登陆注册
5380300000075

第75章

He began to remember as well the spirit that was in the air when the music ended.The details of what he had felt and said rose vaguely in his mind.Pondering them, his eye roved past Celia's white-robed figure to the broad, open doorway beyond.The curtains behind which she had disappeared were again parted and fastened back.

A dim light was burning within, out of sight, and its faint illumination disclosed a room filled with white marbles, white silks, white draperies of varying sorts, which shaped themselves, as he looked, into the canopy and trappings of an extravagantly over-sized and sumptuous bed.

He looked away again.

"I wish you would tell me what you really mean by that Greek idea of yours," he said with the abruptness of confusion.

Celia did not display much enthusiasm in the tone of her answer."Oh," she said almost indifferently, "lots of things.Absolute freedom from moral bugbears, for one thing.The recognition that beauty is the only thing in life that is worth while.The courage to kick out of one's life everything that isn't worth while;and so on."

"But," said Theron, watching the mingled delicacy and power of the bared arm and the shapely grace of the hand which she had lifted to her face, "I am going to get you to teach it ALL to me." The memories began crowding in upon him now, and the baffling note upon which the mazurka had stopped short chimed like a tuning-fork in his ears."I want to be a Greek myself, if you're one.I want to get as close to you--to your ideal, that is, as I can.You open up to me a whole world that I had not even dreamed existed.

We swore our friendship long ago, you know: and now, after tonight--you and the music have decided me.

I am going to put the things out of MY life that are not worthwhile.Only you must help me; you must tell me how to begin."He looked up as he spoke, to enforce the almost tender entreaty of his words.The spectacle of a yawn, only fractionally concealed behind those talented fingers, chilled his soft speech, and sent a flush over his face.

He rose on the instant.

Celia was nothing abashed at his discovery.She laughed gayly in confession of her fault, and held her hand out to let him help her disentangle her foot from her draperies, and get off the divan.It seemed to be her meaning that he should continue holding her hand after she was also standing.

"You forgive me, don't you?" she urged smilingly.

"Chopin always first excites me, then sends me to sleep.

You see how YOU sleep tonight!"

The brown, velvety eyes rested upon him, from under their heavy lids, with a languorous kindliness.Her warm, large palm clasped his in frank liking.

"I don't want to sleep at all," Mr.Ware was impelled to say.

"I want to lie awake and think about--about everything all over again."She smiled drowsily."And you're sure you feel strong enough to walk home?""Yes," he replied, with a lingering dilatory note, which deepened upon reflection into a sigh."Oh, yes."He followed her and her candle down the magnificent stairway again.She blew the light out in the hall, and, opening the front door, stood with him for a silent moment on the threshold.Then they shook hands once more, and with a whispered good-night, parted.

Celia, returning to the blue and yellow room, lighted a cigarette and helped herself to some Benedictine in the glass which Theron had used.She looked meditatively at this little glass for a moment, turning it about in her fingers with a smile.

The smile warmed itself suddenly into a joyous laugh.

She tossed the glass aside, and, holding out her flowing skirts with both hands, executed a swinging pirouette in front of the gravely beautiful statue of the armless woman.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 传统女生VS特工王子

    传统女生VS特工王子

    他,从天而降,一袭黑衣,翩翩如谪神降临救她于水深火热之中……此去经年,当年的黑衣大侠无数个在眼前出现,哪一个,才是真正的救她一命的黑衣大侠?……夏纤纤说:“我喜欢穿黑色长衬衫的男生,有一种特别的神秘的责任感。”于是,封子扬从此清一色的黑衣。
  • 北方之鹰

    北方之鹰

    人类自有私欲以来,便有了战争,或同宗或异族,刀枪相向,杀戮成山。于是富饶的迦太基在罗马大军洗劫下满目疮痍,滑铁卢小镇上6万多具尸体永远留在了大雨后的沼泽里,莫斯科城飘舞的雪花见证了上百万人的惨死。正义与邪恶,顽强与懦弱,尽在刀光剑影下显现。唯有历史老人用他那睿智且一丝不苟的头脑,记下了许多的坚贞、许多的英勇、许多的同情、许多的丑陋与不平。以及,那一件件或许不为许多人所知的往事……那是一个寒风刺骨的日子,苏联西部战场一辆颠簸的战车上,苏联《红星报》战地记者西蒙诺夫写下了一首诗。
  • 出世记

    出世记

    出世,本来是佛家语,是逃离红尘人间意思。翻译成英语Born,是诞生的意思。小说《出世记》书名的确定,意味着它真正诞生,要由季风之手携带风雨雷霆在世界上澎湃成大水,要给文学界带来一场文学和非文学的惊魂争议。小说主角中的孩子,也就是文本里的“我”,是操控着方向在整条细密宽广航道上运行的轮机长。他在想象的特殊时代里,以成长顺序延续主线,用心灵感应去敏感地阅读一九四九年后创业史的大时代,观察数次时代更替和变迁的国民映像,记录沿途眼见芸芸众生的丰富景象。他心底里的丰富世界,本身也是一道绚丽风景。他追溯理解的生命来由,回顾家族渊源复杂的血统和神秘,转化到生育他生命的父母亲,才让小说叙述在想象云端坐落在地上,回到了人物叙述的社会现实中来。
  • RUTH

    RUTH

    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。
  • 栖岩寺隋文帝马脑盏

    栖岩寺隋文帝马脑盏

    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。
  • 中国古代选举制度

    中国古代选举制度

    中国古代选举制度既是选拔人才的制度,同时又是一种选官制度和文化制度。它经历了远古时代的“禅让制”、封建贵族的“世袭制”、两汉的“察举制”、魏晋南北朝时期的九品中正制及隋唐明清的“科举制”等发展阶段。大致分为以隋唐为分界线的“荐举”与“科举”考试选拔官吏的两种制度。郭强编著的《中国古代选举制度》介绍了科举制度的创立、发展、改革完善、科举制度的鼎盛和终结等内容
  • 世界经典民间故事全集:动物王国的故事

    世界经典民间故事全集:动物王国的故事

    我们编辑的这套《世界经典民间故事全集》包括《清官能吏的故事》、《书生才子的故事》、《农夫诙谐的故事》、《工匠谈闻的故事》、《百姓闲聊的故事》、《儿童趣事的故事》、《世俗流言的故事》、《动物王国的故事》、《万物戏说的故事》和《自然传说的故事》等10册内容,精选了古今中外各种幻想故事、动物故事、生活故事、民间寓言和民间笑话等数百则,是启迪智慧,增长知识,扩大视野的良好读物,也是青少年学习和研究民间故事的最佳版本,非常适合各级图书馆收藏和陈列。
  • 历史智慧教给年轻人的99条生存法则

    历史智慧教给年轻人的99条生存法则

    说话怎样才能滴水不漏?如何办事才能顺风顺水?在何时应该激流勇退?在凶险的局势面前,如何才能趋利避害?……读史使人明智。历史人物的兴衰成败能给我们很好的启示。《历史智慧教给年轻人的99条生存法则》以历史人物为核心,翔实地讲解了中国历史中的99则生存智慧,对于我们当下的生活和工作而言,这些生存智慧仍有借鉴和指导意义。
  • 水行世界

    水行世界

    天元大陆传承古派碧水宗,在万年内迅速衰落,又是一个千年一次魔罗入侵的时代,碧水宗仅剩五百余众,已不具有独面魔罗的实力,被各派分化组成小队进行作战。大战持续了106年,魔罗退走,终于到了休养生息的时候,以紫阳宗为首的各派联合向碧水宗发难,意图瓜分碧水宗的千年传承及其核心的传承至宝。碧水宗愤恨不已,数千年中门内法宝多数都被强行收购,如今已是十不存一,仅剩传承之物与一些勉强拿得出手的中阶法宝,如此这般碧水宗传承将要尽断。碧水宗主悔恨之下决定让门内金丹期高手也就是他的儿子韩致带着碧水传承与至宝遁走。可惜碧水宗上下拼死抵抗的情况下,韩致还是被各派搜寻到。韩致无法,痛下决心要将至宝与传承都毁去,并在脑海中设下禁制,杜绝敌人在自己脑海中获益的可能,再与敌人决一死战。韩致运转神通降至至宝碧华珠,一道奇光从珠中射出笼罩在韩致周身,破空而去..........
  • 中朝故事

    中朝故事

    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。