east lynne-第31部分

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set　himself　to　soothe　her；　but　it　seemed　that　she　could　not　be　soothed。　She　burst　into　a　storm　of　tears　and　began　againwild　words。

〃She　would　ill…treat　my　child；　she　would　draw　your　love　from　it；　and　from　my　memory。　Archibald；　you　must　not　marry　her！〃

〃You　must　be　speaking　from　the　influence　of　a　dream；　Isabel；〃　he　soothingly　said；　〃you　have　been　asleep　and　are　not　yet　awake。　Be　still；　and　recollection　will　return　to　you。　There；　love；　rest　upon　me。〃

〃To　think　of　her　as　your　wife　brings　pain　enough　to　kill　me；〃　she　continued　to　reiterate。　〃Promise　me　that　you　will　not　marry　her；　Archibald；　promise　it！〃

〃I　will　promise　you　anything　in　reason；〃　he　replied；　bewildered　with　her　words；　〃but　I　do　not　know　what　you　mean。　There　is　no　possibility　of　my　marrying　any　one；　Isabel；　you　are　my　wife。〃

〃But　if　I　die？　I　mayyou　know　I　may；　and　many　think　I　shalldo　not　let　her　usurp　my　place。〃

〃Indeed　she　shall　notwhoever　you　may　be　talking　of。　What　have　you　been　dreaming？　Who　is　it　that　has　been　troubling　your　mind？〃

〃Archibald；　do　you　need　to　ask？　Did　you　love　no　one　before　you　married　me？　Perhaps　you　have　loved　her　sinceperhaps　you　love　her　still？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　began　to　discern　〃method　in　her　madness。〃　He　changed　his　cheering　tone　to　one　of　grave　earnestness。　〃Of　whom　to　you　speak；　Isabel？〃

〃Of　Barbara　Hare。〃

He　knitted　his　brow；　he　was　both　annoyed　and　vexed。　Whatever　had　put　this　bygone　nonsense　into　his　wife's　head？　He　quitted　the　sofa　where　he　had　been　supporting　her；　and　stood　upright　before　her；　calm；　dignified；　almost　solemn　in　his　seriousness。

〃Isabel；　what　notion　can　you　possibly　have　picked　up　about　myself　and　Barbara　Hare；　I　never　entertained　the　faintest　shadow　of　love　for　her；　either　before　my　marriage　or　since。　You　must　tell　me　what　has　given　rise　to　this　idea　in　your　mind。〃

〃But　she　loved　you。〃

A　moment's　hesitation；　for；　of　course；　Mr。　Carlyle　was　conscious　that　she　had；　but；　taking　all　the　circumstances　into　consideration；　more　especially　how　he　learnt　the　fact；　he　could　not；　in　honor；　acknowledge　it　to　his　wife。　〃If　it　was　so；　Isabel；　she　was　more　reprehensibly　foolish　than　I　should　have　given　Barbara's　good　sense　could　be；　for　a　woman　may　almost　as　well　lose　herself　as　to　suffer　herself　to　love　unsought。　If　she　did　give　her　love　to　me；　I　can　only　say；　I　was　entirely　unconscious　of　it。　Believe　me；　you　have　as　much　cause　to　be　jealous　of　Cornelia　as　you　have　of　Barbara　Hare。〃

An　impulse　rose　within　her　that　she　would　tell　him　all；　the　few　words　dropped　by　Susan　and　Joyce；　twelve　months　before；　the　conversation　she　had　just　overheard；　but　in　that　moment　of　renewed　confidence；　it　did　appear　to　her　that　she　must　have　been　very　foolish　to　attach　importance　to　itthat　a　sort　of　humiliation；　in　listening　to　the　converse　of　servants；　was　reflected　on　her；　and　she　remained　silent。

There　never　was　a　passion　in　this　worldthere　never　will　be　oneso　fantastic；　so　delusive；　so　powerful　as　jealousy。　Mr。　Carlyle　dismissed　the　episode　from　his　thoughts；　he　believed　his　wife's　emotion　to　have　been　simply　from　a　feverish　dream；　and　never　supposed　but　that；　with　the　dream；　its　recollection　would　pass　away　from　her。　Not　so。　Implicitly　relying　upon　her　husband's　words　at　the　moment；　feeling　quite　ashamed　at　her　own　suspicion；　Lady　Isabel　afterward　suffered　the　unhappy　fear　to　regain　its　influence；　the　ill…starred　revelations　of　Wilson　reasserted　their　power；　overmastering　the　denial　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　Shakspeare　calls　jealousy　yellow　and　green；　I　think　it　may　be　called　black　and　white　for　it　most　assuredly　views　white　as　black；　and　black　as　white。　The　most　fanciful　surmises　wear　the　aspect　of　truth；　the　greatest　improbabilities　appear　as　consistent　realities。　Not　another　word　said　Isabel　to　her　husband；　and　the　feelingyou　will　understand　this　if　you　have　ever　been　foolish　enough　to　sun　yourself　in　its　delightsonly　caused　her　to　grow　more　attached　to　him；　to　be　more　eager　for　his　love。　But　certain　it　is　that　Barbara　Hare　dwelt　on　her　heart　like　an　incubus。



CHAPTER　XIX。

CAPTAIN　THORN　AT　WEST　LYNNE。

〃Barbara；　how　fine　the　day　seems！〃

〃It　is　a　beautiful　day　mamma。〃

〃I　do　think　I　should　be　all　the　better　for　going　out。〃

〃I　am　sure　you　would；　mamma；〃　was　Barbara's　answer。　〃If　you　went　out　more；　you　would　find　the　benefit。　Every　fine　day　you　ought　to　do　so。　I　will　go　and　ask　papa　if　he　can　spare　Benjamin　and　the　carriage。〃　She　waltzed　gaily　out　of　the　room；　but　returned　in　a　moment。

〃Mamma；　it　is　all　right。　Benjamin　is　gone　to　get　the　carriage　ready。　You　would　like　a　bit　of　luncheon　before　you　goI　will　order　the　tray。〃

〃Anything　you　please；　dear；〃　said　the　sweet…tempered　gentlewoman。　〃I　don't　know　why；　but　I　feel　glad　to　go　out　to…day；　perhaps　because　it　is　lovely。〃

Benjamin　made　ready　his　carriage　and　himself；　and　drove　out　of　the　yard　at　the　back；　and　brought　the　carriage　round　to　the　front　gate。

The　carriageor　phaeton　as　it　was　often　calledwas　a　somewhat　old　fashioned　concern；　as　many　country　things　are　apt　to　be。　A　small　box　in　front　for　the　driver；　and　a　wide　seat　with　a　head　behind；　accommodating　Barbara　well　between　them　when　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Hare　both　sat　in。

Benjamin　drew　the　rug　carefully　over　his　mistress's　kneesthe　servants　did　not　like　Mr。　Hare；　but　would　have　laid　down　their　lives　for　herascended　to　his　box；　and　drove　them　to　their　destination；　the　linen　draper's。　It　was　an　excellent　shop；　situated　a　little　beyond　the　office　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　and　Mrs。　Hare　and　Barbara　were　soon　engaged　in　that　occupation　said　to　possess　for　all　women　a　fascination。　They　had　been　in　about　an　hour；　when　Mrs。　Hare　discovered　that　her　bag　was　missing。

〃I　must　have　left　it　in　the　carriage；　Barbara。　Go　and　bring　it；　will　you；　my　dear？　The　pattern　of　that　silk　is　in　it。〃

Barbara　went　out。　The　carriage　and　Benjamin　and　the　sleek　old　horse　were　all　waiting　drowsily　together。　Barbara　could　not　see　the　bag；　and　she　appealed　to　the　servant。

〃Find　mamma's　bag；　Benjamin。　It　must　be　somewhere　in　the　carriage。〃

Benjamin　got　off　his　box　and　began　to　search。　Barbara　waited；　gazing　listlessly　down　the　street。　The　sun　was　shining　brilliantly；　and　its　rays　fell　upon　the　large　cable　chain　of　a　gentleman　who　was　sauntering　idly　up　the　pavement；　making　its　gold　links　and　its　drooping　seal　and　key　glitter；　as　they　crossed　his　waistcoat。　It　shone　also　upon　the　enameled　gold　studs　of　his　shirt　front；　making　/them/　glitter；　and　as　he　suddenly　raised　his　ungloved　hand　to　stroke　his　moustacheby　which　action　you　know　a　vain　mana　diamond　ring　he　wore　gleamed　with　a　light　that　was　positively　dazzling。　Involuntarily　Barbara　thought　of　the　description　her　brother　Richard　had　given　of　certain　dazzling　jewels　worn　by　another。

She　watched　him　advance！　He　was　a　handsome　man　of；　perhaps；　seven　or　eight　and　twenty；　tall；　slender　and　well　made；　his　eyes　and　hair　black。　A　very　pleasant　expression　sat　upon　his　countenance；　and　on　the　left　hand　he　wore　a　light　buff　kid　glove；　and　was　swinging　its　fellow　by　the　fingers。　But　for　the　light　cast　at　that　moment　by　the　sun；　Barbara　might　not　have　noticed　the　jewellery；　or　connected　it　in　her　mind　with　the　other　jewellery　in　that　unhappy　secret。

〃Hallo；　Thorn；　is　that　you？　Just　step　over　here。〃

The　speaker　was　Otway　Bethel；　who　was　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　street；　the　spoken　to；　the　gentleman　with　the　jewellery。　But　the　latter　was　in　a　brown　study；　and　did　not　hear。　Bethel　called　out　again；　louder。

〃Captain　Thorn！〃

That　was　heard。　Captain　Thorn　nodded；　and　turned　short　off　across　the　street。　Barbara　stood　like　one　in　a　dream；　her　brain；　her　mind；　her　fancy　all　in　a　confused　mass　together。

〃Here's　the　bag；　Miss　Barbara。　It　had　got　among　the　folds　of　the　rug。〃

Benjamin　held　it　out　to　her；　but　she　took　no　notice；　she　was　unconscious　of　all　external　things　save　one。　That　she　beheld　the　real　murderer　of　Hallijohn；　she　entertained　no　manner　of　doubt。　In　every　particular　he　tallied　with　the　description　given　by　Richard；　tall；　dark；　vain；　handsome；　delicate　hands；　jewellery；　andCaptain　Thorn！　Barbara's　cheeks　grew　white　and　her　heart　turned　sick。

〃The　bag；　Miss　Barbara。〃

Away　tore　Barbara；　leaving　Benjamin　and　the　bag　in　wonder。　She　had　caught　sight　of　Mr。　Wainwright；　the　surgeon；　at　a　little　distance；　and　sped　toward　him。

〃Mr。　Wainwright；〃　began　she；　forgetting　ceremony　in　her　agitation；　〃you　see　that　gentleman　talking　to　Otway　Bethelwho　is　he？〃

Mr。　Wainwright　had　to　put　his　glasses　across　the　bridge　of　his　nose　before　he　could　answer；　for　he　was　short…sighted。　〃That？　Oh；　it　is　a　Captain　Thorn。　He　is　visiting　the　Herberts；　I　believe。〃

〃Where　does　he　come　from？　Where　does　he　live？〃　reiterated　Barbara　in　her　eagerness。

〃I　don't　know　anything　about　him。　I　saw　him　this　morning　with　young　Smith；　and　he　told　me　he　was　a　friend　of　the　Herberts。　You　are　not　looking　well；　Miss　Barbara。〃

She　made　no　answer。　Captain　Thorn　and　Mr。　Bethel　came　walking　down　the　street；　and　the　latter　saluted　her；　but　she　was　too　much　confused　to　respond　to　it。　Mr。　Wainwright　then　wished　her　good　day；　and　Barbara　walked　slowly　back。　Mrs。　Hare　was　appearing　at　the　shop　door。

〃My　dear；　how　long　you　are！　Cannot　the　bag　be　found？〃

〃I　went　to　speak　to　Mr。　Wainwright；〃　answered　Barbara；　mechanically　taking　the　bag　from　Benjamin　and　giving　it　to　her　mother；　her　whole　heart　and　eyes　still　absorbed　with　that　one　object　moving　away　in　the　distance。

〃You　look　pale；　child。　Are　you　well？〃

〃Oh；　yes；　quite。　Let　us　get　our　shopping　over；　mamma。〃

She　moved　on　to　their　places　at　the　counter　as　she　spoke；　eager　to　〃get　it　over〃　and　be　at　home；　that　she　might　have　time　for　thought。　Mrs。　Hare　wondered　what　had　come　to　her；　the　pleased　interest　displayed　in　their　purchases　previously　was　now　gone；　and　she　sat　inattentive　and　absorbed。

〃Now；　my　dear；　it　is　only　waiting　for　you　to　choose。　Which　of　the　two　silks　will　you　have？〃

〃Eitherany。　Take　which　you　like；　mamma。〃

〃Barbara；　what　/has/　come　to　you？〃

〃I　believe　I　am　tired；〃　said　Barbara；　with　a　forced　laugh；　as　she　compelled　herself　to　pay　some　sort　of　attention。　〃I　don't　like　the　green；　I　will　take　the　other。〃

They　arrived　at　home。　Barbara　got　just　five　minutes　alone　in　her　chamber　before　the　dinner　was　on　the　table。　All　the　conc