登陆注册
5242200000190

第190章 Chapter 1(6)

"Oh most certainly he TOLD me his reason was because he 'liked' me!"--though she remained in doubt of whether that inarticulate comment had been provoked most by the familiarities she had offered or by those that, so pictured, she had had to endure. That the partner of her bargain had yearned to see her again, that he had plainly jumped at a pretext for it, this also she had frankly expressed herself to the Prince as having, in no snubbing, no scandalised, but rather in a positively appreciative and indebted spirit, not delayed to make out. He had wished ever so seriously to return her a part of her money, and she had wholly declined to receive it; and then he had uttered his hope that she had n't, (224) at all events, already devoted the crystal cup to the beautiful purpose so kindly and so fortunately named to him. It was n't a thing for a present to a person she was fond of, for she would n't wish to give a present that would bring ill luck.

That had come to him--so that he could n't rest, and he should feel better now that he had told her. His having led her to act in ignorance was what he should have been ashamed of; and if she would pardon, gracious lady as she was, all the liberties he had taken, she might make of the bowl any use in life but that one.

It was after this that the most extraordinary incident of all of course had occurred--his pointing to the two photographs with the remark that those were persons he knew, and that, more wonderful still, he had made acquaintance with them years before precisely over the same article. The lady, on that occasion, had taken up the fancy of presenting it to the gentleman, and the gentleman, guessing and dodging ever so cleverly, had declared that he would n't for the world receive an object under such suspicion.

He himself, the little man had confessed, would n't have minded--about THEM; but he had never forgotten either their talk or their faces, the impression altogether made by them, and, if she really wished to know now what had perhaps most moved him, it was the thought that she should ignorantly have gone in for a thing not good enough for other buyers. He had been immensely struck--that was another point--with this accident of their turning out after so long friends of hers too: they had disappeared, and this was the only light he had ever had upon them. He had (225) flushed up quite red with his recognition, with all his responsibility--had declared that the connexion must have had, mysteriously, something to do with the impulse he had obeyed. And Maggie had made, to her husband, while he again stood before her, no secret of the shock, for herself, so suddenly and violently received. She had done her best, even while taking it full in the face, not to give herself away; but she would n't answer--no, she would n't--for what she might in her agitation have made her informant think. He might think what he would--there had been three or four minutes during which, while she asked him question upon question, she had doubtless too little cared. And he had spoken, for his remembrance, as fully as she could have wished; he had spoken, oh delightedly, for the "terms" on which his other visitors had appeared to be with each other, and in fact for that conviction of the nature and degree of their intimacy under which, in spite of precautions, they had n't been able to help leaving him. He had observed and judged and not forgotten; he had been sure they were great people, but no, ah no, distinctly, had n't "liked" them as he liked the Signora Principessa.

Certainly--she had created no vagueness about that--he had been in possession of her name and address for sending her both her cup and her account. But the others he had only always wondered about--he had been sure they would never come back. And as to the time of their visit he could place it positively to a day--by reason of a transaction of importance, recorded in his books, that had occurred but a few hours later. He had left her in short definitely (226) rejoicing that he had been able to make up to her for not having been quite "square" over their little business by rendering her so unexpectedly the service of this information. His joy moreover was--as much as Amerigo would!--a matter of the personal interest with which her kindness, gentleness, grace, her charming presence and easy humanity and familiarity, had inspired him. All of which while, in thought, Maggie went over it again and again--oh over any imputable rashness of her own immediate passion and pain as well as over the rest of the straight little story she had after all to tell--might very conceivably make a long sum for the Prince to puzzle out.

同类推荐
  • 归有光集

    归有光集

    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。
  • 萨真人得道咒枣记

    萨真人得道咒枣记

    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。
  • 观自在菩萨如意轮瑜伽

    观自在菩萨如意轮瑜伽

    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。
  • 贞白遗稿

    贞白遗稿

    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。
  • 菩萨睒子经

    菩萨睒子经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 奉使京西

    奉使京西

    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。
  • 匠心

    匠心

    在安特卫普你不得不承认,这是女人的天堂,而这里只有两种女人。一种是买到钻石的女人,一种是没有买到钻石的女人今天,你可能认识第三种女人。那个女孩,是这座古城里唯一被总理授予证书的亚裔切割师。
  • 末世小天师

    末世小天师

    【末世新味道】普通末世都是病毒爆发,丧尸纵横什么的,而本书有些出入,没有病毒,不是丧尸,是魔与僵尸的结合。糯米红绳今犹在,不见当年捉鬼人。看得到天师道戒的主角,如何在群魔乱舞、行尸走肉的世界里,把捉鬼人技艺演绎下去……。
  • 绝色狂妃:妖孽神君狂宠妻

    绝色狂妃:妖孽神君狂宠妻

    萧月依,萧家废柴大小姐,容貌丑陋,懦弱无比,却是流风国最幸福的女人。只因这废物有一个所有女子的梦中情人为未婚夫。可有谁知,未婚夫竟和她的堂妹勾搭成奸,更为了白莲花堂妹不惜陷她与死地。再睁眼,她发誓,定要让这对狗男女付出代价!契绝世灵兽,得远古传承,获炼丹之术,她更是以迅雷不及掩耳之势迅速崛起,光芒万丈。……“神君大人,大皇子今早去了萧府,对大小姐死缠烂打。”“阉了!”“神君大人,圣女侮辱萧大小姐,称大小姐配不上神君大人。”“废了!”“神君大人,萧大小姐让你洗干净去给她暖床。”某神君站起来走向门外。“神君你去哪?”某神君一本正经:“洗澡,暖床!”神君大人,你的节操呢?
  • 品读中国城市人性格

    品读中国城市人性格

    人是城市的载体和灵魂,城市的性格渗透在人们的衣食住行、言谈举止之中。在通讯发达、交通迅捷的时代,异地求学、经商、旅行,成为我们日常的生活主题,品读城市性格、掌握各地人群特征,既是“胸怀祖国”的表现,也是为了更好地与人交往、拓展个人发展空间的需要。本书精选了全国42个最有代表性的性格城市和地区,让我们一起来品读中国城市的性格,品位各大城市人的性格魅力,感受它们之间不同的特质!
  • 怎么舍得你难过

    怎么舍得你难过

    乔雅兰遇见了一个他(温柔体贴、善良可心的富二代),还有一个他(温文尔雅、却腹黑残忍的小混混),在他与他的面前,她抉择、面对,她没有想到,那个夜晚……
  • 小冤家很凶萌

    小冤家很凶萌

    新书《枭妻诱入怀:景少,轻点宠》已发哟!第一世,她姣花照水,被他摘了。第二世,她破茧成蝶,被他捉了。第三世,她转为玉兔,被他烤了。第四世,她终成人形,看着让自己前三世都不得好死的罪魁祸首,复仇小火苗熊熊燃烧:“沈易初,我要你血债血偿!”“血债肉偿可好?”高贵冷邪横扫六界神兽之首的他倾城一笑,……透过现象看本质,其实就是一对被下了诅咒的冤家吃来吃去最后携手打破诅咒造包子的故事……【君易欢,爱如初,三生六世吃掉你】【沈家系列三】
  • 并不遥远的那些事

    并不遥远的那些事

    七十年代末,是一个即将迎来巨变的时代,八十年代,带着改革开放的春风,人们欢欣鼓舞,景建国一个伴随年代而成长的年轻人,在时代面前从顺应,到不适应,从前沿到幕后,一个孤独的背影、一个孤独的性格,孤独的性格成就了孤独家庭,虽然从一无所有到衣食无忧,可毕竟时代的进步远远的将思想的落伍摔在了身后,时代的领跑者最后被时代淘汰,每个人或许都有过这样的感触,毕竟我们生活在同一个世界里。
  • 繁星修仙记

    繁星修仙记

    网游程序猿穿越到了修真界,本来打算搞点黑科技闷声发大财,无奈总有人跟她过不去。为了星辰大海,拼就拼吧。天外人:我是!造化青莲:我种的!五色石:我炼的!魔之泪:?妖之心:?某人掀桌:MMP,这个也找我,要你们何用?老娘单干了!粉丝交流群:574738292
  • 爱上已婚女人

    爱上已婚女人

    今天跟往常一样,姜然午觉睡醒后,悠闲的煮了一杯咖啡,想让它涩涩的苦味唤醒身上每一个昏睡的细胞,随手拿起遥控器,漫无目的的随意乱播了一统,看看时间妞妞差不多该放学了。拿起车钥匙悠闲的渡出了家门。妞妞在她们这个城市一家私立幼儿园,这所幼儿园设施环境以及教师都是一流的,当然,收费也是一流的。她们一周只休息一天。早晚接送妞妞时,幼儿园附近的车位,是最令姜然头痛的事了。转了近两圈,才发……