按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
indow。 Yes； she was standing and looking still； brooding over her fancied wrongs。
〃Who is that Miss Hare？〃 he demanded in a cynical tone。 〃They appear to have a pretty good understanding together。 Twice this evening I have met them enjoying a private walk and a private confab。〃
〃What did you say？〃 sharply and haughtily returned Lady Isabel。
〃Nay； I did not mean to offend you；〃 was the answer； for he knew that she heard his words distinctly in spite of her question。 〃I spoke of /Monsieur votre mari/。〃
CHAPTER XXIII。
CAPTAIN THORN IN TROUBLE ABOUT 〃A BILL。〃
In talking over a bygone misfortune； we sometimes make the remark； or hear it made to us； 〃Circumstances worked against it。〃 Such and such a thing might have turned out differently； we say； had the surrounding circumstances been more favorable； but they were in opposition； they were dead against it。 Now； if ever attendant circumstances can be said to have borne a baneful influence upon any person in this world； they most assuredly did at this present time against Lady Isabel Carlyle。
Coeval； you see； with the arrival of the ex…captain； Levison； at East Lynne； all the jealous feeling； touching her husband and Barbara Hare； was renewed； and with greater force than ever。 Barbara； painfully anxious that something should be brought to light； it would have puzzled her to say how or by what means； by which her brother should be exonerated from the terrible charge under which he lay； fully believing that Frederick Thorn； captain in her majesty's service； was the man who had committed the crime； as asserted by Richard； was in a state of excitement bordering upon frenzy。 Too keenly she felt the truth of her own words； that she was powerless； that she could； herself； do nothing。 When she rose in the morning； after a night passed in troubled reflection more than in sleep； her thoughts were； 〃Oh； that I could this day find out something certain！〃 She was often at the Herberts'； frequently invited theresometimes going uninvited。 She and the Herberts were intimate and they pressed Barbara into all the impromptu gay doings； now their brother was at home。 There she of course saw Captain Thorn； and now and then she was enabled to pick up scraps of his past history。 Eagerly were these scraps carried to Mr。 Carlyle。 Not at his office； Barbara would not appear there。 Perhaps she was afraid of the gossiping tongues of West Lynne； or that her visits might have come to the knowledge of that stern； prying； and questioning old gentleman whom she called sire。 It may be too； that she feared； if seen haunting Mr。 Carlyle's office； Captain Thorn might come to hear of it and suspect the agitation； that was afloatfor who could know better than he； the guilt that was falsely attaching to Richard？ Therefore she chose rather to go to East Lynne； or to waylay Mr。 Carlyle as he passed to and from business。 It was little she gathered to tell him； one evening she met him with the news that Mr。 Thorn /had/ been in former years at West Lynne； though she could not fix the date； another time she went boldly to East Lynne in eager anxiety； ostensibly to make a call on Lady Isabeland a very restless one it wascontriving to make Mr。 Carlyle understand that she wanted to see him alone。 He went out with her when she departed； and accompanied her as far as the park gates； the two evidently absorbed in earnest converse。 Lady Isabel's jealous eye saw that。 The communication Barbara had to make was； that Captain Thorn had let fall the avowal that he had once been 〃in trouble；〃 though of its nature there was no indication given。 Another journey of hers took the scrap of news that she had discovered he knew Swainson well。 Part of this； nay； perhaps the whole of it； Mr。 Carlyle had found out for himself； nevertheless he always received Barbara with vivid interest。 Richard Hare was related to Miss Carlyle； and if his innocence could be made clear in the sight of men； it would be little less gratifying to them than to the Hares。 Of Richard's innocence； Mr。 Carlyle now entertained little； if any doubt； and he was becoming impressed with the guilt of Captain Thorn。 The latter spoke mysteriously of a portion of his past lifewhen he could be brought to speak of it at alland he bore evidently some secret that he did not care to have alluded to。
But now look at the mean treachery of that man； Francis Levison！ The few meetings that Lady Isabel did witness between her husband and Barbara would have been quite enough to excite her anger and jealousy； to trouble her peace； but； in addition； Francis Levison took care to tell her of those she did not see。 It pleased himhe could best tell with what motiveto watch the movements of Mr。 Carlyle and Barbara。 There was a hedge pathway through the fields； on the opposite side of the road to the residence of Justice Hare； and as Mr。 Carlyle walked down the road to business in his unsuspicion （not one time in fifty did he choose to ride； the walk to and fro kept him in health； he said）； Captain Levison would be strolling down like a serpent behind the hedge； watching all his movements； watching his interviews with Barbara； did any take place； watching Mr。 Carlyle turn into the grove； as he sometimes did； and perhaps watch Barbara run out of the house to meet him。 It was all related over； and with miserable exaggeration； to Lady Isabel； whose jealousy； as a natural sequence； grew feverish in its extent。
It is scarcely necessary to explain； that of this feeling of Lady Isabel's Barbara knew nothing； not a shadow of suspicion had ever penetrated to her mind that Lady Isabel was jealous of her。 Had she been told that such was the fact； she would have laughed in derision at her informant。 Mr。 Carlyle's happy wife； proudly secure in her position and in his affection； jealous of /her！/ of her； to whom he had never given an admiring look or a loving word！ It would have taken a great deal to make Barbara believe that。
How different were the facts in reality。 These meetings of Mr。 Carlyle's and Barbara's； instead of episodes of love…making and tender speeches； were positively painful； especially to Barbara； from the unhappy nature of the subject to be discussed。 Far from feeling a reprehensible pleasure at seeking the meetings with Mr。 Carlyle； Barbara shrank from them； but that she was urged by dire necessity； in the interests of Richard； she would wholly have avoided such。 Poor Barbara； in spite of that explosion of bottled…up excitement years back； was a lady； possessed of a lady's ideas and feelings； and remembering the explosionit did not accord with her pride at all to be pushing herself into what might be called secret meetings with Archibald Carlyle。 But Barbara； in her sisterly love； pressed down all thought of self； and went perseveringly forward for Richard's sake。
Mr。 Carlyle was seated one morning in his private room at his office； when his head clerk； Mr。 Dill came in。 〃A gentleman is asking to see you； Mr。 Archibald。〃
〃I am too busy to see anybody for this hour to come。 You know that； Dill。〃
〃So I told him； sir； and he says he'll wait。 It is that Captain Thorn who is staying here with John Herbert。〃
Mr。 Carlyle raised his eyes； and they encountered those of the old man； a peculiar expression was in the face of both。 Mr。 Carlyle glanced down at the parchment he was perusing； as if calculating his time。 Then he looked up again and spoke。
〃I will see /him/； Dill。 Send him in。〃
The business leading to the visit was quite simple。 Captain Frederick Thorn had got himself into some trouble and vexation about 〃a bill〃 as too many captains will doand he had come to crave advice of Mr。 Carlyle。
Mr。 Carlyle felt dubious about giving it。 This Captain Thorn was a pleasant； attractive sort of a man； who won much on acquaintance； one whom Mr。 Carlyle would have been pleased； in a friendly point of view； and setting professional interest apart； to help out of his difficulties； but if he were the villain they suspected him to be； the man with crime upon his hand； then Mr。 Carlyle would have ordered his office door held wide for him to slink out of it。
〃Cannot you advise me what my course ought to be？〃 he inquired； detecting Mr。 Carlyle's hesitation。
〃I could advise you； certainly。 Butyou must excuse my being plain； Captain ThornI like to know who my clients are before I take up their cause or accept them as clients。〃
〃I am able to pay you；〃 was Captain Thorn's reply。 〃I am not short of ready money； only this bill〃
Mr。 Carlyle laughed out； after having bit his lip with annoyance。 〃It was a natural inference of yours；〃 he said； 〃but I assure you I was not thinking of your purse or my pocket。 My father held it right never to undertake business for a strangerunless a man was good； in a respectable point of view； and his cause was good； he did not mention itand I have acted on the same principle。 By these means； the position and character of our business； is rarely attained by a solicitor。 Now； in saying that you are a stranger to me； I am not casting any doubt upon you； Captain Thorn； I am merely upholding my common practice。〃
〃My family is well connected；〃 was Captain Thorn's next venture。
〃Excuse me； family has nothing to do with it。 If the poorest day labo