east lynne- 第6部分

〃It　related　tothe〃

Mr。　Carlyle　stopped；　and　Barbara　glanced　round　with　a　shudder；　and　drew　closer　to　him　as　she　whispered。　He　had　not　given　her　his　arm　this　time。

〃Yes；　to　the　murder。　You　know　mamma　has　always　declared　that　Bethel　had　something　to　do　with　it；　she　says　her　dreams　would　have　convinced　her　of　it；　if　nothing　else　did；　and　she　dreamt　she　saw　him　withwith　you　know。〃

〃Hallijohn？〃　whispered　Mr。　Carlyle。

〃With　Hallijohn；〃　assented　Barbara；　with　a　shiver。　〃He　was　standing　over　him　as　he　lay　on　the　floor；　just　as　he　/did/　lay　on　it。　And　that　wretched　Afy　was　standing　at　the　end　of　the　kitchen；　looking　on。〃

〃But　Mrs。　Hare　ought　not　to　suffer　dreams　to　disturb　her　peace　by　day；〃　remonstrated　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　not　to　be　surprised　at　that　she　dreams　of　the　murder；　because　she　is　always　dwelling　upon　it；　but　she　should　strive　and　throw　the　feeling　from　her　with　the　night。〃

〃You　know　what　mamma　is。　Of　course　she　ought　to　do　so；　but　she　does　not。　Papa　wonders　what　makes　her　get　up　so　ill　and　trembling　of　a　morning；　and　mamma　has　to　make　all　sorts　of　evasive　excuses；　for　not　a　hint；　as　you　are　aware；　must　be　breathed　to　him　about　the　murder。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　gravely　nodded。

〃Mamma　does　so　harp　about　Bethel。　And　I　know　that　dream　arose　from　nothing　in　the　world　but　because　she　saw　him　pass　the　gate　yesterday。　Not　that　she　thinks　that　it　was　he　who　did　it；　unfortunately；　there　is　no　room　for　that；　but　she　will　persist　that　he　had　a　hand　in　it　in　some　way；　and　he　haunts　her　dreams。〃

Mr。　Carlyle　walked　on　in　silence；　indeed　there　was　no　reply　that　he　could　make。　A　cloud　had　fallen　upon　the　house　of　Mr。　Hare；　and　it　was　an　unhappy　subject。　Barbara　continued；

〃But　for　mamma　to　have　taken　it　into　her　head　that　'some　evil　is　going　to　happen；'　because　she　had　this　dream；　and　to　make　herself　miserable　over　it；　is　so　absurd；　that　I　have　felt　quite　cross　with　her　all　day。　Such　nonsense；　you　know；　Archibald；　to　believe　that　dreams　give　signs　of　what　is　going　to　happen；　so　far　behind　these　enlightened　days！〃

〃Your　mamma's　trouble　is　great；　Barbara；　and　she　is　not　strong。〃

〃I　think　all　our　troubles　have　been　great　sincesince　that　dark　evening；〃　responded　Barbara。

〃Have　you　heard　from　Anne？〃　inquired　Mr。　Carlyle；　willing　to　change　the　subject。

〃Yes；　she　is　very　well。　What　do　you　think　they　are　going　to　name　the　baby？　Anne；　after　her　mamma。　So　very　ugly　a　name！　Anne！〃

〃I　do　not　think　so；〃　said　Mr。　Carlyle。　〃It　is　simple　and　unpretending；　I　like　it　much。　Look　at　the　long；　pretentious　names　of　our　family　Archibald！　Cornelia！　And　yours；　tooBarbara！　What　a　mouthful　they　all　are！〃

Barbara　contracted　her　eyebrows。　It　was　equivalent　to　saying　that　he　did　not　like　her　name。

They　reached　the　gate；　and　Mr。　Carlyle　was　about　to　pass　out　of　it　when　Barbara　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm　to　detain　him；　and　spoke　in　a　timid　voice；

〃Archibald！〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃I　have　not　said　a　word　of　thanks　to　you　for　this；〃　she　said；　touching　the　chain　and　locket；　〃my　tongue　seemed　tied。　Do　not　deem　me　ungrateful。〃

〃You　foolish　girl！　It　is　not　worth　them。　There！　Now　I　am　paid。　Good…　night；　Barbara。〃

He　had　bent　down　and　kissed　her　cheek；　swung　through　the　gate；　laughing；　and　strode　away。　〃Don't　say　I　never　gave　you　anything；〃　he　turned　his　head　round　to　say；　〃Good…night。〃

All　her　veins　were　tingling；　all　her　pulses　beating；　her　heart　was　throbbing　with　its　sense　of　bliss。　He　had　never　kissed　her；　that　she　could　remember；　since　she　was　a　child。　And　when　she　returned　indoors；　her　spirits　were　so　extravagantly　high　that　Mrs。　Hare　wondered。

〃Ring　for　the　lamp；　Barbara；　and　you　can　get　to　your　work。　But　don't　have　the　shutters　closed；　I　like　to　look　out　on　these　light　nights。〃

Barbara；　however；　did　not　get　to　her　work；　she　also；　perhaps；　liked　〃looking　out　on　a　light　night；〃　for　she　sat　down　at　the　window。　She　was　living　the　last　half　hour　over　again。　〃　'Don't　say　I　never　gave　you　anything；'　〃　she　murmured；　〃did　he　allude　to　the　chain　or　to　the　kiss？　Oh；　Archibald；　why　don't　you　say　that　you　love　me？〃

Mr。　Carlyle　had　been　all　his　life　upon　intimate　terms　with　the　Hare　family。　His　father's　first　wifefor　the　late　lawyer　Carlyle　had　been　twice　marriedhad　been　a　cousin　of　Justice　Hare's；　and　this　had　caused　them　to　be　much　together。　Archibald；　the　child　of　the　second　Mrs。　Carlyle；　had　alternately　teased　and　petted　Anne　and　Barbara　Hare；　boy　fashion。　Sometimes　he　quarreled　with　the　pretty　little　girls；　sometimes　he　caressed　them；　as　he　would　have　done　had　they　been　his　sisters；　and　he　made　no　scruple　of　declaring　publicly　to　the　pair　that　Anne　was　his　favorite。　A　gentle；　yielding　girl　she　was；　like　her　mother；　whereas　Barbara　displayed　her　own　will；　and　it　sometimes　clashed　with　young　Carlyle's。

The　clock　struck　ten。　Mrs。　Hare　took　her　customary　sup　of　brandy　and　water；　a　small　tumbler　three　parts　full。　Without　it　she　believed　she　could　never　get　to　sleep；　it　deadened　unhappy　thought；　she　said。　Barbara；　after　making　it；　had　turned　again　to　the　window；　but　she　did　not　resume　her　seat。　She　stood　right　in　front　of　it；　her　forehead　bent　forward　against　its　middle　pane。　The　lamp；　casting　a　bright　light；　was　behind　her；　so　that　her　figure　might　be　distinctly　observable　from　the　lawn；　had　any　one　been　there　to　look　upon　it。

She　stood　there　in　the　midst　of　dreamland；　giving　way　to　all　its　enchanting　and　most　delusive　fascinations。　She　saw　herself；　in　anticipation；　the　wife　of　Mr。　Carlyle；　the　envied；　thrice　envied；　of　all　West　Lynne；　for；　like　as　he　was　the　dearest　on　earth　to　her　heart；　so　was　he　the　greatest　match　in　the　neighborhood　around。　Not　a　mother　but　what　coveted　him　for　her　child；　and　not　a　daughter　but　would　have　said；　〃Yes；　and　thank　you；〃　to　an　offer　from　the　attractive　Archibald　Carlyle。　〃I　never　was　sure；　quite　sure　of　it　till　to…night；〃　murmured　Barbara；　caressing　the　locket；　and　holding　it　to　her　cheek。　〃I　always　thought　he　meant　something；　or　he　might　mean　nothing：　but　to　give　me　thisto　kiss　meoh　Archibald！〃

A　pause。　Barbara's　eyes　were　fixed　upon　the　moonlight。

〃If　he　would　but　say　he　loved　me！　If　he　would　but　save　the　suspense　of　my　aching　heart！　But　it　must　come；　I　know　it　will；　and　if　that　cantankerous　toad　of　a　Corny〃

Barbara　Hare　stopped。　What　was　that；　at　the　far　end　of　the　lawn；　just　in　advance　of　the　shade　of　the　thick　trees？　Their　leaves　were　not　causing　the　movement；　for　it　was　a　still　night。　It　had　been　there　some　minutes；　it　was　evidently　a　human　form。　What　/was/　it？　Surely　it　was　making　signs　to　her！

Or　else　it　looked　as　though　it　was。　That　was　certainly　its　arm　moving；　and　now　it　advanced　a　pace　nearer；　and　raised　something　which　it　wore　on　its　heada　battered　hat　with　a　broad　brim；　a　〃wide…awake；〃　encircled　with　a　wisp　of　straw。

Barbara　Hare's　heart　leaped；　as　the　saying　runs；　into　her　mouth；　and　her　face　became　deadly　white　in　the　moonlight。　Her　first　thought　was　to　alarm　the　servants；　her　second；　to　be　still；　for　she　remembered　the　fear　and　mystery　that　attached　to　the　house。　She　went　into　the　hall；　shutting　her　mamma　in　the　parlor；　and　stood　in　the　shade　of　the　portico；　gazing　still。　But　the　figure　evidently　followed　her　movement　with　its　sight；　and　the　hat　was　again　taken　off；　and　waved　violently。

Barbara　Hare　turned　sick　with　utter　terror。　/She/　must　fathom　it；　she　must　see　who；　and　what　it　was；　for　the　servants　she　dared　not　call；　and　those　movements　were　imperative；　and　might　not　be　disregarded。　But　she　possessed　more　innate　courage　than　falls　to　the　lot　of　some　young　ladies。

〃Mamma；〃　she　said；　returning　to　the　parlor　and　catching　up　her　shawl；　while　striving　to　speak　without　emotion。　〃I　shall　just　walk　down　the　path　and　see　if　papa　is　coming。〃

Mrs。　Hare　did　not　reply。　She　was　musing　upon　other　things；　in　that　quiescent　happy　mood；　which　a　small　portion　of　spirits　will　impart　to　one　weak　in　body；　and　Barbara　softly　closed　the　door；　and　stole　out　again　to　the　portico。　She　stood　a　moment　to　rally　her　courage；　and　again　the　hat　was　waved　impatiently。

Barbara　Hare　commenced　her　walk　towards　it　in　dread　unutterable；　an　undefined　sense　of　evil　filling　her　sinking　heart；　mingling　with　which；　came；　with　a　rush　of　terror；　a　fear　of　that　other　undefinable　evilthe　evil　Mrs。　Hare　had　declared　was　foreboded　by　her　dream。



CHAPTER　IV。

THE　MOONLIGHT　INTERVIEW。

Cold　and　still　looked　the　old　house　in　the　moonbeams。　Never　was　the　moon　brighter；　it　lighted　the　far…stretching　garden；　it　illuminated　even　the　weathercock　aloft；　it　shone　upon　the　portico；　and　upon　one　who　appeared　in　it。　Stealing　to　the　portico　from　the　house　had　come　Barbara　Hare；　her　eyes　strained　in　dread　affright　on　the　grove　of　trees　at　the　foot　of　the　garden。　What　was　it　that　had　stepped　out　of　that　groove　of　trees；　and　mysteriously　beckoned　to　her　as　she　stood　at　the　window；　turning　her　heart　to　sickness　as　she　gazed？　Was　it　a　human　being；　one　to　bring　more　evil　to　the　house；　where　so　much　evil　had　already　fallen？　Was　it　a　supernatural　visitant；　or　was　it　but　a　delusion　of　her　own　eyesight？　Not　the　latter；　certainly；　for　the　figure　was　now　emerging　again；　motioning　to　her　as　before；　and　with　a　white　face　and　shaking　limbs；　Barbara　clutched　her　shawl　around　her　and　went　down　that　path　in　the　moonlight。　The　beckoning　form　retreated　within　the　dark　recess　as　she　neared　it；　and　Barbara　halted。

〃Who　and　what　are　you？〃　she　asked；　under　her　breath。　〃What　do　you　want？〃

〃Barbara；〃　was　the　whispered；　eager　answer；　〃don't　you　recognize　me？〃

Too　surely　she　didthe　voice　at　any　rateand　a　cry　escaped　her；　telling　more　of　sorrow　than　of　joy；　though　betraying　both。　She　penetrated　the　trees；　and　burst　into　tears　as　one　in　the　dress　of　a　farm　laborer　caught　her　in　his　arms。　In　spite　of　his　smock…frock　and　his　straw…wisped　hat；　and　his　false　whiskers；　black　as　Erebus；　she　knew　him　for　her　brother。

〃Oh；　Richard！　Where　have　you　come　from？　What　brings　you　here？〃

〃Did　you　know　me；　Barbara？〃　was　his　rejoinder。

〃How　was　it　likelyin　this　disguise？　A　thought　crossed　my　mind　that　it　might　be　some　one　from　you；　and　even　that　made　me　sick　with　terror。　How　could　you　run　such　a　risk　as　to　come　here？〃　she　added；　wringing　her　hands。　〃If　you　are　discovered；　it　is　certain　death；　deathupon　you　know！〃

〃Upon　the　gibbet；〃