east lynne-第123章
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r。 Carlyle； who has hastily assumed his pantaloons。
He cast a rapid glance down to the hall； and saw that the stairs were perfectly free for escape； therefore to hurry was not so violent。 Every soul around him was shrieking in concert； making the confusion and din terrific。 The bright moonlight streamed in at the corridor windows； but there was no other light； shadowy and indistinct enough looked the white figures。
〃Where is the fire？〃 he exclaimed。 〃I don't smell any。 Who gave the first alarm？〃
The bell answered him。 The hall…bell； which rang out ten times louder and longer than before。 He opened one of the windows and leaned from it。 〃Who's there？〃 Madame Vine caught up Archie。
〃It's me； sir；〃 responded a voice； which he at once recognized to be that of one of Mr。 Hare's men…servants。 〃Master has been took in a fit； sir； and mistress sent me for you and Miss Barbara。 You must please make haste； sir； if you want to see him alive。〃
Miss Barbara！ It was more familiar to Jasper； in a moment of excitement； than the new name。
〃You； Jasper！ Is the house on firethis house？〃
〃Well； I don't know； sir。 I can hear a dreadful deal of screeching in it。〃
Mr。 Carlyle closed the window。 He began to suspect that the danger lay in fear alone。 〃Who told you there was fire？〃 he demanded of Wilson。
〃That man ringing at the door；〃 sobbed Wilson。 〃Thank goodness I have saved the children！〃
Mr。 Carlyle felt somewhat exasperated at the mistake。 His wife was trembling from head to foot； her face of a deadly whiteness； and he knew that she was not in a condition to be alarmed； necessarily or unnecessarily。 She clung to him in terror； asking if they /could/ escape。
〃My darling； be calm！ There's no fire； it's a stupid mistake。 You may all go back to bed and sleep in peace；〃 he added to the rest； 〃and the next time that you alarm the house in the night； Wilson； have the goodness to make yourself sure； first of all； that there's cause for it。〃
Barbara； frightened still； bewildered and uncertain； escaped to the window and threw it open。 But Mr。 Carlyle was nearly as quick as she； he caught her to him with one hand； and drew the window down with the other。 To have these tidings told to her abruptly would be worse than all。 By this time some of the servants had descended the other staircase with a light； being in various stages of costume； and hastened to open the hall…door。 Jasper entered。 The man had probably waited to help to put out the 〃fire。〃 Barbara caught sight of him ere Mr。 Carlyle could prevent it； and grew sick with fear； believing some ill had happened to her mother。
Drawing her inside their chamber； he broke the news to her soothingly and tenderly； making light of it。
She burst into tears。 〃You are not deceiving me； Archibald？ Papa is not dead？〃
〃Dead！〃 cheerfully echoed Mr。 Carlyle； in the same tone he might have used had Barbara wondered whether the justice was taking a night airing for pleasure in a balloon。 〃Wilson has indeed frightened you； love。 Dress yourself； and we will go and see him。〃
At that moment Barbara recollected William。 Strange that she should have been the first to do sobefore Lady Isabelbefore Mr。 Carlyle。 She ran out again to the corridors； where the boy stood shivering。 〃He may have caught his death！〃 she uttered； snatching him up in her arms。 〃Oh； Wilson！ What have you done？ His night…gown is damp and cold。〃
Unfit as she was for the burden； she bore him to her own bed。 Wilson was not at leisure to attend to reproaches just then。 She was engaged in a wordy war with Jasper； leaning over the balustrades to carry it on。
〃I never told you there was a fire！〃 indignantly denied Jasper。
〃You did。 I opened the nursery window and called out 'Is it fire？' and you answered 'Yes。' 〃
〃You called out 'Is it Jasper？' What else should I say but 'Yes；' to that？ Fire？ Where was the fire likely to bein the park？〃
〃Wilson take the children back to bed；〃 authoritatively spoke Mr。 Carlyle； as he advanced to look down into the hall。 〃John； are you there？ The close carriage； instantlylook sharp。 Madame Vine； pray don't continue to hold that heavy boy； Joyce can't you relieve madame？〃
In crossing back to his room； Mr。 Carlyle had brushed past madame； and noticed that she appeared to be shaking； as with the weight of Archibald。 In reality she was still alarmed； not understanding yet the cause of the commotion。 Joyce； who comprehended it as little； and had stood with her arms round Lucy； advanced to take Archibald； and Mr。 Carlyle disappeared。 Barbara had taken off her own warm night…gown then； and put it upon William in place of his cold onehad struck a light and was busily dressing herself。
〃Just feel his night…gown Archibald！ Wilson〃
A shrill cry of awful terror interrupted the words； and Mr。 Carlyle made one bound out again。 Barbara followed； the least she thought was that Wilson had dropped the baby in the hall。
That was not the catastrophe。 Wilson； with the baby and Lucy； had already disappeared up the staircase； and Madame Vine was disappearing。 Archibald lay on the soft carpet of the corridor； where madame had stood； for Joyce； in the act of taking him； had let him slip to the groundlet him fall from sheer terror。 She held on to the balustrades； her face ghastly； her mouth open； her eyes fixed in horroraltogether an object to look upon。 Archie gathered himself on his sturdy legs； and stood staring。
〃Why； Joyce！ What is the matter with /you/？〃 cried Mr。 Carlyle。 〃You look as if you had seen a spectre。〃
〃Oh； master！〃 she wailed； 〃I have seen one。〃
〃Are you all going deranged together？〃 retorted he； wondering what had come to the house。 〃Seen a spectre； Joyce？〃
Joyce fell on her knees； as if unable to support herself； and crossed her shaking hands upon her chest。 Had she seen ten spectres she could not have betrayed more dire distress。 She was a sensible and faithful servant； one not given to flights of fancy； and Mr。 Carlyle gazed at her in very amazement。
〃Joyce； what is this？〃 he asked； bending down and speaking kindly。
〃Oh； my dear master！ Heaven have mercy upon us all！〃 was the inexplicable answer。
〃Joyce I ask you what is this？〃
She made no reply。 She rose up shaking； and； taking Archie's hand； slowly proceeded toward the upper stairs； low moans breaking from her； and the boy's naked feet pattering on the carpet。
〃What can ail her？〃 whispered Barbara； following Joyce with her eyes。 〃What did she mean about a spectre？〃
〃She must have been reading a ghost…book；〃 said Carlyle。 〃Wilson's folly has turned the house topsy…turvy。 Make your haste； Barbara。〃
Spring waned。 Summer came； and would soon be waning； too； for the hot days of July were now in。 What had the months brought forth； since the election of Mr。 Carlyle in April？ Be you very sure they had not been without their events。
Mr。 Justice Hare's illness had turned out to be a stroke of paralysis。 People cannot act with unnatural harshness toward a child； and then discover they have been in the wrong； with impunity。 Thus it proved with Mr。 Justice Hare。 He was recovering； but would never again be the man he had been。 The fright； when Jasper had gone to tell of his illness at East Lynne； and was mistaken for fire； had done nobody any damage； save William and Joyce。 William had caught a cold； which brought increased malady to the lungs； and Joyce seemed to have caught /fear/。 She went about； more like one in a dream than awake； would be buried in a reverie for an hour at a time； and if suddenly spoken to； would start and shiver。
Mr。 Carlyle and his wife departed for London immediately that Mr。 Hare was pronounced out of danger； which was in about a week from the time of his seizure。 William accompanied them； partly for the benefit of London advice； partly that Mr。 Carlyle would not be parted from him。 Joyce went； in attendance with some of the servants。
They found London ringing with the news of Sir Francis Levison's arrest。 London could not understand it； and the most wild and improbable tales were in circulation。 The season was at its height； the excitement in proportion； it was more than a nine days' wonder。 On the very evening of their arrival a lady； young and beautiful； was
