登陆注册
5697800000076

第76章 A FEW CRUSTED CHARACTERS(21)

'The agent had promised to call on old Sargent for this purpose at five o'clock,and Netty put the money into her desk to have it close at hand.While doing this she heard a slight cry from her uncle,and turning round,saw that he had fallen forward in his chair.She went and lifted him,but he was unconscious;and unconscious he remained.

Neither medicine nor stimulants would bring him to himself.She had been told that he might possibly go off in that way,and it seemed as if the end had come.Before she had started for a doctor his face and extremities grew quite cold and white,and she saw that help would be useless.He was stone-dead.

'Netty's situation rose upon her distracted mind in all its seriousness.The house,garden,and field were lost--by a few hours--and with them a home for herself and her lover.She would not think so meanly of Jasper as to suppose that he would adhere to the resolution declared in a moment of impatience;but she trembled,nevertheless.Why could not her uncle have lived a couple of hours longer,since he had lived so long?It was now past three o'clock;at five the agent was to call,and,if all had gone well,by ten minutes past five the house and holding would have been securely hers for her own and Jasper's lives,these being two of the three proposed to be added by paying the fine.How that wretched old Squire would rejoice at getting the little tenancy into his hands!He did not really require it,but constitutionally hated these tiny copyholds and leaseholds and freeholds,which made islands of independence in the fair,smooth ocean of his estates.

'Then an idea struck into the head of Netty how to accomplish her object in spite of her uncle's negligence.It was a dull December afternoon:and the first step in her scheme--so the story goes,and I see no reason to doubt it--'

''Tis true as the light,'affirmed Christopher Twink.'I was just passing by.'

'The first step in her scheme was to fasten the outer door,to make sure of not being interrupted.Then she set to work by placing her uncle's small,heavy oak table before the fire;then she went to her uncle's corpse,sitting in the chair as he had died--a stuffed arm-chair,on casters,and rather high in the seat,so it was told me--and wheeled the chair,uncle and all,to the table,placing him with his back toward the window,in the attitude of bending over the said oak table,which I knew as a boy as well as I know any piece of furniture in my own house.On the table she laid the large family Bible open before him,and placed his forefinger on the page;and then she opened his eyelids a bit,and put on him his spectacles,so that from behind he appeared for all the world as if he were reading the Scriptures.Then she unfastened the door and sat down,and when it grew dark she lit a candle,and put it on the table beside her uncle's book.

'Folk may well guess how the time passed with her till the agent came,and how,when his knock sounded upon the door,she nearly started out of her skin--at least that's as it was told me.Netty promptly went to the door.

"I am sorry,sir,"she says,under her breath;"my uncle is not so well to-night,and I'm afraid he can't see you.""H'm!--that's a pretty tale,"says the steward."So I've come all this way about this trumpery little job for nothing!""O no,sir--I hope not,"says Netty."I suppose the business of granting the new deed can be done just the same?""Done?Certainly not.He must pay the renewal money,and sign the parchment in my presence."'She looked dubious."Uncle is so dreadful nervous about law business,"says she,"that,as you know,he's put it off and put it off for years;and now to-day really I've feared it would verily drive him out of his mind.His poor three teeth quite chattered when I said to him that you would be here soon with the parchment writing.

He always was afraid of agents,and folks that come for rent,and such-like.""Poor old fellow--I'm sorry for him.Well,the thing can't be done unless I see him and witness his signature.""Suppose,sir,that you see him sign,and he don't see you looking at him?I'd soothe his nerves by saying you weren't strict about the form of witnessing,and didn't wish to come in.So that it was done in your bare presence it would be sufficient,would it not?As he's such an old,shrinking,shivering man,it would be a great considerateness on your part if that would do?""In my bare presence would do,of course--that's all I come for.

But how can I be a witness without his seeing me?""Why,in this way,sir;if you'll oblige me by just stepping here."She conducted him a few yards to the left,till they were opposite the parlour window.The blind had been left up purposely,and the candle-light shone out upon the garden bushes.Within the agent could see,at the other end of the room,the back and side of the old man's head,and his shoulders and arm,sitting with the book and candle before him,and his spectacles on his nose,as she had placed him.

"He's reading his Bible,as you see,sir,"she says,quite in her meekest way.

同类推荐
  • The Author of Beltraffio

    The Author of Beltraffio

    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。
  • 十不二门指要钞

    十不二门指要钞

    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。
  • 图经衍义本草

    图经衍义本草

    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。
  • 幼科发挥

    幼科发挥

    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 Well of the Saints

    The Well of the Saints

    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
  • 重生之将门狂妃

    重生之将门狂妃

    她女扮男装,毅然从军,狂剑天下,成就玄武大陆一代名将!他权倾天下,娶妃从妻,遮天荣宠,只为给她一生平安喜乐!◆◇◇◆◆◇前世,她为爱郎放弃武道,放弃花家剑法的继承,甚至割袍决裂叛出家族,原本以为幸福一生,却不想迎接她的是蚀骨地狱!家姐含笑而来,用家族秘传剑法一剑剑送走她的性命,他冷漠而来,不顾幼子哀求,生生掐断他的喉咙!他说,娶你不过为夺去你的继承权,对你甜言蜜语让我觉得恶心。他说,让你生下这个孽种,不过为让你爷爷不再是你最重要的人。他说,夺你继承权,诛你爷爷,杀你儿子,灭你家族,为的不过我和玲珑厮守一生。家姐笑容灿烂,低低俯首:“妹妹,你真傻!”真相,居然是这样——恨!恨!恨!◆◇◇◆◆◇她重回十六岁,一睁眼星眸如幽暗深渊,指尖掐紧,朱唇紧抿,暗自发誓:今生,一定改写前世!她不会让家传秘法流落他人手,她不会让出继承权,她不会让爷爷含恨死去,她不会让家族破灭,更不会再信他!弃武从文久已,没有任何内劲基础,无用之名在外,她要如何才能奋起?前世的爱郎上门,甜言蜜语海誓山盟,她冷漠一笑,扬言比武决胜负,休夫!家族继承人遴选,内功比拼,武技大赛,她一剑挥洒,一扫旧日名声!外人围攻,家族危在旦夕,她一人一剑狂笑,击退强敌:“犯我者,虽远必诛!”◆◇◇◆◆◇片段:他一袭黑袍从远处走来,黑衣如墨色晕染,衣袂凌飞,一双凤眸似笑非笑,负手而立,睨天下:“什么是狂,不是口中说一说而已,而是骨子里的睥睨天下,是放眼武道无人能敌!说我女人狂是吗,不好意思,她随我——而已。”“嗯?”“嘿嘿,爱妃大人,为夫说错了,是本王随你,随你!”他凤眼流转中,满满是宠溺之色。◆◇◇◆◆◇注:女主成长史,一对一,女强男强,宠文,爽文。◆◇◇◆◆◇推荐维丝完结文:古武:《邪帝宠后》——
  • 你的保养,做对了吗

    你的保养,做对了吗

    女人是爱美的,她们总是到处收集美容保养资讯,希望让自己更年轻、更美丽;女人又是勇敢的,她们不管那些来自媒体、网络、书籍或身边朋友的信息有多少似是而非的误导,都敢于去尝试。结果呢,对保养效果不满意者居多,因为护理不当引发千奇百怪的肌肤问题也不少。如果你对自己的保养效果不怎么满意,或者很不满意,甚至非常不满意,那么,现在已经到了要好好审视自己美容保养方法的时候了。
  • 叙净土往生传

    叙净土往生传

    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。
  • 喊女溪(英汉对照)

    喊女溪(英汉对照)

    《喊女溪》是美国作家桑德拉·希斯内罗斯的短篇小说集。作品记录了的女性成长的轨迹——童年、青春期和青年。而从中也可以看到希斯内罗斯这位墨西哥裔的女作家在双重文化背景之下的独特视角,窥见她在不断的矛盾与努力中寻求自我蜕变的成长经历。
  • 十尾龟

    十尾龟

    《十尾龟》四十回,书叙旧上海十里洋场的魅魉生活:土财主、洋买办、暴发户、留学生、商号老板、军政官吏、掮客、帮闲、婊子、骗子、小姐、姨太太……把这许多人投入到乌烟瘴气的旋涡里,揭示了当年由封闭步入开放初期种种社会现象,颇有认识价值。
  • 候得荒无彼岸桃花清

    候得荒无彼岸桃花清

    冥冥之音凄凄思矣是来自人间的铃音还是鬼君的心音
  • 杨氏家藏方

    杨氏家藏方

    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。
  • 首席女法医

    首席女法医

    【本文悬疑案件+浪漫言情,爱看侦探类、破案类的亲赶紧跳坑吧!】他曾是A大医学院的天子骄子,却突然人间蒸发。她曾是A大人人唾弃的医学废材,却突然小宇宙爆发,四年后,成了法医病理学家。一场离奇的大火,掀开案件的序幕…他与她再相见,女未嫁,男已婚。凭着死者眼中的一个小小的出血点,她笃定:“这个老人死于他杀。”乡间垃圾场麻袋里的女尸、楼道中的杀手、少女之死、鸡蛋上的血迹、烟杂店的老人、被割掉的鼻子、提线木偶、一根红发…他与她忙碌在各个案件现场,抬头不见低头见。当人人都称赞他们的合作完美无瑕,他却高调的与妻子出现在各大媒体。行动中,他破门而入,正好撞上浴室里的她,她一个耳刮子赏过去,惊叫一声,“流氓!”
  • Tom Swift & his Sky Racer

    Tom Swift & his Sky Racer

    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。
  • 无量寿经连义述文赞

    无量寿经连义述文赞

    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。