登陆注册
5164800000020

第20章

'To be so thoughtful and dejected, and to forget our old way ot spending the time in the long evenings,' said the child.'I used to read to him by the fireside, and he sat listening, and when I stopped and we began to talk, he told me about my mother, and how she once looked and spoke just like me when she was a little child.Then he used to take me on his knee, and try to make me understand that she was not lying in her grave, but had flown to a beautiful country beyond the sky where nothing died or ever grew old--we were very happy once!'

'Nelly, Nelly!' said the poor woman, 'I can't bear to see one as young as you so sorrowful.Pray don't cry.'

'I do so very seldom,' said Nell,' but I have kept this to myself a long time, and I am not quite well, I think, for the tears come into my eyes and I cannot keep them back.I don't mind telling you my grief, for I know you will not tell it to any one again.'

Mrs Quilp turned away her head and made no answer.

'Then,' said the child, 'we often walked in the fields and among the green trees, and when we came home at night, we liked it better for being tired, and said what a happy place it was.And if it was dark and rather dull, we used to say, what did it matter to us, for it only made us remember our last walk with greater pleasure, and look forward to our next one.But now we never have these walks, and though it is the same house it is darker and much more gloomy than it used to be, indeed!'

She paused here, but though the door creaked more than once, Mrs Quilp said nothing.

'Mind you don't suppose,' said the child earnestly, 'that grandfather is less kind to me than he was.I think he loves me better every day, and is kinder and more afectionate than he was the day before.You do not know how fond he is of me!'

'I am sure he loves you dearly,' said Mrs Quilp.

'Indeed, indeed he does!' cried Nell, 'as dearly as I love him.But Ihave not told you the greatest change of all, and this you must never breathe again to any one.He has no sleep or rest, but that which he takes by day in his easy chair; for every night and neary all night long he is away from home.'

'Nelly!'

'Hush!' said the child, laying her finger on her lip and looking round.'When he comes home in the morning, which is generally just before day, I let him in.Last night he was very late, and it was quite light.I saw that his face was deadly pale, that his eyes were bloodshot, and that his legs trembled as he walked.When I had gone to bed again, I heard him groan.I got up and ran back to him, and heard him say, before he knew that I was there, that he could not bear his life much longer, and if it was not for the child, would wish to die.What shall I do! Oh! What shall I do!'

The fountains of her heart were opened; the child, overpowered by the weight of her sorrows and anxieties, by the first confidence she had ever shown, and the sympathy with which her little tale had been received, hid her face in the arms of her helpless friend, and burst into a passion of tears.

In a few minutes Mr Quilp returned, and expressed the utmost surprise to find her in this condtiion, which he did very naturally and with admirable effect, for that kind of acting had been rendered familiar to him by long practice, and he was quite at home in it.

同类推荐
  • 礼运

    礼运

    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。
  • 测海集节钞

    测海集节钞

    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。
  • 太上灵宝五符序

    太上灵宝五符序

    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。
  • 张苍水诗文集

    张苍水诗文集

    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。
  • 王惺所集

    王惺所集

    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
  • 七世王绝

    七世王绝

    不知是阴差阳错还是命中注定,失去一切记忆的熙若冥,身体偏偏里多了一个男孩,每天不得不参与争抢身体主权的战争。然而强行居住在其他人身体里的人,绝不是等闲之辈——至少,不会是普通的人类。“修,一定要用你潜伏在冥身体里的空间能力,保护好冥的火......千万不要被人发现你的存在。”——修:“为什么我和熙若老是被关在这个地方被测试?”修躺在测试机上一脸不悦,“就是因为,学院怀疑我是其他的种族?”“不是怀疑,你一定是啊!”“所以,我们很警惕你也是应该呀!毕竟人类是不可能做出共享身体这个行为的。”——与此同时,修和冥所在的时代,种族矛盾却异常尖锐。——“地下生活很艰难呢。水、食物都需要靠上面的地面人类提供,过着计划分配辛苦的生活,”“我们来到人类的领地,帮助人类生活与学习,来获取更多地上资源。”修:“还真是,chiluo裸地被人类奴役呢。”——第七位魔君的死亡,人类和魔族的战争暂时停歇,无影的硝烟却在两族之间持续打响。为了找到种族问题的关键,找寻失去的记忆,寻找修的身份,熙若和修踏上了在迦斯学院变强的征途。一切,会如他们预想的那么顺利吗.......
  • 断掌:婳芯格格(全本)

    断掌:婳芯格格(全本)

    云王府的遮出七格格,自小无人疼,无人爱,由于断掌,还被盛传克死了自己的娘,住的是下人房,吃的是剩下的饭菜,最后,还被自己的亲生父亲送给了暴虐的蛮族的首领,把她指腹为婚的未婚夫当作空气么?当个婢女给首领端茶倒水不说,怎么还要陪他盖棉被聊天?只是,为什么,他要羞辱她?当众人面甩她巴掌不说,还把她赏赐给红凤国的富商?自己,对于他们来说,都只是物品吗?断掌又如何?她能就此屈服于自己的命运?当发现怀上他的孩子,却被从小指腹为婚的未婚夫告白,而孩子他爹,也要抢她回去?
  • 兽尊再世之天战

    兽尊再世之天战

    做为一个已经超出六道的尊主,水墨蓝的生活并没有多大的起浮,大道长生,是所有修者梦寐以求的事情,可却又有凡几能真的达到。不过水墨蓝做到了,可那又如何,等待她的只有无穷无尽的空寂,在破道后,脑海中涌出的无数记忆碎片,让她一闪而过明白,也让她能够坚决的用去了一身道法,“时光回溯”。
  • 玄天仙尊

    玄天仙尊

    出凡间,满心大道光明。入仙门,一路刀光剑影。人言修仙无限苦。我说炼道苦也乐。哭也罢,笑也罢。不枉其中走一遭。且看我笑傲修仙……
  • 日本国考略

    日本国考略

    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。
  • 云中有仙舟

    云中有仙舟

    苍天无尽,云路茫茫,仙舟驶过的云海之下,三千世界如隔绝的孤岛。一条域外游魂,意外成为了仙舟巡界使,被派往云海下的一个又一个修真世界,完成各种各样的天道任务。不同的世界,迥异的风俗人文,相同的道与法,憎与爱……冒牌巡界使郁子规发现,这登仙成神之路,原来跟这岁月一样,悠然而漫长。(本文非快穿非无限流。无男主。)
  • 你的形象价值百万 你的礼仪价值百万(超值金版)

    你的形象价值百万 你的礼仪价值百万(超值金版)

    与人之间的竞争是智力的竞争,也是口才的竞争。口才决定了我们的价值,决定了我们的成败。无论你从事何种行业,无论你身居什么职位,也无论你是男人还是女人,无论你是年轻还是年老,你都必须重视礼仪。一个成功的形象,展现给人们的是自信、尊严和实力。个人形象是昂贵的,有的时候它价值连城。本书深刻地点明了形象、礼仪、口才在人生中的巨大价值和重要作用,深入浅出地阐述了形象、礼仪、口才的基本原理和法则,指出了提升自我形象、修炼优雅礼仪、练就口才的基本途径和方法,从交际到生活、从求职到工作、从说话到办事、从推销到谈判。
  • 屠刀下的笑容

    屠刀下的笑容

    这是一部被遺忘,但同样悲壮的抗日史。这是一部教科书不记载,但更真实,更让人痛心的抗日史。这是一部颠覆传统历史观,试图回答为何中国不缺汉奸的抗日史!性格懦弱的岳冬,为娶得一代名将左宝贵的女儿左心兰,硬着头皮在刀口上过活。时日本侵略朝鲜,清廷仓猝援朝。望夫成龙的心兰为使岳冬踏上征途,于大婚当晚决意出走。然而,让岳冬从贪生怕死到舍生取义的,不是战火的洗礼,不是日军的残暴,而是,亡国奴在屠刀下的──笑容!
  • Inspector Flytrap (Book #1)
  • 不要拦着我狩猎

    不要拦着我狩猎

    阎雪在十五岁之前是阎家第一天才少女,可在她十五岁后就再也完不成一个任务了。(我是第一次写小说,写的不好的地方还请指出来,更新的时间不定,会不定时爆更)