登陆注册
4711400000104

第104章

"Why, my dear, his habits have been unhappily very bad in every way for years; they were, indeed the cause of his first leaving his family. He hated everything like restraint--even the common restraints of society, and cared for nothing but a sailor's life, and that in the worst shape, it must be confessed. But he has now grown wiser--he has determined to reform. You observed he signed the temperance pledge this evening?"

"It all sounds so strangely, that I cannot yet believe it, William."

"I dare say not--it took me four years to believe it."

"But what do you mean to do? I hope you are not going to undertake a law-suit against two of our best friends, Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst?"

"That must depend on Mr. Wyllys and Mr. Hazlehurst, themselves. I have undertaken, Catherine, to do my best towards restoring this injured man to his property."

"Oh, William; suppose this man is in the wrong, after all! Don't think of having anything to do with him."

"My dear, you talk like a woman--you don't know what you say. If I don't act in the premises, do you suppose he won't find another lawyer to undertake his cause?"

"Let him have another, then: but it seems too bad that we should take sides against our best friends; it hardly seems honourable, William, to do so."

"Honour, alone, won't make a young lawyer's pot boil, I can tell you."

"But I had rather live poorly, and work hard all my life, than that you should undertake a dishonest cause."

"It is all very pretty talking, but I have no mind to live poorly; I intend to live as well as I can, and I don't look upon this Stanley cause as a bad one at all. I must say, Catherine, you are rather hard upon your husband, and seem to think more of the interests of your friends, than of his own."

"How can you talk so, William, when you know you can't think it," said the wife reproachfully, tears springing to her eyes.

"Well, I only judge from what you say yourself. But in my opinion there is no danger of a law-suit. As Mr. Stanley's agent, I shall first apply to Mrs. Stanley and Mr. Hazlehurst to acknowledge his claim; and when the evidence is laid before them, I have no kind of doubt but they will immediately give up the property; as they are some of your very honourable people, I must say I think they are bound to do so."

"Certainly, if the evidence is so clear; but it seems to me, from all I have heard since I have been a lawyer's wife, that evidence never is so very clear, William, but that people disagree about it."

"Well, I flatter myself that people will be staggered by the proofs we can bring forward; I feel sure of public opinion, at least."

Kate was silenced; but though she could think of nothing more to urge, she was very far from feeling easy on the subject.

"I hope with all my heart it will be settled amicably," she added at length.

"There is every probability that it will. Though the story sounds so strangely to you now--just as it did to me, at first--yet when you come to hear all the facts, you will find there is scarcely room for a shadow of doubt."

"How sorry mother and Patsey will be when they hear it!"

"I can't see why they should be sorry to see a man reinstated in his rights, after having been deprived of them for eighteen years. If they are not blinded by their partiality for the Wyllyses and Hazlehursts, they cannot help being convinced by the evidence we can show."

"How old is this man--this sailor--this Mr. Stanley?"

"Just thirty-six, he tells me. Did you remark his likeness to Mr. Stanley's portrait at Wyllys-Roof? that was the first thing that struck me."

"No; I hardly looked at him."

"You must expect to see him often now; I have invited him to dinner for to-morrow."

"For to-morrow? Well, Uncle Dozie has sent me this afternoon a beautiful mess of green peas, and you will have to get something nice from market, in the way of poultry and fish. Though, I suppose as he has been a common sailor so long, he won't be very particular about his dinner."

"He knows what is good, I can tell you. You must give him such a dinner as he would have had at his father's in old times."

"Well, just as you please, William; only, if you really care for me, do not let the man deceive you; be sure you sift the matter thoroughly--what you call cross-examine him."

"Never you fear; I know what I am about, Katie; though if I was to follow your advice in law matters, I reckon we should all of us starve together."

"I hope it will all turn out well, but I seem to feel badly about it," said Kate with a sigh, as she rose to light a candle; "only don't be too hasty--take time."

"We have taken time enough I think, as it is. We are only waiting now for Mr. Hazlehurst to arrive in Philadelphia, when we shall put forward our claim."

同类推荐
  • 混唐后传

    混唐后传

    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。
  • 无形篇

    无形篇

    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。
  • International Law

    International Law

    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。
  • 如意轮陀罗尼经

    如意轮陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 晚次巴陵

    晚次巴陵

    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
  • 我的掌中宇宙

    我的掌中宇宙

    坐拥一个庞大浩瀚的多元宇宙,财富要多少有多少,神器量产,资源无限,手底下强者多如牛毛,科技胜过地球亿万倍……“我从来都不在乎敌人强不强,因为无论有多强,都一定没我强!”
  • 彼岸三生缘

    彼岸三生缘

    “从此以后,你们便是本上神的徒弟了。”“本上神的容貌和法术,你,也配想夺去?那就看你有没有这个本事了。”之瑶上神,女娲后人,又名月神,是这四海八荒第一位女上神,也是这四海八荒第一绝色,无论千万年,容颜不老,法力不失。从不收徒弟,却因为与他们有三生缘,便收为入室弟子。“瑶瑶,我们都不奢求你能选择哪一个,只求能永生永世,长长久久地陪在你身边。”“原来,你们飞升上仙的劫数是我。”五段仙恋,三世情缘,,看他们平定天下,历尽情缘,蛮荒天下。。。
  • 直播快穿之主播别太皮

    直播快穿之主播别太皮

    “温馨提示:主播请别太皮,会遭雷劈的……”“不,我就是要皮,你能拿我怎么样,哼!”“就是,皮又怎么了,又不碍你什么事!至少我有皮的权利~”“算了随你们皮吧,反正我管不了你们。”#论宿主太皮,系统该肿么办#手拆CP、拯救世界、辅助配角、推理破案……只有你想不到没有她们做不到
  • 重生星际时代

    重生星际时代

    带着生命空间和记忆重生,必须在二十岁之前成为S级异能者,否则就要挂?我勒个去,看来到了这星际时代,姐不发威不行啦!嗯,这位帅哥,你想以武求亲?可以,关门,众亲友上!敢上门调戏,就要有被群殴的觉悟。
  • 总裁有毒,请绕路!

    总裁有毒,请绕路!

    叫蓝天天怎么了,碍着你了还是疙着你了?叫蓝天天就得赔你200万,抢劫啊!赔偿就赔偿吧,还非要一次性付清。可是谁让蓝天是小贫民一个呢!跟资产阶级斗争,小贫民永远是输得那一个!不得以蓝天答应了那个臭男人的条件,早还清早超脱吗!听说红本本可以换一百万的青春损失费,这个买卖稳赚不赔,依她神经大条的构造,绝对控制真心指数。可是,当他看进眼中的女人并不是自己的时候,她却彻底的饮尽了心碎的滋味。那个女人~原来是她。
  • 末世重生之凤归来

    末世重生之凤归来

    前世的愚信,到死才觉悟,一切都是阴谋……当再次醒来竟回到了末世前一个月,前世太天真,这一世,冷酷也罢,虚伪也好,绝不重走旧路!却不料,三天之后,末世如暴雨一般骤临……仇和债?呵,等他们在末世努力爬高之后,再狠狠地摔下来,那该是何等的痛快!痛与泪,咱们慢慢来!
  • 妖王的亲亲妖妃

    妖王的亲亲妖妃

    此乃男强女强宠文她乃现代金牌杀手,因在执行任务时,却被一直嫉妒自己的银牌杀手暗杀。一朝穿越,成赫兰国丞相之女,爹不疼娘不爱。姐妹丫鬟仆人欺负她。搞笑,从来都是她欺负别人,何来你们欺负她?妹妹安排杀手杀自己?很好,有胆量,那你就等着痛不欲生吧?让人死不可怕,等死才可怕。哥哥也想杀自己?那就将他身败名裂,再送去要饭。公主嫉妒自己,想毁自己的容?好,那就让蜜蜂蛰她。因得罪公主,而被迫嫁给传说中的妖王?说他残忍,绝情,鬼魅。是个妖?为啥见了后,这人绝美如斯,不似凡人呢?他好像跟传说中不一样啊。他乃影歆国妖王,因出生时皇宫内所以的喂养的动物狂躁不堪。搞得皇宫恐吓不堪,便被人说成是妖。于是刚出生的他便被封为妖王,赶出皇宫。片段一:“王爷,王妃差点被首富家大少爷调戏了。”云逸说道“什么?派绝顶杀手,灭了他全家。”正在书房画自己王妃画相貌的妖王说道。竟敢调戏自己小女人,注定被灭门。片段二:“王爷,王妃把皇上赐来的夜明珠,全都当石头扔水里玩了。”云逸说道。他可是好心疼哎,多么珍贵的夜明珠啊。“是吗?既然她喜欢,把国库里的夜明珠偷来给她玩。”妖王毫不在意的说道。只要自己女人能开心,即使把月亮摘下来都行。云逸擦汗,这王爷实在是太宠他家王妃了。片段三:“王爷,王妃说她想看看皇上的玉玺是什么样。”云逸对这些已见怪不怪了。“派人把皇上的玉玺偷来给她看。告诉她,玩坏了都没关系。”妖王毫不在意的说道。别说一个玉玺,就是她要天下都没关系。云逸听到,当场吓个半死,那可是皇上的玉玺啊。。。不过谁让她家王妃喜欢呢。片段四:“王爷,夏禹国皇帝送给王妃,黄金万两,要娶王妃为皇后,并且今生只王妃一人,而且王妃已经收下了。”云逸怕怕的说,要知道他家王爷很宝贝自己王妃的,王妃也是的,竟然收下了。“什么?”一向淡定的妖王,此时不淡定了。只见一个身影后,妖王已不见了。
  • 我的21岁护士姐姐

    我的21岁护士姐姐

    神秘符种传授修真能力,保护青梅竹马的护士姐姐不被伤害,学雷锋做好事积攒功德好修炼。超级记忆力过目不忘,学习成绩飞速提升,让美丽校花和美女老师都叹为观止。考试、赚钱、泡妞、开公司……一切的改变,从那种入眉心神奇的符种开始,面对这些种种,林烨只能大喊一声:“小生有礼了!小生不客气了!还有……小生来了!”
  • 中国太阳

    中国太阳

    本书获得了2002年中国科幻银河奖一等奖。谁也不知道中国太阳将飞多远,水娃他们将看到什么样的神奇世界,也许有一天他们对地球发出一声呼唤,要上千年才能得到回音。但水娃始终会牢记母亲行星上的一个叫中国的国度,牢记那个国度西部一片干旱土地上的一个小村庄,牢记村前的那条小路,他就是从那里启程的。
  • 俗语

    俗语

    本书收入的是从传世的文史典籍中搜集整理的俗语,并加以必要的注释和例句。所收俗语包括:拔出萝卜带出泥、白日做梦、包子有肉不在褶上、醉翁之意不在酒等。