登陆注册
15692200000036

第36章 THE MARCHIONESS OF STONEHENGE(6)

Come what might,she would do it:late as it was,she would have him away from that woman whom she began to hate with the fierceness of a deserted heart,for having taken her place as the mother of her only child.She felt confidently enough that her son would only too gladly exchange a cottage-mother for one who was a peeress of the realm.Being now,in her widowhood,free to come and go as she chose,without question from anybody,Lady Stonehenge started next day for the little town where Milly yet lived,still in her robes of sable for the lost lover of her youth.

'He is MY son,'said the Marchioness,as soon as she was alone in the cottage with Milly.'You must give him back to me,now that Iam in a position in which I can defy the world's opinion.I suppose he comes to see you continually?'

'Every month since he returned from the war,my lady.And sometimes he stays two or three days,and takes me about seeing sights everywhere!'She spoke with quiet triumph.

'Well,you will have to give him up,'said the Marchioness calmly.

'It shall not be the worse for you--you may see him when you choose.

I am going to avow my first marriage,and have him with me.'

'You forget that there are two to be reckoned with,my lady.Not only me,but himself.'

'That can be arranged.You don't suppose that he wouldn't--'But not wishing to insult Milly by comparing their positions,she said,'He is my own flesh and blood,not yours.'

'Flesh and blood's nothing!'said Milly,flashing with as much scorn as a cottager could show to a peeress,which,in this case,was not so little as may be supposed.'But I will agree to put it to him,and let him settle it for himself.'

'That's all I require,'said Lady Stonehenge.'You must ask him to come,and I will meet him here.'

The soldier was written to,and the meeting took place.He was not so much astonished at the disclosure of his parentage as Lady Stonehenge had been led to expect,having known for years that there was a little mystery about his birth.His manner towards the Marchioness,though respectful,was less warm than she could have hoped.The alternatives as to his choice of a mother were put before him.His answer amazed and stupefied her.

'No,my lady,'he said.'Thank you much,but I prefer to let things be as they have been.My father's name is mine in any case.You see,my lady,you cared little for me when I was weak and helpless;why should I come to you now I am strong?She,dear devoted soul [pointing to Milly],tended me from my birth,watched over me,nursed me when I was ill,and deprived herself of many a little comfort to push me on.I cannot love another mother as I love her.

She IS my mother,and I will always be her son!'As he spoke he put his manly arm round Milly's neck,and kissed her with the tenderest affection.

The agony of the poor Marchioness was pitiable.'You kill me!'she said,between her shaking sobs.'Cannot you--love--me--too?'

'No,my lady.If I must say it,you were ashamed of my poor father,who was a sincere and honest man;therefore,I am ashamed of you.'

Nothing would move him;and the suffering woman at last gasped,'Cannot--oh,cannot you give one kiss to me--as you did to her?It is not much--it is all I ask--all!'

'Certainly,'he replied.

He kissed her coldly,and the painful scene came to an end.That day was the beginning of death to the unfortunate Marchioness of Stonehenge.It was in the perverseness of her human heart that his denial of her should add fuel to the fire of her craving for his love.How long afterwards she lived I do not know with any exactness,but it was no great length of time.That anguish that is sharper than a serpent's tooth wore her out soon.Utterly reckless of the world,its ways,and its opinions,she allowed her story to become known;and when the welcome end supervened (which,I grieve to say,she refused to lighten by the consolations of religion),a broken heart was the truest phrase in which to sum up its cause.

The rural dean having concluded,some observations upon his tale were made in due course.The sentimental member said that Lady Caroline's history afforded a sad instance of how an honest human affection will become shamefaced and mean under the frost of class-division and social prejudices.She probably deserved some pity;though her offspring,before he grew up to man's estate,had deserved more.There was no pathos like the pathos of childhood,when a child found itself in a world where it was not wanted,and could not understand the reason why.A tale by the speaker,further illustrating the same subject,though with different results from the last,naturally followed.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 大道非常

    大道非常

    道可道,非常道,名可名,非常名,大道非常,如梦如幻。
  • 爱如温煦

    爱如温煦

    女人就是悲剧,在上帝创造的时候。当苏现跨入婚姻后才发现,原来并非每一个女人都可以拥有爱情,而每一个女人都要结婚生子。语盈说,我只要和他在一起,哪怕他爱着别人。阿灿说,讨论孩子,只不过是换了一种爱的方式。喜欢看韩国偶像剧的磊磊说,我不相信爱情。卜若彤用实际行动向我们展示,小三未必是小三。90后美女关欣妍说,谁让我开心,我就和谁结婚;谁让我不爽,我就和谁离婚。90后林立说,男人,最重要的是事业,有钱有权有势自然就会有爱情。到处沾花惹草的功成说,老婆是我唯一的女人。
  • 花千骨之沧海月明

    花千骨之沧海月明

    她,是远古上神,拥有无上法力,却在下凡历劫遇见了她,当她重返影清宫,她早已不记得了他,而他,却来找了她,为了救上一世的她,可是他不知道,她就是她。
  • 超能机甲武神

    超能机甲武神

    如果想迎娶白富美、走上人生巅峰,那么成为机甲武士吧!如果希望成为人中之龙,那么成为机甲武士吧!如果希望找到一份体面的工作,那么赶紧成为机甲武士吧!这是一个机甲与武术完美融合的时代,里面有热血有兄弟,升级打怪应有尽有。
  • 末世之无人能敌

    末世之无人能敌

    末日到来的时候,你是否感觉无助。那就请加入柳炎的安全区,那地方是全世界唯一保存完好的安全区,给你不一样的生活,别人在为一块面包争斗的时候,安全区里的人却吃着牛肉。
  • 腹黑校草恋上迷糊小羊

    腹黑校草恋上迷糊小羊

    小时候,她和他是青梅竹马。她常常闯祸都是他跟在屁股后面背黑锅。“喂,小屁孩。去帮我买吃的”某女傲娇的说长大后,他再次出现在她的面前。局势竟然来了一个大转弯。某男慵懒的说着“喂,我饿了。去煮饭””你是猪吗,我房间乱了去扫。“到底会擦出怎么样的火花呢敬请期待
  • 男人不可不戒

    男人不可不戒

    《男人不可不戒》内容简介:男人的身后留下了一串串歪歪扭扭、深深浅浅的脚印,这些脚印,日渐丰富和改变着男人的人生。但现实生活中不可能人人都是英雄,如果每个男人都表现优秀,那么这个世上将不会再有“出色”二字;如果每个男人都获得成功,那么这个社会也根本不会存在失败的男人。
  • 婚姻大作战

    婚姻大作战

    被男友劈腿,那一夜之后,我怀孕了,没想到对象竟然是……林雨的老公行踪诡秘,没想到竟落得那般田地……不可多得的人间尤物拜金汪水灵,身边流水的男人真心难求,青春已逝,该何去何从……当结婚成为难题,当婚姻亮了红灯,当发现一直崇尚的价值观错误,人生的方向,该如何掌握……
  • TFBOYS之守护甜心

    TFBOYS之守护甜心

    她,是一个普普通通的女孩,因为转学生的到来导致她失去了爱情,但也收获了新的爱情,甜心界的公主,最终变成了万人瞩目的四圣使者中最强的朱雀使者,她到底经历了什么故事呢?
  • 依剑荡长空

    依剑荡长空

    仇恨在,冷眼众生,泪尽多少春秋。意难忘,她笑优伶,可奈何恨犹在。命相交,愕然回首,竟是情意纵横。红尘乱,灯火阑珊,却终镜花水月。当凡尘吹起浊雾,愿依剑荡长空!斩了那邪恶念想,断了那仇深似海。