east lynne-第106部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Mr。　Carlyle　quitted　the　room　as　she　entered　it。　Barbara；　fatigued　with　a　recent　drive；　was　lying　on　the　sofa。　She　would　scarcely　take　the　notice。

〃We　shall　be　so　sorry　to　lose　you；　Madame　Vine。　You　are　all　we　could　wish　for　Lucy；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　feels　truly　grateful　for　your　love　and　attention　to　his　poor　boy。〃

〃To　leave　you　will　give　me　pain　also；〃　Madame　Vine　answered；　in　a　subdued　tone。　Pain？　Ay。　Mrs。　Carlyle　little　guessed　at　its　extent。　All　she　cared　for　on　earth　she　should　leave　behind　her　at　East　Lynne。

〃Indeed　you　must　not　leave；〃　resumed　Barbara。　〃It　would　be　unjust　to　allow　you　to　do　so。　You　have　made　yourself　ill；　waiting　upon　poor　William；　and　you　must　stay　here　and　take　a　holiday　until　you　are　cured。　You　will　soon　get　well；　if　you　will　only　suffer　yourself　to　be　properly　waited　on　and　taken　care　of。〃

〃You　are　very　considerate。　Pray　do　not　think　me　insensible　if　I　decline。　I　believe　my　strength　is　beyond　getting　upthat　I　shall　never　be　able　to　teach　again。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense；〃　said　Barbara；　in　her　quick　way。　〃We　are　all　given　to　fancy　the　worst　when　we　are　ill。　I　was　feeling　terribly　weak；　only　a　few　minutes　ago；　and　said　something　of　the　same　sort　to　Archibald。　He　talked　and　soothed　me　out　of　it。　I　wish　you　had　your　dear　husband　living；　Madame　Vine；　to　support　you　and　love　you；　as　I　have　him。〃

A　tinge　of　scarlet　streaked　Madame　Vine's　pale　face；　and　she　laid　her　hand　upon　her　beating　heart。

〃How　could　you　think　of　leaving？　We　should　be　glad　to　help　re…establish　your　health；　in　any　case；　but　it　is　only　fair　to　do　it　now。　I　felt　sure；　by　the　news　brought　to　me　when　I　was　ill；　that　your　attention　upon　William　was　overtasking　your　strength。〃

〃It　is　not　the　attendance　upon　William　that　has　brought　me　into　this　state；〃　was　the　quick　answer。　〃I　/must/　leave；　I　have　well　considered　it　over。〃

〃Would　you　like　to　go　to　the　seaside？〃　exclaimed　Barbara　with　sudden　energy。　〃I　am　going　there　on　Monday　next。　Mr。　Carlyle　insists　upon　it　that　I　try　a　little　change。　I　had　intended　only　to　take　my　baby；　but　we　can　make　different　arrangements；　and　take　you　and　Lucy。　It　might　do　you　good；　Madame　Vine。〃

She　shook　her　head。　〃No；　it　would　make　me　worse。　All　that　I　want　is　perfect　quiet。　I　must　beg　you　to　understand　that　I　shall　leave。　And　I　should　be　glad　if　you　could　allow　the　customary　notice　to　be　dispensed　with；　so　that　I　may　be　at　liberty　to　depart　within　a　few　days。〃

〃Look　here；　then；〃　said　Barbara；　after　a　pause　of　consideration；　〃you　remain　at　East　Lynne　until　my　return；　which　will　be　in　a　fortnight。　Mr。　Carlyle　cannot　stay　with　me；　so　I　know　I　shall　be　tired　in　less　time　than　that。　I　do　not　want　you　to　remain　to　teach；　you　know；　Madame　Vine；　I　do　not　wish　you　to　do　a　single　thing。　Lucy　shall　have　a　holiday；　and　Mr。　Kane　can　come　up　for　her　music。　Only　I　could　not　be　content　to　leave　her；　unless　under　your　surveillance；　she　is　getting　of　an　age　now　not　to　be　consigned　to　servants；　not　to　Joyce。　Upon　my　return；　if　you　still　wish　to　leave；　you　shall　then　be　at　liberty　to　do　so。　What　do　you　say？〃

Madame　Vine　said　〃Yes。〃　Said　it　eagerly。　To　have　another　fortnight　with　her　children；　Lucy　and　Archibald；　was　very　like　a　reprieve；　and　she　embraced　it。　Although　she　knew；　as　I　have　said；　that　grim　Death　was　on　his　way；　she　did　not　think　he　had　drawn　so　near　the　end　of　his　journey。　Her　thoughts　went　back　to　the　time　when　she　had　been　ordered　to　the　seaside　after　an　illness。　It　had　been　a　marvel　if　they　had　not。　She　remembered　how　he；　her　husband；　had　urged　the　change　upon　her；　how　he　had　taken　her；　traveling　carefully；　how　tenderly　anxious　he　had　been　in　the　arrangements　for　her　comfort；　when　settling　her　in　the　lodgings；　how；　when　he　came　again　to　see　her；　he　had　met　her　with　his　passionate　fondness；　thanking　God　for　the　visible　improvement　in　her　looks。　That　one　injunction　which　she　had　called　him　back　to　give　him；　as　he　was　departing　for　the　boat；　was　bitterly　present　to　her　now：　〃Do　not　get　making　love　to　Barbara　Hare。〃　All　this　care；　and　love；　and　tenderness　belonged　now　of　right　to　Barbara；　and　were　given　to　her。

But　now　Barbara；　although　she　pressed　Madame　Vine　to　remain　at　East　Lynne；　and　indeed　would　have　been　glad　that　she　should　do　so；　did　not　take　her　refusal　at　heart。　Barbara　could　not　fail　to　perceive　that　she　was　a　thoroughly　refined　gentlewoman；　far　superior　to　the　generality　of　governesses。　That　she　was　truly　fond　of　Lucy；　and　most　anxious　for　her　welfare　in　every　way；　Barbara　also　saw。　For　Lucy's　sake；　therefore；　she　would　be　grieved　to　part　with　Madame　Vine；　and　would　raise　her　salary　to　anything　in　reason；　if　she　would　but　stay。　But；　on　her　own　score；　Barbara　had　as　soon　Madame　Vine　went　as　not；　for；　in　her　heart　of　hearts；　she　had　never　liked　her。　She　could　not　have　told　why。　Was　it　instinct？　Very　probably。　The　birds　of　the　air；　the　beasts　of　the　field；　the　fishes　of　the　sea；　have　their　instincts；　and　so　does　man　have　his。　Perhaps　it　was　the　unaccountable　resemblance　that　Madame　Vine　bore　to　Lady　Isabel。　A　strange　likeness！　Barbara　often　thought；　but　whether　it　lay　in　the　face；　the　voice；　or　the　manner；　she　could　not　decide。　A　suspicion　of　the　truth　did　not　cross　her　mind。　How　should　it？　And　she　never　spoke　of　it；　had　the　resemblance　been　to　any　one　but　Lady　Isabel　she　would　have　talked　of　it　freely。　Or；　it　may　have　been　that　there　was　now　and　then　a　tone　in　Madame　Vine's　voice　that　grated　on　her　ear；　a　wrung；　impatient　tone；　wanting　in　respect；　savoring　of　hauteur；　which　Barbara　did　not　understand；　and　did　not　like。　However　it　may　have　been；　certain　it　is　that　Mrs。　Carlyle　would　not　shed　tears　after　the　governess。　Only　for　Lucy's　sake　did　she　regret　parting　with　her。

These　different　resemblances　and　reflections　were　separately　passing　through　the　minds　of　the　two　ladies　when　their　conference　was　over。　Madame　Vine　at　length　rose　from　her　chair　to　depart。

〃Would　you　mind　holding　my　baby　for　one　minute？〃　cried　Barbara。

Madame　Vine　quite　started。

〃The　baby　there！〃　she　uttered。

Barbara　laughed。

〃It　is　lying　by　my　side；　under　the　shawl；　quiet　little　sleeping　thing。〃

Madame　Vine　advanced　and　took　the　sleeping　baby。　How　could　she　refuse？　She　had　never　had　it　in　her　arms　before；　she　had；　in　fact；　scarcely　seen　it。　One　visit　of　ceremony　she　had　paid　Mrs。　Carlyle；　as　in　politeness　bound；　a　day　or　two　after　the　young　lady's　arrival；　and　had　been　shown　a　little　face；　nearly　covered　with　lace；　in　a　cradle。

〃Thank　you。　I　can　get　up　now。　I　might　have　half　smothered　it；　had　I　attempted　before；〃　continued　Barbara；　still　laughing。　〃I　have　been　here　long　enough；　and　am　quite　rested。　Talking　about　smothering　children；　what　accounts　have　we　in　the　registrar…general's　weekly　returns　of　health！　So　many　children　'overlaid　in　bed；'　so　many　children　'suffocated　in　bed。'　One　week　there　were　nearly　twenty；　and　often　there　are　as　many　as　eight　or　ten。　Mr。　Carlyle　says　he　knows　they　are　smothered　on　purpose。〃

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Carlyle！〃

〃I　exclaimed；　just　as　you　do；　when　he　said　it；　and　laid　my　hand　over　his　lips。　He　laughed；　and　told　me　I　did　not　know　half　the　wickedness　of　the　world。　Thank　you；〃　again　repeated　Mrs。　Carlyle；　taking　her　child　from　Lady　Isabel。　〃Is　she　not　a　pretty　baby？　Do　you　like　the　nameAnne？〃

〃It　is　a　simple　name；〃　replied　Lady　Isabel；　〃and　simple　names　are　always　the　most　attractive。〃

〃That　is　just　what　Archibald　thinks。　But　he　wanted　this　child's　to　be　Barbara。　I　would　not　have　had　it　Barbara　for　the　world。　I　remember　his　once　saying；　a　long；　long　while　ago　that　he　did　not　like　elaborate　names；　they　were　mouthfuls；　and　he　instanced　mine　and　his　sister's；　and　his　own。　I　recalled　his　words　to　him；　and　he　said　he　may　not　have　liked　the　name　of　Barbara　then；　but　he　loved　it　now。　So　we　entered　into　a　compromise；　Miss　Baby　was　named　Anne　Barbara；　with　an　understanding　that　the　first　name　is　to　be　for　use；　and　the　last　for　the　registers。〃

〃It　is　not　christened？〃　said　Lady　Isabel。

〃Only　baptized。　We　should　have　had　it　christened　before　now；　but　for　William's　death。　Not　that　we　give　christening　dinners；　but　I　waited　for　the　trial　at　Lynneborough　to　be　over；　that　my　dear　brother　Richard　might　stand　to　the　child。〃

〃Mr。　Carlyle　does　not　like　christenings　made　into　festivals；〃　Lady　Isabel　dreamily　observed；　her　thoughts　buried　in　the　past。

〃How　do　you　know　that？〃　exclaimed　Barbara；　opening　her　eyes。

And　poor　Madame　Vine；　her　pale　face　flushing；　had　to　stammer　forth　some　confused　words　that　she　had　〃heard　so　somewhere。〃

〃It　is　quite　true；〃　said　Barbara。　〃He　has　never　given　a　christening…　dinner　for　any　of　his　children；　and　gets　out　of　attending　if　invited　to　one。　He　cannot　understand　the　analogy　between　a　solemn　religious　rite　and　the　meeting　together　afterward　to　eat　and　drink　and　make　merry；　according　to　the　fashion　of　this　world。〃

As　Lady　Isabel　quitted　the　room；　young　Vane　was　careering　through　the　corridor；　throwing　his　head　in　all　directions；　and　calling　out；

〃Lucy！　I　want　Lucy！〃

〃What　do　you　want　with　her？〃　asked　Madame　Vine。

〃/Il　m'est　impossible　de　vous　le　dire　madame/；〃　responded　he。　Being；　for　an　Eton　boy；　wonderfully　up　in　French；　he　was　rather　given　to　show　it　off　when　he　got　the　chance。　He　did　not　owe　thanks　for　it　to　Eton。　Lady　Mount　Severn　had　taken　better　care　than　that。　Better　care？　What　/could/　she　want？　There　was　one　whole；　real；　live　French　tutorand　he　an　Englishman！for　the　eight　hundred　boys。　Very　unreasonable　of　her　ladyship　to　disparage　that　ample　provision。

〃Lucy　cannot　come　to　you　just　now。　She　is　practicing。〃

〃/Mais；　il　le　faut。　J'ai　le　droit　de　demander　apres　elle。　Elle　m'appartient；　vous　comprenez；　madame；　cette　demoiselle　la。/〃

Madame　could　not　forbear　a　smile。　〃I　wish　you　would　speak　English　sense；　instead　of　French　nonsense。〃

〃Then　the　English　sense　is　that　I　want　Lucy　and　I　must　have　her。　I　am　going　to　take　her　for　a　drive　in　the　pony　carriage；　if　you　must　know。　She　said　she'd　come；　and　John's　getting　it　ready。〃

〃I　could　not　possibly　allow　it；〃　said　Madame　Vine。　〃You'd　be　sure　to　upset　her。〃

〃The　idea！〃　he　returned；　indignantly。　〃As　if　I　should　upset　Lucy！　Why；　I'm　one　of　the　great　whips　at　Eton。　I　care　for　Lucy　too　much　not　to　drive　steadily。　She　is　to　be　my　wife；　you　know；　/ma　bonne　dame/。〃

At　this　juncture　t