east lynne-第68章

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face。　He　was　on　the　high　horse　directly；　said　the　parish　spoke　the　slander；　not　he；　and　I　got　out　of　him　what　it　was　he　had　heard。〃

〃And　what　was　it？〃　interrupted　Mr。　Carlyle；　more　eagerly　than　he　generally　spoke。

〃Why；　they　say　the　fellow　showed　himself　here　some　time　ago；　a　year　or　so；　disguised　as　a　farm　laborerconfounded　fools！　Not　but　what　he'd　have　been　the　fool　had　he　done　it。〃

〃To　be　sure　he　would；〃　repeated　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃and　he　is　not　fool　enough　for　that；　sir。　Let　West　Lynne　talk；　Mr。　Hare；　but　do　not　put　faith　in　a　word　of　its　gossip。　I　never　do。　Poor　Richard；　wherever　he　may　be〃

〃I　won't　have　him　pitied　in　my　presence；〃　burst　forth　the　justice。　〃Poor　Richard；　indeed！　Villain　Richard；　if　you　please。〃

〃I　was　about　to　observe　that；　wherever　he　may　bewhether　in　the　backwoods　of　America；　or　digging　for　gold　in　California；　or　wandering　about　the　United　Kingdomthere　is　little　fear　that　he　will　quit　his　place　of　safety　to　dare　the　dangerous　ground　of　West　Lynne。　Had　I　been　you；　sir；　I　should　have　laughed　at　Locksley　and　his　words。〃

〃Why　does　West　Lynne　invent　such　lies？〃

〃Ah；　there's　the　rub。　I　dare　say　West　Lynne　could　not　tell　why；　if　it　were　paid　for　doing　it；　but　it　seems　to　have　been　a　lame　story　it　had　got　up　this　time。　If　they　must　have　concocted　a　report　that　Richard　had　been　seen　at　West　Lynne；　why　put　it　back　to　a　year　agowhy　not　have　fixed　it　for　to…day　or　yesterday？　If　I　heard　anything　more；　I　would　treat　it　with　the　silence　and　contempt　it　deserves；　justice。〃

Silence　and　contempt　were　not　greatly　in　the　justice's　line；　noise　and　explosion　were　more　so。　But　he　had　a　high　opinion　of　the　judgment　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　growling　a　sort　of　assent；　he　once　more　set　forth　to　pay　his　evening　visit。

〃Oh；　Archibald！〃　uttered　Mrs。　Hare；　when　her　husband　was　half…way　down　the　path；　〃what　a　mercy　that　you　were　here！　I　should　inevitably　have　betrayed　myself。〃

Barbara　turned　round　from　the　window；　〃But　what　could　have　possessed　Locksley　to　say　what　he　did？〃　she　exclaimed。

〃I　have　no　doubt　Locksley　spoke　with　a　motive；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃He　is　not　unfriendly　to　Richard；　and　thought；　probably；　that　by　telling　Mr。　Hare　of　the　report　he　might　get　it　stopped。　The　rumor　had　been　mentioned　to　me。〃

Barbara　turned　cold　all　over。　〃How　can　it　have　come　to　light？〃　she　breathed。

〃I　am　at　a　loss　to　know；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　person　to　mention　it　to　me　was　Tom　Herbert。　'I　say；'　said　he　meeting　me　yesterday；　'what's　this　row　about　Dick　Hare？'　'What　now？'　I　asked　him。　'Why；　that　Dick　was　at　West　Lynne　some　time　back；　disguised　as　a　farm　laborer。'　Just　the　same；　you　see；　that　Locksley　said　to　Mr。　Hare。　I　laughed　at　Tom　Herbert；〃　continued　Mr。　Carlyle；　〃turned　his　report　into　ridicule　also；　before　I　had　done　with　him。〃

〃Will　it　be　the　means　of　causing　Richard's　detection？〃　murmured　Mrs。　Hare　from　between　her　dry　lips。

〃No；　no；〃　warmly　responded　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃Had　the　report　arisen　immediately　after　he　was　really　here；　it　might　not　have　been　so　pleasant；　but　nearly　two　years　have　elapsed　since　the　period。　Be　under　no　uneasiness；　dear　Mrs。　Hare；　for　rely　upon　it　there　is　no　cause。〃

〃But　how　/could/　it　have　come　out；　Archibald？〃　she　urged；　〃and　at　this　distant　period　of　time？〃

〃I　assure　you　I　am　quite　at　a　loss　to　imagine。　Had　anybody　at　West　Lynne　seen　and　recognized　Richard；　they　would　have　spoken　of　it　at　the　time。　Do　not　let　it　trouble　you；　the　rumor　will　die　away。〃

Mrs。　Hare　sighed　deeply；　and　left　the　room　to　proceed　to　her　own　chamber。　Barbara　and　Mr。　Carlyle　were　alone。

〃Oh；　that　the　real　murderer　could　be　discovered！〃　she　aspirated；　clasping　her　hands。　〃To　be　subjected　to　these　shocks　of　fear　is　dreadful。　Mamma　will　not　be　herself　for　days　to　come。〃

〃I　wish　the　right　man　could　be　found；　but　it　seems　as　far　off　as　ever；〃　remarked　Mr。　Carlyle。

Barbara　sat　ruminating。　It　seemed　that　she　would　say　something　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　but　a　feeling　caused　her　to　hesitate。　When　she　did　at　length　speak；　it　was　in　a　low；　timid　voice。

〃You　remember　the　description　Richard　gave；　that　last　night；　of　the　person　he　had　metthe　true　Thorn？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Did　it　strike　you　thenhas　it　ever　occurred　to　you　to　thinkthat　it　accorded　with　some　one？〃

〃In　what　way；　Barbara？〃　he　asked；　after　a　pause。　〃It　accorded　with　the　description　Richard　always　gave　of　the　man　Thorn。〃

〃Richard　spoke　of　the　peculiar　movement　of　throwing　off　the　hair　from　the　foreheadin　this　way。　Did　that　strike　you　as　being　familiar；　in　connection　with　the　white　hand　and　the　diamond　ring？〃

〃Many　have　a　habit　of　pushing　off　their　hairI　think　I　do　it　myself　sometimes。　Barbara；　what　do　you　mean？　Have　you　a　suspicion　of　any　one？〃

〃Have　you？〃　she　returned；　answering　the　question　by　asking　another。

〃I　have　not。　Since　Captain　Thorn　was　disposed　of；　my　suspicions　have　not　pointed　anywhere。〃

This　sealed　Barbara's　lips。　She　had　hers；　vague　doubts；　bringing　wonder　more　than　anything　else。　At　times　she　had　thought　the　same　doubts　might　have　occurred　to　Mr。　Carlyle；　she　now　found　that　they　had　not。　The　terrible　domestic　calamity　which　had　happened　to　Mr。　Carlyle　the　same　night　that　Richard　protested　he　had　seen　Thorn；　had　prevented　Barbara's　discussing　the　matter　with　him　then；　and　she　had　never　done　so　since。　Richard　had　never　been　further　heard　of；　and　the　affair　had　remained　in　abeyance。

〃I　begin　to　despair　of　its　ever　being　discovered；〃　she　observed。　〃What　will　become　of　poor　Richard？〃

〃We　can　but　wait；　and　hope　that　time　may　bring　forth　its　own　elucidation；〃　continued　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Ah；〃　sighed　Barbara；　〃but　it　is　weary　waitingweary；　weary。〃

〃How　is　it　you　contrive　to　get　under　the　paternal　displeasure？〃　he　resumed；　in　a　gayer　tone。

She　blushed　vividly；　and　it　was　her　only　answer。

〃The　Major　Thorn　alluded　to　by　your　papa　is　our　old　friend；　I　presume？〃

Barbara　inclined　her　head。

〃He　is　a　very　pleasant　man；　Barbara。　Many　a　young　lady　in　West　Lynne　would　be　proud　to　get　him。〃

There　was　a　pause。　Barbara　broke　it；　but　she　did　not　look　at　Mr。　Carlyle　as　she　spoke。

〃The　other　rumoris　it　a　correct　one？〃

〃What　other　rumor？〃

〃That　you　are　to　marry　Louisa　Dobede。〃

〃It　is　not。　I　have　no　intention　of　marrying　any　one。　Nay；　I　will　say　it　more　strongly；　it　is　my　intention　not　to　marry　any　oneto　remain　as　I　am。〃

Barbara　lifted　her　eyes　to　his　in　the　surprise　of　the　moment。

〃You　look　amused；　Barbara。　Have　you　been　lending　your　credence　to　the　gossips；　who　have　so　kindly　disposed　of　me　to　Louisa　Dobede？〃

〃Not　so。　But　Louisa　Dobede　is　a　girl　to　be　coveted；　and；　as　mamma　says；　it　might　be　happier　for　you　if　you　married　again。　I　thought　you　would　be　sure　to　do　so。〃

〃No。　Shewho　was　my　wifelives。〃

〃What　of　that？〃　uttered　Barbara；　in　simplicity。

He　did　not　answer　for　a　moment；　and　when　he　did；　it　was　in　a　low；　almost　imperceptible　tone；　as　he　stood　by　the　table　at　which　Barbara　sat；　and　looked　down　on　her。

〃　'Whosoever　putteth　away　his　wife；　and　marrieth　another；　committeth　adultery。'　〃

And　before　Barbara　could　answer；　if；　indeed；　she　had　found　any　answer　to　make；　or　had　recovered　her　surprise；　he　had　taken　his　hat　and　was　gone。

To　return　for　a　short　while　to　Lady　Isabel。　As　the　year　advanced　she　grew　stronger；　and　in　the　latter　part　of　the　summer　she　made　preparations　for　quitting　Grenoble。　Where　she　would　fix　her　residence；　or　what　she　would　do；　she　knew　not。　She　was　miserable　and　restless；　and　cared　little　what　became　of　her。　The　remotest　spot　on　earth；　one　unpenetrated　by　the　steps　of　civilized　man；　appeared　the　most　desirable　for　her。　Where　was　she　to　find　this？〃

She　set　out　on　her　search；　she　and　the　child　and　its　nurse。　Not　Susanne。　Susanne　had　a　sweetheart　in　Grenoble；　and　declined　to　leave　it；　so　a　girl　was　engaged　for　the　child　in　her　place。　Lady　Isabel　wound　up　her　housekeeping；　had　her　things　packed　and　forwarded　to　Paris；　there　to　wait　her　orders　and　finally　quitted　Grenoble。　It　was　a　fine　day　when　she　left　itall　too　fine　for　the　dark　ending　it　was　to　bring。

When　a　railway　accident　does　take　place　in　France；　it　/is/　an　accident。　None　of　your　milk…and…water　affairs；　where　a　few　bruises　and　a　great　fright　are　the　extent　of　the　damages　but　too　often　a　calamity　whose　remembrance　l