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〃I do not consider it so。 I shall not quit East Lynne。〃
〃Are you aware that； in leaving your house； I take my income with me； Archibald？〃
〃Most certainly。 Your income is yours； and you will require it for your own purposes。 I have neither a right to； nor wish for it。〃
〃It will make a pretty good hole in your income； the withdrawing of it； I can tell you that。 Take care that you and East Lynne don't go bankrupt together。〃
At this moment the summons of a visitor was heard。 Even that excited the ire of Miss Carlyle。 〃I wonder who's come bothering to…night？〃 she uttered。
Peter entered。 〃It is Major Thorn； sir。 I have shown him into the drawing…room。〃
Mr。 Carlyle was surprised。 He had not thought Major Thorn within many a mile of West Lynne。 He proceeded to the drawing…room。
〃Such a journey！〃 said Major Thorn to Mr。 Carlyle。 〃It is my general luck to get ill…weather when I travel。 Rain and hail； thunder and heat； nothing bad comes amiss when I am out。 The snow lay on the rails； I don't know how thick； at one station we were detained two hours。〃
〃Are you proposing to make any stay at West Lynne？〃
〃Off again to…morrow。 My leave； this time； is to be spent at my mother's。 I may bestow a week of it or so on West Lynne； but am not sure。 I must be back in Ireland in a month。 Such a horrid boghole we are quartered in just now！〃
〃To go from one subject to another；〃 observed Mr。 Carlyle； 〃there is a question I have long thought to put to you； Thorn； did we ever meet again。 Which year was it that you were staying at Swainson？〃
Major Thorn mentioned it。 It was the year of Hallijohn's murder。
〃As I thoughtin fact； know；〃 said Mr。 Carlyle。 〃Did you； while you were stopping there； ever come across a namesake of yoursone Thorn？〃
〃I believe I did。 But I don't know the man； of my knowledge； and I saw him but once only。 I don't think he was living at Swainson。 I never observed him in the town。〃
〃Where did you meet with him？〃
〃At a roadside beer…shop； about two miles from Swainson。 I was riding one day； when a fearful storm came on； and I took shelter there。 Scarcely had I entered； when another horsemen rode up； and he likewise took sheltera tall； dandified man； aristocratic and exclusive。 When he departedfor he quitted first； the storm being overI asked the people who he was。 They said they did not know； though they had often seen him ride by； but a man who was there； drinking； said he was a Captain Thorn。 The same man； by the way； volunteered the information that he came from a distance； somewhere near West Lynne； I remember that。〃
〃That Captain Thorn did？〃
〃Nothat he； himself did。 He appeared to know nothing of Captain Thorn； beyond the name。
It seemed to be ever so！ Scraps of information； but nothing tangible。 Nothing to lay hold of； or to know the man by。 Would it be thus always？
〃Should you recognize him again were you to see him？〃 resumed Mr。 Carlyle awakening from his reverie。
〃I think I should。 There was something peculiar in his countenance； and I remember it well yet。〃
〃Were you by chance to meet him； and discover his real namefor I have reason to believe that Thorn； the one he went by then； was an assumed onewill you oblige me by letting me know it？〃
〃With all the pleasure in life；〃 replied the major。 〃The chances are against it though； confined as I am to that confounded sister country。 Other regiments get the luck of being quartered in the metropolis； or near it； ours doesn't。〃
When Major Thorn departed； and Mr。 Carlyle was about to return to the room where he left his sister； he was interrupted by Joyce。
〃Sir；〃 she began。 〃Miss Carlyle tells me that there is going to be a change at East Lynne。〃
The words took Mr。 Carlyle by surprise。
〃Miss Carlyle has been in a hurry to tell you；〃 he remarkeda certain haughty displeasure in his tone。
〃She did not speak for the sake of telling me； sir； it is not likely； but I fancy she was thinking about her own plans。 She inquired whether I would go with her when she left； or whether I meant to remain at East Lynne。 I would not answer her； sir； until I had spoken to you。〃
〃Well？〃 said Mr。 Carlyle。
〃I gave a promise sir； totomy late ladythat I would remain with her children as long as I was permitted。 She asked it of me when she was illwhen she thought she was going to die。 What I would inquire of you； sir； is； whether the change will make any difference to my staying？〃
〃No；〃 he decisively replied。 〃I also； Joyce； wish you to remain with the children。〃
〃It is well； sir；〃 Joyce answered； and her face looked bright as she quitted the room。
CHAPTER XXXI。
MR。 DILL IN AN EMBROIDERED SHIRT…FRONT。
It was a lovely morning in June； and all West Lynne was astir。 West Lynne generally was astir in the morning； but not in the bustling manner that might be observed now。 People were abroad in numbers； passing down to St。 Jude's Church； for it was the day of Mr。 Carlyle's marriage to Barbara Hare。
Miss Carlyle made herself into a sort of martyr。 She would not go near it； fine weddings in fine churches did not suit her； she proclaimed； they could tie themselves up together fast enough without her presence。 She had invited the little Carlyles and their governess and Joyce to spend the day with her； and she persisted in regarding the children as martyrs too； in being obliged to submit to the advent of a second mother。 She was back in her old house again； next door to the office； settled there for life now with her servants。 Peter had mortally offended her in electing to remain at East Lynne。
Mr。 Dill committed himself terribly on the wedding morning。 About ten o'clock he made his appearance at Miss Carlyle's； he was a man of the old stage； possessing old…fashioned notions； and he had deemed that to step in to congratulate her on the auspicious day would be only good manners。
Miss Carlyle was seated in her dining…room； her hands folded before her。 It was rare indeed that /she/ was caught doing nothing。 She turned her eyes on Mr。 Dill as he entered。
〃Why； what on earth has taken you？〃 began she； before he could speak。 〃You are decked out like a young duck！〃
〃I am going to the wedding； Miss Cornelia。 Did you know it？ Mrs。 Hare was so kind as to invite me to the breakfast； and Mr。 Archibald insists upon my going to church。 I am not too fine； am I？〃
Poor old Dill's 〃finery〃 consisted of a white waistcoat with gold buttons； and an embroidered shirt…front。 Miss Corny was pleased to regard it with sarcastic wrath。
〃Fine！〃 echoed she。 〃I don't know what /you/ call it。 I would not make myself such a spectacle for untold gold。 You'll have all the ragamuffins in the street forming a tail after you； thinking you are the bridegroom。 A man of your years to deck yourself out in a worked shirt！ I would have had some rosettes on my coat…tails； while I was about it。〃
〃My coat's quite plain； Miss Cornelia；〃 he meekly remonstrated。
〃Plain！ What would you have it？〃 snapped Miss Cornelia。 〃Perhaps you covet a wreath of embroidery round it； gold leaves and scarlet flowers； with a swansdown collar？ It would only be in keeping with that shirt and waistcoat。 I might as well have gone and ordered a white tarletan dress； looped up with peas； and streamed through the town in that guise。 It would be just as consistent。〃
〃People like to dress a little out of common at a wedding； Miss Cornelia； it's only respectful； when they are invited guests。〃
〃I don't say people should go to a wedding in a hop sack。 But there's a medium。 Pray； do you know your age？〃
〃I am turned sixty； Miss Corny。〃
〃You just are。 And do you consider it decent for an old man； going on for seventy； to be decorated off as you are now？ I don't； and so I tell you my mind。 Why； you'll be the laughing…stock of the parish！ Take care the boys don't tie a tin kettle to you！〃
Mr。 Dill thought he would leave the subject。 His own impression was； that he was /not/ too fine； and that the parish would not regard him as being so； still； he had a great reverence for Miss Corny's judgment； and was not altogether easy。 He had had his white gloves in his hand when he entered； but he surreptitiously smuggled them into his pocket； lest they might offend。 He passed to the subject which had brought him thither。
〃What I came in for； was to offer you my congratulations on this auspicious day； Miss Cornelia。 I hope Mr。 Archibald and his wife； and you； ma'am〃
〃There！ You need not trouble yourself to go on；〃 interrupted Miss Corny； hotly arresting him。 〃We want condolence here to…day； rather than the other thing。 I'm sure I'd nearly as soon see Archibald go to his hanging。〃
〃Oh； Miss Corny！〃
〃I would； and you need not stare at me as if you were throttled。 What business has he to go and fetter himself with a wife again。 One would have thought he had had enough with the other。 It is as I have always said； there's a soft place in Archibald's brain。〃
Old Dill knew there was no 〃soft place〃 in the brain of Mr。 Carlyle； but he deemed it might be as well not to say so； in Miss Corny's present humor。 〃Marriage is a happy state； as I have heard； ma'am； and honorable； and I am sure Mr。 Archibald〃
〃Very happy！ Very honorable！〃 fiercely cried Miss Carlyle； sarcasm in her t