east lynne-第112部分

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〃Just　where　yours　would　have　been；〃　replied　Miss　Corny；　with　a　touch　of　her　old　temper。　〃You　saw　Madame　Vine　as　well　as　we　did。〃

〃But　not　continuously。　Only　two　or　three　times　in　all。　And　I　do　not　remember　ever　to　have　seen　her　without　her　bonnet　and　veil。　That　Carlyle　should　not　have　recognized　her　is　almost　beyond　belief。〃

〃It　/seems/　so；　to　speak　of　it；〃　said　Miss　Corny；　〃but　facts　are　facts。　She　was　young　and　gay；　active；　when　she　left　here；　upright　as　a　dart；　her　dark　hair　drawn　from　her　open　brow；　and　flowing　on　her　neck；　her　cheeks　like　crimson　paint；　her　face　altogether　beautiful。　Madame　Vine　arrived　here　a　pale；　stooping　woman；　lame　of　one　leg；　/shorter/　than　Lady　Isabeland　her　figure　stuffed　out　under　those　sacks　of　jackets。　Not　a　bit；　scarcely；　of　her　forehead　to　be　seen；　for　gray　velvet　and　gray　bands　of　hair；　her　head　smothered　under　a　close　cap；　large；　blue；　double　spectacles　hiding　the　eyes　and　their　sides；　and　the　throat　tied　up；　the　chin　partially。　The　mouth　was　entirely　altered　in　its　character；　and　that　upward　scar；　always　so　conspicuous；　made　it　almost　ugly。　Then　she　had　lost　some　of　her　front　teeth；　you　know；　and　she　lisped　when　she　spoke。　Take　her　for　all　in　all；〃　summed　up　Miss　Carlyle；　〃she　looked　no　more　like　Isabel　who　went　away　from　here　than　I　look　like　Adam。　Just　get　your　dearest　friend　damaged　and　disguised　as　she　was；　my　lord；　and　see　if　you'd　recognize　him。〃

The　observation　came　home　to　Lord　Mount　Severn。　A　gentleman　whom　he　knew　well；　had　been　so　altered　by　a　fearful　accident；　that　little　resemblance　could　be　traced　to　his　former　self。　In　fact；　his　own　family　could　not　recognize　him：　and　/he/　used　an　artificial　disguise。　It　was　a　case　in　point；　andreaderI　assure　you　it　was　a　true　one。

〃It　was　the　/disguise/　that　we　ought　to　have　suspected；〃　quietly　observed　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　likeness　was　not　sufficiently　striking　to　cause　suspicion。〃

〃But　she　turned　the　house　from　that　scent　as　soon　as　she　came　into　it；〃　struck　in　Miss　Corny；　〃telling　of　the　'neuralgic　pains'　that　affected　her　head　and　face；　rendering　the　guarding　them　from　exposure　necessary。　Remember；　Lord　Mount　Severn；　that　the　Ducies　had　been　with　her　in　Germany；　and　had　never　suspected　her。　Remember　also　another　thing；　that；　however　great　a　likeness　we　may　have　detected；　we　could　not　and　did　not　speak　of　it；　one　to　another。　Lady　Isabel's　name　is　never　so　much　as　whispered　among　us。〃

〃True：　all　true；〃　nodded　the　earl。　And　they　sat　themselves　down　to　breakfast。

On　the　Friday；　the　following　letter　was　dispatched　to　Mrs。　Carlyle。

　〃MY　DEARESTI　find　I　shall　not　be　able　to　get　to　you　on　Saturday　　　afternoon；　as　I　promised；　but　will　leave　here　by　the　late　train　　　that　night。　Mind　you　don't　sit　up　for　me。　Lord　Mount　Severn　is　　　here　for　a　few　days；　he　sends　his　regards　to　you。

　〃And　now；　Barbara；　prepare　for　news　that　will　prove　a　shock。　Madame　　　Vine　is　dead。　She　grew　rapidly　worse；　they　tell　me；　after　our　　　departure；　and　died　on　Wednesday　night。　I　am　glad　you　were　away。

　〃Love　from　the　children。　Lucy　and　Archie　are　still　at　Cornelia's；　　　Arthur　wearing　out　Sarah's　legs　in　the　nursery。

〃Ever　yours；　my　dearest；　〃ARCHIBALD　CARLYLE。〃


Of　course；　as　Madame　Vine；　the　governess；　died　at　Mr。　Carlyle's　house；　he　could　not；　in　courtesy；　do　less　than　follow　her　to　the　grave。　So　decided　West　Lynne；　when　they　found　which　way　the　wind　was　going　to　blow。　Lord　Mount　Severn　followed　also；　to　keep　him　company；　being　on　a　visit　to　him；　and　very　polite；　indeed；　of　his　lordship　to　do　it　condescending；　also！　West　Lynne　remembered　another　funeral　at　which　those　two　had　been　the　only　mournersthat　of　the　earl。　By　some　curious　coincidence　the　French　governess　was　buried　close　to　the　earl's　grave。　As　good　there　as　anywhere　else；　quoth　West　Lynne。　There　happened　to　be　a　vacant　spot　of　ground。

The　funeral　took　place　on　a　Sunday　morning。　A　plain；　respectable　funeral。　A　hearse　and　pair；　and　mourning　coach　and　pair；　with　a　chariot　for　the　Rev。　Mr。　Little。　No　pall…bearers　or　mutes；　or　anything　of　that　show…off　kind；　and　no　plumes　on　the　horses；　only　on　the　hearse。　West　Lynne　looked　on　with　approbation；　and　conjectured　that　the　governess　had　left　sufficient　money　to　bury　herself；　but；　of　course；　that　was　Mr。　Carlyle's　affair；　not　West　Lynne's。　Quiet　enough　lay　she　in　her　last　resting…place。

They　left　her　in　it；　the　earl　and　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　entered　the　mourning…coach；　to　be　conveyed　back　again　to　East　Lynne。

〃Just　a　little　stone　of　white　marble；　two　feet　high　by　a　foot　and　a　half　broad；〃　remarked　the　earl；　on　their　road；　pursuing　a　topic　they　were　speaking　upon。　〃With　the　initials　'I。　V。'　and　the　date　of　the　year。　Nothing　more。　What　do　you　think？〃

〃I。　M。　V。；〃　corrected　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Yes。〃

At　this　moment　the　bells　of　another　church；　not　St。　Jude's；　broke　out　in　a　joyous　peal；　and　the　earl　inclined　his　ear　to　listen。

〃What　can　they　be　ringing　for？〃　he　cried。

They　were　ringing　for　a　wedding。　Afy　Hallijohn；　by　the　help　of　two　clergymen　and　six　bridesmaids；　of　which　you　may　be　sure　Joyce　was　/not/　one；　had　just　been　converted　into　Mrs。　Joe　Jiffin。　When　Afy　took　a　thing　into　her　heard；　she　somehow　contrived　to　carry　it　through；　and　to　bend　even　clergymen　and　bridesmaids　to　her　will。　Mr。　Jiffin　was　blest　at　last。

In　the　afternoon　the　earl　left　East　Lynne；　and　somewhat　later　Barbara　arrived　at　it。　Wilson　scarcely　gave　her　mistress　time　to　step　into　the　house　before　her；　and　she　very　nearly　left　the　baby　in　the　fly。　Curiously　anxious　was　Wilson　to　hear　all　particulars　as　to　whatever　could　have　took　off　that　French　governess。　Mr。　Carlyle　was　much　surprised　at　their　arrival。

〃How　could　I　stay　away；　Archibald；　even　until　Monday；　after　the　news　you　sent　me？〃　said　Barbara。　〃What　did　she　die　of？　It　must　have　been　awfully　sudden。〃

〃I　suppose　so；〃　was　his　dreamy　answer。　He　was　debating　a　question　with　himself；　one　he　had　thought　over　a　good　deal　since　Wednesday　night。　Should　he；　or　should　he　not；　tell　his　wife？　He　would　have　preferred　not　to　tell　her；　and；　were　the　secret　confined　to　his　own　breast；　he　would　decidedly　not　have　done　so。　But　it　was　known　to　three　othersto　Miss　Carlyle；　to　lord　Mount　Severn；　and　to　Joyce。　All　trustworthy　and　of　good　intention；　but　it　was　impossible　for　Mr。　Carlyle　to　make　sure　that　not　one　of　them　would　ever；　through　any　chance　and　unpremeditated　word；　let　the　secret　come　to　the　knowledge　of　Mrs。　Carlyle。　That　would　not　do；　if　she　must　hear　it　at　all；　she　must　hear　it　from　him；　and　at　once。　He　took　his　course。

〃Are　you　ill；　Archibald？〃　she　asked；　noting　his　face。　It　wore　a　pale；　worn　sort　of　look。

〃I　have　something　to　tell　you；　Barbara；〃　he　answered；　drawing　her　hand　into　his；　as　they　stood　together。　They　were　in　her　dressing…room；　where　she　was　taking　off　her　things。　〃On　the　Wednesday　evening　when　I　got　home　to　dinner　Joyce　told　me　that　she　feared　Madame　Vine　was　dying；　and　I　thought　it　right　to　see　her。〃

〃Certainly；〃　returned　Barbara。　〃Quite　right。〃

〃I　went　into　her　room；　and　I　found　that　she　was　dying。　But　I　found　something　else；　Barbara。　She　was　not　Madame　Vine。〃

〃Not　Madame　Vine！〃　echoed　Barbara；　believing　in　good　truth　that　her　husband　could　not　know　what　he　was　saying。

〃It　was　my　former　wife；　Isabel　Vane。〃

Barbara's　face　flushed　crimson；　and　then　grew　white　as　marble；　and　she　drew　her　hand　unconsciously　from　Mr。　Carlyles's。　He　did　not　appear　to　notice　the　movement；　but　stood　with　his　elbow　on　the　mantelpiece　while　he　talked；　giving　her　a　rapid　summary　of　the　interview　and　its　details。

〃She　could　not　stay　away　from　her　children；　she　said；　and　came　back　as　Madame　Vine。　What　with　the　effects　of　the　railroad　accident　in　France；　and　those　spectacles　she　wore；　and　her　style　of　dress；　and　her　gray　hair；　she　felt　secure　in　not　being　recognized。　I　am　astonished　now　that　she　was　not　discovered。　Were　such　a　thing　related　to　me　I　should　give　no　credence　to　it。〃

Barbara's　heart　felt　faint　with　its　utter　sickness；　and　she　turned　her　face　from　the　view　of　her　husband。　Her　first　confused　thoughts　were　as　Mr。　Carlyle's　had　beenthat　she　had　been　living　in　his　house　with　another　wife。　〃Did　you　suspect　her？〃　she　breathed；　in　a　low　tone。

〃Barbara！　Had　I　suspected　it；　should　I　have　allowed　it　to　go　on？　She　implored　my　forgiveness　for　the　past；　and　for　having　returned　here；　and　I　gave　it　to　her　fully。　I　then　went　to　West　Lynne；　to　telegraph　to　Mount　Severn；　and　when　I　came　back　she　was　dead。〃

There　was　a　pause。　Mr。　Carlyle　began　to　perceive　that　his　wife's　face　was　hidden　from　him。

〃She　said　her　heart　was　broken。　Barbara；　we　cannot　wonder　at　it。〃

There　was　no　reply。　Mr。　Carlyle　took　his　arm　from　the　mantelpiece；　and　moved　so　that　he　could　see　her　countenance：　a　wan　countenance；　telling　of　pain。

He　laid　his　hand　upon　her　shoulder；　and　made　her　look　at　him。　〃My　dearest；　what　is　this？〃

〃Oh；　Archibald！〃　she　uttered；　clasping　her　hands　together；　all　her　pent　up　feelings　bursting　forth；　and　the　tears　streaming　from　her　eyes；　〃has　this　taken　your　love　from　me？〃

He　took　both　her　hands　in　one　of　his；　he　put　the　other　round　her　waist　and　held　her　there；　before　him；　never　speaking；　only　looking　gravely　into　her　face。　Who　could　look　at　its　sincere　truthfulness；　at　the　sweet　expression　of　his　lips；　and　doubt　him？　Not　Barbara。　She　allowed　the　moment's　excitement　to　act　upon　her　feelings；　and　carry　her　away。

〃I　had　thought　my　wife　possessed　entire　trust　in　me。〃

〃Oh；　I　do；　I　do；　you　know　I　do。　Forgive　me；　Archibald；〃　she　slowly　whispered。

〃I　deemed　it　better　to　impart　this　to　you；　Barbara。　Had　there　been　wrong　feeling　on　my　part；　I　should　have　left　you　in　ignorance。　My　darling；　I　have　told　you　it　in　love。〃

She　was　leaning　on　his　breast；　sobbing　gently；　her　repentant　face　turned　towards　him。　He　held　her　there　in　his　strong　protection；　his　enduring　tenderness。

〃My　wife！　My　darling！　now　and　always。〃

〃It　was　a　foolish　feeling　to　cross　my　heart；　Archibald。　It　is　done　with　and　gone。〃

〃Never　let　it　come　back；　Barbara。　Neither　need　her　name　be　mentioned　again　between　us。　A　barred　name　it　has　hitherto　been；　so　let　it　continue。〃

〃Anything　you　will。　My　earnest　wish　is　to　please　you；　to　be　worthy　of　your　esteem　and　love；　Archibald；〃　she　timidly　added；　her　eye…lids　drooping；　and　her