登陆注册
5242200000043

第43章 Chapter 6(5)

"Do you propose it seriously--without wishing to play me a trick?"

She wondered. "What trick would it be?"

He looked at her harder. "You mean you really don't know?"

"But know what?"

"Why what's the matter with it. You did n't see, all the while?"

She only continued however to stare. "How could you see--out in the street?"

"I saw before I went out. It was because I saw that I did go out. I did n't want to have another scene with you before that rascal, and I judged you'd presently guess for yourself."

"Is he a rascal?" Charlotte asked. "His price is so moderate." She waited but a moment. "Five pounds. Really so little."

He continued to look at her. "Five pounds?"

"Five pounds."

He might have been doubting her word, but he was only, it appeared, gathering emphasis. "It would be dear--to make a gift of--at five shillings.

If it had (119) cost you even but fivepence I would n't take it from you."

"Then," she asked, "what IS the matter?"

"Why it has a crack."

It sounded, on his lips, so sharp, it had such an authority, that she almost started, while her colour rose at the word. It was as if he had been right, though his assurance was wonderful. "You answer for it without having looked?"

"I did look. I saw the object itself. It told its story. No wonder it's cheap."

"But it's exquisite," Charlotte, as if with an interest in it now made even tenderer and stranger, found herself moved to insist.

"Of course it's exquisite. That's the danger."

Then a light visibly came to her--a light in which her friend suddenly and intensely showed. The reflexion of it, as she smiled at him, was in her own face. "The danger--I see--is because you're superstitious."

"Per Dio I'm superstitious! A crack's a crack--and an omen's an omen."

"You'd be afraid--?"

"Per Bacco!"

"For your happiness?"

"For my happiness."

"For your safety?"

"For my safety."

She just paused. "For your marriage?"

"For my marriage. For everything."

She thought again. "Thank goodness then that if there BE a crack we know it! But if we may perish by (120) cracks in things that we don't know--!"

And she smiled with the sadness of it. "We can never then give each other anything."

He considered, but he met it. "Ah but one does know. I do at least--and by instinct. I don't fail. That will always protect me."

It was droll, the way he said such things; yet she liked him really the more for it. They fell in for her with a general, or rather with a special, vision. But she spoke with a mild despair. "What then will protect ME?"

"Where I'm concerned I will. From me at least you've nothing to fear," he now quite amiably responded. "Anything you consent to accept from me--"

But he paused.

"Well?"

"Well, shall be perfect."

"That's very fine," she presently answered. "It's vain, after all, for you to talk of my accepting things when you'll accept nothing from me."

Ah THERE better still he could meet her. "You attach an impossible condition.

That, I mean, of my keeping your gift so to myself."

Well, she looked, before him there, at the condition--then abruptly, with a gesture, she gave it up. She had a headshake of disenchantment--so far as the idea had appealed to her. It all appeared too difficult. "Oh my 'condition'--I don't hold to it. You may cry it on the housetops--anything I ever do."

"Ah well, then--!" This made, he laughed, all the difference.

(121) But it was too late. "Oh I don't care now! I SHOULD have liked the Bowl. But if that won't do there's nothing."

He considered this; he took it in, looking graver again; but after a moment he qualified. "Yet I shall want some day to give you something."

She wondered at him. "What day?"

"The day you marry. For you WILL marry. You MUST--seriously--marry."

She took it from him, but it determined in her the only words she was to have uttered, all the morning, that came out as if a spring had been pressed. "To make you feel better?"

"Well," he replied frankly, wonderfully--"it will. But here," he added, "is your hansom."

He had signalled--the cab was charging. She put out no hand for their separation, but she prepared to get in. Before she did so, however, she said what had been gathering while she waited. "Well, I would marry, I think, to have something from you in all freedom.

同类推荐
  • 三家医案合刻

    三家医案合刻

    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。
  • 齐民要术

    齐民要术

    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。
  • 血证论

    血证论

    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。
  • 定命录

    定命录

    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。
  • 练中丞集

    练中丞集

    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。
热门推荐
  • The Clue of the Twisted Candle

    The Clue of the Twisted Candle

    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。
  • 斗龙

    斗龙

    炎黄龙城,统领中州,传承久远的没落豪门。直到一条霸道之龙破空而来,斗万龙于天际,灭天下之苍生。当代龙头血祭苍天,降龙封印于其子体内。十八年后,蛇年新年大典,注定要与斗龙同生共死的少年,发出了一声绝望非人的龙吼,九州大地开始颤抖……
  • 执此一生

    执此一生

    城市,如同喧闹的洪水,袭卷着一颗颗卑微的小石子奔涌着向前,而我,只是如落叶一般,飘零在浪涛之上,却如巨石一般沉落水底。只因为那已逝的温存,不知不觉,咬着牙,走了好久好久,久到忘记了时间,久到忘记了是在等着谁,久到记忆都模糊了。“女人,我警告你,这一生,你的人都是我的,总有一天,心也会是我的。想要爱他?下辈子吧!”那一刻,我落泪了。
  • 没有如果,只讲结果

    没有如果,只讲结果

    打造不找借口的落实型员工,全面提升组织成员的执行力。杜绝即可,医治职场借口弊病,创造价值,锻造一流执行团队的终极宝典。
  • 霸器

    霸器

    不走寻常之道路,寻求奇迹之里程,掌控魔神之生死,再创混沌之辉煌!我这本书,将独特的手法描述出一个与众不同的玄幻世界。古今结合的人间,极度繁华的地府,尖端科技的虚冥,神秘莫测的天界,浩瀚深邃的银河空间……是否精彩,一看便知。
  • 掠爱成婚:错吻冷酷总裁

    掠爱成婚:错吻冷酷总裁

    因为十年前的一场误会,她与他此生本该再无交集。可命运的齿轮,却让两人再次相遇。或是不舍或是留恋,可她已经嫁为人妻。本想黯然处之,可男人的强势不得不让她重视这段感情。
  • 脏地密码

    脏地密码

    启动人体养生密码。吸收中医养生精华,汲取智者养生之道。五脏六腑被昵称为人体的“五个福娃,六个灵童”,本书顺时温养五脏六腑,健康的身体就掌握在你我手中。全面解读五脏六腑的奥秘,深入挖掘藏在五脏六腑中的养生秘诀。
  • 封神之西岐押粮队

    封神之西岐押粮队

    一个是三魂女一体三魂,一个萝莉一个少女一个女王;一个是瑶池金母的女儿龙吉公主,杨戬会选谁呢?商周大战,西岐最厉害的角色竟然都在押粮小队……?
  • 全世界最贵的总裁情商课

    全世界最贵的总裁情商课

    全世界上最高端的总裁情商课,10节课价值100万美金,课程起源于哈佛,延展于世界,只针对上市公司总裁培训服务,硅谷首富拉里.埃里森、谷歌联合创始人拉里.佩奇以及比尔.盖茨、巴菲特、奥巴马、克林顿、奥普拉等政治精英与商业精英都曾接触、推荐或接受过的全球最高端的总裁课程——他们占领了世96%的财富与无上的话语权,他们都有一个共同的特点,情商高于智商。如何才能拥有上市公司总裁的超级情商?如何运用情商提高自我领导力,提升影响力与交际圈?如何运用高情商进行高效沟通、团队管控、团队激励,以及运用高情商处理生活中、公司日常管理中容易遇到的各种问题。
  • 死于青春

    死于青春

    这是一个年仅十九岁的警察的悲壮故事。小说以“我”的回忆,讲述她在七十年代唐山大地震后,被派往清水河劳改农场支援抗震救灾工作,在那里她结训了陆小祥,两小萌发了炽热的初恋。由于社会不幸的不正常,陆小祥的人道主义思想和情感,他的一切作为,都成了他破坏抗震救灾、同情反革命的罪证,他被关押,最终顽强于他的至亲好友的枪弹下。