登陆注册
5223900000138

第138章

The park at Custins, which was spacious, had many woodland walks attached to it, from which, through vistas of the timber, distant glimpses of the sea were caught. Within half a mile of the house the woods were reached, and within a mile the open sea was in sight,--and yet the wanderers might walk for miles without going over the same ground. Here, without other companions, Lady Mary and Miss Boncassen found themselves one afternoon, and here the latter told her story to her lover's sister. 'I long to tell you something,' she said.

'Is it a secret?' asked Lady Mary.

'Well; yes it is,--if you will keep it so. I would rather you should keep it a secret. But I will tell you.' Then she stood still looking into the other's face. 'I wonder how you will take it.'

'What can it be?'

'Your brother has asked me to be his wife.'

'Silverbridge!'

'Yes;--Lord Silverbridge. You are astonished.'

Lady Mary was much astonished,--so much astonished that words escaped from her, which she regretted afterwards. 'I thought there was someone else.'

'Who else?'

'Lady Mabel Grex. But I know nothing.'

'I think not,' said Miss Boncassen slowly. 'I have seen them together and I think not. There might be somebody, though I think not her. But why do I say that? Why do I malign him, and make so little of myself. There is no one else, Lady Mary. Is he not true?'

'I think he is true.'

'I am sure he is true. And he has asked me to be his wife.'

'What did you say?'

'Well;--what do you think? What is it probable that such a girl as I would say when such a man as your brother asks her to be his wife? Is he not such a man as a girl would love?'

'Oh yes.'

'Is he not handsome as a god?' Mary stared at her with all her eyes. 'And sweeter than any god those pagan races knew? And is he not good-tempered, and loving; and has he not that perfection of manly dash without which I do not think I do not think I could give my heart to any man?'

'Then you have accepted him?'

'And his rank and wealth! The highest position in all the world in my eyes.'

'I do not think you should take him for that.'

'Does it not all help? Can you put yourself in my place? Why should I refuse him? No, not for that. I would not take him for that. But if I love him,--because he is all that my imagination tells me that a man ought to be;--if to be his wife seems to be the greatest bliss that could happen to a woman; if I feel that I could die to serve him, that I would live to worship him, that his touch would be sweet to me, his voice music, his strength the only supports in the world on which I would care to lean,--what then?'

'Is it so?'

'Yes it is so. it is after that fashion that I love him. He is my hero;--and not the less so because there is none higher than he among the nobles of the greatest land under the sun. Would you have me for a sister?' Lady Mary could not answer all at once.

She had to think of her father,--and then she thought of her own lover. Why should not Silverbridge be as well entitled to his choice as she considered herself to be? And yet how would it be with her father? Silverbridge would in process of time be the head of the family. Would it be proper that he should marry an American?

'You would not like me for a sister?'

'I was thinking of my father. For myself I like you.'

'Shall I tell you what I said to him?'

'If you will.'

'I told him that he must ask his friends;--that I would not be his wife to be rejected by them all. Nor will I. Though it be heaven I will not creep there through a hole. If I cannot go with my head upright, I will not go even there.' The she turned round as though she were prepared in her emotion to walk back to the house alone. But Lady mare ran after her, and having caught her put her arm round her waist and kissed her.

'I at any rate will love you,' said Lady Mary.

'I will do as I said,' continued Miss Boncassen. 'I will do as I have said. Though I love your brother down to the ground he shall not marry me without his father's consent.' Then they returned arm-in-arm close together; but very little was said between them.

When Lady Mary entered the house she was told that Lady Cantrip wished to see her in her own room.

同类推荐
  • 建中靖国续灯录

    建中靖国续灯录

    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。
  • 杜阳杂编

    杜阳杂编

    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。
  • 十不二门文心解

    十不二门文心解

    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。
  • 甲申杂记

    甲申杂记

    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。
  • 观总相论颂

    观总相论颂

    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
  • 重生废柴:伪灵

    重生废柴:伪灵

    重生下界,一府的人,各怀鬼胎,暗藏玄机。而她是废柴中的极品,无灵者——欺辱,夺婚,灭门,一桩接着一桩来。红氏一族半身血脉?千年前的隐修大家族?重重身份的背后,到底隐藏着什么呢?
  • 爱情不是你想要就美好

    爱情不是你想要就美好

    十年,她由一个乖顺的小甜心变成独立的女强人坐拥了可观物质基础,精明到爱情、工作、生活都计算得无比精准,最后却算漏了自己的爱情。一天之内被男友抛弃,丢掉工作奔赴异地的小城寻找出口。一路行走,让她触碰到了生活里的一度温暖竟然是邂逅了比自己小六岁的大男孩。当23岁森系总裁遇见29岁大龄胜女到底会萌发怎样的故事……
  • 天价前妻

    天价前妻

    十年前,她是豪门千金,天价难娶,他是穷小子,身无分文。十年后,她家破人亡,为生计四处奔波,他却成为一等一的精英,傲视群雄,拥有一切。再见时,他邪魅妄笑:“亲爱的前妻,我们的账该好好算一算了!”谁的青春不迷茫,谁的初恋不难忘,有多少痛刻骨铭心,有多少爱可以重来?
  • 拜堂不洞房:王妃不给力

    拜堂不洞房:王妃不给力

    【本故事纯属虚构】他以为她费劲心思的想要嫁给他。。。没料想,她却是一门心思的想要逃离他,和自己的挚友厮守;天凉国高高在上的王爷,何曾受过这样的侮辱。。。他决定要征服她。。。暴力、抠门、性别抽象平胸女王小妃VS花心、冷血、男女通杀妖魅男乔禹一。茉:两方皆实力战将,输赢难料,欢迎大家下注。。。
  • 清商

    清商

    古为郡国之地,今谓羊绒之都;早称天下北库,现誉北方温州。清河故地,源远流长,经过数千年的沧桑演变,积淀了丰厚的历史文化,更为后人遗留下特有的商业根脉。清河商业活动较早,史上久负盛名。著名文学家左思曾在《魏都赋》中盛赞:“锦绣襄邑,罗绮朝歌,绵纩房子,缣总清河。”自那时起,清河人就以“崇德尚义,勇闯天下”的精神,踏上了永不止息的创业之路。中国历史上罕有的南北交通动脉大运河贯通以来,油坊古镇便借助清河为郡为国的封地优势,吸引了大量的外地商家云集此处,一度成为华北外埠来货和当地物产集散进出的重要枢纽,闻名遐迩。
  • 女配重生:废材王爷心上宠

    女配重生:废材王爷心上宠

    上一世,花兮身为名家大族的嫡系长女,却活的浑浑噩噩,双眼被情爱两字所蒙蔽。失去一切时,恍然醒悟已然迟了。而这一切不过是因为她是书里面的女配,所以她做什么都是错,做什么都是为男主铺路。最后甚至连她的家人都不得好死。这辈子,她要这天再也遮不住她眼,这地再也挡不住她心!
  • 幻夜

    幻夜

    是什么样的过去,造就了她的魔性?是什么样的幻影,操纵着他的灵魂?地震之后,宛如人间炼狱的断壁残垣中,水原雅也借机杀了舅舅,却被一神秘女子当场目击,她答应为水原终生保守秘密。他们相偕前往东京,然而等待他们的,却是从此再无一丝太阳的无边幻夜:凡是接近过她的人,都遭逢厄运;凡是触碰过她过去的人,都不知所踪……《幻夜》被媒体和读者列为东野圭吾的巅峰之作,多线演进、暗藏伏笔、丝丝入扣的写实技巧在本书中愈加纯熟,以笔为刀,直刺人性最深处的无边之恶,将人为活下去而不择手段的绝望,书写得血流成河……正如评者所言:“《幻夜》乃是一部不折不扣的‘绝望之书’。”
  • 狂婿

    狂婿

    别人当上门女婿,曰子都过得挺憋屈的,陈铁当上门女婿,却活脱脱成了大爷…………
  • 药师如来念诵仪轨

    药师如来念诵仪轨

    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。
  • 八荒:十二守城人

    八荒:十二守城人

    国破山河在,她的血香魅惑人的心神,青丘太子墨以希娶她只为得到那血液。有人攻城,有人守城,这一切只是开始…各方势力蠢蠢欲动,血魂珠…