登陆注册
5361800000092

第92章

There's a man in the moon to-night!' A moth went by, another, another. 'Ladies in grey!' He closed his eyes. A feeling that he would never open them again beset him; he let it grow, let himself sink; then, with a shiver, dragged the lids up. There was something wrong with him, no doubt, deeply wrong; he would have to have the doctor after all. It didn't much matter now! Into that coppice the moon-light would have crept; there would be shadows, and those shadows would be the only things awake. No birds, beasts, flowers, insects; Just the shadows--moving; 'Ladies in grey!' Over that log they would climb; would whisper together. She and Bosinney! Funny thought! And the frogs and little things would whisper too! How the clock ticked, in here! It was all eerie-out there in the light of that red moon; in here with the little steady night-light and, the ticking clock and the nurse's dressing-gown hanging from the edge of the screen, tall, like a woman's figure. 'Lady in grey!' And a very odd thought beset him: Did she exist? Had she ever come at all? Or was she but the emanation of all the beauty he had loved and must leave so soon? The violet-grey spirit with the dark eyes and the crown of amber hair, who walks the dawn and the moonlight, and at blue-bell time? What was she, who was she, did she exist? He rose and stood a moment clutching the window-sill, to give him a sense of reality again; then began tiptoeing towards the door. He stopped at the foot of the bed; and Holly, as if conscious of his eyes fixed on her, stirred, sighed, and curled up closer in defence. He tiptoed on and passed out into the dark passage; reached his room, undressed at once, and stood before a mirror in his night-shirt. What a scarecrow--with temples fallen in, and thin legs! His eyes resisted his own image, and a look of pride came on his face. All was in league to pull him down, even his reflection in the glass, but he was not down--yet! He got into bed, and lay a long time without sleeping, trying to reach resignation, only too well aware that fretting and disappointment were very bad for him. He woke in the morning so unrefreshed and strengthIess that he sent for the doctor.

After sounding him, the fellow pulled a face as long as your arm, and ordered him to stay in bed and give up smoking. That was no hardship; there was nothing to get up for, and when he felt ill, tobacco always lost its savour. He spent the morning languidly with the sun-blinds down, turning and re-turning The Times, not reading much, the dog Balthasar lying beside his bed. With his lunch they brought him a telegram, running thus:

'Your letter received coming down this afternoon will be with you at four-thirty. Irene.'

Coming down! After all! Then she did exist--and he was not deserted. Coming down! A glow ran through his limbs; his cheeks and forehead felt hot. He drank his soup, and pushed the tray-table away, lying very quiet until they had removed lunch and left him alone; but every now and then his eyes twinkled. Coming down! His heart beat fast, and then did not seem to beat at all. At three o'clock he got up and dressed deliberately, noiselessly. Holly and Mam'zelle would be in the schoolroom, and the servants asleep after their dinner, he shouldn't wonder. He opened his door cautiously, and went downstairs. In the hall the dog Balthasar lay solitary, and, followed by him, old Jolyon passed into his study and out into the burning afternoon. He meant to go down and meet her in the coppice, but felt at once he could not manage that in this heat. He sat down instead under the oak tree by the swing, and the dog Balthasar, who also felt the heat, lay down beside him. He sat there smiling. What a revel of bright minutes! What a hum of insects, and cooing of pigeons! It was the quintessence of a summer day. Lovely!

And he was happy--happy as a sand-boy, what-ever that might be. She was coming; she had not given him up! He had everything in life he wanted--except a little more breath, and less weight--just here! He would see her when she emerged from the fernery, come swaying just a little, a violet-grey figure passing over the daisies and dandelions and 'soldiers' on the lawn--the soldiers with their flowery crowns.

He would not move, but she would come up to him and say: 'Dear Uncle Jolyon, I am sorry!' and sit in the swing and let him look at her and tell her that he had not been very well but was all right now; and that dog would lick her hand. That dog knew his master was fond of her; that dog was a good dog.

It was quite shady under the tree; the sun could not get at him, only make the rest of the world bright so that he could see the Grand Stand at Epsom away out there, very far, and the cows crop-ping the clover in the field and swishing at the flies with their tails. He smelled the scent of limes, and lavender. Ah! that was why there was such a racket of bees. They were excited--busy, as his heart was busy and excited. Drowsy, too, drowsy and drugged on honey and happiness; as his heart was drugged and drowsy. Summer--summer--they seemed saying; great bees and little bees, and the flies too!

The stable clock struck four; in half an hour she would be here. He would have just one tiny nap, because he had had so little sleep of late; and then he would be fresh for her, fresh for youth and beauty, coming towards him across the sunlit lawn--lady in grey! And settling back in his chair he closed his eyes. Some thistle-down came on what little air there was, and pitched on his moustache more white than itself. He did not know; but his breathing stirred it, caught there. A ray of sunlight struck through and lodged on his boot. A bumble-bee alighted and strolled on the crown of his Panama hat. And the delicious surge of slumber reached the brain beneath that hat, and the head swayed forward and rested on his breast.

Summer--summer! So went the hum.

The stable clock struck the quarter past. The dog Balthasar stretched and looked up at his master. The thistledown no longer moved. The dog placed his chin over the sunlit foot. It did not stir. The dog withdrew his chin quickly, rose, and leaped on old Jolyon's lap, looked in his face, whined; then, leaping down, sat on his haunches, gazing up. And suddenly he uttered a long, long howl.

But the thistledown was still as death, and the face of his old master.

Summer--summer--summer! The soundless footsteps on the grass!

同类推荐
  • 粉妆楼

    粉妆楼

    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。
  • 佛说须摩提菩萨经

    佛说须摩提菩萨经

    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。
  • 六艺纲目

    六艺纲目

    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。
  • 续英烈传

    续英烈传

    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。
  • 佛说邪见经

    佛说邪见经

    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
  • 我们的价值观:初中年级读本

    我们的价值观:初中年级读本

    一个国家的强盛,离不开精神的支撑;一个民族的进步,离不开文明的滋养;一个公民的成长,离不开价值的引导。走在复兴之路上的中华民族,不仅要在经济建设上奋起直追,更要在精神文化上焕发出自己的精气神。人生需要信仰驱动,发展需要价值导航。党的十八大顺应世情民意,从国家、社会和公民三个层面,用24个字提炼出现阶段全国人民价值观“最大公约数”的社会主义核心价值观,这就是国家层面的“富强、民主、文明、和谐”,社会层面的“自由、平等、公正、法治”,公民层面的“爱国、敬业、诚信、友善”。
  • 爱情微微凉

    爱情微微凉

    她穷尽一生爱着的男人,却将她打入了爱情的万劫不复之地。“顾凉辰,我怀孕了,你的。”“就算是我的种,也给我马上打掉!”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 李铁君文钞

    李铁君文钞

    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。
  • 纸醉金迷

    纸醉金迷

    本书是张恨水后期最具影响力的代表作,一代文学宗师为您剖析国民性格的深层黑暗在一个充斥着一夜暴富梦想的年代,人们迷失在倒卖黄金炒作债券的金融漩涡,官员贪污、商人投机,女人做诉白党、整个社会都围绕金钱进行着最后的疯狂。官场商场物欲横流,黄金债券一掷千金六十年社会现状再次轮回直面中国社会的金色迷途。
  • 老渔洼

    老渔洼

    天上突然下起了黑雨。多少年了,老渔洼人都没有遇到过这样的事,人们顿时沉浸在一片惶恐之中。这雨不知道是从夜里什么时候开始的,淅淅沥沥没完没了。黑雨落地的时候,茅厚子本家的兄弟茅二傻来找他,问他你还要孩子不?茅厚子有点丈二金刚摸不着头脑,说,你小侄女刚满月,我还要什么孩子?去拣啊。哪里去拣?下着黑雨,你胡罗罗八方什么?我要说瞎话骗你,我是驴兔子乌龟行了吧。
  • 解毒宫女惑天下

    解毒宫女惑天下

    “不要如此看我,这样做也是为了大家好。”明皓冷冷地望着那凄楚的女子,真想紧紧地拥她入怀,用自己的爱去温暖她。小文冷笑着,笑得动人,笑得凄凉透骨。他是她深深爱恋的男人,虽然,他强行要了自己。可如今,他却亲手扼杀了她肚里的孩子,她恨,她要将他碎尸万段。
  • 那个大佬被打了

    那个大佬被打了

    “跑,再跑!”周身被寒气包裹着的男人一脸阴霾。“人家怕嘛!”缩在墙角的女人在瑟瑟发抖。“怕?怕什么?”男人嘴角勾起一抹邪魅的笑,故作疑惑状。“讨厌,就,就是怕那个……”秀丽的小脸上写满了委屈。“乖,不怕啊!”温柔的声音一下子迷惑了缩在墙角的女人。“你,禽兽…………”话音刚落,就被男子打横抱起,阔步走向柔软的大床。开始了他们没羞没骚的“生活”!!!“听说夫人曾当着全世界的面,甩了您一巴掌,那最后您是怎么惩罚夫人的呢?”“嗯,大概是白天跪键盘,晚上……”
  • 魔方步步高(超级智商训练营)

    魔方步步高(超级智商训练营)

    本书注重对阅读技巧的培养,体现了英语学习中的大阅读观。书中设计了“读能诊断”、“阅读指南”、“难篇精练”、“难题精练”、“阅读欣赏”、“拓展任务”六个模块。其中“读能诊断”、“拓展任务”栏目设置了主观试题,从而有利于提高学生的英语能力,“阅读指南”栏目具体全面剖析了阅读及应试的技巧。
  • 渐吹尽

    渐吹尽

    十三岁时,江祝第一次见到心上人,小心翼翼喊了声“姐姐”,那人甜甜的说了声“乖”,从此,教他写字,教他画画,教他书法。十九岁时,江祝已长成大人的样子,写的一手好字,画本上画满了那人的样子,心上人却早已不在眼前,十年生死,他要卷土重来,不负山川亦不负眼前人
  • 不死武神闯斗破

    不死武神闯斗破

    因为癌症晚期死亡的萧辞穿越到了斗破的世界之中,本来想猥琐发育,稳如老狗,没想到还是被人一剑穿心,于是发现了他拥有不死之身……“妹子,如果你不相信我喜欢你的话,那我就把我的心掏出来给你看。”“既然大家都不相信我,那么我只能以死明志了。”利用不死之身他自杀撩妹、跳崖寻宝………“有本事你就把我杀死!不然……死的就是你了!”