登陆注册
5392600000091

第91章

"You've saved my good name and my life, Ros," he said, over and over again, "and not only my life, but what is a mighty sight more worth saving, Nellie's happiness.I don't know how you did it; Ibelieve yet that there is something behind all this, that you're keeping something from me.I can't see how, considering all you've said to me about your not being well-off, you got that money so quick.But I know you don't want me to talk about it.""I don't, George," I said."All I ask of you is just to forget the whole thing.""Forget! I shan't forget while I live.And, as soon as ever I can scrape it together, I'll pay you back that loan."He had kept his word, so far as telling Nellie of his financial condition was concerned.He had not, of course, told her of his use of the bank bonds, but he had, as he said he would, told her that, in all probability, he should be left with nothing but his salary.

"I told her she was free to give me up," he said, with emotion, "and what do you suppose she said to me? That she would marry me if she knew she must live in the poorhouse the rest of her days.

Yes, and be happy, so long as we could be together.Well, I ain't worth it, and I told her so, but I'll do my best to be worth something; and she shan't have to live in the poorhouse either.""I don't think there's much danger of that," I said."And, by the way, George, your Louisville and Transcontinental speculation may not be all loss.You may save something out of it.There has been considerable trading in the stock during the past two days.It is up half a point already, according to the papers.Did you notice it?""Yes, I noticed it.But I tell you, Ros, I don't care.I'll be glad to get some of my money back, of course; enough to pay you and Cap'n Elisha anyhow; but I'm so happy to think that Nellie need never know I was a thief that I don't seem to care much for anything else."Nellie was happy, too.She came to me and told me of her happiness.

It was all on George's account, of course.

"The poor fellow had lost money in investments," she said, "and he thought I would not care for him if I found out he was poor.He isn't poor, of course, but if he was it would make no difference to me.I am so glad to see him without that dreadful worried look on his face that I--I-- Oh, you must think me awful silly, Roscoe! Iguess I am.I know I am.But you are the only one I can talk to in this way about--about him.All Ma wants to talk about now is the wedding and clothes and such, and Pa always treats me as if Iwas a child.I feel almost as if you were the closest friend Ihave, and I know George feels the same.He says you have helped him out of his troubles.I was sure you would; that is why I wrote you that letter.We are both SO grateful to you."Their gratitude and the knowledge of their happiness were my sole consolations in this trying time.They kept me from repenting what I had done.It was hard not to repent.If Colton had only made known his purchase and closed the Lane at once, while my resolution was red hot, I could have faced the wrath of the village and its inevitable consequences fairly well, I believed; but he still kept silent and made no move.I saw him once or twice; on one occasion he came into the bank, but he came only to cash a check and did not mention the subject of the Lane.He did not look well to me and Iheard him tell Taylor something about his "damned digestion."The wedding day came.I, as best man, was busy and thankful for the bustle and responsibility.They occupied my mind and kept it from dwelling on other things.George worked at the bank until noon, getting ready to leave the institution in my charge and that of Dick Small, Henry's brother, who had reported for duty that morning.The marriage was to take place at half past one in the afternoon and the bridal couple were to go away on the three o'clock train.The honeymoon trip was to be a brief one, only a week.

Every able-bodied native of Denboro, man, woman and child, attended that wedding, I honestly believe.It was the best sort of advertising for Olinda Cahoon and Simeon Eldredge, for Olinda had made the gowns worn by the bride and the bride's mother and a number of the younger female guests, and Sim had sold innumerable bottles of a peculiarly penetrating perfume, a large supply of which he had been talked into purchasing by a Boston traveling salesman.

"Smell it, Ros, do ye?" whispered Sim, grinning triumphantly between the points of a "stand-up" collar."I give you my word when that slick-talkin' drummer sold me all that perfumery, Ithought I was stuck sure and sartin.But then I had an idee.

Every time women folks come into the store and commenced to talk about the weddin' I says to 'em, says I, 'Can't sell you a couple of handkerchiefs to cry on, can I, Miss So-and-so? Weddin's are great places for sheddin' tears, you know.' If I sold 'em the handkerchiefs all well and good; but if they laughed and said they had a plenty, I got out my sample bottle of 'May Lilock', that's the name of the cologne, and asked 'em to smell of it.'If you cry with that on your handkerchief,' says I, 'all hands will be glad to have you do it.And only twenty cents a bottle!' You wouldn't believe how much I sold.You can smell this weddin' afore you come in sight of the house, can't ye now."You could, and you continued to smell it long after you left.My best suit reeked of "May Lilac" weeks later when I took it out of the closet.

同类推荐
  • 彭祖摄生养性论

    彭祖摄生养性论

    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。
  • 玄宝人鸟山经图

    玄宝人鸟山经图

    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。
  • 佛说放钵经

    佛说放钵经

    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。
  • 叠山集

    叠山集

    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。
  • 宗门十规论

    宗门十规论

    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。
热门推荐
  • 夜长梦多

    夜长梦多

    一对婚姻触礁的夫妻,丈夫为了想挽回变心的妻子,于是提议离婚前的最后一次旅行。然而在闪电交加的雨夜里,路标却被喝醉的卡车司机撞歪了。郭浩然与叶眉被错误的路标指引导向充满诡异气氛的“尸冢村”……这会不会是他们生命中的最后一趟旅行?
  • 文学武侯

    文学武侯

    武侯,是一个闪烁着智慧光芒的文化符号,也是一个散发着浓烈的区域文化气息的诗意名字。在这个名字背后默默矗立的人和事,像时间长河中一坛窖藏的老酒,我们路过酒窖,就能闻到历史的瓶塞边流溢而出的醇香,不同的人还会品出不同的风味,让人回味无穷。跨越时空,对话历史,我们乐意成为文化的朝圣者。与历史对话不是为了单纯地触摸、延续,而是为了传承城市的文化血脉。如今,我们身边活跃着这么一群文化的守望者、探索者。他们来自不同的地方、不同的工作岗位,用文字孜孜不倦地耕耘着,用真心的投入丈量着生命的里程,凝聚、聚集、沉淀着武侯作家群落的内涵。
  • 重生校园,帝少来solo

    重生校园,帝少来solo

    谁人不知谁人不晓,帝家帝少宠妻无度!某记者:“请问帝少,听说您在婚礼上对您夫人所说的三从四德是什么?”“三从:媳妇命令要听从,媳妇出门要跟从,媳妇说错要随从;四德:媳妇花钱要舍得,媳妇化妆要等得,媳妇生日要记得,媳妇打骂要忍得”某少傲娇的说(某少宠妻无底线!!!)(本文男强女强,1v1身心干净,欢迎小可爱入坑!)
  • 宫斗一锅炖

    宫斗一锅炖

    开新书了,《快穿系统:宿主总在黑化》新号写的,求支持一群穿越女的宫斗生活,也不知道造了什么孽,一穿就成了别人家的皇后,这也就算了,瞧瞧她都发现了些什么?原来这宫里大多都是老乡啊,但是你一个腹黑的萝莉我忍了,一个冷血的杀手我也忍了,一朵患有被爱狂想症的小白花我也忍了,关键是人家穿越带重生怎么破?穿越带系统怎么破?穿越带空间怎么破?还要不要人混了摔?白莲花,腹黑女,冷血杀手,富家千金谁是你的最爱?
  • 剑定情义

    剑定情义

    江湖辈人轮流出。一代天骄胜过一代天骄。江湖儿女,一剑一刀一枪封测往事
  • 极品大散仙

    极品大散仙

    木星被神秘力量拖走,小行星疯狂冲击地球。世界背后,有只黑手在左右一切。摆在王烔面前的,只有三条路:要么疯狂消费,要么混吃等死,要么仙道修行。
  • 逼上花轿入深宫:错爱冷血帝君

    逼上花轿入深宫:错爱冷血帝君

    男人,即便你是全天下最骄傲的皇家人又如何,我要让你爱上我,然后万劫不复……
  • 西夏事略

    西夏事略

    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。
  • 驭食记

    驭食记

    素手调鼎,御心除祟,世间百味总关情。且看一只萌狐,两尊妖神,如何搅动三界风云。
  • 毕生劫

    毕生劫

    活了18年的张丹突然知道自己其实不是人、是一颗仙丹,而自己的祖爷爷是鼎鼎大名的张天师。祖爷爷说:“丹丹啊,一颗仙丹想飞升、需要历天劫,积功德,还要上学考试!”此后,上下五千年、轮回三千界、张丹利用课余时间成为了一个勤勤恳恳帮助各族人民找东西的小仙丹。直到有一天,天帝大人告诉张丹:“如今三界正面临灭顶之灾,小仙丹你可愿拯救世界?”张丹说:“天帝大人,小仙为世人找了半辈子东西,自己却有一物不曾寻见。”“何物?”“那小仙次次轮回都会弄丢的那颗心…”