登陆注册
5159000000130

第130章

Gerald nodded.Then he went on to his mother's room.

She was sitting in her purple gown, sewing, very slowly sewing, putting in a stitch then another stitch.She looked up at Gerald with her blue undaunted eyes.

`Father's gone,' he said.

`He's dead? Who says so?'

`Oh, you know, mother, if you see him.'

She put her sewing down, and slowly rose.

`Are you going to see him?' he asked.

`Yes,' she said By the bedside the children already stood in a weeping group.

`Oh, mother!' cried the daughters, almost in hysterics, weeping loudly.

But the mother went forward.The dead man lay in repose, as if gently asleep, so gently, so peacefully, like a young man sleeping in purity.

He was still warm.She stood looking at him in gloomy, heavy silence, for some time.

`Ay,' she said bitterly, at length, speaking as if to the unseen witnesses of the air.`You're dead.' She stood for some minutes in silence, looking down.`Beautiful,' she asserted, `beautiful as if life had never touched you -- never touched you.God send I look different.I hope I shall look my years, when I am dead.Beautiful, beautiful,' she crooned over him.

`You can see him in his teens, with his first beard on his face.A beautiful soul, beautiful --' Then there was a tearing in her voice as she cried:

`None of you look like this, when you are dead! Don't let it happen again.'

It was a strange, wild command from out of the unknown.Her children moved unconsciously together, in a nearer group, at the dreadful command in her voice.The colour was flushed bright in her cheek, she looked awful and wonderful.`Blame me, blame me if you like, that he lies there like a lad in his teens, with his first beard on his face.Blame me if you like.But you none of you know.' She was silent in intense silence.

Then there came, in a low, tense voice: `If I thought that the children I bore would lie looking like that in death, I'd strangle them when they were infants, yes --'

`No, mother,' came the strange, clarion voice of Gerald from the background, `we are different, we don't blame you.'

She turned and looked full in his eyes.Then she lifted her hands in a strange half-gesture of mad despair.

`Pray!' she said strongly.`Pray for yourselves to God, for there's no help for you from your parents.'

`Oh mother!' cried her daughters wildly.

But she had turned and gone, and they all went quickly away from each other.

When Gudrun heard that Mr Crich was dead, she felt rebuked.She had stayed away lest Gerald should think her too easy of winning.And now, he was in the midst of trouble, whilst she was cold.

The following day she went up as usual to Winifred, who was glad to see her, glad to get away into the studio.The girl had wept, and then, too frightened, had turned aside to avoid any more tragic eventuality.

She and Gudrun resumed work as usual, in the isolation of the studio, and this seemed an immeasurable happiness, a pure world of freedom, after the aimlessness and misery of the house.Gudrun stayed on till evening.She and Winifred had dinner brought up to the studio, where they ate in freedom, away from all the people in the house.

After dinner Gerald came up.The great high studio was full of shadow and a fragrance of coffee.Gudrun and Winifred had a little table near the fire at the far end, with a white lamp whose light did not travel far.

They were a tiny world to themselves, the two girls surrounded by lovely shadows, the beams and rafters shadowy over-head, the benches and implements shadowy down the studio.

`You are cosy enough here,' said Gerald, going up to them.

There was a low brick fireplace, full of fire, an old blue Turkish rug, the little oak table with the lamp and the white-and-blue cloth and the dessert, and Gudrun making coffee in an odd brass coffee-maker, and Winifred scalding a little milk in a tiny saucepan.

`Have you had coffee?' said Gudrun.

`I have, but I'll have some more with you,' he replied.

`Then you must have it in a glass -- there are only two cups,' said Winifred.

`It is the same to me,' he said, taking a chair and coming into the charmed circle of the girls.How happy they were, how cosy and glamorous it was with them, in a world of lofty shadows! The outside world, in which he had been transacting funeral business all the day was completely wiped out.In an instant he snuffed glamour and magic.

They had all their things very dainty, two odd and lovely little cups, scarlet and solid gilt, and a little black jug with scarlet discs, and the curious coffee-machine, whose spirit-flame flowed steadily, almost invisibly.There was the effect of rather sinister richness, in which Gerald at once escaped himself.

They all sat down, and Gudrun carefully poured out the coffee.

`Will you have milk?' she asked calmly, yet nervously poising the little black jug with its big red dots.She was always so completely controlled, yet so bitterly nervous.

`No, I won't,' he replied.

So, with a curious humility, she placed him the little cup of coffee, and herself took the awkward tumbler.She seemed to want to serve him.

`Why don't you give me the glass -- it is so clumsy for you,' he said.

He would much rather have had it, and seen her daintily served.But she was silent, pleased with the disparity, with her self-abasement.

`You are quite en menage, ' he said.

`Yes.We aren't really at home to visitors,' said Winifred.

`You're not? Then I'm an intruder?'

For once he felt his conventional dress was out of place, he was an outsider.

Gudrun was very quiet.She did not feel drawn to talk to him.At this stage, silence was best -- or mere light words.It was best to leave serious things aside.So they talked gaily and lightly, till they heard the man below lead out the horse, and call it to `back-back!' into the dog-cart that was to take Gudrun home.So she put on her things, and shook hands with Gerald, without once meeting his eyes.And she was gone.

The funeral was detestable.Afterwards, at the tea-table, the daughters kept saying -- `He was a good father to us -- the best father in the world'

同类推荐
  • 无准和尚奏对语录

    无准和尚奏对语录

    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。
  • 得依释序文缘起

    得依释序文缘起

    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。
  • 技术

    技术

    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。
  • 外科医镜

    外科医镜

    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。
  • 七佛赞呗伽他

    七佛赞呗伽他

    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
  • 夏纪时代

    夏纪时代

    随着超级计算机附带的未来宇宙的秘密发现,夏麦这个原本平淡无奇的女生,渐渐卷入了这场末世危机的中心漩涡……
  • 好习惯成就孩子的一生

    好习惯成就孩子的一生

    本书打破以往教育类书籍的枯燥说教方式,运用丰富详实的案例,提出可操作性极强的建议和意见,充分调动家长、孩子、学校三方的积极互动性,在短时间内就可培养使孩子终身受益的好习惯。如何使您的孩子成为优秀的“他”和“她”?相信您一定能在这本书里找到自己满意的答案。
  • 冷少宠妻超甜

    冷少宠妻超甜

    为了重病在床的弟弟,她答应和他订婚,并在不久后嫁他为妻!而他要的是,他们之间只需有夫妻之名,无需有夫妻之实!她微笑点头,很好,正合她意!冷睿泽,英俊冷酷的天子骄子,有着腹黑强大的内心,更有着别人无法超越的地位与实力!叶欣萌,一名外企小职员,青春靓丽,看似较小柔弱,实则倔强坚强!当他需要一个听话的妻子。当她需要一个有钱的丈夫。于是二人一拍即合,成了一条绳上的蚂蚱!婚前篇酒吧包房内,叶欣萌当众挨了一个耳光,“你就是个贱人,明明知道他不爱你,却硬是要贴上去,你到底是有多贱?”叶欣萌笑看着自己的未婚夫,抬脚向前朝着女人挥起左手,可却被人一把抓住,而就在此刻,叶欣萌将力气全部集中在右手,只听啪的一声,一记响亮的耳光打在了冷睿泽的脸上,“既然你心疼她,那么这一巴掌就由你来受好了,我还有事就不欣赏你们在这里扯犊子了,拜拜!”婚后篇昏暗的房间内,叶欣萌咬牙切齿的看着身边吃饱喝足的男人,“两百够不?”冷睿泽嘴角微抽,“有点多,不过我可以买一送一。”叶欣萌委屈的揉着腰,“不要成不?”“晚了!”叶欣萌狠狠捶着床,懊恼至极的说了一句,“真是一失足成千古恨啊!”宝宝篇小版的冷睿泽穿着一身黑色的小西装,双手插兜酷酷的站在大版冷睿泽的面前,“你跟我长的还真像。”冷睿泽眉头微挑嘴角带笑,“小子,话说反了吧?”虽然第一次见面,可他不用问也知道,面前这小子,一定是他的种。“我来是要告诉你,那女人要去相亲,虽然我不反对她找个男人,可那人长的实在太丑了,所以你想办法搞定!”于是,就在叶欣萌准备妥当走出门的时候,忽然被人一把扛在肩上,“相亲之前,我想我们应该先算算账!”靠在门边的小版冷睿泽,嘴里含着棒棒糖,口齿不轻的朝着他们喊了一句,“能武力解决的,千万别磨唧哦!”本文纯属虚构,请勿深究,仅供娱乐!本文虐心虐肺,宠入骨髓,看文的亲们自带救心丸!推荐浅浅完结文《霸娶之婚后宠爱》完结文《独宠之蓄谋已久》完结文《萌妻占夫有道》连载文《最佳首席设计师》请各位小主多多支持,浅浅在坑下等着美妞入怀!
  • 水浒之史进

    水浒之史进

    史进,水浒中被忽视的武学天才。水浒中被忽视的天才还很多。看穿越者史进能否逆天改命,改变这些人的命运。当然还有大宋的命运
  • 庶女凶猛:纨绔太子妃

    庶女凶猛:纨绔太子妃

    十年前,她惨遭主母凌虐,亲眼看着主母杀了她母亲与弟弟,一尸两命。乱葬岗内爬出,她发誓……若他日猛虎归山,必要将这相府血染半边天。十年后,清秀女子轻佻柳眉的对着躺在床上的主母说:“母亲,你可要好好养身体,不然还怎么来找我报仇呢?哦,对了。有件事情忘了告诉你,你刘家因为涉嫌私通敌国,皇上已下旨明日午时,满门抄斩。还有大姐,堂堂龙啸国第一美人儿,如今已沦为了青楼女子。还是最下等的那种……”活生生气死主母。斗主母,斗姨娘,斗嫡姐,斗庶姐。原本以为只要报了相府的仇便能逍遥自在,却不料丞相爷竟将她当成礼物献给皇子。哼!她不招惹别人,别人偏要来招惹她,既然如此……那就来个天翻地覆,改朝换代可好?他,司无邪、江湖上头号杀人魔王。外号索命阎王,无情、无心、无爱。“诗儿,听说今日太子想轻薄你?明日,我便杀了他。敢动我家诗儿,简直找死。”谁说司无邪无爱?谁说司无邪无情……给老娘站出来。他明明就很有爱!
  • 覆魔传

    覆魔传

    异界大陆帝国主战派借外国青年之手算计刺杀先代国王,在大陆挑起侵略战争,一时风起云涌。面对帝国的威胁,剩下的国家联合,组成由四大王国主导的人类联盟。战火起,变数生,就在双方交战的第十一年,沉眠大陆千载的魔界一朝破封,魔界日月双护座下七大魔君携七大军团凭借恐怖邪染,如同瘟疫蚕食大陆生灵...
  • 正一解卮醮仪

    正一解卮醮仪

    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。
  • Life's a Bitch and Then You Change Careers
  • 霸道校草的小校花

    霸道校草的小校花

    皇家公主隐藏身份驾临学校,却不知被自己妈咪早已拆穿,一步一步步入大灰狼的陷阱,哎,前途渺茫…………
  • 古今奇谈(套装共4册)

    古今奇谈(套装共4册)

    《最搜奇·萌萌小志怪》是一部奇怪小说。本书讲述了:志怪,就是记录怪异,主要指魏晋时代产生的一种以记述神仙鬼怪为内容的小说,也可包括汉代的同类作品。《微博猎奇小札》以网络上流传的微小恐怖故事和段子为主打,目录可分为惊悚恐怖,悬疑推理,温情诡事等等,看一个小故事即能领略到恐怖的意境,是职场人士,宅男宅女减压的好伙伴。连慈禧都害怕的人会是谁?为啥故宫有些宫门没门槛?为何老宅院现多为“凶宅”?《老北京的民间传说》将为您揭秘这些疑团,为您带来精彩而有趣的民间传说。白云观三猴怎么就不能见面了?谁割了颐和园铜牛的尾巴?……翻开《老北京的趣闻秘事》,聆听古老的北京城最悠远动人的传奇,感受那个不一样的古老帝都。