登陆注册
5237600000025

第25章 A FORLORN HOPE(2)

I say that no man has a right to keep a woman's letters back from her years after any friendship there may have been between them is over. It is not the action of an honorable man. Sir Wingrave Seton has placed himself outside the pale of honorable men.""Your judgment," Aynesworth answered quietly, "seems to me severe. Sir Wingrave Seton has been the victim of peculiar circumstances."Barrington looked at his companion thoughtfully. He was wondering exactly how much he knew.

"You defend him," he remarked. "That is because you have not yet found out what manner of man he is.""In any case," Aynesworth answered, "I am not his judge. Mr. Barrington," he added, "You must forgive me if I remind you that this is a somewhat unprofitable discussion."A short silence followed. With Barrington it did not appear to be a silence of irresolution. He was leaning a little forward in his chair, and his head was resting upon his hand. Of his companion he seemed for the moment to have become oblivious. Aynesworth watched him curiously. Was he looking back through the years, he wondered, to that one brief but lurid chapter of history; or was it his own future of which he was thinking,--a future which, to the world, must seem so full of brilliant possibilities, and yet which he himself must feel to be so fatally and miserably insecure?

"Mr. Aynesworth," he said at last, "I suppose from a crude point of view I am here to bribe you."Aynesworth shrugged his shoulders.

"Is it worth while?" he asked a little wearily. "I have tried to be civil--but I have also tried to make you understand. Your task is absolutely hopeless!""It should not be," Barrington persisted. "This is one of those rare cases, in which anything is justifiable. Seton had his chance at the trial. He chose to keep silence. I do not praise him or blame him for that. It was the only course open to a man of honor. I maintain that his silence then binds him to silence for ever. He has no right to ruin my life and the happiness of my wife by subtle threats, to hold those foolish letters over our heads, like a thunderbolt held ever in suspense. You are ambitious, I believe, Mr. Aynesworth!" Get me those letters, and I will make you my secretary, find you a seat in Parliament, and anything else in reason that you will!"Aynesworth rose to his feet. He wished to intimate that, so far as he was concerned, the interview was at an end.

"Your proposition, Mr. Barrington," he said, "is absolutely impossible. In the first place, I have no idea where the letters in question are, and Sr.

Wingrave is never likely to suffer them to pass into my charge.""You have opportunities of finding out," Barrington suggested.

"And secondly," Aynesworth continued, ignoring the interruption, "whatever the right or the wrong of this matter may be, I am in receipt of a salary from Sr.

Wingrave Seton, and I cannot betray his confidence."Barrington also rose to his feet. He was beginning to recognize the hopelessness of his task.

"This is final, Mr. Aynesworth?" he asked.

"Absolutely!" was the firm reply.

Barrington bowed stiffly, and moved towards the door. On the threshold he paused.

"I trust, Mr. Aynesworth," he said hesitatingly, "that you will not regard this as an ordinary attempt at bribery and corruption. I have simply asked you to aid me in setting right a great injustice.""It is a subtle distinction, Mr. Barrington," Aynesworth answered, "but I will endeavor to keep in mind your point of view."Barrington drove straight home, and made his way directly to his study. Now that he was free from his wife's influence, and looked back upon his recent interview, he realized for the first time the folly and indignity of the whole proceedings. He was angry that, a man of common sense, keen witted and farseeing in the ordinary affairs of life, should have placed himself so completely in a false, not to say a humiliating position. And then, just as suddenly, he forgot all about himself, and remembered only her. With a breath of violets, and the delicate rustling of half-lifted skirts, she had come softly into the room, and stood looking at him inquiringly. Her manner seemed to indicate more a good-natured curiosity than real anxiety. She made a little grimace as he shook his head.

"I have failed," he said shortly. "That young man is a prig!""I was afraid," she said, "that he would be obstinate. Men with eyes of that color always are!""What are we to do, Ruth?"

"What can we?" she answered calmly. "Nothing but wait. He is going to America.

It is a terrible country for accidents. Something may happen to him there! Do go and change your things, there's a dear, and look in at the Westinghams' for me for an hour. We'll just get some supper and come away.""I will be ready in ten minutes," Barrington answered. He understood that he was to ask no questions, nor did he. But all the time his man was hurrying him into his clothes, his brain was busy weaving fancies.

同类推荐
  • The Blithedale Romance

    The Blithedale Romance

    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。
  • 订鬼篇

    订鬼篇

    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。
  • 灵宝施食法

    灵宝施食法

    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。
  • 拈八方珠玉集

    拈八方珠玉集

    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。
  • 礼佛仪式

    礼佛仪式

    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。
热门推荐
  • 碣石调幽兰

    碣石调幽兰

    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。
  • 我们都是匹诺曹

    我们都是匹诺曹

    一个是沉醉于赚钱发达的网店卖家,一个是灵感枯竭急需火花的少女漫画家,两人在彼此的游戏中相知相恋,等到谎言被揭穿那天才发现,原来两人皆已赔上了真心。沈旸的摇摆不定令陈南希丧失信心,无奈他们只能遗憾地错过……
  • 嫡妻难惹

    嫡妻难惹

    【本文宅斗,爽文,一对一,男强女强】*她本是侯府贵女,一朝变故,却落得个父死兄亡,母丧嫂故,凄惨度日的下场。本以为觅得良配,她亦是倾尽所有,助夫君成为一代枭臣。岂料良配竟是豺狼,只因他心爱之人一句不喜,他硬是将亲儿活活冻死,将她挫骨扬灰,尸骨无存。*可怜她孤魂游荡千年,幸得上天垂怜,一朝重生,她回到了十岁那年;父母安好,兄嫂和睦,她仍是侯府最贵重的嫡女,她唏嘘长叹,索性一切可以重来……*奈何,前有叔叔们觊觎侯爷之位,欲弑兄灭侄;后有婶娘堂妹们算计暗害,欺母辱嫂;更有前世豺狼纠缠不休,欲毁她清誉。*她勾唇冷笑,吃了我的,我要让你连血带肉的吐出来,敢算计我的,我定会千倍万倍地算计回去!谁敢让她一时不痛快,她便让那人痛苦一世!且看她一只千年老鬼如何守至亲,保侯府,为自己铺就一条锦绣之路。*【精彩小剧场】龙凤喜烛,洞房之夜,她一袭华贵嫁衣正对镜剪花……“夫人可是在绘为夫的小样?”“非也。”“那绘什么?”“在绘豺狼?”她巧笑嫣然,抬手便将那绘好的豺狼纸样一下一下地剪碎。简介无能,亲们请看内容,喜欢的亲们记得收藏+留言,谢谢支持!
  • 医女谋圣王妃

    医女谋圣王妃

    前世,她是医药世家的嫡亲传人,杀人救人只是在一念之间,没想到一朝试药,光荣牺牲,再次睁眼,竟然成了宫中最低贱的宫女,不仅小命难保,而且还臭名远扬,刚穿越过来就遭到一顿毒打,好不容易整死人了,又来一波陷害!我说这到底有完没完啊,当我是吃斋念佛的,好欺负是吧!奶奶的,老虎不发威你们全当我是病猫!身份低下,咱们慢慢攀升,先摆脱粗使宫女,像着医女迈进,没想到这边屁股都没坐热,那边又开始升迁了,且看小小宫女如何一步步往上爬,慢慢成为后宫红人!据说一个不小心救了太后,把名声给弄回来了,再一个不小心救了大权当道的王爷,成为郡主了,这好歹咱有了身份不是!可是谁又能告诉我这是咋回事,夜探香闺的男人,为啥俺总觉得你那么眼熟呢?还有皇上,拜托你离我远点,不然明天又是阴谋诡计了!这边还没搞定呢,又来一个状元郎,老天爷,这桃花可不可以别太旺!祖父是冤死的,那咱就伸冤,母亲身份是低贱的,那咱就慢慢提高,父亲是被逐出家门的,那咱就等着他们来求回去!好不容易重生一回,不把你们都送进地狱去陪罪,我对得起自己这具身体么?片段一:“一年后成亲!”“三年!”“一年!”“三年!”“那就一年后先洞房,三年后再成亲!”某王爷无耻道!心想,这下能等了!某女嘴巴抽搐两下,直接暴走…心道,先上后婚都流行到古代来了,世风日下啊!片段二:“寻儿,朕准备跟皇弟抢人了!”“哦,那就抢吧!”“朕想抢的人的是你!”“哦,我什么时候是他的了!”某女自问道,一脸的莫名其妙!夏墨晗看她那呆呆的模样,顿时仰望苍天一阵无语,其实他想说,他也是爱她的!
  • 超神话玩家

    超神话玩家

    夺舍成为身份显赫的黎家神子,开局就有仙子上门做妾,更有游戏系统附身,黎阳昊本以为自己的开挂人生就要开始了。然而,内有家族天才搞事想要更换神子,外有未知黑手随时阴谋算计,更有情敌仇敌虎视眈眈,甚至还有疑是主角的死敌正在崛起。 我该怎么办,在线等支援!
  • 微笑经济学

    微笑经济学

    微笑服务是一种力量,它不但可以产生良好的经济效益,而且还可以创造无价的社会效益。微笑不需要成本,却能够创造出许多价值。本书旨在指导读者如何将微笑转化为效益。作者在书中用平凡人的小故事指引读者看到微笑产生的能量,告诉读者微笑代表着真诚、付出,让人愿意亲近、接受,一步步指导读者如何发挥这一能量,创造美好的生活和出色的工作。
  • 我的王妃会捉鬼

    我的王妃会捉鬼

    玄冰凌坐在前往昆明的巴士上,她有着海藻般浓密且优雅的大卷,瓜子脸,白泽的肤色,微卷且长的睫毛,一双古典的丹凤眼正迷离的望着车窗外倒退的风景。只见她上身着一件米色宽松长款T恤,消瘦的肩头微露,锁骨清晰可见,下身是一条低腰翻边牛仔短裤,一双修长紧致的腿引人注目。云南人一般肤色偏黑黄,她却是天生的白泽,这样一个引人注目的女孩子,有谁会将她与驱魔抓鬼的天师联想道一起?她今天……
  • 言言知我意

    言言知我意

    温言:“我们离婚吧!”林天逸委屈巴巴地说:“媳妇我身份证丢了,离不了,最少也要等三个月才能离。”温言磨牙,“那先把离婚协议签了!”“等我去找律师。”林天逸这样说,结果林家大少爷华丽丽地溜了。小奶娃酷酷地说道:“妈咪,如果你敢和爹地离婚,我就带着妹妹流浪街头。”不得不说林家大少爷这助攻,打的真不是一般的好,防止自己的儿子女儿变成流浪娃,温小姐这离婚的想法只能作罢,于是……(纯爱+初恋+甜宠)(不怎么狗血,有点小虐,附带两个小奶娃。)
  • l8r, g8r - 10th Anniversary update and reissue

    l8r, g8r - 10th Anniversary update and reissue

    It's time for a new generation of readers to discover the phenomenally bestselling and beloved series, told entirely in messages and texts. With a fresh look and updated cultural references, the notorious list-topping series is ready for the iPhone generation. First published in 2004 (holy moly!), ttyl and its sequels follow the ups and downs of high school for the winsome threesome, three very different but very close friends: wild Maddie (mad maddie), bubbly Angela (SnowAngel), and reserved Zoe (zoegirl). Through teacher crushes, cross-country moves, bossy Queen Bees, incriminating party pics, and other bumps along the way, author Lauren Myracle explores the many potholes of teenagedom with the unflinching honesty and pitch-perfect humor that made this series a staple of young adult literature.
  • 龙筋凤髓判

    龙筋凤髓判

    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。