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
  • 历代崇道记

    历代崇道记

    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。
  • 底哩三昧耶不动尊威怒王使者念诵法

    底哩三昧耶不动尊威怒王使者念诵法

    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。
  • 議處安南事宜

    議處安南事宜

    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。
  • 夏日青龙寺寻僧二首

    夏日青龙寺寻僧二首

    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。
  • 盘天经

    盘天经

    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
  • 前汉书平话

    前汉书平话

    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。
  • 男角

    男角

    没有一个男人的故事是不精彩的,本书中,梁家辉、刘德华、黄秋生、张学友、李宗盛、崔健、曾志伟、罗大佑、任贤齐、钟镇涛、秦汉、成龙、吴若甫、罗家英等14位影视界的大腕、名角专访,讲述这些明星人物不为人知的成长故事和他们的爱恨情愁。
  • 大学生心理健康

    大学生心理健康

    积极吸取心理学的精髓,从大学生的视角对心理健康展开论述,尽可能在更高层次上引导大学生树立积极的人生观和正确的价值观,引导他们心胸开阔、心灵高尚、人格健全。本书内容编排体系遵循科学性、系统性、可操作性的原则,在促进学生学以致用等方面上下了工夫。
  • 赚钱其实没那么难

    赚钱其实没那么难

    本书精选作家迩半坡先生在各个名刊上发表的文章40余篇,其中多篇被大量转载和入选进各种书籍,篇篇文章以当下国内外的创业明星为榜样,以时尚前沿的商业模式为蓝本,截取最新锐热点事件和现象,通过系统化研究,揭示创意创业、实现梦想和改造世界等过程中的核心竞争力,囊括富有鲜活动力的人物精神和创新意识,揭秘创意创业的商业智慧,带给你全新的启迪借鉴意义和实战经验价值。
  • 狂婿

    狂婿

    别人当上门女婿,曰子都过得挺憋屈的,陈铁当上门女婿,却活脱脱成了大爷…………
  • 武印之尊

    武印之尊

    太云大陆,武道兴盛,世家门派,正魔相争。一场消失已久的争斗再次席卷而来,笼罩了整个大陆。在这场混乱当中,出生于一个小村庄的顾凡,要如何才能够生存下来。在面对着重重危机,他要如何走上这武道的巅峰,看看争斗背后究竟是什么人在作祟。可当他揭开了谜团之后,等待着他的还有更大的危机,武印现世,纷争再起,何人能够问鼎成尊!
  • 注意雷区

    注意雷区

    此教材以祛除郁闷、PIA飞无聊、踢走压力为宗旨,精选若干雷人笑话,总有一款雷到你!
  • 记忆感应师·暗号

    记忆感应师·暗号

    一如往常,弗洛斯特喝完咖啡,推开落地窗门享受和谐的阳光,却发现阳台跟以前不一样了。他连忙从落地窗边倒退好几步,拿出口袋里的手帕捂住鼻子,对着正在阳台浇花哼小调的爱蜜莉喝斥道:“你为什么种花?想毒死我吗?你不知道我对花粉极度过敏?”“你对花粉过敏?”爱蜜莉放下手上的浇花器说,“我住在你家这些日子,可从未听你说过这毛病。”“你何时见我公寓里放过一株花?真是的!没遇过像你这样粗心大意的女仆!”“是管家啦!”客厅传来布雷克的抗议声。他是弗洛斯特的双胞胎弟弟,小时候一起住过孤儿院。
  • 电娱之黑暗血统

    电娱之黑暗血统

    游戏工作室的青春日常,有欢声有笑语,更有置身虚拟世界的生死历练,尔虞我诈,友情交织着爱情,汗水夹杂着泪水,在无尽的世界中,怀揣梦想,挑战勇者的最终极限。
  • 星城有你足矣

    星城有你足矣

    家族第三代的时候,七位男生和七位女生的宠虐,到最后庆幸遇见你,嫁于你