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
  • Mansfield Park

    Mansfield Park

    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。
  • 如实论反质难品

    如实论反质难品

    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。
  • 诸师圣诞冲举酌献仪

    诸师圣诞冲举酌献仪

    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。
  • 洞真太上八素真经修习功业妙诀

    洞真太上八素真经修习功业妙诀

    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。
  • 真腊风土记

    真腊风土记

    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。
热门推荐
  • 开始或者结束

    开始或者结束

    为自己的日子,在自己的脸上留下伤口,因为没有别的一切为我们作证。——海子:《我,以及其他证人》。葛葛走出宾馆的时候,天还没有亮透,太阳好像隐藏在东边的某个地方,一跳一跳地向外挣扎着,所触之处弥漫上了一层金色。此时大街上没有什么人,一阵冷风吹来,葛葛不由自主地缩了一下脖子。葛葛忍不住回头,看了四楼上的某一个窗户。她以为施大字会像以前那样打开窗户,默默地目送着她远走。
  • 重生灼华

    重生灼华

    【新书《重生之法神是女王》已发,求收藏啦~】“第一,不许和别的女人太亲近,男的也不行,第二,你是我的,任何人请你出去,都不允许,第三,你是我的,第四,你是我的,第五,你……”“停!那如果是你呢?”叶小姐的话还没说话,程先生就直接了当的喊停。叶小姐低眸流转,嗔怪的看了他一眼,“讨厌,人家人都是你的了~”
  • 1970年代,我当乡村教师(三)

    1970年代,我当乡村教师(三)

    1973年11月1日,在相沟中学念书的一个学生回村,捎给我一张手写的通知,是公社教育组发出的,让我第二天上午九点到相沟中心小学开会。次日我准时到了那里,在院中见到宋金珂校长,问他开什么会,他笑了笑说:“你去等着,一会儿就知道了。”说着,向一间办公室指了指。我就去那里等。此时在那里坐着的有相沟中心小学的民办教师顾少堂和朱孔芳,有王庄的民办教师孙钦标。过了一会儿,陈庆玉也晃着一米八几的大个子去了。他是圈子联中的民办教师,我读初中时他教数学,上课时高门大嗓,激情澎湃。一会儿,公社教育助理刘少华和中心小学校长宋金珂来了。
  • 一本书读完生物进化的历史

    一本书读完生物进化的历史

    崔佳编著的《生物进化的历史》是“小故事,大历史”系列之一,读史可以使人明智。世界文明源远流长,如何在短时间内清晰地了解和感悟人物众多、事件纷繁的世界历史?最简洁的途径莫过于读懂细节。细节可以反映历史,撷取历史长河中的点点细节,勾连起来,即是一种解读历史的方式。一书通古今,开卷知天下。本书看点:全书体例新颖,选材精当,表述生动,图文并茂,使你在轻松阅读中,尽览历史风云,汲取历史智慧。
  • 眼科奇书

    眼科奇书

    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。
  • 三松堂自序

    三松堂自序

    《三松堂自序》是作者晚年的回忆录,之所以名为“自序”,是继承古人著述的传统,作为此前所有著作的总序。全书共分为四个部分:社会,讲述自己的成长环境及人生经历;哲学,叙述自己的学术思想及成就;大学,回顾一生求学与任教的经历;展望,表达自己对未来的信心。本书所述,起自19世纪90年代,迄于20世纪80年代,忆往事,述旧闻,怀古人,望来者,对于理解、评价作者及其著作具有重要价值。
  • A Tale of Three Lions

    A Tale of Three Lions

    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。
  • 三阴阳

    三阴阳

    本书以三阴阳出世到发迹到露出原形为线索,勾勒出一位貌似忠厚却工于心计、拨弄是非、阴险自私、损人又害己的人物形象。作者以锐利的笔锋揭穿了一个个变术,剥离去层层外衣,露出了一个鲜活的怪胎。同时,描写了县县办师范时期一位被乱点鸳鸯谱点到学校任主要领导的乡镇干部楚里的所作所为,把一所学校搞得乌烟瘴气、混乱不堪、以至不可收拾。客观上为三阴阳、江东京等提供了浑水摸鱼的气候和土壤。
  • 重生甜妻在八零

    重生甜妻在八零

    前世,她另有所爱只顾着躲他,不惜顶着私奔的恶名离开他,直到被她爱的人亲手推入火海。今生,她惩治渣男,手撕白莲,步步为营,毕生的目标只是牢牢抓住他。顾长卿:我媳妇温柔娴淑,我们家我说了算。众属下悄咪咪提醒:搓衣板了解一下。许甜:我听说咱家你说了算?顾长卿:老婆说话的时候,我闭嘴。
  • 封神飞仙录

    封神飞仙录

    洞房花烛之夜,命丧黄泉,是判官的失误还是一场阴谋?破风山上神秘胎石引发各方风云涌动,到底谁能笑到最后?看小小土地,逆转乾坤,从最弱小的阴神一步一步最终站到三界的至高点!