登陆注册
5383200000153

第153章 RETRIBUTION(8)

``Then I have been blessed with parents,'' he said.

At that she swayed, but when I would have caught her she motioned me away and turned to Antoinette.Twice Mrs.Temple tried to speak.

``I was going away to-night,'' she said at length, ``and you would never have seen or heard of me more.

My nephew David--Mr.Ritchie--whom I treated cruelly as a boy, had pity on me.He is a good man, and he was to have taken me away-- I do not attempt to defend myself, my dear, but I pray that you, who have so much charity, will some day think a little kindly of one who has sinned deeply, of one who will love and bless you and yours to her dying day.''

She faltered, and Nick would have spoken had not Antoinette herself stayed him with a gesture.

``I wish--my son to know the little there is on my side.

It is not much.Yet God may not spare him the sorrow that brings pity.I--I loved Harry Riddle as a girl.

My father was ruined, and I was forced into marriage with John Temple for his possessions.He was selfish, overbearing, cruel--unfaithful.During the years I lived with him he never once spoke kindly to me.I, too, grew wicked and selfish and heedless.My head was turned by admiration.Mr.Temple escaped to England in a man-of-war; he left me without a line of warning, of farewell.

I--I have wandered over the earth, haunted by remorse, and I knew no moment of peace, of happiness, until you brought me here and sheltered and loved me.And even here I have had many sleepless hours.A hundred times I have summoned my courage to tell you,--I could not.

I am justly punished, Antoinette.'' She moved a little, timidly, towards the girl, who stood motionless, dazed by what she heard.She held out a hand, appealingly, and dropped it.``Good-by, my dear; God will bless you for your kindness to an unfortunate outcast.''

She glanced with a kind of terror in her eyes from the girl to Nick, and what she meant to say concerning their love I know not, for the flood, held back so long, burst upon her.She wept as I have never seen a woman weep.

And then, before Nick or I knew what had happened, Antoinette had taken her swiftly in her arms and was murmuring in her ear:--``You shall not go.You shall not.You will live with me always.''

Presently the sobs ceased, and Mrs.Temple raised her face, slowly, wonderingly, as if she had not heard aright.

And she tried gently to push the girl away.

``No, Antoinette,'' she said, ``I have done you harm enough.''

But the girl clung to her strongly, passionately.``Ido not care what you have done,'' she cried, ``you are good now.I know that you are good now.I will not cast you out.I will not.''

I stood looking at them, bewildered and astonished by Mademoiselle's loyalty.She seemed to have forgotten Nick, as had I, and then as I turned to him he came towards them.Almost roughly he took Antoinette by the arm.

``You do not know what you are saying,'' he cried.

``Come away, Antoinette, you do not know what she has done--you cannot realize what she is.''

Antoinette shrank away from him, still clinging to Mrs.Temple.There was a fearless directness in her look which might have warned him.

``She is your mother,'' she said quietly.

``My mother!'' he repeated; ``yes, I will tell you what a mother she has been to me--''

``Nick!''

It passes my power to write down the pity of that appeal, the hopelessness of it, the yearning in it.Freeing herself from the girl, Mrs.Temple took one step towards him, her arms held up.I had not thought that his hatred of her was deep enough to resist it.It was Antoinette whose intuition divined this ere he had turned away.

``You have chosen between me and her,'' he said; and before we could get the poor lady to the seat under the oak, he had left the garden.In my perturbation I glanced at Antoinette, but there was no other sign in her face save of tenderness for Mrs.Temple.

Mrs.Temple had mercifully fainted.As I crossed the lawn I saw two figures in the deep shadow beside the gallery, and I heard Nick's voice giving orders to Benjy to pack and saddle.When I reached the garden again the girl had loosed Mrs.Temple's gown, and was bending over her, murmuring in her ear.

** ** ***

Many hours later, when the moon was waning towards the horizon, fearful of surprise by the coming day, I was riding slowly under the trees on the road to New Orleans.

Beside me, veiled in black, her head bowed, was Mrs.Temple, and no word had escaped her since she had withdrawn herself gently from the arms of Antoinette on the gallery at Les Iles.Nick had gone long before.The hardest task had been to convince the girl that Mrs.Temple might not stay.After that Antoinette had busied herself, with a silent fortitude I had not thought was in her, making ready for the lady's departure.I shall never forget her as she stood, a slender figure of sorrow, looking down at us, the tears glistening on her cheeks.And Icould not resist the impulse to mount the steps once more.

``You were right, Antoinette,'' I whispered; ``whatever happens, you will remember that I am your friend.And I will bring him back to you if I can.''

She pressed my hand, and turned and went slowly into the house.

同类推荐
  • 佛说盂兰盆经

    佛说盂兰盆经

    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。
  • 内身观章句经

    内身观章句经

    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。
  • 魏郑公谏录

    魏郑公谏录

    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。
  • 除恐灾患经

    除恐灾患经

    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。
  • 原机启微

    原机启微

    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
  • 新视野下的文化与世界

    新视野下的文化与世界

    此书共分为三部分,第一部分为“文学观察”,主要对当前文学界的重要问题做出探讨,并分析了一些具体的作品;第二部分为“影视评论”,对具体影视作品及相关影视现象做出了观察与思考,提出了一些值得讨论的问题;第三部分为“思想管窥”,对当代知识界的话题与人物做出了自己的分析。全书试图用一种新的思想视野对当代文化进行关照,在当前语境中回应热点与前沿问题,并昭示一种新的想象与新的未来。
  • 恃君览

    恃君览

    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。
  • 六十种曲青衫记

    六十种曲青衫记

    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。
  • 记忆体萌娘

    记忆体萌娘

    这是记忆脱离了人类,拥有了独立意识之后的世界,也是个魔法文明高度发达的世界,人类与记忆体生命的关系,维系于一种被称为记忆使的特殊人类。原本生活在地球的主角,以成为记忆使为目标,进入了位于土卫三上的特提斯学院,在一次搭乘记忆列车往返于土星与地球之间的过程中,无意中遇到了两个奇怪的少女。而那两个少女,居然是没有人见到过具体形态的记忆体生命……自此之后,在说不清是偶然与必然的命运里,人类、记忆体、纸片人、各种奇怪的、软或不软的萌妹子纷纷登场,进入了主角小小的世界……
  • 梵·高:表现主义先驱

    梵·高:表现主义先驱

    梵.高生前并未得到社会的真正承认。梵.高作品中包含着深刻的悲剧意识、强烈的个性和形式上的独特追求,这些作品中突出地追求自我精神的表现,一切形式都在激烈的精神支配下跳跃和扭动。正因为他远远地走在时代的前面,所以,难以被当时的世人接受。但是,他对西方20世纪的艺术具有深远影响。充分认识作者主体在创作过程中的作用,自由地忏悔内心的感情,意识和把握与形式相对的独立价值,在油画创作中吸收和撷取东方绘画的因素——这是梵.高艺术对后人的启示。法国的野兽主义、德国的表现主义,以至于20世纪初出现的抒情抽象派,都曾经受益于梵.高的艺术。他是继伦勃朗之后荷兰最伟大的具有世界性影响的画家。
  • 铃薯脱毒种薯生产与高产栽培

    铃薯脱毒种薯生产与高产栽培

    马铃薯在产业结构调整中的重要作用,马铃薯优良品种,马铃薯种薯脱毒及种薯生产,马铃薯脱毒薯露地高产栽培.马铃薯病虫害防治。本书内容丰富系统,技术先进实用,文字通俗易懂,适合广大马铃薯种植户学习应用,亦可供植保技术人员、植物组织培养工作者和农林院校师生阅读参考
  • 青天皇朝

    青天皇朝

    穿越了?!还好我也有金手指!刚刚打了一个圣地的圣子,看了看身后的吕布、赵云几人,石青一脸严肃心中暗道:系统啊,这次能不能给力点,给我抽一个二郎神,让我直接灭了那个圣地。
  • 妃子狠毒,第一废材狂妃

    妃子狠毒,第一废材狂妃

    当21世纪暗黑世界叱咤风云的至尊女特工,转眼成为云苍大陆的花痴废材皇后。虾米?!新婚夜被渣皇帝放鸽子?堂堂嫡女还被路边捡来的小养女逆袭成为女主?一介皇后还被冷宫虐待最后上吊致死?……当强者之魂,霸气重生时翻天覆地就要你好看。我冷玄裳可不是这任人欺负的软脚虾!渣皇帝不爱?滚粗!姐还不稀罕当皇后!白莲花养女各种阴谋诡计,懒得接招,一脚踢飞你!看清楚别搞错了,谁是你姐姐!?各种暗杀刺杀,阴谋阳谋,实话告诉你们,你们玩的都是姐剩下的!嚣张,是有资本,狂妄,是够强大,不可一世,乃是天纵奇才。冷眼睥睨,看尽人间魑魅魍魉,素手轻覆,操作凡间生离死别。她要夺回属于这个名字的一切,重塑昔日辉煌,搅翻异世,成就万皇之皇!***********章节节选**************冷玄棠诧异的抬头,只看到一只浑身血红的大鹏鸟朝着自己的方向飞了过来,而在大鹏鸟的背上,坐着一个白衣飘飘宛如神人般的男子。男子面色清冷,浑身散发着一股上位者的气势,单单是那可怕的气势,就压得人没有任何反抗的勇气。那一双狭长的凤眸,此时带着几分诧异的神色落在冷玄棠的身上。
  • 弃妇太逍遥

    弃妇太逍遥

    堂堂的都市白骨精,竟穿越成了受气的正妻,丈夫风流成性,小妾嚣张跋扈。面对无良的夫家人,她只求和离。不是休,而是离。她要大大方方的从正门,抬着自己的几十箱嫁妆离开这个肮脏的地方。那种渣男,她弃如敝履。阳奉阴违,却聪明如斯;淡泊宁静,却雷厉风行;在她终于如愿之后,却背了一个弃妇的名头。就在人人都为之叹息的时候,她却在一次次的机缘巧合之下崭露头角,让多少王孙贵胄为之倾心。就连前夫也一而再再而三的前来骚扰,痛表衷肠。只不过世人却不知,那万丈荣光背后,她所求的,不过是繁华落尽,洗尽铅华之时,有人与她举案齐眉,相濡以沫,一生一世一双人。蓝婴的群【196257682】欢迎各位宝贝亲前来围观。【精彩片段】片段一:暖阁之上,纱幔轻撩,望着芙蓉榻上那对紧紧纠缠半裸的男女,纪弱颜眉角一挑。与那女子四目相对,迎着那风情且挑逗的媚眼,她终是脸色大变,掩面泪奔。几秒之后,身后却传来了那女子羞愤失控的尖叫声,直入云霄。纪弱颜终是顿下步子,素手一放,扭头望向那已经被众人围住的暖阁,嘴角勾起一丝笑意:想让我去瞧春宫?这么好的事情,总该让大伙儿都开开眼才好。片段二:纪弱颜望着站立在自己面前怒火冲天的男子,还有他发丝上挂着的茶叶、一滴滴正在下落的水珠,“像你这么脏的男人还妄想碰我?省省吧!”男子俊美的脸涨成了猪肝色,回身扣上门,作势就要扑将上来,“纪弱颜,看我今天怎么收拾你!”纪弱颜脸色一冷,手里的银簪毫不留情的划过男子的手臂,却在大门被撞开的那一瞬间,扑倒在地,一把抱住他的大腿,嚎啕大哭,“相公,你不要打我,以后你再跟那个女人如何我也不敢管了,求求你,不要打我!”片段三:纪弱颜笑颜如花的弹了弹手里的一纸和离,看着娘家小厮从夫家将几十箱的嫁妆一一扛了出来。男子面色全黑,骨节握的直响,“纪弱颜,别以为你能逃出我的手掌心。”纪弱颜莞尔一笑,从腰间将一块玉佩取下,扔了过去,“唔,这是你们家传给媳妇儿的玉佩,你好生留着。豺狼配虎豹,色狼配蕩妇,你们挺合适的,趁早把事办了吧。”片段四:蜜儿跌跌撞撞的跑进暖阁,瞧着还在悠闲的逗着鸟儿的纪弱颜摇头道,“小姐,外面的几位公子已经打起来了,您看……”纪弱颜头也不回的道一句,“你出去告诉他们,谁能替我拆了沈家大宅,我就嫁谁。”蜜儿怔了一瞬,这才面露难色的走了出去。
  • 地中海霸主之路

    地中海霸主之路

    一部保加利亚帝国的诞生史,一部巴尔干小国的奋斗史!主角穿越斐迪南一世,带领保加利亚崛起之路。一部合理推演文,不脑残!历史党必看,外国历史爱好者更是不容错过! 推荐新书《神圣罗马帝国》,幼苗需要呵护!欢迎加入地中海霸主之路书友群,群聊号码:688510445