登陆注册
5223900000101

第101章

It was pretty to see the Duke's reception of Lady Mabel. 'I knew your mother many years ago,' he said, 'when I was young myself.

Her mother and my mother were first cousins and dear friends.' He held her hand as he spoke and looked at her as though he meant to love her. Lady Mabel saw that it was so. could it be possible that the Duke had heard anything;--that he should wish to receive her?

She had told herself and had told Miss Cassewary that though she had spared Silverbridge, yet she knew that she would make him a good wife. If the Duke thought so also, then surely she need not doubt.

'I knew we were cousins,' she said, 'and have been so proud of the connection! Lord Silverbridge does come and see us sometimes.'

Soon after that Silverbridge and Popplecourt came in. If the story of the old woman in the portrait may be taken as evidence of a family connection between Lady Cantrip and Lord Popplecourt, everybody there was more or less connected with everybody else.

Nidderdale had been a first cousin of Lady Glencora, and he had married a daughter of Lady Cantrip. They were manifestly a family party,--thanks to the old woman in the picture.

It is a point of conscience among the--perhaps not ten thousand, but say one thousand of bluest blood,--that everybody should know who everybody is. Our Duke, though he had not given his mind much to the pursuit, had nevertheless learned his lesson. It is a knowledge which the possession of the blue blood itself produces.

There are countries with bluer blood than our own in which to be without such knowledge is a crime.

When the old lady in the portrait had been discussed, Popplecourt was close to Lady Mary. They two had no idea why such vicinity had been planned. The Duke knew of course, and Lady Cantrip. Lady Cantrip had whispered to her daughter that such a marriage would be suitable, and the daughter had hinted it to her husband. Lord Cantrip of course was not in the dark. Lady Mabel had expressed a hint on the matter to Miss Cass, who had not repudiated it. Even Silverbridge had suggested to himself that something of the kind might be in the wind, thinking that, if so, none of them knew very much about his sister Mary. But Popplecourt himself was divinely innocent. His ideas of marriage had as yet gone no farther than a conviction that girls generally were things which would be pressed on him, and against which he must arm himself with some shield.

Marriage would have to come, no doubt, but not the less was it his duty to live as though it were a pit towards which he would be tempted by female allurements. But that a net should be spread over him here he was much too humble-minded to imagine.

'Very hot,' he said to Lady Mary.

'We found it warm in church today.'

'I dare say. I came down here with your brother in his hansom cab.

What a very odd thing to have a hansom cab!'

'I should like one.'

'Should you indeed?'

'Particularly if I could drive it myself. Silverbridge does, at night, when he thinks people won't see him.'

'Drive the cab in the streets! What does he do with his man?'

'Puts him inside. He was out once without the man and took up a fare,--an old woman, he said. And when she was going to pay him he touched his hat and said he never took money from ladies.'

'Do you believe that?'

'Oh yes. I call that good fun, because it did no harm. He had his lark. The lady was taken where she wanted to go, and she saved her money.'

'Suppose he had upset her,' said Lord Popplecourt, looking as an old philosopher might have looked when he had found something clenching answer to another philosopher's argument.

'The real cabman might have upset her worse,' said Lady Mary.

'Don't you feel it odd that we should meet here?' said Lord Silverbridge to his neighbour Lady Mabel.

'Anything unexpected is odd,' said Lady Mabel. It seemed to her to be very odd,--unless certain people had made up their minds as to the expediency of a certain event.

'That is what you call logic;--isn't it? Anything unexpected is odd?'

'Lord Silverbridge, I won't be laughed at. You have been at Oxford and ought to know what logic is.'

'That at any rate is ill-natured,' he replied, turning very red in the face.

'You don't think I meant it. Oh, Lord Silverbridge, say that you don't think I meant it. You cannot think I would willingly wound you. Indeed, indeed, I was not thinking.' It had, in truth been an accident. She could speak aloud because they were closely surrounded by others, but she looked up in his face to see whether he were angry with her. 'Say that you do not think I meant it.'

'I do not think you meant it.'

'I would not say a word to hurt you,--oh for more than I can tell you.'

'It is all bosh of course,' said he laughing, 'but I do not like to hear the old place named. I have always made a fool of myself, some men do it and don't care about it. But I do it, and yet it makes me miserable.'

'If that be so you will soon give over making--what you call a fool of yourself, for my self I like the idea of wild oats. I look upon them like measles. Only you should have a doctor ready when the disease shows itself.'

'What sort of doctor should I have?'

'Ah;--you must find that out for yourself. That sort of feeling which makes you feel miserable;--that is a doctor itself.'

'Or a wife?'

'Or a wife,--if you can find a good one. There are wives, you know, who aggravate the disease. If I had a fast husband I should make him faster by being fast myself. There is nothing I envy so much as the power of doing half-mad things.'

'Woman can do that too.'

'But they go to the dogs. We are dreadfully restricted. If you like champagne you can have a bucketful. I am obliged to pretend that I only want a very little. You can bet thousands. I must confine myself to gloves. You can flirt with any woman you please.

I must wait till somebody comes,--and put up with it if nobody does come.'

'Plenty come no doubt.'

同类推荐
  • Merry Wives of Windsor

    Merry Wives of Windsor

    I thank you for my venison, Master Shallow. SHALLOW Master Page, I am glad to see you: much good do it your good heart!汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 安广县乡土志

    安广县乡土志

    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。
  • 大汉三合明珠宝剑全传

    大汉三合明珠宝剑全传

    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。
  • 千转大明陀罗尼经

    千转大明陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 本草问答

    本草问答

    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
  • 提高文章写作能力(学生综合素质提高手册)

    提高文章写作能力(学生综合素质提高手册)

    青少年是祖国的未来和希望,培养综合素质高的接班人是我们教育的天职。当今社会,我们国家在现代化发展的道路上正面临着极大的机遇和巨大的挑战。要应对挑战就必须使未来的建设者们具备全面的素质;不但要有自然科学的知识,同时也必须掌握人文科学的知识。只有具备综合素质的人,才能称得上是合格的人才。一个民族的全体国民要想全面提高人文素质,就必须以提高综合素质为突破口。本选题是为青少年量身定做的综合素质提高自助读本。
  • 医统江山

    医统江山

    前世过劳而死的医生转世大康第一奸臣之家,附身在聋哑十六年的白痴少年身上,究竟是他的幸运还是不幸,上辈子太累,这辈子只想娇妻美眷,儿孙绕膝,舒舒服服地做一个蒙混度日的富二代,却不曾想家道中落,九品芝麻官如何凭借医术权术,玩弄江湖庙堂,且看我医手遮天,一统山河!章鱼威信公众号Stonesquid欢迎加入
  • 蚕丝:钱学森传

    蚕丝:钱学森传

    《蚕丝:钱学森传》讲述了钱学森旅美二十年、曲折归国以及为中国航天事业殚精竭虑的传奇一生。钱学森是如何从一个清末杭州西子湖畔出生的钱王后裔一跃成为美国航天业界最杰出的火箭动力专家,以及如何成为麦卡锡主义的牺牲品而离开美国,从而摇身变为新中国航天事业的奠基人,成为中国的“导弹之父”?这本书都做了解答。
  • 记得喜欢我

    记得喜欢我

    当篮球少年遇上摄影少女,会碰撞出什么样奇妙的火花呢?当然是摄影少女没完没了的拿着单反怼着篮球少年的脸啦。
  • 农门医香之田园致富

    农门医香之田园致富

    大龄剩女一朝睡醒,主任医师变成身了未知时代的软包子村姑。得了极品后娘,还有同样软包子憨实的老爹,下还有聪明的妹妹以及可爱萌娃的弟弟。更惨的是还有一个等着娶亲的断腿未婚夫。家里穷的四面徒壁,就快断粮,面对恶毒的后娘,还有瘫在床上,天天板着棺材脸,活像别人欠了他百八十两的便宜丈夫。且看软包子村姑如何翻身做主,靠着一手精湛的医术,还有源源不绝的致富点子发家。打倒恶毒后娘,给弟妹当靠山,将黑面神的丈夫照顾的服服贴贴,最后成为富甲一方的女富商,以及一代人人称赞的神医。
  • 许太史真君图传

    许太史真君图传

    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。
  • 重生嫡女难为

    重生嫡女难为

    盼了多年,等了多年,终于迎来新婚花轿,熟料未婚夫君早有负她之心!逃出魔窟,惊闻父亲猝死,幼弟身亡。而这一切竟然都是姨娘和长姐所为,在负心郎和长姐的新婚之夜,她被残虐致死,含恨九泉!若有来生!她一定会叫那些人,血债血偿!重生到五年前,她不再是单纯的嫡女,步步惊心,处处谋划,只为父亲,幼弟,自己一生平安,害她,伤她之人,得到报应!八王爷的款款深情,叫她再次打开心扉。姨娘的阴谋诡计,被她见招拆招。长姐的心狠手辣,她笑里藏刀。负心人的虚情假意,她将计就计。这一世,她活的潇洒自在,携手心爱之人,只羡鸳鸯不羡仙!
  • 养脾食谱

    养脾食谱

    《家庭健康调养食谱丛书》精选了近一千多种家庭健康调养食谱的做法,让你轻松享用色香味美的菜肴。
  • 视觉盛宴考智商(青少年挖掘大脑智商潜能训练集)

    视觉盛宴考智商(青少年挖掘大脑智商潜能训练集)

    潜能是人类原本存在但尚未被开发与利用的能力,是潜在的能量。根据能量守恒定律,能量既不会消灭,也不会创生,它只会从一种形式转化为其他形式,或者从一个物体转移到另一个物体,而转化和转移过程中,能的总量保持不变。
  • 重生影后撩夫记

    重生影后撩夫记

    上一世的林采薇是史上最悲催的一个影视天后,因为心地单纯,没有防人之心,她被人害得身败名裂、一无所有,短短的一生全是泪水,最后连个正常的寿终正寝都没有得到。重活一世,林采薇还想做影视天后,只是她已不是上一世的那个圣母白莲花,做影视天后也不再是为了名和利,只为了报上一世的仇和恩……本文是架空文,请勿深究,如有雷同,纯属巧合!