east lynne-第51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！


　and　he　was　becoming　impressed　with　the　guilt　of　Captain　Thorn。　The　latter　spoke　mysteriously　of　a　portion　of　his　past　lifewhen　he　could　be　brought　to　speak　of　it　at　alland　he　bore　evidently　some　secret　that　he　did　not　care　to　have　alluded　to。

But　now　look　at　the　mean　treachery　of　that　man；　Francis　Levison！　The　few　meetings　that　Lady　Isabel　did　witness　between　her　husband　and　Barbara　would　have　been　quite　enough　to　excite　her　anger　and　jealousy；　to　trouble　her　peace；　but；　in　addition；　Francis　Levison　took　care　to　tell　her　of　those　she　did　not　see。　It　pleased　himhe　could　best　tell　with　what　motiveto　watch　the　movements　of　Mr。　Carlyle　and　Barbara。　There　was　a　hedge　pathway　through　the　fields；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　road　to　the　residence　of　Justice　Hare；　and　as　Mr。　Carlyle　walked　down　the　road　to　business　in　his　unsuspicion　（not　one　time　in　fifty　did　he　choose　to　ride；　the　walk　to　and　fro　kept　him　in　health；　he　said）；　Captain　Levison　would　be　strolling　down　like　a　serpent　behind　the　hedge；　watching　all　his　movements；　watching　his　interviews　with　Barbara；　did　any　take　place；　watching　Mr。　Carlyle　turn　into　the　grove；　as　he　sometimes　did；　and　perhaps　watch　Barbara　run　out　of　the　house　to　meet　him。　It　was　all　related　over；　and　with　miserable　exaggeration；　to　Lady　Isabel；　whose　jealousy；　as　a　natural　sequence；　grew　feverish　in　its　extent。

It　is　scarcely　necessary　to　explain；　that　of　this　feeling　of　Lady　Isabel's　Barbara　knew　nothing；　not　a　shadow　of　suspicion　had　ever　penetrated　to　her　mind　that　Lady　Isabel　was　jealous　of　her。　Had　she　been　told　that　such　was　the　fact；　she　would　have　laughed　in　derision　at　her　informant。　Mr。　Carlyle's　happy　wife；　proudly　secure　in　her　position　and　in　his　affection；　jealous　of　/her！/　of　her；　to　whom　he　had　never　given　an　admiring　look　or　a　loving　word！　It　would　have　taken　a　great　deal　to　make　Barbara　believe　that。

How　different　were　the　facts　in　reality。　These　meetings　of　Mr。　Carlyle's　and　Barbara's；　instead　of　episodes　of　love…making　and　tender　speeches；　were　positively　painful；　especially　to　Barbara；　from　the　unhappy　nature　of　the　subject　to　be　discussed。　Far　from　feeling　a　reprehensible　pleasure　at　seeking　the　meetings　with　Mr。　Carlyle；　Barbara　shrank　from　them；　but　that　she　was　urged　by　dire　necessity；　in　the　interests　of　Richard；　she　would　wholly　have　avoided　such。　Poor　Barbara；　in　spite　of　that　explosion　of　bottled…up　excitement　years　back；　was　a　lady；　possessed　of　a　lady's　ideas　and　feelings；　and　remembering　the　explosionit　did　not　accord　with　her　pride　at　all　to　be　pushing　herself　into　what　might　be　called　secret　meetings　with　Archibald　Carlyle。　But　Barbara；　in　her　sisterly　love；　pressed　down　all　thought　of　self；　and　went　perseveringly　forward　for　Richard's　sake。

Mr。　Carlyle　was　seated　one　morning　in　his　private　room　at　his　office；　when　his　head　clerk；　Mr。　Dill　came　in。　〃A　gentleman　is　asking　to　see　you；　Mr。　Archibald。〃

〃I　am　too　busy　to　see　anybody　for　this　hour　to　come。　You　know　that；　Dill。〃

〃So　I　told　him；　sir；　and　he　says　he'll　wait。　It　is　that　Captain　Thorn　who　is　staying　here　with　John　Herbert。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　raised　his　eyes；　and　they　encountered　those　of　the　old　man；　a　peculiar　expression　was　in　the　face　of　both。　Mr。　Carlyle　glanced　down　at　the　parchment　he　was　perusing；　as　if　calculating　his　time。　Then　he　looked　up　again　and　spoke。

〃I　will　see　/him/；　Dill。　Send　him　in。〃

The　business　leading　to　the　visit　was　quite　simple。　Captain　Frederick　Thorn　had　got　himself　into　some　trouble　and　vexation　about　〃a　bill〃　as　too　many　captains　will　doand　he　had　come　to　crave　advice　of　Mr。　Carlyle。

Mr。　Carlyle　felt　dubious　about　giving　it。　This　Captain　Thorn　was　a　pleasant；　attractive　sort　of　a　man；　who　won　much　on　acquaintance；　one　whom　Mr。　Carlyle　would　have　been　pleased；　in　a　friendly　point　of　view；　and　setting　professional　interest　apart；　to　help　out　of　his　difficulties；　but　if　he　were　the　villain　they　suspected　him　to　be；　the　man　with　crime　upon　his　hand；　then　Mr。　Carlyle　would　have　ordered　his　office　door　held　wide　for　him　to　slink　out　of　it。

〃Cannot　you　advise　me　what　my　course　ought　to　be？〃　he　inquired；　detecting　Mr。　Carlyle's　hesitation。

〃I　could　advise　you；　certainly。　Butyou　must　excuse　my　being　plain；　Captain　ThornI　like　to　know　who　my　clients　are　before　I　take　up　their　cause　or　accept　them　as　clients。〃

〃I　am　able　to　pay　you；〃　was　Captain　Thorn's　reply。　〃I　am　not　short　of　ready　money；　only　this　bill〃

Mr。　Carlyle　laughed　out；　after　having　bit　his　lip　with　annoyance。　〃It　was　a　natural　inference　of　yours；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　assure　you　I　was　not　thinking　of　your　purse　or　my　pocket。　My　father　held　it　right　never　to　undertake　business　for　a　strangerunless　a　man　was　good；　in　a　respectable　point　of　view；　and　his　cause　was　good；　he　did　not　mention　itand　I　have　acted　on　the　same　principle。　By　these　means；　the　position　and　character　of　our　business；　is　rarely　attained　by　a　solicitor。　Now；　in　saying　that　you　are　a　stranger　to　me；　I　am　not　casting　any　doubt　upon　you；　Captain　Thorn；　I　am　merely　upholding　my　common　practice。〃

〃My　family　is　well　connected；〃　was　Captain　Thorn's　next　venture。

〃Excuse　me；　family　has　nothing　to　do　with　it。　If　the　poorest　day　laborer；　if　a　pauper　out　of　the　workhouse　came　to　me　for　advice；　he　should　be　heartily　welcome　to　it；　provided　he　were　an　honest　man　in　the　face　of　the　day。　Again　I　repeat；　you　must　take　no　offence　at　what　I　say；　for　I　cast　no　reflection　on　you；　I　only　urge　that　you　and　your　character　are　unknown　to　me。〃

Curious　words　from　a　lawyer　to　a　client…aspirant；　and　Captain　Thorn　found　them　so。　But　Mr。　Carlyle's　tone　was　so　courteous；　his　manner　so　affable；　in　fact　he　was　so　thoroughly　the　gentleman；　that　it　was　impossible　to　feel　hurt。

〃Well；　how　can　I　convince　you　that　I　am　respectable？　I　have　served　my　country　ever　since　I　was　sixteen；　and　my　brother　officers　have　found　no　cause　of　complaintany　position　as　an　officer　and　a　gentleman　would　be　generally　deemed　a　sufficient　guarantee。　Inquire　of　John　Herbert。　The　Herberts；　too；　are　friends　of　yours；　and　they　have　not　disdained　to　give　me　room　amidst　their　family。〃

〃True；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle；　feeling　that　he　could　not　well　object　further；　and　also　that　all　men　should　be　deemed　innocent　until　proved　guilty。　〃At　any　rate；　I　will　advise　you　what　must　be　done　at　present；〃　he　added；　〃though　if　the　affair　is　one　that　must　go　on；　I　do　not　promise　that　I　can　continue　to　act　for　you。　I　am　very　busy　just　now。〃

Captain　Thorn　explained　his　dilemma；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　told　him　what　to　do　in　it。　〃Were　you　not　at　West　Lynne　some　ten　years　ago？〃　he　suddenly　inquired；　at　the　close　of　the　conversation。　〃You　denied　it　to　me　once　at　my　house；　but　I　concluded　from　an　observation　you　let　fall；　that　you　had　been　here。〃

〃Yes；　I　was；〃　replied　Captain　Thorn；　in　a　confidential　tone。　〃I　don't　mind　owning　it　to　you　in　confidence；　but　I　do　not　wish　it　to　get　abroad。　I　was　not　at　West　Lynne；　but　in　its　neighborhood。　The　fact　is；　when　I　was　a　careless　young　fellow；　I　was　stopping　a　few　miles　from　here；　and　got　into　a　scrape；　though　aain　short　it　was　an　affair　of　gallantry。　I　did　not　show　out　very　well　at　the　time；　and　I　don't　care　that　it　should　be　known　in　the　country　again。〃

Mr。　Carlyle's　pulsefor　Richard　Hare's　sakebeat　a　shade　quicker。　The　avowal　of　〃an　affair　of　gallantry〃　was　almost　a　confirmation　of　his　suspicions。

〃Yes；〃　he　pointedly　said。　〃The　girl　was　Afy　Hallijohn。〃

〃Afywho？〃　repeated　Captain　Thorn；　opening　his　eyes；　and　fixing　them　on　Mr。　Carlyle's。

〃Afy　Hallijohn。〃

Captain　Thorn　continued　to　look　at　Mr。　Carlyle；　an　amused　expression；　rather　than　any　other；　predominant　on　his　features。　〃You　are　mistaken；〃　he　observed。　〃Afy　Hallijohn？　I　never　heard　the　name　before　in　my　life。〃

〃Did　you　ever　hear　or　know　that　a　dreadful　tragedy　was　enacted　in　this　place　about　that　period？〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle；　in　a　low；　meaning　tone。　〃That　Afy　Hallijohn's　father　was〃

〃Oh；　stay；　stay；　stay；〃　hastily　interrupted　Captain　thorn。　〃I　am　telling　a　story　in　saying　I　never　heard　her　name。　Afy　Hallijohn？　Why；　that's　the　girl　Tom　Herbert　was　telling　me　aboutwhowhat　was　it？　disappeared　after　her　father　was　murdered。〃

〃Murdered　in　his　own　cottagealmost　in　Afy's　presencemurdered　by　by〃　Mr。　Carly