登陆注册
4711400000124

第124章

"Yes; I have only proposed in form quite lately, however, a day or two after you arrived. Miss Wyllys scarcely seemed prepared for my declaration, although I thought I had spoken sufficiently distinctly to be understood, some time since. She wished for time to consider: I was willing to wait as long as she pleased; with the hope of eventually succeeding. Her friends are quite well disposed towards me, think. Mr. Wyllys's manner to me has always been gratifying, and I hope her aunt is in my favour. To speak frankly, there have been times when I have felt much encouraged as regards Miss Wyllys herself. You will not think me a coxcomb, Hazlehurst, for opening my heart to you in this way."

"Certainly not; you honour me by your confidence."

"I should like to have your honest opinion as to my future prospects; for, of course, one can never feel sure until everything is settled. Josephine is hardly a fair judge--she is very sanguine; but like myself she is interested in the affair."

"Mrs. Creighton has so much discernment, that I should think she could not be easily deceived. If my kinswoman knows your views, I should say that you have reason to be encouraged by her manner.

There is nothing like coquetry about her; I am convinced she thinks highly of you."

"Thank you; it gives me great pleasure to hear you say so. The question must now be decided before long. I was only prevented from explaining myself earlier, by the fear of speaking too soon.

For though I have known Miss Wyllys some time, yet we have seldom met. I dare say you are surprised that I did not declare myself sooner; I am inclined to think you would have managed an affair of the kind more expeditiously; for you are more rapid in most of your movements than myself. But although I might imagine love at first sight, I never could fancy a declaration worth hearing, the first day."

"Do you insinuate that such is the practice of your humble servant?" asked Hazlehurst, smiling.

"Oh, no; but I was afraid you might disapprove of my deliberation. My chief hope rests upon Miss Wyllys's good sense and the wishes of her friends, who, I think, are evidently favourable to me. She has no silly, high-flown notions; she is now of an age--three or four-and-twenty I think--to take a reasonable view of the world; and I hope she will find the sincere affection of a respectable man, whose habits and position resemble her own, sufficient for her."

"You wish, I suppose, to hear me repeat, that such will undoubtedly be the result," said Harry, smiling again.

"Perhaps I do," replied Mr. Ellsworth, in the same tone. "I suppose you are discerning enough to be aware that I have a rival in Mr. Stryker."

"Stryker attentive to Elinor? It has not struck me; I had fancied him rather an admirer of Mrs. Creighton's."

"Of Josephine? Oh, no; she can't endure him, they are quarrelling half the time when together. No, it is very evident that Stryker is courting Miss Wyllys's favour. But I confess I feel encouraged by her conduct towards him; there is a quiet civility in it, which speaks anything but very decided approbation."

"I know Elinor too well, not to feel assured she must despise a man of Stryker's character," said Harry, with some indignation.

"He can't appreciate her; it can be nothing more, on his part, than downright fortune-hunting."

"No doubt; there you mention another motive I have, for not being too hasty in my declaration to Miss Wyllys. I could wish to convince her that my attachment is sincere."

"Certainly. I forget twenty times a day that she is now a fortune, until I see some fellow, like William Hunter, or Stryker, paying their court to her. I have never been accustomed to consider her in that light, of old. In fact I had no idea of her reputation as an heiress, until I found it so well established when I arrived here. But Saratoga is just the place to make such discoveries. I was quite behind the age in every respect, it seems; for although it did not require much penetration to find out your secret, Ellsworth, yet I was taken entirely by surprise. You never made any allusion to anything of the kind, in your letters to me."

"It was so seldom that I met Miss Wyllys, that for a time my mind was undecided. But, of course, I should have written you word, if anything had been finally settled; even if you had not come to look after me in propria persona."

Having reached their hotel, the gentlemen parted. Mr. Ellsworth would, in all probability, have been less communicative with his friend Hazlehurst, on the subject of their recent conversation, had he been aware of the state of things which formerly existed between Elinor and himself. He had only heard some vague stories of an engagement between them, but had always supposed it mere gossip, from having seen Harry's attention to Jane, when they were all in Paris together; while he knew, on the other hand, that Hazlehurst had always been on the most intimate terms with the Wyllyses, as a family connexion. He was aware that Harry had been very much in love with Miss Graham, for he had remarked it himself; and he supposed that if there had ever been any foundation for the report of an engagement with Elinor, it had probably been a mere childish caprice, soon broken, and which had left no lasting impression on either party.

同类推荐
  • 上清众真教戒德行经

    上清众真教戒德行经

    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。
  • 百家针灸歌赋

    百家针灸歌赋

    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。
  • 鹃音白社

    鹃音白社

    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。
  • 骈体文钞

    骈体文钞

    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。
  • 笔梦叙

    笔梦叙

    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
  • 守护甜心之鸽船唯有帆

    守护甜心之鸽船唯有帆

    感情是真的很好,三分之一的青梅竹马,在某一天,克罗地亚狂想曲奏响,他的酒红色瞳眸染上悲伤。“非要这样吗?”“是啊,毕竟...那是我爱的人。”
  • 贤劫十六尊

    贤劫十六尊

    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。
  • 浪漫的1001种方法

    浪漫的1001种方法

    现代生活的紧张节奏无情地剥夺了人们的宝贵时间,清风明月中的诗吟已成为古老的回声,花前月下的缠绵已成了梦中的记忆。当你从喧嚣的车间退出来,从喘息的公共汽车上跳下来,从繁忙的柜台前抽出身来,从枯燥的计算机旁抬起头来,等待你的还有清冷的灶台、哭闹的孩子、没完没了的家务、无穷无尽的杂事……等你脱鞋上床,关灯睡觉,作息时间表已经翻开了新的一页。第二天,早上从半夜开始,你像一台机器,又开始了新一轮的运转。
  • 神明失眠了

    神明失眠了

    “你既保护不了兰米,又为何带她离开她的家?”“三界市是为和兰米一样的生命而建的,今日之后,无论发生什么,三界市都不能消失!”……“万物生息,自有其主。”“什么胡话!若遵其主,怎可成神?!”……
  • 绵羊王爷精明妃

    绵羊王爷精明妃

    她,惊才绝艳,一代女神偷,狡诈腹黑。他,百里国七王爷,外人眼中的残废懦弱王爷,实则惊才绝艳,隐忍深沉。他,宠她入骨,唯妻命是从。只认一句至理名言:顺妻者昌,逆妻者亡!她,眯眯眼一笑,点头赞同:果然是名言!三个小奶包凑上前,又补一句:顺娘者昌,逆爹者盛!她:……笑颜如花。他:逆子!看我怎么收拾你们!三个小奶包狡诈腹黑一笑:爹爹,洗洗睡吧,打狗尚且看主人,你看看我娘亲,再说这话吧!他:……青青,走,儿子让咱们睡去!
  • 虚界幻境

    虚界幻境

    1000年前整个世界翻天覆地,人类以自身精华孕育出的战宠与异界怪物战斗。1000年后秦风身怀神秘项链,而神秘项链有三种能力,其中俩种给予秦风不同变化,最后一种却留在秦风体内,每当秦风愤怒的时候!理智将会被恶代替!且看秦风化身恶魔吊打一切的成长旅。
  • 荒火战争

    荒火战争

    这是被诺亚实行了“大破坏”后的未来世界,人类没有了安稳生存的家园。怪物、战车、炮火、赏金、猎人。这就是这个世界的全部,看懦弱的少年如何从平凡成为了世界闻名的赏金猎人,看他如何与怪物、冷血党、诺亚展开战斗。在拂晓的地平线上铭刻下胜利吧,赏金猎人们!
  • 空间之全能农妇

    空间之全能农妇

    全能千金,一朝醒来竟成了小农妇。家徒四壁,衣不蔽体,食不果腹。能咋办,凉拌!衣,手到擒来,苏绣、靓款、色彩,玄妙无双,美不胜收。食,繁复多样,酿酒、制茶、调冰,香飘四溢,沁人心脾。住,技艺精湛,水泥、油漆、家居,点睛之笔,神来之作。行,……额,这个就算鸟,灵气一出,嗖一下,快得很!小农妇日子风生水起,可惜天天要被死胖子压。被压还不算,一堆极品组团进犯。小农妇脾气暴涨,终于拿起大锅盖准备起义。相公不乖,抽,锅盖抽坏了,看还闹腾不!极品伪善,跪,锅盖跪稳了,看还瞎转悠不!终于,把一堆牛鬼蛇神收拾服帖了,可是,破除的禁制又引来一堆麻烦。更坑爹的是,胖子相公竟然有着那么牛逼哄哄的身份,就连她自己,也来头了不得。且罢且罢,蛇鼠一窝,端干净了最好!——————————————————————————————————————【种田】+【空间】+【玄幻】+【美男】+【衣食住行技能】+【强强联合】种田为主,玄幻为辅,温馨宠溺,只虐极品脑残,男主身心干净,妻奴忠犬一枚,文中美男类型多样,瑶瑶简介无能,望试读几章,坑品有保障哦!!!
  • 异世重生:邪帝的宠妃

    异世重生:邪帝的宠妃

    她是来自异时空失忆的一缕幽魂,误打误撞的闯入了这乱世硝烟;他是世人眼里嗜血成性的年轻帝王,只愿在她面前卸下伪装。一奴一帝,本是永不相交的两条平行线,但命运的齿轮,却让他们生生世世纠缠在了一起。“青颜,我这辈子背负了太多仇恨,所有人都可以成为我的敌人,而你,绝对不行。”……
  • 弃妃绝爱

    弃妃绝爱

    本文大虐。虐心,虐身。古穿古,俗称灵魂附身。新婚?大红的花轿,娶的是当朝的八公主。亲人?却在她伤心欲绝的那一刻将她推落了悬崖。生无可恋,活着亦是枉然,可幽幽转醒,不是森冷的阎罗殿,却是面对着最暴戾的凶残,那冰霜般冷寒的男人,那仇恨中染血的目光。大红的嫁衣,绣着鸳鸯戏水的锦被上却触目惊心的鲜血,她茫然的看着身侧邪戾而狂暴的陌生面容,那眼中是可以燃烧一切的仇恨。心死,身残,再一次转醒,却是铜镜里一张陌生的面容,背负了一个已死女子的过去,忘却了曾经的自己。重生后,她又将何去何从?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!推荐旧文完结小说:《替身老婆》终结系列之一(杨雪落和安熙照)《替身床伴》终结系列之二(雨清和曲驭)《穿越之调戏美男》终结系列之三(叶蔷和叶君寒,雷辰)古代文:完结《只和皇帝玩亲亲》(阿九和夜帝、)《穿越之杀手皇后》(彦水水和彦少卿)公众文:《弃妃绝爱》。!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!推荐好友的文文,《香凝情仇》