登陆注册
15681800000135

第135章

"You've heard it, and you see it says nothing very sweet.""It gives me pleasure, all the same." And with this he got up.

She had felt pain and displeasure on receiving early that day the news he was in Florence and by her leave would come within an hour to see her.She had been vexed and distressed, though she had sent back word by his messenger that he might come when he would.She had not been better pleased when she saw him; his being there at all was so full of heavy implications.It implied things she could never assent to-rights, reproaches, remonstrance, rebuke, the expectation of making her change her purpose.These things, however, if implied, had not been expressed; and now our young lady, strangely enough, began to resent her visitor's remarkable self-control.There was a dumb misery about him that irritated her; there was a manly staying of his hand that made her heart beat faster.She felt her agitation rising, and she said to herself that she was angry in the way a woman is angry when she has been in the wrong.She was not in the wrong; she had fortunately not that bitterness to swallow; but, all the same, she wished he would denounce her a little.She had wished his visit would be short; it had no purpose, no propriety; yet now that he seemed to be turning away she felt a sudden horror of his leaving her without uttering a word that would give her an opportunity to defend herself more than she had done in writing to him a month before, in a few carefully chosen words, to announce her engagement.

If she were not in the wrong, however, why should she desire to defend herself? It was an excess of generosity on Isabel's part to desire that Mr.Goodwood should be angry.And if he had not meanwhile held himself hard it might have made him so to hear the tone in which she suddenly exclaimed, as if she were accusing him of having accused her:

"I've not deceived you! I was perfectly free!""Yes, I know that," said Caspar.

"I gave you full warning that I'd do as I chose.""You said you'd probably never marry, and you said it with such a manner that I pretty well believed it."She considered this an instant."No one can be more surprised than myself at my present intention.""You told me that if I heard you were engaged I was not to believe it," Caspar went on."I heard it twenty days ago from yourself, but I remembered what you had said.I thought there might be some mistake, and that's partly why I came.""If you wish me to repeat it by word of mouth, that's soon done.

There's no mistake whatever."

"I saw that as soon as I came into the room.""What good would it do you that I shouldn't marry?" she asked with a certain fierceness.

"I should like it better than this."

"You're very selfish, as I said before."

"I know that.I'm selfish as iron."

"Even iron sometimes melts! If you'll be reasonable I'll see you again.""Don't you call me reasonable now?"

"I don't know what to say to you," she answered with sudden humility.

"I shan't trouble you for a long time," the young man went on.He made a step towards the door, but he stopped."Another reason why Icame was that I wanted to hear what you would say in explanation of your having changed your mind."Her humbleness as suddenly deserted her."In explanation? Do you think I'm bound to explain?"He gave her one of his long dumb looks."You were very positive.Idid believe it."

"So did I.Do you think I could explain if I would?""No, I suppose not.Well," he added, "I've done what I wished.

I've seen you."

"How little you make of these terrible journeys," she felt the poverty of her presently replying.

"If you're afraid I'm knocked up-in any such way as that-you may be at your ease about it." He turned away, this time in earnest, and no handshake, no sign of parting, was exchanged between them.At the door he stopped with his hand on the knob."I shall leave Florence to-morrow," he said without a quaver.

"I'm delighted to hear it!" she answered passionately.Five minutes after he had gone out she burst into tears.

同类推荐
  • 道德经三帝注

    道德经三帝注

    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。
  • 贤劫经

    贤劫经

    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。
  • 水云集

    水云集

    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。
  • 太微帝君二十四神回元经

    太微帝君二十四神回元经

    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。
  • 学史

    学史

    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
  • 前妻追夫:前夫我们复婚吧

    前妻追夫:前夫我们复婚吧

    他叫白羽,一个从农村走出来的大学生,因为意外,他竟然娶到了心心念念的市长千金陆果……原以为自己是幸运的,但在新婚之夜看到那准备好了的离婚协议时,一颗火热的心彻底碎了,然后两人一直分居直到离婚……“白羽对不起对不起,原谅我好不好?我发现我真的不能失去你了!”“陆小姐,我们已经离婚了!”离婚后陆果终于认清自己的心,决定追回白羽,可是……白羽却意外失忆……没事没事,不就是失忆嘛,没事没事,不就热脸贴了冷屁股嘛,没事没事,不就有人趁虚而入嘛,反正她有追夫36计,前夫,你逃不掉的!
  • 茶余饭后笑话

    茶余饭后笑话

    茶余饭后,是人休憩的好时光。茶,总能给人精神的满足;而饭,是让人得到肉体的充裕。人们把这两个放在一起,说明了万物灵长的悠闲自得。本书收集整理了不少中外经典茶余饭后笑话,能让你在信手翻启间开怀一笑,得到身心的彻底放松、心绪的怦然萌动、情感的欣然释放。
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 舞鞋情

    舞鞋情

    本书是作者近几年创作并在国内各大故事刊物发表的故事精选集。故事题材广泛,有现实中小人物的喜怒哀乐,也有传说中侠道人物的人性。有的作品会让你会心一笑,也有作品会让你掩卷沉思……
  • TFboys之梦中樱花

    TFboys之梦中樱花

    三个身份不凡的女孩遇见了三个明星大男孩。会擦出什么样的火花?
  • 治安文献

    治安文献

    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。
  • 学隙碎笔

    学隙碎笔

    短篇小说,也叫做小小说,微型小说。我写小小说,不仅是生活中看到的听到的,还有些是亲身经历改编的。这里包含大量的小小说,爱看小小说的朋友不要错过。
  • 恨水流年:走着走着就散了

    恨水流年:走着走着就散了

    青春是用来怀念的?一路走来,一个个故事围绕着我们,为了当时的想法,在十字路口盘旋。以为选择了最对的,走着走着,发现生活教会我们认识到曾经的幼稚;时间和环境改变了我们,我们一步步觉醒这份改变。雨夜过,启窗气新清神明;灯若萤,西子湖畔时鸟鸣;幕夜无辰犹旷远,只影难叙钱塘情。回不去的就这样散了,感谢陪着我们走过某一段历程的人们。
  • 帝少追爱:毅生艺世

    帝少追爱:毅生艺世

    月夜相拥,惩罚了的是自身,还是灼热了肌肤。唇齿间浸出被困住的嘶吼,疲乏的痛却更渴望刺激。韩毅对她上了瘾,“韩艺,给我生个孩子。”韩艺深思熟虑后决定,“作为的当初的惩罚,生了孩子得是我的。”男人健硕的胸膛上还滴着汗,嘴角上扬“那就跟你姓!”“韩毅你大爷,咱俩姓一样!”
  • 书魔界

    书魔界

    钢铁之都的溶岩火窟方哲脚下踏着阴阳璃火轮手中横着创世巨兵淡淡的看着围在四周的众人创世神兵么?我要了...