登陆注册
5486000000030

第30章 CHAPTER 10(1)

A Contract and a Quarrel WHEN all were gone, I learned that the vile slander had indeed been circulated throughout the company, In the very presence of the victim. Rose, however, vowed she did not and would not believe it, and my mother made the same declaration, though not, I fear, with the same amount of real, unwavering incredulity. It seemed to dwell continually on her mind, and she kept irritating me from time to time by such expressions as--`Dear, dear, who would have thought it!--Well! I always thought there was something odd about her.--You see what it is for women to affect to be different to other people.' And once it was,--`I misdoubted that appearance of mystery from the very first--I thought there would no good come of it; but this is a sad, sad, business to be sure!'

`Why mother, you said you didn't believe these tales,' said Fergus.

`No more I do, my dear; but then, you know, there must be some foundation.'

`The foundation is in the wickedness and falsehood of the world,' said I, `and in the fact that Mr Lawrence has been seen to go that way once or twice of an evening--and the village gossips say he goes to pay his addresses to the strange lady, and the scandalmongers have greedily seized the rumour, to make it the basis of their own infernal structure.'

`Well, but Gilbert, there must be something in her manner to countenance such reports.'

`Did you see anything in her manner?'

`No, certainly; but then, you know, I always said there was something strange about her.'

I believe it was on that very evening that I ventured on another invasion of Wildfell Hall. From the time of our party, which was upwards of a week ago, I had been making daily efforts to meet its mistress in her walks; and, always disappointed (she must have managed it so on purpose), had nightly kept revolving in my mind some pretext for another At length, I concluded that the separation could be endured no longer (by this time, you will see I was pretty far gone); and, taking from the bookcase an old volume that I thought she might be interested in, though, from its unsightly and somewhat dilapidated condition, I had not yet ventured to offer it for her perusal, I hastened away,--but not without sundry misgivings as to how she would receive me, or how I could summon courage to present myself with so slight an excuse. But perhaps I might see her in the field or the garden, and then there would be no great difficulty: it was the formal knocking at the door, with the prospect of being gravely ushered in, by Rachel, to the presence of a surprised, uncordial mistress, that so greatly disturbed me.

My wish, however, was not gratified. Mrs Graham herself was not to be seen; but there was Arthur playing with his frolicsome little dog in the garden I looked over the gate and called him to me. He wanted me to come in; but I told him I could not without his mother's leave.

`I'll go and ask her,' said the child.

`No, no, Arthur, you mustn't do that,--but if she's not engaged, just ask her to come here a minute: tell her I want to speak to her.'

He ran to perform my bidding, and quickly returned with his mother.

How lovely she looked with her dark ringlets streaming in the light summer breeze, her fair cheek slightly flushed, and her countenance radiant with smiles!--Arthur! what did I not owe to you for this and every other happy meeting?--Through him, I was at once delivered from all formality, and terror, and constraint. In love affairs, there is no mediator like a merry, simple hearted child--ever ready to cement divided hearts, to span the unfriendly gulf of custom, to melt the ice of cold reserve, and overthrow the separating walls of dread formality and pride.

`Well, Mr Markham, what is it?' said the young mother, accosting me with a pleasant smile.

`I want you to look at this book, and, if you please, to take it, and peruse it at your leisure. I make no apology for calling you out on such a lovely evening, though it be for a matter of no greater importance.'

`Tell him to come in, mamma,' said Arthur.

`Would you like to come in?' asked the lady.

`Yes; I should like to see your improvements in the garden.'

`And how your sister's roots have prospered in my charge,' added she, as she opened the gate.

And we sauntered through the garden, and talked of the flowers, the trees, and the book,--and then of other things. The evening was kind and genial, and so was my companion. By degrees, I waxed more warm and tender than, perhaps, I had ever been before; but still I said nothing tangible, and she attempted no repulse; until, in passing a moss rose-tree that I had brought her some weeks since, in my sister's name, she plucked a beautiful half-open bud and bade me give it to Rose.

`May I not keep it myself?' I asked.

`No; but here is another for you'

同类推荐
  • 大乘同性经

    大乘同性经

    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。
  • 罗云忍辱经

    罗云忍辱经

    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。
  • 宝庆会稽续志

    宝庆会稽续志

    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。
  • 法海经

    法海经

    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。
  • 明伦汇编人事典讳忌部

    明伦汇编人事典讳忌部

    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
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 时间深处

    时间深处

    程立辰是一个骨骼青涩但眼睛成熟又有点阴郁的男生,他有一双介乎于十几岁少年到三十岁男人的眼睛,你望过去,只看到如黑夜般深沉。他不够美好,他很跩,有些漠然,肆意伤害身边的人,但其实他只是一个气场强大而内心脆弱的孩子。他和叫做百里的女生在寂寞的时光中相遇了……
  • 名门小萌妻

    名门小萌妻

    一场交易,她日渐习惯,他却突然翻脸。“我最讨厌你这种女人!”英俊冷漠的脸孔像撒旦一般让人心寒,一场阴谋,让他们陌路,几年后等他们相逢,她已经华丽变身,看他们怎样再次折腾彼此。
  • 阎帝的妃

    阎帝的妃

    本文算是正式完结,喜欢的亲们请继续关注灵儿另外本《狼妃难驯,妖孽狼王快闪开》同样幻青情不一样的题材。第一世,她是狐女,他是书生,为她他自掏心肺,她为他放弃千年道行。这一世,她是公主。家仇国恨让她对他恨之入骨。一双清澈灵眸,一个蝶形胎记,让他们之间有了纠缠。为了生存她不得不成为他的爱奴,他宠她,爱她给她可以给的一切。她对他又爱又恨心有感动,却难忘仇恨。直到那天,他全身是冰,,她只要一发簪过去就可以报了血海深仇,发簪到她喉头她却再也下不去手,“我还是下不去手,既然杀不了你,只有救你,”说着她扔下发簪直到那天,哪个长相俏似她的女子的出现,她才知终究不是他心中的“她”。于是她逃避,她躲闪,直到那天,他把她当礼物送人,长剑刺进胸口,她才知,这一生她终于还了他所有的情,他才知原来一直寻觅的人就是她……只可惜那深情的眸子依然闭上,眼前的鲜血更是淋透了他的眼……
  • 修仙名校榜

    修仙名校榜

    一名名校生因一次意外穿越到仙界,以为可以得道成仙,尽享人世浮华,却不知仙界早已统一,因为仙人众多,灵气衰竭,为了找出挽救仙界的方法,培养一代大家,堂堂仙帝沉迷教学,仙界出现了一所所修仙学校,只为培养出最棒的修仙者。什么?还要考试?这,你们仙人不去遨游四海,不去普度众生,你们在洞府刷题是几个意思啊?这位小师傅,今天的金刚经背出来没有,别走啊,我不修佛,就是记忆力好!导师,不是我不想做啊,这题太简单了,别放火球,有话好好说啊!仙界名校榜?你们竟然还有和魔界冥界各大名校的交换生项目,果然是名校啊!让我们一起看吴凡好好学习,纵横仙界名校!
  • 重生之无敌仙帝系统

    重生之无敌仙帝系统

    七年前,他是叶家无法修炼的废物继承人,走到哪里都被人冷嘲热讽!七年后,他浴火重生,带着无敌仙帝系统回归!只手遮天,无敌世间!
  • 中国当代文学经典必读(1983短篇小说卷)

    中国当代文学经典必读(1983短篇小说卷)

    本共选取了1983年度最优秀的短篇小说二十多篇,其中包括史铁生、李杭育、张贤亮、乌热尔图、陆文夫、王润滋、王蒙、彭见明、张洁、汪曾祺、李杭育、高行健等著名作家的作品。
  • Welcome to Dog Beach (The Seagate Summers #1)
  • 网游之妖时代

    网游之妖时代

    血染皇城帮会有两个大杀招:场控第一的布阵师辣手摧花、奶四海的牧师云初雨晴。敌帮流氓部落的帮主喜欢挖墙脚,位置挖的好,城墙也能挖倒。本帮血染皇城的帮主也喜欢挖墙脚,位置没挖好,直接把自己给埋了……
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。