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She dashed off a letter； getting up ere she had well begun it； to order her carriage round again。 She would trust none but herself to put it in the post。
〃MY DEAR MR。 SMITHWe want you here。 Something has arisen that it is necessary to see you upon。 You can get here by Saturday。 Be in /these/ grounds； near the covered walk； that evening at dusk。 Ever yours； 〃B。〃
And the letter was addressed to Mr。 Smith； of some street in Liverpool； the address furnished by Richard。 Very cautions to see； was Barbara。 She even put 〃Mr。 Smith；〃 inside the letter。
〃Now stop；〃 cried Barbara to herself； as she was folding it。 〃I ought to send him a five pound note； for he may not have the means to come； and I don't think I have one of that amount in the house。〃
She looked in her secretaire。 Not a single five…pound note。 Out of the room she ran； meeting Joyce； who was coming along the corridor。
〃Do you happen to have a five…pound note； Joyce？〃
〃No； ma'am； not by me。〃
〃I dare say Madame Vine has。 I paid her last week； and there were two five…pound notes amongst it。〃 And away went Barbara to the gray parlor。
〃Could you lend me a five…pound note； Madame Vine？ I have occasion to enclose one in a letter； and find I do not possess one。〃
Madame Vine went to her room to get it。 Barbara waited。 She asked William what Dr。 Martin said。
〃He tried my chest withoh； I forget what they call itand he said I must be a brave boy and take my cod…liver oil well； and port wine； and everything I liked that was good。 And he said he should be at West Lynne next Wednesday afternoon； and I am to go there； and he would call in and see me。〃
〃Where are you to meet him？〃
〃He said； either at papa's office or at Aunt Cornelia's； as we might decide。 Madame fixed it for papa's office； for she thought he might like to see Dr。 Martin。 I say； mamma。〃
〃What？〃 asked Barbara。
〃Madame Vine has been crying ever since。 Why should she？〃
〃I'm sure I don't know。 Crying！〃
〃Yes but she wipes her eyes under her spectacles； and thinks I don't see her。 I know I am very ill； but why should she cry for that？〃
〃Nonsense； William。 Who told you you were very ill？〃
〃Nobody。 I suppose I am；〃 he thoughtfully added。 〃If Joyce or Lucy cried； now； there'd be some sense in it； for they have known me all my life。〃
〃You are so apt to fancy things！ You are always doing it。 It is not likely that madame would be crying because you are ill。〃
Madame came in with the bank…note。 Barbara thanked her； ran upstairs； and in another minute or two was in her carriage。
She was back again； and dressing when the gentlemen returned to dinner。 Mr。 Carlyle came upstairs。 Barbara； like most persons who do things without reflection； having had time to cool down from her ardor； was doubting whether she had acted wisely in sending so precipitately for Richard。 She carried her doubt and care to her husband； her sure refuge in perplexity。
〃Archibald； I fear I have done a foolish thing。〃
He laughed。 〃I fear we all do that at times； Barbara。 What is it？〃
He had seated himself in one of Barbara's favorite low chairs； and she stood before him； leaning on his shoulder； her face a little behind； so that he could not see it。 In her delicacy she would not look at him while she spoke what she was going to speak。
〃It is something that I have had upon my mind for years； and I did not like to tell it to you。〃
〃For years？〃
〃You remember that night； years ago； when Richard was at the Grove in disguise〃
〃Which night； Barbara？ He came more than once。〃
〃The nightthe night that Lady Isabel quitted East Lynne；〃 she answered； not knowing how better to bring it to his recollection and she stole her hand lovingly into his； as she said it。 〃Richard came back after his departure； saying he had met Thorn in Bean lane。 He described the peculiar motion of the hand as he threw back his hair from his brow； he spoke of the white hand and the diamond ringhow it glittered in the moonlight。 Do you remember？〃
〃I do。〃
〃The motion appeared perfectly familiar to me； for I had seen it repeatedly used by one then staying at East Lynne。 I wondered you did not recognize it。 From that night I had little doubt as to the identity of Thorn。 I believed that he and Captain Levison were one。〃
A pause。 〃Why did you not tell me so； Barbara？〃
〃How could I speak of that man to you； at that time？ Afterwards； when Richard was here； that snowy winter's day； he asserted that he knew Sir Frances Levison； that he had seen him and Thorn together； and that put me off the scent。 But to…day； as I was passing the Raven； in the carriagegoing very slow； on account of the crowdhe was perched out there； addressing the people； and I saw the very same actionthe old action that I had used to see。〃
Barbara paused。 Mr。 Carlyle did not interrupt her。
〃I feel a conviction that they are the samethat Richard must have been under some unaccountable mistake in saying that he knew Francis Levison。 Besides； who but he； in evening dress； would have been likely to go through Bean lane that night？ It leads to no houses； but one wishing to avoid the high road could get into it from these grounds； and so on to West Lynne。 He must have gone back directly on foot to West Lynne； to get the post carriage； as was proved； and he would naturally go through Bean lane。 Forgive me； Archibald； for recalling these things to you； but I feel so sure that Levison and Thorn are one。〃
〃I know they are；〃 he quietly said。
Barbara； in her astonishment drew back and stared him in the facea face of severe dignity it was just then。
〃Oh； Archibald！ Did you know it at that time？〃
〃I did not know it until this afternoon。 I never suspected it。〃
〃I wonder you did not。 I have wondered often。〃
〃So do I now。 Dill； Ebenezer James； and Otway Bethelwho came home to…daywere standing before the Raven； listening to his speech； when Bethel recognized him； not as Levisonhe was infinitely astonished to find he was Levison。 Levison； they say； was scared at the recognition； and changed color。 Bethel would give no explanation； and moved away； but James told Dill that Levison was the man Thorn who used to be after Afy Hallijohn。〃
〃How did you know？〃 breathlessly asked Barbara。
〃Because Mr。 Ebenezer was after Afy himself； and repeatedly saw Thorn in the wood。 Barbara； I believe now that it was Levison who killed Hallijohn； but I should like to know what Bethel had to do with it。〃
Barbara clasped her hands。 〃How strange it is！〃 she exclaimed； in some excitement。 〃Mamma told me； yesterday； that she was convinced something or other was going to turn up relative to the murder。 She had had the most distressing dream； she said； connected with Richard and Bethel； and somebody else； whom she appeared to know in the dream； but could not recognize or remember when she was awake。 She was as ill as could beshe does put such faith in these wretched dreams。〃
〃One would think you did also； Barbara； by your vehemence。〃
〃No； no； you know better。 But it is strangeyou must acknowledge that it isthat； so sure as anything fresh happens touching the subject of the murder； so sure is a troubled dream the forerunner of it。 Mamma does not have them at other times。 Bethel denied to you that he knew Thorn。〃
〃I know he did。〃
〃And now it turns out that he does know him； and he is always in mamma's dreamsnone more prominent in them than Bethel。 But； Archibald； I am not telling youI have sent for Richard。〃
〃You have？〃
〃I felt sure that Levison was Thorn。 I did not expect that others would recognize him； and I acted on the impulse of the moment and wrote to Richard； telling him to be here on Saturday evening。 The letter is gone。〃
〃Well； we must shelter him as best we can。〃
〃Archibalddear Archibald； what can be done to clear him？〃 she asked； the tears rising to her eyes。
〃Being Levison； I cannot act。〃
〃What！〃 she uttered。 〃Not actnot act for Richard！〃
He bent his clear； truthful eyes upon her。
〃My dearest； how can I？〃
She looked a little rebellious； and the tears fell。
〃You have not considered； Barbara。 Any one in the world but Levison； it would look like my own revenge。〃
〃Forgive me！〃 she softly whispered。 〃You are always right。 I did not think of it in that light。 But； what steps do you imagine can be taken？〃
〃It is a case encompassed with difficulties；〃 mused Mr。 Carlyle。 〃Let us wait until Richard comes。〃
〃Do you happen to have a five…pound note in your pocket； Archibald？ I had not one to send to him； and borrowed it from Madame Vine。〃
He took out his pocket book and gave it to her。
In the gray parlor； in the dark twilight of the April eveningor it was getting far into the nightwere William Carlyle and Lady Isabel。 It had been a warm day； but the spring evenings were still chilly； and a fire burned in the grate。 There was no blaze； the red embers were smoldering and half dead； but Madame Vine did not bestir herself to heed the fire。 William lay on the sofa； and she sat by； looking at him。 Her glasses were off； for the tears wetted them continually； and it was not the recognition of the children she feared。 He was tired with the drive to Lynneborough and back； and lay with eyes shut； she thought asleep。 Presentl