登陆注册
5451700000002

第2章

"Look what a position we have.No one can say there is any taint on our money.There are no rumors about your father.He has kept the laws of God and of man.He has never made any mistakes."Harold got up from his chair and poked the fire.Then he came back to the ample, well-gowned, firm-looking lady, and sat beside her on the sofa.

He took her hand gently and looked at the two rings--a thin band of yellow gold, and a small solitaire diamond--which kept their place on her third finger in modest dignity, as if not shamed, but rather justified, by the splendor of the emerald which glittered beside them.

"Mother," he said, "you have a wonderful hand.And father made no mistake when he won you.But are you sure he has always been so inerrant?""Harold," she exclaimed, a little stiffly, "what do you mean?

His life is an open book."

"Oh," he answered, "I don't mean anything bad, mother dear.

I know the governor's life is an open book--a ledger, if you like, kept in the best bookkeeping hand, and always ready for inspection--every page correct, and showing a handsome balance.

But isn't it a mistake not to allow us to make our own mistakes, to learn for ourselves, to live our own lives? Must we be always working for 'the balance,' in one thing or another?

I want to be myself--to get outside of this everlasting, profitable 'plan'--to let myself go, and lose myself for a while at least--to do the things that I want to do, just because I want to do them.""My boy," said his mother, anxiously, "you are not going to do anything wrong or foolish? You know the falsehood of that old proverb about wild oats."He threw back his head and laughed."Yes, mother," he answered, "I know it well enough.But in California, you know, the wild oats are one of the most valuable crops.They grow all over the hillsides and keep the cattle and the horses alive.But that wasn't what Imeant--to sow wild oats.Say to pick wild flowers, if you like, or even to chase wild geese--to do something that seems good to me just for its own sake, not for the sake of wages of one kind or another.I feel like a hired man, in the service of this magnificent mansion--say in training for father's place as majordomo.I'd like to get out some way, to feel free--perhaps to do something for others."The young man's voice hesitated a little."Yes, it sound like cant, I know, but sometimes I feel as if I'd like to do some good in the world, if father only wouldn't insist upon God's putting it into the ledger."His mother moved uneasily, and a slight look of bewilderment came into her face.

"Isn't that almost irreverent?" she asked."Surely the righteousmust have their reward.And your father is good.See how much he gives to all the established charities, how many things he has founded.

He's always thinking of others, and planning for them.And surely, for us, he does everything.How well he has planned this trip to Europe for me and the girls--the court-presentation at Berlin,the season on the Riviera, the visits in England with the Plumptons and the Halverstones.He says Lord Halverstone has the finest old house in Sussex, pure Elizabethan, and all the old customs are kept up, too--family prayers every morning for all the domestics.

By-the-way, you know his son Bertie, I believe."Harold smiled a little to himself as he answered: "Yes, I fished at Catalina Island last June with the Honorable Ethelbert;he's rather a decent chap, in spite of his ingrowing mind.

But you?--mother, you are simply magnificent! You are father's masterpiece." The young man leaned over to kiss her, and went up to the Riding Club for his afternoon canter in the Park.

So it came to pass, early in December, that Mrs.Weightman and her two daughters sailed for Europe, on their serious pleasure trip, even as it had been written in the book of Providence; and John Weightman, who had made the entry, was left to pass the rest of the winter with his son and heir in the brownstone mansion.

They were comfortable enough.The machinery of the massive establishment ran as smoothly as a great electric dynamo.They were busy enough, too.

John Weightman's plans and enterprises were complicated, though his principle of action was always simple--to get good value for every expenditure and effort.The banking-house of which he was the chief, the brain, the will, the absolutely controlling hand, was so admirably organized that the details of its direction took but little time.

But the scores of other interests that radiated from it and were dependent upon it--or perhaps it would be more accurate to say, that contributed to its solidity and success--the many investments, industrial, political, benevolent, reformatory, ecclesiastical, that had made the name of Weightman well known and potent in city, church, and state, demanded much attention and careful steering, in order that each might produce the desired result.There were board meetings of corporations and hospitals, conferences in Wall Street and at Albany, consultations and committee meetings in the brownstone mansion.

For a share in all this business and its adjuncts John Weightman had his son in training in one of the famous law firms of the city;for he held that banking itself is a simple affair, the only real difficulties of finance are on its legal side.Meantime he wished the young man to meet and know the men with whom he would have to deal when he became a partner in the house.So a couple of dinners were given in the mansion during December, after which the fathercalled the son's attention to the fact that over a hundred million dollars had sat around the board.

同类推荐
  • Lazarillo of Tormes

    Lazarillo of Tormes

    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。
  • 须摩提经

    须摩提经

    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。
  • 安溪县志

    安溪县志

    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。
  • 扫迷帚

    扫迷帚

    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。
  • 寄永道士

    寄永道士

    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
  • 薄命王妃

    薄命王妃

    本文简介:“你们,继续!”她穿越的第一夜,繁星璀璨。她看到他和那女子,毫不忌讳,当着她的面,在这广袤的草原上嘿咻嘿咻地做着“野外运动”的时候。她只是笑着,说了以上四个字。他是她的夫,她是他王府里唯一的正妃。**他口口声声叫她:“爱妃”。可,连鬼都知道,他心底,从没爱过她。“不爱可以,但做人,不可如此虚伪!”她大叫,与他怒目而视。“我的夫君,可以不英俊,可以不富有,可以没有权势地位,但绝对不可以像你这样带着一副面具做人!我,舒清然,不稀罕做你的王妃!你讨厌我,大可休了我。”他有点茫然,这真是他的妻吗?她凭什么这么指责他?她哪懂他的苦?不,她仍在做戏。越美丽的女人,越狠毒,越不可信。她这样做,只是为了骗取他的信任罢了。**他开始恨她!恨她的“欺骗”!恨她居然去“欺骗”除他以外别的男人!一个、两个、三个、四个…..她到底要怎样?为何梦中笑的那般开心,却独不肯对他一展笑颜!她怎可这般自得其乐!全无所谓!这女人难道忘了,她到底是谁的妃了吗?————常清近期作品:《猫霸帝王榻》,地址:(穿越)《总裁的钱奴》又名(《誓言》),地址:(现代都市)
  • 转运婚宠:异能小妻带回家

    转运婚宠:异能小妻带回家

    一场算计,让她背上了一个“谁碰上谁倒霉”的臭名声,可他却知“倒霉”而上!聂心悦吓唬他:“你不怕吗?谁碰上谁倒霉哦~”而他却说,“好巧,有人给我算过,谁碰上我谁就很幸运。”
  • 总裁一抱好欢喜

    总裁一抱好欢喜

    被老公小三设计扒光衣服丢进酒店,求救无门,她向他拨打了求救电话。“谢谢。”“不用谢……因为我不是白来的……能使得动我的人,除了爸妈你是第一个,说吧,用什么报答对你有求必应的人……”
  • 带着王者系统的剑仙

    带着王者系统的剑仙

    大荒云海中牧月饮酒的年轻宗主,一千年剑冢最强的持剑人,八百里魔域不败的王。集三方传承于一身,这人间种种不平,我林泽一剑破之!只要我林泽日日在,人间当享夜夜辉!系统流与仙侠的创新结合!书友交流群群号:813508346
  • 吃我一刀

    吃我一刀

    漫天神魔又如何?我有一口斩山刀,别狂,先吃我一刀!……通天河两岸,水草丰美,我要放马。悟道仙山,绮丽无双,我要采茶。那片草原也不要动,我要听那里的秋虫吟唱,要不晚上我睡不着。……说你呢,不听是吧?!再吃我一刀!
  • 绝色除妖师这个妖王有点甜

    绝色除妖师这个妖王有点甜

    他,京九,作为除妖师的后代,他的资质逆天,领悟力也是惊人,九岁便甩了同龄一大圈,更是独自跑去妖物横行的西北捉回了一只作乱大妖,称之为天之骄子也不为过。但是,他从未想过,有一天他竟也会被一只大妖所救,他…不是应该对他恨之入骨才对吗?
  • 至尊女配:嚣张皇贵妃

    至尊女配:嚣张皇贵妃

    女主嚣张是魅力,女配嚣张惹人厌。女主冷笑威力慑人,女配冷笑众人戒备。女主一笑倾人国,女配一笑谋毒计。女主训言道理至深,女配训言犹如胡扯。女主九死一生总有生机,女配九死一生补多一刀。PS.这是篇吐槽高贵冷艳玛丽苏的女配文,女主虽万千宠爱于一身,但偶尔会有波折,不是万能的女强,女主只有强势的靠山和嚣张的态度。郑重再说一次:晴雪,苏苏在那儿!想看万能型玛丽苏女主的请绕道!!喜欢本书和喜欢大米文字的宝宝们欢迎入群。168230506敲门砖书里任何一位角色的名字。大米搬新窝啦!
  • 大神终究是大神

    大神终究是大神

    君雪云用十年挣扎去换他们的可能,利用尽了身边所有的机会,极其幸运,沈翼南亦用十年努力和她相映。十年光景,都是等你长大。——沈翼南或许我是偏执,但是,我清楚的知道,我们之间的不温不火,才是鸿沟万丈,我本非常人,恰巧你坚持。——君雪云
  • 同居公寓

    同居公寓

    如果没有了矛盾和瓶颈,爱情就是一种摆设,就是一潭死水罢了。同居就是一个把爱情大而化小的过程,唯有最漫长的坚持,才能带给我们最永久的幸福。
  • 灵武九霄

    灵武九霄

    萧辰,他本是开阳城修炼界第一天才,但是却意外修为全废。四年之后,他卷土重来!九阳塔却让他破而后立,九阳涅槃!灭楚家,败强敌,扬名九阳大陆!在他体内种下九阳塔的神秘存在,蛮荒圣殿,九阳圣城的终极隐秘……且看萧辰如何从一个弱者一步一步踏上巅峰,灵武九霄,傲世星空!