east lynne-第17章

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d　Isabel　Vane　was　within　it。　She　caused　it　to　stop　when　she　saw　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　he　advanced　to　her。

〃I　have　been　to　Mr。　Kane's　myself　for　the　tickets；〃　said　she；　with　a　beaming　look。　〃I　came　into　West　Lynne　on　purpose。　I　told　the　coachman　to　find　out　where　he　lived；　and　he　did。　I　thought　if　the　people　saw　me　and　the　carriage　there；　they　would　guess　what　I　wanted。　I　do　hope　he　will　have　a　full　concert。〃

〃I　am　sure　he　will；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　as　he　released　her　hand。　And　Lady　Isabel　signed　to　the　carriage　to　drive　on。

As　Mr。　Carlyle　turned　away；　he　met　Otway　Bethel；　a　nephew　of　Colonel　Bethel's；　who　was　tolerated　in　the　colonel's　house　because　he　had　no　other　home；　and　appeared　incapable　to　making　himself　one。　Some　persons　persisted　in　calling　him　a　gentlemanas　he　was　by　birthothers　a　/mauvais　sujet/。　The　two　are　united　sometimes。　He　was　dressed　in　a　velveteen　suit；　and　had　a　gun　in　his　hand。　Indeed；　he　was　rarely　seen　without　a　gun；　being　inordinately　fond　of　sport；　but；　if　all　tales　whispered　were　true；　he　supplied　himself　with　game　in　other　ways　than　by　shooting；　which　had　the　credit　of　going　up　to　London　dealers。　For　the　last　six　months　or　near　upon　it；　he　had　been　away　from　West　Lynne。

〃Why；　where　have　you　been　hiding　yourself？〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　colonel　has　been　inconsolable。〃

〃Come；　no　gammon；　Carlyle。　I　have　been　on　the　tramp　through　France　and　Germany。　Man　likes　a　change　sometimes。　As　to　the　revered　colonel；　he　would　not　be　inconsolable　if　he　saw　me　nailed　up　in　a　six…foot　box；　and　carried　out　feet　foremost。〃

〃Bethel；　I　have　a　question　to　ask　you；〃　continued　Mr。　Carlyle；　dropping　his　light　manner　and　his　voice　together。　〃Take　your　thoughts　back　to　the　night　of　Hallijohn's　murder。〃

〃I　wish　you　may　get　it；〃　cried　Mr。　Bethel。　〃The　reminiscence　is　not　attractive。〃

〃You'll　do　it；〃　quietly　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　has　been　told　me；　though　it　did　not　appear　at　the　inquest；　that　Richard　Hare　held　a　conversation　with　you　in　the　wood　a　few　minutes　after　the　deed　was　done。　Now〃

〃Who　told　you　that？〃　interrupted　Bethel。

〃That　is　not　the　question。　My　authority　is　indisputable。〃

〃It　is　true　that　he　did。　I　said　nothing　about　it；　for　I　did　not　want　to　make　the　case　worse　against　Dick　Hare　than　it　already　was。　He　certainly　did　accost　me；　like　a　man　flurried　out　of　his　life。〃

〃Asking　if　you　had　seen　a　certain　lover　of　Afy's　fly　from　the　cottage。　One　Thorn。〃

〃That　was　the　purport。　Thorn；　ThornI　think　Thorn　was　the　name　he　mentioned。　My　opinion　was；　that　Dick　was　either　wild　or　acting　a　part。〃

〃Now；　Bethel；　I　want　you　to　answer　me　truly。　The　question　cannot　affect　you　either　way；　but　I　must　know　whether　you　did　see　this　Thorn　leave　the　cottage。〃

Bethel　shook　his　head。　〃I　know　nothing　whatever　about　any　Thorn；　and　I　saw　nobody　but　Dick　Hare。　Not　but　what　a　dozen　Thorns　might　have　run　from　the　cottage　without　my　seeing　them。〃

〃You　heard　the　shot　fired？〃

〃Yes；　but　I　never　gave　a　thought　to　mischief。　I　knew　Locksley　was　in　the　wood；　and　supposed　it　came　from　him。　I　ran　across　the　path；　bearing　toward　the　cottage；　and　struck　into　the　wood　on　the　other　side。　By　and　by；　Dick　Hare　pitched　upon　me；　like　one　startled　out　of　his　seven　senses；　and　asked　if　I　had　seen　Thorn　leave　the　cottage。　Thornthat　/was/　the　name。〃

〃And　you　had　not？〃

〃I　had　seen　nobody　but　Dick；　excepting　Locksley。　My　impression　was；　that　nobody　else　was　about；　I　think　so　still。〃

〃But　Richard〃

〃Now　look　you　here；　Carlyle；　I　won't　do　Dick　Hare　an　injury；　even　by　a　single　word；　if　I　can　help　it；　and　it　is　of　no　use　setting　me　on　to　it。〃

〃I　should　be　the　last　to　set　you　on　to　injure　any　one；　especially　Richard　Hare；〃　rejoined　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃and　my　motive　is　to　do　Richard　Hare　good；　not　harm。　I　hold　a　suspicion；　no　matter　whence　gathered；　that　it　was　not　Richard　Hare　who　committed　the　murder；　but　another。　Can　you　throw　any　light　upon　the　subject？〃

〃No；　I　can't。　I　have　always　thought　poor　wavering　Dick　was　nobody's　enemy　but　his　own；　but；　as　to　throwing　any　light　on　that　night's　work；　I　can't　do　it。　Cords　should　not　have　dragged　me　to　the　inquest　to　give　evidence　against　Dick；　and　for　that　reason　I　was　glad　Locksley　never　let　out　that　I　was　on　the　spot。　How　the　deuce　it　got　about　afterward　that　I　was；　I　can't　tell；　but　that　was　no　matter；　/my/　evidence　did　not　help　on　the　verdict。　And　talking　of　that；　Carlyle；　how　has　it　come　to　your　knowledge　that　Richard　Hare　accosted　me？　I　have　not　opened　my　lips　upon　it　to　mortal　man。〃

〃It　is　of　no　consequence　now；〃　repeated　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃I　do　know　it；　and　that　is　sufficient。　I　was　in　hopes　you　had　really　seen　this　man　Thorn　leave　the　cottage。〃

Otway　Bethel　shook　his　head。　〃I　should　not　lay　too　much　stress　upon　any　Thorns　having　been　there；　were　I　you；　Carlyle。　Dick　Hare　was　as　one　crazy　that　night；　and　might　see　shapes　and　forms　where　there　were　none。〃



CHAPTER　IX。

THE　SONG　AND　THE　DIRGE。

The　concert　was　to　take　place　on　Thursday；　and　on　the　following　Saturday　Lord　Mount　Severn　intended　finally　to　quit　East　Lynne。　The　necessary　preparations　for　departure　were　in　progress；　but　when　Thursday　morning　dawned；　it　appeared　a　question　whether　they　would　not　once　more　be　rendered　nugatory。　The　house　was　roused　betimes；　and　Mr。　Wainwright；　the　surgeon　from　West　Lynne；　summoned　to　the　earl's　bedside；　he　had　experienced　another　and　a　violent　attack。　The　peer　was　exceedingly　annoyed　and　vexed；　and　very　irritable。

〃I　may　be　kept　here　a　weeka　montha　fortnighta　month　longer；　now！〃　he　uttered　fretfully　to　Isabel。

〃I　am　very　sorry；　papa。　I　dare　say　you　do　find　East　Lynne　dull。〃

〃Dull！　That's　not　it；　I　have　other　reasons　for　wishing　East　Lynne　to　be　quit　of　us。　And　now　you　can't　go　to　the　concert。〃

Isabel's　face　flushed。　〃Not　go；　papa？〃

〃Why；　who　is　to　take　you。　I　can't　get　out　of　bed。〃

〃Oh；　papa；　I　must　be　there。　Otherwise　it　would　like　almost　as　though　as　though　we　had　announced　what　we　did　not　mean　to　perform。　You　know　it　was　arranged　that　we　should　join　the　Ducies；　the　carriage　can　still　take　me　to　the　concert　room；　and　I　can　go　in　with　them。〃

〃Just　as　you　please。　I　thought　you　would　have　jumped　at　any　plea　for　staying　away。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　laughed　Isabel。　〃I　should　like　West　Lynne　to　see　that　I　don't　despise　Mr。　Kane　and　his　concert。〃

Later　in　the　day　the　earl　grew　alarmingly　worse；　his　paroxysms　of　pain　were　awful。　Isabel；　who　was　kept　from　the　room；　knew　nothing　of　the　danger；　and　the　earl's　groans　did　not　penetrate　to　her　ears。　She　dressed　herself　in　a　gleeful　mode；　full　of　laughing　willfulness；　Marvel；　her　maid；　superintending　in　stiff　displeasure；　for　the　attire　chosen　did　not　meet　her　approbation。　When　ready；　she　went　into　the　earl's　room。

〃Shall　I　do；　papa？〃

Lord　Mount　Severn　raised　his　swollen　eyelids　and　drew　the　clothes　from　his　flushed　face。　A　shining　vision　was　standing　before　him；　a　beauteous　queen；　a　gleaming　fairy；　he　hardly　knew　what　she　looked　like。　She　had　put　on　a　white　lace　hat　and　her　diamonds；　the　dress　was　rich；　and　the　jewels　gleamed　from　her　delicate　arms：　and　her　cheeks　were　flushed　and　her　curls　were　flowing。

The　earl　stared　at　her　in　amazement。　〃How　could　you　dress　yourself　off　like　that　for　a　concert？　You　are　out　of　yours　senses；　Isabel。〃

〃Marvel　thinks　so；　too；〃　was　the　gay　answer；　〃she　has　had　a　cross　face　since　I　told　her　what　to　put　on。　But　I　did　it　on　purpose；　papa；　I　thought　I　would　show　those　West　Lynne　people　that　/I/　think　the　poor　man's　moment　worth　going　to；　and　worth　dressing　for。〃

〃You　will　have　the　whole　room　gaping　at　you。〃

〃I　don't　mind。　I'll　bring　you　word　all　about　it。　Let　them　gape。〃

〃You　vain　child！　You　have　so　dressed　yourself　to　please　your　vanity。　But；　Isabel；　youoooh！〃

Isabel　started　as　she　stood；　the　earl's　groan　of　pain　was　dreadful。

〃An　awful　twinge；　child。　There；　go　along；　talking　makes　me　worse。〃

〃Papa；　shall　I　stay　at　home　with　you？〃　she　gravely　asked。　〃Every　consideration　should　give　way　to　illness。　If　you　would　like　me　to　remain；　or　if　I　can　do　any　good；　pray　let　me。〃

〃Quite　the　contrary；　I　had　rather　you　were　away。　You　can　do　no　earthly　good；　for　I　could　not　have　you　in　the　room。　Good…bye；　darling。　If　you　see　Carlyle；　tell　him　I　shall　hope　to　see　him　to…mo