登陆注册
5143800000041

第41章

"Well"--and Miss Cutter, as if looking upward for inspiration, fixed her eyes a while on the ceiling--"well, it will come to me."Mrs.Medwin watched her--it was impressive."And will they come to you--the others?" This question drew out the fact that they would--so far at least as they consisted of Lady Edward, Lady Bellhouse and Mrs.Pouncer, who had engaged to muster, at the signal of tea, on the 14th--prepared, as it were, for the worst.There was of course always the chance that Lady Wantridge might take the field, in such force as to paralyse them, though that danger, at the same time, seemed inconsistent with her being squared.It didn't perhaps all quite ideally hang together; but what it sufficiently came to was that if she was the one who could do most FOR a person in Mrs.Medwin's position she was also the one who could do most against.It would therefore be distinctly what our friend familiarly spoke of as "collar-work." The effect of these mixed considerations was at any rate that Mamie eventually acquiesced in the idea, handsomely thrown out by her client, that she should have an "advance" to go on with.Miss Cutter confessed that it seemed at times as if one scarce COULD go on; but the advance was, in spite of this delicacy, still more delicately made--made in the form of a banknote, several sovereigns, some loose silver, and two coppers, the whole contents of her purse, neatly disposed by Mrs.

Medwin on one of the tiny tables.It seemed to clear the air for deeper intimacies, the fruit of which was that Mamie, lonely after all in her crowd and always more helpful than helped, eventually brought out that the way Scott had been going on was what seemed momentarily to overshadow her own power to do so.

"I've had a descent from him." But she had to explain."My half-brother--Scott Homer.A wretch."

"What kind of a wretch?"

"Every kind.I lose sight of him at times--he disappears abroad.

But he always turns up again, worse than ever.""Violent?"

"No."

"Maudlin?"

"No."

"Only unpleasant?"

"No.Rather pleasant.Awfully clever--awfully travelled and easy.""Then what's the matter with him?"

Mamie mused, hesitated--seemed to see a wide past."I don't know.""Something in the background?" Then as her friend was silent, "Something queer about cards?" Mrs.Medwin threw off.

"I don't know--and I don't want to!"

"Ah well, I'm sure _I_ don't," Mrs.Medwin returned with spirit.

The note of sharpness was perhaps also a little in the observation she made as she gathered herself to go."Do you mind my saying something?"Mamie took her eyes quickly from the money on the little stand.

"You may say what you like."

"I only mean that anything awkward you may have to keep out of the way does seem to make more wonderful, doesn't it, that you should have got just where you are? I allude, you know, to your position.""I see." Miss Cutter somewhat coldly smiled."To my power.""So awfully remarkable in an American."

"Ah you like us so."

Mrs.Medwin candidly considered."But we don't, dearest."Her companion's smile brightened."Then why do you come to me?""Oh I like YOU!" Mrs.Medwin made out.

"Then that's it.There are no 'Americans.' It's always 'you.'""Me?" Mrs.Medwin looked lovely, but a little muddled.

"ME!" Mamie Cutter laughed."But if you like me, you dear thing, you can judge if I like YOU." She gave her a kiss to dismiss her.

"I'll see you again when I've seen her."

"Lady Wantridge? I hope so, indeed.I'll turn up late to-morrow, if you don't catch me first.Has it come to you yet?" the visitor, now at the door, went on.

"No; but it will.There's time."

"Oh a little less every day!"

Miss Cutter had approached the table and glanced again at the gold and silver and the note, not indeed absolutely overlooking the two coppers."The balance," she put it, "the day after?""That very night if you like."

"Then count on me."

"Oh if I didn't--!" But the door closed on the dark idea.

Yearningly then, and only when it had done so, Miss Cutter took up the money.

She went out with it ten minutes later, and, the calls on her time being many, remained out so long that at half-past six she hadn't come back.At that hour, on the other hand, Scott Homer knocked at her door, where her maid, who opened it with a weak pretence of holding it firm, ventured to announce to him, as a lesson well learnt, that he hadn't been expected till seven.No lesson, none the less, could prevail against his native art.He pleaded fatigue, her, the maid's, dreadful depressing London, and the need to curl up somewhere.If she'd just leave him quiet half an hour that old sofa upstairs would do for it; of which he took quickly such effectual possession that when five minutes later she peeped, nervous for her broken vow, into the drawing-room, the faithless young woman found him extended at his length and peacefully asleep.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 剑与魔法与武侠

    剑与魔法与武侠

    热闹的酒馆里,冒险者们聚在一起喝酒吹牛,分享着最近的经历和收获。罗德坐在酒桌上,盯着突然出现的系统发呆。为什么我明明穿越到了一个西方奇幻世界,却多出来了一个武侠系统?别人法师打架念咒语搓火球,难道我要问他一句“你有没有见过一招从天而降的掌法?”系统赠送的铁布衫又是什么鬼?居然靠挨打来升级!我就算是让其他人继续嘲笑我,也不会练你的武功!算了,我现在就出门找人打我……
  • 快穿女配,男神大人么么哒

    快穿女配,男神大人么么哒

    言曦,一抹长生不老的孤魂,无数次想寻死,却身负永生不死的诅咒,带着记忆经过无数次轮回,历经世间百态,偶然间在修仙世界里触发神秘封印。从此,身后多了一只‘苍蝇’,还是那种关键时刻只会叽叽喳喳,坑积分的‘苍蝇’。在‘言炮灰’的眼里,这只‘苍蝇’除了让她穿越时空外一无是处。唔,不,还能帮她将高冷校草/病娇少年/娱乐圈影帝……通通收入囊中,总有一款你想要的。
  • 破阵乐

    破阵乐

    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。
  • 上班那点事:职场八卦经

    上班那点事:职场八卦经

    虽然其中难免掺杂某些捕风捉影甚至是人身攻击的成分,但是一般说来,那些并无恶意、由平凡琐事衍生出的八卦并不会加深职场人际关系的困扰,相反,它在某些情况下恰恰是协调入际关系的有益手段。适当的轻松八卦话题,既满足了人们通过讨论别人来探索自己。的心理需要,也使得职场中的成员在分享意见的同时,增进了解与多元化的沟通,最终得以缓解人际紧张所导致的巨大压力,更加愉悦、专注地投入工作。
  • 李束为小说散文集(山药蛋派经典文库)

    李束为小说散文集(山药蛋派经典文库)

    李束为是山药蛋派人物之一。此次由山西省作家协会编选的“山药蛋派”经典文库,精选其中优秀的文学经典,力求打造成为彰显山西文化形象的一张名片。
  • 总裁的秘密情人

    总裁的秘密情人

    贺子轩,贺康药业总裁,不到三十岁接手家族企业,发展成亚洲最大的制药企业之一,从小目睹父母失败的婚姻,对爱情严重缺乏安全感,女人对他而言只是泄欲的工具,从来没有想过会爱上一个人,直到遇上她。周桐,贺康药业研究助理,自小被被周氏夫妇收养,得到养父母的善待,但由于其亲生女周倩一直以来的排挤,在大学毕业之后就搬出来独居。本以为生活就可以这样平平淡淡的一直过下去,但是在计划之外的人居然就那么出现在自己的生命中,从此占据了不可替代的地位。********************梦菲书友群:96625436(敲门砖:梦菲任意作品)
  • 末世重生:女配宠夫

    末世重生:女配宠夫

    她,前世被亲人背叛,死于丧尸口中,重生而来,为复仇而活。他,前世星际猎人,被虫洞卷走,穿越而来,只为了不让那女人死去。善良被伤害泯灭,亲情被亲人伤害,她所剩下的就是要好好活下去,你们伤害用一分,我便用十分还你们。
  • 斗破苍穹:第一诛神魔女

    斗破苍穹:第一诛神魔女

    雪雪新文已发,换了马甲,新笔名揽月公子,上云起书院,qq书城,搜《毒舌小妖女:上仙也承包》新书简介,穿越成昆虫,她得罪了高冷师伯。为了调教不听话的小小妖女,高冷师伯决定带她去人界度蜜月,哦,不,是历练。谁知,奇葩女配花式手段层出不穷,让她忍无可忍,无需再忍。人贱自有天收,装-逼自有人打,且看她如何与奇葩女配斗出新境界。这是一个酷冷仙尊师伯对上逗比小师侄的故事,一对一(揽月公子书友群375922391)
  • 穿越我是淘气宫主

    穿越我是淘气宫主

    穿越小说看了多篇,想不到有一天自己也中了奖,穿到这个陌生的古代来。楚凝君说:“不敢靠近你,是因为太在乎你,冷漠你,遗弃你,是因为爱已成疯,我该拿你怎么办?”残无幽说:“爱上你,使我放弃一切,包括七年前的灭门之恨。”南宫已暝说:“银锁的意义就在于,我想在你未成人之前锁住你,然后在你长大成人后,拥有你。”花云夜说:“我要你的人,也要你的心。”列缺说:“美人倾城,不惜一切。”洛丝儿天真的躲在一个角落,想着每一个人说过的话,可以吗?可以贪心吗?南宫婉莹说:“楚凝君是我的,只有我才配拥有他。”林滢滢说:“环儿,如果我和君哥走到一起,你会祝福我们吗?”花灵儿说:“残无幽是我的生命,我将不计代价得到他。”上官池月说:“恕罪只是一个借口,爱上他(残无幽)才是我最初的心。”倾月说:“表哥(残无幽)是我的一切,谁都不可以把他从我身边抢走。”如烟说:“我只爱他的狠(残无幽)”依菲儿说:“我们风流三年,不可能抵不过你一个小女孩的,我有信心,夜,注定是我的。”王如儿说:“暝是我从小就喜欢的,你凭什么抢走?”容幽雪说:“忘月楼有我和列所有的美好记忆,你算什么?不过是一个天真无知的女人罢了。”众容强大,故事曲折,人物性格分明,这是一部精彩的武林传奇之记。-------------------------------------------------------------------下面妃要废话几句了。这篇文讲述的是一个成长的故事,一个不懂何为爱情的高中生慢慢成长为一个敢于追求所爱的自信女人的故事。温馨提醒:不喜慎入在这里我要推荐一本极好看的书:痕儿的《丫环皇后》地址:各位亲们可以去看看,很不错的。达达达、、、、、、、、、、、以下是妃花了半天的时间为本文制作的视频,各位亲们有兴趣可以去观赏一下,自觉得还可以的。地址是:建议带上耳塞听,里面有一首名叫《寂静之声》的轻音乐,听起来很有感觉哦!以前有收藏妃的新文《颜霸天下》这部文的亲们,妃在这里说句抱歉,感觉女尊文实在不是妃的强项,所以,妃只能再学习学习后,等积累到一定的文学水平,再去偿试,现在,妃把这篇文删除了!〈爱上谷主爹爹〉这部文也是妃写的最为难的一部文,剧中男主每个人都让人有靠近的欲望,失去谁都会心疼,但是,妃还是决定专情一点,不写一女N男。
  • 明道杂志

    明道杂志

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。