登陆注册
5190300000037

第37章

"After the scene you made this morning, Richard, when you chose to accuse your wife of unfaithfulness to her friend, her guest, and even your reputation, I resolved to go myself with Dona Rosita to Los Osos and explain the matter to her father.Some rumor of the ridiculous farce I have just witnessed reached us through Ezekiel, and frightened the poor girl so that she declined--and properly, too to face the hoax which you and some nameless impersonator of a disgraced fugitive have gotten up for purposes of your own! I wish you joy of your work! If the play is over now, I presume I may be allowed to proceed on my journey?""Not yet," said Demorest slowly, with a face over which the chasing doubts had at last settled in a grayish pallor."Believe what you like, misunderstand me if you will, laugh at the danger you perhaps comprehend better than I do, but upon this road, wherever or to whatever it was leading you--to-night you go no further!""Then I suppose I may return home," she said coldly."Ezekiel will accompany me back to protect me from--robbers.Come, Ezekiel.

Mr.Demorest and his friends can be safely trusted to take care of--your horse."

And as the grinning Ezekiel sprang into the carriage beside her, she pulled up the glass in the fateful and set face of her once trusting husband; the carriage turned and drove off, leaving him like a statue in the road.

The bell of the North Liberty Second Presbyterian Church had just ceased ringing.But in the last five years it had rung out the bass viol and harmonium, and rung in an organ and choir; and the old austere interior had been subjected at the hands of the rising generation to an invasion of youthful warmth and color.Nowhere was this more apparent than in the choir itself, where the bright spring sunshine, piercing a newly-opened stained-glass window, picked out the new spring bonnet of Mrs.Demorest and settled upon it during the singing of the hymn.Perhaps that was the reason why a few eyes were curiously directed in that direction, and that even the minister himself strayed from the precise path of doctrine to allude with ecclesiastical vagueness to certain shining examples of the Christian virtues that were "again in our midst." The shrewd face and white eyelashes of Ezekiel Corwin, junior partner in the firm of Dilworth &Dusenberry, of San Francisco, were momentarily raised towards the choir, and then relapsed into an expression of fatigued self-righteousness.

When the service was over a few worshipers lingered near the choir staircase, mindful of the spring bonnet.

"It looks quite nat'ral," said Deacon Fairchild, "ter see Joan Salisbury attendin' the ministration of the Word agin.And I ain't sorry she didn't bring that second husband of hers with her.It kinder looks like old times--afore Edward Blandford was gathered to the Lord.""That's so," replied his auditor meekly, "and they do say ez ha'ow Demorest got more powerful worldly and unregenerate in that heathen country, and that Joan ez a professin' Christian had to leave him.

I've heerd tell thet he'd got mixed up, out thar, with some half-breed outlaw, of the name o' Johnson, ez hez a purty, high-flyin' Mexican wife.It was fort'nit for Joan that she found a friend in grace in Brother Corwin to look arter her share in the property and bring her back tu hum.""She's lookin' peart," said Sister Bradley, "though to my mind that bonnet savors still o' heathen vanities.""Et's the new idees--crept in with that organ," groaned Deacon Fairchild; "but--sho--thar she comes."She shone for an instant--a charming vision--out of the shadow of the choir stairs, and then glided primly into the street.

The old sexton, still in waiting with his hand on the half-closed door, paused and looked after her with a troubled brow.A singular and utterly incomprehensible recollection and resemblance had just crossed his mind.

End

同类推荐
  • 有酒十章

    有酒十章

    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。
  • 大悲经

    大悲经

    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。
  • 问辨录

    问辨录

    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。
  • 定命录

    定命录

    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。
  • 宗门十规论

    宗门十规论

    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
  • 无上魂契

    无上魂契

    别说林北野有光环,没光环的都死了,还写啥书
  • 我的异界历险记

    我的异界历险记

    一觉醒来,身处异界。从此踏上与神为师,与魔为敌之路。奋起吧!不畏艰难,不畏苦难。用独特的力量对抗敌人,催魔灭鬼!守护新世界!
  • 二进制虫

    二进制虫

    科学天才异想天开,企图以二进制数据制造填充灵魂的容器,实现人造神计划。
  • 替身情人:独宠霸道蛇王

    替身情人:独宠霸道蛇王

    考古女汉子穿越成霸道蛇王的爱妃,咦咦咦,蛇夫君怎么搂着别的女人亲亲我我?简直不能忍!离家出走遇太子躲皇子,顺便调戏一把冥王大人,谁知被某腹黑妖孽一把捉住,“玩够了吗,该回来做王后了。”【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 世事

    世事

    苏教授、戴芬、小刁,苏教授与戴芬是老夫老妻,他们是这个家庭的主角,小刁以保姆的身份也居于这个家庭之中。三个人相聚于一个家庭之中,苏教授心猿意马,戴芬与小刁有竞争,好戏于是开始……
  • 我愿意生活在这三个朝代

    我愿意生活在这三个朝代

    假如给你一次机会,你愿意生活在历史中的哪个朝代?恢弘的大汉?绚烂的大唐?静谧的大宋……如果说,历史有道门槛的话,任何人都不过是槛外痴人,企及遥望。拈起脚尖,伸头探望,总能于门缝问窥及些许的意境,宛若发现新大陆般,惊喜连连。现在,就在这窥望中,让我们的思绪走进另一个美妙的天地……
  • 唐氏女

    唐氏女

    正元四年,天下初定。紫霄宝殿的大门吱一声打开,又吱一声闭合,唐仲晋一身污秽的囚服站在堂……
  • 血妻

    血妻

    她,为情而死,为恨重生。十七年前,她助他夺位,他以后位相许。一道灭门的圣旨,一盏至毒的毒酒,他给了她永生难忘的大婚……他喂给她的毒药,永不超生,她却在风雨之中重生……十七年后,他已成世人景仰的皇,她却是冷宫卑贱的奴。冷宫疯妃重登御殿,他怅然若失,她声声冷笑。宫中宠妃被杀,他若有所思,背后掌控的她仰天长笑。冷宫疯妃,不过是一个幌子;新妃之死,不过是她的第一步;她,要将把她推下地狱的人,一个一个的,送进地狱。她的恨,需要以血洗涤父子争妃,江山为聘,天下之争只为红颜一笑,她,却只是冷笑……“奴婢不是废后,废后任人掌控生命甚至随意丢弃,奴婢却确信,我命由我不由天,更不由仇人说,生生世世,你只能是朕的。仇人的儿子说,孤会从父皇手中把你抢过来,连同江山。却是谁说:姐姐,我喜欢你曾经的笑容,可是.....片段一:“皇上……你有爱过我吗?”泪水模糊了她的视线,然而她还是固执的睁大眼睛仰视着他。“爱?呵……”他一声嗤笑,居高临下地俯视着她,子夜般的眸子中满是不屑!“曾经的一切,只是让你在一无所有的时候死的更痛苦罢了!”他,字字冰冷。她垂眸,凄苦一笑。原来,他要的……只是她更加痛苦而已。伸手,毫不犹豫的接过那盏毒药,一口饮尽。一丝冷笑在她唇边慢慢漾了开来,她踉跄的倒退了数步,勉强站定。“凤泠!自今日开始,我不会再痛苦,然而,我慕颖然定会让你,痛不欲生!”片段二:“孩子!你把我们的孩子怎么样了!”他紧紧的抓着她的手腕,一脸森冷的怒气。“孩子?什么孩子?”她笑了,如地狱出来的修罗。“你以为,我会容许你的孩子的存在吗?”看着他一脸的痛苦,她不再怕,只是冷笑。“奴婢说过,奴婢不会再痛苦,却会让皇上,痛不欲生!”回眸,转身,却听见了,心,碎了一地。片段三:“妻子变疯,独子背叛的感觉怎么样……泠哥哥?”暗夜之中,她笑的妖娆。相对而立,满身伤痕的他,依旧儒雅清润,仿佛十七年前的他。“妻子?凤泠的妻子,从来只有一个人。冷冷一笑,她回过身去,不再看他胸口汩汩而流的鲜血。“我们走吧。”他看着她牵起另一个男人的手,盈盈的背影渐渐淡出了视线。那一刻,他终于明白了,曾经那个淡若幽兰的女子,已经死了。回来的她,心中再也无他。东陵王爷【凤非】由亲亲〖啊叶〗认领^_^~
  • 密室

    密室

    一切的偶然都是必然——致所有“不可能”的杀人案件。没有出口的迷宫,凶手就在拐角处,7个不可能的杀人案件,7个深埋心底的无限怨恨……就像一只巨大的食人花,用妖娆的美梦编织一张大网,只等你掉入的那刻,了无痕迹地将你消化干净……
  • 中老年的保健细节和养生(现代健康丛书)

    中老年的保健细节和养生(现代健康丛书)

    随着经济的发展,在人类不断追求长寿的同时得要注重追求生活质量的提高,追求健康的长寿。但是,怎样才能健康。怎样才能使中老年人做到健康活过百岁,确实是广大中老年朋友需要了解的问题。了解这一问题的方法,就是学习保健的方法和切实遵循长寿之道。本书意在传播科学的中老年保健理念,揭示如何优化健康和提高生活质量的奥秘。紧密结合现代老年人在日常的生活,工作、学习中经常面临的各种现实问题和困惑,全面而又系统地介绍了作为一名现代老人必须了解和掌握的相关科学知识和有效应对办法。