east lynne-第85部分

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She　leaned　over　him；　her　breath　mingling　with　his；　she　took　his　little　hand　in　hers；　〃William；　do　you　know　that　those　whom　God　loves　best　He　takes　first？　Were　you　to　die；　you　would　go　to　Heaven；　leaving　all　the　cares　and　sorrows　of　the　world　behind　you。　It　would　have　been　happier　for　many　of　us　had　we　died　in　infancy。〃

〃Would　it　have　been　happier　for　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　she　faintly　said。　〃I　have　had　more　than　my　share　of　sorrow。　Sometimes　I　think　that　I　cannot　support　it。〃

〃Is　it　not　past；　then？　Do　you　have　sorrow　now？〃

〃I　have　it　always。　I　shall　have　it　till　I　die。　Had　I　died　a　child；　William；　I　should　have　escaped　it。　Oh！　The　world　is　full　of　it！　full　and　full。〃

〃What　sort　of　sorrow？〃

〃All　sorts。　Pain；　sickness；　care；　trouble；　sin；　remorse；　weariness；〃　she　wailed　out。　〃I　cannot　enumerate　the　half　that　the　world　brings　upon　us。　When　you　are　very；　very　tired；　William；　does　it　not　seem　a　luxury；　a　sweet　happiness；　to　lie　down　at　night　in　your　little　bed；　waiting　for　the　bliss　of　sleep？〃

〃Yes。　And　I　am　often　tired；　so　tired　as　that。〃

〃Then　just　so　do　we；　who　are　tired　of　the　world's　cares；　long　for　the　grave　in　which　we　shall　lie　down　to　rest。　We　/covet/　it；　William；　long　for　it；　but　you　cannot　understand　that。〃

〃/We/　don't　lie　in　the　grave；　Madame　Vine。〃

〃No；　no；　child。　Our　bodies　lie　there；　to　be　raised　again　in　beauty　at　the　last　day。　We　go　into　a　blessed　place　of　rest；　where　sorrow　and　pain　cannot　come。　I　wishI　wish；〃　she　uttered；　with　a　bursting　heart；　〃that　you　and　I　were　both　there！〃

〃Who　says　the　world's　so　sorrowful；　Madame　Vine？　I　think　it　is　lovely；　especially　when　the　sun's　shining　on　a　hot　day；　and　the　butterflies　come　out。　You　should　see　East　Lynne　on　a　summer's　morning；　when　you　are　running　up　and　down　the　slopes；　and　the　trees　are　waving　overhead；　and　the　sky's　blue；　and　the　roses　and　flowers　are　all　out。　You　would　not　call　it　a　sad　world。〃

〃A　pleasant　world　one　might　regret　to　leave　if　we　were　not　wearied　by　pain　and　care。　But；　what　is　this　world；　take　it　at　its　best；　in　comparison　with　that　other　world；　Heaven？　I　have　heard　of　some　people　who　are　afraid　of　death；　they　fear　they　shall　not　go　to　it；　but　when　God　takes　a　little　child　there　it　is　because　He　loves　him。　It　is　a　land；　as　Mrs。　Barbauld　says；　where　the　roses　are　without　thorns；　where　the　flowers　are　not　mixed　with　brambles〃

〃I　have　seen　the　flowers；〃　interrupted　William；　rising　in　his　earnestness。　〃They　are　ten　times　brighter　than　our　flowers　here。〃

〃Seen　the　flowers！　The　flowers　we　shall　see　in　Heaven？〃　she　echoed。

〃I　have　seen　a　picture　of　them。　We　went　to　Lynneborough　to　see　Martin's　picture　of　the　Last　JudgmentI　don't　mean　Dr。　Martin；〃　said　William　interrupting　himself。

〃I　know。〃

〃There　were　three　pictures。　One　was　called　the　'Plains　of　Heaven；'　and　I　liked　that　best；　and　so　we　all　did。　Oh；　you　should　have　seen　it！　Did　you　ever　see　them；　Madame　Vine？〃

〃No。　I　have　heard　of　them。〃

〃There　was　a　river；　you　know；　and　boats；　beautiful　gondolas　they　looked；　taking　the　redeemed　to　the　shores　of　Heaven。　They　were　shadowy　figures　in　white　robes；　myriads　of　them；　for　they　reached　all　up　in　the　air　to　the　holy　city；　it　seemed　to　be　in　the　clouds　coming　down　from　God。　The　flowers　grew　on　the　banks　of　the　river；　pink；　and　blue；　and　violet；　all　colors　they　were；　but　so　bright　and　beautiful；　brighter　than　our　flowers　are。〃

〃Who　took　you　to　see　the　pictures？〃

〃Papa。　He　took　me　and　Lucy；　and　Mrs。　Hare　went　with　us；　and　Barbara　she　was　not　our　mamma　then。　But；　madame〃dropping　his　voice〃what　stupid　thing　do　you　think　Lucy　asked　papa？〃

〃What　did　she　ask　him？〃

〃She　asked　whether　mamma　was　amongst　that　crowd　in　the　white　robes；　whether　she　was　gone　up　to　Heaven？　Our　mamma　that　was；　you　know；　and　lots　of　people　could　hear　what　she　said。〃

Lady　Isabel　dropped　her　face　upon　her　hands。

〃What　did　your　papa　answer？〃　she　breathed。

〃I　don't　know。　Nothing；　I　think；　he　was　talking　to　Barbara。　But　it　was　very　stupid　of　Lucy；　because　Wilson　has　told　her　over　and　over　again　that　she　must　never　talk　of　Lady　Isabel　to　papa。　Miss　Manning　told　her　so　too。　When　we　got　home；　and　Wilson　heard　of　it；　she　said　Lucy　deserved　a　good　shaking。〃

〃Why　must　not　Lady　Isabel　be　talked　of　to　him？〃

A　moment　after　the　question　had　left　her　lips；　she　wondered　what　possessed　her　to　give　utterance　to　it。

〃I'll　tell　you；〃　said　William　in　a　whisper。　〃She　ran　away　from　papa。　Lucy　talks　nonsense　about　her　having　been　kidnapped；　but　she　knows　nothing。　I　do；　though　they　don't　think　it；　perhaps。〃

〃She　may　be　among　the　redeemed；　some　time；　William；　and　you　with　her。〃

He　fell　back　on　the　sofa…pillow　with　a　weary　sigh；　and　lay　in　silence。　Lady　Isabel　shaded　her　face；　and　remained　in　silence　also。　Soon　she　was　aroused　from　it；　William　was　in　a　fit　of　loud；　sobbing　tears。

〃Oh；　I　don't　want　to　die！　I　don't　want　to　die！　Why　should　I　go　and　leave　papa　and　Lucy？〃

She　hung　over　him；　she　clasped　her　arms　around　him；　her　tears；　her　sobs；　mingling　with　his。　She　whispered　to　him　sweet　and　soothing　words；　she　placed　him　so　that　he　might　sob　out　his　grief　upon　her　bosom；　and　in　a　little　while　the　paroxysm　had　passed。

〃Hark！〃　exclaimed　William。　〃What's　that？〃

A　sound　of　talking　and　laughter　in　the　hall。　Mr。　Carlyle；　Lord　Mount　Severn；　and　his　son　were　leaving　the　dining…room。　They　had　some　committee　appointed　that　evening　at　West　Lynne　and　were　departing　to　keep　it。　As　the　hall…door　closed　upon　them；　Barbara　came　into　the　gray　parlor。　Up　rose　Madame　Vine；　scuffled　on　her　spectacles；　and　took　her　seat　soberly　upon　a　chair。

〃All　in　the　dark；　and　your　fire　going　out！〃　exclaimed　Barbara；　as　she　hastened　to　stir　the　latter　and　send　it　into　a　blaze。　〃Who's　on　the　sofa？　William；　you　ought　to　be　to　bed！〃

〃Not　yet；　mamma。　I　don't　want　to　go　yet。〃

〃But　it　is　quite　time　that　you　should；〃　she　returned；　ringing　the　bell。　〃To　sit　up　at　night　is　not　the　way　to　make　you　strong。〃

William　was　dismissed。　And　then　she　returned　to　Madame　Vine；　and　inquired　what　Dr。　Martin　had　said。

〃He　said　the　lungs　were　undoubtedly　affected；　but；　like　all　doctors；　he　would　give　no　decisive　opinion。　I　could　see　that　he　had　formed　one。〃

Mrs。　Carlyle　looked　at　her。　The　firelight　played　especially　upon　the　spectacles；　and　she　moved　her　chair　into　the　shade。

〃Dr。　Martin　will　see　him　again　next　week；　he　is　coming　to　West　Lynne。　I　am　sure；　by　the　tone　of　his　voice；　by　his　evasive　manner；　that　he　anticipates　the　worst；　although　he　would　not　say　so　in　words。〃

〃I　will　take　William　into　West　Lynne　myself；〃　observed　Barbara。　〃The　doctor　will；　of　course；　tell　me。　I　came　in　to　pay　my　debts；〃　she　added；　dismissing　the　subject　of　the　child；　and　holding　out　a　five…　pound　note。

Lady　Isabel　mechanically　stretched　out　her　hand　for　it。

〃Whilst　we　are；　as　may　be　said；　upon　the　money　topic；〃　resumed　Barbara；　in　a　gay　tone；　〃will　you　allow　me　to　intimate　that　both　myself　and　Mr。　Carlyle　very　much　disapprove　of　your　making　presents　to　the　children。　I　was　calculating；　at　a　rough　guess　the　cost　of　the　toys　and　things　you　have　bought　for　them；　and　I　think　it　must　amount　to　a　very　large　portion　of　the　salary　you　have　received。　Pray　do　not　continue　this；　Madame　Vine。〃

〃I　have　no　one　else　to　spend　my　money　on；　I　love　the　children；〃　was　madame's　answer；　somewhat　sharply　given；　as　if　she　were　jealous　of　the　interference　between　her　and　the　children；　and　would　resent　it。

〃Nay；　you　have　yourself。　And　if　you　do　not　require　much　outlay；　you　have；　I　should　suppose；　a　reserve　fund　to　which　to　put　your　money。　Be　so　kind　as　to　take　the　hint；　madame；　otherwise　I　shall　be　compelled　more　peremptorily　to　forbid　your　generosity。　It　is　very　good　of　you；　very　kind；　but　if　you　do　not　think　yourself；　we　must　for　you。〃

〃I　will　buy　them　less；〃　was　the　murmured　answer。　〃I　must　give　them　a　little　token　of　love　now　and　then。〃

〃That　you　are　welcome　to　doa　'little　token；'　once　in　a　way；　but　not　the　costly　toys　you　have　been　purchasing。　Have　you　ever　had　an　acquaintance　with　Sir　Francis　Levison？〃　continued　Mrs。　Carlyle；　passing　with　abruptness　from　one　point　to　another。

An　inward　shiver；　a　burning　cheek；　a　heartpang　of　wild　remorse；　and　a　faint　answer。　〃No。〃

〃I　fancied　from　your　manner　when　I　was　speaking　of　him　the　other　day；　that　you　knew　him　or　had　known　him。　No　compliment；　you　will　say；　to　assume　an　acquaintance　with　such　a　man。　He　is　a　stranger　to　you；　then？〃

Another　faint　reply。　〃Yes。〃

Barbara　paused。

〃Do　you　believe　in　fatality；　Madame　Vine？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　was　the　steady　answer。

〃I　don't；〃　and　yet　the　very　question　proved　that　she　did　not　wholly　disbelieve　it。　〃No；　I　don't；〃　added　Barbara；　stoutly；　as　she　approached　the　sofa　vacated　by　William；　and　sat　down　upon　it；　thus　bringing　herself　opposite　and　near　to　Madame　Vine。　〃Are　you　aware　that　it　was　Francis　Levison　who　brought　the　evil　to　this　house？〃

〃The　evil〃　stammered　Madame　Vine。

〃Yes；　it　was　he；〃　she　resumed；　taking　the　hesitating　answer　for　an　admission　that　the　governess　knew　nothing；　or　but　little；　of　past　events。　〃It　was　he　who　took　Lady　Isabel　from　her　homethough　perhaps　she　was　as　willing　to　go　as　he　was　to　take　her；　I　do　know〃

〃Oh；　no；　no！〃　broke　from　the　unguarded　lips　of　Madame　Vine。　〃At　least　I　meanI　should　think　not；〃　she　added；　in　confusion。

〃We　shall　never　know；　and　of　what　consequence　is　it？　One　thing　is　certain；　/she　went/；　another　thing；　almost　equally　certain；　is；　she　did　not　go　against　her　will。　Did　you　ever　hear　the　details？〃

〃No。〃　Her　answer　would　have　been　〃Yes；〃　but　possibly　the　next　question　might　have　been；　〃From　whom　did　you　hear　them？〃

〃He　was　staying　at　East　Lynne。　The　man　had　been　abroad；　outlawed；　dared　not　show　his　face　in　England；　and　Mr。　Carlyle；　in　his　generosity；　invited　him　to　East　Lynne　as　a　place　of　shelter；　where　he　would　be　safe　from　his　creditors　while　something　was　arranged。　He　was　a　connection　in　some　way　of　Lady　Isabel's；　and　they　repaid　Mr。　Carlyle；　he　and　she；　by　quitting　East　Lynne　together。〃

〃Why　did　Mr。　Carlyle　give　that　invitation？〃　The　words　were　uttered　in　a　spirit　of　remorseful　wailing。　Mrs。　Carlyle　believed　they　were　a　question　put；　and　she　rose　up　haughtily　against　it。

〃Why　did　he　give　the　invitation？　Did　I　hear　you　aright；　Madame　Vine？　Did　Mr。