east lynne-第84章

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　curls；　and　her　agile　figure？　Mr。　Carlyle　himself　could　not　have　told　her。　But　she　was　good…looking　still；　in　spite　of　it　all；　gentle　and　interesting；　and　people　wondered　to　see　that　gray　hair　in　one　yet　young。

She　had　been　with　the　Crosbys　going　on　for　two　years。　After　her　recovery　from　the　railway　accident；　she　removed　to　a　quiet　town　in　the　vicinity；　they　were　living　there；　and　she　became　daily　governess　to　Helena。　The　Crosbys　were　given　to　understand　that　she　was　English；　but　the　widow　of　a　Frenchmanshe　was　obliged　to　offer　some　plausible　account。　There　were　no　references；　but　she　so　won　upon　their　esteem　as　the　daily　governess；　that　they　soon　took　her　into　the　house。　Had　Lady　Isabel　surmised　that　they　would　be　travelling　to　so　conspicuous　a　spot　as　an　English…frequented　German　watering…place；　she　might　have　hesitated　to　accept　the　engagement。　However；　it　had　been　of　service　to　her；　the　meeting　with　Mrs。　Ducie　proving　that　she　was　altered　beyond　chance　of　recognition。　She　could　go　anywhere　now。

But　now；　about　her　state　of　mind？　I　don't　know　how　to　describe　it；　the　vain　yearning；　the　inward　fever；　the　restless　longing　for　what　might　not　be。　Longing　for　what？　For　her　children。　Let　the　mother；　be　she　a　duchess；　or　be　she　an　apple…woman　at　a　stand；　be　separated　for　awhile　from　her　little　children；　let　/her/　answer　how　she　yearns　for　them。　She　may　be　away　on　a　tour　of　pleasure　for　a　few　weeks；　the　longing　to　see　their　little　faces　again；　to　hear　their　prattling　tongues；　to　feel　their　soft　kisses；　is　kept　under；　and　there　may　be　frequent　messages；　〃The　children's　dear　love　to　mamma；〃　but　as　the　weeks　lengthen　out；　the　desire　to　see　them　again　becomes　almost　irrepressible。　What　must　it　have　been　then；　for　Lady　Isabel；　who　had　endured　this　longing　for　years？　Talk　of　the　/mal　du　pays/；　which　is　said　to　attack　the　Swiss　when　exiled　from　their　countrythat　is　as　nothing　compared　to　the　heartsickness　which　clung　to　Lady　Isabel。　She　had　passionately　loved　her　children；　she　had　been　anxious　for　their　welfare　in　all　ways；　and　not　the　least　she　had　to　endure　now　was　the　thought　that　she　had　abandoned　them　to　be　trained　by　strangers。　Would　they　be　trained　to　goodness；　to　morality；　to　religion？　Careless　as　she　herself　had　once　been　upon　these　points；　she　had　learnt　better　now。　Would　Isabel　grow　up　to　indifference；　toperhaps　do　as　she　had　done？　Lady　Isabel　flung　her　hands　before　her　eyes　and　groaned　in　anguish。

It　happened　that　Mrs。　Latimer；　a　lady　living　at　West　Lynne；　betook　herself　about　that　time　to　Stalkenberg；　and　with　her；　three　parts　maid　and　one　part　companion；　went　Afy　Hallijohn。　Not　that　Afy　was　admitted　to　the　society　of　Mrs。　Latimer；　to　sit　with　her　or　dine　with　her；　nothing　of　that；　but　she　did　enjoy　more　privileges　than　most　ladies'　maids　do；　and　Afy；　who　was　never　backward　at　setting　off　her　own　consequence；　gave　out　that　she　was　〃companion。〃　Mrs。　Latimer　was　an　easy　woman；　fond　of　Afy；　and　Afy　had　made　her　own　tale　good　to　her　respecting　the　ill…natured　reports　at　the　time　of　the　murder；　so　that　Mrs。　Latimer　looked　upon　her　as　one　to　be　compassionated。

Mrs。　Latimer　and　Mrs。　Crosby；　whose　apartments　in　the　hotel　joined；　struck　up　a　violent　friendship；　the　one　for　the　other。　Ere　the　former　had　been　a　week　at　the　Ludwig；　they　had　sworn　something　like　eternal　sisterhoodas　both　had　probably　done　for　others　fifty　times　before。



CHAPTER　XXXII。

MEETING　OF　LADY　ISABEL　AND　AFY。

On　the　evening　of　the　day　when　Helena　Crosby　communicated　her　future　prospects　to　Lady　Isabel；　the　latter　strolled　out　in　the　twilight　and　took　her　seat　on　a　bench　in　an　unfrequented　part　of　the　gardens；　where　she　was　fond　of　sitting。　Now　it　occurred　that　Afy；　some　minutes　afterwards；　found　herself　in　the　same　walkand　a　very　dull　one；　too；　she　was　thinking。

〃Who's　that？〃　quoth　Afy　to　herself；　her　eyes　falling　upon　Lady　Isabel。　〃Oh；　it's　that　governess　of　the　Crosby's。　She　may　be　known；　a　half　a　mile　off；　by　her　grandmother's　bonnet。　I'll　go　and　have　a　chat　with　her。〃

Accordingly　Afy；　who　was　never　troubled　with　bashfulness；　went　up　and　seated　herself　beside　Lady　Isabel。　〃Good　evening；　Madame　Vine；〃　cried　she。

〃Good　evening；〃　replied　Lady　Isabel；　courteously；　not　having　the　least　idea　who　Afy　might　be。

〃You　don't　know　me；　I　fancy；〃　pursued　Afy；　so　gathering　from　Lady　Isabel's　looks。　〃I　am　companion　to　Mrs。　Latimer；　and　she　is　spending　the　evening　with　Mrs。　Crosby。　Precious　dull；　this　Stalkenberg。〃

〃Do　you　think　so？〃

〃It　is　for　me。　I　can't　speak　German　or　French；　and　the　upper　attendants　of　families　here　can't；　most　of　them　speak　English。　I'm　sure　I　go　about　like　an　owl；　able　to　do　nothing　but　stare。　I　was　sick　enough　to　come　here；　but　I'd　rather　be　back　at　West　Lynne；　quiet　as　it　is。〃

Lady　Isabel　had　not　been　encouraging　her　companion；　either　by　words　or　manner；　but　the　last　sentence　caused　her　heart　to　bound　within　her。　Control　herself　as　she　would；　she　could　not　quite　hide　her　feverish　interest。

〃Do　you　come　from　West　Lynne？〃

〃Yes。　Horrid　place。　Mrs。　Latimer　took　a　house　there　soon　after　I　went　to　live　with　her。　I'd　rather　she'd　taken　it　at　Botany　Bay。〃

〃Why　do　you　not　like　it？〃

〃Because　I　don't；〃　was　Afy's　satisfactory　answer。

〃Do　you　know　East　Lynne？〃　resumed　Lady　Isabel；　her　heart　beating　and　her　brain　whirling；　as　she　deliberated　how　she　could　put　all　the　questions　she　wished　to　ask。

〃I　ought　to　know　it；〃　returned　Afy。　〃My　own　sister；　Miss　Hallijohn；　is　head　maid　there。　Why；　do　you　know　it；　Madame　Vine？〃

Lady　Isabel　hesitated；　she　was　deliberating　upon　her　answer。

〃Some　years　ago　I　was　staying　in　the　neighborhood　for　a　little　time；〃　she　said。　〃I　should　like　to　hear　of　the　Carlyles　again；　they　were　a　nice　family。〃

Afy　tossed　her　head。

〃Ah！　But　there　have　been　changes　since　that。　I　dare　say　you　knew　them　in　the　time　of　Lady　Isabel？〃

Another　pause。

〃Lady　Isabel？　Yes　she　was　Mr。　Carlyle's　wife。〃

〃And　a　nice　wife　she　made　him！〃　ironically　rejoined　Afy。　〃You　must　have　heard　of　it；　Madame　Vine；　unless　you　lived　in　the　wood。　She　elope　abandoned　him　and　her　children。〃

〃Are　the　children　living？〃

〃Yes；　poor　things。　But　the　one's　on　the　road　to　the　churchyardif　ever　I　saw　threatened　consumption　yet。　Joyce；　that's　my　sister；　is　in　a　flaring　temper　when　I　say　it。　She　thinks　it　will　get　strong　again。〃

Lady　Isabel　passed　her　handkerchief　across　her　moist　brow。

〃Which　of　the　children　is　it？〃　she　faintly　asked。　〃Isabel？〃

〃Isabel！〃　retorted　Afy。　〃Who's　Isabel？〃

〃The　eldest　child；　I　mean；　Miss　Isabel　Carlyle。〃

〃There's　no　Isabel。　There's　Lucy。　She's　the　only　daughter。〃

〃WhenwhenI　knew　them；　there　was　only　one　daughter；　the　other　two　were　boys；　I　remember　quite　well　that　she　was　called　Isabel。〃

〃Stay；〃　said　Afy；　〃now　you　speak　of　it；　what　was　it　that　I　heard？　It　was　Wilson　told　me；　I　recollectshe's　the　nurse。　Why；　the　very　night　that　his　wife　went　away　Mr。　Carlyle　gave　orders　that　the　child　in　future　should　be　called　Lucy；　her　second　name。　No　wonder；〃　added　Afy；　violently　indignant；　〃that　he　could　no　lager　endure　the　sound　of　her　mother's　or　suffer　the　child　to　bear　it。〃

〃No　wonder；〃　murmured　Lady　Isabel。　〃Which　child　is　it　that's　ill？〃

〃It's　William；　the　eldest　boy。　He　is　not　to　say　ill；　but　he　is　as　thin　as　a　herring；　with　an　unnaturally　bright　look　on　his　cheek；　and　a　glaze　upon　his　eye。　Joyce　says　that　his　cheeks　are　no　brighter　than　his　mother's　were；　but　I　know　better。　Folks　in　health　don't　have　those　brilliant　colors。〃

〃Did　you　ever　see　Lady　Isabel？〃　she　asked；　in　a　low　tone。

〃Not　I；〃　returned　Afy；　〃I　should　have　thought　it　demeaning。　One　does　not　care　to　be　brought　into　contact　with　that　sort　of　misdoing　lot；　you　know；　Madame　Vine。〃

〃There　as　another　one；　a　little　boyArchibald；　I　think；　his　name　was。　Is　he　well？〃

〃Oh；　the　troublesome　youngster！　He　is　as　sturdy　as　a　Turk。　No　fear　of　his　going　into　consumption。　He　is　the　very　image　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　is　that　child。　I　say　though；　madame；〃　continued　Afy；　changing　the　subject　unceremoniously；　〃if　you　were　stopping　at　West　Lynne；　perhaps　you　heard　some　wicked　mischief…making　stories　concerning　me？〃

〃I　believe　I　did　hear　your　name　mentioned。　I　cannot　charge　my　memory　now　with　the　particulars。〃

〃My　father