east lynne-第62章

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shall　arrive；　if　you　do　care　still　for　me；　you　will　wait。〃

〃I　cannot　wait；〃　he　replied；　his　tone　changing　to　one　of　determination。　〃It　is　useless　to　urge　it。〃

He　broke　from　her　and　left　the　room；　and　in　another　minute　had　left　the　house；　Pierre　attending　him。　A　feeling；　amounting　to　a　conviction；　rushed　over　the　unhappy　lady　that　she　had　seen　him　for　the　last　time　until　it　was　too　late。

She　was　right。　It　was　too　late　by　weeks　and　months。

December　came　in。　The　Alps　were　covered　with　snow；　Grenoble　borrowed　the　shade；　and　looked　cold；　and　white；　and　sleety；　and　sloppy；　the　gutters；　running　through　the　middle　of　certain　of　the　streets；　were　unusually　black；　and　the　people　crept　along　especially　dismal。　Close　to　the　fire　in　the　barn　of　a　French　bedroom；　full　of　windows；　and　doors；　and　draughts；　with　its　wide　hearth　and　its　wide　chimney；　into　which　we　could　put　four　or　five　of　our　English　ones；　shivered　Lady　Isabel　Vane。　She　had　an　invalid　cap　on；　and　a　thick　woolen　invalid　shawl；　and　she　shook　and　shivered　perpetually；　though　she　had　drawn　so　close　to　the　wood　fire　that　there　was　a　danger　of　her　petticoats　igniting；　and　the　attendant　had　frequently　to　spring　up　and　interpose　between　them　and　the　crackling　logs。　Little　did　it　seem　to　matter　to　Lady　Isabel；　she　sat　in　one　position；　her　countenance　the　picture　of　stony　despair。

So　had　she　sat；　so　looking；　since　she　began　to　get　better。　She　had　had　a　long　illness；　terminating　in　a　low　fever；　but　the　attendants　whispered　among　themselves　that　miladi　would　soon　get　about　if　she　would　only　rouse　herself。　She　had　got　so　far　about　as　to　sit　up　in　the　windy　chamber；　and　it　seemed　to　be　to　her　a　matter　of　perfect　indifference　whether　she　ever　got　out　of　it。

This　day　she　had　partaken　of　her　early　dinnersuch　as　it　was；　for　her　appetite　failedand　had　dozed　asleep　in　the　arm　chair；　when　a　noise　arose　from　below；　like　a　carriage　driving　into　the　courtyard　through　the　/porte　cochere/。　It　instantly　aroused　her。　Had　/he/　come？

〃Who　is　it？〃　she　asked　of　the　nurse。

〃Miladi；　it　is　monsieur；　and　Pierre　is　with　him。　I　have　begged　milady　often　and　often　not　to　fret；　for　monsieur　would　surely　come；　miladi；　see；　I　am　right。〃

The　girl　departed；　closing　the　door；　and　Lady　Isabel　sat　looking　at　it；　schooling　her　patience。　Another　moment；　and　it　was　flung　open。

Sir　Francis　Levison　approached　to　greet　her　as　he　came　in。　She　waved　him　off；　begging　him；　in　a　subdued；　quiet　tone；　not　to　draw　too　near；　as　any　little　excitement　made　her　faint　now。　He　took　a　seat　opposite　to　her；　and　began　pushing　the　logs　together　with　his　boot；　as　he　explained　that　he　really　could　not　get　away　from　town　before。

〃Why　did　you　come　now？〃　she　quietly　rejoined。

〃Why　did　I　come？〃　repeated　he。　〃Are　these　all　the　thanks　a　fellow　gets　for　travelling　in　this　inclement　weather？　I　thought　you　would　at　least　have　been　glad　to　welcome　me；　Isabel。〃

〃Sir　Francis；〃　she　rejoined；　speaking　still　with　almost　unnatural　calmness；　as　she　continued　to　do　throughout　the　interviewthough　the　frequent　changes　in　her　countenance；　and　the　movement　of　her　hands；　when　she　laid　them　from　time　to　time　on　her　chest　to　keep　down　its　beating；　told　what　effort　the　struggle　cost　her〃Sir　Francis；　I　am　glad；　for　one　reason；　to　welcome　you；　we　must　come　to　an　understanding　one　with　the　other；　and；　so　far；　I　am　pleased　that　you　are　here。　It　was　my　intention　to　have　communicated　with　you　by　letter　as　soon　as　I　found　myself　capable　of　the　necessary　exertion；　but　your　visit　has　removed　the　necessity。　I　wish　to　deal　with　you　quite　unreservedly；　without　concealment；　or　deceit；　I　must　request　you　so　to　deal　with　me。〃

〃What　do　you　mean　by　'deal？'　〃　he　asked；　settling　the　logs　to　his　apparent　satisfaction。

〃To　speak　and　act。　Let　there　be　plain　truth　between　us　at　this　interview；　if　there　never　has　been　before。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you。〃

〃Naked　truth；　unglossed　over；〃　she　pursued；　bending　her　eyes　determinately　upon　him。　〃It　/must/　be。〃

〃With　all　my　heart；〃　returned　Sir　Francis。　〃It　is　you　who　have　thrown　out　the　challenge；　mind。〃

〃When　you　left　in　July　you　gave　me　a　sacred　promise　to　come　back　in　time　for　our　marriage；　you　know　what　I　mean　when　I　say　'in　time；'　but〃

〃Of　course　I　meant　to　do　so　when　I　gave　the　promise；〃　he　interrupted。　〃But　no　sooner　had　I　set　my　foot　in　London　than　I　found　myself　overwhelmed　with　business；　and　away　from　it　I　could　not　get。　Even　now　I　can　only　remain　with　you　a　couple　of　days；　for　I　must　hasten　back　to　town。〃

〃You　are　breaking　faith　already；〃　she　said；　after　hearing　him　calmly　to　the　end。　〃Your　words　are　not　words　of　truth；　but　of　deceit。　You　did　not　intend　to　be　back　in　time　for　the　marriage；　or　otherwise　you　would　have　caused　it　to　take　place　ere　you　went　at　all。〃

〃What　fancies　you　do　take　up！〃　uttered　Francis　Levison。

〃Some　time　subsequent　to　your　departure；〃　she　quietly　went　on；　〃one　of　the　maids　was　setting　to　rights　the　clothes　in　your　dressing…closet；　and　she　brought　me　a　letter　she　found　in　one　of　the　pockets。　I　saw　by　the　date　that　it　was　one　of　those　two　which　you　received　on　the　morning　of　your　departure。　It　contained　the　information　that　the　divorce　was　pronounced。〃

She　spoke　so　quietly；　so　apparently　without　feeling　or　passion；　that　Sir　Francis　was　agreeably　astonished。　He　should　have　less　trouble　in　throwing　off　the　mask。　But　he　was　an　ill…tempered　man；　and　to　hear　that　the　letter　had　been　found　to　have　the　falseness　of　his　fine　protestations　and　promises　laid　bare；　did　not　improve　his　temper　now。　Lady　Isabel　continued；

〃It　would　have　been　better　to　have　undeceived　me　then；　to　have　told　me　that　the　hopes　I　was　cherishing　for　the　sake　of　the　unborn　child　were　worse　than　vain。〃

〃I　did　not　judge　so；〃　he　replied。　〃The　excited　state　you　then　appeared　to　be　in；　would　have　precluded　your　listening　to　any　sort　of　reason。〃

Her　heart　beat　a　little　quicker；　but　she　stilled　it。

〃You　deem　that　it　was　not　in　reason　that　I　should　aspire　to　be　the　wife　of　Sir　Francis　Levison？〃

He　rose　and　began　kicking　at　the　logs；　with　the　heel　of　his　boot　this　time。

〃Well；　Isabel；　you　must　be　aware　that　it　is　an　awful　sacrifice　for　a　man　in　my　position　to　marry　a　divorced　woman。〃

The　hectic　flushed　into　her　thin　cheeks；　but　her　voice　sounded　calm　as　before。

〃When　I　expected　or　wished；　for　the　'sacrifice；'　it　was　not　for　my　own　sake；　I　told　you　so　then。　But　it　was　not　made；　and　the　child's　inheritance　is　that　of　sin　and　shame。　There　he　lies。〃

Sir　Francis　half　turned　to　where　she　pointed；　and　saw　an　infant's　cradle　by　the　side　of　the　bed。　He　did　not　take　the　trouble　to　look　at　it。

〃I　am　the　representative　now　of　an　ancient　and　respected　baronetcy；〃　he　resumed；　in　a　tone　as　of　apology　for　his　previous　heartless　words；　〃and　to　make　you　my　wife　would　so　offend　all　my　family；　that〃

〃Stay；〃　interrupted　Lady　Isabel；　〃you　need　not　trouble　yourself　to　find　needless　excuses。　Had　you　taken　this　journey　for　the　purpose　of　making　me　your　wife；　were　you　to　propose　to　do　so　this　day；　and　bring　a　clergyman　into　the　room　to　perform　the　ceremony；　it　would　be　futile。　The　injury　to　the　child　can　never　be　repaired；　and；　for　myself；　I　cannot　imagine　any　fate　in　life　worse　than　being　compelled　to　pass　it　with　you。〃

〃If　you　have　taken　this　aversion　to　me；　it　cannot　be　helped；〃　he　coldly　said；　inwardly　congratulating　himself；　let　us　not　doubt；　at　being　spared　the　work　of　trouble　he　had　anticipated。　〃You　made　commotion　enough　once　about　me　making　you　reparation。〃

She　shook　her　head。

〃All　the　reparation　in　your　power　to　makeall　the　reparation　that　the　whole　world　can　invent　could　not　undo　my　sin。　It　and　the　effects　must　lie　upon　me　forever。〃

〃Ohsin！〃　was　the　derisive　exclamation。　〃You　ladies　should　think　of　that　beforehand。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　sadly　answered。　〃May　heaven　help　all　to　do　so　who　may　be　tempted　as　I　was。〃

〃If　you　mean　that　as　a　reproach　to　me；　it's　rather　out　of　place；〃　chafed　Sir　Francis；　whose　fits　of　ill…temper　were　under　no　control；　and　who　never；　when　in　them；　cared　what　he　said　to　outrage　the　feelings　of　another。　〃The　temptation　to　sin；　as　you　call　it；　lay　not　in　my　persuasions　half　so　much　as　in　your　jealous　anger　toward　your　husband。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　was　her　reply。