east lynne-第113章

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　tongue　and　his　feet　itched　to　do　it。

Mr。　Carlyle　took　his　seat　in　his　private　room；　opened　his　letters；　assorted　them；　marked　on　the　back　of　some　what　was　to　be　the　purport　of　their　answer；　and　then　called　in　Mr。　Dill。　Mr。　Carlyle　put　the　letters　in　his　hand；　gave　some　rapid　instructions；　and　rose。

〃You　are　in　a　hurry；　Mr。　Archibald？〃

〃They　want　me　at　the　Buck's　Head。　Why？〃

〃A　curious　incident　occurred　to　me　last　evening；　sir。　I　was　an　ear…　witness　to　a　dispute　between　Levison　and　Otway　Bethel。〃

〃Indeed！〃　carelessly　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　who　was　busy　at　the　time　looking　for　something　in　the　deep　drawer　of　the　desk。

〃And　what　I　heard　would　go　far　to　hang　Levison；　if　not　Bethel。　As　sure　as　we　are　here；　Mr。　Archibald；　they　hold　the　secret　of　Hallijohn's　murder。　It　appears　that　Levison〃

〃Stop！〃　interposed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　would　prefer　not　to　hear　this。　Levison　may　have　murdered　him；　but　it　is　no　affair　of　mine；　neither　shall　I　make　it　such。〃

Old　Dill　felt　checkmated。　〃Meanwhile　Richard　Hare　suffers；　Mr。　Archibald；〃　he　observed；　in　a　remonstrating　tone。

〃I　am　aware　he　does。〃

〃Is　it　right　that　the　innocent　should　suffer　for　the　guilty？〃

〃No；　very　wrong。　But　the　case　is　all　too　common。〃

〃If　some　one　would　take　up　Richard　Hare's　cause　now；　he　might　be　proved　innocent；〃　added　the　old　man；　with　a　wistful　look　at　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃It　is　being　taken　up；　Dill。〃

A　pause　and　a　glad　look。　〃That's　the　best　news　I　have　had　for　many　a　day；　sir。　But　my　evidence　will　be　necessary　to　your　case。　Levison〃

〃I'm　not　taking　up　the　case。　You　must　carry　your　news　elsewhere。　It　is　no　affair　of　mine；　I　say。〃

〃Then　who　is　taking　it　up？〃　echoed　Mr。　Dill；　in　astonishment。

〃Ball。　He　has　had　a　meeting　with　Richard；　and　is　now　acting　for　him　under　the　rose。〃

Mr。　Dill's　eyes　sparkled。　〃Is　he　going　to　prosecute；　Mr。　Archibald？〃

〃I　tell　you　I　know　nothingI　will　know　nothing。　When　the　affair　comes　out　to　the　publicif　it　ever　does　come　outI　shall　share　in　the　information；　Dill；　and　that　is　all。〃

〃Ah；　well；　I　can　understand。　But　I　shall　go　on　to　their　office　at　once；　Mr。　Archibald；　and　inform　them　of　what　I　overheard；〃　spoke　old　Dill；　in　vehement　decision。

〃That　is　not　my　affair　either；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃it　is　yours。　But　remember；　if　you　do　go；　it　is　Ball；　not　Treadman。〃

Waiting　only　to　give　certain　orders　to　the　head　clerk；　Mr。　Dill　proceeded　to　the　office　of　Ball　&　Treadman。　A　full　hour　was　he　closeted　there　with　the　senior　partner。

Not　until　three　o'clock　that　afternoon　did　the　justices　take　their　seats　on　the　bench。　Scarcely　were　they　seated　when　Lawyer　Ball　bustled　in　and　craved　a　secret　hearing。　His　application　was　of　the　last　importance；　he　promised；　but；　that　the　ends　of　justice　might　not　be　defeated　it　was　necessary　their　worships　should　entertain　it　in　private；　he　therefore　craved　the　bench　to　accord　it　to　him。

The　bench　consulted；　looked　wise；　and；　possibly　possessing　some　latent　curiosity　themselves　upon　the　point；　graciously　acceded。　They　adjourned　to　a　private　room；　and　it　was　full　half…past　four　before　they　came　out　of　it。　Very　long　faces；　scared　and　grim；　were　their　worships'；　as　if　Lawyer　Ball's　communication　had　both　perplexed　and　confounded　them。

〃This　is　the　afternoon　we　are　to　meet　Dr。　Martin　at　papa's　office；〃　William　Carlyle　had　suddenly　exclaimed　that　day　at　dinner。　〃Do　we　walk　in；　Madame　Vine？〃

〃I　do　not　know；　William。　Mrs。　Carlyle　is　going　to　take　you。〃

〃No；　she　is　not；　you　are　going　to　take　me。〃

A　flush　passed　over　Lady　Isabel's　face　at　the　bare　thought；　though　she　did　not　believe　it。　/She/　go　to　Mr。　Carlyle's　office！　〃Mrs。　Carlyle　told　me　herself　that　she　should　take　you；〃　was　the　reply。

〃All　I　know　is；　mamma　told　me　this　morning　you　would　take　me　to　West　Lynne　to…day；〃　persisted　William。

The　discussion　was　interrupted　by　the　appearance　of　Mrs。　Carlyle　interrupted　and　decided　also。

〃Madame　Vine；〃　she　said；　〃you　will　be　ready　at　three　o'clock　to　go　in　with　William？〃

Lady　Isabel's　heart　beat。　〃I　understood　you　to　say　that　you　should　go　with　him　yourself；　madame。〃

〃I　know　I　did。　I　intended　to　do　so；　but　I　heard　this　morning　that　some　friends　from　a　distance　are　coming　this　afternoon　to　call　upon　me；　therefore　I　shall　not　go　out。〃

How　she；　Lady　Isabel；　wished　that　she　dare　say；　also；　〃I　shall　not　go　out　either。〃　But　that　might　not　be。　Well；　she　must　go　through　with　it　as　she　had　to　go　through　with　the　rest。

William　rode　his　pony　into　West　Lynne；　the　groom　attending　to　take　it　back　again。　He　was　to　walk　home　with　Madame　Vine；　who　walked　both　ways。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　not　in　when　they　arrived　at　the　office。　The　boy　went　boldly　on　to　the　private　room；　leaving　Madame　Vine　to　follow　him。

Presently　Mr。　Carlyle　appeared。　He　was　talking　to　Mr。　Dill；　who　followed　him。

〃Oh；　you　are　here；　Madame　Vine！　I　left　word　that　you　were　to　go　into　Miss　Carlyle's。　Did　I　not　leave　word；　Dill？〃

〃Not　with　me；　sir。〃

〃I　forgot　it；　then；　I　meant　to　do　so。　What　is　the　time？〃　He　looked　at　his　watch：　ten　minutes　to　four。　〃Did　the　doctor　say　at　what　hour　he　should　call？〃　Mr。　Carlyle　added　to　Madame　Vine。

〃Not　precisely。　I　gathered　that　it　would　be　very　early　in　the　afternoon。〃

〃Here　he　is！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Carlyle　with　alacrity；　as　he　went　into　the　hall。　She　supposed　he　alluded　to　the　physiciansupposed　he　had　seen　him　pass　the　window。　Their　entrance　together　woke　up　William。

〃Well；〃　said　the　doctor；　who　was　a　little　man　with　a　bald　head；　〃and　how　fares　it　with　my　young　patient？　/Bon　jour/　madame。〃

〃/Bon　jour/；　monsieur；〃　responded　she。　She　wished　everybody　would　address　her　in　French；　and　take　her　for　French；　there　seemed　less　chance　of　recognition。　She　would　have　to　speak　in　good　plain　English；　however；　if　she　must　carry　on　conversation　with　the　doctor。　Beyond　a　familiar　phrase　or　two；　he　was　something　like　Justice　Hare/Nong　parley　Fronsay/　me！

〃And　how　does　the　cod…liver　oil　get　on？〃　asked　the　doctor　of　William；　as　he　drew　him　to　the　light。　〃It　is　nicer　now　than　it　used　to　be；　eh？〃

〃No；〃　said　William；　〃it　is　nastier　than　ever。〃

Dr。　Martin　looked　at　the　boy；　felt　his　pulse；　his　skin；　listened　to　his　breathing。　〃There；〃　said　he；　presently；　〃you　may　sit　down　and　have　your　nap　out。〃

〃I　wish　I　might　have　something　to　drink；　I　am　very　thirsty。　May　I　ring　for　some　water；　papa？〃

〃Go　and　find　your　aunt's　maid；　and　ask　her　for　some；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Ask　her　for　milk；〃　called　out　Dr。　Martin。　〃Not　water。〃

Away　went　William。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　leaning　against　the　side　of　the　window；　Dr。　Martin　folded　his　arms　before　it：　Lady　Isabel　stood　near　the　latter。　The　broad；　full　light　was　cast　upon　all；　but　the　thick　veil　hid　Lady　Isabel's　face。　It　was　not　often　she　could　be　caught　without　that　veil；　for　she　seemed　to　wear　her　bonnet　at　all　sorts　of　seasonable　and　unseasonable　times。

〃What　is　your　opinion；　doctor？〃　asked　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Well；〃　began　the　doctor；　in　a　/very/　professional　tone；　〃the　boy　is　certainly　delicate。　But〃

〃Stay；　Dr。　Martin；〃　was　the　interruption；　spoken　in　a　low；　impressive　voice；　〃you　will　deal　candidly　with　me。　I　must　know　the　truth；　without　disguise。　Tell　it　me　freely。〃

Dr。　Martin　paused。　〃The　truth　is　not　always　palatable；　Mr。　Carlyle。〃

〃True。　But　for　that　very　reason；　all　the　more　necessary。　Let　me　hear　the　worst。　And　the　child　has　no　mother；　you　know；　to　be　shocked　with　it。〃

〃I　fear　that　it　will　be　the　worst。〃

〃Death？〃

〃Ay。　The　seeds　of　consumption　must　have　been　inherent　in　him。　They　are　showing　out　too　palpably。〃

〃Is　there　/no/　hope　for　the　child？〃

Dr。　Martin　looked　at　him。　〃You　bade　me　give　you　the　truth。〃

〃Nothing　else；　nothing　but　the　truth；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle；　his　tone　one　of　mingled　pain　and　command。

〃Then；　there　is　none；　no　hope　whatever。　The　lungs　are　extensively　diseased。〃

〃And　how　long〃

〃That　I　cannot　say；〃　interrupted　the　doctor；　divining　what　the　next　question　was　to　be。　〃He　may　linger　on　for　months；　for　a　year；　it　may　even　be；　or　a　very　short　period　may　see　the　termination。　Don't　worry　him　with　any　more　lessons　and　stuff　of　learning；　he'll　never　want　it。〃

The　doctor　cast　his　eyes　on　the　governess　as　he　spoke；　the　injunction　concerned　her　as　much　as　it　did　Mr。　Carlyle。　And