登陆注册
5237600000059

第59章 "I AM MISANTHROPOS, AND HATE MANKIND"(2)

"Well," she said, "I am not going to make excuses for myself. But the things which one says naturally enough when the emotions provoke them sound crude enough in cold blood and colder daylight. We women are creatures of mood, you know. I was feeling a little lonely and a little tired last night, and the music stole away my common sense.""I understand," he murmured. "All that you said shall be forgotten.""Then you do not understand," she answered, smiling at him. "What I said I do not wish to be forgotten. Only--just at that moment, it sounded natural enough--and today--I think that I am a little ashamed."He rose from his seat. Her eyes leaped up to his expectantly, and the color streamed into her cheeks. But he only stood by her side. He did nothing to meet the half-proffered embrace.

"Dear Lady Emily," he said, "all the kind things that you said were spoken to a stranger. You did not know me. I did not mean anyone to know me. It is you who have commanded the truth. You must have it. I am not the person I seem to be. I am not the person to whom words such as yours should have been spoken.

Even my name is an assumed one. I should prefer to leave it at that--if you are content.""I am not content," she answered quietly; "I must hear more."He bowed.

"I am a man," he said, "who spent ten years in prison, the ten best years of my life. A woman sent me there--a woman swore my liberty away to save her reputation. I was never of a forgiving disposition, I was never an amiably disposed person. I want you to understand this. Any of the ordinary good qualities with which the average man may be endowed, and which I may have possessed, are as dead in me as hell fire could burn them. You have spoken of me as of a man who failed to find a sufficient object in life. You were wrong.

I have an object, and I do my best to live up to it. I hate the whole world of men and women who laughed their way through life whilst I suffered--tortures.

I hate the woman who sent me there. I have no heart, nor any sense of pity.

Now perhaps you can understand my life and the manner of it."Her hands were clasped to the side of her head. Something of horror had stolen into the steadfast gaze with which she was still regarding him. Yet there were other things there which puzzled him.

"This--is terrible!" she murmured. "Then you are not--Mr. Wingrave at all?"He hesitated. After all, it was scarcely worth while concealing anything now.

"I am Sir Wingrave Seton," he said. "You may remember my little affair!"She caught hold of his hands.

"You poor, poor dear!" she cried. "How you must have suffered!"Wingrave had a terrible moment. What he felt he would never have admitted, even to himself. Her eyes were shining with sympathy, and it was so unexpected. He had expected something in the nature of a cold withdrawal; her silence was the only thing he had counted upon. It was a fierce, but short battle. His sudden grasp of her hands was relaxed. He stood away from her.

"You are very kind," he said. "As you can doubtless imagine, it is a little too late for sympathy. The years have gone, and the better part of me, if ever there was a better part, with them.""I am not so sure of that!" she whispered.

He looked at her coldly.

"Why not?"

"If you were absolutely heartless," she said, "if you were perfectly consistent, why did you not make me suffer? You had a great chance! A little feigned affection, and then a few truths. You could have dragged me down a little way into the pit of broken hearts! Why didn't you?"He frowned.

"One is forced to neglect a few opportunities!"She smiled at him--delightfully.

"You foolish man!" she murmured. "Some day or other, you will turn out to be a terrible impostor. Do you know, I think I am going to ask you again--what Iasked you last night?"

"I scarcely think that you will be so ill-advised," he declared coldly.

"Whether you believe it or not, I can assure you that I am incapable of affection."She sighed.

"I am not so sure about that," she said with protesting eyebrows, "but you are terribly hard-hearted?"He was entirely dissatisfied with the impression he had produced. He considered the attitude of the Marchioness unjustifiably frivolous. He had an uneasy conviction that she was not in the least inclined to take him seriously.

"I don't think," he said, glancing at the clock, "that I need detain you any longer.""You are really going away, then?" she asked him softly.

"Yes."

"To call on Lady Ruth, perhaps?"

"As it happens, no," he answered.

Suddenly her face changed--she had remembered something.

"It was Lady Ruth!" she exclaimed.

"Exactly!" he interrupted.

"What a triumph of inconsistency!" she declared scornfully. "You are lending them money!""I am lending money to Lady Ruth," he answered slowly.

Their eyes met. She understood, at any rate, what he intended to convey.

Certainly his expression was hard and merciless enough now!

"Poor Ruth," she murmured.

"Some day," he answered, "you will probably say that in earnest."

同类推荐
  • 太上真一报父母恩重经

    太上真一报父母恩重经

    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。
  • 比丘尼传

    比丘尼传

    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。
  • 一乘佛性究竟论

    一乘佛性究竟论

    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。
  • 七国考

    七国考

    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。
  • THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

    THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

    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
  • Old Times

    Old Times

    Old Times was first presented by the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Aldwych Theatre, London, on 1 June 1971. It was revived at the Donmar Warehouse, London, in July 2004.'Old Times is a joyous, wonderful play that people will talk about as long as we have a theatre.' New York Times' What am I writing about? Not the weasel under the cocktail cabinet … I can sum up none of my plays. I can describe none of them, except to say: that is what happened. This is what they said. That is what they did.' Harold Pinter
  • 厂花和修女:你这个狗奴才

    厂花和修女:你这个狗奴才

    隆武三十六年,宦官当道,扰乱朝政。芮芽在渡洋的时候一直思考,自己为什么会莫名就跟着爸爸来传教,明明自己只是一条咸鱼。当见到贺烟暝的时候,第一感觉就觉得只是个长得较为好看的……的………男人???但是妈妈从小教育她,男人都是大猪蹄子,所以芮芽便将贺烟暝归为大猪蹄子一类,但时间长了发现:并不是这样啊天主爸爸!这男人根本就是个狗奴才!
  • 公主嫁到:妖孽师叔,请接嫁

    公主嫁到:妖孽师叔,请接嫁

    这是一个被亲哥坑骗穿越到了一个玄幻世界,经历一生的故事。亲人、朋友和一个让她心动的他。阴谋、真相,甘甜的毒药,甜腻微苦的爱恋,皆化作雨点般的狗粮,朝无辜的路人砸去。整天沉迷男色的某公主:承蒙你出现,够我喜欢一辈子了。终日勾搭公主的某狐狸:这就是你整日偷看为夫的理由?她是翱翔九天的凰,是张扬灿烂的阳,是受人崇敬的天才,更是某人的心尖宠。早慧天才?不不不,现在更流行全职业天才。什么?你是双灵根天才?十灵根了解一下,谢谢;炼丹炼器一手抓?不好意思,她七大职业都精通;摧残了一众天才的玻璃心?她不是故意的啊,这都是把她扔到这个世界的无良哥哥给她开的bug。男女主妥妥的宠文路线,身心干净一对一,欢迎入坑。
  • 王妃别太作

    王妃别太作

    将军府嫡女林卿,前世被渣男渣女害死,重生后步步复仇,不料却撞到了某个偷听墙角的邪魅小贼。你厌恶虚伪的男人?小贼微微一笑,亲爷一下,爷替你灭了他!一路斗智斗勇,频频败阵的某男恼羞成怒,直接抢亲。娘子,对不住了,简单粗暴才是本王爷的风格……
  • 我国体育无形资产法律保护的研究

    我国体育无形资产法律保护的研究

    《我国体育无形资产法律保护的研究》是为了适应知识经济时代和体育产业发展条件下体育无形资产开发与保护的需要,本研究着眼于对社会各界越来越重视的体育无形资产问题,特别是对其中一些极具体育特色的特殊问题,进行专门的法学理论阐释和法制应用指导,力图对一些基本性和关键性问题的研究有所深化和贡献。《我国体育无形资产法律保护的研究》选择了四个在体育无形资产保护方面最具体育行业与专业特殊性的问题――体育标志权、体育赛事转播权、体育明星形象权、体育专有技术权来进行研究,力图从理论本源上进行深入的挖掘,填补一些理论空白,澄清一些模糊认识,进行创新性的学术探索,并且对现有的一些理论观点进行思辩与挑战。
  • 绝声

    绝声

    淮南阁是名动江湖的第一大门派,而阁主萧殊是名动洛阳的人物。孟善八岁那年见到了萧殊,萧殊这个名字起的委实贴切,殊容绝秀,故生而名殊。那时候孟家恰遭灭门惨案,江湖人士趋于两个利益,一为《绝声》,二为染玉,于是便杀了孟家上上下下六十六口人。从此她的愿望只有报仇。而他们的故事,就从报仇开始。
  • 云麓漫钞

    云麓漫钞

    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。
  • 妾本妖娆之绝宠狂妃

    妾本妖娆之绝宠狂妃

    男人征服世界,女人征服男人。特别是在一个男尊的社会,想要站到顶端,自然要征服一个顶尖的男人。21世纪的美女杀手夜媚舞,一着不慎意外身亡。但是上天却让她在异世重生,而且同样赋予了她绝美的容颜。不愿被当作棋子,她毅然放弃荣华富贵。为了报仇,她投身青楼,对着那些恶心的男人巧笑嫣然,只为一朝能把肆意指染她人生的家伙踩在脚底。初次相见,她妖娆动人,一舞成名。而他,身负重伤,奄奄一息。再次见面,她吐气如兰,千娇百媚。而他,坐怀不乱,捶胸顿足。(是的,没错。)三次见面,她绝世而立,冷若冰霜。而他,怦然心动,再难相忘。~【片段一】你欠我一条命!“你为什么救我?”男子看着夜媚舞机警的问。“哪有这么多为什么?看你帅呗。”夜媚舞白了他一眼,继续手上的动作。“说吧,你想要什么?”男子嘴角疼的扯了一下。“我要是说没打算要什么呢?”夜媚舞一只手撑着头无力的回答。“我不想欠别人什么。”男子眼神空洞的看着前方,目无表情的说着。“记住,你欠我一条命!”【片段二】你是不是不行啊?“你对我做了什么?”夜媚舞紧紧拉住被子将自己裹住。“什么都没做。”某男瞥了她一眼淡淡的回答。“你真的什么都没做?”夜媚舞偷偷的松开被子,看着被子下的自己。“没有。”某男又白了她一眼。“你,你是不是不行啊?”【片段三】孩子我养得起。“王爷,若琳小姐说怀了您的孩子。”在书桌前写字的男子头也不抬的说,“告诉王妃,让她去处理。”“王妃,若琳小姐说怀了王爷的孩子。王爷说让您处理”小斯浑身冷汗的等待下文。靠在软塌上夜媚舞美眸微挑,朱唇轻勾,慵懒的打了个哈欠,“让她先住西苑吧。”“是。”小斯松了一口气,准备离去。“等孩子生下来抱来给我,若琳封为通房丫头,马上赐死。”似是不介意的说出这句话,然后妩媚一笑,“孩子我养得起。”女主有恩必还,有仇必报,爱恨分明。男主独立强大,爱妻成狂。本文1V1,时有纯情男配,偶有渣男渣女。望各位亲支持。
  • 锦绣绒华

    锦绣绒华

    一代贤后贺兰明珠在随皇上东巡途中骤然病逝。然而一夕醒来她重生于江南富商之女汪岐兰之身。父母双亡,家有富产,还有一个潜力股未婚夫。这一世是谋小康安乐,还是纵横商海,抑或妻凭夫贵,还是重回后宫?汪岐兰说,我要好好的活,看尽这人间锦绣。
  • 中国历史的侧面.3,历史的缝隙与灰烬

    中国历史的侧面.3,历史的缝隙与灰烬

    《中国历史的侧面Ⅲ:历史的缝隙与灰烬》以中国古代历史名人与事件的解读为主,所选人物和事件多为历史热点与大众关注的兴趣点。全书分为五个小版块,分别为人物观察、疑案迷踪、戒石鉴镜、旧闻新说、重回现场;作者在挖掘新史料的基础上往往会发表一些新观点,以此让读者有新感受、新启发。可以说这本书集历史的趣味性、故事性和知识性于一体。