登陆注册
5383200000199

第199章 VISIONS, AND AN AWAKENING(2)

Another voice, a man's voice, answered:--``Thank God! Let me fan him.You are tired.''

``I am not tired,'' answered the first voice.

``I do not see how you have stood it,'' said the man's voice.``You will kill yourself, Madame la Vicomtesse.

The danger is past now.''

``I hope so, Mr.Temple,'' said the first voice.``Please go away.You may come back in half an hour.''

I heard the footsteps retreating.Then I said: ``I am not asleep.''

The fan stopped for a brief instant and then went on vibrating inexorably.I was entranced at the thought of what I had done.I had spoken, though indeed it seemed to have had no effect.Could it be that I hadn't spoken? Ibegan to be frightened at this, when gradually something crept into my mind and drove the fear out.I did not grasp what this was at first, it was like the first staining of wine on the eastern sky to one who sees a sunrise.And then the thought grew even as the light grows, tinged by prismatic colors, until at length a memory struck into my soul like a shaft of light.I spoke her name, unblushingly, aloud.

``Helene!''

The fan stopped.There was a silence that seemed an eternity as the palm leaf trembled in her hand, there was an answer that strove tenderly to command.

``Hush, you must not talk,'' she said.

Never, I believe, came such supreme happiness with obedience.I felt her hand upon my brow, and the fan moved again.I fell asleep once more from sheer weariness of joy.She was there, beside me.She had been there, beside me, through it all, and it was her touch which had brought me back to life.

I dreamed of her.When I awoke again her image was in my mind, and I let it rest there in contemplation.

But presently I thought of the fan, turned my head, and it was not there.A great fear seized me.I looked out of the open door where the morning sun threw the checkered shadows of the honeysuckle on the floor of the gallery, and over the railing to the tree-tops in the court-yard.

The place struck a chord in my memory.Then my eyes wandered back into the room.There was a polished dresser, a crucifix and a prie-dieu in the corner, a fauteuil, and another chair at my bed.The floor was rubbed to an immaculate cleanliness, stained yellow, and on it lay clean woven mats.The room was empty!

I cried out, a yellow and red turban shot across the window, and I beheld in the door the spare countenance of the faithful Lindy.

``Marse Dave,'' she cried, ``is you feelin' well, honey?''

``Where am I, Lindy?'' I asked.

Lindy, like many of her race, knew well how to assume airs of importance.Lindy had me down, and she knew it.

``Marse Dave,'' she said, ``doan yo' know better'n dat?

Yo' know yo' ain't ter talk.Lawsy, I reckon I wouldn't be wuth pizen if she was to hear I let yo' talk.''

Lindy implied that there was tyranny somewhere.

``She?'' I asked, ``who's she?''

``Now yo' hush, Marse Dave,'' said Lindy, in a shrill whisper, ``I ain't er-gwine ter git mixed up in no disputation.

Ef she was ter hear me er-disputin' wid yo', Marse Dave, I reckon I'd done git such er tongue-lashin'--''

Lindy looked at me suspiciously.``Yo'-er allus was powe'rful cute, Marse Dave.''

Lindy set her lips with a mighty resolve to be silent.

I heard some one coming along the gallery, and then Isaw Nick's tall figure looming up behind her.

``Davy,'' he cried.

Lindy braced herself up doggedly.

``Yo' ain't er-gwine to git in thar nohow, Marse Nick,''

she said.

``Nonsense, Lindy,'' he answered, ``I've been in there as much as you have.'' And he took hold of her thin arm and pulled her back.

``Marse Nick!'' she cried, terror-stricken, ``she'll done fin' out dat you've been er-talkin'.''

``Pish!'' said Nick with a fine air, ``who's afraid of her?''

Lindy's face took on an expression of intense amusement.

``Yo' is, for one, Marse Nick,'' she answered, with the familiarity of an old servant.``I done seed yo' skedaddle when she comed.''

``Tut,'' said Nick, grandly, ``I run from no woman.

Eh, Davy?'' He pushed past the protesting Lindy into the room and took my hand.

``Egad, you have been near the devil's precipice, my son.A three-bottle man would have gone over.'' In his eyes was all the strange affection he had had for me ever since ave had been boys at Temple Bow together.

``Davy, I reckon life wouldn't have been worth much if you'd gone.''

I did not answer.I could only stare at him, mutely grateful for such an affection.In all his wild life he had been true to me, and he had clung to me stanchly in this, my greatest peril.Thankful that he was here, Isearched his handsome person with my eyes.He was dressed as usual, with care and fashion, in linen breeches and a light gray coat and a filmy ruffle at his neck.But I thought there had come a change into his face.The reckless quality seemed to have gone out of it, yet the spirit and daring remained, and with these all the sweetness that was once in his smile.There were lines under his eyes that spoke of vigils.

``You have been sitting up with me,'' I said.

``Of course,'' he answered patting my shoulder.``Of course I have.What did you think I would be doing?''

``What was the matter with me?'' I asked.

``Nothing much,'' he said lightly, ``a touch of the sun, and a great deal of overwork in behalf of your friends Now keep still, or I will be getting peppered.''

I was silent for a while, turning over this answer in my mind.Then I said:--``I had yellow fever.''

He started.

``It is no use to lie to you,'' he replied; ``you're too shrewd.''

I was silent again for a while.

``Nick,'' I said, ``you had no right to stay here.You have--other responsibilities now.''

He laughed.It was the old buoyant, boyish laugh of sheer happiness, and I felt the better for hearing it.

``If you begin to preach, parson, I'll go; I vow I'll have no more sermonizing.Davy,'' he cried, ``isn't she just the dearest, sweetest, most beautiful person in the world?''

同类推荐
  • 答大学堂校长蔡鹤卿太史书

    答大学堂校长蔡鹤卿太史书

    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。
  • 上清太极真人撰所施行秘要经

    上清太极真人撰所施行秘要经

    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。
  • 大沙门百一羯磨法

    大沙门百一羯磨法

    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。
  • 王文端公集

    王文端公集

    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。
  • East Lynne

    East Lynne

    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
  • 爆萌小仙

    爆萌小仙

    本想珍惜生命,远离上神,却不想反被上神逮住,强势带走。逃了几轮回,回回被带走。什么鬼?!说好的冰山冷上神呢?——搜【未曦初晓】
  • 腹黑宝宝超霸气:爹地,我要退货

    腹黑宝宝超霸气:爹地,我要退货

    相亲到一半凭空出来的小鬼竟然拉着他的衣角叫爹地?宝宝:爹地你会穿裙子吗?不会。宝宝:爹地你会喂奶吗?不会。宝宝:那爹地你会怀孕吗他嘴角抽搐:不会!宝宝鄙夷:什么都不会,妈咪给你真是亏大了,妈咪我能退货吗?他仰天长啸:老子是男的!
  • 茶几小姐重生记

    茶几小姐重生记

    茶几就是一个上面摆满了杯具的玩意。原本家财万贯、父母疼爱、准备步入婚姻殿堂的千金小姐被杀之后重生了一个住在贫民区的黄毛丫头。不过好在,姐姐温柔、哥哥可爱。只是很快……她又被逆转了身份。上一辈子给她最大的教训就是要过平平淡淡地生活,嫁一个远离是非的男人。只是,来这里以后,怎么一个个全是是非。
  • 妖瞳公主

    妖瞳公主

    撒花国的霓裳公主,一个华丽而又寂寞的名字,宛如她的人生。十六年间,在梨山之巅的夕阳影里,一只青铜鸟、一盏梨花酒陪着她独坐梨花枝下,望着晓星残月,黯然神伤;十六年后,国将破,民流离,这个性格寡淡的女子从此踏上了多舛噩运的征程。她涉世不深,好在初下山时,命运让她遇见了灵魂的主人——一个有着传奇家族背景的男子。继而,一个个有着离奇身世的人逐一粉墨登场:黑塔楼的主人、塞外重樱楼的杀手、双鹤楼楼主、不死的优昙人、最接近神的巫族人、冥界的倾城公子……杀破狼三星会集天顶,世间必聚乱世之贼、纵横之将、奸险之士。三方搅乱尘世……噩运、诅咒、阴险小人;轮番上演。究竟,她该如何面对?
  • 霸道总裁的乌龙甜妻

    霸道总裁的乌龙甜妻

          他们知道他们是兄妹,但他们还是情不自禁的爱上了对方。          在伦理道德、法律、家人的束缚下,他选择了坚持,但是她却不想看到他为了她放弃所有,所以她选择了离开。          她以为她再也不会回来,她以为她的这一去就是永远,但是却没有想到,她会带着孩子回来参加他的葬礼。          他怎么可以就这样离开了她的世界,她迫不及待的想要带着孩子回来告诉他,他们不是兄妹,但是他却没有等她。    ——————————————————  新文《娇妻,缠你上瘾》【高干+虐恋+宠溺】打着虐文旗号的宠文啊原名:《狂情大叔猎娇妻》“从今天开始,你就是我的女人。”一场蚀骨缠绵霸道欢爱,他纵身一跃成为她的男人。怕她逃走,他只能一月复一月的囚禁,使她成了他的私脔!他只是想折断她的双翼,将她关在这金色的牢笼里。在外头,他是好男人,好市委书记,而她只是一个任性的不懂事的高官后代。而在家里面,他是恶魔,她则是恶魔身下的小白兔。
  • 故事会(2017年5月上)

    故事会(2017年5月上)

    《故事会》是中国最通俗的民间文学小本杂志,是中国的老牌刊物之一。先后获得两届中国期刊的最高奖——国家期刊奖。1998年,它在世界综合类期刊中发行量排名第5。从1984年开始,《故事会》由双月刊改为月刊,2003年11月份开始试行半月刊,2007年正式改为半月刊。现分为红、绿两版,其中红版为上半月刊,绿版为下半月刊。
  • 诸脉主病诗

    诸脉主病诗

    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。
  • 脑中世界第一部

    脑中世界第一部

    可想过,每个人的潜意识的都存在一个宇宙或一个世界,一场意外使云易进入奇幻懵懂的世界中。
  • 那些个黄昏与黎明(二)

    那些个黄昏与黎明(二)

    本来分红现场一直很安静,让四队的人一搅和,秩序有点儿乱起来。有人随声附和,开始称赞起四队的队长来。戴队长坐不住了,“四队种的是啥地?我们都是沙溜子、王八盖子地,还能打多少粮?叫我当四队队长,保准比他分得多!”人们你一言我一语,最终还是抱怨戴队长没本事,不像四队队长有脑瓜儿,上年秋天就动员家家搭新炕,队上又统一供应新土坯,把旧炕坯和炕烟土全部运到粪坑里沤肥,第二年运到地里的肥料顶多少年上的粪。戴队长急了,“那好吧,谁愿意当谁当,我不干了!”他忽地站起来,两手推搡开身边的人,三步并作两步推门而出。
  • 作世水宅心陀罗尼

    作世水宅心陀罗尼

    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。