登陆注册
5695700000026

第26章 GOLD AND PINCHBECK(2)

"He has closed all the blinds and hung a 'To Let' sign on the large elm at the gate. Stephen never was spiteful in his life, but this looks a little like spite. Perhaps he only wanted to save his self-respect and let people know, that everything between you was over forever. Perhaps he thought it would stop talk once and for all. But you won't mind, you lucky girl, staying nearly three months in Boston! [So Almira purled on in violet ink, with shaded letters.] How I wish it had come my way, though I'm not good at rubbing rheumatic patients, even when they are his aunt. Is he as devoted as ever?And when will it be? How do you like thetheatre?Mother thinks you won't attend; but, by what he used to say, I am sure church members in Boston always go to amusements.

"Your loving friend, "Almira Shapley.

"P.S. They say Rufus's doctor's bills here, and the operation and hospital expenses in Portland, will mount up to five hundred dollars. Of course Stephen will be dreadfully hampered by the loss of his barn, and maybe he wants to let your house that was to be, because he really needs money. In that case the dooryard won't be very attractive to tenants, with corn planted right up to the steps--and no path left! It's two feet tall now, and by August (just when you were intending to move in) it will hide the front windows. Not that you'll care, with a diamond on your engagement finger!"The letter was more than flesh and blood could stand, and Rose flung herself on her bed to think and regret and repent, and, if possible, to sob herself to sleep.

She knew now that she had never admired and respected Stephen so much as at the moment when, under the reproach of his eyes, she had given him back his ring. When she left Edgewood and parted with him forever she had really loved him better than when she had promised to marry him.

Claude Merrill, on his native Boston heath, did not appear the romantic, inspiring figure he had once been in her eyes. A week ago she distrusted him; to-night she despised him.

What had happened to Rose was the dilation of her vision. She saw things under a wider sky and in a clearer light. Above all, her heart was wrung with pity for Stephen--Stephen, with no comforting woman's hand to help him in his sore trouble; Stephen, bearing his losses alone, his burdens and anxieties alone, his nursing and daily work alone. Oh, how she felt herself needed! Needed! that was the magic word that unlocked her better nature. "Darkness is the time for making roots and establishing plants, whether of the soil or of the soul," and all at once Rose had become a woman: a little one, perhaps, but a whole woman--and a bit of an angel, too, with healing in her wings.When and how had this metamorphosiscome about? Last summer the fragile brier-rose had hung over the river and looked at its pretty reflection in the placid surface of the water. Its few buds and blossoms were so lovely, it sighed for nothing more. The changes in the plant had been wrought secretly and silently. In some mysterious way, as common to soul as to plant life, the roots had gathered in more nourishment from the earth, they had stored up strength and force, and all at once there was a marvelous fructifying of the plant, hardiness of stalk, new shoots everywhere, vigorous leafage, and a shower of blossoms.

But everything was awry: Boston was a failure; Claude was a weakling and a flirt; her turquoise ring was lying on the riverbank; Stephen did not love her any longer; her flower-beds were plowed up and planted in corn; and the cottage that Stephen had built and she had furnished, that beloved cottage, was to let.

She was in Boston; but what did that amount to, after all? What was the State House to a bleeding heart, or the Old South Church to a pride wounded like hers?

At last she fell asleep, but it was only by stopping her ears to the noises of the city streets and making herself imagine the sound of the river rippling under her bedroom windows at home. The back yards of Boston faded, and in their place came the banks of the Saco, strewn with pine needles, fragrant with wild flowers. Then there was the bit of sunny beach, where Stephen moored his boat. She could hear the sound of his paddle. Boston lovers came a-courting in the horse-cars, but hers had floated down stream to her just at dusk in a birch-bark canoe, or sometimes, in the moonlight, on a couple of logs rafted together.

But it was all over now, and she could see only Stephen's stern face as he flung the despised turquoise ring down the river bank.

同类推荐
  • 英语常用短语大全集

    英语常用短语大全集

    创想外语研发团队编著的《英语常用短语大全集》不是要讲述英语短语高深的语法,也不是对其进行深入细致的研究,而是从学习、记忆和运用的目的出发,让学习者能准确记忆每一个短语,能准确运用每一短语,这就是编写本书的初衷。本书精选日常学习生活中常见的短语,剔除了那些比较生僻的内容,在一定程度上减轻了学习者的负担,而且更具有针对性。
  • 一个忙碌的假期

    一个忙碌的假期

    中讲述了百万富翁约翰·梅瑞克(简的哥哥)和他的三个侄女——露易丝、贝丝和帕齐,从纽约来到米尔维尔度假时,历经各种困难成功创办一份报纸的故事。本书中,三个女孩在叔叔和他人的帮助下,在人口稀少、文化落后、资金紧张的情况下,历经曲折,成功做成一份深受米尔维尔当地人喜欢的报纸。书中三个女孩的形象最为鲜活生动。她们不断地成长、成熟起来。露易丝已经20岁,她意志坚定,遇事沉着,为人亲切,但小有心机;帕齐18岁,真诚、率直;贝丝出落得漂亮可人,喜欢真实,亦讲求实际,略有保守,个性与两个姐姐差别较大。
  • Never Give Up on Yourself 永不放弃自己

    Never Give Up on Yourself 永不放弃自己

    谁也不能改变你的容貌,但你能通过修炼自己变成一个魅力四射的女人。汪洋的经历就充分证明了这一点。《永不放弃自己》一书告诉大家,只要你不放弃希望,灰姑娘也会变成美丽的公主,你梦想的一切都会实现!
  • 我的故事

    我的故事

    海伦·凯勒——人类永远的骄傲!了解了海伦·凯勒语录,你就了解了这本书,你也就了解了海伦·凯勒其人:黑暗将使人更加珍惜光明,寂静将使人更加喜爱声音。身体上的不自由终究是一种缺憾。我不敢说从没有怨天尤人或沮丧的时候,但我更明白这样根本于事无补,因此我总是极力控制自己,使自己的脑子不要去钻这种牛角尖。忘我就是快乐。因而我要把别人眼睛看见的光明当作我的太阳,别人耳朵听见的音乐当作我的乐曲,别人嘴角的微笑当作我的快乐。如果静止的美已是那么可爱的话,那么看到运动中的美肯定更令人振奋和激动。
  • 竞选风波(Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work)

    竞选风波(Aunt Jane's Nieces at Work)

    《竞选风波》是纯爱英文馆?少女成长系列的第四本,讲述了约翰叔叔带着三个心爱的侄女——帕齐、贝丝和露易丝去帮助他们的朋友肯尼思竞选议员的故事。在帮助他竞选的过程中,三个女孩受到其对手的一再抨击,她们会坚持下来吗?此外,她们还帮助一对老夫妇寻找到了一个受刺激后精神失常而失踪的少女,这又是怎么回事呢?
热门推荐
  • 魔法师和他的十六道符咒

    魔法师和他的十六道符咒

    如果狂欢和悲剧是惟一的选择,那种从内而渗透出的悲伤应该是非常值得珍惜的东西,就像梦境。他们这个匆忙而印象化的时代遗忘。在这些绚丽的色彩和线条中,你是否听到图画的声音,看懂了图画的情节,并通过它们,达到那个温暖明丽的奇妙世界?魔法师以十六道符咒变化出一个奇异的世界:长在水母上的城市,盛满了梦境的瓶子,爱上一朵花的机器人,丢失了弓的弓箭手…… 他们这个匆忙而印象化的时代遗忘。在这些绚丽的色彩和线条中,你是否听到图画的声音,看懂了图画的情节,并通过它们,达到那个温暖明丽的奇妙世界?
  • 经济法概论

    经济法概论

    本书共分6篇。第1篇为法学基础知识,从法学基础知识入手,介绍了经济法的产生、发展及基本知识。第2篇为经济主体法,介绍了个人独资企业、合伙企业、外商投资企业、公司企业等企业法律制度。第3篇为经济主体行为法,介绍了企业等经济主体在经济活动中从事订立合同、设立担保、注册使用商标、专利等经济行为时应该遵守的法律制度。第4篇为经济秩序管理法,主要对国家管理市场经济秩序方面的法律制度进行了具体阐述。第5篇为宏观经济调控法,介绍了国家在进行宏观调控时适用的法律。第6篇为经济仲裁与诉讼法,主要介绍了经济主体的权益受到侵犯时的救济措施——仲裁和诉讼。
  • 报告,狐狸又跑了!

    报告,狐狸又跑了!

    [当双重狐格小狐狸遇上厚颜无耻霸道无比总裁大人]小狐狸出山不顺,才刚到人类世界,就被秋雨打了,灵力还没了!不能说话不能化形!落九九表示很心酸。但是,谁能给她解释下,捡到她的臭总裁是怎么回事?“九九。”某男手中一块大白兔奶糖。“……”狐狸表示,她真的不是贪吃,这个东西太好吃了好吗!江辰轩也很忧愁,小狐狸太贪吃,一块糖就能拐走,每次找她都要买糖,没钱了怎么办?好不容易恢复灵力化形的她,被拐卖了!
  • 红血女王2:玻璃之剑

    红血女王2:玻璃之剑

    曾经最亲密的朋友只是一个极度危险的幻象,宣誓效忠的红血卫队背后竟有一个极度危险的庞大组织!除了自己,梅儿还能相信什么……在这场本就不公平的对抗中,“闪电女孩”梅儿成为刺向国王心脏的利剑,试图以牺牲阻止更大的牺牲。
  • 轻松玩数字游戏(超级智商训练营)

    轻松玩数字游戏(超级智商训练营)

    会玩的孩子一定是聪明的孩子。思考是人类征服世界的唯一力量,而大脑是思维的发源地。孩子的天性就是玩,那么,我们就可以利用它们的这些天性,让孩子在轻松的游戏充分的开发大脑,在玩中接受全新的知识,让创新思维、想象能力得到全面的发展。书中的游戏融入数字方面的知识,着力于培养孩子想象、观察、耐心、演算等。
  • 妖冥药尊

    妖冥药尊

    【简介•恶趣味版】某人的人生准则有三厚——一要恶趣味浓厚,而要毒舌功深厚,三要脸皮够厚。恶趣味是一种情调,做人没情调怎么行?毒舌是一种消遣,她不过是闲了点。厚脸皮是一种制胜法宝,你脸皮厚,她会比你更厚颜无耻。窥伺追杀?度量大,那是美德,但美过头就成了缺德!冥王之位?她又不是捡垃圾的,干嘛要去收拾烂摊子?看一代药尊如何登堂损人,出战揍人,上台阴人,干坏事顺便留下一个美妙的背影【简介•评论版】某炮灰评:此女少奸巨滑,金玉其外败絮其中,回眸一笑,让你瞬间惊艳,瞬间崩溃。此女乃坑货一名,低调起来惊天地泣鬼神。此女乃瘟神一尊,一笑鸡飞狗跳,二笑天地失色,三笑神崩地裂,四笑……通通都给本尊去冥界报道!综合上述,此女为不定时炸弹一枚,极其危险。温馨提示:心脏病患者,半只脚踏入精神病院大门者,纯纯小白者,天生当炮灰之命者,切记勿进!【简介•正剧版】冥洛邪是谁?冥界名扬四海的幽冥药尊,年纪轻轻以一首炼药之术位居一方尊者,离冥王之位仅一步之遥。一朝异变,她进入时空隧道,踏入异世。一双金瞳,她又“成为”妖界来客,被当做珍稀妖灵人人窥伺,生死之间搏命一赌,她一跃落入人人惊恐的雾谷。雾谷之中,银发妖娆,绝代风华,他说:入了雾谷,那便是我的东西。她却回答:真不好意思,本尊从来没有成为他人所有物的癖好!救了她又如何?她临走前来能跟他说一声已经是很给面子了!重出人界,却听废物妖灵名遍天下,她笑,一唤幽冥之火,幽冥药尊惊世倾覆天下!丹药难寻?不好意思,她从来都是把这东西当糖吃。此药剧毒?非常抱歉,她百毒不侵,万药免疫,你当她这药尊是吃素的不成?灵力废柴?那叫低调懂不懂?冥火操纵,亡灵召唤,封印一破,她就是横着走也没人敢拦她!但如果要是招惹到她了……伤她一人,她便亡他一千!而且姐姐疼,某人的挂名姐姐对着喽啰们就是一吼:你妹的别在老娘面前怪里怪气,少在这里恶心人,老娘的妹妹怎么了?你才废物,你全家都是废物!万年不进阶!然后收起彪悍,某女子对着某人温柔地说道:小洛别怕,要是有人敢欺负你,姐姐我就帮你欺负回去!某人暗中竖起一个大拇指,很无良地暗中捣鬼。……
  • 我跟BOSS很纯洁

    我跟BOSS很纯洁

    本文讲述的是一个倒追的欢乐故事。安好是一个条件不错的都市女孩,跟军人李木在一次相亲会上认识,并从此结仇。李木为人木讷,从未谈过恋爱,面对安好的倒追攻势常常弄出一系列哭笑不得的乐事。二人渐生情愫。
  • 没完没了的穿越:王妃劫

    没完没了的穿越:王妃劫

    【轻松小白,不喜勿近】NND这种日子什么时候才能够完结了?生活就不能安定点吗?为什么总是在不停地穿越?两个月就要穿越一次,TMD还让不让人活啦?什么?要想结束这种生活就必须要用爱人的鲜血来祭奠体内的穿越药?这还有没有天理了?哎不过开心的是,好在在古代凌凌找到了乐趣,每一次穿越遇到的帅哥被改造成了现代的帅哥不说,就连古代的人也开始穿现代服饰,凌凌还被称作最美丽的设计师?
  • 君臣上

    君臣上

    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。
  • 我的身体有神魔

    我的身体有神魔

    千米冰川底部,一座神秘恢宏的血色天宫,坐落于八尊远古神尸的肩膀之上。一名平凡都市青年,误入了血色天宫,获得上古诸天神魔的灵魂和神秘传承。