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
  • 坐忘论

    坐忘论

    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。
  • 千光眼观自在菩萨秘密法经

    千光眼观自在菩萨秘密法经

    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。
  • 三洞赞颂灵章

    三洞赞颂灵章

    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。
  • 仙卜奇缘

    仙卜奇缘

    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。
  • 四诊抉微

    四诊抉微

    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
  • 银扣之谜

    银扣之谜

    1887年夏末,好友福尔摩斯的身体状况让我越来越揪心。他时刻处于深思状态,无休止地消耗体内的能量,身体就像绷紧的弦,几乎没有放松过,很难恢复。尽管他生就强壮的筋骨,依然是每况愈下,年初的时候,他就曾经不堪重负而病倒。要想得到恢复,最好的办法是离开贝克尔街,远离那些上门求助者,有一天,我正在阅读时下流行的波斯维尔作品——《约翰逊传记》,一段描述约翰逊博士游历苏格兰高地赫布里底群岛的游记,展现出的那种抬头一望,广阔天空的情景,还有那些原始而又荒芜的感觉让我着迷。于是我极力怂恿福尔摩斯仿效18世纪的文人骚客,醉乎于山水之间。福尔摩斯淡淡地回答,要游历的话也要去旱地。
  • 无情世子爷,柔情妃

    无情世子爷,柔情妃

    他,齐国的欧阳天翊,安平王府的世子爷,身份尊贵的他,视女人无物,视感情为天下俗物,他,冷情,冷心,漠视天下。她,南召国的将军之女,云追月,二十一世纪的异世灵魂,她,一朝穿越,身中其毒,她,看透世间百态,她,目空一切,看似弱不禁风的身体,却另有身份,看似冷淡的外表下,却有一颗七窍玲珑心的柔情心。一道圣旨,她成为了齐国的和亲郡主,将毫无相干的两人的命运牵连到了一起……!为完成师命,初到安平王府,她锋芒逼人,步步为营,为君夺万里江山,为夫谋夺一世平安……。昙花一现心以触,看似无情似有情,豆蔻梢头心旧恨,谁许谁地老天荒……冷心冷情的他,在遇到她时,一颗冰冷的心被她捂热……。
  • 诗经(全集)

    诗经(全集)

    《诗经》又称《诗三百》,是我国最早的一部具有浓郁现实主义风格的诗歌总集,收录了自西周初年至春秋中叶五百余年间的诗歌311篇,其中6篇有题目而无内容,因此实存305篇,后人取其整数,称之为“诗三百”。为了帮助读者理解和欣赏这部作品,本书对《诗经》各篇逐一从原文、注释、译文、评析等方面进行全景式解读,力求再现这部文学名著的神韵和风采,让读者深切领悟这部伟大作品的丰富内涵和艺术价值。
  • 佳期如梦之海上繁花

    佳期如梦之海上繁花

    “是我先遇到她的。”当这句话从雷宇峥的口中说出来的时候,他知道,自己真的爱上了杜晓苏。只是他们在错误的时间,错误的地点,错误地相遇了。那只是一场在酒精麻痹下的意乱情迷,却让他永生难忘。而在杜晓苏的心中,她的最爱是邵振嵘,那个完美温柔的神经外科医生。但是她没想到,只是那仅有的一次放纵,让她陷入两个极品男人的情感纠葛之中。
  • 网游之巨灵骑士

    网游之巨灵骑士

    【第一本扑街之作】当本就是一流骑士行列的宋浅获得上古遗失种族巨灵一族的传承……
  • 爱沉深渊,唯你可救

    爱沉深渊,唯你可救

    前夫那个不要脸的渣男,在我面前痛哭成狗求我挪用公款十万给他江湖救急。MMP,居然转头用公款买了钻戒追求富家女。妈妈为了救我,借了高利贷替我还债,结果被逼疯入疗养院。我心灰意冷辗转酒吧,放纵自我,同时为了还债,居然钓到富家女哥哥。咩哈哈,天助我也,终于有了报复渣男的机会。让他狗眼看人低!我要借富二代的地位教训渣男,让他还回妈妈给我留的房子!怎么、怎么、不是逢场作戏,你情我愿的戏码吗?怎么成了和家里谈崩非我不娶呢?小女子何德何能?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 甲申朝事小纪

    甲申朝事小纪

    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。
  • 启迪学生思考人生的故事全集:送你一枚开心果

    启迪学生思考人生的故事全集:送你一枚开心果

    烦恼、忧愁等等都是建立在我们无法解决的思绪当中。你会从别人的故事中找到自己曾经的影子,唤醒沉睡的记忆;从别人的奋斗中找回曾经的梦想,点燃希望的火种;从别人的感悟中找到成功的诀窍,扬起理想的风帆;从别人的性情中找到真实的自我,播洒爱的阳光,从而在愉悦与感动中,鼓足勇气,坚定信念,阔步向前方迈进。
  • 佛说佛母般若波罗蜜多大明观想仪轨

    佛说佛母般若波罗蜜多大明观想仪轨

    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。
  • Bentham

    Bentham

    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。