登陆注册
15315200000016

第16章

After a turn or two and some casual talk the professor said suddenly: "My late son was in your school - do you know? I can imagine that had he lived and you had ever met you would have understood each other.He too was inclined to action."He sighed, then, shaking off the mournful thought and with a nod at the dusky part of the terrace where the dress of his daughter made a luminous stain: "I really wish you would drop in that quarter a few sensible, discouraging words."Renouard disengaged himself from that most perfidious of men under the pretence of astonishment, and stepping back a pace -"Surely you are making fun of me, Professor Moorsom," he said with a low laugh, which was really a sound of rage.

"My dear young friend! It's no subject for jokes, to me...You don't seem to have any notion of your prestige," he added, walking away towards the chairs.

"Humbug!" thought Renouard, standing still and looking after him.

"And yet! And yet! What if it were true?"He advanced then towards Miss Moorsom.Posed on the seat on which they had first spoken to each other, it was her turn to watch him coming on.But many of the windows were not lighted that evening.

It was dark over there.She appeared to him luminous in her clear dress, a figure without shape, a face without features, awaiting his approach, till he got quite near to her, sat down, and they had exchanged a few insignificant words.Gradually she came out like a magic painting of charm, fascination, and desire, glowing mysteriously on the dark background.Something imperceptible in the lines of her attitude, in the modulations of her voice, seemed to soften that suggestion of calm unconscious pride which enveloped her always like a mantle.He, sensitive like a bond slave to the moods of the master, was moved by the subtle relenting of her grace to an infinite tenderness.He fought down the impulse to seize her by the hand, lead her down into the garden away under the big trees, and throw himself at her feet uttering words of love.His emotion was so strong that he had to cough slightly, and not knowing what to talk to her about he began to tell her of his mother and sisters.All the family were coming to London to live there, for some little time at least.

"I hope you will go and tell them something of me.Something seen," he said pressingly.

By this miserable subterfuge, like a man about to part with his life, he hoped to make her remember him a little longer.

"Certainly," she said."I'll be glad to call when I get back.But that 'when' may be a long time."He heard a light sigh.A cruel jealous curiosity made him ask -"Are you growing weary, Miss Moorsom?"

A silence fell on his low spoken question.

"Do you mean heart-weary?" sounded Miss Moorsom's voice."You don't know me, I see.""Ah! Never despair," he muttered.

"This, Mr.Renouard, is a work of reparation.I stand for truth here.I can't think of myself."He could have taken her by the throat for every word seemed an insult to his passion; but he only said -"I never doubted the - the - nobility of your purpose.""And to hear the word weariness pronounced in this connection surprises me.And from a man too who, I understand, has never counted the cost.""You are pleased to tease me," he said, directly he had recovered his voice and had mastered his anger.It was as if Professor Moorsom had dropped poison in his ear which was spreading now and tainting his passion, his very jealousy.He mistrusted every word that came from those lips on which his life hung."How can you know anything of men who do not count the cost?" he asked in his gentlest tones.

"From hearsay - a little."

"Well, I assure you they are like the others, subject to suffering, victims of spells....""One of them, at least, speaks very strangely."She dismissed the subject after a short silence."Mr.Renouard, Ihad a disappointment this morning.This mail brought me a letter from the widow of the old butler - you know.I expected to learn that she had heard from - from here.But no.No letter arrived home since we left."Her voice was calm.His jealousy couldn't stand much more of this sort of talk; but he was glad that nothing had turned up to help the search; glad blindly, unreasonably - only because it would keep her longer in his sight - since she wouldn't give up.

"I am too near her," he thought, moving a little further on the seat.He was afraid in the revulsion of feeling of flinging himself on her hands, which were lying on her lap, and covering them with kisses.He was afraid.Nothing, nothing could shake that spell - not if she were ever so false, stupid, or degraded.

She was fate itself.The extent of his misfortune plunged him in such a stupor that he failed at first to hear the sound of voices and footsteps inside the drawing-room.Willie had come home - and the Editor was with him.

They burst out on the terrace babbling noisily, and then pulling themselves together stood still, surprising - and as if themselves surprised.

同类推荐
  • 题李处士幽居

    题李处士幽居

    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。
  • 说剑吟

    说剑吟

    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。
  • 武韬

    武韬

    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。
  • 摩诃摩耶经

    摩诃摩耶经

    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。
  • 散花庵词

    散花庵词

    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。
热门推荐
  • tfboys今生今世与你相伴

    tfboys今生今世与你相伴

    这是一篇校园青春恋爱小说。在爱情中跌跌撞撞,情侣间总会有点小矛盾,每个人的爱情都不可能是完美的。
  • 高校美男录:掉入狼口的少女

    高校美男录:掉入狼口的少女

    被自己的双胞胎哥哥坑到高校受苦,却不知道自己是掉入了狼窝!S班美男多,冰山面瘫男,幽默美厨男,体贴小竹马,阳光大帅哥,温和帅班长,四面美男!招架不住啊!还有,妹子……我什么时候惹上你了!!!凌晨表示自己完全招架不住!神啊!救救我吧!ps:本文玛丽苏小白,不喜勿喷,喜欢的五星好评哦~( ̄▽ ̄~)~
  • 神魔动天

    神魔动天

    天古时期,上古修士大能的修为可以崩灭天地,神念瞬息造成海水枯竭天地无光,由于天古楼盘被神秘力量攻击,天古受到了时间空间大乱流覆灭,大能们把自身感悟的大道用全身法力封印起来,留给下一纪元有缘者.........
  • 最强伍长

    最强伍长

    戚威,一介马夫之子,家族内受尽屈辱。一朝异变,打通体内元脉,修为一日千里。为了不再寄人篱下,参与伍长选拔,从此再也无人敢小觑小小的伍长!为了生存,他一步步踏上最高峰!要么拼命,要么任人宰割!
  • 强娶豪夺:厉少宠妻请节制

    强娶豪夺:厉少宠妻请节制

    人前,她是他最宠爱的妹妹,人后,她是他不为人知的妻子。她是他收养的妹妹,一场商业阴谋,将她和他之间的距离狠狠的拉开,他霸道,高冷,傲娇,给了她全部的宠爱却忽略掉了她最想要的自由。世人都在羡慕叶冕有着一个高富帅哥哥,为了她,至今未娶,却没有人知道,每当夜深人静的时候,他们口中的好哥哥,无时无刻,都在想着如何睡了她!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 真名的魔法师

    真名的魔法师

    真名,接近真理之名。只有魔法师们才能得到的专属之名。魔法师们称其为造物主最大的恩赐。真名,不能被人知道的名字,说出真名就将进行死斗是魔法师的礼节。他是有着骑士之名的魔法师,她是作为神器灵体的皇女。原本生活在在两个不同世界的人却在某个安排下相遇。一百年前的因缘,一百年后的宿命。“我们是魔法师,我们是最敬畏神的无神论者”——————————魔法大革命的发起者·圣魔导师·麦德瑞拉·波尔。
  • 文艺作品演播选

    文艺作品演播选

    《文艺作品演播选》是配合《文艺作品演播》一书而编写的训练教材。《文艺作品演播选》针对播音与主持艺术专业学生学习文艺作品演播,专门选取了不同题材和体裁的文艺作品(包括散文、诗歌、寓言,童话、小说,广播剧以及影视剧等)。秉持全面性、针对性,技巧性和实用性的原则,对所选文艺作品的创作要素、文体特点、语言处理、演播方法及技巧运用等方面都给予了一定的训练提示和指导。《文艺作品演播选》对训练学生学习文艺作品演播非常有帮助。
  • 校花的贴身强者

    校花的贴身强者

    一名拥有九阳之体的少年,走上逆天改命之路。九位至阴之体的绝色倾城少女,和他又将发生什么样的故事。新书求推荐收藏。
  • 穿越之拯救地球

    穿越之拯救地球

    2214年,小行星科波菲尔。即将,撞击地球。地球的人们为了拯救地球的文明。联合人类的精英们,共同开放了时光穿梭机“hope”,希望“hope”可以改变历史拯救地球的文明。使这个蓝色的行星可以长存。《穿越之拯救地球》这部书我计划分成三部来写。第一部主角穿越到古代。第二部主角穿回到现代。第三部主角穿越未来。看点:21世纪小人物的成长艰辛历程。中华5000年的灿烂文化。未来科技的惊奇与强大。宇宙太空的华美与绚丽。阴险的政治。血腥的军事。不可调和的社会矛盾。纯真爱情。温馨亲情。等等。。。。
  • 许你日光倾城

    许你日光倾城

    “苏忧深,人要往前看,一味的逃避是解决不了问题的!”“林青柠,你又敢说你不是在逃避吗?”每个人的青春里都有一道弯路,而苏忧深恰好就是林青柠心中那道过不去的砍。南风过境,春风十里不如你。相信这会是个治愈你心灵的故事。