登陆注册
5406200000048

第48章

Tembarom did not go up-stairs at once himself.He sat by the fire and smoked several pipes of tobacco and thought things over.There were a lot of things to think over, and several decisions to make, and he thought it would be a good idea to pass them in review.The quiet of the dead surrounded him.In a house the size of this the servants were probably half a mile away.They'd need trolleys to get to one, he thought, if you rang for them in a hurry.If an armed burglar made a quiet entry without your knowing it, he could get in some pretty rough work before any of the seventy-five footmen could come to lend a hand.

He was not aware that there were two of them standing in waiting in the hall, their powdered heads close together, so that their whispers and chuckles could be heard.A sound of movement in the library would have brought them up standing to a decorous attitude of attention conveying to the uninitiated the impression that they had not moved for hours.

Sometimes as he sat in the big morocco chair, T.Tembarom looked grave enough; sometimes he looked as though he was confronting problems which needed puzzling out and with which he was not making much headway; sometimes he looked as though he was thinking of little Ann Hutchinson, and not infrequently he grinned.Here he was up to the neck in it, and he was darned if he knew what he was going to do.He didn't know a soul, and nobody knew him.He didn't know a thing he ought to know, and he didn't know any one who could tell him.Even the Hutchinsons had never been inside a place like Temple Barholm, and they were going back to Manchester after a few weeks' stay at the grandmother's cottage.

Before he had left New York he had seen Hadman and some other fellows and got things started, so that there was an even chance that the invention would be put on its feet.He had worked hard and used his own power to control money in the future as a lever which had proved to be exactly what was needed.

Hadman had been spurred and a little startled when he realized the magnitude of what really could be done, and saw also that this slangy, moneyed youth was not merely an enthusiastic fool, but saw into business schemes pretty sharply and was of a most determined readiness.With this power ranging itself on the side of Hutchinson and his invention, it was good business to begin to move, if one did not want to run a chance of being left out in the cold.

Hutchinson had gone to Manchester, and there had been barely time for a brief but characteristic interview between him and Tembarom, when he rushed back to London.Tembarom felt rather excited when he remembered it, recalling what he had felt in confronting the struggles against emotion in the blunt-featured, red face, the breaks in the rough voice, the charging up and down the room like a curiously elated bull in a china shop, and the big effort to restrain relief and gratitude the degree of which might seem to under-value the merits of the invention itself.

Once or twice when he looked serious, Tembarom was thinking this over, and also once or twice when he grinned.Relief and gratitude notwithstanding, Hutchinson had kept him in his place, and had not made unbounded efforts to conceal his sense of the incongruity of his position as the controller of fortunes and the lord of Temple Barholm, which was still vaguely flavored with indignation.

When he had finished his last pipe, Tembarom rose and knocked the ashes out of it.

"Now for Pearson," he said.

He had made up his mind to have a talk with Pearson, and there was no use wasting time.If things didn't suit you, the best thing was to see what you could do to fix them right away --if it wasn't against the law.He went out into the hall, and seeing the two footmen standing waiting, he spoke to them.

"Say, I didn't know you fellows were there," he said."Are you waiting up for me? Well, you can go to bed, the sooner the quicker.Good night." And he went up-stairs whistling.

The glow and richness and ceremonial order of preparation in his bedroom struck him as soon as he opened the door.Everything which could possibly have been made ready for his most luxurious comfort had been made ready.He did not, it is true, care much for the huge bed with its carved oak canopy and massive pillars.

"But the lying-down part looks about all right," he said to himself.

The fine linen, the soft pillows, the downy blankets, would have allured even a man who was not tired.The covering had been neatly turned back and the snowy whiteness opened.That was English, he supposed.They hadn't got on to that at Mrs.Bowse's.

"But I guess a plain little old New York sleep will do," he said.

"Temple Barholm or no Temple Barholm, I guess they can't change that."Then there sounded a quiet knock at the door.He knew who it would turn out to be, and he was not mistaken.Pearson stood in the corridor, wearing his slightly anxious expression, but ready for orders.

Mr.Temple Barholm looked down at him with a friendly, if unusual, air.

"Say, Pearson," he announced, "if you've come to wash my face and put my hair up in crimping-pins, you needn't do it, because I'm not used to it.But come on in."If he had told Pearson to enter and climb the chimney, it cannot be said that the order would have been obeyed upon the spot, but Pearson would certainly have hesitated and explained with respectful delicacy the fact that the task was not "his place." He came into the room.

"I came to see, if I could do anything further and--" making a courageous onslaught upon the situation for which he had been preparing himself for hours--"and also--if it is not too late--to venture to trouble you with regard to your wardrobe." He coughed a low, embarrassed cough."In unpacking, sir, I found--I did not find--""You didn't find much, did you?" Tembarom assisted him.

同类推荐
  • 会稽三赋

    会稽三赋

    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。
  • 送徐使君赴岳州

    送徐使君赴岳州

    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。
  • The Patagonia

    The Patagonia

    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。
  • 佛顶尊胜陀罗尼经教迹义记

    佛顶尊胜陀罗尼经教迹义记

    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。
  • 云仙笑

    云仙笑

    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
  • 恋你生思不寐

    恋你生思不寐

    乐笙说:曾经我最想得到的是颜司明,我以为占有就是爱。如果不能得到他,我会疯的。情不知何时起竟一往情深。奈何烟花繁华旖旎,我已无心看风景。得不到的回应,冷漠冰冷的身体,执念有尽深爱无终。颜司明以为少了聒噪自私的女人她就会开心,没有了她,却发觉心里少了些什么重要的东西。没有了你,却忘不了你。只因爱已刻骨,情已铭心。乐笙,你好狠……我输了,只是我不敢承认。
  • 一世唐人

    一世唐人

    阅尽千古风流,独占万世潇洒。这就是大唐!现代孤儿重生大唐太宗长子,来到了这血性男儿神往的英雄时代,其志在拓万里疆域,布国威四方!突厥吐蕃,高丽倭国……尔曹蛮夷,灭国擒王;五姓七望,江南盐帮……跳梁小丑,弹指平之;西域岭南,辽东百越……国之领地,纳土开发。纵横天下誓要再戴顶上红缨,重振秦汉雄风!泱泱中华,巍巍华夏;堂堂天朝,煌煌大唐,他要让这东方巨龙腾飞世界之巅,也好不枉为一世唐人!且看主角如何用一世打出个璀璨盛唐,敬请看《一世唐人》。神策军:645-744-944
  • 漫步重生路

    漫步重生路

    陆宝宝重生了,漫步重生路,她一步一个脚印往前走。然后,期待有一天,面包有了,爱情有了,幸福还会远吗?可是,当爱情,是“中年大叔”;当面包,是“大叔”的附赠品,……重生的梦想还没有实现就已经被俘虏,命运的车轮会把她带向何方?
  • 修真狂女之星帝崛起

    修真狂女之星帝崛起

    她,本来自中国第一修真世家,却因父亲被大伯陷害被抓,全家落难到一个不足二十平方米的小屋。在躲避追杀的过程中,哥哥功法被废,全身经脉尽断,手筋脚筋皆被挑断,妈妈在重伤的情况下救哥哥,最后虽为哥哥续了手筋,也因功力被耗尽,最后成为一名普通人。她,发誓要夺回属于他们的一切,所以她在不断的变强。最终,当她站在世界最顶端时,却发现原来她的生活才刚刚开始。她,真正的身份竟是浩瀚宇宙中,苍山帝国圣特兰斯星域,苍山帝国六大家族之一,圣特兰斯家族的第三代继承人。宇宙中,强者无数,除了有毁天灭地的高科技产物,还有强大到轻轻一挥手就能毁掉一颗星球的异能修炼者。在浩瀚的宇宙,各种族最崇拜的不是高科技,相反却是自身实力的不断提升。且看她,凯拉.圣特兰斯,如何在浩瀚的宇宙,创造属于她的宇宙帝国,成就令人闻风丧胆的巅峰之路。让宇宙众多种族,各方主宰,都臣服于她——大帝凯拉.圣特兰斯。本文秉承没有最变态,只有更变态的宗旨。誓要将妖孽行为热血到底!本文以浩瀚的宇宙为背景,主要为异能修炼者。异能包含幻术、魔法、武者、药剂师、创造者、血脉、传承、空间、时间、法则、元素等。领养区:亲亲“安静守护你”领养“凯拉”亲亲“斷翼天使紫”领养“李天逸”亲亲“云影悠然”领养“段如轩”亲亲“hecate林”领养“毁灭缠藤”亲亲“甜蜜灬小薇”领养“卡特”亲亲“血傲然”领养“作者雪雪”亲亲“moommii”领养“青渊”推荐雪的完结文:《缚魔》:《穿越之沦为绝色祸天下》:《吻火》:友情链接:柳一一的《激战女神》秦随风的《极品相公随风舞》水国萱草的《破神》火凰的《蓝魅》炫音的《血灵神》帝九鸢的《云傲天》曲殇的《逍遥鬼帝》潇潇慕雨的《紫降异世》炫音的《魔疫》火凰的《小姐莫轻狂》筱天天的《夜天盛世》
  • 贼妃冷帝:王妃善逃

    贼妃冷帝:王妃善逃

    她堂堂一个盗墓贼到了异世的第一天就被诛九族?接着又被逼嫁给一个不受宠的王爷?这个王爷长得还不赖吗,只是为何他们的第一次见面她是在狗洞里?!被卡住了不拉一把,还逼迫她签下卖身契?你个奶奶的,不就是一张卖身契吗,卖了身她一样跑。嗯,跑之前收点福利,先把这个名义上是她夫君的王爷给玷污了再说!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 此禽可待

    此禽可待

    他们说,有生之年,狭路相逢,终不能幸免。久别重逢,吴微禹咬牙切齿,“容忆,咱们来日方长。”简而言之,这是两只“禽兽”相爱相杀的纯洁爱情故事。
  • 心理操纵与反操纵

    心理操纵与反操纵

    生活中你是否曾因无力说服别人而懊丧?是否曾被别人牵着鼻子走而浑然不觉?面对纷纷扰扰的人际关系,你束手无策,苦闷困惑,时常感叹为什么有些人就那么有心计?为什么有些人就那么有手腕?自己难道就只能傻乎乎地处于被动的境地吗?相信你是有不甘的。其实,你大可不必为此而灰心丧气。心机虽高明却并不神秘.你无需羡慕别人的交际能力,只要你懂人性,知人心,就会拨开迷雾见青天,就能明白人际交往中操纵与反操纵背后的秘密。
  • 游击队长

    游击队长

    一部穿越时空的手机,带出一场惊心动魄的战争!一个破败的小村庄,牵连一番尘封往事!这是一个键盘侠混迹在游击队里,一步一步的成长。依旧还是个能闪瞎24K高强度硫酸铜硬化畴壁共振防漩涡损耗和共振损耗电子脉冲带放光二极管及光敏三极管之晶圆脉冲散射之光斑照射粒子带发光半导体及光电感应器之光源硬化及反电磁波加硫酸亚铁硬化以及硝酸铜硬化氪金防爆狗眼的故事!!!(PS:咸鱼专用简介,侵权必究)手动滑稽~
  • 青春

    青春

    表哥走了,表哥是为青年突击队的荣誉而献出生命的,是为做人的尊严结束了年轻的生命的。在失去表哥的那些日子里,我常常一个人泪流满面,回忆着表哥短暂的人生,回忆着同他在一起的时光。在表哥去世不久,李组长也调到县上去了,青年突击队也名存实亡。而对我又一个意外打击是,丁玲要嫁到城里去了,这是阿妈告诉我的。
  • 电视新闻语体研究

    电视新闻语体研究

    对于语言,我们既可以作历时的研究,也可以作共时的研究。在作历时研究时,我们常把所要研究的对象语言划分为几个不同的时段。比如,对于古代汉语的历时研究,常区分为上古、中古、近代这样几个时段;而上古、中古、近代则还可以再进一步区分为更小一些的时段。当然,我们也可以把整个古代看做一个时段,对汉语作一种泛时的研究。我们在作共时研究时,似乎也存在跟历时研究类似的情形。所不同的是,历时研究区分出的是不同的时段,而共时研究则可以区分出不同的语体;前者是历时的、纵向的切分,而后者则是共时的、横向的切分。