登陆注册
5430300000051

第51章 THE SUBSTITUTION(2)

'I would have sent the footman back for you, Miss Grey, if you'd waited a moment - you needn't have taken Mr. Weston's umbrella,'

observed Rosalie, with a very unamiable cloud upon her pretty face.

'I would have come without an umbrella, but Mr. Weston offered me the benefit of his, and I could not have refused it more than I did without offending him,' replied I, smiling placidly; for my inward happiness made that amusing, which would have wounded me at another time.

The carriage was now in motion. Miss Murray bent forwards, and looked out of the window as we were passing Mr. Weston. He was pacing homewards along the causeway, and did not turn his head.

'Stupid ass!' cried she, throwing herself back again in the seat.

'You don't know what you've lost by not looking this way!'

'What has he lost?'

'A bow from me, that would have raised him to the seventh heaven!'

I made no answer. I saw she was out of humour, and I derived a secret gratification from the fact, not that she was vexed, but that she thought she had reason to be so. It made me think my hopes were not entirely the offspring of my wishes and imagination.

'I mean to take up Mr. Weston instead of Mr. Hatfield,' said my companion, after a short pause, resuming something of her usual cheerfulness. 'The ball at Ashby Park takes place on Tuesday, you know; and mamma thinks it very likely that Sir Thomas will propose to me then: such things are often done in the privacy of the ball-room, when gentlemen are most easily ensnared, and ladies most enchanting. But if I am to be married so soon, I must make the best of the present time: I am determined Hatfield shall not be the only man who shall lay his heart at my feet, and implore me to accept the worthless gift in vain.'

'If you mean Mr. Weston to be one of your victims,' said I, with affected indifference, 'you will have to make such overtures yourself that you will find it difficult to draw back when he asks you to fulfil the expectations you have raised.'

'I don't suppose he will ask me to marry him, nor should I desire it: that would be rather too much presumption! but I intend him to feel my power. He has felt it already, indeed: but he shall ACKNOWLEDGE it too; and what visionary hopes he may have, he must keep to himself, and only amuse me with the result of them - for a time.'

'Oh! that some kind spirit would whisper those words in his ear,' Iinwardly exclaimed. I was far too indignant to hazard a reply to her observation aloud; and nothing more was said about Mr. Weston that day, by me or in my hearing. But next morning, soon after breakfast, Miss Murray came into the schoolroom, where her sister was employed at her studies, or rather her lessons, for studies they were not, and said, 'Matilda, I want you to take a walk with me about eleven o'clock.'

'Oh, I can't, Rosalie! I have to give orders about my new bridle and saddle-cloth, and speak to the rat-catcher about his dogs:

Miss Grey must go with you.'

'No, I want you,' said Rosalie; and calling her sister to the window, she whispered an explanation in her ear; upon which the latter consented to go.

I remembered that eleven was the hour at which Mr. Weston proposed to come to the porter's lodge; and remembering that, I beheld the whole contrivance. Accordingly, at dinner, I was entertained with a long account of how Mr. Weston had overtaken them as they were walking along the road; and how they had had a long walk and talk with him, and really found him quite an agreeable companion; and how he must have been, and evidently was, delighted with them and their amazing condescension, &c. &c.

同类推荐
  • 塔子溝紀略

    塔子溝紀略

    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。
  • 瓮中人语

    瓮中人语

    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。
  • 证道一贯真机易简录

    证道一贯真机易简录

    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。
  • A CONFESSION

    A CONFESSION

    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。
  • 验方新编

    验方新编

    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
  • 西域奇侠传

    西域奇侠传

    亲,想看江湖风云,恩怨情仇吗?亲,想看神秘女巫,占卜控鬼吗? 亲,想看帅哥美女,谈情说爱吗?亲,想看宫廷争斗,尔虞我诈吗?亲,想看前世今生,生死轮回吗?亲,想看史前巨兽,血腥搏杀吗? 亲,想看苦难修行,得道开悟吗? 亲,想看天界诸仙,助人为乐吗? 亲,想看人生幻相,终极思考吗?……那就来看这本书吧。这是一本武侠,但又不仅仅是一本武侠……
  • 独傲九天

    独傲九天

    地狱归来的男子如何在这块大陆上面征服少女、斩杀仙人,让人闻风丧胆的魔在他看来也就只是蝼蚁,而让人崇拜的神也只是他的奴隶。强大的技能,强悍的身体,逆差的时间修炼,坚定的毅力,让人疯狂的法宝......
  • 驱魔师的爱情故事

    驱魔师的爱情故事

    她是大名鼎鼎蓝家继承人,驱魔降妖视为天职;他是声名远扬林家的单传,大隐于市安然度日。一场不经意的邂逅,两个人有了交织,命运因那杯75°的Vodka而开始改变,是否在你流泪时,就注定要我爱上你……
  • 天外历险记

    天外历险记

    身忙心乱时亦露,恨不静兮绝空明;也曾逍遥天涯梦,叹今生活膝下囚!一个白衣青年站在山峰之颠无奈叹息道。大学毕业不久后的大学生,由于不满当下生活环境,于是便辞职回到那生他养他的大山,过着隐居生活。一日,天外坠落一艘宇宙飞船。宇宙这么大,我想去看看,于是开启了宇宙探索之旅。看有怎样的伙伴能上我的飞船?看宇宙中能有怎样的奇遇?看我与我的伙伴怎样踏上超神之路?本书虚构,若有雷同,纯属巧合
  • 乡野村民

    乡野村民

    英雄救美,剧情反转,被一脚踹入河中,偶得神器。从此之后,乡村中任我逍遥!偷偷告诉你们我现在的生活:“发家致富也不用愁,跟着哥走,肉多的很。”不要羡慕哥,哥只是个小小村民。
  • 萌宝来袭:总裁请签收

    萌宝来袭:总裁请签收

    某天醒来,单身妈咪苏暖表示很头疼:“遭人设计,扑了北城最尊贵的男人,怎么破?”宝宝一眨着星星眼,“帅不帅咩?帅的话,正好我还缺一个爹地。”宝宝二一脸严肃的抗议,“妈咪,你只能有我一个男人。”霍言深甩出一句真言,“身份证,户口本,民政局走一趟。”“霍先生,吃亏的人是我。”“怎么?不想负责?”“家里还有两小只,实在是不想委屈你喜当爹。”霍言深闻言,强势高冷的把她圈入怀,“娶一赠二,不委屈。”
  • 银河之心I·天垂日暮

    银河之心I·天垂日暮

    中国科幻银河奖桂冠作家史诗巨作,华语科幻星云奖长篇小说金奖作品!人类征服银河系,“拔剑四顾心茫然”。然而,宇宙流浪汉李约素无意中却发现了多年前失踪的移民飞船“上佳”号,并目睹了令人惊惧的异常现象……闻知此事的科尼尔星域军人,逐渐发觉了正在逼近人类的巨大危险,科尼尔星域各方势力不得不合力应对强敌。孰料,异族的强大超乎想象,其攻击如汤泼雪,科尼尔星域人类在全军覆没之际,只得派出李约素向银河之心的强大人类文明求救……
  • 海贼之恶搞果实

    海贼之恶搞果实

    顶上之战,艾斯处刑台边上。“碰”“吃”“二筒”“等下”猪脚嘴里叼着玉溪,翘着二郎腿拿起战国打出的二筒道:“我胡了,你们三个给老子放人。”一个让人无比头疼的恶魔果实,无限恶搞。 战国捂着头望着天。“求求老天把这混蛋收了吧!”
  • 修仙之天道录

    修仙之天道录

    穿越者都能很快适应异界?郑乾却是个例外。如果不是为了心爱的人。他宁愿平淡的过完一生。
  • 绝望岛历险记