east lynne-第80章

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〃I　suppose　I　must　have　cast　a　spell　upon　her；〃　answered　Mr。　Carlyle；　breaking　into　a　smile。

〃Here　she　is。　Barbara；〃　carried　on　the　unceremonious　justice；　〃what　is　it　that　you　see　in　Carlyle　more　than　anybody　else？〃

Barbara's　scarlet　cheeks　answered　for　her。　〃Papa；〃　she　said；　〃Otway　Bethel　is　at　the　door　asking　to　speak　to　you。　Jasper　says　he　won't　come　in。〃

〃Then　I'm　sure　I'm　not　going　out　to　him　in　the　cold。　Here；　Mr。　Otway；　what　are　you　afraid　of？〃　he　called　out。　〃Come　in。〃

Otway　Bethel　made　his　appearance　in　his　usual　sporting　costume。　But　he　did　not　seem　altogether　at　his　ease　in　the　presence　of　Mrs。　Hare　and　Barbara。

〃The　colonel　wished　to　see　you；　justice；　and　ask　you　if　you　had　any　objection　to　the　meeting's　being　put　off　from　one　o'clock　till　two；〃　cried　he；　after　nodding　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃He　has　got　a　friend　coming　to　see　him　unexpectedly　who　will　leave　again　by　the　two　o'clock　train。〃

〃I　don't　care　which　it　is；〃　answered　Mr。　Hare。　〃Two　o'clock　will　do　as　well　as　one；　for　me。〃

〃That's　all　right；　then；　and　I'll　drop　in　upon　Herbert　and　Pinner　and　acquaint　them。〃

Miss　Carlyle's　cold　was　better　that　evening；　in　fact　she　seemed　quite　herself　again；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　introduced　the　subject　of　his　marriage。　It　was　after　dinner　that　he　began　upon　it。

〃Cornelia；　when　I　married　Lady　Isabel　Vane；　you　reproached　me　severely　with　having　kept　you　in　the　dark〃

〃If　you　had　not　kept　me　in　the　dark；　but　consulted　me；　as　any　other　Christian　would；　the　course　of　events　would　have　been　wholly　changed；　and　the　wretchedness　and　disgrace　that　fell　on　this　house　been　spared　to　it；〃　fiercely　interrupted　Miss　Carlyle。

〃We　will　leave　the　past；〃　he　said；　〃and　consider　the　future。　I　was　about　to　remark；　that　I　do　not　intend　to　fall　under　your　displeasure　again　for　the　like　offense。　I　believe　you　have　never　wholly　forgiven　it。〃

〃And　never　shall；〃　cried　she；　impetuously。　〃I　did　not　deserve　the　slight。〃

〃Therefore；　almost　as　soon　as　I　know　it　myself；　I　acquaint　you。　I　am　about　to　marry　a　second　time；　Cornelia。〃

Miss　Carlyle　started　up。　Her　spectacles　dropped　off　her　nose；　and　a　knitting…box　which　she　happened　to　have　on　her　knees；　clattered　to　the　floor。

〃What　did　you　say？〃　she　uttered；　aghast。

〃I'm　about　to　marry。〃

〃You！〃

〃I。　Is　there　anything　so　very　astonishing　in　it？〃

〃For　the　love　of　common　sense；　don't　go　and　make　such　a　fool　of　yourself。　You　have　done　it　once；　was　not　that　enough　for　you；　but　you　must　run　your　head　into　the　noose　again？〃

〃Now；　Cornelia；　can　you　wonder　that　I　do　not　speak　of　things　when　you　meet　them　in　this　way？　You　treat　me　just　as　you　did　when　I　was　a　child。　It　is　very　foolish。〃

〃When　folk　act　childishly；　they　must　be　treated　as　children。　I　always　thought　you　were　mad　when　you　married　before；　but　I　shall　think　you　doubly　mad　now。〃

〃Because　you　have　preferred　to　remain　single　and　solitary　yourself；　is　it　any　reason　why　you　should　condemn　me　to　do　the　same？　You　are　happy　alone；　I　should　be　happier　with　a　wife。

〃That　she　may　go　and　disgrace　you；　as　the　last　one　did！〃　intemperately　spoke　Miss　Carlyle；　caring　not　a　rush　what　she　said　in　her　storm　of　anger。

Mr。　Carlyle's　brow　flushed；　but　he　controlled　his　temper。

〃No；〃　he　calmly　replied。　〃I　am　not　afraid　of　that　in　the　one　I　have　now　chosen。〃

Miss　Corny　gathered　her　knitting　together；　he　had　picked　up　her　box。　Her　hands　trembled；　and　the　lines　of　her　face　were　working。　It　was　a　blow　to　her　as　keen　as　the　other　had　been。

〃Pray　who　is　it　that　you　have　chosen？〃　she　jerked　forth。　〃The　whole　neighborhood　has　been　after　you。〃

〃Let　it　be　who　it　will；　Cornelia；　you　will　be　sure　to　grumble。　Were　I　to　say　that　it　was　a　royal　princess；　or　a　peasant's　daughter；　you　would　equally　see　grounds　for　finding　fault。〃

〃Of　course　I　should。　I　know　who　it　isthat　stuck…up　Louisa　Dobede。〃

〃No；　it　is　not。　I　never　had　the　slightest　intention　of　choosing　Louisa　Dobede；　nor　she　of　choosing　me。　I　am　marrying　to　please　myself；　and；　for　a　wife；　Louisa　Dobede　would　not　please　me。〃

〃As　you　did　before；〃　sarcastically　put　in　Miss　Corny。

〃Yes；　as　I　did　before。〃

〃Well；　can't　you　open　your　mouth　and　say　who　it　is？〃　was　the　exasperated　rejoinder。

〃It　is　Barbara　Hare。〃

〃Who？〃　shrieked　Miss　Carlyle。

〃You　are　not　deaf；　Cornelia。〃

〃Well；　you　/are/　an　idiot！〃　she　exclaimed；　lifting　up　her　hands　and　eyes。

〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　but　without　any　signs　of　irritation。

〃And　so　you　are；　/you　are/；　Archibald。　To　suffer　that　girl；　who　has　been　angling　after　you　so　long；　to　catch　you　at　last。〃

〃She　has　not　angled　after　me；　had　she　done　so；　she　would　probably　never　have　been　Mrs。　Carlyle。　Whatever　passing　fancy　she　may　have　entertained　for　me　in　earlier　days；　she　has　shown　no　symptoms　of　it　of　late　years；　and　I　am　quite　certain　that　she　had　no　more　thought　or　idea　that　I　should　choose　her　for　my　second　wife；　than　you　had　I　should　choose　you。　Others　have　angled　after　me　too　palpably；　but　Barbara　has　not。〃

〃She　is　a　conceited　minx；　as　vain　as　she　is　high。〃

〃What　else　have　you　to　urge　against　her？〃

〃I　would　have　married　a　girl　without　a　slur；　if　I　must　have　married；〃　aggravatingly　returned　Miss　Corny。

〃Slur？〃

〃Slur；　yes。　Dear　me；　is　it　an　honorthe　possessing　a　brother　such　as　Richard？〃

Miss　Corny　sniffed。　〃Pigs　may　fly；　but　I　never　saw　them　try　at　it。〃

〃The　next　consideration；　Cornelia；　is　about　your　residence。　You　will　go　back；　I　presume；　to　your　own　home。〃

Miss　Corny　did　not　believe　her　own　ears。　〃Go　back　to　my　own　home！〃　she　exclaimed。　〃I　shall　do　nothing　of　the　sort。　I　shall　stop　at　East　Lynne。　What's　to　hinder　me？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　shook　his　head。　〃It　cannot　be；〃　he　said；　in　a　low；　decisive　tone。

〃Who　says　so？〃　she　sharply　asked。

〃I　do。　Have　you　forgotten　that　nightwhen　she　went　awaythe　words　spoken　by　Joyce？　Cornelia；　whether　they　were　true　or　false；　I　will　not　subject　another　to　the　chance。〃

She　did　not　answer。　Her　lips　parted　and　closed　again。　Somehow；　Miss　Carlyle　could　not　bear　to　be　reminded　of　that　revelation　of　Joyce's；　it　subdued　even　her。

〃I　cast　no　reflection　upon　you；〃　hastily　continued　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃You　have　been　a　mistress　of　a　house　for　many　years；　and　you　naturally　look　to　be　so；　it　is　right　you　should。　But　two　mistresses　in　a　house　do　not　answer；　Cornelia；　they　never　did；　and　they　never　will。〃

〃Why　did　you　not　give　me　so　much　of　your　sentiments　when　I　first　came　to　East　Lynne？〃　she　burst　forth。　〃I　hate　hypocrisy。〃

〃They　were　not　my　sentiments　then；　I　possessed　none。　I　was　ignorant　upon　the　subject　as　I　was　upon　many　others。　Experience　has　come　to　me　since。〃

〃You　will　not　find　a　better　mistress　of　a　house　than　I　have　made　you；〃　she　resentfully　spoke。

〃I　do　not　look　for　it。　The　tenants　leave　your　house　in　March；　do　they　not？〃

〃Yes；　they　do；〃　snapped　Miss　Corny。　〃But　as　we　are　on　the　subject　of　details　of　ways　and　means；　allow　me　to　tell　you　that　if　you　did　what　is　right；　/you/　would　move　into　that　house　of　mine；　and　I　will　go　to　a　smalleras　you　seem　to　think　I　shall　poison　Barbara　if　I　remain　with　her。　East　Lynne　is　a　vast　deal　too　fine　and　too　grand　for　you。〃

〃I　do　not　consider　it　so。　I　shall　not　quit　East　Lynne。〃

〃Are　you　aware　that；　in　leaving　your　house；　I　take　my　income　with　me；　Archibald？〃

〃Most　certainly。　Your　income　is　yours；　and　you　will　require　it　for　your　own　purposes。　I　have　neither　a　right　to；　nor　wish　for　it。〃

〃It　will　make　a　pretty　good　hole　in　your　income；　the　withdrawing　of　it；　I　can　tell　you　that。　Take　care　that　you　and　East　Lynne　don't　go　bankrupt　together。〃

At　this　moment　the　summons　of　a　visitor　was　heard。　Even　that　excited　the　ire　of　Miss　Carlyle。　〃I　wonder　who's　come　bothering　to…night？〃　she　uttered。

Peter　entered。　〃It　is　Major　Thorn；　sir。　I　have　shown　him　into　the　drawing…room。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　was　surprised。　He　had　not　thought　Major　Thorn　within　many　a　mile　of　West　Lynne。　He　proceeded　to　the　drawing…room。

〃Such　a　journey！〃　said　Major　Thorn　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　my　general　luck　to　get　ill…weather　when　I　travel。　Rain　and　hail；　thunder　and　heat；　nothing　bad　comes　amiss　when　I　am　out。　The　snow　lay　on　the　rails；　I　don't　know　how　thick；　at　one　station　we　were　detained　two　hours。〃

〃Are　you　proposing　to　make　any　stay　at