east lynne-第42章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃I　will；　I　willoh　my　lady；　I　will！〃　And　Joyce　sat　down　in　the　rocking…chair　as　Lady　Isabel　quitted　her；　and　burst　into　tears。

Mr。　Carlyle　and　Lady　Isabel；　with　Wilson　and　Peter　in　attendance；　arrived　at　Boulogne；　and　proceeded　to　the　Hotel　des　Bains。　It　may　be　as　well　to　mention　that　Peter　had　been　transferred　from　Miss　Carlyle's　service　to　theirs；　when　the　establishment　was　first　formed　at　East　Lynne。　Upon　entering　the　hotel　they　inquired　for　Mrs。　Ducie；　and　then　a　disappointment　awaited　them。　A　letter　was　handed　them　which　had　arrived　that　morning　from　Mrs。　Ducie；　expressing　her　regret　that　certain　family　arrangements　prevented　her　visiting　Boulogne；　she　was　proceeding　to　some　of　the　baths　in　Germany　instead。

〃I　might　almost　have　known　it；〃　remarked　Isabel。　〃She　was　always　the　most　changeable　of　women。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　went　out　in　search　of　lodgings；　Isabel　objecting　to　remain　in　the　bustling　hotel。　He　succeeded　in　finding　some　very　desirable　ones；　situated　in　the　Rue　de　l'Ecu；　near　the　port；　and　they　moved　into　them。　He　thought　the　journey　had　done　her　good；　for　she　looked　better；　and　said　she　already　felt　stronger。　Mr。　Carlyle　remained　with　her　three　days；　he　had　promised　only　one；　but　he　was　pleased　with　everything　around　him；　pleased　with　Isabel's　returning　glimpses　of　health；　and　amused　with　the　scenes　of　the　busy　town。

The　tide　served　at　eight　o'clock　the　following　morning；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　left　by　the　Folkestone　boat。　Wilson　made　his　breakfast；　and　after　swallowing　it　in　haste；　he　returned　to　his　wife's　room　to　say　farewell。

〃Good…bye；　my　love；〃　he　said；　stooping　to　kiss　her；　〃take　care　of　yourself。〃

〃Give　my　dear　love　to　the　darlings；　Archibald。　Andand〃

〃And　what？〃　he　asked。　〃I　have　not　a　moment　to　lose。〃

〃Do　not　get　making　love　to　Barbara　Hare　while　I　am　away。〃

She　spoke　in　a　tone　half　jest；　half　seriouscould　he　but　have　seen　how　her　heart　was　breaking！　Mr。　Carlyle　took　it　wholly　as　a　jest；　and　went　away　laughing。　Had　he　believed　she　was　serious；　he　could　have　been　little　more　surprised　had　she　charged　him　not　to　go　about　the　country　on　a　dromedary。

Isabel　rose　later；　and　lingered　over　her　breakfast；　listless　enough。　She　was　wondering　how　she　would　make　the　next　few　weeks　pass；　what　she　should　do　with　her　time。　She　had　taken　two　sea　baths　since　her　arrival；　but　they　had　appeared　not　to　agree　with　her；　leaving　her　low　and　shivering　afterwards；　so　it　was　not　deemed　advisable　that　she　should　attempt　more。　It　was　a　lovely　morning；　and　she　determined　to　venture　on　to　the　pier；　to　where　they　had　sat　on　the　previous　evening。　She　had　not　Mr。　Carlyle's　arm；　but　it　was　not　far；　and　she　could　take　a　good　rest　at　the　end　of　it。

She　went；　attended　by　Peter；　took　her　seat；　and　told　him　to　come　for　her　in　an　hour。　She　watched　the　strollers　on　the　pier　as　they　had　done　the　previous　evening；　not　in　crowds　now；　but　stragglers；　coming　on　at　intervals。　There　came　a　gouty　man；　in　a　list　shoe；　there　came　three　young　ladies　and　their　governess；　there　came　two　fast　puppies　in　shooting　jackets　and　eye…glasses；　which　they　turned　with　a　broad　stare　on　Lady　Isabel；　but　there　was　something　about　her　which　caused　them　to　drop　their　glasses　and　their　ill　manners　together。　After　an　interval；　there　appeared　another；　a　tall；　handsome；　gentlemanly　man。　Her　eyes　fell　upon　him；　andwhat　was　it　that　caused　every　nerve　in　her　frame　to　vibrate；　every　pulse　to　quicken？　/Whose/　form　was　it　that　was　thus　advancing　and　changing　the　monotony　of　her　mind　into　tumult？　It　was　that　of　one　whom　she　was　soon　to　find　had　never　been　entirely　forgotten。

Captain　Levison　came　slowly　on；　approaching　the　pier　where　she　sat。　He　glanced　at　her；　not　with　the　hardihood　displayed　by　the　two　young　men；　but　with　quite　sufficiently　evident　admiration。

〃What　a　lovely　girl！〃　thought　he　to　himself。　〃Who　can　she　be；　sitting　there　alone？〃

All　at　once　a　recollection　flashed　into　his　mind；　he　raised　his　hat　and　extended　his　hand；　his　fascinating　smile　in　full　play。

〃I　certainly　cannot　be　mistaken。　Have　I　the　honor　of　once　more　meeting　Lady　Isabel　Vane？〃

She　rose　from　the　seat；　and　allowed　him　to　take　her　hand；　answering　a　few　words　at　random；　for　her　wits　seemed　wool…gathering。

〃I　beg　your　pardonI　should　have　said　Lady　Isabel　Carlyle。　Time　has　elapsed　since　we　parted；　and　in　the　pleasure　of　seeing　you　again　so　unexpectedly；　I　thought　of　you　as　you　were　then。〃

She　sat　down　again；　the　brilliant　flush　of　emotion　dying　away　upon　her　cheeks。　It　was　the　loveliest　face　Francis　Levison　had　seen　since　he　saw　hers；　and　he　thought　so　as　he　gazed　at　it。

〃What　can　have　brought　you　to　this　place？〃　he　inquired；　taking　a　seat　beside　her。

〃I　have　been　ill；〃　she　explained；　〃and　am　ordered　to　the　sea…side。　We　should　not　have　come　here　but　for　Mrs。　Ducie；　we　expected　to　meet　her。　Mr。　Carlyle　only　left　me　this　morning。〃

〃Mrs。　Ducie　is　off　to　Ems。　I　see　them　occasionally。　They　have　been　fixtures　in　Paris　for　some　time。　You　do　indeed　look　ill；〃　he　abruptly　added；　in　a　tone　of　sympathy；　〃alarmingly　ill。　Is　there　anything　I　can　do　for　you？〃

She　was　aware　that　she　looked　unusually　ill　at　that　moment；　for　the　agitation　and　surprise　of　meeting　him　were　fading　away；　leaving　her　face　an　ashy　whiteness。　Exceedingly　vexed　and　angry　with　herself　did　she　feel　that　the　meeting　should　have　power　to　call　forth　emotion。　Until　that　moment　she　was　unconscious　that　she　retained　any　sort　of　feeling　for　Captain　Levison。

〃Perhaps　I　have　ventured　out　too　early；〃　she　said；　in　a　tone　that　would　seem　to　apologize　for　her　looks：　〃I　think　I　will　return。　I　shall　meet　my　servant；　no　doubt。　Good…morning；　Captain　Levison。〃

〃But　indeed　you　do　not　appear　fit　to　walk　alone；〃　he　remonstrated。　〃You　must　allow　me　to　see　you　safely　home。〃

Drawing　her　hand　within　his　own　quite　as　a　matter　of　course；　as　he　had　done　many　a　time　in　days　gone　by；　he　proceeded　to　assist　her　down　the　pier。　Lady　Isabel；　conscious　of　her　own　feelings；　felt　that　it　was　not　quite　the　thing　to　walk　thus　familiarly　with　him；　but　he　was　a　sort　of　relation　of　the　familya　connection；　at　any　rateand　she　could　find　no　ready　excuse　for　declining。

〃Have　you　seen　Lady　Mount　Severn　lately？〃　he　inquired。

〃I　saw　her　when　I　was　in　London　this　spring　with　Mr。　Carlyle。　The　first　time　we　have　met　since　my　marriage；　and　we　do　not　correspond。　Lord　Mount　Severn　had　paid　us　two　or　three　visits　at　East　Lynne。　They　are　in　town　yet；　I　believe。〃

〃For　all　I　know；　I　have　not　seen　them；　or　England　either；　for　ten　months。　I　have　been　staying　in　Paris；　and　got　here　yesterday。〃

〃A　long　leave　of　absence；〃　she　observed。

〃Oh；　I　have　left　the　army。　I　sold　out。　The　truth　is；　Lady　Isabelfor　I　don't　mind　telling　youthings　are　rather　down　with　me　at　present。　My　old　uncle　has　behaved　shamefully；　he　has　married　again。〃

〃I　heard　that　Sir　Peter　had　married。〃

〃He　is　seventy…threethe　old　simpleton！　Of　course　this　materially　alters　my　prospects；　for　it　is　just　possible　he　may　have　a　son　of　his　own　now；　and　my　creditors　all　came　down　upon　me。　They　allowed　me　to　run　into　debt　with　complacency　when　I　was　heir　to　the　title　and　estates；　but　as　soon　as　Sir　Peter's　marriage　appeared　in　the　papers；　myself　and　my　consequence　dropped　a　hundred　per　cent；　credit　was　stopped；　and　I　dunned　for　payment。　So　I　thought　I'd　cut　it　altogether；　and　I　sold　out　and　came　abroad。〃

〃Leaving　your　creditors？〃

〃What　else　could　I　do？　My　uncle　would　not　pay　them；　or　increase　my　allowance。〃

〃What　are　your　prospects　then？〃　resumed　Lady　Isabel。

〃Prospects！　Do　you　see　that　little　ragged　boy　throwing　stones　into　the　harbor？it　is　well　the　police　don't　drop　upon　him；ask　him　what　his　prospects　are；　and　he　will　stare　you　in　the　face；　and　say；　'None。'　Mine　are　on　a　like　par。〃

〃You　may　succeed　Sir　Peter　yet。〃

〃I　may；　but　I　may　not。　When　those　old　idiots　get　a　young　wife〃

〃Have　you　quarreled　with　Sir　Peter？〃　interrupted　Lady　Isabel。

〃I　should　quarrel　with　him　as　he　deserves；　if　it　would　do　any　good；　but　I　might　get　my　allowance　stopped。　Self　interest；　you　see；　Lady　Isabel；　is　the　order　of　the　day　with　most　of　us。〃

〃Do　you　propose　staying　in　Boulogne　long？〃

〃I　don't　know。　As　I　may　find　amusement。　Paris　is　a　fast　capital；　with　its　heated　rooms　and　its