east lynne-第97章

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r　some　indistinct　promise　that　the　wedding　should　be　speedy。

Lydia　Challoner　had　married；　and　been　left　a　widow；　well　off。　She　was　Mrs。　Waring；　and　at　her　house　resided　Blanche。　For　the　girls　were　orphans。　Blanche　was　beginning　to　show　symptoms　of　her　nearly　thirty　years；　not　the　years；　but　the　long…continued　disappointment；　the　heart…burnings；　were　telling　upon　her。　Her　hair　was　thin；　her　face　was　pinched；　her　form　had　lost　its　roundness。　〃Marry　/her/；　indeed！〃　scoffed　to　himself　Sir　Francis　Levison。

There　came　to　Mrs。　Waring's　upon　a　Christmas　visit　a　younger　sister；　Alice　Challoner；　a　fair　girl　of　twenty　years。　She　resided　generally　with　an　aunt　in　the　country。　Far　more　beautiful　was　she　than　Blanche　had　ever　been；　and　Francis　Levison；　who　had　not　seen　her　since　she　was　a　child；　fellas　he　would　have　called　itin　love　with　her。　Love！　He　became　her　shadow；　he　whispered　sweet　words　in　her　ear；　he　turned　her　head　giddy　with　its　own　vanity；　and　he　offered　her　marriage。　She　accepted　him；　and　preparations　for　the　ceremony　immediately　began。　Sir　Francis　urged　speed；　and　Alice　was　nothing　loth。

And　what　of　Blanche？　Blanche　was　stunned。　A　despairing　stupor　took　possession　of　her；　and；　when　she　woke　from　it；　desperation　set　in。　She　insisted　upon　an　interview　with　Sir　Francis；　and　evade　it　he　could　not；　though　he　tried　hard。　Will　it　be　believed　that　he　denied　the　past　that　he　met　with　mocking　suavity　her　indignant　reminders　of　what　had　been　between　them？　〃Love！　Marriage？　Nonsense！　Her　fancy　had　been　too　much　at　work。〃　Finally；　he　defied　her　to　prove　that　he　had　regarded　her　with　more　than　ordinary　friendship；　or　had　ever　hinted　at　such　a　thing　as　a　union。

She　could　not　prove　it。　She　had　not　so　much　as　a　scrap　of　paper　written　on　by　him；　she　had　not　a　single　friend　or　enemy　to　come　forward　and　testify　that　they　heard　him　breathe　to　her　a　word　of　love。　He　had　been　too　wary　for　that。　Moreover　there　was　her　own　solemn　protestations　to　her　sister　Lydia　that　there　/was　not/　anything　between　her　and　Francis　Levison；　who　would　believe　her　if　she　veered　round　now；　and　avowed　these　protestations　were　false？　No；　she　found　that　she　was　in　a　sinking　ship；　one　there　was　no　chance　of　saving。

But　one　chance　did　she　determine　to　tryan　appeal　to　Alice。　Blanche　Challoner's　eyes　were　suddenly　and　rudely　opened　to　the　badness　of　the　man；　and　she　was　aware　now　how　thoroughly　unfit　he　was　to　become　the　husband　of　her　sister。　It　struck　her　that　only　misery　could　result　from　the　union；　and　that；　if　possible；　Alice　should　be　saved　from　entering　upon　it。　Would　she　have　married　him　herself；　then？　Yes。　But　it　was　a　different　thing　for　that　fair；　fresh　young　Alice；　/she/　had　not　wasted　her　life's　best　years　in　waiting　for　him。

When　the　family　had　gone　to　rest；　and　the　house　was　quiet；　Blanche　Challoner　proceeded　to　her　sister's　bedroom。　Alice　had　not　begun　to　undress；　she　was　sitting　in　a　comfortable　chair　before　the　fire；　her　feet　on　the　fender；　reading　a　love　letter　from　Sir　Francis。

〃Alice；　I　am　come　to　tell　you　a　story；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃Will　you　hear　it？〃

〃In　a　minute。　Stop　a　bit；〃　replied　Alice。　She　finished　the　perusal　of　the　letter；　put　it　aside；　and　then　spoke　again。　〃What　did　you　say；　Blanche？　A　story？〃

Blanche　nodded。　〃Several　years　ago　there　was　a　fair　young　girl；　none　too　rich；　in　our　station　of　life。　A　gentleman；　who　was　none　too　rich　either；　sought　and　gained　her　love。　He　could　not　marry；　he　was　not　rich；　I　say。　They　loved　on　in　secret；　hoping　for　better　times；　she　wearing　out　her　years　and　her　heart。　Oh；　Alice！　I　cannot　describe　to　you　how　she　loved　himhow　she　has　continued　to　love　him　up　to　this　moment。　Through　evil　report　she　clung　to　him　tenaciously　and　tenderly　as　the　vine　clings　to　its　trellis；　for　the　world　spoke　ill　of　him。〃

〃Who　was　the　young　lady？〃　interrupted　Alice。　〃Is　this　a　fable　of　romance；　Blanche；　or　a　real　history？〃

〃A　real　history。　I　knew　her。　All　those　yearsyears　and　years；　I　say　he　kept　leading　her　on　to　love；　letting　her　think　that　his　love　was　hers。　In　the　course　of　time　he　succeeded　to　a　fortune；　and　the　bar　to　their　marriage　was　over。　He　was　abroad　when　he　came　into　it；　but　returned　home　at　once；　their　intercourse　was　renewed；　and　her　fading　heart　woke　up　once　more　to　life。　Still；　the　marriage　did　not　come　on；　he　said　nothing　of　it；　and　she　spoke　to　him。　Very　soon　now；　should　it　be；　was　his　answer；　and　she　continued　to　live　onin　hope。〃

〃Go　on；　Blanche；〃　cried　Alice；　who　had　grown　interested　in　the　tale；　never　suspecting　that　it　could　bear　a　personal　interest。

〃Yes；　I　will　go　on。　Would　you　believe；　Alice；　that　almost　immediately　after　this　last　promise；　he　saw　one　whom　he　fancied　he　should　like　better；　and　asked　her　to　be　his　wife；　forsaking　the　one　to　whom　he　was　bound　by　every　tie　of　honorrepudiating　all　that　had　been　between　them；　even　his　own　words　and　promises？〃

〃How　disgraceful！　Were　they　married？〃

〃They　are　to　be。　Would　you　have　such　a　man？〃

〃I！〃　returned　Alice；　quite　indignant　at　the　question。　〃It　is　not　likely　that　I　would。〃

〃That　man；　Alice　is　Sir　Francis　Levison。〃

Alice　Challoner　gave　a　start；　and　her　face　became　scarlet。　〃How　dare　you　say　so；　Blanche？　It　is　not　true。　Who　was　the　girl；　pray？　She　must　have　traduced　him。〃

〃She　has　not　traduced　him；〃　was　the　subdued　answer。　〃The　girl　was　myself。〃

An　awkward　pause。　〃I　know！〃　cried　Alice；　throwing　back　her　head　resentfully。　〃He　told　me　I　might　expect　something　of　thisthat　you　had　fancied　him　in　love　with　you；　and　were　angry　because　he　had　chosen　me。〃

Blanche　turned　upon　her　with　streaming　eyes；　she　could　no　longer　control　her　emotion。　〃Alice；　my　sister；　all　the　pride　is　gone　out　of　me；　all　the　reticence　that　woman　loves　to　observe　as　to　her　wrongs　and　her　inward　feelings　I　have　broken　through　for　you　this　night。　As　sure　as　there　is　a　heaven　above　us；　I　have　told　you　the　truth。　Until　you　came　I　was　engaged　to　Francis　Levison。〃

An　unnatural　scene　ensued。　Blanche；　provoked　at　Alice's　rejection　of　her　words；　told　all　the　ill　she　knew　or　heard　of　the　man；　she　dwelt　upon　his　conduct　with　regard　to　Lady　Isabel　Carlyle；　his　heartless　after…treatment　of　that　unhappy　lady。　Alice　was　passionate　and　fiery。　She　professed　not　to　believe　a　word　of　her　sister's　wrongs；　and　as　to　the　other　stories；　they　were　no　affairs　of　hers；　she　said：　〃what　had　she　to　do　with　his　past　life？〃

But　Alice　Challoner　did　believe；　her　sister's　earnestness　and　distress；　as　she　told　the　tale；　carried　conviction　with　them。　She　did　not　very　much　care　for　Sir　Francis；　he　was　not　entwined　round　her　heart；　as　he　was　round　Blanche's；　but　she　was　dazzled　with　the　prospect　of　so　good　a　settlement　in　life；　and　she　would　not　give　him　up。　If　Blanche　broke　her　heartwhy；　she　must　break　it。　But　she　need　not　have　mixed　taunts　and　jeers　with　her　refusal　to　believe；　she　need　not　have　/triumphed/　openly　over　Blanche。　Was　it　well　done？　Was　it　the　work　of　an　affectionate　sister！　As　we　sow；　so　shall　we　reap。　She　married　Sir　Francis　Levison；　leaving　Blanche　to　her　broken　heart；　or　to　any　other　calamity　that　might　grow　out　of　the　injustice。　And　there　sat　Lady　Levison　now；　her　three　years　of　marriage　having　served　to　turn　her　love　for　Sir　Francis　into　contempt　and　hate。

A　little　boy；　two　years　old；　the　only　child　of　the　marriage；　was　playing　about　the　room。　His　mother　took　no　notice　of　him；　she　was　buried　in　all…absorbing　thoughtthought　which　caused　her　lips　to　contract；　and　her　brow　to　scowl。　Sir　Francis　entered；　his　attitude　lounging；　his　air　listless。　Lady　Levison　roused　herself；　but　no　pleasant　manner　of　tone　was　hers；　as　she　set　herself　to　address　him。

〃I　want　some　money；〃　she　said。

〃So　do　I；〃　he　answered。

An　impatient　stamp　of　the　foot　and　a　haughty　toss。　〃And　I　must　have　it。　I　/must/。　I　told　you　yesterday　that　I　must。　Do　you　suppose　I　can　go　on；　without　a　sixpence　of　ready　money　day　after　day？〃

〃Do　you　suppose　it　is　of　any　use　to　put　yourself　in　this　fury？〃　retorted　Sir　Francis。　〃A　dozen　times　a　week　do　you　bother　me　for　money　and　a　dozen　times　do　I　tell　you　I　have　got　none。　I　have　got　none　for　myself。　You　may　as　well　ask　that　baby　for　money　as　ask　me。〃

〃I　wish　he　had　never　been　born！〃　passionately　uttered　Lady　Levison；　〃unless　he　had　had　a　differe