登陆注册
4709200000041

第41章

Lady Earle loved the young girls very dearly. Beatrice, so like her father, was undoubtedly the favorite. Lord Earle never inquired after them; when Lady Earle asked for a larger check than usual, he gave it to her with a smile, perfectly understanding its destination, but never betraying the knowledge.

So eleven years passed like a long tranquil dream. The sun rose and set, the tides ebbed and flowed, spring flowers bloomed, and died, the summer skies smiled, autumn leaves of golden hue withered on the ground; and winter snows fell; yet no change came to the quiet homestead in the Kentish meadows.

Beatrice and Lillian had reached their sixteenth year, and two fairer girls were seldom seen. Mrs. Vyvian's efforts had not been in vain; they were accomplished far beyond the ordinary run of young girls. Lillian inherited her father's talent for drawing. She was an excellent artist. Beatrice excelled in music. She had a magnificent contralto voice that had been carefully trained. Both were cultivated, graceful, elegant girls, and Lady Earle often sighed to think they should be living in such profound obscurity. She could do nothing; seventeen years had not changed Lord Earle's resolution. Time, far from softening, imbittered him the more against his son. Of Ronald Lady Earle heard but little. He was still in Africa; he wrote at rare intervals, but there was little comfort in his letters.

Lady Earle did what she could for her grandchildren, but it was a strange, unnatural life. They knew no other girls; they had never ben twenty miles from Knutsford. All girlish pleasures and enjoyments were a sealed book to them. They had never been to a party, a picnic, or a ball; no life was ever more simple, more quiet, more devoid of all amusement than theirs. Lillian was satisfied and happy; her rich, teeming fancy, her artistic mind, and contented, sweet disposition would have rendered her happy under any circumstances--but it was different with brilliant, beautiful Beatrice. No wild bird in a cage ever pined for liberty or chafed under restraint more than she did. She cried out loudly against the unnatural solitude, the isolation of such a life.

Eleven years had done much for Dora. The coy, girlish beauty that had won Ronald Earle's heart had given place to a sweet, patient womanhood. Constant association with one so elegant and refined as Mrs. Vyvian had done for her what nothing else could have achieved. Dora had caught the refined, high-bred accent, the graceful, cultivated manner, the easy dignity. She had become imbued with Mrs. Vyvian's noble thoughts and ideas.

Dora retained two peculiarities--one was a great dislike for Ronald, the other a sincere dread of all love and lovers for her children. From her they heard nothing but depreciation of men.

All men were alike, false, insincere, fickle, cruel; all love was nonsense and folly. Mrs. Vyvian tried her best to counteract these ideas; they had this one evil consequence--that neither Lillian nor Beatrice would ever dream of even naming such subjects to their mother, who should have been their friend and confidante. If in the books Lady Earle sent there was any mention of this love their mother dreaded so, they went to Mrs.

Vyvian or puzzled over it themselves. With these two exceptions Dora had become a thoughtful, gentle woman. As her mind became more cultivated she understood better the dishonor of the fault which had robbed her of Ronald's love. Her fair face grew crimson when she remembered what she had done.

It was a fair and tranquil womanhood; the dark eyes retained their wondrous light and beauty; the curling rings of dark hair were luxuriant as ever; the lips wore a patient, sweet expression. The clear, healthy country air had given a delicate bloom to the fair face. Dora looked more like the elder sister of the young girls than their mother.

The quiet, half-dreamy monotony was broken at last. Mrs. Vyvian was suddenly summoned home. Her mother, to whom she was warmly attached, was said to be dying, and she wished her last few days to be spent with her daughter. At the same time Lady Earle wrote to say that her husband was so ill that it was impossible for her to look for any lady to supply Mrs. Vyvian's place. The consequence was that, for the first time in their lives, the young girls were left for a few weeks without a companion and without surveillance.

同类推荐
  • 佛说大方等大云请雨经

    佛说大方等大云请雨经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道迹灵仙记

    道迹灵仙记

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 黄帝内经素问校义

    黄帝内经素问校义

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Marquise de Ganges

    Marquise de Ganges

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 達海叢書·附錄

    達海叢書·附錄

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 万科逻辑

    万科逻辑

    这是一个经典的企业发展案例,也是一个关于时代、机遇、选择与变革的故事。房地产黄金10年,万科的规模从100亿上升到2000亿,增长20倍。它是如何做到的?100亿遭遇瓶颈,500亿遇到了“史上最大危机”,1000亿之后面临着更多未知的挑战。万科是怎样自我革命的?创业30年,万科始终保持着25%的高增长,这在世界商业史上也属罕见。万科成功的逻辑到底是什么?面对这个颠覆式创新的年代,它的辉煌能否延续?其前途又在何方?
  • 异形:契约

    异形:契约

    殿堂级科幻电影大师雷德利·斯科特沉寂五年,异形系列前传二度归来!奥斯卡影帝法斯宾德再度化身生化人!同名电影登顶全球票房,国内火爆上映!殖民飞船“契约号”的船员来到银河系尽头的一颗遥远星球,原以为那里是片伊甸处女地,实际上却是一个黑暗的危险世界。当超出想象的威胁来袭时,唯有亡命奔逃,才是最的出路。
  • 腐败女皇

    腐败女皇

    新文《禁恋之夜》死而复生,穿越异世,竟贵为女皇,且是彻彻底底的腐败女皇。三千美男后宫,满目疮痍的江山,夜御十数男妃,日日笙歌不早朝,生活腐败,堕落欲孽天堂,美色难折,欢爱难收,怎腐败二字了得?!容色秀雅的男后,竟是瞎子?气质高雅,却被冠上淫乱后宫的罪名,生性淡薄,却手握权柄,威摄朝野,究竟是个怎样的人?邪魅妖艳的国师,竟是外使?装神弄鬼,居然是凤随国第一功臣,夜侍女皇,日炼丹药,丹药竟是毒药?!此人怎地如此嚣张?!单纯可爱的男童,竟是弃妃?天真无邪,一心求宠的人儿,那么像她前世的弟弟,却要爬上她的床,要她如何自处?风流倜傥的皇兄,竟是男宠?俊朗非凡,却一心要以男色换她江山,江山半壁,竟只值他一夜?!实在荒唐!江山,男色,舍谁取谁?取舍之难,她全揽之!既是上天重新与她,她岂可轻舍?她要江山,也要美男!只是,江山疮痍难补,男色存异难收,最终将要如何收场?繁华落尽处,可有一个相携之人?高台唱罢后,可有一颗熨帖之心?..............................感谢翡翠亲亲给偶建了群,有兴趣的亲们可以进来坐坐!(*^__^*)群号:1735637。。。。。。。。。。。推荐朋友的文文:《明朝的那些情事儿:梅镇寂寞》《江湖后男色时代》
  • 生活需要幸福感

    生活需要幸福感

    了解荷兰最真切的人生样貌,借以窥看身处中国的你未来发展的可能性。打开视野,重新审视我们的工作和生活,让我们更幸福的可行方案。排序人生:工作是为了有钱过生活,个人的兴趣、生活与家庭才是第一顺位!弹性思维:与其领高薪、顶著响亮的职称,做无聊的事倒不如具挑战性的工作!团队精神:工作是团队合作,有如一场好玩又精采的球赛,大家一起打一场痛快!积极争辩:强迫症般的批判性思考,觉得不合理、不对的问题,勇敢、用力地提出!专业高效:以其专业的态度出色的完成工作,从不主动加班,下班后的生活拒绝办公call!快乐至上:私人行程一定要满、满、满,生活得有趣,工作才能更给力!
  • 古代田园诗词三百首

    古代田园诗词三百首

    提到田园诗词,人们首先想到的一定是陶渊明以及他那句著名的“采菊东篱下,悠然见南山”。的确,作为中国古代田园诗的创始人,陶渊明开启了中国田园诗词的新领域。但是在中国古代浩如烟海的诗词中,除了陶渊明外,还有很多著名的田园诗人和作品。本书就是一本集中体现中国历代田园诗词的作品集。从先秦到明清时期的众多诗词中,精心选出了三百首田园诗词以及部分的元曲作品加以评析。通过作者详尽地分析,使我们对这些古代诗词有了进一步的理解。
  • 女将在朝:王爷当自重

    女将在朝:王爷当自重

    一朝穿越,败将之女不配为正妃?呵呵,老娘还看不上你呢!曲南泠本是二十一世纪霸气女总裁,能力心机手腕样样不缺。踹渣男,娶美男,赴沙场,平战乱,光耀曲家门楣,通通不在话下。可是,唯独在情字上栽了跟头,他接近她从头到尾都是一场算计。骗子,给老娘圆润地滚!可是为何他却死皮赖脸地不肯走……将门嫡长女VS神医九皇子,来啊,相爱相杀啊~--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • “九二共识”文集

    “九二共识”文集

    为纪念“九二共识”二十周年,本文集汇集1992至2012年11月底两岸官、学、媒体等各界对“九二共识”的阐述、评论、报道及回顾,从两岸的视角为之做历史的存证。内容包括亲历香港会谈前后两会磋商和达成“九二共识”过程的权威人士的回忆及论述文章;有关“九二共识”的重要文件和当时的新闻报道;两岸对于“九二共识”的权威宣示和阐述;两岸专家学者和媒体发表的对“九二共识”研究成果和评论文章等。
  • 宠眷

    宠眷

    起死回生未必是好事,温灵筠刚在异世重生,就发现自己已经陷入前狼后虎的境地。惹不起总躲得起吧,温灵筠打定主意远离是非,安心做着各种美食,看看宅斗宫斗神马的丰富生活,可偏偏有人不容许她作壁上观。
  • 梦中的夏天

    梦中的夏天

    我凭着记忆往前慢慢开车。等我意识到的时候,我发现我早已经过了那条灌木夹道的、仿佛梦境中的小路。我无法不去想她是怎么度过这些年的,和汉森那样的一个人,在这么一个地方,在一个对酷暑和寒冷都无能为力的铁皮匣子里坐着、来回走着、流着汗,日复一日,听着《我梦中的夏天》这样的歌,看着小窗户外面橡树的阴影和快要被荒草吃掉的农场小路……她,连同她的美貌、青春的热力,被囚禁在这贫瘠、劳作和无望之中,像被无情地侵蚀、过早地凋谢了的一朵荒原上的小花……她说得对,如果她过去的生活不是梦,那么现在的生活就是个梦,一个墨绿的、冰冷芜杂的梦。
  • 烟锁重楼

    烟锁重楼

    《烟锁重楼》1994年8月10日完稿于台北可园,是为电视剧拍摄而写作的小说。故事发生在民初的安徽白沙镇,据琼瑶本人所言,创作灵感是来自于安徽的棠樾牌坊群。曾家巍峨的七道牌坊远近闻名,不止是整个徽州地区的光荣。梦寒嫁入曾家的第一天,其中最戏剧性、最花俏也最壮观的一项礼仪,就是——新娘拜牌坊。大喜之日,全镇老少妇孺呼朋引伴,万头钻动的来看热闹,忽然间,喜庆人群阵伍中硬被插入丧葬队伍,顿时众人哗然。新娘子梦寒也震慑不已,她心中暗忖,自己究竟是嫁入誉满白少镇的礼教世家,还是自此被锁入茏罩神秘诡谲气氛的重重深楼中?