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east lynne-第117章

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affection with this passionate; jealous longing; and to know that they were separated for ever and ever; that she was worse to him than nothing!

Softly; my lady。 This is not bearing your cross。



CHAPTER XXXVI。

APPEARANCE OF A RUSSIAN BEAR AT WEST LYNNE。

Mr。 Carlyle harangued the populace from the balcony of the Buck's Head; a substantial old House; renowned in the days of posting; now past and gone。 Its balcony was an old…fashioned; roomy balcony; painted green; where there was plenty of space for his friends to congregate。 He was a persuasive orator; winning his way to ears and hearts; but had he spoken with plums in his mouth; and a stammer on his tongue; and a break…down at every sentence; the uproarious applause and shouts would be equally rife。 Mr。 Carlyle was intensely popular in West Lynne; setting aside his candidateship and his oratory; and West Lynne made common cause against Sir Francis Levison。

Sir Francis Levison harangued the mob from the Raven; but in a more ignoble manner。 For the Raven possessed no balcony; and he was fain to let himself down with a stride and a jump from the first floor window on the top of the bow…window of the parlor; and stand there。 The Raven; though a comfortable; old established; and respectable inn; could boast only of casements for its upper windows; and they are not convenient to deliver speeches from。 He was wont; therefore to take his seat on the bow…window; and; that was not altogether convenient either; for it was but narrow; and he hardly dared move an arm or a leg for fear of pitching over on the upturned faces。 Mr。 Drake let himself down also; to support him on one side; and the first day; the lawyer supported him on the other。 For the first day only; for that worthy; being not as high as Sir Francis Levison's or Mr。 Drake's shoulder; and about five times their breadth; had those two been rolled into one; experienced a slight difficulty in getting back again。 It was accomplished at last; Sir Francis pulling him up; and Mr。 Drake hoisting him from behind; just as a ladder was being brought out to the rescue amidst shouts of laughter。 The stout man wiped the perspiration from his face when he was landed in safety; and recorded a mental vow never to descend from a window again。 After that the candidate and his friend shared the shelf between them。 The lawyer's name was Rubiny; ill…naturedly supposed to be a corruption of Reuben。

They stood there one afternoon; Sir Francis' eloquence in full play; but he was a shocking speaker; and the crowd; laughing; hissing; groaning and applauding; blocking up the road。 Sir Francis could not complain of one thingthat he got no audience; for it was the pleasure of West Lynne extensively to support him in that respecta few to cheer; a great many to jeer and hiss。 Remarkably dense was the mob on this afternoon; for Mr。 Carlyle had just concluded his address from the Buck's Head; and the crowd who had been listening to him came rushing up to swell the ranks of the other crowd。 They were elbowing; and pushing; and treading on each other's heels; when an open barouche drove suddenly up to scatter them。 Its horses wore scarlet and purple rosettes; and one lady; a very pretty one; sat inside of itMrs。 Carlyle。

But the crowd could not be so easily scattered; it was too thick; the carriage could advance but at a snail's pace; and now and then came to a standstill also; till the confusion should be subsided; for where was the use of wasting words? He did not bow to Barbara; he remembered the result of his having done so to Miss Carlyle; and the little interlude of the pond had washed most of his impudence out of him。 He remained at his post; not looking at Barbara; not looking at anything in particular; waiting till the interruption should have passed。

Barbara; under cover of her dainty lace parasol; turned her eyes upon him。 At that very moment he raised his right hand; slightly shook his head back; and tossed his hair off his brow。 His hand; ungloved; was white and delicate as a lady's; and his rich diamond ring gleamed in the sun。 The pink flush on Barbara's cheek deepened to a crimson damask; and her brow contracted with a remembrance of pain。

〃The very action Richard described! The action he was always using at East Lynne! I believe from my heart that the man is Thorn; that Richard was laboring under some mistake when he said he knew Sir Francis Levison。〃

She let her hands fall upon her knee as she spoke; heedless of the candidate; heedless of the crowd; heedless of all save her own troubled thoughts。 A hundred respected salutations were offered her; she answered them mechanically; a shout was raised; 〃Long live Carlyle! Carlyle forever!〃 Barbara bowed her pretty head on either side; and the carriage at length got on。

The parting of the crowd brought Mr。 Dill; who had come to listen for once to the speech of the second man; and Mr。 Ebenezer James close to each other。 Mr。 Ebenezer James was one who; for the last twelve or fifteen years; had been trying his hand at many trades。 And had not come out particularly well at any。 A rolling stone gathers no moss。 First; he had been clerk to Mr。 Carlyle; next; he had been seduced into joining the corps of the Theatre Royal at Lynneborough; then he turned auctioneer; then travelling in the oil and color line; then a parson; the urgent pastor of some new sect; then omnibus driver; then collector of the water rate; and now he was clerk again; not in Mr。 Carlyle's office; but in that of Ball & Treadman; other solicitors of West Lynne。 A good…humored; good…natured; free…of…mannered; idle chap was Mr。 Ebenezer James; and that was the worst that could be urged against him; save that he was sometimes out at pocket and out at elbows。 His father was a respectable man; and had made money in trade; but he had married a second wife; had a second family; and his eldest son did not come in for much of the paternal money; though he did for a large share of the paternal anger。

〃Well; Ebenezer; and how goes the world with you?〃 cried Mr。 Dill by way of salutation。

〃Jogging on。 It never gets to a trot。〃

〃Didn't I see you turning into your father's house yesterday?〃

〃I pretty soon turned out of it again。 I'm like the monkey when I venture thereget more kicks than halfpence。 Hush; old gentleman! We interrupt the eloquence。〃

Of course 〃the eloquence〃 applied to Sir Francis Levison; and they set themselves to listenMr。 Dill with a serious face; Mr。 Ebenezer with a grinning one。 But soon a jostle and movement carried them to the outside of the crowd; out of sight of the speaker; though not entirely out of hearing。 By these means they had a view of the street; and discerned something advancing to them; which they took for a Russian bear on its hind legs。

〃I'llbeblest;〃 uttered Mr。 Ebenezer James; after a prolonged pause of staring consternation; 〃if I don't believe its Bethel!〃

〃Bethel!〃 repeated Mr。 Dill; gazing at the approaching figure。 〃What has he been doing to himself?〃

Mr。 Otway Bethel it was; just arrived from foreign parts in his travelling costumesomething shaggy; terminating all over with tails。 A wild object he looked; and Mr。 Dill rather backed as he drew near; as i
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