east lynne-第124章

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ore　than　a　nine　days'　wonder。　On　the　very　evening　of　their　arrival　a　lady；　young　and　beautiful；　was　shown　in　to　the　presence　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Carlyle。　She　had　declined　to　give　her　name；　but　there　arose　to　Mr。　Carlyle's　memory；　when　he　looked　upon　her；　one　whom　he　had　seen　in　earlier　days　as　the　friend　of　his　first　wifeBlanche　Challoner。　It　was　not　Blanche；　however。

The　stranger　looked　keenly　at　Mr。　Carlyle。　He　was　standing　with　his　hat　in　his　hand；　on　the　point　of　going　out。　〃Will　you　pardon　this　intrusion？〃　she　asked。　〃I　have　come　to　you　as　one　human　being　in　need　comes　to　crave　help　of　another。　I　am　Lady　Levison。〃

Barbara's　face　flushed。　Mr。　Carlyle　courteously　invited　the　stranger　to　a　chair；　remaining　standing　himself。　She　sat　for　a　moment；　and　then　rose；　evidently　in　an　excess　of　agitation。

〃Yes；　I　am　Lady　Levison；　forced　to　call　that　man　husband。　That　he　has　been　a　wicked　man；　I　have　long　known；　but　now　I　hear　he　is　a　criminal。　I　hear　it；　I　say；　but　I　can　get　the　truth　from　none。　I　went　to　Lord　Mount　Severn；　he　declined　to　give　me　particulars。　I　heard　that　Mr。　Carlyle　would　be　in　town　to…day；　and　I　resolved　to　come　and　ask　them　of　him。〃

She　delivered　the　sentences　in　a　jerking；　abrupt　tone；　betraying　her　inward　emotion。　Mr。　Carlyle；　looking　somewhat　unapproachable；　made　no　immediate　reply。

〃You　and　I　have　both　been　deeply　wronged　by　him；　Mr。　Carlyle；　but　I　brought　my　wrong　upon　myself；　you　did　not。　My　sister；　Blanche；　whom　he　had　cruelly　treatedand　if　I　speak　of　it；　I　only　speak　of　what　is　known　to　the　worldwarned　me　against　him。　Mrs。　Levison；　his　grandmother；　that　ancient　lady　who　must　now　be　bordering　upon　ninety；　she　warned　me。　The　night　before　my　wedding　day；　she　came　on　purpose　to　tell　me　that　if　I　married　Francis　Levison　I　should　rue　it　for　life。　There　was　yet　time　to　retract　she　said。　Yes；　there　would　have　been　time；　but　there　was　no　/will/。　I　would　not　listen　to　either。　I　was　led　away　by　vanity；　by　folly；　by　something　worsethe　triumphing　over　my　own　sister。　Poor　Blanche！　But　which　has　the　best　of　the　bargain　now；　she　or　I？　And　I　have　a　child；〃　she　continued；　dropping　her　voice；　〃a　boy　who　inherits　his　father's　name。　Mr。　Carlyle；　will　they　/condemn/　him？〃

〃Nothing；　as　yet；　is　positively　proved　against　him；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　compassionating　the　unhappy　lady。

〃If　I　could　but　get　a　divorce！〃　she　passionately　uttered；　apparently　losing　all　self…control。　〃I　might　have　got　one；　over　and　over　again；　since　we　married；　but　there　would　have　been　the　/expose/　and　the　scandal。　If　I　could　but　change　my　child's　name！　Tell　medoes　any　chance　of　redress　remain　for　me？〃

There　was　none；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　did　not　attempt　to　speak　of　any。　He　offered　a　few　kind　words　of　sympathy；　very　generally　expressed；　and　then　prepared　to　go　out。　She　moved；　and　stood　in　his　way。

〃You　will　not　leave　until　you　have　given　me　the　particulars！　I　pray　you；　do　not！　I　came　trustingly　to　you；　hoping　to　know　them。〃

〃I　am　waited　for；　to　keep　an　important　engagement；〃　he　answered。　〃And　were　my　time　at　liberty；　I　should　decline　to　tell　them　to　you；　on　my　own　account；　as　well　as　on　yours。　Lay　not　discourtesy　to　my　charge；　Lady　Levison。　Were　I　to　speak　of　the　man；　even　to　you；　his　name　would　blister　my　lips。〃

〃In　every　word　of　hate　spoken　by　you　I　would　sympathize；　every　contemptuous　expression　of　scorn；　cast　upon　him　from　your　heart；　I　would　join　in；　tenfold。〃

Barbara　was　shocked。　〃He　is　your　husband；　after　all；〃　she　took　leave　to　whisper。

〃My　husband！〃　broke　forth　Lady　Levison；　in　agitation；　seemingly。　〃Yes！　there's　the　wrong。　Why　did　he；　knowing　what　he　was；　delude　me　into　becoming　his　wife？　You　ought　to　feel　for　me；　Mrs。　Carlyle；　and　you　do　feel　for　me；　for　you　are　a　wife　and　mother。　How　dare　these　base　men　marrytake　to　themselves　an　innocent；　inexperienced　girl；　vowing；　before　God；　to　love　and　honor　and　cherish　her？　Were　not　his　other　sins　impediment　enough　but　he　must　have　crime；　also；　and　woo　me！　He　has　done　me　deep　and　irredeemable　wrong；　and　has　entailed　upon　his　child　an　inheritance　of　shame。　What　had　he　or　I　done　to　deserve　it；　I　ask？〃

Barbara　felt　half　frightened　at　her　vehemence；　and　Barbara　might　be　thankful　not　to　understand　it。　All　her　native　gentleness；　all　her　reticence　of　feeling；　as　a　wife　and　a　gentlewoman；　had　been　goaded　out　of　her。　The　process　had　been　going　on　for　some　time；　but　this　last　revelation　was　the　crowning　point；　and　Alice；　Lady　Levison；　turned　round　upon　the　world　in　her　helpless　resentment；　as　any　poor　wife；　working　in　a　garret；　might　have　done。　There　are　certain　wrongs　which　bring　out　human　nature　in　the　high…born；　as　well　as　in　the　low。　〃Still　he　is　your　husband；〃　was　all　Barbara　could；　with　deprecation；　again　plead。

〃He　made　himself　my　husband　by　deceit；　and　I　will　throw　him　off　in　the　face　of　day；〃　returned　Lady　Levison。　〃There　is　no　moral　obligation　why　I　should　not。　He　has　worked　ill　and　ruinill　and　ruin　upon　me　and　my　child；　and　the　world　shall　never　be　allowed　to　think　I　have　borne　my　share　in　it。　How　was　it　you　kept　your　hands　off　him；　when　he　reappeared；　to　brave　you；　in　West　Lynne？〃　she　added；　in　a　changed　tone；　turning　to　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃I　cannot　tell。　I　was　a　marvel　oftentimes　to　myself。〃

He　quitted　the　room　as　he　spoke；　adding　a　few　civil　words　about　her　with　Mrs。　Carlyle。　Barbara；　not　possessing　the　scruples　of　her　husband；　yielded　to　Lady　Levison's　request；　and　gave　her　the　outline　of　the　dark　tale。　Its　outline　only；　and　generously　suppressing　Afy's　name　beyond　the　evening　of　the　fatal　event。　Lady　Levison　listened　without　interruption。

〃Do　you　and　Mr。　Carlyle　believe　him　to　have　been　guilty？〃

〃Yes；　but　Mr。　Carlyle　will　not　express　his　opinion　to　the　world。　He　does　not　repay　wrong　with　revenge。　I　have　heard　him　say　that　if　the　lifting　of　his　finger　would　send　the　man　to　his　punishment；　he　would　tie　down　his　hand　rather　than　lift　it。〃

〃Was　his　first　wife；　Isabel　Vane；　mad？〃　she　presently　asked。

〃Mad！〃　echoed　Barbara；　in　surprise。

〃When　she　quitted　him　for　the　other。　It　could　have　been　nothing　else　than　madness。　I　could　understand　a　woman's　flying　from　/him/　for　love　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　but　now　that　I　have　seen　your　husband；　I　cannot　understand　the　reverse　side　of　the　picture。　I　thank　you　for　your　courtesy；　Mrs。　Carlyle。〃

And；　without　another　word；　Alice　Levison　quitted　the　room　as　abruptly　as　she　had　entered　it。

Well；　the　London　visit　came　to　an　end。　It　was　of　little　more　than　three　weeks'　duration；　for　Barbara　must　be　safe　at　home　again。　Mr。　Carlyle　remained　for　the　rest　of　the　season　alone；　but　he　varied　it　with　journeys　to　East　Lynne。　He　had　returned　home　for　good　now；　July；　although　the　session　had　not　quite　terminated。　There　was　another　baby　at　East　Lynne；　a　lovely　little　baby；　pretty　as　Barbara　herself　had　been　at　a　month　old。　William　was　fading　rapidly。　The　London　physicians　had　but　confirmed　the　opinion　of　Dr。　Martin；　and　it　was　evident　to　all　that　the　close　would　not　be　long　protracted。

Somebody　else　was　fadingLady　Isabel。　The　cross　had　been　too　heavy；　and　she　was　sinking　under　its　weight。　Can　you　wonder　at　it？

An　intensely　hot　day　it　was　under　the　July　sun。　Afy　Hallijohn　was　sailing　up　the　street　in　its　beams；　finer　and　vainer　than　ever。　She　encountered　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃So；　Afy；　you　are　really　going　to　be　married　at　last？〃

〃Jiffin　fancies　so；　sir。　I　am　not　sure　yet　but　what　I　shall　change　my　mind。　Jiffin　thinks　there's　nobody　like　me。　If　I　could　eat　gold　and　silver；　he'd　provide　it；　and　he's　as　fond　as　fond　can　be。　But　then　you　know；　sir；　he's　half　soft。〃

〃Soft　as　to　you；　perhaps；〃　laughed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　consider　him　a　very　civil；　respectable　man；　Afy。〃

〃And　then；　I　never　did　think　to　marry　a　shopkeeper；〃　grumbled　Afy；　〃I　looked　a　little　higher　than　that。　Only　fancy；　sir；　having　a　husband　who　wears　a　white　apron　tied　round　him！〃

〃Terrible！〃　responded　Mr。　Carlyle；　with　a　grave　face。

〃Not　but　what　it　will　be　a　tolerable　settlement；〃　rejoined　Afy；　veering　round　a　point。　〃He's　having　his　house　done　up　in　style；　and　I　shall　keep　two　good　servants；　and　do　nothing　myself　but　dress　and　subscribe　to　the　library。　He　makes　plenty　of　money。〃

〃A　very　tolerable　settlement；　I　should　say；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　Afy's　face　fell　befor