登陆注册
5260400000130

第130章 Chapter XXXVII(4)

"You don't understand me, father," she exclaimed, hopelessly toward the end. "You can't. I have one idea, and you have another. But I don't seem to be able to make you understand now. The fact is, if you want to know it, I don't believe in the Catholic Church any more, so there."

The moment Aileen had said this she wished she had not. It was a slip of the tongue. Butler's face took on an inexpressibly sad, despairing look.

"Ye don't believe in the Church?" he asked.

"No, not exactly--not like you do."

He shook his head.

"The harm that has come to yer soul!" he replied. "It's plain to me, daughter, that somethin' terrible has happened to ye. This man has ruined ye, body and soul. Somethin' must be done. I don't want to be hard on ye, but ye must leave Philadelphy. Ye can't stay here. I can't permit ye. Ye can go to Europe, or ye can go to yer aunt's in New Orleans; but ye must go somewhere. I can't have ye stayin' here--it's too dangerous. It's sure to be comin' out. The papers'll be havin' it next. Ye're young yet. Yer life is before you. I tremble for yer soul; but so long as ye're young and alive ye may come to yer senses. It's me duty to be hard.

It's my obligation to you and the Church. Ye must quit this life.

Ye must lave this man. Ye must never see him any more. I can't permit ye. He's no good. He has no intintion of marrying ye, and it would be a crime against God and man if he did. No, no! Never that! The man's a bankrupt, a scoundrel, a thafe. If ye had him, ye'd soon be the unhappiest woman in the world. He wouldn't be faithful to ye. No, he couldn't. He's not that kind." He paused, sick to the depths of his soul. "Ye must go away. I say it once and for all. I mane it kindly, but I want it. I have yer best interests at heart. I love ye; but ye must. I'm sorry to see ye go--I'd rather have ye here. No one will be sorrier; but ye must.

Ye must make it all seem natcheral and ordinary to yer mother; but ye must go--d'ye hear? Ye must."

He paused, looking sadly but firmly at Aileen under his shaggy eyebrows. She knew he meant this. It was his most solemn, his most religious expression. But she did not answer. She could not.

What was the use? Only she was not going. She knew that--and so she stood there white and tense.

"Now get all the clothes ye want," went on Butler, by no means grasping her true mood. "Fix yourself up in any way you plase.

Say where ye want to go, but get ready."

"But I won't, father," finally replied Aileen, equally solemnly, equally determinedly. "I won't go! I won't leave Philadelphia."

"Ye don't mane to say ye will deliberately disobey me when I'm asking ye to do somethin' that's intended for yer own good, will ye daughter?"

"Yes, I will," replied Aileen, determinedly. "I won't go! I'm sorry, but I won't!"

"Ye really mane that, do ye?" asked Butler, sadly but grimly.

"Yes, I do," replied Aileen, grimly, in return.

"Then I'll have to see what I can do, daughter," replied the old man. "Ye're still my daughter, whatever ye are, and I'll not see ye come to wreck and ruin for want of doin' what I know to be my solemn duty. I'll give ye a few more days to think this over, but go ye must. There's an end of that. There are laws in this land still. There are things that can be done to those who won't obey the law. I found ye this time--much as it hurt me to do it. I'll find ye again if ye try to disobey me. Ye must change yer ways.

I can't have ye goin' on as ye are. Ye understand now. It's the last word. Give this man up, and ye can have anything ye choose.

Ye're my girl--I'll do everything I can in this world to make ye happy. Why, why shouldn't I? What else have I to live for but me children? It's ye and the rest of them that I've been workin' and plannin' for all these years. Come now, be a good girl. Ye love your old father, don't ye? Why, I rocked ye in my arms as a baby, Aileen. I've watched over ye when ye were not bigger than what would rest in me two fists here. I've been a good father to ye--ye can't deny that. Look at the other girls you've seen. Have any of them had more nor what ye have had? Ye won't go against me in this. I'm sure ye won't. Ye can't. Ye love me too much--surely ye do--don't ye?" His voice weakened. His eyes almost filled.

He paused and put a big, brown, horny hand on Aileen's arm. She had listened to his plea not unmoved--really more or less softened--because of the hopelessness of it. She could not give up Cowperwood.

Her father just did not understand. He did not know what love was.

Unquestionably he had never loved as she had.

She stood quite silent while Butler appealed to her.

"I'd like to, father," she said at last and softly, tenderly.

"Really I would. I do love you. Yes, I do. I want to please you; but I can't in this--I can't! I love Frank Cowperwood. You don't understand--really you don't!"

At the repetition of Cowperwood's name Butler's mouth hardened.

He could see that she was infatuated--that his carefully calculated plea had failed. So he must think of some other way.

"Very well, then," he said at last and sadly, oh, so sadly, as Aileen turned away. "Have it yer own way, if ye will. Ye must go, though, willy-nilly. It can't be any other way. I wish to God it could."

Aileen went out, very solemn, and Butler went over to his desk and sat down. "Such a situation!" he said to himself. Such a complication!"

同类推荐
  • 佛说大轮金刚总持陀罗尼经

    佛说大轮金刚总持陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 道德玄经原旨

    道德玄经原旨

    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。
  • 才调集

    才调集

    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。
  • 天台分门图

    天台分门图

    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。
  • 修西辑要

    修西辑要

    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
  • 中国近代通史(第四卷):从戊戌维新到义和团(1895-1900)

    中国近代通史(第四卷):从戊戌维新到义和团(1895-1900)

    20世纪对于中国近代史研究来说,是开端的世纪,是转型的世纪,是创新的世纪,也是收获的世纪。 中国近代史研究是20世纪中国历史学的一个重要分支。20世纪中国历史从半殖民地半封建社会转变到社会主义社会,发生了翻覆地的变化。20世纪中国近代史研究也发生了翻天覆地的变化,它从传统中国历史学中分离出来,在3040年代为半殖民地半封建社会服务的、代表统治阶级利益的资产阶级倾向的中国近代史研究占统治地位,马克思主义为指导的中国近代史研究在新民主主义革命中产生,新中国建立以后,马克思主义的中国近代史研究逐占了主导地位。
  • 悠然天下(全本)

    悠然天下(全本)

    双星齐聚,六国一统。命中注定为“双星”的悠然和潇泠被两条神秘的手链穿越到云和大陆,在六国鼎力的时代中奔走,只为那百姓的安宁和心中的梦……天作棋盘,星作子,谁人敢下?他们却道:舍我其谁!他们能否如愿成就他们的宏图霸业?最终,江山与美人,孰轻?孰重?………………………………………………………【悠然】萧慕枫:如果此生我无法再牵住你的心,那么我愿意用整个天下,来禁锢你的身。兰彦:这一世,我只想静静抓着你的手,与我共游人间,历经百世沧桑。悠然:谁是谁生命中的过客,谁又是谁生命中的轮回,我无从得知。但是如果,世上真的有那天荒地老,那么我愿意,陪着他一直走下去。【潇泠】离夕:我这一生,只愿与你,日月相连。南浔:我知,这路途虽苦,但我甘之如饴,无怨无悔。潇泠:我答应你,此生不会再让你遗世而独立,陪你一起看庭前花开花落,望天上云卷云舒。
  • 明月出天山

    明月出天山

    阿舍,女,原名杨咏,维吾尔族,1971年生,新疆尉犁人,西北第二民族学院毕业。银川文学院签约作家。出版长篇历史小说《乌孙》。散文《小席走了》获2004年第五届“PSI—新语丝”网络文学一等奖;散文《山鬼》获2011年《民族文学》年度奖。
  • 补气血的保健智慧

    补气血的保健智慧

    “气”、“血”、“精”是我们健康的根本,它们充盈,则人健康、长寿;它们亏虚,则人会经常出现所谓亚健康的症状,甚至疾病缠身,过早衰老。书中描述了气、血、精三种能量在人体中的作用和意义、三者的关系、这三种能量亏虚时人体的生理表现,以及弥补这三种能量的方法,希望能为读者打开一扇通往健康的大门。
  • 季先生,缘来是你

    季先生,缘来是你

    【甜饼短篇1v1】季喻之当过池夏两回贵人。一是少年时期的英雄救美,二是她事业跌到低谷时给她的云梯。演技遭受质疑的池夏颠覆以往荧幕形象,用实力稳坐娱乐圈四小花旦之首,摘得影后桂冠。当事业重新起航,池夏却突然退出娱乐圈,以花店老板娘的身份嫁给季喻之。很多人不解她的做法,池夏却在社交平台这样说道:“缘起十年前的秋日,情定发现他的守护,结果我向他的求婚。”
  • 幻由人生:蒲松龄传

    幻由人生:蒲松龄传

    《蒲松龄传:幻由人生》是一本翔实的、带有学术意味的人物传记。作者是研究蒲松龄的大家,又有文学写作的经验,故下笔纵横捭阖,情思缕缕,除了人物鲜活外,历史的语境也被一一点缀出来。一个在科举路上不得志的文人形象被勾勒得栩栩如生,诸多历史话题浮现其间,乃文学画廊的奇景,有身临其境的美感。
  • 你是我温暖的依靠

    你是我温暖的依靠

    爱是人生永不落幕的演出。滚滚红尘中,那些美丽而温暖的爱总是充斥着你我生命的每个角落,伴随着我们成长的每个时刻。无论是亲情、友情还是爱情,《你是我温暖的依靠》中的每一段文字都能带给你心灵的启迪,每一个情节都能带给你美的历程,每一个温情故事都能触动你内心柔软的一面,让你久久共鸣。
  • 霸爱总裁的冷情新娘

    霸爱总裁的冷情新娘

    最狗血的情节发生在机场。最亲密的闺蜜成为了情敌。她徐晗韵第一次明白什么叫失败的滋味。也第一次明白,心碎了原来真的很痛。更清楚的知道为什么床头的避yun套,在他们三人一起时,她喝醉后总会少一个。原来她是他们地下情最忠实的观众。当全天下都的人都以为她的人生灰暗到要想自杀的时候,她的婚礼却轰动了整个B市,她成为了本世界最耀眼的新娘。新婚夜,徐晗韵对着面前一如既往淡定的男人说道“若你敢偷腥,我便红杏出墙。若我怀疑你瓜田李下,我便让墙外的红花枝繁叶茂。”他不爱她,她也不爱她,他们的婚姻没有利益,也没有情仇,只是当繁华落尽,他转身离去,她却站在了原地,爱恨就这样的明白.推荐自己的完结文《出軌前夫》《豪门之“继母”前妻》《冷情总裁休残妻》《总裁的毁容前妻》《贱婢不受宠》《虐婢》在移动手机阅读平台上使用的名称为《霸爱总裁的冷情新娘》
  • 傲剑修仙传

    傲剑修仙传

    他是一个潦倒失意的穷酸秀才,偶然间被中土第一修真门派古仙派掌门指点,遂决心修道。奈何修真之路并不平坦,尔虞我诈、居心叵测之人在所多有。他得到世间奇宝鬼幽剑,拥有莫大机遇,也因此被无数人觊觎。之后他离门派、进蛮荒,叩开仙界大门,最终成为世间顶尖存在——剑神!
  • 创世魂决

    创世魂决

    "灵魂被打散的少年如何在灵魂大陆立足?父母血仇未报,敌人势力冲天,年少的蓝海该何去何从?得惊天灵宝,添流氓器灵从此踏入念师,狠心修炼,希望早日报仇,殊不知敌人竟是……天赋异禀的蓝海,神奇的自然力,堪比外挂的器灵,且看少年如何手刃敌首!!!"