登陆注册
15692200000056

第56章 THE LADY PENELOPE(3)

It was somewhat strange that after this day,while she went about the house with even a sadder face than usual,her churlish husband grew worse;and what was more,to the surprise of all,though to the regret of few,he died a fortnight later.Sir William had not called upon him as he had promised,having received a private communication from Lady Penelope,frankly informing him that to do so would be inadvisable,by reason of her husband's temper.

Now when Sir John was gone,and his remains carried to his family burying-place in another part of England,the lady began in due time to wonder whither Sir William had betaken himself.But she had been cured of precipitancy (if ever woman were),and was prepared to wait her whole lifetime a widow if the said Sir William should not reappear.Her life was now passed mostly within the walls,or in promenading between the pleasaunce and the bowling-green;and she very seldom went even so far as the high road which then skirted the grounds on the north,though it has now,and for many years,been diverted to the south side.Her patience was rewarded (if love be in any case a reward);for one day,many months after her second husband's death,a messenger arrived at her gate with the intelligence that Sir William Hervy was again in Casterbridge,and would be glad to know if it were her pleasure that he should wait upon her.

It need hardly be said that permission was joyfully granted,and within two hours her lover stood before her,a more thoughtful man than formerly,but in all essential respects the same man,generous,modest to diffidence,and sincere.The reserve which womanly decorum threw over her manner was but too obviously artificial,and when he said 'the ways of Providence are strange,'and added after a moment,'and merciful likewise,'she could not conceal her agitation,and burst into tears upon his neck.

'But this is too soon,'she said,starting back.

'But no,'said he.'You are eleven months gone in widowhood,and it is not as if Sir John had been a good husband to you.'

His visits grew pretty frequent now,as may well be guessed,and in a month or two he began to urge her to an early union.But she counselled a little longer delay.

'Why?'said he.'Surely I have waited long!Life is short;we are getting older every day,and I am the last of the three.'

'Yes,'said the lady frankly.'And that is why I would not have you hasten.Our marriage may seem so strange to everybody,after my unlucky remark on that occasion we know so well,and which so many others know likewise,thanks to talebearers.'

On this representation he conceded a little space,for the sake of her good name.But the destined day of their marriage at last arrived,and it was a gay time for the villagers and all concerned,and the bells in the parish church rang from noon till night.Thus at last she was united to the man who had loved her the most tenderly of them all,who but for his reticence might perhaps have been the first to win her.Often did he say to himself;'How wondrous that her words should have been fulfilled!Many a truth hath been spoken in jest,but never a more remarkable one!'The noble lady herself preferred not to dwell on the coincidence,a certain shyness,if not shame,crossing her fair face at any allusion thereto.

But people will have their say,sensitive souls or none,and their sayings on this third occasion took a singular shape.'Surely,'

they whispered,'there is something more than chance in this ...

The death of the first was possibly natural;but what of the death of the second,who ill-used her,and whom,loving the third so desperately,she must have wished out of the way?'

Then they pieced together sundry trivial incidents of Sir John's illness,and dwelt upon the indubitable truth that he had grown worse after her lover's unexpected visit;till a very sinister theory was built up as to the hand she may have had in Sir John's premature demise.But nothing of this suspicion was said openly,for she was a lady of noble birth--nobler,indeed,than either of her husbands--and what people suspected they feared to express in formal accusation.

The mansion that she occupied had been left to her for so long a time as she should choose to reside in it,and,having a regard for the spot,she had coaxed Sir William to remain there.But in the end it was unfortunate;for one day,when in the full tide of his happiness,he was walking among the willows near the gardens,where he overheard a conversation between some basket-makers who were cutting the osiers for their use.In this fatal dialogue the suspicions of the neighbouring townsfolk were revealed to him for the first time.

'A cupboard close to his bed,and the key in her pocket.Ah!'said one.

'And a blue phial therein--h'm!'said another.

'And spurge-laurel leaves among the hearth-ashes.Oh-oh!'said a third.

同类推荐
  • 石隐园藏稿

    石隐园藏稿

    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。
  • 物犹如此

    物犹如此

    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。
  • 阮籍集

    阮籍集

    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。
  • 佛说谏王经

    佛说谏王经

    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。
  • 博物志

    博物志

    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。
热门推荐
  • 爱妻如命:我家有甜妻

    爱妻如命:我家有甜妻

    父母弃我,我不怕,养父母欺我,我不怕,来日方长,一步步走向巅峰,身边的男人说“回来我身旁,我许你下半生幸福快了
  • 名门盛宠:老婆别想逃

    名门盛宠:老婆别想逃

    男友天天盯着我妹妹看,还说她穿丝袜骚气十足惹人怜!三年前,她是傲慢的市长千金,风光大嫁给了陆家大少。三年后,她是刚出监狱的女犯,丈夫的新未婚妻变成她的‘私生妹’。被赶出家族,她穷困潦倒,沦落夜店为生……当所有人都在践踏她时,她竟一袭盛装荣耀回归,成为财阀集团总裁的未婚妻!他是财阀集团总裁,更是高干世家的长子。只因同学时代,她的一句戏言,他便在她身边温柔保护:“老婆别想逃,表白了就要负责!”当她洗清罪名,再入豪门荣耀回归时,却与前夫狭路相逢。前夫毫无愧疚,霸道宣告:“许念一,咱们还没离婚,你就想跟别的男人跑?”
  • 大神

    大神

    从《何以笙箫默》→《微微一笑很倾城》→《大神》花火甜蜜第一文,大神再次出山,抒写唯美青春童话。你爱过何以琛,你萌过一笑奈何,那么唐六轩,一定会让你又爱又萌还有点恨!谨以此文献给我们青春岁月里无所顾忌去爱的人
  • 领导艺术与公共关系(下册)

    领导艺术与公共关系(下册)

    本书内容包括领导活动概述、领导理论简介、领导者的素质与修养、领导的决策艺术、领导的用人艺术、领导的授权艺术、领导的激励艺术、领导的沟通艺术等十章。
  • 恶毒女配:尊主大大,我不约

    恶毒女配:尊主大大,我不约

    一枚毫无存在感的炮灰,她什么也不求,什么也不要,只想好好的做个小透明,时不时在背后阴别人两把。可谁来告诉她,那只整天缠着她的制仗,天天卖萌的,真的是那个高冷腹黑毒舌的尊主大人吗!!!“娘子,不能吃霸王餐啊~”某尊主。月黑风高夜,某女卷款逃跑……【女强男更强,女主非圣母。宠文,宠宠宠,无下限。1V1】
  • 曜阳缔天

    曜阳缔天

    李向东穿越到曜阳世界,脑海中出现了三个身影,一个是武帝君临天,一个是万兽之皇墨飞,一个是药王孙思禹。这三个“身影”分别为三个人的灵魂记忆。风云变幻,皇朝更迭,烽烟四起。外星来客,机器生命,苍生何去何从?演绎传奇,霸制天下,舍我谁人能当?
  • 爱上植物的女子

    爱上植物的女子

    苏小枚做梦也没想到,那个从天而降的俊美男子,竟然是棵厚脸皮的植物!中二病爆棚,赖吃赖喝不说,还时刻想着占自己便宜?!天!有没有搞错?!电视剧里的奇妙艳遇,不都是冒着粉红泡泡的甜蜜吗?为什么到了自己,就是累死累活赚钱,养活一个软饭男?哼!可恶!一看你就不是什么好植物,那就赐名多余吧!可是,当多余变成必不可少,谁会料到,她竟爱上了这个植物男子!所以,这段甜蜜忧伤的跨时空之恋,究竟该如何收场呢?
  • 光影摩托

    光影摩托

    E时代的专属,产自科技的光影摩托!梦幻一般的加速器,两大种高难度波形赛道。极限竞速,极限激情!早已失踪的父亲,突然出现的传奇。究竟会带给主人公如何的转折?在摩托上的恐怖天赋,是不是仅有焰风一人拥有?
  • 心正话自真(最受学生喜爱的散文精粹)

    心正话自真(最受学生喜爱的散文精粹)

    《最受学生喜爱的散文精粹》从喧嚣中缓缓走来,如一位许久不见的好友,收拾了一路趣闻,满载着一眼美景,静静地与你分享。靠近它,你会忘记白日里琐碎的工作,沉溺于片刻的宁谧。靠近它,你也会忘却烦恼,还心灵一片晴朗。一个人在其一生中,阅读一些立意深远、具有丰富哲学思考的散文,不仅可以开阔视野,重新认识历史、社会、人生和自然,获得思想上的盎然新意,而且还可以学习中外散文名家高超而成熟的创作技巧。
  • 豪门的近身风水师

    豪门的近身风水师

    为了她,他努力考上这所贵族学府成为了这个美丽校花的近身保镖神秘的文化揭开面纱,风水玄学,鬼怪离奇他倾尽全力却是另有目的豪门背后究竟隐藏着多少哀愁腹黑男友究竟何其何从且看近身风水师打开重重迷雾