east lynne-第88部分

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〃Mr。　Otway　Bethel　has　returned　in　what　is　popularly　supposed　to　be　a　bear's　hide；　hence　the　new　name　he　is　greeted　with。　Will　it　turn　out；　Richard　that　he　had　anything　to　do　with　the　murder？〃

Richard　shook　his　head。

〃He　couldn't　have；　Mr。　Carlyle；　I　have　said　so　all　along。　But　about　Levison。　If　I　find　him　to　be　the　man　Thorn；　what　steps　can　then　be　taken？〃

〃That's　the　difficulty；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃Who　will　set　it　agoing。　Who　will　move　in　it？〃

〃You　must；　Richard。〃

〃I！〃　uttered　Richard　Hare；　in　consternation。　〃I　move　in　it！〃

〃You；　yourself。　Who　else　is　there？　I　have　been　thinking　it　well　over；　and　can　hit　upon　no　one。〃

〃Why；　won't　you　take　it　upon　yourself；　Mr。　Carlyle？〃

〃No。　Being　Levison；〃　was　the　answer。

〃Curse　him！〃　impetuously　retorted　Richard。　〃Curse　him　doubly　if　he　be　the　double　villain。　But　why　should　you　scruple　Mr。　Carlyle？　Most　men；　wronged　as　you　have　been；　would　leap　at　the　opportunity　for　revenge。〃

〃For　the　crime　perpetrated　upon　Hallijohn　I　would　pursue　him　to　the　scaffold。　For　my　own　wrong；　no。　But　the　remaining　negative　has　cost　me　something。　Many　a　time；　since　this　appearance　of　his　at　West　Lynne；　have　I　been　obliged　to　lay　violent　control　upon　myself；　or　I　should　have　horsewhipped　him　within　an　ace　of　his　life。〃

〃If　you　horsewhipped　him　to　death　he　would　only　meet　his　deserts。〃

〃I　leave　him　to　a　higher　retributionto　One　who　says；　'Vengeance　is　mine。'　I　believe　him　to　be　guilty　of　the　murder　but　if　the　uplifting　of　my　finger　would　send　him　to　his　disgraceful　death；　I　would　tie　down　my　hand　rather　than　lift　it；　for　I　could　not；　in　my　own　mind；　separate　the　man　from　the　injury。　Though　I　might　ostensibly　pursue　him　as　the　destroyer　of　Hallijohn；　to　me　he　would　appear　ever　as　the　destroyer　of　another；　and　the　world；　always　charitable；　would　congratulate　Mr。　Carlyle　upon　gratifying　his　revenge。　I　stir　in　it　not；　Richard。〃

〃Couldn't　Barbara？〃　pleaded　Richard。

Barbara　was　standing　with　her　arm　entwined　within　her　husband's；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　looked　down　as　he　answered；

〃Barbara　is　my　wife。〃

It　was　a　sufficient　answer。

〃Then　the　thing's　again　at　an　end；〃　said　Richard；　gloomily；　〃and　I　must　give　up　hope　of　ever　being　cleared。〃

〃By　no　means；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃The　one　who　ought　to　act　in　this　is　your　father；　Richard；　but　we　know　he　will　not。　Your　mother　cannot。　She　has　neither　health　nor　energy　for　it；　and　if　she　had　a　full　supply　of　both；　she　would　not　dare　to　brave　her　husband　and　use　them　in　the　cause。　My　hands　are　tied；　Barbara's　equally　so；　as　part　of　me。　There　only　remains　yourself。〃

〃And　what　can　I　do？〃　wailed　poor　Dick。　〃If　your　hands　are　tied；　I'm　sure　my　whole　body　is；　speaking　in　comparison；　hands；　and　legs；　and　/neck/。　It's　in　jeopardy；　that　is；　every　hour。〃

〃Your　acting　in　this　affair　need　not　put　it　any　the　more　in　jeopardy。　You　must　stay　in　the　neighborhood　for　a　few　days〃

〃I　dare　not；〃　interposed　Richard；　in　a　fright。　〃Stay　in　the　neighborhood　for　a　few　days！　No；　that　I　never　may。〃

〃Listen；　Richard。　You　must　put　away　these　timorous　fears；　or　else　you　must　make　up　your　mind　to　remain　under　the　ban　for　good；　and；　remember；　your　mother's　happiness　is　at　stake　equally　with　yoursI　could　almost　say　her　life。　Do　you　suppose　I　would　advise　you　for　danger？　You　used　to　say　there　was　some　place；　a　mile　or　two　from　this；　where　you　could　sojourn　in　safety。〃

〃So　there　is。　But　I　always　feel　safer　when　I　get　away　from　it。〃

〃There　your　quarters　must　be；　for　two　or　three　days　at　any　rate。　I　have　turned　matters　over　in　my　own　mind；　and　will　tell　you　what　I　think　should　be　done；　so　far　as　the　preliminary　step　goes；　though　I　do　not　interfere　myself。〃

〃Only　the　preliminary　step！　There　must　be　a　pretty　many　to　follow　it；　sir；　if　it's　to　come　to　anything。　Well；　what　is　it？〃

〃Apply　to　Ball　&　Treadman；　and　get　them　to　take　it。〃

They　were　now　slowly　pacing　the　covered　walk；　Barbara　on　her　husband's　arm；　Richard　by　the　side　of　Mr。　Carlyle。　Dick　stopped　when　he　heard　the　last　words。

〃I　don't　understand　you；　Mr。　Carlyle。　You　might　as　well　advise　me　to　go　before　the　bench　of　magistrates　at　once。　Ball　&　Treadman　would　walk　me　off　there　as　soon　as　I　showed　myself。〃

〃Nothing　of　the　sort；　Richard。　I　do　not　tell　you　to　go　openly　to　their　office；　as　another　client　would。　What　I　would　advise　is　thismake　a　friend　of　Mr。　Ball；　he　can　be　a　good　man　and　true；　if　he　chooses；　tell　the　whole　story　to　him　in　a　private　place　and　interview；　and　ask　him　whether　he　will　carry　it　through。　If　he　is　fully　impressed　with　the　conviction　that　you　are　innocent；　as　the　facts　appear　to　warrant；　he　will　undertake　it。　Treadman　need　know　nothing　of　the　affair　at　first；　and　when　Ball　puts　things　in　motion；　he　need　not　know　that　you　are　here；　or　where　you　are　to　be　found。〃

〃I　don't　dislike　Ball；〃　mused　Richard；　〃and　if　he　would　only　give　his　word　to　be　true；　I　know　he　would　be。　The　difficulty　will　be；　who　is　to　get　the　promise　from　him？〃

〃I　will；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃I　will　so　far　pave　the　way　for　you。　That　done；　my　interference　is　over。〃

〃How　will　he　go　about　it；　think　you；　if　he　does　take　it　up？〃

〃That　is　his　affair。　I　know　how　I　should。〃

〃How；　sir？〃

〃You　cannot　expect　me　to　say；　Richard。　I　might　as　well　act　for　you。〃

〃I　know。　You'd　go　at　it　slap…dash；　and　arrest　Levison　offhand　on　the　charge。〃

A　smile　parted　Mr。　Carlyle's　lips；　for　Dick　had　just　guessed　it。　But　his　countenance　gave　no　clue　by　which　anything　could　be　gathered。

A　thought　flashed　across　Richard's　mind；　a　thought　which　rose　up　on　end　even　his　false　hair。　〃Mr。　Carlyle；〃　he　uttered；　in　an　accent　of　horror；　〃if　Ball　should　take　it　up　in　that　way　against　Levison；　he　must　apply　to　the　bench　for　a　warrant。〃

〃Well？〃　quietly　returned　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃And　they'd　send　and　clap　me　into　prison。　You　know　the　warrant　is　always　out　against　me。〃

〃You'd　never　make　a　conjurer；　Richard。　I　don't　pretend　to　say；　or　guess　at；　what　Ball's　proceedings　may　be。　But；　in　applying　to　the　bench　for　a　warrant　against　Levisonshould　that　form　part　of　themis　there　any　necessity　for　him　to　bring　you　into　say：　'Gentlemen；　Richard　Hare　is　within　reach；　ready　to　be　taken？'　Your　fears　run　away　with　your　common　sense；　Richard。〃

〃Ah；　well；　if　you　had　lived　with　the　cord　around　your　neck　this　many　a　year；　not　knowing　any　one　hour　but　it　might　get　tied　the　next；　you'd　lose　your　common　sense；　too；　at　times；〃　humbly　sighed　poor　Richard。　〃What's　to　be　my　first　move；　sir？〃

〃Your　first　move；　Richard；　must　be　to　go　to　this　place　of　concealment；　which　you　know　of；　and　remain　quiet　there　until　Monday。　On　Monday；　at　dusk；　be　here　again。　Meanwhile；　I　will　see　Ball。　By　the　way；　though；　before　speaking　to　Ball；　I　must　hear　from　yourself　that　Thorn　and　Levison　are　one。〃

〃I　will　go　down　to　the　Raven　at　once；〃　eagerly　cried　Richard。　〃I'll　come　back　here；　to　this　walk；　as　soon　as　I　have　obtained　sight　of　him。〃　With　the　last　words　he　turned；　and　was　speeding　off；　when　Barbara　caught　him。

〃You　will　be　so　tired；　Richard。〃

〃Tired！〃　echoed　Richard　Hare。　〃A　hundred　miles　on　foot　would　not　tire　me　if　Thorn　was　at　the　end　of　them；　waiting　to　be　identified。　I　may　not　be　back　for　two　or　three　hours；　but　I　will　come；　and　wait　here　till　you　come　out　to　me。〃

〃You　must　be　hungry　and　thirsty；〃　returned　Barbara；　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃How　I　wish　we　dare　have　you　in；　and　shelter　you。　But　I　can　manage　to　bring　some　refreshments　out　here。〃

〃I　don't　require　it；　Barbara。　I　left　the　train　at　the　station　next　before　West　Lynne；　and　dropped　into　a　roadside　public　house　as　I　walked；　and　got　a　good　supper。　Let　me　go；　dear；　I　am　all　in　a　fever。〃

Richard　departed；　reached　the　part　of　West　Lynne　where　the　Raven　was　situated；　and　was　so　far　favored　by　fortune　that　he　had　not　long　to　wait。　Scarcely　had　he　taken　up　his　lounge　outside；　when　two　gentlemen　came　forth　from　it；　arm…in…arm。　Being　the　headquarters　of　one　of　the　candidates；　the　idlers　of　the　place　thought　they　could　not　do　better　than　make　it　their　headquarters　also；　and　the　road　and　pavement　were　never　free　from　loitering　starers　and　gossipers。　Richard　Hare；　his　hat　well　over　his　eyes；　and　his　black　ringlets　made　the　most　of；　only　added　one　to　the　rest。

Two　gentlemen　came　forth；　arm…in…arm。　The　loiterers　raised　a　feeble　shout　of　〃Levison　forever！〃　Richard　did　not　join　in　the　shout；　but　his　pulses　were　beating；　and　his　heart　leaped　up　within　him。　The　one　was　Thorn；　the　other　the　gentleman　he　had　seen　with　Thorn　in　London；　pointed　out　to　himas　he　had　believedas　Sir　Francis　Levison。

〃Which　of　those　two　is　Levison？〃　he　inquired　of　a　man　near　whom　he　stood。

〃Don't　you　know　him？　Him　with　the　hat　off；　bowing　his　thanks　to　us；　is　Levison。〃

No　need　to　inquire　further。　It　was　the　Thorn　of　Richard's　memory。　His　ungloved　hand；　raised　to　his　hat；　was　as　white　as　ever；　more　sparkling　than　ever；　as　it　flashed　in　the　street　gaslight；　was　the　diamond　ring。　By　the　hand　and　ring　alone　Richard　would　have　sworn　to　the　man；　had　it　been　needful。

〃Who　is　the　other　one？〃　he　continued。

〃Some　gent　as　came　down　from　London　with　him。　His　name's　Drake。　Be　you　yellow；　sailor；　or　be　you　scarlet…and…purple？〃

〃I　am　neither。　I　am　only　a　stranger；　passing　through　the　town。〃

〃On　the　tramp？〃

〃Tramp？　No。〃　And　Richard　moved　away；　to　make　the　best　of　his　progress　to　East　Lynne　and　report　to　Mr。　Carlyle。

Now　it　happened；　on　that　windy　night；　that　Lady　Isabel；　her　mind　disordered；　her　brow　fevered　with　its　weight　of　care；　stole　out　into　the　grounds；　after　the　children　had　left　her　for　the　night；　courting　any　discomfort　she　might　meet。　As　if　they　could；　even　for　a　moment；　cool　the　fire　within！　To　the　solitude　of　this　very　covered　walk　bent　she　her　steps；　and；　not　long　had　she　paced　it；　when　she　descried　some　man　advancing；　in　the　garb　of　a　sailor。　Not　caring　to　be　seen；　she　turned　short　off　amidst　the　trees；　intending　to　emerge　again　when　he　had　passed。　She　wondered　who　he　was；　and　what　brought　him　there。

But　he　did　not　pass。　He　lingered　in　the　walk；　keeping　her　a　prisoner。　A　minute　more　and　she　saw　him　joined　by　Mrs。　Carlyle。　They　met　with　a　loving　embrace。

Embrace　a　strange　man？　Mrs。　Carlyle？　All　the　blood　in　Lady　Isabel's　body　rushed　to　her　brain。　Was　she；　his　second　wife；　false　to　himmore　shamelessly　fa