登陆注册
5249600000122

第122章 CHAPTER THE THIRTY-EIGHTH(6)

"You refused to take my hand when you came in," he said. "Will you take it now? I leave Browndown when you leave it; and I won't come back again till I bring Oscar with me.

"Both hands!" I exclaimed--and took him by both hands. I could say nothing more. I could only wonder whether I was waking or sleeping; fit to be put into an asylum, or fit to go at large?

"Come!" he said. "I will see you as far as the rectory gate.

"You can't go to-night," I answered. "The last train has left hours since."

"I can! I can walk to Brighton, and get a bed there, and leave for London to-morrow morning. Nothing will induce me to pass another night at Browndown. Stop! One question before I put the lamp out."

"What is it?"

"Did you do anything towards tracing Oscar, when you were in London to-day?"

"I went to a lawyer, and made what arrangements with him I could."

"Here is my pocket-book. Write me down his name and address."

I wrote them. He extinguished the lamp, and led me into the passage. The servant was standing there bewildered. "Good night, James. I am going to bring your master back to Browndown." With that explanation, he took up his hat and stick, and gave me his arm. The moment after, we were out in the dark valley, on our way to the village.

On the walk back to the rectory, he talked with a feverish volubility and excitement. Avoiding the slightest reference to the subject discussed at our strange and stormy interview, he returned, with tenfold confidence in himself, to his old boastful assertion of the great things he was going to do as a painter. The mission which called him to reconcile Humanity with Nature; the superb scale on which he proposed to interpret sympathetic scenery for the benefit of suffering mankind; the prime necessity of understanding him, not as a mere painter, but as Grand Consoler in Art--I had it all over again, by way of satisfying my mind as to his prospects and occupations in his future life. It was only when we stopped at the rectory-gate that he referred to what had passed between us--and even then, he only touched on the subject in the briefest possible way.

"Well?" he said. "Have I won back your old regard for me? Do you believe there is a fine side to be found in the nature of Nugent Dubourg? Man is a compound animal. You are a woman in ten thousand. Give me a kiss."

He kissed me, foreign fashion, on both cheeks.

"Now for Oscar!" he shouted cheerfully. He waved his hat, and disappeared in the darkness. I stood at the gate till the last rapid pit-pat of his feet died away in the silence of the night.

An indescribable depression seized on my spirits. I began to doubt him again, the instant I was alone.

"Is there a time coming," I asked myself, "when all that I have done to-night must be done over again?"

I opened the rectory-gate. Mr. Finch intercepted me before I could get round to our side of the house. He held up before me, in solemn triumph, a manuscript of many pages.

"My Letter," he said. "A Letter of Christian remonstrance, to Nugent Dubourg."

"Nugent Dubourg has left Dimchurch."

With that reply, I told the rector in as few words as possible how my visit to Browndown had ended.

Mr. Finch looked at his letter. All those pages of eloquence written for nothing? No! In the nature of things, _that_ could not possibly be. "You have done very well, Madame Pratolungo," he remarked, in his most patronizing manner. "Very well indeed, all things considered. _But,_ I don't think I shall act wisely if I destroy this." He carefully locked up his manuscript, and turned to me again with a mysterious smile. "I venture to think," said Mr. Finch with mock humility, "My Letter will be wanted. Don't let me discourage you about Nugent Dubourg. Only let me say:--Is he to be trusted?"

It was said by a fool: it would never have been said at all, if he had not written his wonderful letter. Still, it echoed, with a painful fidelity, the misgiving secretly present at that moment in my own mind--and, more yet, it echoed the misgiving in Nugent's mind, the doubt of himself which his own lips had confessed to me in so many words. I wished the rector good night, and went upstairs.

Lucilla was in bed and asleep, when I softly opened her door.

After looking for awhile at her lovely peaceful face, I was obliged to turn away. It was time I left the bedside, when the sight of her only made my spirits sink lower and lower. As I cast my last look at her before I closed the door, Mr. Finch's ominous question forced itself on me again. In spite of myself, I said to myself--"Is he to be trusted?"

同类推荐
  • The Culprit Fay and Other Poems

    The Culprit Fay and Other Poems

    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。
  • 成唯识宝生论

    成唯识宝生论

    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。
  • Henry IV

    Henry IV

    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。
  • 慈湖诗传

    慈湖诗传

    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。
  • 闽海赠言

    闽海赠言

    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
  • 英雄魂殿

    英雄魂殿

    三百的多斤的孙庞携带系统穿越后,当现实世界面对面碰撞LOL英雄们时,以天赐英雄魂殿为据点,联合全世界所有人,能坚守住世界版图,不被魔兽入侵吗?孙庞:先给它来一波破绽走A吧?王萧:不不不,还是先来一波纵火盛宴吧!雪儿:我老公说的都对
  • 染云缘

    染云缘

    她是50世纪的天娇,一朝穿越,魂附名满京城的痴傻公主身上。 当清冷的眸子绽放出耀人的光芒,天下棋局,风云已动。 他是权势滔天的王,冷酷无情。可当她的匕首抵住了他的颈脉,薄唇轻勾。引发了怎样的惊世情缘? 血月当空,他一袭白衣,风华绝代,映入她异色双眸,成为不死不灭的印,刻在她心中涟漪之上,挥之不去。 他勾唇缓缓一笑,没有那些海枯石烂的誓言保证,暗紫色的眸子倒映出眼前的人,再,容不下其他。 片段: 山洞之内,男子抱着一个血人,眼角微红: “怎么救她?” “需要一个人和她签订生死契约,承担伤势,若稍有不慎……筋脉尽毁,灵力全废。” 此话一出,他身旁那两个下属几乎下意识的上前一步,想要挺身而出。 “退下。” 男子的目光半刻不离怀中的人,声音带着几分嘶哑: “我来。” 无论如何,我只要你安好,不管付出什么代价,你也绝不能有半点意外。 有我在,就算你死,也要看我同不同意,如若不能同生,那我便陪你一起,共赴九幽黄泉。简介无能,请看正文。 本文不虐无误会,男女主双强双洁双宠,身心干净1v1,小可爱们点个收藏吖~~
  • 飞扬:第十六届新概念作文获奖者范本散文卷

    飞扬:第十六届新概念作文获奖者范本散文卷

    《飞扬:第十六届新概念作文获奖者范本散文卷》所收录的均为新概念作文十六届获奖者的经典小说、散文作品。小说作品,具有着优秀小说特有的叙事结构,行文脉络。散文作品,具有着优秀散文特有的文学气息。字字珠玑,篇篇经典,有的空灵隽秀、质朴绵长,有的立意高远、针砭时弊,有的纵横恣肆、文采飞扬,让学生很容易就能汲取优秀作文精华,从而快速成长。小说和散文是众多文体种中备受广大读者青睐的文体,能给人们以精神上的享受和艺术上的熏陶。通过新概念获奖者作品的学习,让学生从思想老套、素材陈旧、主题落后中成功脱颖而出。从而迅速提高自己的写作水平。对于参加中考及高考的考生来说,本书可以当做作文“圣经”。对于喜爱青春文学的青少年读者,本书也是不错的青春文学阅读经典。
  • 苹果里的星星:大师名篇诵读

    苹果里的星星:大师名篇诵读

    本书荟萃的120篇精短美文寓意深邃、题材多样、趣味隽永。或深入浅出、夹叙夹议地阐明一个道理;或简明扼要、生动形象地描述一件小事;或触景生情、感物咏志地抒写一种情怀;或由小及大、含蓄深邃地蕴藏一个哲理。每篇文章之后,都配有千余字的赏析文章,多为文学随笔或杂感的形式,意在与读者共同交流与欣赏好花之“花”,究在何处。一束馨香的花朵捧献给大家。读者朋友们,但愿您能喜欢它,珍爱它……
  • 边缘阳光

    边缘阳光

    别的总裁追妻靠砸钱,这个总裁追妻靠哭穷,靠讲演!苏头儿,借我点钱,家里要揭不开锅了!黑大个儿,努力工作,你一定行,我看好你呦!苏头儿,这次出差我当翻译,这是你的保险出险单,快签字吧。好的,黑大个儿,笔墨伺候!黑大个儿:英文不好人还懒,吃亏了吧?签字画押卖给我了都不知道,苏晓荷,从今开始你就是我合法妻子了……苏父:众里寻他千百度,苏梅,你何时给我生了个女儿都不告诉我!苏母:你一走了之,我上哪儿找你!苏父:哦啊,我的财产总算有人继承了……苏母:想得美,我家晓荷可不爱财!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 王位寓言集:长生不死药

    王位寓言集:长生不死药

    《王位寓言集:长生不死药》可以让孩子乘着寓言的翅膀,去认识奇幻美妙的世界,让孩子透过寓言的缤纷幻想,参透人间百味。寓言是一种重要的文学样式。它的篇幅虽然短小,上至天文,下至地理,无所不包。一个个显易易懂、形象生动的故事中,蕴含着深刻的人生哲理。寓言是开发孩子想象力的沃土。
  • 蓟轩诗词

    蓟轩诗词

    前一个集子《画虎居诗词》迄1996年9月。这个集子包括自1996年10月到2003年5月这六年半我的诗词作品,略加删选,存约500首。这期间我移居北京蓟门桥附近,新居名“蓟轩”,就给此集取名《蓟轩诗词》。博学的中石兄告诉我,据《说文》,蓟是古帝尧之后之所居。原来搬进了古大圣人的老家。
  • 全能奇才战神

    全能奇才战神

    一桩神秘的灭村惨案,将整个江湖点燃了,风雨欲来花满楼,有人的地方就有江湖,人在江湖身不由己,魔人与天刀门的命运如何,李浩的一生会在复仇的欲火中度过吗?而他的命运又会是如何?
  • 人要比钱跑得快

    人要比钱跑得快

    你不理财,财不理你。现在有钱并不能保证你将来就一定生存能力强、生活状况好。真正决定生存能力和财富数量的关键是养成良好的理财习惯,它是测算你能留住多少钱以及让这些钱为你工作多久的指标。一个好的理财习惯胜过成百上千次漫无目的的打拼。阅读本书,感情富人的理财习惯,洞察富人的理财思维,会让你像富人一样思考,像富人一样问鼎人生苍穹,成就财富梦想。本书最大的特点是通过通俗易懂的语言,将大众所熟知的富人的有关理财习惯展示给广大读者,力求让每一位读者都能从中得到一点启发,帮助他们对照自己,有意识地去培养这些成就富人的理财习惯。
  • 爱情偏执狂

    爱情偏执狂

    一个人,如果没空,那是因为他不想有空;一个人 ,如果走不开,那是因为不想走开;一个人,对你借口太多,那是因为不想在乎所以,该收手时就收手吧,不要偏执地再爱他了。