登陆注册
5291400000061

第61章 CHAPTER XXII.(1)

The sunny, leafy week which followed the tender doings of Midsummer Eve brought a visitor to Fitzpiers's door; a voice that he knew sounded in the passage. Mr. Melbury had called. At first he had a particular objection to enter the parlor, because his boots were dusty, but as the surgeon insisted he waived the point and came in.

Looking neither to the right nor to the left, hardly at Fitzpiers himself, he put his hat under his chair, and with a preoccupied gaze at the floor, he said, "I've called to ask you, doctor, quite privately, a question that troubles me. I've a daughter, Grace, an only daughter, as you may have heard. Well, she's been out in the dew--on Midsummer Eve in particular she went out in thin slippers to watch some vagary of the Hintock maids--and she's got a cough, a distinct hemming and hacking, that makes me uneasy.

Now, I have decided to send her away to some seaside place for a change--"

"Send her away!" Fitzpiers's countenance had fallen.

"Yes. And the question is, where would you advise me to send her?"

The timber-merchant had happened to call at a moment when Fitzpiers was at the spring-tide of a sentiment that Grace was a necessity of his existence. The sudden pressure of her form upon his breast as she came headlong round the bush had never ceased to linger with him, ever since he adopted the manoeuvre for which the hour and the moonlight and the occasion had been the only excuse.

Now she was to be sent away. Ambition? it could be postponed.

Family? culture and reciprocity of tastes had taken the place of family nowadays. He allowed himself to be carried forward on the wave of his desire.

"How strange, how very strange it is," he said, "that you should have come to me about her just now. I have been thinking every day of coming to you on the very same errand."

"Ah!--you have noticed, too, that her health----"

"I have noticed nothing the matter with her health, because there is nothing. But, Mr. Melbury, I have seen your daughter several times by accident. I have admired her infinitely, and I was coming to ask you if I may become better acquainted with her--pay my addresses to her?"

Melbury was looking down as he listened, and did not see the air of half-misgiving at his own rashness that spread over Fitzpiers's face as he made this declaration.

"You have--got to know her?" said Melbury, a spell of dead silence having preceded his utterance, during which his emotion rose with almost visible effect.

"Yes," said Fitzpiers.

"And you wish to become better acquainted with her? You mean with a view to marriage--of course that is what you mean?"

"Yes," said the young man. "I mean, get acquainted with her, with a view to being her accepted lover; and if we suited each other, what would naturally follow."

The timber-merchant was much surprised, and fairly agitated; his hand trembled as he laid by his walking-stick. "This takes me unawares," said he, his voice wellnigh breaking down. "I don't mean that there is anything unexpected in a gentleman being attracted by her; but it did not occur to me that it would be you.

I always said," continued he, with a lump in his throat, "that my Grace would make a mark at her own level some day. That was why I educated her. I said to myself, 'I'll do it, cost what it may;' though her mother-law was pretty frightened at my paying out so much money year after year. I knew it would tell in the end.

'Where you've not good material to work on, such doings would be waste and vanity,' I said. 'But where you have that material it is sure to be worth while.'"

"I am glad you don't object," said Fitzpiers, almost wishing that Grace had not been quite so cheap for him.

"If she is willing I don't object, certainly. Indeed," added the honest man, "it would be deceit if I were to pretend to feel anything else than highly honored personally; and it is a great credit to her to have drawn to her a man of such good professional station and venerable old family. That huntsman-fellow little thought how wrong he was about her! Take her and welcome, sir."

"I'll endeavor to ascertain her mind."

"Yes, yes. But she will be agreeable, I should think. She ought to be."

"I hope she may. Well, now you'll expect to see me frequently."

"Oh yes. But, name it all--about her cough, and her going away.

I had quite forgot that that was what I came about."

"I assure you," said the surgeon, "that her cough can only be the result of a slight cold, and it is not necessary to banish her to any seaside place at all."

Melbury looked unconvinced, doubting whether he ought to take Fitzpiers's professional opinion in circumstances which naturally led him to wish to keep her there. The doctor saw this, and honestly dreading to lose sight of her, he said, eagerly, 'Between ourselves, if I am successful with her I will take her away myself for a month or two, as soon as we are married, which I hope will be before the chilly weather comes on. This will be so very much better than letting her go now."

The proposal pleased Melbury much. There could be hardly any danger in postponing any desirable change of air as long as the warm weather lasted, and for such a reason. Suddenly recollecting himself, he said, "Your time must be precious, doctor. I'll get home-along. I am much obliged to ye. As you will see her often, you'll discover for yourself if anything serious is the matter."

"I can assure you it is nothing," said Fitzpiers, who had seen Grace much oftener already than her father knew of.

When he was gone Fitzpiers paused, silent, registering his sensations, like a man who has made a plunge for a pearl into a medium of which he knows not the density or temperature. But he had done it, and Grace was the sweetest girl alive.

同类推荐
  • 台湾府舆图纂要

    台湾府舆图纂要

    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。
  • 元诗别裁集

    元诗别裁集

    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。
  • 如实论

    如实论

    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。
  • The Lamp That Went Out

    The Lamp That Went Out

    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。
  • EMMA

    EMMA

    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
  • 陌失陌忘:追妻路漫漫

    陌失陌忘:追妻路漫漫

    门开启的时候,那个如漫画般走出来的少年,如火张扬耀眼。本以为可以守住自己的心,可还是被这炙热灼伤了心。初入青春,不懂情,误把儿时被动当情。重新踏上这条冷情决绝杀伐之路,林陌心中只有一个念头,打破规矩,随心所爱。“阿布,你走了九十九步,最后一步,换我。”虽然这最后一步艰辛无比,可林陌还是愿意走,只是走的路有些长了,不知道他是否还等在原地。为了这最后一步的成功,她伤了他太多,满身血腥,没了一处干净,她忽然迷惘,是否该放他自由,默默守护。林陌想,一生总会遇到两个人,一个惊艳了时光,一个温柔了岁月。(本文现代女尊,慢热,先甜后虐,小心慎入)
  • 穆天子传

    穆天子传

    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。
  • 宠小欺大,贪心总裁的包子妻!

    宠小欺大,贪心总裁的包子妻!

    结婚前——她事先给他打预防针:“就算我们结婚了,我也不会爱你的。”他笑的斯文而优雅:“没关系,我想要的不过也只是我们的儿子而已。”那时的她心有所属,而那时的他也坐拥近千人的美女‘后宫团’。结婚后——明明说好互不干涉私生活,只需要在儿子面前表演好恩爱夫妻便可,没料到他堂堂大总裁居然说话不算数!不准跟男同事单独相处!不准留男性手机号码!不准对任何男性微笑!关键是他在各种约束她的时候,还在跟他的‘后宫团’美女们打的火热!“陆念川,你吃人不吐骨头!”包浅浅愤怒了,以为她姓包,就真把她当包子了!陆念川浅笑着叫她的乳名:“包子,难道你不知道我买你这个‘包子’就是为了吃的么?”***********【(??`ω??)贴心小提醒:这是个宠到了极致,虐到了疯狂的故事,表被陆先森一开始斯文的外表骗到了,否则见到他真实面目的时候乃们的小心脏会承受不住的,哭笑的时候记得抱紧我!?ε?】旧文链接:总裁大人欺人太甚:http://m.wkkk.net/a/502483/→_→【猛戳↓↓↓↓↓下面‘加入书架’字样了的同学,请到评论区领一包辣条!暗语:辣条!送咖啡后领两包!不能再多了!】
  • 我在流光里枕着你的声音

    我在流光里枕着你的声音

    这是一本短篇故事集,精选作者2010至2014年所写作品中的18篇好故事,以“少年回忆”、“人文关怀”为主题。收录文章大部分曾发表在《读者》、《美文》、《意林》、《青年文摘》等刊物。其中关于自闭症儿童的作品《掌心向外》在「一个」APP发表后获网络超人气转载。
  • 金萱图

    金萱图

    陷阱!意识到危险来临时,吕宽已来不及转身,眨眼之间,暗器呼啸而来。这一瞬间,他唯一做的事情就是将手里的纸卷塞进怀中,另一只手以更快的速度抽出软鞭,舞出漫天黑影,将暗器一一击落。放在地上的火折子灭了,整个屋子陷入一片黑暗。吕宽屏住气息,静静地呆在黑暗中,等待着下一波攻势。忽然一阵脚步声往这边而来。只有一个人,走得肆无忌惮,毫不隐藏。吕宽握紧了手里的软鞭。“吕大哥?”那人喊了一声,声音未落,门被推开了。吕宽看清了那人,是个锦衣华服的少年。
  • 开宝马的老板

    开宝马的老板

    见人都到齐了,何大为才阴沉沉地开了口:“大家说怎么办吧,刚才金鑫房地产开发公司的马总打电话过来了,问我这事怎么了断?”女记者万圆圆的一篇报道,给《长河晚报》带来了不小的麻烦:得罪了一位在长河市举足轻重的人物。《长河晚报》作为长河市委的机关报,在长河市起着宣传喉舌作用,市委每年专门拨出宣传经费给《长河晚报》,说是“宣传经费”,其实是报社五十多名员工的基本工资,也就是说,这笔宣传经费,可以使报社的五十多名员工每月能拿到基本生活费,至于奖金和福利之类的,就要靠报社自己拉广告了。
  • 总裁,重新从心爱你

    总裁,重新从心爱你

    情到浓时无怨尤,爱到深时心不悔,虽已遍体鳞伤,蚀骨销髓,却还是又一次的,从心爱上了你…………那一年的那一天,车子缓缓的停在一栋威严的楼前,她震惊的一把拉住正要下车他。“你带我来这做什么?”他俊容如冰,声音好听,却不带一丝感情色彩:“一个未婚男人带着一个未婚女人来民政局,你说我想做什么?”从未想过结婚竟是如此简单,两个钢印一盖,她就成了他的合法妻子,没有婚礼,没有钻戒,更没人知道…………那一年的那一天,她带着他重归旧地,看着那栋威严的楼房,他跟她说了同一句话。“你带我来这做什么?”她笑靥如花,言语讽刺:“一个已婚女人带着一个已婚男人来民政局,你说我想做什么?”他没有丝毫的犹豫,拿起笔签下自己的名字。说起来,他们不过是一个交易,各取所需,只是在这个交易里,丢了身的是她,丢了心的是她,怀了孩子的也是她。收拾好行李,潇洒的走出他的世界,却又掉进了他精心设计好的意外里。她怀着孩子躺在火海之中,满面泪水的呼喊求救,却只能看着红色的鲜血不停流出体外。爆破声响——那一年的那一天,一条人命,两份回忆,三个人的生离死别…………五年后她死而复生,成为珠宝界最受瞩目的珠宝设计师,追求她的名门公子犹如过江之鲫,绯闻层出不穷。而他,有妻有子,家庭幸福圆满,好好先生的美名传遍整个都城,羡煞千万女子,但却无人知道,他婚后竟连一次都未碰过他的妻子。再相见时,他挽着大腹便便的娇妻与她擦肩而过。忆起往事,她盯着他妻子的肚子发誓,一定要为自己的孩子报仇。————————————新文,只求收藏。么么哒~
  • 尘落

    尘落

    刘海东服毒自杀了。这和一张布告有关,布告是在五个月之前贴在小镇的墙头上。那是胡少军贴上去的。胡少军是林荫镇的副镇长,贴布告这等蝇头小事原本是办公室秘书的活,然而吴建国却指名道姓要他去办。多年之后,胡少军仍然记那天的情景。那天他心里一团糟,这段时间他心里总是一团糟。他母亲患上一种怪病,服了许多中药和西药,病情没有好转,却把家里的积蓄都花光了。他坐在办公室里感到烦闷,便走出门外站在一棵茂盛的玉兰树下。树荫外是大片剥了皮的阳光,蛮横无理地赖在地上,还发出一阵阵挑剔的滋滋声响。这应该是一年中最炎热的日子。这该死的天气!胡少军在心中狠狠地骂着。
  • 异世重生:废材逆天小姐

    异世重生:废材逆天小姐

    她,本是21世纪的王牌杀手,却穿越成练武世家第一废材。极品家人嫌弃她不能习武?分分钟就逆袭成武林强者。重生大能,王者归来,岂料惹上傲娇腹黑帝国太子,一怒天下变的王者。她扮猪吃老虎;他无限宠溺。一场棋逢对手的爱恨情仇将何去何从?
  • 击败专家:战胜华尔街顶尖高手的指数投资

    击败专家:战胜华尔街顶尖高手的指数投资

    本书探讨如何运用股票指数投资获利。不管你是想购买一只指数基金然后坐享其成还是自选一组股票进行投资组合战胜市场、超越指数,你都必须了解指数。指数是投资者的路标、方向标和地图。在汽车行程中——不管是短程旅行还是长途跋涉,了解路标和地图是大有裨益的。是啊,有些人仅凭幸运的猜测、直觉或运气就到达了目的地,但其他人却迷了路。投资中的迷路既耽误时间也浪费钱财。