登陆注册
5201800000090

第90章

His wife's dark blue brougham (with the wedding varnish still on it) met Archer at the ferry, and conveyed him luxuriously to the Pennsylvania terminus in Jersey City.

It was a sombre snowy afternoon, and the gas-lamps were lit in the big reverberating station.As he paced the platform, waiting for the Washington express, he remembered that there were people who thought there would one day be a tunnel under the Hudson through which the trains of the Pennsylvania railway would run straight into New York.They were of the brotherhood of visionaries who likewise predicted the building of ships that would cross the Atlantic in five days, the invention of a flying machine, lighting by electricity, telephonic communication without wires, and other Arabian Night marvels.

"I don't care which of their visions comes true,"Archer mused, "as long as the tunnel isn't built yet." In his senseless school-boy happiness he pictured Madame Olenska's descent from the train, his discovery of her a long way off, among the throngs of meaningless faces, her clinging to his arm as he guided her to the carriage, their slow approach to the wharf among slipping horses, laden carts, vociferating teamsters, and then the startling quiet of the ferry-boat, where they would sit side by side under the snow, in the motionless carriage, while the earth seemed to glide away under them, rolling to the other side of the sun.It was incredible, the number of things he had to say to her, and in what eloquent order they were forming themselves on his lips...

The clanging and groaning of the train came nearer, and it staggered slowly into the station like a prey-laden monster into its lair.Archer pushed forward, elbowing through the crowd, and staring blindly into window after window of the high-hung carriages.And then, suddenly, he saw Madame Olenska's pale and surprised face close at hand, and had again the mortified sensation of having forgotten what she looked like.

They reached each other, their hands met, and he drew her arm through his."This way--I have the carriage," he said.

After that it all happened as he had dreamed.He helped her into the brougham with her bags, and had afterward the vague recollection of having properly reassured her about her grandmother and given her a summary of the Beaufort situation (he was struck by the softness of her: "Poor Regina!").Meanwhile the carriage had worked its way out of the coil about the station, and they were crawling down the slippery incline to the wharf, menaced by swaying coal-carts, bewildered horses, dishevelled express-wagons, and an empty hearse--ah, that hearse! She shut her eyes as it passed, and clutched at Archer's hand.

"If only it doesn't mean--poor Granny!"

"Oh, no, no--she's much better--she's all right, really.

There--we've passed it!" he exclaimed, as if that made all the difference.Her hand remained in his, and as the carriage lurched across the gang-plank onto the ferry he bent over, unbuttoned her tight brown glove, and kissed her palm as if he had kissed a relic.She disengaged herself with a faint smile, and he said:

"You didn't expect me today?"

"Oh, no."

"I meant to go to Washington to see you.I'd made all my arrangements--I very nearly crossed you in the train.""Oh--" she exclaimed, as if terrified by the narrowness of their escape.

"Do you know--I hardly remembered you?"

"Hardly remembered me?"

"I mean: how shall I explain? I--it's always so.EACHTIME YOU HAPPEN TO ME ALL OVER AGAIN."

"Oh, yes: I know! I know!"

"Does it--do I too: to you?" he insisted.

She nodded, looking out of the window.

"Ellen--Ellen--Ellen!"

She made no answer, and he sat in silence, watching her profile grow indistinct against the snow-streaked dusk beyond the window.What had she been doing in all those four long months, he wondered? How little they knew of each other, after all! The precious moments were slipping away, but he had forgotten everything that he had meant to say to her and could only helplessly brood on the mystery of their remoteness and their proximity, which seemed to be symbolised by the fact of their sitting so close to each other, and yet being unable to see each other's faces.

"What a pretty carriage! Is it May's?" she asked, suddenly turning her face from the window.

"Yes."

"It was May who sent you to fetch me, then? How kind of her!"He made no answer for a moment; then he said explosively: "Your husband's secretary came to see me the day after we met in Boston."In his brief letter to her he had made no allusion to M.Riviere's visit, and his intention had been to bury the incident in his bosom.But her reminder that they were in his wife's carriage provoked him to an impulse of retaliation.He would see if she liked his reference to Riviere any better than he liked hers to May! As on certain other occasions when he had expected to shake her out of her usual composure, she betrayed no sign of surprise: and at once he concluded: "He writes to her, then.""M.Riviere went to see you?"

"Yes: didn't you know?"

"No," she answered simply.

"And you're not surprised?"

She hesitated."Why should I be? He told me in Boston that he knew you; that he'd met you in England I think.""Ellen--I must ask you one thing."

"Yes."

"I wanted to ask it after I saw him, but I couldn't put it in a letter.It was Riviere who helped you to get away--when you left your husband?"His heart was beating suffocatingly.Would she meet this question with the same composure?

"Yes: I owe him a great debt," she answered, without the least tremor in her quiet voice.

Her tone was so natural, so almost indifferent, that Archer's turmoil subsided.Once more she had managed, by her sheer simplicity, to make him feel stupidly conventional just when he thought he was flinging convention to the winds.

"I think you're the most honest woman I ever met!"he exclaimed.

"Oh, no--but probably one of the least fussy," she answered, a smile in her voice.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 重生权门之腹黑千金

    重生权门之腹黑千金

    任务失败,红狐以身殉职,再次睁开眼,发现自己变成了一个八岁的小女孩。老天爷不开眼啊,让她这种祸害重生!—听说她要被送去Z国一户姓穆的人家,穆家有个少爷,耳聋眼瞎腿脚还不好,说是把她送过去冲冲喜。周孜月朝天翻了个大白眼,当你狐奶奶是大白菜啊,说送就送!后来她发现自己真的是一颗大白菜,就这么不要钱的白送了…—房间里,周孜月两手背在身后,晃荡在耳聋眼瞎坐在轮椅上,除了那张脸其他一无是处的穆星辰面前。小脸凑近,仔细瞅着那双黝黑的眼,“这么好看的眼睛,真瞎了?”折叠的水果刀打开,稚嫩的小脸浮起一抹诡异的笑容。锃亮的刀尖慢慢戳向他的眼睛,越来越近……“你就是周孜月?”穆星辰突然开口。刀尖在他睫毛前微微一顿,女孩深邃的笑道:“我说是,你听得见吗?”水果刀往桌子上一扔,她拉起他的手放在自己的小脑袋上,点了点头。穆星辰心道:多么阴险的一个小孩,刚才还要用刀戳他,现在居然露出如此乖巧的笑脸,看来以后的日子不会无聊了。PS:【这是一个装残大灰狼和腹黑小狐狸强强联手,时不时互怼和被撩的故事。】女主又名:护夫宝。男主特殊小癖好:挖挖坑,埋埋人,善善后。
  • 童蒙教草

    童蒙教草

    本书是“日本近代教育之父”福泽谕吉的经典著作,影响了一代又一代的日本人,被日本文部科学省指定为教科书,在欧洲和东南亚地区也深受欢迎。书中从珍视家人、爱护动物、沉着应变等29个方面,通过106篇故事,让孩子从小就能获得身心的健康发展。
  • 砚斋词话

    砚斋词话

    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。
  • 雾沙岛除魔学院之冥恋

    雾沙岛除魔学院之冥恋

    天才少女被迫塞进歌旧学院,第一天就开始翘课,误打误撞发现了歌旧学院的秘密,也因为如此,开启了不一样的人生。
  • 不空罥索陀罗尼经

    不空罥索陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 不懂财务就当不好经理

    不懂财务就当不好经理

    化经理人财务概念,提高经理人财商的书,它能帮助你掌握必备的财务知识和技能。通过阅读《不懂财务就当不好经理·全新修订大全集(超值金版)》,你将有以下收获:全面掌握三大财务报表,读懂财务报告,非财务人员与财务部门在统一的平台上达成有效沟通,树立成本控制意识,掌握内部控制方法,强化财务管理意识,提高企业运作效率,学会使用预算等财务管理工具加强内部管理,运用财务思维视角运作企业,并寻求提升运营绩效的方法。
  • 种田之娘子有空间

    种田之娘子有空间

    演了个电视剧的小角色,结果一不小心便穿越了。拍拍胸口,幸好掉下山崖的时候,万能的如意门开启了,积攒够能量便可以包袱款款地回家了。在古代努力地赚钱,发家致富,只是为了要凑够钱向系统买到回程票。但是为什么在她拍拍屁股准备走人的时候,这个像是大狗似的古代男人也收拾了包袱,满脸理所当然地说:“娘子去哪儿,夫君自然也要去哪儿。”不要啊,这么大件的“行李”,让她打包扛回去是想要累死她啊?
  • 辽海丹忠录

    辽海丹忠录

    小说叙述明朝万历末年努儿哈赤袭抚顺,明将李永芳归降;明廷以杨镐为经略与奴儿哈赤征战未胜,遂擢熊廷为经略以代杨镐。小说叙写时事,多据史实,文笔详赡细腻,结构完整。
  • 亚玄迷途

    亚玄迷途

    为了寻找十年前失踪的母亲。宫羽芊穿越到了异度空间——亚玄界,在这个术法、古武和科技并存的神秘世界里,末世的阴影一步步逼近,而好似救世主一般的师傅,却有着不为人知的秘密,她能够揭开层层迷雾,得偿所愿,挽救亲人与挚爱的残酷命运吗?巾帼群像(不仅仅是女主,就是其他女性角色也都十分的独立。)女主无CP。
  • 青色大金刚药叉辟鬼魔法

    青色大金刚药叉辟鬼魔法

    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。