登陆注册
5230200000110

第110章

But at dinner there were plans to be made.To-night she would go back to the hotel,but tomorrow he would take her up to London.He must instruct his solicitor--Jack Herring.Not a finger must be raised to hinder the process of the Law.Damages exemplary,judicial strictures,costs,what they liked--let it go through at the first moment,so that her neck might be out of chancery at last!To-morrow he would see Herring--they would go and see him together.And then--abroad,leaving no doubt,no difficulty about evidence,making the lie she had told into the truth.He looked round at her;and it seemed to his adoring eyes that more than a woman was sitting there.The spirit of universal beauty,deep,mysterious,which the old painters,Titian,Giorgione,Botticelli,had known how to capture and transfer to the faces of their women--this flying beauty seemed to him imprinted on her brow,her hair,her lips,and in her eyes.

'And this is to be mine!'he thought.'It frightens me!'

After dinner they went out on to the terrace to have coffee.They sat there long,the evening was so lovely,watching the summer night come very slowly on.It was still warm and the air smelled of lime blossom--early this summer.Two bats were flighting with the faint mysterious little noise they make.He had placed the chairs in front of the study window,and moths flew past to visit the discreet light in there.There was no wind,and not a whisper in the old oak-tree twenty yards away!The moon rose from behind the copse,nearly full;and the two lights struggled,till moonlight conquered,changing the colour and quality of all the garden,stealing along the flagstones,reaching their feet,climbing up,changing their faces.

"Well,"said Jolyon at last,"you'll be tired,dear;we'd better start.The maid will show you Holly's room,"and he rang the study bell.The maid who came handed him a telegram.Watching her take Irene away,he thought:'This must have come an hour or more ago,and she didn't bring it out to us!That shows!Well,we'll be hung for a sheep soon!'And,opening the telegram,he read:

"JOLYON FORSYTE,Robin Hill.--Your son passed painlessly away on June 20th.Deep sympathy"--some name unknown to him.

He dropped it,spun round,stood motionless.The moon shone in on him;a moth flew in his face.The first day of all that he had not thought almost ceaselessly of Jolly.He went blindly towards the window,struck against the old armchair--his father's--and sank down on to the arm of it.He sat there huddled'forward,staring into the night.Gone out like a candle flame;far from home,from love,all by himself,in the dark!His boy!From a little chap always so good to him--so friendly!Twenty years old,and cut down like grass--to have no life at all!'I didn't really know him,'he thought,'and he didn't know me;but we loved each other.It's only love that matters.'

To die out there--lonely--wanting them--wanting home!This seemed to his Forsyte heart more painful,more pitiful than death itself.

No shelter,no protection,no love at the last!And all the deeply rooted clanship in him,the family feeling and essential clinging to his own flesh and blood which had been so strong in old Jolyon was so strong in all the Forsytes--felt outraged,cut,and torn by his boy's lonely passing.Better far if he had died in battle,without time to long for them to come to him,to call out for them,perhaps,in his delirium!

The moon had passed behind the oak-tree now,endowing it with uncanny life,so that it seemed watching him--the oak-tree his boy had been so fond of climbing,out of which he had once fallen and hurt himself,and hadn't cried!

The door creaked.He saw Irene come in,pick up the telegram and read it.He heard the faint rustle of her dress.She sank on her knees close to him,and he forced himself to smile at her.She stretched up her arms and drew his head down on her shoulder.The perfume and warmth of her encircled him;her presence gained slowly his whole being.

同类推荐
  • 供养仪式

    供养仪式

    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。
  • 太上修真玄章

    太上修真玄章

    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。
  • 筹河篇

    筹河篇

    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。
  • 古今医统大全

    古今医统大全

    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。
  • 罗湖野录

    罗湖野录

    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。
热门推荐
  • 让学生遵纪守法的故事

    让学生遵纪守法的故事

    本书精选了适合中小学生阅读的经典故事,这些故事意蕴深妙,语言简练,深入浅出地阐发了丰富的人生哲理,有助于他们更好地贴近生活,融入社会。
  • 弃妃俱乐部

    弃妃俱乐部

    【起点女生网一组B班签约作品】穿成皇帝的小妾,还万分悲摧地成为了冷宫弃妃,白素素被囚禁在方寸之地的冷宫里,却淡然以对。没衣穿没饭吃怕什么?我就借皇帝的后\宫种种菜、养养鸡,吃饱喝足之余还能凭借现代女的聪明才智赚点零花钱!岂不比深宫里那些为了一个男人天天勾心斗角的女人来得逍遥自在?只不过,吃饭事小,自由事大。她是被囚在高墙之下的稚鸟,何时才能羽翼丰满,飞向那自由幸福的蓝天……
  • 灵宝大炼内旨行持机要

    灵宝大炼内旨行持机要

    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。
  • 文青是不是种病

    文青是不是种病

    二十六岁的李唯七看了十年网文,仍然忠爱小白和升级,对于文艺风深恶痛绝。然而在书评区讽刺文青病作者后的第二日,李维七车祸死亡,一个自称为“文青系统0号”的系统带他重生平行世界。从此,更名白安的李维七过上了幸(苦)运(逼)重(改)生(造)、冶(致)愈(郁)心灵的生活,并逐渐走(重)上(组)人(个)生(人)巅(三)峰(观)。
  • 三生缘:绝色将军

    三生缘:绝色将军

    朋友妻,不可欺!那么,妹妹呢?!他是龙族逃婚少主,前有老娘逼娶侍女,后有真爱投怀送温暖!可国仇家恨在身,他岂能深陷温柔乡?忍辱负重,爱情和仇恨是他活着的理由,穷途末路,可大仇未报,偶遇仙缘,看他如何逆转乾坤......
  • 妇幼保健实用教程

    妇幼保健实用教程

    妇女儿童是社会中的独特的弱势群体,其生理表现、疾病的演变有其独特的规律。妇幼保健丁作具有其特殊性、复杂性、不确定性和高度专业性等特点,妇幼保健状况对人口的总体健康水平有着举足轻重的影响作用。
  • 最强灵植系统

    最强灵植系统

    浩灵大陆,妖佛神魔并存,玄门道宗林立。有建木历经帝落圣陨时代而不朽,有红莲濯阿鼻黄泉而不灭。叶丰带着款灵植系统穿越而来,踩天骄,拥圣女,吞建木,掌红莲,登顶人神极限!诸天万界,唯我独尊!一切不服者,通通打爆!
  • 当代体育与大众传媒

    当代体育与大众传媒

    由张珂、张云、石磊主编的《当代体育与大众传媒》内容主要包括体育的历史沿革与发展,各种媒体形态的发展与现状,体育与传媒的互动历程,当代体育与大众媒介的相互影响以及奥林匹克运动中的体育传播等几个方面。由乔培基教授编写的《当代体育与大众传媒》以体育与媒介二者的关系为切入点,从体育专业、传媒专业的角度,阐述了体育与传媒的互动历程,揭示了二者的辩证关系。同时,全书涵盖了传媒业界最全面的表现形式,展现了体育与传媒界互动的最新形态。《当代体育与大众传媒》既可作为体育、传媒相关领域从业人员的重要参考资料,也可选作大专院校相关专业的实用教材。
  • 重置天下

    重置天下

    掌柜皱眉:“这个江湖,不太对。”白晓笙看着喃喃自语的掌柜的摇摇头,自顾自的提笔把江湖写在记卷上。
  • 佛说灭十方冥经

    佛说灭十方冥经

    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。