登陆注册
5430300000048

第48章 THE WALK(2)

She greeted them, however, with a cheerful smile, and protestations of pleasure at the happy meeting equal to their own. They placed themselves one on each side of her, and all three walked away chatting and laughing as young ladies do when they get together, if they be but on tolerably intimate terms. But I, feeling myself to be one too many, left them to their merriment and lagged behind, as usual on such occasions: I had no relish for walking beside Miss Green or Miss Susan like one deaf and dumb, who could neither speak nor be spoken to.

But this time I was not long alone. It struck me, first, as very odd, that just as I was thinking about Mr. Weston he should come up and accost me; but afterwards, on due reflection, I thought there was nothing odd about it, unless it were the fact of his speaking to me; for on such a morning and so near his own abode, it was natural enough that he should be about; and as for my thinking of him, I had been doing that, with little intermission, ever since we set out on our journey; so there was nothing remarkable in that.

'You are alone again, Miss Grey,' said he.

'Yes.'

'What kind of people are those ladies - the Misses Green?'

'I really don't know.'

'That's strange - when you live so near and see them so often!'

'Well, I suppose they are lively, good-tempered girls; but Iimagine you must know them better than I do, yourself, for I never exchanged a word with either of them.'

'Indeed? They don't strike me as being particularly reserved.'

'Very likely they are not so to people of their own class; but they consider themselves as moving in quite a different sphere from me!'

He made no reply to this: but after a short pause, he said, -'I

suppose it's these things, Miss Grey, that make you think you could not live without a home?'

'Not exactly. The fact is I am too socially disposed to be able to live contentedly without a friend; and as the only friends I have, or am likely to have, are at home, if it - or rather, if they were gone - I will not say I could not live - but I would rather not live in such a desolate world.'

'But why do you say the only friends you are likely to have? Are you so unsociable that you cannot make friends?'

'No, but I never made one yet; and in my present position there is no possibility of doing so, or even of forming a common acquaintance. The fault may be partly in myself, but I hope not altogether.'

'The fault is partly in society, and partly, I should think, in your immediate neighbours: and partly, too, in yourself; for many ladies, in your position, would make themselves be noticed and accounted of. But your pupils should be companions for you in some degree; they cannot be many years younger than yourself.'

'Oh, yes, they are good company sometimes; but I cannot call them friends, nor would they think of bestowing such a name on me - they have other companions better suited to their tastes.'

'Perhaps you are too wise for them. How do you amuse yourself when alone - do you read much?'

'Reading is my favourite occupation, when I have leisure for it and books to read.'

From speaking of books in general, he passed to different books in particular, and proceeded by rapid transitions from topic to topic, till several matters, both of taste and opinion, had been discussed considerably within the space of half an hour, but without the embellishment of many observations from himself; he being evidently less bent upon communicating his own thoughts and predilections, than on discovering mine. He had not the tact, or the art, to effect such a purpose by skilfully drawing out my sentiments or ideas through the real or apparent statement of his own, or leading the conversation by imperceptible gradations to such topics as he wished to advert to: but such gentle abruptness, and such single-minded straightforwardness, could not possibly offend me.

同类推荐
  • 汝坟别业

    汝坟别业

    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。
  • 两汉开国中兴传志

    两汉开国中兴传志

    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。
  • 端溪砚谱

    端溪砚谱

    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。
  • 南池宴饯辛子,赋得

    南池宴饯辛子,赋得

    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 Golden Asse

    The Golden Asse

    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
  • 鲁滨逊漂流记

    鲁滨逊漂流记

    《鲁滨逊漂流记》通过惊险曲折的故事情节描写了航海家鲁滨逊的冒险历程。鲁滨逊出生在一个富有的商人家庭,从小并没有多大的志向,只是在一次朋友唆使的海上旅行后就爱上了航海。他多次偷偷地离家出走,经历了海盗、可怕的热带风暴等磨难,终于又在一次长途的海上旅行中遇到了海难。同行的水手、乘客全部遇难,唯有鲁滨逊幸存,只身漂流到一个荒无人烟的孤岛上。在荒岛上,他自己种植粮食,驯养野生动物,自制面包机、陶瓷工具,制造独木舟。最后,鲁滨逊凭借惊人的毅力和胆识,顽强的自我保护能力,丰富的生活经验,超人的智慧和创造精神,在岛上生活28年后,终于奇迹般地回到阔别了35年的故乡英国。
  • 祸世妖姬:侯爷轻点爱

    祸世妖姬:侯爷轻点爱

    阴陨命格,天地不敢容,栀子情系,天命自争。桑鹿鸣不愿争,却不得不争!父亲的逼迫,爱人的残绝,迫使她翻手复排命格,激起乱世万千波澜。“君欲望妾归,妾必扶笺来”,阴陨孽女用情复命,天何覆,人何归!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 夺命的邮票

    夺命的邮票

    话说在上海法租界的霞飞路南端,有一条东西走向、闹中取静的马路,被法国人起名为:“拉都路”。路东头有一爿与众不同的熟面店,何谓“与众不同”?只为面店掌柜居然不顾天高地厚,当众挂出一块醒目地黑底黄字的招牌,上书:“天下第一面”。如此大言不惭,倒使得过往客人谁都想领教领教。及至大家尝过店里的各式面膳,方知果然名不虚传。当下便有好事者向伙计问起这“天下第一面”的来历,谁知不问犹罢,一问,竟使得众面客无不张口咋舌了。
  • 和浙西李大夫霜夜对

    和浙西李大夫霜夜对

    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。
  • 相府嫡小姐:美人将军霸天下

    相府嫡小姐:美人将军霸天下

    一袭红衣傲天下,先是被皇帝亲笔御封“天下第一状元”后又上战场杀敌,成为手握几十万兵马的大将军,却不知‘他’却是‘她’,江湖中人人得而诛之的妖女是也。他是少庄主,他是武林盟主,他是南朝王爷,他是强大的东帝王!是谁造就了她未老华发白,最终会是谁牵住了她的手,为她挽起那根根发白的发。那个本该冷酷无情,无情无欲的帝王,第一次违背了自己的心,相遇后终究不过是转身离开,第二次再见时,入眼的是她满头的银丝,灼伤了他的眼,也融化了他冰冷的心,为了她,他终是改变了自己,坑蒙拐骗,无所不用其极。费尽心机好不容易将她压于榻上,却欠抽的说:“娘子,你可否在上面。”某女暴走“想在下面?老娘成全你…嘭…”
  • 盛世云端

    盛世云端

    睿端是皇朝的太子,他与一个叫云娘的女子两情相悦,一路上的坎坎坷坷让他们好几次分离,后来,与他抢云娘的居然是自己的父皇,太子之位被废,就连他也差点被宰杀,与云娘的回忆在脑海久久不肯散去,云娘,若你没有给父皇殉葬,那该有多好,我想要的不是天下,只是你而已,几年后,真相浮出水面,云娘还在,只是她不在是以前的先皇妃了,而他,也不再为王了。两个人经历了这么多磨合终究在一起了,云娘,还好,你活着。
  • 侦破秘密(走进科学)

    侦破秘密(走进科学)

    本套书全面而系统地介绍了当今世界各种各样的难解之谜和科学技术,集知识性、趣味性、新奇性、疑问性与科普性于一体,深入浅出,生动可读,通俗易懂,目的是使广大读者在兴味盎然地领略世界难解之谜和科学技术的同时,能够加深思考,启迪智慧,开阔视野,增加知识,能够正确了解和认识这个世界,激发求知的欲望和探索的精神,激起热爱科学和追求科学的热情,不断掌握开启人类世界的金钥匙,不断推动人类社会向前发展,使我们真正成为人类社会的主人。
  • 凰城胭脂殇

    凰城胭脂殇

    ——太阳决定向日葵的方向,而你决定我的悲伤!经年后,当她冰冷的尸体躺在他的怀里他才幡然醒悟,原来至始至终他爱的人都是她。她的一生就属于雪,生生死死都回归雪,穿越到莫名的时代,彼时她是一只雪妖,他是高高再上的魔界之主修罗宫的圣君,他救她一命,只因为她是他爱的人的好朋友。于他只举手之劳,于她确是一见倾心的情深意切。他不爱她,她以为爱情只是一人饮酒冷暖自知,她可以无怨无悔直到最后。直到他绝情绝爱后念念不忘的却还不是她。这场独角戏她再也唱不下去了,既然要绝情绝爱就让她逃离这场爱而不得的痛苦吧!她说:我终生的等候换不回你刹那的回眸!他说:看错了心,择错了城,在充满的遗憾的国度里孑然一身孤独一生!
  • 末世红警科学家

    末世红警科学家

    末世到来,人心惶惶,处处都是吃人的怪物,金睿外号金大象,孔武有力的身形外加开挂一样的红警系统,征战在这充满了危险的未知世界。夏娃:“指挥官我方前沿部队遭受尤里部队控制。”夏娃:“指挥官我方遭受核聚变打击。指挥官我..”金睿:“给我闭嘴,把我的V7火箭发射车拿来,我要炸死他”疯狂伊文:“哟呼,尝尝我怀里的大宝贝吧!”
  • 青少年必学古文名句的故事(启迪青少年的语文故事集)

    青少年必学古文名句的故事(启迪青少年的语文故事集)

    启迪青少年的语文故事集——青少年必学古文名句的故事启迪青少年的语文故事集——青少年必学古文名句的故事。