登陆注册
5245800000025

第25章 II(4)

"I have written to him," continued Don Jose, with unheeding gravity; "have appealed to him as a friend, I have conjured him as a caballero, I have threatened him even as a champion of the Right, I have said to him, in effect--that this must not be as it is. Ihave informed him that I have made an appointment with you even at this house, and I challenged him to meet you here--in this room--even at this instant, and, with God's help, we should make good our charges against him. It is yet early; I have allowed time for the lateness of the stage and the fact that he will come by another conveyance. Therefore, O Dona Dewdrop, tremble not like thy namesake as it were on the leaf of apprehension and expectancy. I, Don Jose, am here to protect thee. I will take these charges"--gently withdrawing the manuscripts from her astonished grasp--"though even, as I related to thee before, I want them not, yet we will together confront him with them and make them good against him.""Are you mad?" demanded the lady in almost stentorious accents, "or is this an unmanly hoax?" Suddenly she stopped in undeniable consternation. "Good heavens," she muttered, "if Abner should believe this. He is SUCH a fool! He has lately been queer and jealous. Oh dear!" she said, turning to Polly Jenkinson with the first indication of feminine weakness, "Is he telling the truth? is he crazy? what shall I do?"Polly Jenkinson, who had witnessed the interview with the intensest enjoyment, now rose equal to the occasion.

"You have made a mistake," she said, uplifting her demure blue eyes to Don Jose's dark and melancholy gaze. "This lady is a POETESS!

The sufferings she depicts, the sorrows she feels, are in the IMAGINATION, in her fancy only.""Ah!" said Don Jose gloomily; "then it is all false.""No," said Polly quickly, "only they are not her OWN, you know.

They are somebody elses. She only describes them for another, don't you see?""And who, then, is this unhappy one?" asked the Don quickly.

"Well--a--friend," stammered Polly, hesitatingly.

"A friend!" repeated Don Jose. "Ah, I see, of possibility a dear one, even," he continued, gazing with tender melancholy into the untroubled cerulean depths of Polly's eyes, "even, but no, child, it could not be! THOU art too young.""Ah," said Polly, with an extraordinary gulp and a fierce nudge of the poetess, "but it WAS me.""You, Senorita," repeated Don Jose, falling back in an attitude of mingled admiration and pity. "You, the child of Jenkinson!""Yes, yes," joined in the poetess hurriedly; "but that isn't going to stop the consequences of your wretched blunder. My husband will be furious, and will be here at any moment. Good gracious! what is that?"The violent slamming of a distant door at that instant, the sounds of quick scuffling on the staircase, and the uplifting of an irate voice had reached her ears and thrown her back in the arms of Polly Jenkinson. Even the young girl herself turned an anxious gaze towards the door. Don Jose alone was unmoved.

"Possess yourselves in peace, Senoritas," he said calmly. "We have here only the characteristic convalescence of my friend and brother, the excellent Roberto. He will ever recover himself from drink with violence, even as he precipitates himself into it with fury. He has been prematurely awakened. I will discover the cause."With an elaborate bow to the frightened women, he left the room.

Scarcely had the door closed when the poetess turned quickly to Polly. "The man's a stark staring lunatic, but, thank Heaven, Abner will see it at once. And now let's get away while we can.

To think," she said, snatching up her scattered manuscripts, "that THAT was all the beast wanted.""I'm sure he's very gentle and kind," said Polly, recovering her dimples with a demure pout; "but stop, he's coming back."It was indeed Don Jose re-entering the room with the composure of a relieved and self-satisfied mind. "It is even as I said, Senora,"he began, taking the poetess's hand,--"and MORE. You are SAVED!"As the women only stared at each other, he gravely folded his arms and continued: "I will explain. For the instant I have not remember that, in imitation of your own delicacy, I have given to your husband in my letter, not the name of myself, but, as a mere Don Fulano, the name of my brother Roberto--'Bucking Bob.' Your husband have this moment arrive! Penetrating the bedroom of the excellent Roberto, he has indiscreetly seize him in his bed, without explanation, without introduction, without fear! The excellent Roberto, ever ready for such distractions, have respond!

In a word, to use the language of the good Jenkinson--our host, our father--who was present, he have 'wiped the floor with your husband,' and have even carried him down the staircase to the street. Believe me, he will not return. You are free!""Fool! Idiot! Crazy beast!" said the poetess, dashing past him and out of the door. "You shall pay for this!"Don Jose did not change his imperturbable and melancholy calm.

"And now, little one," he said, dropping on one knee before the half-frightened Polly, "child of Jenkinson, now that thy perhaps too excitable sponsor has, in a poet's caprice, abandoned thee for some newer fantasy, confide in me thy distress, to me, thy Knight, and tell the story of thy sorrows.""But," said Polly, rising to her feet and struggling between a laugh and a cry. "I haven't any sorrows. Oh dear! don't you see, it's only her FANCY to make me seem so. There's nothing the matter with me.""Nothing the matter," repeated Don Jose slowly. "You have no distress? You want no succor, no relief, no protector? This, then, is but another delusion!" he said, rising sadly.

"Yes, no--that is--oh, my gracious goodness!" said Polly, hopelessly divided between a sense of the ridiculous and some strange attraction in the dark, gentle eyes that were fixed upon her half reproachfully. "You don't understand."Don Jose replied only with a melancholy smile, and then going to the door, opened it with a bowed head and respectful courtesy. At the act, Polly plucked up courage again, and with it a slight dash of her old audacity.

"I'm sure I'm very sorry that I ain't got any love sorrows," she said demurely. "And I suppose it's very dreadful in me not to have been raving and broken-hearted over somebody or other as that woman has said. Only," she waited till she had gained the secure vantage of the threshold, "I never knew a gentleman to OBJECT to it before!"With this Parthian arrow from her blue eyes she slipped into the passage and vanished through the door of the opposite parlor. For an instant Don Jose remained motionless and reflecting. Then, recovering himself with grave precision, he deliberately picked up his narrow black gloves from the table, drew them on, took his hat in his hand, and solemnly striding across the passage, entered the door that had just closed behind her.

同类推荐
  • 佛说持世陀罗尼经

    佛说持世陀罗尼经

    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。
  • LEGENDS AND LYRICS- FIRST SERIES

    LEGENDS AND LYRICS- FIRST SERIES

    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。
  • 佛说木槵经

    佛说木槵经

    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。
  • 咏物诗

    咏物诗

    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。
  • 无相思尘论

    无相思尘论

    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。
热门推荐
  • 三世遥

    三世遥

    “扑通”一声,什么东西掉在了上神家的院子里。她从容的掸了掸灰,捻了会衣角:“不好意思,一时翻错了墙。”小白兔竟自个儿跑上门来了,上神的脸上浮上一抹大灰狼的笑容。这是一个温文尔雅略腹黑的上神与端庄贤惠略呆萌的小鹿仙的故事。三生三世,情缘难了。冥冥之中有注定。
  • 娇惯痞妻:老婆,别想离婚!

    娇惯痞妻:老婆,别想离婚!

    她叛逆不羁,闲来无事便以消遣美男打发时间。她爱财,逃离火灾现场之前,也没忘记带上钱夹。她易怒、护短,谁敢动她的朋友,她必定以牙还牙,从来不会手下留情。在这城市中,她是恶名在外的痞女一枚,为人处事,没有什么底限。☆★☆★☆★无意沦为她的消遣品,他就此缠上她,让她再无宁日。他是商业新贵,优雅内敛,对她却是流氓到底,善于利诱或者捏她软肋。因为他懂得,对待她这样的人,用流氓的招数才最有效。☆★☆★☆★【片段1】婚礼上,她问他:“我总是弄不明白,你到底为什么娶我?”他说:“被你闹得没多少人可丢了,也快被你摧残死了,当然要让你负责。”她听得直冒冷汗。【片段2】结婚三个月后,她把离婚协议书拍在他面前:“我要离婚。”他像法官一样平静地说:“先说离婚理由。”她忽闪着大眼睛,“如果我说我有出轨的苗头,你会不会答应的痛快一点儿?”“你要是说别的,说不定我就答应了。”他优雅一笑,“先形成事实再来。”她扬眉浅笑,“好,一定完成任务。”☆★☆★☆★推荐自己完结文《肥妾》推荐自己新文《誘·妖孽冷枭》推荐好友文文《妾后》《一品女官》《杀手-一品傲妃》《重生-妾本倾城》《总裁,甜心不乖》《别惹废物二小姐》《重生—珠光宝妻》《法官爹地,我爱你》在移动手机阅读平台上使用的名称为《娇惯痞妻:老婆,别想离婚!》
  • 四月一日过江赴荆州

    四月一日过江赴荆州

    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。
  • 恋上复仇三公主

    恋上复仇三公主

    她,冰冷。她,任性。她,可爱。活泼的她们是高傲的公主,她们是高贵的女王……她们拥有着令人羡慕的容貌。为了报复隐瞒了身份进入了贵族学院,她们的眼中充满了嗜血与愤恨!当然,她们的复仇之路不会充满血腥的,还有酸酸甜甜的爱情。他,冷漠,霸道。他,高贵。他,花心。帅气的他们是天子骄子,他们是高高在上的王子……遇上了我们三位公主之后会怎么样呢?
  • 辩殇

    辩殇

    如果你问我,在学校的六千大一新生中,谁将会成为学校的头牌人物,我可以毫不犹豫地告诉你,我,尹阳。就是那个人。这是我和尹阳第一次见面时他的自我介绍。尹阳的自恋在整个年级都相当有名气,我们寝室的结构是3个小寝一个客厅,11个人分住在3个小寝之中,而尹阳平时最喜欢做的事情就是在客厅里的试衣镜前,时而近观,时而远眺,嘴里还不时发出嘿嘿的傻笑。实际上,尹阳的自恋并非没有资本。
  • 浴火圣王魂

    浴火圣王魂

    这一切的命运是既定好的吗?我苏阳只能受着命运摆布却无法反抗吗?不…命运只不过是无能人的说辞,只是被枷锁禁锢后的借口,命运?圣王?我苏阳定会让你知道天有多大,我苏阳就有多大
  • 男神擒获记:甜蜜不会只在回忆里

    男神擒获记:甜蜜不会只在回忆里

    顾晓蔓:“小汐!你竟然把人见人爱花见花开万人敬仰高高在上的苏大男神给睡啦?”简凌汐:“不是故意的。。。”顾晓蔓:“这要是传出去你把苏大男神的第一次给夺走了,得多少女生对你群起而攻之啊,保证你最后连渣渣都不剩!”简凌汐:“可是没人会知道的,连苏昕祐都不记得了。。。”顾晓蔓:“啊?那你要怎么办?”简凌汐:“我要擒获男神,让他负责!”
  • 鬼话之阴阳劫

    鬼话之阴阳劫

    高三毕业生胡小为的爹在醉酒后说出了一段三十年前的奇闻异事,他年轻时被鬼所救从而与鬼给胡小为订下了一桩冥婚。胡小为不以为然,认为这只不过是他爹醉酒后的胡言乱语,因此没把这事放到心上。过了两天胡小为决定来一次毕业的单人旅行,在前往杭州的火车上他认识了神秘的韩白,从而又卷进了一场更大的麻烦中……诡异的拦路鬼、凶恶的子母连尸、神秘的红衣女鬼苏绾、残暴的食人鬼……这一切的一切,藏在背后的又是什么?胡小为能否在韩白的帮助下拨开谜团,找到真相?
  • 江流万界

    江流万界

    【书荒期重点推荐】桃花岛大弟子改变种族的原因是什么?未曾断臂的杨过同学人生如何?当史矛革恋上黑龙公主奥妮克希亚会擦出什么火花?想了解圣人对于鸿钧的看法么?修炼有风险,食材需谨慎!——————欢迎各位书友来一同目睹一个不一样的诸天万界!想快速看穿越任务的可以先从21章开始,谢谢
  • 重生毒女倾天下:嫡妻归来

    重生毒女倾天下:嫡妻归来

    新书《妖惑天下:邪尊,别乱撩》已发布,求支持!十里红妆,她嫁进明国公府!怎料,夫君为讨好太子,将已有身孕的她献给了太子,招致惨死!重生之后,毒妻归来,她步步为营,踩着敌人的尸骨,报仇雪恨!