east lynne-第40章

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ara　suffered　herself　to　betray　emotion　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　her　manner　to　him　had　been　calm；　courteous；　and　indifferent。　And　she　now　more　frequently　called　him　〃Mr。　Carlyle〃　than　〃Archibald。〃

〃Take　a　seattake　a　seat；　Barbara。〃

〃I　asked　for　Miss　Carlyle；〃　she　continued；　〃for　mamma　is　in　want　of　a　pattern　that　she　promised　to　lend　her。　You　remember　the　Lieutenant　Thorn　whom　Richard　spoke　of　as　being　the　real　criminal？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　think　he　is　at　West　Lynne。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　was　aroused　to　eager　interest。

〃He！　The　same　Thorn？〃

〃It　can　be　no　other。　Mamma　and　I　were　shopping　to…day；　and　I　went　out　for　her　bag；　which　she　left　in　the　carriage。　While　Benjamin　was　getting　it；　I　saw　a　stranger　coming　up　the　streeta　tall；　good…　looking；　dark…haired　man；　with　a　conspicuous　gold　chain　and　studs。　The　sun　was　full　upon　him；　causing　the　ornaments　to　shine；　especially　a　diamond　ring　which　he　wore；　for　he　had　one　hand　raised　to　his　face。　The　thought　flashed　over　me；　'That　is　just　like　the　description　Richard　gave　of　the　man　Thorn。'　Why　the　idea　should　have　occurred　to　me　in　that　strange　manner；　I　do　not　know；　but　it　most　assuredly　did　occur；　though　I　did　not　really　suppose　him　to　be　the　same。　Just　then　I　heard　him　spoken　to　by　some　one　on　the　other　side　of　the　street；　it　was　Otway　Bethel；　and　he　called　him　/Captain　Thorn/。〃

〃This　is　curious；　indeed；　Barbara。　I　did　not　know　any　stranger　was　at　West　Lynne。〃

〃I　saw　Mr。　Wainwright；　and　asked　him　who　it　was。　He　said　a　Captain　Thorn；　a　friend　of　the　Herberts。　A　Lieutenant　Thorn　four　or　five　years　ago　would　probably　be　Captain　Thorn　now。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　nodded；　and　there　was　a　pause。

〃What　can　be　done？〃　asked　Barbara。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　passing　one　hand　over　his　brow；　it　was　a　habit　of　his　when　in　deep　thought。

〃It　is　hard　to　say　what　is　to　be　done；　Barbara。　The　description　you　gave　of　this　man　certainly　tallies　with　that　given　by　Richard。　Did　he　look　like　a　gentleman？〃

〃Very　much　so。　A　remarkably　aristocratic　looking　man；　as　it　struck　me。

Mr。　Carlyle　again　nodded　assentingly。　He　remembered　Richard's　words；　when　describing　the　other：　〃an　out…and…out　aristocrat。〃　〃Of　course；　Barbara；　the　first　thing　must　be　to　try　and　ascertain　whether　it　is　the　same；〃　he　observed。　〃If　we　find　it　is；　then　we　must　deliberate　upon　future　measures。　I　will　see　what　I　can　pick　up　and　let　you　know。〃

Barbara　rose。　Mr。　Carlyle　escorted　her　across　the　hall；　and　then　strolled　down　the　park　by　her　side；　deep　in　the　subject；　and　quite　unconscious　that　Lady　Isabel's　jealous　eyes　were　watching　them　from　her　dressing…room　window。

'You　say　he　seemed　intimate　with　Otway　Bethel？〃

〃As　to　being　intimate；　I　cannot　say。　Otway　Bethel　spoke　as　though　he　knew　him。〃

〃This　must　have　caused　excitement　to　Mrs。　Hare。〃

〃You　forget；　Archibald；　that　mamma　was　not　told　anything　about　Thorn；〃　was　the　answer　of　Barbara。　〃The　uncertainty　would　have　worried　her　to　death。　All　Richard　said　to　her　was；　that　he　was　innocent；　that　it　was　a　stranger　who　did　the　deed；　and　she　asked　for　no　particulars；　she　had　implicit　faith　in　Richard's　truth。〃

〃True；　I　did　forget；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　wish　we　could　find　out　some　one　who　knew　the　other　Thorn；　to　ascertain　that　they　were　the　same　would　be　a　great　point　gained。〃

He　went　as　far　as　the　park　gates　with　Barbara；　shook　hands　and　wished　her　good　evening。　Scarcely　had　she　departed　when　Mr。　Carlyle　saw　two　gentlemen　advancing　from　the　opposite　direction；　in　one　of　whom　he　recognized　Tom　Herbert；　and　the　otherinstinct　told　himwas　Captain　Thorn。　He　waited　till　they　came　up。

〃If　this　isn't　lucky；　seeing　you；〃　cried　Mr。　Tom　Herbert；　who　was　a　free…and…easy　sort　of　a　gentleman；　the　second　son　of　a　brother　justice　of　Mr。　Hare。　〃I　wish　to　goodness　you'd　give　us　a　draught　of　your　cider；　Carlyle。　We　went　up　to　Beauchamp's　for　a　stroll；　but　found　them　all　out；　and　I'm　awful　thirsty。　Captain　Thorn；　Carlyle。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　invited　them　to　his　house　and　ordered　in　refreshments。　Young　Herbert　coolly　threw　himself　into　an　arm…chair　and　lit　a　cigar。　〃Come；　Thorn；〃　cried　he；　〃here's　a　weed　for　you。〃

Captain　Thorn　glanced　toward　Mr。　Carlyle；　he　appeared　of　a　far　more　gentlemanly　nature　than　Tom　Herbert。

〃You'll　have　one　too；　Carlyle；〃　said　Herbert；　holding　out　his　cigar…　case。　〃Oh；　I　forgotyou　are　a　muff；　don't　smoke　one　twice　a　year。　I　say　how's　Lady　Isabel？〃

〃Very　ill　still。〃

〃By　Jove！　Is　she；　though？　Tell　her　I　am　sorry　to　hear　it；　will　you；　Carlyle？　ButI　say！　Will　she　smell　the　smoke？〃　asked　he；　with　a　mixture　of　alarm　and　concern　in　his　face。

Mr。　Carlyle　reassured　him　upon　the　point；　and　turned　to　Captain　Thorn。

〃Are　you　acquainted　with　this　neighborhood？〃

Captain　Thorn　smiled。　〃I　only　reached　West　Lynne　yesterday。〃

〃You　were　never　here　before　then？〃　continued　Mr。　Carlyle；　setting　down　the　last　as　a　probably　evasive　answer。

〃No。〃

〃He　and　my　brother　Jack；　you　know；　are　in　the　same　regiment；〃　put　in　Tom；　with　scanty　ceremony。　〃Jack　had　invited　him　down　for　some　fishing　and　that；　and　Thorn　arrives。　But　he　never　sent　word　he　was　coming；　you　see；　Jack　had　given　him　up；　and　is　off　on　some　Irish　expedition；　the　deuce　knows　where。　Precious　unlucky　that　it　should　have　happened　so。　Thorn　says　he　shall　cut　short　his　stay；　and　go　again。〃

The　conversation　turned　upon　fishing；　and　in　the　heat　of　the　argument；　the　stranger　mentioned　a　certain　pond　and　its　famous　eelsthe　〃Low　Pond。〃　Mr。　Carlyle　looked　at　him；　speaking；　however　in　a　careless　manner。

〃Which　do　you　mean？　We　have　two　ponds　not　far　apart；　each　called　the　'Low　Pond'　〃

〃I　mean　the　one　on　an　estate　about　three　miles　form　hereSquire　Thorpe's；　unless　I　am　mistaken。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　smiled。　〃I　think　you　must　have　been　in　the　neighborhood　before；　Captain　Thorn。　Squire　Thorpe　is　dead　and　the　property　has　passed　to　his　daughter's　husband；　and　that　Low　Pond　was　filled　up　three　years　ago。〃

〃I　have　heard　a　friend　mention　it；〃　was　Captain　Thorn's　reply；　spoken　in　an　indifferent　tone；　though　he　evidently　wished　not　to　pursue　the　subject。

Mr。　Carlyle；　by　easy　degrees；　turned　the　conversation　upon　Swainson；　the　place　where　Richard　Hare's　Captain　Thorn　was　suspected　to　have　come。　The　present　Captain　Thorn　said　he　knew　it　〃a　little；〃　he　had　once　been　〃staying　there　a　short　time。〃　Mr。　Carlyle　became　nearly　convinced　that　Barbara's　suspicions　were　correct。　The　description　certainly　agreed；　so　far　as　he　could　judge；　in　the　most　minute　particulars。　The　man　before　him　wore　two　rings；　a　diamondand　a　very　beautiful　diamond　tooon　the　one　hand；　a　seal　ring　on　the　other；　his　hands　were　delicate　to　a　degree；　and　his　handkerchief；　a　cambric　one　of　unusually　fine　texture；　was　not　entirely　guiltless　of　scent。　Mr。　Carlyle　quitted　the　room　for　a　moment　and　summoned　Joyce　to　him。

〃My　lady　has　been　asking　for　you；〃　said　Joyce。

〃Tell　her　I　will　be　up　the　moment　these　gentlemen　leave；　Joyce；〃　he　added；　〃find　an　excuse　to　come　into　the　room　presently；　you　can　bring　something　or　other　in；　I　want　you　to　look　at　this　stranger　who　is　with　young　Mr。　Herbert。　Notice　him　well；　I　fancy　you　may　have　seen　him　before。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　returned　to　the　room；　leaving　Joyce　surprised。　However；　she　presently　followed；　taking　in　some　water；　and　lingered　a　few　minutes；　apparently　placing　the　things　on　the　table　in　better　order。

When　the　two　departed　Mr。　Carlyle　called　Joyce；　before　proceeding　to　his　wife's　room。　〃Well；〃　he　questioned；　〃did　you　recognize　him？〃

〃Not　at　all；　sir。　He　seemed　quite　strange　to　me。〃

〃Cast　your　thoughts　back；　Joyce。　Did　you　never　see　him　in　days　gone　by？〃

Joyce　looked　puzzled；　and　she　replied　in　the　negative。

〃Is　he　the　man；　think　you；　who　used　to　ride　from　Swainson　to　see　Afy？〃

Joyce's　face　flushed　crimson。　〃Oh；　sir！〃　was　all　she　uttered。

〃The　name　is　the　sameThorn；　I　thought　it　possible　the　men　might　be；〃　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Sir；　I　cannot　say。　I　never　saw　that　Captain　Thorn　but　once；　and　I　don't　know；　I　don't　know〃　Joyce　spoke　slowly　and　with　consideration　〃that　I　should　at　all　know　him　again。　I　did　not　think　of　him　when　I　looked　at　this　gentleman；　but；　at　any　rate；　no　appearance　in　this　one　struck　upon　my　memory　as　being　familiar。〃

So　from　Joyce　Mr。　Carlyle　obtained　no　clue；　one　way　or　the　ot