east lynne-第86章

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〃They　are　parting　with　their　governess；〃　continued　Mrs。　Latimer；　〃and　when　I　was　there；　a　day　or　two　before　I　started　on　my　tour　to　Germany；　Mrs。　Carlyle　said　to　me；　'I　suppose　you　could　not　pick　us　up　a　desirable　governess　for　Lucy；　one　who　is　mistress　of　French　and　German。'　She　spoke　in　a　half　joking　tone；　but　I　feel　sure　that　were　I　to　write　word　I　/had/　found　one　desirable；　it　would　give　her　pleasure。　Now；　Mrs。　Crosby　tells　me　your　French　is　quite　that　of　a　native；　Madame　Vine；　that　you　read　and　speak　German　well；　and　that　your　musical　abilities　are　excellent。　I　think　you　would　be　just　the　one　to　suit；　and　I　have　no　doubt　I　could　get　you　the　situation。　What　do　you　say？〃

What　could　she　say？　Her　brain　was　in　a　whirl。

〃I　am　anxious　to　find　you　one　if　I　can；〃　put　in　Mrs。　Crosby。　〃We　have　been　much　pleased　with　you；　and　I　should　like　you　to　be　desirably　placed。　As　Mrs。　Latimer　is　so　kind　as　to　interest　herself；　it　appears　to　me　an　opportunity　that　should　not　be　missed。〃

〃Shall　I　write　to　Mrs。　Carlyle？〃　rejoined　Mrs。　Latimer。

Lady　Isabel　roused　herself；　and　so　far　cleared　her　intellect　as　to　understand　and　answer　the　question。　〃Perhaps　you　would　kindly　give　me　until　to…morrow　morning　to　consider　on　it？　I　had　not　intended　to　take　a　situation　in　England。〃

A　battle　she　had　with　herself　that　day。　At　one　moment　it　seemed　to　her　that　Providence　must　have　placed　this　opportunity　in　her　way　that　she　might　see　her　children；　in　her　desperate　longing；　at　another；　a　voice　appeared　to　whisper　that　it　was　a　wily；　dangerous　temptation　flung　across　her　path；　one　which　it　was　her　duty　to　resist　and　flee　from。　Then　came　another　phase　of　the　picturehow　should　she　bear　to　see　Mr。　Carlyle　the　husband　of　anotherto　live　in　the　same　house　with　them；　to　witness　his　attentions；　possibly　his　caresses？　It　might　be　difficult；　but　she　could　force　and　school　her　heart　to　endurance。　Had　she　not　resolved；　in　her　first　bitter　repentance；　/to　take　up　her　cross/　daily；　and　bear　it？　No；　her　own　feelings；　let　them　be　wrung　as　they　would；　should　not　prove　the　obstacle。

Evening　came；　and　she　had　not　decided。　She　passed　another　night　of　pain；　of　restlessness；　of　longing　for　her　children；　this　intense　longing　appeared　to　be　overmastering　all　her　powers　of　mind　and　body。　The　temptation　at　length　proved　too　strong；　the　project　having　been　placed　before　her　covetous　eyes　could　not　be　relinquished；　and　she　finally　consented　to　go。　〃What　is　it　that　would　keep　me　away？〃　she　argued。　〃The　dread　of　discovery？　Well　if　that　comes　it　must；　they　could　not　hang　me　or　kill　me。　Deeper　humiliation　than　ever　would　be　my　portion　when　they　drive　me　from　East　Lynne　with　abhorrence　and　ignominy；　as　a　soldier　is　drummed　out　of　his　regiment；　but　I　could　bear　that　as　I　must　bear　the　rest　and　I　can　shrink　under　the　hedge　and　lay　myself　down　to　die。　Humiliation　for　me？　No；　I　will　not　put　that　in　comparison　with　seeing　and　being　with　my　children。〃

Mrs。　Latimer　wrote　to　Mrs。　Carlyle。　She　had　met　with　a　governess；　one　desirable　in　every　way　who　could　not　fail　to　suit　her　views　precisely。　She　was　a　Madame　Vine；　English　by　birth；　but　the　widow　of　a　Frenchman；　a　Protestant；　a　thorough　gentlewoman；　an　efficient　linguist　and　musician；　and　competent　to　her　duties　in　all　ways。　Mrs。　Crosby；　with　whom　she　had　lived　two　years　regarded　her　as　a　treasure；　and　would　not　have　parted　with　her　but　for　Helena's　marriage　with　a　German　nobleman。　〃You　must　not　mind　her　appearance；〃　went　on　the　letter。　〃She　is　the　oddest…looking　person；　wears　spectacles；　caps；　enormous　bonnets；　and　has　a　great　scar　on　her　mouth　and　chin；　and　though　she　can't　be　more　than　thirty；　her　hair　is　gray；　she　is　also　slightly　lame。　But；　understand　you；　she　is　a　/lady/；　with　it　all；　and　looks　one。〃

When　this　description　reached　East　Lynne；　Barbara　laughed　at　it　as　she　read　it　aloud　to　Mr。　Carlyle。　He　laughed　also。

〃It　is　well　governesses　are　not　chosen　according　to　their　looks；〃　he　said；　〃or　I　fear　Madame　Vine　would　stand　but　a　poor　chance。〃

They　resolved　to　engage　her；　and　word　went　back　to　that　effect。

A　strangely　wild　tumult　filled　Lady　Isabel's　bosom。　She　first　of　all　hunted　her　luggage　over；　her　desk；　everything　belonging　to　her　lest　any　mark　on　the　linen　might　be　there；　which　could　give　a　clue　to　her　former　self。　The　bulk　of　her　luggage　remained　in　Paris；　warehoused；　where　it　had　been　sent　ere　she　quitted　Grenoble。　She　next　saw　to　her　wardrobe；　making　it　still　more　unlike　anything　she　had　used　to　wear；　her　caps；　save　that　they　were　simple；　and　fitted　closely　to　the　face；　nearly　rivaled　those　of　Miss　Carlyle。　Her　handwriting　she　had　been　striving　for　years　to　change　the　character　of；　and　had　so　far　succeeded　that　none　would　now　take　it　for　Lady　Isabel　Vane's。　But　her　hand　shook　as　she　wrote　to　Mrs。　Carlylewho　had　written　to　her。　She　/she/　writing　to　Mr。　Carlyle's　wife！　And　in　the　capacity　of　a　subordinate！　How　would　she　like　to　live　with　her　as　a　subordinate；　as　servantit　may　be　saidwhere　she　had　once　reigned；　the　idolized　lady？　She　must　bear　that；　as　she　must　bear　all　else。　Hot　tears　came　into　her　eyes；　with　a　gush；　as　they　fell　on　the　signature；　〃Barbara　Carlyle。〃

All　ready；　she　sat　down　and　waited　the　signal　of　departure；　but　that　was　not　to　be　yet。　It　was　finally　arranged　that　she　should　travel　to　England　and　to　West　Lynne　with　Mrs。　Latimer；　and　that　lady　would　not　return　until　October。　Lady　Isabel　could　only　fold　her　hands　and　strive　for　patience。

But　the　day　did　comeit　actually　did；　and　Mrs。　Latimer；　Lady　Isabel；　and　Afy　quitted　Stalkenberg。　Mrs。　Latimer　would　only　travel　slowly；　and　the　impatient；　fevered　woman　thought　the　journey　would　never　end。

〃You　have　been　informed；　I　think；　of　the　position　of　these　unhappy　children　that　you　are　going　to；〃　Mrs。　Latimer　observed　to　her　one　day。　〃You　must　not　speak　to　them　of　their　mother。　She　left　them。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃It　is　never　well　to　speak　to　children　of　a　mother　who　has　disgraced　them。　Mr。　Carlyle　would　not　like　it；　and　I　dare　say　they　are　taught　to　forget　her；　and　to　regard　Mrs。　Carlyle　as　their　only　mother。〃

Her　aching　heart　had　to　assent　to　all。

It　was　a　foggy　afternoon；　gray　with　the　coming　twilight；　when　they　arrived　at　West　Lynne。

Mrs。　Latimer　believing　the　governess　was　a　novice　in　England；　kindly　put　her　into　a　fly；　and　told　the　driver　his　destination。　〃/Au　revoir/；　madame；〃　she　said；　〃and　good　luck　to　you。〃

Once　more　she　was　whirling　along　the　familiar　road。　She　saw　Justice　Hare's　house；　she　saw　other　marks　which　she　knew　well；　and　once　more　she　saw　/East　Lynne/；　the　dear　old　house；　for　the　fly　had　turned　into　the　avenue。　Lights　were　moving　in　the　windows；　it　looked　gay　and　cheerful；　a　contrast　to　her。　Her　heart　was　sick　with　expectation；　her　throat　was　beating；　and　as　the　man　thundered　up　with　all　the　force　of　his　one　horse；　and　halted　at　the　steps；　her　sight　momentarily　left　her。　Would　Mr。　Carlyle　come　to　the　fly　to　hand　her　out？　She　wished　she　had　never　undertaken　the　project；　now；　in　the　depth　of　her　fear　and　agitation。　The　hall　door　was　flung　open；　and　there　gushed　forth　a　blaze　of　light。

Two　men…servants　stood　there。　The　one　remained　in　the　hall；　the　other　advanced　to　the　chaise。　He　assisted　Lady　Isabel　to　alight；　and　then　busied　himself　with　the　luggage。　As　she　ascended　to　the　hall　she　recognized　old　Peter。　Strange；　indeed；　did　it　seem　not　to　say；　〃How　are　you；　Peter？〃　but　to　meet　him　as　a　stranger。　For　a　moment；　she　was　at　a　loss　for　words；　what　should　she　say；　or　ask；　coming　to　her　own　home？　Her　manner　was　embarrassed；　her　voice　low。

〃Is　Mrs。　Carlyle　within？〃

〃Yes；　ma'am。〃

At　that　moment　Joyce　came　forward　to　receive　her。　〃It　is　Madame　Vine；　I　believe；〃　she　respectfully　said。　〃Please　to　step　this　way；　madame。〃

But　Lady　Isabel　lingered　in　the　hall；　ostensibly　to　see　that　her　boxes　came　in　rightStephen　was　bringing　them　upin　reality　to　gather　a　short　respite；　for　Joyce　might　be　about　to　usher　her　into　the　presence　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Carlyle。

Joyce；　however；　did　nothing　of　the　sort。　She　merely　conducted　her　to　the　gray　parlor。　A　fire　was　burning　in　the　grate；　looking　cheerful　on　the　autumn　night。

〃This　is　your　sitting…room；　madame。　What　will　you　please　to　take？　I　will　order　it　brought　in　while　I　show　you　your　be