east lynne-第139章

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denly；　his　face　grew　red　with　a　scarlet　flush；　and　he　lifted　it　again。　Did　the　form　of　one；　then　in　a　felon's　cell　at　Lynneborough；　thrust　itself　before　him；　or　that　of　his　absent　and　unconscious　wife？

〃To　His　rest　in　Heaven；〃　she　murmured；　in　the　hollow　tones　of　the　departing。　〃Yes；　yes　I　know　that　God　had　forgiven　me。　Oh；　what　a　struggle　it　has　been！　Nothing　but　bad　feelings；　rebellion；　and　sorrow；　and　repining；　for　a　long　while　after　I　came　back　here；　but　Jesus　prayed　for　me；　and　helped　me；　and　you　know　how　merciful　He　is　to　the　weary　and　heavy…laden。　We　shall　meet　again；　Archibald；　and　live　together　forever　and　ever。　But　for　that　great　hope　I　could　hardly　die。　William　said　mamma　would　be　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　looking　out　for　him；　but　it　is　William　who　is　looking　for　me。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　released　one　of　his　hands；　she　had　taken　them　both；　and　with　his　own　white　handkerchief；　wiped　the　death…dew　from　her　forehead。

〃It　is　no　sin　to　anticipate　it；　Archibald；　for　there　will　be　no　marrying　or　giving　in　marriage　in　Heaven：　Christ　said　so。　Though　we　do　not　know　how　it　will　be；　my　sin　will　be　remembered　no　more　there；　and　we　shall　be　together　with　our　children　forever　and　forever。　Keep　a　little　corner　in　your　heart　for　your　poor　lost　Isabel。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　whispered。

〃Are　you　leaving　me？〃　she　uttered；　in　a　wild　tone　of　pain。

〃You　are　growing　faint；　I　perceive；　I　must　call　assistance。〃

〃Farewell；　then；　farewell；　until　eternity；〃　she　sighed；　the　tears　raining　from　her　eyes。　〃It　is　death；　I　think；　not　faintness。　Oh！　but　it　is　hard　to　part！　Farewell；　farewell　my　once　dear　husband！〃

She　raised　her　head　from　the　pillow；　excitement　giving　her　strength；　she　clung　to　his　arm；　she　lifted　her　face　in　its　sad　yearning。　Mr。　Carlyle　laid　her　tenderly　down　again；　and　suffered　his　wet　cheek　to　rest　upon　hers。

〃Until　eternity。〃

She　followed　him　with　her　eyes　as　he　retreated；　and　watched　him　from　the　room：　then　turned　her　face　to　the　wall。　〃It　is　over。　Only　God　now。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　took　an　instant's　counsel　with　himself；　stopping　at　the　head　of　the　stairs　to　do　it。　Joyce；　in　obedience　to　a　sign　from　him；　had　already　gone　into　the　sick…chamber：　his　sister　was　standing　at　the　door。

〃Cornelia。〃

She　followed　him　down　to　the　dining…room。

〃You　will　remain　here　to…night？　With　/her/？〃

〃Do　you　suppose　I　shouldn't？〃　crossly　responded　Miss　Corny；　〃where　are　you　off　to　now？〃

〃To　the　telegraph　office；　at　present。　To　send　for　Lord　Mount　Severn。〃

〃What　good　can　he　do？〃

〃None。　But　I　shall　send　for　him。〃

〃Can't　one　of　the　servants　go　just　as　well　as　you？　You　have　not　finished　your　dinner；　hardly　begun　it。〃

He　turned　his　eyes　on　the　dinner…table　in　a　mechanical　sort　of　way；　his　mind　wholly　preoccupied；　made　some　remark　in　answer；　which　Miss　Corny　did　not　catch；　and　went　out。

On　his　return　his　sister　met　him　in　the　hall；　drew　him　inside　the　nearest　room；　and　closed　the　door。　Lady　Isabel　was　dead。　Had　been　dead　about　ten　minutes。

〃She　never　spoke　after　you　left　her；　Archibald。　There　was　a　slight　struggle　at　the　last；　a　fighting　for　breath；　otherwise　she　went　off　quite　peacefully。　I　felt　sure；　when　I　first　saw　her　this　afternoon；　that　she　could　not　last　till　midnight。〃



CHAPTER　XLVII。

I。　M。　V。

Lord　Mount　Severn；　wondering　greatly　what　the　urgent　summons　could　be　for；　lost　no　time　in　obeying　it；　and　was　at　East　Lynne　the　following　morning　early。　Mr。　Carlyle　had　his　carriage　at　the　stationhis　close　carriageand　shut　up　in　that　he　made　the　communication　to　the　earl　as　they　drove　to　East　Lynne。

The　earl　could　with　difficulty　believe　it。　Never　had　he　been　so　utterly　astonished。　At　first　he　really　could　not　understand　the　tale。

〃Did　shedid　shecome　back　to　your　house　to　die？〃　he　blundered。　〃You　never　took　her　in？　I　don't　understand。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　explained　further；　and　the　earl　at　length　understood。　But　he　did　not　recover　his　perplexed　astonishment。

〃What　a　mad　act　to　come　back　here。　Madame　Vine！　How　on　earth　did　she　escape　detection？〃

〃She　did　escape　it；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　strange　likeness　Madame　Vine　possessed　to　my　first　wife　did　often　strike　me　as　being　marvelous；　but　I　never　suspected　the　truth。　It　was　a　likeness；　and　not　a　likeness；　for　every　part　of　her　face　and　form　was　changed　except　her　eyes；　and　those　I　never　saw　but　through　those　disguising　glasses。〃

The　earl　wiped　his　hot　face。　The　news　had　ruffled　him　no　measured　degree。　He　felt　angry　with　Isabel；　dead　though　she　was；　and　thankful　that　Mrs。　Carlyle　was　away。

〃Will　you　see　her？〃　whispered　Mr。　Carlyle　as　they　entered　the　house。

〃Yes。〃

They　went　up　to　the　death…chamber；　Mr。　Carlyle　procuring　the　key。　It　was　the　only　time　that　he　entered　it。　Very　peaceful　she　looked　now；　her　pale　features　so　composed　under　her　white　cap　and　hands。　Miss　Carlyle　and　Joyce　had　done　all　that　was　necessary；　nobody　else　had　been　suffered　to　approach　her。　Lord　Mount　Severn　leaned　over　her；　tracing　the　former　looks　of　Isabel；　and　the　likeness　grew　upon　him　in　a　wonderful　degree。

〃What　did　she　die　of？〃　he　asked。

〃She　said　a　broken　heart。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　the　earl。　〃The　wonder　is　that　it　did　not　break　before。　Poor　thing！　Poor　Isabel！〃　he　added；　touching　her　hand；　〃how　she　marred　her　own　happiness！　Carlyle；　I　suppose　this　is　your　wedding　ring？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　cast　his　eyes　upon　the　ring。　〃Very　probably。〃

〃To　think　of　her　never　having　discarded　it！〃　remarked　the　earl；　releasing　the　cold　hand。　〃Well；　I　can　hardly　believe　the　tale　now。〃

He　turned　and　quitted　the　room　as　he　spoke。　Mr。　Carlyle　looked　steadfastly　at　the　dead　face　for　a　minute　or　two；　his　fingers　touching　the　forehead；　but　what　his　thoughts　or　feelings　may　have　been；　none　can　tell。　Then　he　replaced　the　sheet　over　her　face；　and　followed　the　earl。

They　descended　in　silence　to　the　breakfast…room。　Miss　Carlyle　was　seated　at　the　table　waiting　for　them。　〃Where　/could/　all　your　eyes　have　been？〃　exclaimed　the　earl　to　her；　after　a　few　sentences；　referring　to　the　event　just　passed。

〃Just　where　yours　would　have　been；〃　replied　Miss　Corny；　with　a　touch　of　her　old　temper。　〃You　saw　Madame　Vine　as　well　as　we　did。〃

〃But　not　continuously。　Only　two　or　three　times　in　all。　And　I　do　not　remember　ever　to　have　seen　her　without　her　bonnet　and　veil。　That　Carlyle　should　not　have　recognized　her　is　almost　beyond　belief。〃

〃It　/seems/　so；　to　speak　of　it；〃　said　Miss　Corny；　〃but　facts　are　facts。　She　was　young　and　gay；　active；　when　she　left　here；　upright　as　a　dart；　her　dark　hair　drawn　from　her　open　brow；　and　flowing　on　her　neck；　her　cheeks　like　crimson　paint；　her　face　altogether　beautiful。　Madame　Vine　arrived　here　a　pale；　stooping　woman；　lame　of　one　leg；　/shorter/　than　Lady　Isabeland　her　figure　stuffed　out　under　those　sacks　of　jackets。　Not　a　bit；　scarcely；　of　her　forehead　to　be　seen；　for　gray　velvet　and　gray　bands　of　hair；　her　head　smothered　under　a　close　cap；　large；　blue；　double　spectacles　hiding　the　eyes　and　their　sides；　and　the　throat　tied　up；　the　chin　partially。　The　mouth　was　entirely　altered　in　its　character；　and　that　upward　scar；　always　so　conspicuous；　made　it　almost　ugly。　Then　she　had　lost　some　of　her　front　teeth；　you　know；　and　she　lisped　when　she　spoke。　Take　her　for　all　in　all；〃　summed　up　Miss　Carlyle；　〃she　looked　no　more　like　Isabel　who　went　away　from　here　than　I　look　like　Adam。　Just　get　your　dearest　friend　damaged　and　disguised　as　she　was；　my　lord；　and　see　if　you'd　recognize　him。〃

The　observation　came　home　to　Lord　Mount　Severn。　A　gentleman　whom　he　knew　well；　had　been　so　altered　by　a　fearful　accident；　that　little　resemblance　could　be　traced　to　his　former　self。　In　fact；　his　own　family　could　not　recognize　him：　and　/he/　used　an　artificial　disguise。　It　was　a　case　in　point；　andreaderI　assure　you　it　was　a　true　one。

〃It　was　the　/disguise/　that　we　ought　to　have　suspected；〃　quietly　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　likeness　was　not　sufficiently　striking　to　cause　suspicion。〃

〃But　she　turned　the　house　from　that　scent　as　soon　as　she　came　into　it；〃　struck　in　Miss　Corny；　〃telling　of　the　'neuralgic　pains'　that　affected　her　head　and　face；　rendering　the　guarding　them　from　exposure　necessary。　Remember；　Lord　Mount　Severn；　that　the　Ducies　had　been　with　her　in　Germany；　and　had　never　suspected　her。　Remember　al