃　slowly　uttered　Mr。　Carlyle；　thought　upon　thought　working　havoc　with　his　brain。　〃Where　did　you　hear　this？〃

Mr。　Dill　told　his　tale。　Otway　Bethel's　recognition　of　him；　Sir　Francis　Levison's　scared　paleness；　for　he　had　noticed　that；　Mr。　Ebenezer's　revelation。　The　point　in　it　all；　that　finally　settled　most　upon　Mr。　Carlyle；　was　the　thought　that　if　Levison　were　indeed　the　man；　/he/　could　not　be　instrumental　in　bringing　him　to　justice。

〃Bethel　has　denied　to　me　more　than　once　that　he　knew　Thorn；　or　was　aware　of　such　a　man　being　in　existence；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃He　must　have　had　a　purpose　in　it；　then；〃　returned　Mr。　Dill。　〃They　knew　each　other　to…day。　Levison　recognized　him　for　certain；　although　he　carried　it　off　with　a　high　hand；　pretending　not。〃

〃And　it　was　not　as　Levison；　but　as　Thorn；　that　Bethel　recognized　him？〃

〃There's　little　doubt　of　that。　He　did　not　mention　the　name；　Thorn；　but　he　was　evidently　struck　with　astonishment　at　hearing　that　it　was　Levison。　If　they　have　not　some　secret　between　them；　Mr。　Archibald；　I'll　never　believe　my　own　eyes　again。〃

〃Mrs。　Hare's　opinion　is　that　Bethel　had　to　do　with　the　murder；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle；　in　a　low　tone。

〃If　that　is　their　secret；　Bethel　knows　the　murderer；　rely　upon　it；〃　was　the　answer。　〃Mr。　Archibald；　it　seems　to　me　that　now　or　never　is　the　time　to　clear　up　Richard。〃

〃Aye；　but　how　set　about　it？〃　responded　Mr。　Carlyle。

Meanwhile　Barbara　had　proceeded　home　in　her　carriage；　her　brain　as　busy　as　Mr。　Carlyle's；　perhaps　more　troubled。　Her　springing　lightly　and　hastily　out　the　moment　it　stopped；　disdaining　the　footman's　arm；　her　compressed　lips　and　absent　countenance；　proved　that　her　resolution　was　set　upon　some　plan　of　action。　William　and　Madame　Vine　met　her　in　the　hall。

〃We　have　seen　Dr。　Martin；　Mrs。　Carlyle。〃

〃And　he　says〃

〃I　cannot　stay　to　hear　now；　William。　I　will　see　you　later；　madame。〃

She　ran　upstairs　to　her　dressing…room；　Madame　Vine　following　her　with　her　reproachful　eyes。　〃Why　should　she　care？〃　thought　madame。　〃It　is　not　her　child。〃

Throwing　her　parasol　on　one　chair；　her　gloves　on　another；　down　sat　Barbara　to　her　writing…table。　〃I　will　write　to　him；　I　will　have　him　here；　if　it　be　but　for　an　hour！〃　she　passionately　exclaimed。　〃This　shall　be；　so　far；　cleared　up。　I　am　as　sure　as　sure　can　be　that　it　is　that　man。　The　very　action　Richard　described！　And　there　was　the　diamond　ring！　For　better；　for　worse；　I　will　send　for　him；　but　it　will　not　be　for　worse　if　God　is　with　us。〃

She　dashed　off　a　letter；　getting　up　ere　she　had　well　begun　it；　to　order　her　carriage　round　again。　She　would　trust　none　but　herself　to　put　it　in　the　post。

　〃MY　DEAR　MR。　SMITHWe　want　you　here。　Something　has　arisen　that　it　　　is　necessary　to　see　you　upon。　You　can　get　here　by　Saturday。　Be　in　　　/these/　grounds；　near　the　covered　walk；　that　evening　at　dusk。　Ever　　　yours；　〃B。〃


And　the　letter　was　addressed　to　Mr。　Smith；　of　some　street　in　Liverpool；　the　address　furnished　by　Richard。　Very　cautions　to　see；　was　Barbara。　She　even　put　〃Mr。　Smith；〃　inside　the　letter。

〃Now　stop；〃　cried　Barbara　to　herself；　as　she　was　folding　it。　〃I　ought　to　send　him　a　five　pound　note；　for　he　may　not　have　the　means　to　come；　and　I　don't　think　I　have　one　of　that　amount　in　the　house。〃

She　looked　in　her　secretaire。　Not　a　single　five…pound　note。　Out　of　the　room　she　ran；　meeting　Joyce；　who　was　coming　along　the　corridor。

〃Do　you　happen　to　have　a　five…pound　note；　Joyce？〃

〃No；　ma'am；　not　by　me。〃

〃I　dare　say　Madame　Vine　has。　I　paid　her　last　week；　and　there　were　two　five…pound　notes　amongst　it。〃　And　away　went　Barbara　to　the　gray　parlor。

〃Could　you　lend　me　a　five…pound　note；　Madame　Vine？　I　have　occasion　to　enclose　one　in　a　letter；　and　find　I　do　not　possess　one。〃

Madame　Vine　went　to　her　room　to　get　it。　Barbara　waited。　She　asked　William　what　Dr。　Martin　said。

〃He　tried　my　chest　withoh；　I　forget　what　they　call　itand　he　said　I　must　be　a　brave　boy　and　take　my　cod…liver　oil　well；　and　port　wine；　and　everything　I　liked　that　was　good。　And　he　said　he　should　be　at　West　Lynne　next　Wednesday　afternoon；　and　I　am　to　go　there；　and　he　would　call　in　and　see　me。〃

〃Where　are　you　to　meet　him？〃

〃He　said；　either　at　papa's　office　or　at　Aunt　Cornelia's；　as　we　might　decide。　Madame　fixed　it　for　papa's　office；　for　she　thought　he　might　like　to　see　Dr。　Martin。　I　say；　mamma。〃

〃What？〃　asked　Barbara。

〃Madame　Vine　has　been　crying　ever　since。　Why　should　she？〃

〃I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　Crying！〃

〃Yes　but　she　wipes　her　eyes　under　her　spectacles；　and　thinks　I　don't　see　her。　I　know　I　am　very　ill；　but　why　should　she　cry　for　that？〃

〃Nonsense；　William。　Who　told　you　you　were　very　ill？〃

〃Nobody。　I　suppose　I　am；〃　he　thoughtfully　added。　〃If　Joyce　or　Lucy　cried；　now；　there'd　be　some　sense　in　it；　for　they　have　known　me　all　my　life。〃

〃You　are　so　apt　to　fancy　things！　You　are　always　doing　it。　It　is　not　likely　that　madame　would　be　crying　because　you　are　ill。〃

Madame　came　in　with　the　bank…note。　Barbara　thanked　her；　ran　upstairs；　and　in　another　minute　or　two　was　in　her　carriage。

She　was　back　again；　and　dressing　when　the　gentlemen　returned　to　dinner。　Mr。　Carlyle　came　upstairs。　Barbara；　like　most　persons　who　do　things　without　reflection；　having　had　time　to　cool　down　from　her　ardor；　was　doubting　whether　she　had　acted　wisely　in　sending　so　precipitately　for　Richard。　She　carried　her　doubt　and　care　to　her　husband；　her　sure　refuge　in　perplexity。

〃Archibald；　I　fear　I　have　done　a　foolish　thing。〃

He　laughed。　〃I　fear　we　all　do　that　at　times；　Barbara。　What　is　it？〃

He　had　seated　himself　in　one　of　Barbara's　favorite　low　chairs；　and　she　stood　before　him；　leaning　on　his　shoulder；　her　face　a　little　behind；　so　that　he　could　not　see　it。　In　her　delicacy　she　would　not　look　at　him　while　she　spoke　what　she　was　going　to　speak。

〃It　is　something　that　I　have　had　upon　my　mind　for　years；　and　I　did　not　like　to　tell　it　to　you。〃

〃For　years？〃

〃You　remember　that　night；　years　ago；　when　Richard　was　at　the　Grove　in　disguise〃

〃Which　night；　Barbara？　He　came　more　than　once。〃

〃The　nightthe　night　that　Lady　Isabel　quitted　East　Lynne；〃　she　answered；　not　knowing　how　better　to　bring　it　to　his　recollection　and　she　stole　her　hand　lovingly　into　his；　as　she　said　it。　〃Richard　came　back　after　his　departure；　saying　he　had　met　Thorn　in　Bean　lane。　He　described　the　peculiar　motion　of　the　hand　as　he　threw　back　his　hair　from　his　brow；　he　spoke　of　the　white　hand　and　the　diamond　ringhow　it　glittered　in　the　moonlight。　Do　you　remember？〃

〃I　do。〃

〃The　motion　appeared　perfectly　familiar　to　me；　for　I　had　seen　it　repeatedly