east lynne-第52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！


ther　was　murdered。〃

〃Murdered　in　his　own　cottagealmost　in　Afy's　presencemurdered　by　by〃　Mr。　Carlyle　recollected　himself；　he　had　spoken　more　impulsively　than　was　his　custom。　〃Hallijohn　was　my　father's　faithful　clerk　for　many　years；〃　he　more　calmly　concluded。

〃And　he　who　committed　the　murder　was　young　Hare；　son　of　Justice　Hare；　and　brother　to　that　attractive　girl；　Barbara。　Your　speaking　of　this　has　recalled；　what　they　told　me　to　my　recollection；　the　first　evening　I　was　at　the　Herberts。　Justice　Hare　was　there；　smokinghalf　a　dozen　pipes　there　were　going　at　once。　I　also　saw　Miss　Barbara　that　evening　at　your　park　gates；　and　Tom　told　me　of　the　murder。　An　awful　calamity　for　the　Hares。　I　suppose　that　is　the　reason　the　young　lady　is　Miss　Hare　still。　One　with　her　good　fortune　and　good　looks　ought　to　have　changed　her　name　ere　this。〃

〃No；　it　is　not　the　reason；〃　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃What　is　the　reason；　then？〃

A　faint　flush　tinged　the　brow　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　know　more　than　one　who　would　be　glad　to　get　Barbara；　in　spite　of　the　murder。　Do　not　depreciate　Miss　Hare。〃

〃Not　I；　indeed；　I　like　the　young　lady　too　well；〃　replied　Captain　Thorn。　〃The　girl；　Afy；　has　never　been　heard　of　since；　has　she？〃

〃Never；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Do　you　know　her　well？〃　he　deliberately　added。

〃I　never　knew　her　at　all；　if　you　mean　Afy　Hallijohn。　Why　should　you　think　I　did？　I　never　heard　of　her　till　Tom　Herbert　amused　me　with　the　history。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　most　devoutly　wished　he　could　tell　whether　the　man　before　him　was　speaking　the　truth　or　falsehood。　He　continued；

〃Afy's　favorsI　speak　in　no　invidious　senseI　mean　her　smiles　and　chatterwere　pretty　freely　dispersed；　for　she　was　heedless　and　vain。　Amidst　others　who　got　the　credit　for　occasional　basking　in　her　rays；　was　a　gentleman　of　the　name　of　Thorn。　Was　it　not　yourself？〃

Captain　Thorn　stroked　his　moustache　with　an　air　that　seemed　to　say　he　/could/　boast　of　his　share　of　such　baskings：　in　short；　as　if　he　felt　half　inclined　to　do　it。　〃Upon　my　word；〃　he　simpered；　〃you　do　me　too　much　honor；　I　cannot　confess　to　having　been　favored　by　Miss　Afy。〃

〃Then　she　was　not　thethe　damsel　you　speak　of；　who　drove　youif　I　understand　arightfrom　the　locality？〃　resumed　Mr。　Carlyle；　fixing　his　eyes　upon　him；　so　as　to　take　in　every　tone　of　the　answer　and　shade　of　countenance　as　he　gave　it。

〃I　should　think　not；　indeed。　It　was　a　married　lady；　more's　the　pity；　young；　pretty；　vain　and　heedless；　as　you　represent　this　Afy。　Things　went　smoother　after　a　time；　and　she　and　her　husbanda　stupid　country　yeomanbecame　reconciled；　but　I　have　been　ashamed　of　it　since　I　have　grown　wiser；　and　I　do　not　care　ever　to　be　recognized　as　the　actor　in　it；　or　to　have　it　raked　up　against　me。〃

Captain　Thorn　rose　and　took　a　somewhat　hasty　leave。　Was　he；　or　was　he　not；　the　man？　Mr。　Carlyle　could　not　solve　the　doubt。

Mr。　Dill　came　in　as　he　disappeared；　closed　the　door；　and　advanced　to　his　master；　speaking　in　an　under　tone。

〃Mr。　Archibald；　has　it　struck　you　that　the　gentleman　just　gone　out　may　be　the　Lieutenant　Thorn　you　once　spoke　to　me　abouthe　who　had　used　to　gallop　over　from　Swainson　to　court　Afy　Hallijohn？〃

〃It　has　struck　me　so；　most　forcibly；〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Dill；　I　would　give　five　hundred　pounds　out　of　my　pocket　this　moment　to　be　assured　of　the　factif　he　is　the　same。〃

〃I　have　seen　him　several　times　since　he　has　been　staying　with　the　Herberts；〃　pursued　the　old　gentleman；　〃and　my　doubts　have　naturally　been　excited　as　to　whether　it　could　be　the　man　in　question。　Curious　enough；　Bezant；　the　doctor；　was　over　here　yesterday　from　Swainson；　and　as　I　was　walking　with　him；　arm…in…arm；　we　met　Captain　Thorn。　The　two　recognized　each　other　and　bowed；　merely　as　distant　acquaintances。　'Do　you　know　that　gentleman？'　said　I　to　Bezant。　'Yes；'　he　answered；　'it　is　Mr。　Frederick。'　'Mr。　Frederick　with　something　added　on　to　it；'　said　I；　'his　name　is　Thorn。'　'I　know　that；'　returned　Bezant；　'but　when　he　was　in　Swainson　some　years　ago；　he　chose　to　drop　the　Thorn；　and　the　town　in　general　knew　him　only　as　Mr。　Frederick。'　'What　was　he　doing　there；　Bezant？'　I　asked。　'Amusing　himself　and　getting　into　mischief；'　was　the　answer；　'nothing　very　bad；　only　the　random　scrapes　of　young　men。'　'Was　he　often　on　horseback；　riding　to　a　distance？'　was　my　next　question。　'Yes；　that　he　was；'　replied　Bezant；　'none　more　fond　of　galloping　across　the　country　than　he；　I　used　to　tell　him　he'd　ride　his　horse's　tail　off。'　Now；　Mr。　Archibald；　what　do　you　think？〃　concluded　the　old　clerk；　〃and　so　far　as　I　could　make　out；　this　was　about　the　very　time　of　the　tragedy　at　Hallijohn's。〃

〃Think？〃　replied　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃What　can　I　think　but　that　it　is　the　same　man。　I　am　convinced　of　it　now。〃

And；　leaning　back　into　his　chair；　he　fell　into　a　deep　reverie；　regardless　of　the　parchments　that　lay　before　him。

The　weeks　went　ontwo　or　threeand　things　seemed　to　be　progressing　backward；　rather　than　forwardif　that's　not　Irish。　Francis　Levison's　affairsthat　is；　the　adjustment　of　themdid　not　advance　at　all。

Another　thing　that　may　be　said　to　be　progressing　backward；　for　it　was　going　on　fast　to　bad；　instead　of　good；　was　the　jealousy　of　Lady　Isabel。　How　could　it　be　otherwise；　kept　up；　as　it　was；　by　Barbara's　frequent　meetings　with　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　by　Captain　Levison's　exaggerated　whispers　of　them。　Discontented；　ill　at　ease　with　herself　and　with　everybody　about　her；　Isabel　was　living　now　in　a　state　of　excitement；　a　dangerous　resentment　against　her　husband　beginning　to　rise　up　in　her　heart。　That　very　daythe　one　of　Captain　Levison's　visit　to　Levison　Parkin　driving　through　West　Lynne　in　the　pony　carriage；　she　had　come　upon　her　husband　in　close　converse　with　Barbara　Hare。　So　absorbed　were　they；　that　they　never　saw　her；　though　her　carriage　passed　close　to　the　pavement　where　they　stood。

On　the　morning　following　this；　as　the　Hare　family　were　seated　at　breakfast；　the　postman　was　observed　coming　toward　the　house。　Barbara　sprang　from　her　seat　to　the　open　window；　and　the　man　advanced　to　her。

〃Only　one　miss。　It　is　for　yourself。〃

〃Who　is　it　from？〃　began　the　justice；　as　Barbara　returned　to　her　chair。　In　letters　as　in　other　things；　he　was　always　curious　to　know　their　contents；　whether　they　might　be　addressed　to　himself　or　not。

〃It　is　from　Anne；　papa；〃　replied　Barbara；　as　she　laid　the　letter　by　her　side　on　the　table。

〃Why　don't　you　open　it　and　see　what　she　says？〃

〃I　will；　directly；　I　am　just　going　to　pour　out　some　more　tea　for　mamma。〃

Finally　the　justice　finished　his　breakfast；　and　strolled　out　into　the　garden。

Barbara　opened　her　letter；　Mrs。　Hare　watched　her　movements　and　her　countenance。　She　saw　the　latter　flush　suddenly　and　vividly；　and　then　become　deadly　pale；　she　saw　Barbara　crush　the　note　in　her　hand　when　read。

〃Oh；　mamma！〃　she　uttered。

The　flush　of　emotion　came　also　into　Mrs。　Hare's　delicate　cheeks。　〃Barbara；　is　it　bad　news？〃

〃Mamma；　ititis　about　Richard；〃　she　whispered；　glancing　at　the　door　and　window；　to　see　that　none　might　be　within　sight　or　hearing。　〃I　never　thought　of　him；　I　only　fancied　Anne　might　be　sending　me　some　bit　of　news　concerning　her　own　affairs。　Good　Heavens！　How　fortunatehow　providential　that　papa　did　not　see　the　paper　fall；　and　that　you　did　not　persist　in　your　inquiries。　If　he〃

〃Barbara；　you　are　keeping　me　in　suspense；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Hare；　who　had　also　grown　white。　〃What　should　Anne　know　about　Richard？〃

Barbara　smoothed　out　the　writing；　and　held　it　before　her　mother。　It　was　as　follows：

　〃I　have　had　a　curious　note　from　R。　It　was　without　date　or　　　signature；　but　I　knew　his　handwriting。　He　tells　me　to　let　you　　　know；　in　the　most　sure　and　private　manner　that　I　can；　that　he　will　　　soon　be　paying　another　night　visit。　You　are　to　watch　the　grove　　　every　evening　when　the　present　moon　gets　bright。〃

Mrs。　Hare　covered　her　face　for　some　minutes。　〃Thank　God　for　all　his　mercies；〃　she　murmured。

〃Oh；　mamma；　but　it　is　an　awful　risk　for　him　to　run！〃

〃But　to　know　that　he　is　in　lifeto　know　that　he　is　in　life！　And　for　the　riskBarbara；　I　dread　it　not。　The　same　God　who　protected　him　through　the　last　visit；　will　protect　him　through　this。　He　will　not　forsake　the　oppressed；　the　innocent。　Destroy　the　paper；　child。〃

〃Archibald　Carlyle　must　first　see　it；　mamma。〃