登陆注册
5382100000059

第59章 CHAPTER XIV(1)

RUTH'S FIRST SUNDAY AT ECCLESTON

Ruth felt very shy when she came down (at half-past seven) the next morning, in her widow's cap. Her smooth, pale face, with its oval untouched by time, looked more young and childlike than ever, when contrasted with the head-gear usually associated with ideas of age. She blushed very deeply as Mr. and Miss Benson showed the astonishment, which they could not conceal, in their looks. She said in a low voice to Miss Benson-- "Sally thought I had better wear it." Miss Benson made no reply; but was startled at the intelligence, which she thought was conveyed in this speech, of Sally's acquaintance with Ruth's real situation. She noticed Sally's looks particularly this morning. The manner in which the old servant treated Ruth had in it far more of respect than there had been the day before; but there was a kind of satisfied way of braving out Miss Benson's glances which made the latter uncertain and uncomfortable. She followed her brother into his study. "Do you know, Thurstan, I am almost certain Sally suspects." Mr. Benson sighed. That deception grieved him, and yet he thought he saw its necessity. "What makes you think so?" asked he. "Oh! many little things. It was her odd way of ducking her head about, as if to catch a good view of Ruth's left hand, that made me think of the wedding-ring; and once, yesterday, when I thought I had made up quite a natural speech, and was saying how sad it was for so young a creature to be left a widow she broke in with 'widow be farred!' in a very strange, contemptuous kind of manner." "If she suspects, we had far better tell her the truth at once. She will never rest till she finds it out, so we must make a virtue of necessity." "Well, brother, you shall tell her then, for I am sure I daren't. I don't mind doing the thing, since you talked to me that day, and since I have got to know Ruth; but I do mind all the clatter people will make about it." "But Sally is not 'people.'" "Oh, I see it must be done; she'll talk as much as all the other persons put together, so that's the reason I call her 'people.' Shall I call her?"(For the house was too homely and primitive to have bells.) Sally came, fully aware of what was now going to be told her, and determined not to help them out in telling their awkward secret, by understanding the nature of it before it was put into the plainest language. In every pause, when they hoped she had caught the meaning they were hinting at, she persisted in looking stupid and perplexed, and in saying, "Well," as if quite unenlightened as to the end of the story. When it was all complete and before her, she said, honestly enough-- "It's just as I thought it was; and I think you may thank me for having had the sense to put her into widow's caps, and clip off that bonny brown hair that was fitter for a bride in lawful matrimony than for such as her.

She took it very well, though. She was as quiet as a lamb, and I clipped her pretty roughly at first. I must say, though, if I'd ha' known who your visitor was, I'd ha' packed up my things and cleared myself out of the house before such as her came into it. As it's done, I suppose I must stand by you, and help you through with it; I only hope I sha'n't lose my character--and me a parish-clerk's daughter!" "O Sally! people know you too well to think any ill of you," said Miss Benson, who was pleased to find the difficulty so easily got over; for, in truth, Sally had been much softened by the unresisting gentleness with which Ruth had submitted to the "clipping" of the night before. "If I'd been with you, Master Thurstan, I'd ha' seen sharp after you, for you're always picking up some one or another as nobody else would touch with a pair of tongs. Why, there was that Nelly Brandon's child as was left at our door, if I hadn't gone to th' overseer we should have had that Irish tramp's babby saddled on us for life; but I went off and told th'

overseer, and the mother was caught." "Yes," said Mr. Benson sadly, "and I often lie awake and wonder what is the fate of that poor little thing, forced back on the mother who tried to get quit of it. I often doubt whether I did right; but it's no use thinking about it now." "I'm thankful it isn't," said Sally; "and now, if we've talked doctrine long enough, I'll make th' beds. Yon girl's secret is safe enough for me." Saying this she left the room, and Miss Benson followed. She found Ruth busy washing the breakfast things; and they were done in so quiet and orderly a manner, that neither Miss Benson nor Sally, both particular enough, had any of their little fancies or prejudices annoyed. She seemed to have an instinctive knowledge of the exact period when her help was likely to become a hindrance, and withdrew from the busy kitchen just at the right time. That afternoon, as Miss Benson and Ruth sat at their work, Mrs. and Miss Bradshaw called. Miss Benson was so nervous as to surprise Ruth, who did not understand the probable and possible questions which might be asked respecting any visitor at the minister's house. Ruth went on sewing, absorbed in her own thoughts, and glad that the conversation between the two elder ladies and the silence of the younger one, who sat at some distance from her, gave her an opportunity of retreating into the haunts of memory; and soon the work fell from her hands, and her eyes were fixed on the little garden beyond, but she did not see its flowers or its walls; she saw the mountains which girdled Llan-dhu, and saw the sun rise from behind their iron outline, just as it had done--how long ago? was it months or was it years?--since she had watched the night through, crouched up at his door. Which was the dream and which the reality? that distant life or this?

同类推荐
  • 外科全生集

    外科全生集

    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。
  • 金刚顶瑜伽青颈大悲王观自在念诵仪轨

    金刚顶瑜伽青颈大悲王观自在念诵仪轨

    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。
  • 圭峰集

    圭峰集

    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。
  • 大学章句集注

    大学章句集注

    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。
  • 寄淮上柳十三

    寄淮上柳十三

    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
  • 侦情校园

    侦情校园

    一段录音,一起意外事件,将大学生苏伊曼意外卷入了正在调查的一场秘密案件。
  • 与阮芸台宫保论文书

    与阮芸台宫保论文书

    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。
  • 高校学系:学园禁地,校内惊悚事件(新惊魂六计)

    高校学系:学园禁地,校内惊悚事件(新惊魂六计)

    死亡的气味,让人如此胆寒心惊!绝对恐惧、凄婉、离奇、诡异!身临其境的感觉、凄婉的场景、恐怖的气氛、奇异的故事,一切,就发生在你我身边。吓到你胆颤-吓到你神经错乱!阅读时务必当心,胆小者切勿尝试!越恐怖越上瘾,让你冷彻骨髓、胆寒崩溃的恐怖故事。
  • 天下为君:娘子太妖娆

    天下为君:娘子太妖娆

    (完本推荐:《穿越随身空间之凤琉璃》,《农妇空间:孩子王娘亲》《药香农妇:军师相公追妻忙》。新书《千金错:万能农女锄作田》期待大家支持!)(已完结)她是名动四方的第一名妓,一曲倾世之舞,舞得天地尽失颜色。她也是红影楼的楼主,红伞一扬,无数英雄尽出手。一把红伞震天下,混动四方慑人心。他是高高在上的贵家公子,文韬武略,名震京都。当身份截然不同的两人意外相遇,是情缘还是意外?
  • 寻找爱情的邹小姐

    寻找爱情的邹小姐

    时光是一条永远无法逾越的河,所有的爱恨嗔痴,所有的悲欢离合,都被悄无声息地侵蚀殆尽,终至消散无痕。十年前,她与他经历了最铭心的爱,最刻骨的恨。她曾那样用力爱过他,他也曾那样执着于她,她以为他们的爱牢不可破。然而,当命运无情地举起镰刀,当罂粟花绽放邪恶微笑,他不过是漠然地转身离去。那一刻,她才知道,一切不过是一场蓄意已久的阴谋。她从天堂跌入地狱。爱也好,恨也好,她说,如果她真的忘记了,她不愿再记起。十年后,前尘往事如烟消散,她真的没有再忆起。她以为自己另有所爱,他身边来去如云,他们不过是咫尺天涯的陌生人。然而,当往昔的回忆如潮水般涌来,当真相的卷帘慢慢掀开……他们是否还能寻回失落了十年的爱?
  • 佛说寂志果经

    佛说寂志果经

    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。
  • 神断天下:妖孽女国师

    神断天下:妖孽女国师

    1V1,冰山男神与如火神捕,怎么就变成了一个人?
  • 观心食法

    观心食法

    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。
  • 白雪洛阳城

    白雪洛阳城

    十五年前盛夏,洛阳城一富商被人害死家中,家人前去官府喊冤,立案查证者为当时洛阳府尹袁鑫。此案查证途中遭遇各种瓶颈,一是仵作虽认定死者是被活活打死,却始终没找到凶器;二是当时所有嫌疑人均有不在场证明,无法查证。袁鑫为官十载,始终清廉为民,为此案下了许多苦心,一查就是数月。直至深冬,案件由长安派来的上官查明系袁鑫贼喊抓贼,证据齐全,即刻卸去官职押解回京,第二年初秋执行死刑,后其家人发配边疆。案结。
  • 这才是最好中层

    这才是最好中层

    企业中层往往处于一个“上挤下压”的位置,承受着各方的压力。通常中层经理面临着这样几个难题:第一,无法管好自己,不能以工作状态投入到事业中;第二,难以管好部门,无法让下属员工飞速进步;第三,部门无法高效执行,得不到部门上级和老板的赏识;第四,晋升瓶颈,很难在中层位置上更上一层楼。因为这些难题无法解决,很多中层似乎总是停滞不前,难以得到更大的发展,本书针对这几大难题,提出了切实可行的解决方法。无论是渴望突破的中层,还是期待中层提升的高层,甚至是希望被提拔的基层,都能从本书中找到自己需要的方法和策略。