登陆注册
5392600000087

第87章

"Oh, do cut it short," I snapped.And then, a trifle ashamed of my rudeness, "Excuse me, Mr.Colton, but this isn't exactly pleasant for me and I want to get it over.Will you pay me now?""Hold on; let me finish.I was going to say that, if you needed the thirty-five, perhaps I could manage to let you have it."I stared at him."Let me have it!" I cried."Do you mean you'll lend it to me?""Why, yes, maybe.You and I have had such a first-rate, square, stand up fight that I rather hate to have it end.I want to lick you, not have you quit before I've really begun to fight.There's no fool philanthropy in this, understand; it is just for my own satisfaction."I was so taken aback by this totally unexpected offer from the man whom I had insulted a dozen times since I entered his house, that Ifound it almost impossible to answer.

"What do you say?" he asked.

"No," I faltered.And then more firmly, "No; certainly not.I--Iam much obliged to you, Mr.Colton, but--no.""All right.You know best.I'll take your offer and I will hand you the money at the bank to-morrow morning.Will that do?""Not at the bank, Mr.Colton.Send it over to the house, if you can conveniently.""I'll have it here before ten.My lawyer will draw up the papers and arrange for transfer of title in a few days.What? Going, are you? Good night.Oh--er--Paine, remember that my other offer, that of the place in my office, is open when you're ready to take it."I shook my head.I had turned to go, but now I turned back, feeling that, perhaps, I should apologize again for my rudeness.

After all, he had been kind, very kind, and I had scarcely thanked him.So I turned back to say something, I hardly knew what.

My doing so was a mistake.The door behind me opened and a voice said reproachfully, "Father, are you still here? The doctor said...Oh, I beg pardon."I recognized the voice.Of all voices in the world I wished least to hear it just then.My back was toward the door and I kept it so.If she would only go! If she would only shut that door and go away!

I think she would have gone but her father called her.

"Mabel," he cried, "Mabel, don't go.It's all right.Come in.

Paine and I have finished our talk.Nothing more you wished to say, was there, Paine?""No," said I.I was obliged to turn now; I could not get out of that room without doing it.So turn I did, and we faced each other.

"Good evening, Miss Colton," I said, with all the calmness I could muster.

She said, "Good evening," distantly and without any enthusiasm, but I saw her glance at her father and then at me and I knew she was wondering what our being together could possibly mean.

"Paine has been making me a little call," explained Colton, his eye twinkling."Mabel, I'll risk another bet that you can't guess why he came.""I shall not try," she said, disdainfully.

"Oh, you'd better! No? You won't? Well, then, I'll tell you.He has just sold me that land of his...Don't look at me like that; he has.We had a little disagreement as to price, but," with a grin, "I met his figures and we closed the deal.Aren't you going to congratulate him on having come to his senses at last?

Come! he's waiting for congratulations."

This was not true.I was waiting for nothing; I was on my way to the door.But, to reach it I was obliged to pass her and our eyes met.My glance wavered, I know, but hers did not.For a moment she looked at me.Then she smiled.Whenever I am tempted to be vain, even now, I remember that smile.

"I congratulate him," she said."Come, Father; you must go to bed now."

同类推荐
  • 佛说三品弟子经

    佛说三品弟子经

    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。
  • 灵砂大丹秘诀

    灵砂大丹秘诀

    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。
  • 中本起经

    中本起经

    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。
  • 朝野遗记

    朝野遗记

    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。
  • Flip-A California Romance

    Flip-A California Romance

    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
  • 悬情蜜爱之暖妻神探

    悬情蜜爱之暖妻神探

    有一天纪蜜终于意识到她急需一个男人。这个男人他得有权,帮她掩盖她那些穷凶极恶的家人所犯下的种种罪行。这个男人还得有钱,帮她打发那些贪得无厌的亲戚干出的无耻变相勒索。有钱有势的男人很多,但能只手遮天的男人没有几个,当纪蜜自认没这个运势的时候,老天还是塞给了她一个男人。不,是男神,有颜值却偏要靠卖学识生存的男人。什么叫一字千金,推理小说界男神作家敲打键盘一个按格就值百万,偶尔还被聘请做几天推理顾问,高智商高情商完爆一切极品渣渣。纪蜜乐开花,这职业好,匹配的就是警花和神探。跟仰慕已久的偶像恋爱是一种什么体验,纪蜜说那叫一个爽。【悬疑+推理+复仇】,当然最重要还是言情,写一个爱你爱得深沉,宠你宠到有恃无恐的情爱故事。女主:我有仇,得报。男主:我心中有个秘密(蜜蜜),惦记了很久。
  • 玉观音

    玉观音

    这是一部以表现中国女性善良宽容之美的抒情之作,奇巧与朴拙并存,阴柔与阳刚兼蓄,品质细致而又不伤大气。海岩在书中讲述了一个跌宕起伏的爱情故事,女警察安心由于一次偶然的“外遇”,生活发生了戏剧性的转折,在亲与仇,情与法之间痛苦地纠缠,她经历了死亡的残酷,也重新体味了爱情的甜蜜,最终成长为一个坚强完满的女性,投入到极其艰苦、危险的缉毒工作中。
  • 重修台湾府志

    重修台湾府志

    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。
  • 蒙在鼓里

    蒙在鼓里

    勉强看了会儿代数——好比某些官员漫不经心地勉强研究着民生规划——抬头看了看依旧的墙壁和依然的人群,闷头沉思了一会儿——好比那些官员闷头沉思自己乏味的黄脸婆——我很觉没趣。正巧一只小虫趣意盎然地飞来。它在我头顶嗡嗡绕了三圈,最后居然误撞我发,落到代数书上。看来代数那些绕来绕去的概念也“非人地”把小虫子绕进去了。我赶紧用钢笔尖点住冒犯者,从腰带上解下小刀割去了小虫的翅膀。钢笔尖所点之处,代数书洇湿了一片。小虫子顺着我的中指——“河西走廊”——大模大样地进入“中原腹地”——掌心,又继续跋涉,到达胳膊上。
  • CEO的契约游戏(全本)

    CEO的契约游戏(全本)

    第一次见他,她是为了她的化妆品代言,但是当她半天都等不到他时,有些生气地离去,却不想亲眼目睹他在电梯内上演限制级的画面,让她对他没有一点好感。男人果然是只为下半身思考的沙文主义种猪。她扬起天真无邪的笑脸问身边的秘书:“你确定这里是总裁办公室,而不是动物园么?”“动物园?”“是啊!因为只有动物才会随时随地的表现出自己的本能啊!”这个该死的女人,竟敢说他是动物,他一定要好好惩罚她!就在同一天,他被母亲逼婚,而结婚的对象竟然是她。他答应娶她,只是为了惩罚她;她嫁给他,却是因为母亲的遗愿。新婚之夜,她递给他一份契约书。“以后我们各过各的,谁也别干涉谁的私生活!”耻辱,绝对的奇耻大辱,新婚妻子竟然这样对他,他一定要将她收服,一定要让她爱上他只是这同时,他的一颗心似乎也在渐渐沉沦……芭芘——原名方落雪,是当代著名的偶像歌手,却洁身自好,在污浊不堪的娱乐圈中靠自己的实力赢得了大批歌迷的追捧。可是在遇到那个冷总裁之后,她的人生似乎开始逆转。冷少骅——冷氏集团总裁,身价过亿的黄金单身贵族,却视女人如衣服,只是供他发泄的工具。
  • 爱你如珠似宝

    爱你如珠似宝

    一笔交易,她被迫成为他的挂名小妻子。本以为是痛苦地折磨,却演变成为一场盛世宠婚。她狼狈后退,而他步步紧逼,在她身边设下天罗地网,终于将她捕获。众目睽睽之下,他将她圈入怀中,低声在她耳边说:“不许再跑了!”【本文除了甜甜甜!就是宠宠宠!~\(≧▽≦)/~】
  • 在主神空间开始追求长生

    在主神空间开始追求长生

    万物皆有灵,穿越年年有,今年到我家,这是波导勇者的传说。戴宇(带鱼)进入主神空间后,定下了个小目标。努力成为C级长生种。
  • 国漫继承者

    国漫继承者

    这是一本万界书,穿越诸天万界,但是已经停止更新的……
  • 她的生活我的戏

    她的生活我的戏

    《她的生活我的戏》收录了《幸福在哪里》、《故事里的事》、《虚构》、《露天电影院》、《老》、《父与子》、《比拽》、《世界》、《收藏白酒之事件》、《诗人老黑》、《神奇的瓜子》等近百篇微型小说作品。
  • 光影里的梦幻与真实:戛纳电影节密码

    光影里的梦幻与真实:戛纳电影节密码

    本书作者选取了戛纳电影节获奖影片中的四十余部,逐一介绍、分析、评论,在带领我们理解这些经典作品的同时,也提出了自己的见解:何为好的电影作品,何为戛纳电影节的标准和核心精神。