登陆注册
5382100000054

第54章 CHAPTER XIII(1)

THE DISSENTING MINISTER'S HOUSEHOLD

Miss Benson had resumed every morsel of the briskness which she had rather lost in the middle of the day; her foot was on her native stones, and a very rough set they were, and she was near her home and among known people.

Even Mr. Benson spoke very cheerfully to Ben, and made many inquiries of him respecting people whose names were strange to Ruth. She was cold, and utterly weary. She took Miss Benson's offered arm, and could hardly drag herself as far as the little quiet street in which Mr. Benson's house was situated. The street was so quiet that their footsteps sounded like a loud disturbance, and announced their approach as effectually as the "trumpet's lordly blare" did the coming of Abdallah. A door flew open, and a lighted passage stood before them. As soon as they had entered, a stout elderly servant emerged from behind the door, her face radiant with welcome. "Eh, bless ye! are ye hack again? I thought I should ha' been lost without ye." She gave Mr. Benson a hearty shake of the hand, and kissed Miss Benson warmly; then, turning to Ruth, she said, in a loud whisper-- "Who's yon?" Mr. Benson was silent, and walked a step onwards. Miss Benson said boldly out-- "The lady I named in my note, Sally--Mrs. Denbigh, a distant relation." "Ay, but you said hoo was a widow. Is this chit a widow?" "Yes, this is Mrs. Denbigh," answered Miss Benson. "If I'd been her mother, I'd ha' given her a lollypop instead on a husband.

Hoo looks fitter for it." "Hush! Sally, Sally! Look, there's your master trying to move that heavy box." Miss Benson calculated well when she called Sally's attention to her master; for it was believed by every one, and by Sally herself, that his deformity was owing to a fall he had had when he was scarcely more than a baby, and intrusted to her care--a little nurse-girl, as she then was, not many years older than himself. For years the poor girl had cried herself to sleep on her pallet bed, moaning over the blight her carelessness had brought upon her darling; nor was this self-reproach diminished by the forgiveness of the gentle mother, from whom Thurstan Benson derived so much of his character. The way in which comfort stole into Sally's heart was in the gradually-formed resolution that she would never leave him nor forsake him, but serve him faithfully all her life long; and she had kept to her word. She loved Miss Benson, but she almost worshipped the brother.

The reverence for him was in her heart, however, and did not always show itself in her manners. But if she scolded him herself, she allowed no one else that privilege. If Miss Benson differed from her brother, and ventured to think his sayings or doings might have been improved, Sally came down upon her like a thunder-clap. "My goodness gracious, Master Thurstan, when will you learn to leave off meddling with other folks' business? Here, Ben! help me up with these trunks." The little narrow passage was cleared, and Miss Benson took Ruth into the sitting-room. There were only two sitting-rooms on the ground-floor, one behind the other. Out of the back room the kitchen opened, and for this reason the back parlour was used as the family sitting-room; or else, being, with its garden aspect, so much the pleasanter of the two, both Sally and Miss Benson would have appropriated it for Mr. Benson's study. As it was, the front room, which looked to the street, was his room; and many a person coming for help--help of which giving money was the lowest kind--was admitted, and let forth by Mr. Benson, unknown to any one else in the house. To make amends for his having the least cheerful room on the ground-floor, he had the garden bedroom, while his sister slept over his study. There were two more rooms again over these, with sloping ceilings, though otherwise large and airy. The attic looking into the garden was the spare bedroom; while the front belonged to Sally. There was no room over the kitchen, which was, in fact, a supplement to the house. The sitting-room was called by the pretty, old-fashioned name of the parlour, while Mr. Benson's room was styled the study. The curtains were drawn in the parlour; there was a bright fire and a clean hearth; indeed, exquisite cleanliness seemed the very spirit of the household, for the door which was open to the kitchen showed a delicately-white and spotless floor, and bright glittering tins, on which the ruddy firelight danced. From the place in which Ruth sat she could see all Sally's movements.;and though she was not conscious of close or minute observation at the time (her body being weary, and her mind full of other thoughts), yet it was curious how faithfully that scene remained depicted on her memory in after years. The warm light filled every corner of the kitchen, in strong distinction to the faint illumination of the one candle in the parlour, whose radiance was confined, and was lost in the dead folds of window-curtains, carpet, and furniture. The square, stout, bustling figure, neat and clean in every respect, but dressed in the peculiar, old-fashioned costume of the county, namely, a dark-striped linsey-woolsey petticoat, made very short, displaying sturdy legs in woollen stockings beneath; a loose kind of jacket, called there a "bedgown," made of pink print , a snow-white apron and cap, both of linen, and the latter made in the shape of a "mutch";--these articles completed Sally's costume, and were painted on Ruth's memory.

同类推荐
  • 饮食须知

    饮食须知

    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。
  • 佛说放牛经

    佛说放牛经

    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。
  • 燕石集

    燕石集

    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。
  • 江邻幾杂志

    江邻幾杂志

    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。
  • 仲夏夜之梦

    仲夏夜之梦

    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
  • 荒火

    荒火

    本书收录了作者多年来的个性散文。他笔下描绘的大漠与草原、山脉与河流、城市与乡村、军营与军人、爱情与哲思无不给人留下深刻而难忘的印象。他那弘扬塞外这片热土的淋漓尽致的浓墨重彩散发着青春的艺术魅力。他的散文作品极具语言艺术功力气势恢弘张扬有度重情重义一反时下流行的甜腻格调令人耳目一新也令我们赞叹不已。他的军旅散文以气势磅礴却又清新细腻的铁血风格独树一帜在军旅文坛上。
  • 绝色锋芒之僵尸雪颜

    绝色锋芒之僵尸雪颜

    商雪颜,穿越到一个奇特的种族,本来只想做一个米虫的她,却不料,即将要面对更加严酷的角逐……
  • 特工傲世

    特工傲世

    唐家三小姐唐婧微,在整个上流社会里谁人不知,谁人不晓?她是上流社会所有男性的梦中情人。鹅蛋脸,明眸皓齿、柳叶弯眉、肤若凝脂,再加上高挑的身材,黄金般的比例,杨柳腰。对,她就是天生的狐狸精人物。然而?这样的甜心人物却是恐怖组织的天敌。她是反恐帝国里的精英,是来自国际反恐局的超级特工,刺探情报,保护政要,必要的时候暗杀敌人。心理学、格斗、易容学,追踪与反追踪样样精通。这样的人物却到了男尊女卑的时代成为一个处处受虐的小婢女!是备受屈辱的苟且偷生?还是如展翅的凤凰傲视天下?他,龙朝帝国三太子。放荡不羁,游戏人间,那滴水不露的微笑中有几分真来几分假?却为她身受重伤仍紧搂她的纤腰为她挡风遮雨。他,龙朝帝国二太子。镇守边疆,人世间都说他绝情弃爱,残酷无情。却对着她露出如孩童般天真的笑容,为她错失一次又一次的良机让自己四面逢敌。他,灵鸾国国主。霸道,多疑,却喜怒无形的天生政治家。有着强大的野心,却对她百般呵护,千般疼爱,更昭告天下灵鸾国‘后位’为她虚位以待。一场幽梦遗落一颗心,千年等待只为那回眸一笑。到底是命运创造她,还是她征服了命运。尽请期待《特工傲世》——子言玄。****************另外玄玄给文文做了一个视频(*^__^*),第一次做的视频不知道感觉怎么样~希望大家去瞧瞧给玄玄指点。网址:?pstyle=1ps:玄玄想向大家解释一下,此文不是NP文,为此要向希望NP文的亲们感到抱歉.......呜呜,你们砸死我吧(/(ㄒoㄒ)/~~/(ㄒoㄒ)/~~/(ㄒoㄒ)/~~)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~推介好友文文:《绝色太子妃》安若心《黑道面具妻》莫芊涵《轻月王妃》斐玉《烈凰淡血》紫箫泠君王妃会驭鬼伤凝http://m.wkkk.net/info/m.wkkk.net《l難伺夫君下堂》夏侯十《这个总裁有点冷》烟微三月《傲行天下之杀手王妃》离风萧瑟《乞妃》煙醉《残欢》洛欣晨《百变嚣张公主》吟雪《天才之拽拽女王爷》琦语《重生之非凡人生》谢谢大家的支持。O(∩_∩)O
  • 温府三卷

    温府三卷

    京都第一商家——温府。府上有三位公子。大公子——温文二公子——温和三公子——温酒
  • 历代词话

    历代词话

    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。
  • 无双七绝(2)

    无双七绝(2)

    春秋吴越争霸,贤臣文种忠而被诛,绝世奇冤,终酿成千年后武林惊世之争。范蠡设下一局“国破山河在”,以悼亡友,却为武林留下了千古奇谜。宁勿缺一介文弱,却以满腹经纶,赢得绝世武学与奇物血蝉。几番山穷水尽,几番柳暗花明,终洞悉惊天阴谋,在功尽人废之时,凭其天赋奇禀,临阵悟出至高武学,力挽狂澜。
  • 不得往生

    不得往生

    《不得往生》草莽起家的许半夏从收废铁到开工厂,周旋于国有企业、民营企业、外资企业法律界甚至黑社会势力等错综复杂的社会关系之中,经历良心与资本、道德与利益的对抗在漫长的创业岁月中,既有痛苦、波折,也有甜蜜、收获。相爱想杀相知相遇,亦正亦邪亦帮亦损。这是一部投以裁纸刀、许之生半夏的爱情小说;这又是一部六国争雄的钢铁行业商战小说;这还是一次对“企业家原罪”的有力质问。或许一切的商业都将经历这样的过程,而传奇往往这样炼成。
  • 神奇的宇宙空间探测器(神秘的太空世界丛书)

    神奇的宇宙空间探测器(神秘的太空世界丛书)

    星河灿烂,深空路遥。当第一颗人造卫星进入地球轨道飞行之后不久,人类向地外星球进军就提上了日程。现在,人类制造的宇宙探测器不仅为人类登上月球开辟了道路,而且已经遍访了太阳系的各大行星,同时正在向太阳系外更遥远的星球跋涉。
  • 识茶 泡茶 品茶

    识茶 泡茶 品茶

    健康饮茶一日通,《美食天下(第1辑):识茶泡茶品茶》由中国烹饪协会美食营养专业委员会推荐,详解12种中国名荼的鉴别方法,细说6大茶类的冲泡方法,慢烹细泡,让每一种茶都释放其应有的茶香。识鉴茶中优劣,泡得一壶芳香,品出人间百味,方是有缘茶人。
  • 快穿之炮灰热线

    快穿之炮灰热线

    洛七七只是万千生灵中最最普通平凡的一员,但万中无一的高空落物事件却让她从此开启了不平凡的旅程,穿梭在一个个任务主体间,一世又一世的修炼,让曾经这个渺小的灵魂慢慢壮大,当最终boss站在她面前,回去还是留下,她应该何去何从。