登陆注册
4907600000014

第14章

"Hilary agreed with him," said I. "Hilary, you see, knows the lady.""What's her name, Mr. Carter?"

"Didn't you notice his attentions to any one?""I notice! You don't mean that I've seen her?""Certainly you have."

"Was she ever here?'

"Yes, Mrs. Hilary. Hilary takes care of that.""I shall be angry in a minute, Mr. Carter. Oh, I'll have this out of Hilary!""I should."

"Who was she?"

"According to what he told Hilary, she was the most fascinating woman in the world, Hilary thought so, too."Mrs. Hilary began to walk up and down.

"Oh, so Hilary helped to let him go, because they both--?""Precisely," said I.

"And you dare to come and tell me?"

"Well, I thought you ought to know," said I. "Hilary's just as mad about her as Johnny--in fact, he said he'd be hanged if he wouldn't have done the same himself."I have once seen Madame Ristori play Lady Macbeth. Her performance was recalled to me by the tones in which Mrs. Hilary asked:

"Who is this woman, if you please, Mr. Carter?""So Hilary got him off--gave him fifty pounds too.""Glad to get him away, perhaps," she burst out, in angry scorn.

"Who knows?" said I. "Perhaps."

"Her name?" demanded Lady Macbeth--I mean Mrs. Hilary--again.

"I shan't tell you, unless you promise to say nothing to Hilary.""To say nothing! Well, really--"

"Oh, all right!" and I took up my hat.

"But I can watch them, can't I?"

"As much as you like."

"Won't you tell me?"

"If you promise."

"Well, then, I promise."

"Look in the glass."

"What for?"

"To see your face, to be sure."

She started, blushed red, and moved a step towards me.

"You don't mean--?" she cried.

"Thou art the woman," said I.

"Oh, but he never said a word--"

"Johnny had his code," said I. "And in some ways it was better than some people's--in some, alas! worse.""And Hilary?"

"Really you know better than I do whether I've told the truth about Hilary."A pause ensued. Then Mrs. Hilary made three short remarks, which I give in their order:

(1) "The little wretch!" (2) "Dear old Hilary!" (3) "Poor little man!"I took my hat. I knew that Hilary was due from the city in a few minutes. Mrs. Hilary sat down by the fire.

"How dare you torment me so?" she asked, but not in the least like Lady Macbeth.

"I must have my little amusements," said I.

"What an audacious little creature!" said Mrs. Hilary. "Fancy his daring!--Aren't you astounded?""Oh, yes, I am. But Hilary, you see--"

"It's nearly his time," said Mrs. Hilary.

I buttoned my left glove and held out my right hand.

"I've a good mind not to shake hands with you," said she.

"Wasn't it absurd of Hilary?"

"Horribly."

"He ought to have been all the more angry."

"Of course he ought."

"The presumption of it!" And Mrs. Hilary smiled. I also smiled.

"That poor old mother of his," reflected Mrs. Hilary. "Where did you say she lived?""Hilary knows the address," said I.

"Silly little wretch!" mused Mrs. Hilary, still smiling.

"Goodbye," said I.

"Goodbye," said Mrs. Hilary.

I turned toward the door and had laid my hand on the knob, when Mrs. Hilary called softly:

"Mr. Carter."

"Yes," said I, turning.

"Do you know where the little wretch has gone?""Oh, yes," said I.

"I--I suppose you don't ever write to him?"

"Dear me, no," said I.

"But you--could?" suggested Mrs. Hilary.

"Of course," said I.

She jumped up and ran towards me. Her purse was in one hand, and a bit of paper fluttered in the other.

"Send him that--don't tell him," she whispered, and her voice had a little catch in it. "Poor little wretch!" said she.

As for me, I smiled cynically--quite cynically, you know; for it was very absurd.

"Please do," said Mrs. Hilary.

And I went.

Supposing it had been another woman? Well, I wonder!

同类推荐
  • Tamburlaine the Great

    Tamburlaine the Great

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说人仙经

    佛说人仙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 香销酒醒词

    香销酒醒词

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Good Wives

    Good Wives

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 渤海考

    渤海考

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 八零之悍媳的甜蜜时光

    八零之悍媳的甜蜜时光

    1980年,18岁的丁红豆进城退婚了.退的还是前途光明的青年才俊。许多年之后……楚机长依旧霸气护妻,“媳妇儿就是我的软肋,怎么宠着,惯着,都不为过!”丁红豆眯着眼睛笑,“谁说我男人高冷?他笑起来的时候,眼里有星星~”
  • 家有闲妻夫难安

    家有闲妻夫难安

    要颜有颜,要料有料,作为一级优秀女特警,宁若雪就不懂了,到底是得罪了哪路神仙让她一朝穿越成了个不得夫宠,还因捻酸吃醋气愤枉死的世家夫人!对此,宁若雪不雅的翻了个白眼,转身寻求自己上辈子盼都难盼的事业中。吃喝玩乐找小弟,逗猫溜狗寻乐子。但...某侯爷你是脑子坏了吗?不去找你的满院春色,偏偏挡我道作甚?某侯爷傲娇昂头:满院春色哪能独得本候爷的青睐!宁若雪秒懂,斜眼望了某侯爷两下,没想到某侯爷胃口这么大。于是...
  • 蠢物小萌妃

    蠢物小萌妃

    从小就当男人来养的她,是一个名副其实的王爷,还是一个嚣张绝世的女王爷。没事的时候,带上一群如狼似虎的丫鬟上街,调戏帅哥,霸占美男,谁敢龇牙,就揍谁一头包。唉,坐吃等死日子真的好惬意。。。。。
  • 我星常明

    我星常明

    庞安元做梦也没有想到会和自己的便宜侄子周杨佳有交集,等她反应过来,为时已晚。既来之则安之,可真的会如愿吗?
  • 念卿朝朝暮暮

    念卿朝朝暮暮

    作为皇帝最小的女儿,苏迎朝表示,一定要为亲爱的父皇分担一些。所以苏迎朝便带着随从,悄悄出宫,美曰其名寻找有才之人。谁知被自己看上的那个可爱的子在几年之后变成了一人之下,万人之上的阴郁丞相。小片段:迎朝:“我们不熟,为何公子还要缠着小女子不放?”某丞相:“不熟?当年你可不是这样说的。”迎朝:“可我真的不认识你……”某丞相:“无妨,反正我们迟早会成亲。”迎朝:……登徒子PS:架空勿考究,女主非软萌,男主亦阴暗,主要攻言情,配角是助攻,作者更智障,不喜切打击(非押韵,不要在意)
  • 千金暖妻:慕少,请节制

    千金暖妻:慕少,请节制

    她,颜家最孤傲的养女,却嫁给了全城最矜贵的慕氏帝少,坐上了人人艳羡的位置。人前,恩爱,人后,酸楚。她嫁,只为报恩,保颜家安然。他娶,只为复仇,解心底怨恨。“到底要怎么样,你才能放了我?”“休想!除非你死!”恨的开始,只能以死来结束。当他心底里深爱的女人,带着他们的女儿重新归来。而她,怀孕六周,在她想要守住这段婚姻时,他却选择放弃她。一纸离婚协议,让两人的关系彻底了断。多年后,她以顶尖设计师的身份再次回归,他将她堵在墙角,“颜念曦,谁许你带着我的孩子离开的?”“慕少,谁说孩子是你的?”她,矢口否认。情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 空间修仙:重生逆袭小孤女

    空间修仙:重生逆袭小孤女

    简单在自己死后,灵魂状态下重生到一切的起点,原来自己就是一本书中的炮灰女配,专给女主嫣然引砖铺路。这一世简单拿回祖辈留下的空间仙器,重踏修仙之路,这一次到底是她占先机,还是嫣然再创辉煌?且看简单孤身一人面对女配的百般陷害,她每次不同的选择带给自己不一样的结果,报复只是其次,走出长生自强之路才是最终目标!仇人、亲人你们且等着!
  • 动物界经济学

    动物界经济学

    从动物身上可以找到自己的本源,从经济学上找到指导我们的哲理。将五彩缤纷的动物世界与富含生活智慧的经济学原理相结合,并对人类的社会现状做系统分析,会让我们对自己正在面临的或即将面临的难题找到有效的解决方式。
  • 陈寅恪讲国学

    陈寅恪讲国学

    陈寅恪有着深厚的国学根底,他接受了严格的西学训练,他的新考据学方法,丰富和发展了中国传统文献研究方法,在弘扬中国传统文化方面具有重大意义。陈寅恪与王国维、陈垣等形成了中国史学史上具有代表意义的“新考据学派”。他研究的范围涉及中古史、宗教史、蒙古史、敦煌学等多个领域,均取得了不少开创性的成果。本书对其学术成就、治学特色以及师友关系等进行了比较深刻的阐释,提出了一些新的见解。内容丰富、语言生动,为进一步研究陈寅恪提供了新的视角,不失为一部富有特色的了解陈寅恪生平及其学术成就、中国文化精神的著作。
  • 伟大的人物

    伟大的人物

    《伟大的人物》为卡内基励志经典丛书之一,人类出版史上的奇迹,20世纪以来最畅销的励志经典,永远不要奢望让世界来适应你,你对了,世界就对了。见贤思齐的力量,成功者的素质在平凡和苦难中逐渐积累、彰显。