east lynne-第5章

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f　my　whole　life　would　not　be　sufficient　compensation。〃

He　spoke　in　a　tone　of　thrilling　gentleness；　gratifying　to　the　ear　but　dangerous　to　the　heart。　Lady　Isabel　glanced　up　and　caught　his　eyes　gazing　upon　her　with　the　deepest　tendernessa　language　hers　had　never　yet　encountered。　A　vivid　blush　again　arose　to　her　cheek；　her　eyelids　fell；　and　her　timid　words　died　away　in　silence。

〃Take　care；　take　care；　my　young　Lady　Isabel；〃　murmured　the　Oxonian　under　his　breath；　as　they　passed　him；　〃that　man　is　as　false　as　he　is　fair。〃

〃I　think　he　is　a　rascal；〃　remarked　the　earl。

〃I　know　he　is；　I　know　a　thing　or　two　about　him。　He　would　ruin　her　heart　for　the　renown　of　the　exploit；　because　she's　a　beauty；　and　then　fling　it　away　broken。　He　has　none　to　give　in　return　for　the　gift。〃

〃Just　as　much　as　my　new　race…horse　has；〃　concluded　the　earl。　〃She　is　very　beautiful。〃



CHAPTER　III。

BARBARA　HARE。

West　Lynne　was　a　town　of　some　importance；　particularly　in　its　own　eyes；　though　being　neither　a　manufacturing　one　nor　a　cathedral　one；　nor　even　the　chief　town　of　the　county；　it　was　somewhat　primitive　in　its　manners　and　customs。　Passing　out　at　the　town；　toward　the　east；　you　came　upon　several　detached　gentleman's　houses；　in　the　vicinity　of　which　stood　the　church　of　St。　Jude；　which　was　more　aristocratic；　in　the　matter　of　its　congregation；　than　the　other　churches　of　West　Lynne。　For　about　a　mile　these　houses　were　scattered；　the　church　being　situated　at　their　commencement；　close　to　that　busy　part　of　the　place；　and　about　a　mile　further　on　you　came　upon　the　beautiful　estate　which　was　called　East　Lynne。

Between　the　gentlemen's　houses　mentioned　and　East　Lynne；　the　mile　of　road　was　very　solitary；　being　much　overshadowed　with　trees。　One　house　alone　stood　there；　and　that　was　about　three…quarters　of　a　mile　before　you　came　to　East　Lynne。　It　was　on　the　left　hand　side；　a　square；　ugly；　red　brick　house　with　a　weathercock　on　the　top；　standing　some　little　distance　from　the　road。　A　flat　lawn　extended　before　it；　and　close　to　the　palings；　which　divided　it　from　the　road；　was　a　grove　of　trees；　some　yards　in　depth。　The　lawn　was　divided　by　a　narrow　middle　gravel　path；　to　which　you　gained　access　from　the　portico　of　the　house。　You　entered　upon　a　large　flagged　hall　with　a　reception　room　on　either　hand；　and　the　staircase；　a　wide　one；　facing　you；　by　the　side　of　the　staircase　you　passed　on　to　the　servants'　apartments　and　offices。　That　place　was　called　the　Grove；　and　was　the　property　and　residence　of　Richard　Hare；　Esq。；　commonly　called　Mr。　Justice　Hare。

The　room　to　the　left　hand；　as　you　went　in；　was　the　general　sitting…　room；　the　other　was　very　much　kept　boxed　up　in　lavender　and　brown　Holland；　to　be　opened　on　state　occasions。　Justice　and　Mrs。　Hare　had　three　children；　a　son　and　two　daughters。　Annie　was　the　elder　of　the　girls；　and　had　married　young；　Barbara；　the　younger　was　now　nineteen；　and　Richard　the　eldestbut　we　shall　come　to　him　hereafter。

In　this　sitting…room；　on　a　chilly　evening；　early　in　May；　a　few　days　subsequent　to　that　which　had　witnessed　the　visit　of　Mr。　Carlyle　to　the　Earl　of　Mount　Severn；　sat　Mrs。　Hare；　a　pale；　delicate　woman；　buried　in　shawls　and　cushions：　but　the　day　had　been　warm。　At　the　window　sat　a　pretty　girl；　very　fair；　with　blue　eyes；　light　hair；　a　bright　complexion；　and　small　aquiline　features。　She　was　listlessly　turning　over　the　leaves　of　a　book。

〃Barbara；　I　am　sure　it　must　be　tea…time　now。〃

〃The　time　seems　to　move　slowly　with　you；　mamma。　It　is　scarcely　a　quarter　of　an　hour　since　I　told　you　it　was　but　ten　minutes　past　six。〃

〃I　am　so　thirsty！〃　announced　the　poor　invalid。　〃Do　go　and　look　at　the　clock　again；　Barbara。〃

Barbara　Hare　rose　with　a　gesture　of　impatience；　not　suppressed；　opened　the　door；　and　glanced　at　the　large　clock　in　the　hall。　〃It　wants　nine　and　twenty　minutes　to　seven；　mamma。　I　wish　you　would　put　your　watch　on　of　a　day；　four　times　you　have　sent　me　to　look　at　that　clock　since　dinner。〃

〃I　am　so　thirsty！〃　repeated　Mrs。　Hare；　with　a　sort　of　sob。　〃If　seven　o'clock　would　but　strike！　I　am　dying　for　my　tea。〃

It　may　occur　to　the　reader；　that　a　lady　in　her　own　house；　〃dying　for　her　tea；〃　might　surely　order　it　brought　in；　although　the　customary　hour　had　not　struck。　Not　so　Mrs。　Hare。　Since　her　husband　had　first　brought　her　home　to　that　house；　four　and　twenty…years　ago；　she　had　never　dared　to　express　a　will　in　it；　scarcely；　on　her　own　responsibility；　to　give　an　order。　Justice　Hare　was　stern；　imperative；　obstinate；　and　self…conceited；　she；　timid；　gentle　and　submissive。　She　had　loved　him　with　all　her　heart；　and　her　life　had　been　one　long　yielding　of　her　will　to　his；　in　fact；　she　had　no　will；　his　was　all　in　all。　Far　was　she　from　feeling　the　servitude　a　yoke：　some　natures　do　not：　and　to　do　Mr。　Hare　justice；　his　powerful　will　that　/must/　bear　down　all　before　it；　was　in　fault：　not　his　kindness：　he　never　meant　to　be　unkind　to　his　wife。　Of　his　three　children；　Barbara　alone　had　inherited　his　will。

〃Barbara；〃　began　Mrs。　Hare　again；　when　she　thought　another　quarter　of　an　hour　at　least　must　have　elapsed。

〃Well；　mamma？〃

〃Ring；　and　tell　them　to　be　getting　it　in　readiness　so　that　when　seven　strikes　there　may　be　no　delay。〃

〃Goodness；　mamma！　You　know　they　do　always　have　it　ready。　And　there's　no　such　hurry；　for　papa　may　not　be　at　home。〃　But　she　rose；　and　rang　the　bell　with　a　petulant　motion；　and　when　the　man　answered　it；　told　him　to　have　tea　in　to　its　time。

〃If　you　knew　dear；　how　dry　my　throat　is；　how　parched　my　mouth；　you　would　have　more　patience　with　me。〃

Barbara　closed　her　book　with　a　listless　air；　and　turned　listlessly　to　the　window。　She　seemed　tired；　not　with　fatigue　but　with　what　the　French　express　by　the　word　/ennui/。　〃Here　comes　papa；〃　she　presently　said。

〃Oh；　I　am　so　glad！〃　cried　poor　Mrs。　Hare。　〃Perhaps　he　will　not　mind　having　the　tea　in　at　once；　if　I　told　him　how　thirsty　/I/　am。〃

The　justice　came　in。　A　middle　sized　man；　with　pompous　features；　and　a　pompous　walk；　and　a　flaxen　wig。　In　his　aquiline　nose；　compressed　lips；　and　pointed　chin；　might　be　traced　a　resemblance　to　his　daughter；　though　he　never　could　have　been　half　so　good…looking　as　was　pretty　Barbara。

〃Richard；〃　spoke　up　Mrs。　Hare　from　between　her　shawls；　the　instant　he　opened　the　door。

〃Well？〃

〃Would　you　please　let　me　have　tea　in　now？　Would　you　very　much　mind　taking　it　a　little　earlier　this　evening？　I　am　feverish　again；　and　my　tongue　is　so　parched　I　don't　know　how　to　speak。〃

〃Oh；　it's　near　seven；　you　won't　have　long　to　wait。〃

With　this　exceedingly　gracious　answer　to　an　invalid's　request；　Mr。　Hare　quitted　the　room　again　and　banged　the　door。　He　had　not　spoken　unkindly　or　roughly；　simply　with　indifference。　But　ere　Mrs。　Hare's　meek　sigh　of　disappointment　was　over；　the　door　re…opened；　and　the　flaxen　wig　was　thrust　in　again。

〃I　don't　mind　if　I　do　have　it　now。　It　will　be　a　fine　moonlight　night　and　I　am　going　with　Pinner　as　far　as　Beauchamp's　to　smoke　a　pipe。　Order　it　in；　Barbara。〃

The　tea　was　made　and　partaken　of；　and　the　justice　departed　for　Mr。　Beauchamp's；　Squire　Pinner　calling　for　him　at　the　gate。　Mr。　Beauchamp　was　a　gentleman　who　farmed　a　great　deal　of　land；　and　who　was　also　Lord　Mount　Severn's　agent　or　steward　for　East　Lynne。　He　lived　higher　up　the　road　some　little　distance　beyond　East　Lynne。

〃I　am　so　cold；　Barbara；〃　shivered　Mrs。　Hare；　as　she　watched　the　justice　down　the　gravel　path。　〃I　wonder　if　your　papa　would　say　it　was　foolish　of　me；　if　I　told　them　to　light　a　bit　of　fire？〃

〃Have　it　lighted　if　you　like；〃　responded　Barbara；　ringing　the　bell。　〃Papa　will　know　nothing　about　it；　one　way　or　the　other；　for　he　won't　be　home　till　after　bedtime。　Jasper；　mamma　is　cold；　and　would　like　a　fire　lighted。〃

〃Plenty　of　sticks；　Jasper；　that　it　may　burn　up　quickly；〃　said　Mrs。　Hare；　in　a　pleading　voice；　as　if　the　sticks　were　Jasper's　and　not　hers。

Mrs。　Hare　got　her　fire；　and　she　drew　her　chair　in　front；　and　put　her　feet　on　the　fender；　to　catch　its　warmth。　Barbara；　listless　still；　went　into　the　hall；　took　a　woolen　shawl　from　the　stand　there；　threw　it　over　her　shoulders；　and　went　out。　She　strolled　down　the　straight　formal　path；　and　stood　at　the　iron　gate；　looking　over　it　into　the　public　road。　Not　very　public　in　that　spot；　and　at　that　hour；　but　as