登陆注册
14829600000054

第54章

I answered, with the greatest earnestness, that, so far from it, I would not live in a court again to be the greatest queen in the world; that I had a lover who was both desirous and able to raise my station even beyond my wishes. I found this discourse was very displeasing; my father frowned, and called me a romantic fool, and said if I would hearken to him he could make me a queen; for the cardinal had told him that the king, from the time he saw me at court the other night, liked me, and intended to get a divorce from his wife, and to put me in her place; and ordered him to find some method to make me a maid of honor to her present majesty, that in the meantime he might have an opportunity of seeing me. It is impossible to express the astonishment these words threw me into; and, notwithstanding that the moment before, when it appeared at so great a distance, I was very sincere in my declaration how much it was against my will to be raised so high, yet now the prospect came nearer, I confess my heart fluttered, and my eyes were dazzled with a view of being seated on a throne.

My imagination presented before me all the pomp, power and greatness that attend a crown; and I was so perplexed I knew not what to answer, but remained as silent as if I had lost the use of my speech. My father, who guessed what it was that made me in this condition, proceeded to bring all the arguments he thought most likely to bend me to his will; at last I recovered from this dream of grandeur, and begged him, by all the most endearing names I could think of, not to urge me dishonorably to forsake the man who I was convinced would raise me to an empire if in his power, and who had enough in his power to give me all I desired.

But he was deaf to all I could say, and insisted that by next week I should prepare myself to go to court: he bid me consider of it, and not prefer a ridiculous notion of honor to the real interest of my whole family; but, above all things, not to disclose what he had trusted me with. On which he left me to my own thoughts. When I was alone I reflected how little real tenderness this behavior showed to me, whose happiness he did not at all consult, but only looked on me as a ladder, on which he could climb to the height of his own ambitious desires: and when I thought on his fondness for me in my infancy I could impute it to nothing but either the liking me as a plaything or the gratification of his vanity in my beauty. But I was too much divided between a crown and my engagement to lord Percy to spend much time in thinking of anything else; and, although my father had positively forbid me, yet, when he came next, I could not help acquainting him with all that had passed, with the reserve only of the struggle in my own mind on the first mention of being a queen. I expected he would have received the news with the greatest agonies; but he showed no vast emotion: however, he could not help turning pale, and, taking me by the hand, looked at me with an air of tenderness, and said, 'If being a queen would make you happy, and it is in your power to be so, I would not for the world prevent it, let me suffer what I will.' This amazing greatness of mind had on me quite the contrary effect from what it ought to have had; for, instead of increasing my love for him it almost put an end to it, and I began to think, if he could part with me, the matter was not much. And I am convinced, when any man gives up the possession of a woman whose consent he has once obtained, let his motive be ever so generous, he will disoblige her. I could not help showing my dissatisfaction, and told him I was very glad this affair sat so easily on him. He had not power to answer, but was so suddenly struck with this unexpected ill-natured turn I gave his behavior, that he stood amazed for some time, and then bowed and left me.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 重生之天后再临

    重生之天后再临

    她是娱乐史上最年轻天后秦瑧,十三岁出道,十四岁获最佳新人奖,二十岁捧天后奖,获最年轻天后之称,她是票房保障,她是娱乐圈女王,高傲如她,卑微亦是她。如张爱玲写给胡兰成的照片背后,遇到他,她变的很低很低,一直低到尘埃里去,但她的心是欢喜的,并且在那里开出一朵花来。唐朝,亦是她心尖上的那朵花,那根刺,一手捧红她,又一手摧毁她,让她从尘埃中爬到云端,又从云端坠落回尘埃,可惜,这次,她没能从尘埃中再次爬起。宋千允,天娱传媒旗下刚进门的练习生,一个是高高在上的天后,一个是与其命运完会相反的练习生,重生在宋千允身上的秦瑧,离开了唐朝这个靠山之后,她还能不能再次逆袭成天后?
  • 仙道魔奴

    仙道魔奴

    背负着沉重业力的十三在这个世界出生了,他身怀两大神魔血泊,亦善亦恶:善时锄强扶弱,拯救苍生,恶时以暴易暴,杀戮梵天;悲天悯人的他,愤而与所有的修者强权斗争,是在替天行道,还是逆天而行?天地不仁以万物,为刍狗!且看一人之力,如何挡住那天降杀伐,苍狗苦厄!
  • 史前魔途

    史前魔途

    人类史前文明时期,他?在失去中成长,在痛苦中强大。他存在的意义就是变的强大,然后去守护身边的人。他继承了强大的血脉还有优秀的血统,他天赋极高却还是一个努力型天才。明明那么努力的去守护了却还要失去。到最后终于发现,他的命运一直都是被安排好的,在这个强者生存的时代,也只有毁灭才能够平静一切。
  • 奇方类编

    奇方类编

    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。
  • 梦非梦——黛玉

    梦非梦——黛玉

    在贾府中某些人的心里亲情是建立在权势之上的。他们有着人为鱼肉,我为刀俎的念头,他们有着操纵别人命运的渴望。他们有着一颗贪婪的心。他们觉得黛玉拥有的一切都应该是贾府的。只因为她的母亲是贾家的女儿。他们更觉得林如海是因为贾家的门弟才会娶贾敏。他们披着善良的外衣,却透出对亲情的不屑,让黛玉过早地领教这不堪的一面。当金玉良缘成为现实后,黛玉离开了这虚伪的荣国府。可当黛玉离开贾府有了新的机遇后。他们又一次打开了欲望之门。却不知繁华终有尽。真情绕心头!
  • 不死之主

    不死之主

    世间可否有武之极?极致过后,焉能不死?…太古年间,漫天神佛俯瞰苍穹,镇垩万古。远古时期,无尽苍穹内,三千大道,八百旁门,道道通天地。近期,罗氏一族的私生子罗湛,机缘巧合得到三古时期,最为神秘的亘古时期的万垩法,从四方陆一步步斗诸强,踏天骄,炼妖骨,闯向了那群英荟萃的诸天万界。ps:道痕,道灵,三位境,四象至尊,五行为仙…
  • 王源之樱花恋

    王源之樱花恋

    相遇不必太早,只要刚好。他们历尽千辛万苦,才走到一起。樱花作证,他们互相承诺,不离不弃。
  • 健商保证智慧(下)

    健商保证智慧(下)

    “健商”是健康商数的简称。它反映人的健康才智,是评估个人健康的全新方法。健商作为一种保持人身心健康的崭新理念,开启了一个激动人心、生机勃勃的全新领域,它将数千年人类智慧的结晶、现代医学的恩赐和最新的生命科学技术结合在一起,从而大大满足了个人健康的需求。
  • 媚乱天下:极品神医戏大唐

    媚乱天下:极品神医戏大唐

    她,现代帝国的天之骄子,因缘际会,穿越大唐成了李世民最宠爱的义女。那集俊美妖孽于一身的男子捏着她的下巴,冷酷霸道的说道:“谁让你是那个人的女儿,她的罪便由你来偿。”那聚腹黑狐狸于一体的男子轻挑她的黑发,势在必得的笑语:“我一定会夺回你,你原本就属于我。”好马还不吃回头草呢?更何况这匹马还不是原来的那主!谁来告诉我,这个抱着自己大腿不放,喊着自己娘亲的小娃娃又是哪位啊!竟敢公然在外面沾花惹草。逼急了,老娘就带球跑了,喂喂,前面那个,说你呢!好吧,这其实就是一个外表大家闺秀,内心小家碧玉的傲娇公主殿下降服看似冷若冰霜,实则腹黑闷骚的冷酷王爷的故事。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 重弥人间

    重弥人间

    重生于世,获神秘之力。回到从前,做弥心之事。