登陆注册
15677500000166

第166章

Oh, had he lived, Replied Rusilla, never penitence Had equalled his! full well I know his heart, Vehement in all things. He would on himself Have wreaked such penance as had reached the height Of fleshly suffering,--yea, which being told, With its portentous rigour should have made The memory of his fault o'erpowered and lost, In shuddering pity and astonishment, Fade like a feeble horror. SOUTHEY'S Roderick . As Mary was turning into the street where the Wilsons lived, Jem overtook her. He came upon her suddenly, and she started. "You're going to see mother?" he asked tenderly, placing her arm within his, and slackening his pace. "Yes, and you too. Oh, Jem, is it true? tell me." She felt rightly that he would guess the meaning of her only half-expressed inquiry. He hesitated a moment before he answered her. "Darling, it is; it's no use hiding it--if you mean that. I'm no longer to work at Duncombe's foundry. It's no time (to my mind) to have secrets from eachother, though I did not name it yesterday, thinking you might fret. I shall soon get work again, never fear." "But why did they turn you off, when the jury had said you were innocent?" "It was not just to say turned off, though I don't think I could have well stayed on. A good number of the men managed to let out they should not like to work nuder me again; there were some few who knew me well enough to feel I could not have done it, but more were doubtful; and one spoke to young Mr Duncombe, hinting at what they thought." "Oh, Jem! what a shame!" said Mary, with mournful indignation. "Nay, darling! I'm not for blaming them. Poor fellows like them have nought to stand upon and be proud of but their character, and it's fitting they should take care of that, and keep that free from soil and taint." "But you,--what could they get but good from you? They might have known you by this time." "So some do; the overlooker, I'm sure, would know I am innocent. Indeed, he said as much to-day; and he said he had had some talk with old Mr Duncombe, and they thought it might be better if I left Manchester for a bit; they'd recommend me to some other place." But Mary could only shake her head in a mournful way, and repeat her words, "They might have known thee better, Jem." Jem pressed the little hand he held between his own work-hardened ones.

After a minute or two, he asked, "Mary, art thou much bound to Manchester? Would it grieve thee sore to quit the old smoke-jack?" "With thee?" she asked, in a quiet, glancing way. "Aye, lass! Trust me, I'll never ask thee to leave Manchester while I'm in it. Because I have heard fine things of Canada; and our overlooker has a cousin in the foundry line there. Thou knowest where Canada is, Mary?" "Not rightly--not now, at any rate;--but with thee, Jem," her voice sunk to a soft, low whisper, "anywhere----" What was the use of a geographical description! "But father!" said Mary, suddenly breaking that delicious silence with the one sharp discord in her present life. She looked up at her lover's grave face; and then the message her father had sent flashed across her memory. "Oh, Jem, did I tell you? Father sent word he wished to speak with you.

I was to bid you come to him at eight o'clock to-night. What can he want, Jem?" "I cannot tell," replied he. "At any rate I'll go. It's no use troubling ourselves to guess," he continued, after a pause for a few minutes, during which they slowly and silently paced up and down the by-street, into which he had led her when their conversation began. "Come and see mother, and then I'll take thee home, Mary. Thou wert all in a tremble when first I came u to thee; thou'rt not fit to be trusted home by thyself," said he, with fond exaggeration of her helplessness. Yet a little more lovers' loitering; a few more words, in themselves nothing--to you nothing--but to those two, what tender passionate language can I use to express the feelings which thrilled through that young man and maiden, as they listened to the syllables made dear and lovely through life by that hour's low-whispered talk. It struck the half hour past seven. "Come and speak to mother; she knows you're to be her daughter, Mary, darling." So they went in. Jane Wilson was rather chafed at her son's delay in returning home, for as yet he had managed to keep her in ignorance of his dismissal from the foundry: and it was her way to prepare some little pleasure, some little comfort for those she loved; and if they, unwittingly, did not appear at the proper time to enjoy her preparation, she worked herself up into a state of fretfulness which found vent in upbraidings as soon as ever the objects of her care appeared, thereby marring the peace which should ever be the atmosphere of a home, however humble; and causing a feeling almost amounting to loathing to arise at the sight of the "stalled ox," which, though an effect and proof of careful love, has been the cause of so much disturbance. Mrs Wilson had first sighed, and then grumbled to herself, over the increasing toughness of the potato-cakes she had made for her son's tea. The door opened, and he came in; his face brightening into proud smiles, Mary Barton hanging on his arm, blushing and dimpling, with eyelids veiling the happy light of her eyes,--there was around the young couple a radiant atmosphere--a glory of happiness. Could his mother mar it? Could she break into it with her Martha-like cares?

同类推荐
  • South Sea Tales

    South Sea Tales

    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。
  • 会仙女志

    会仙女志

    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。
  • 献花岩志

    献花岩志

    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。
  • 華夷譯語

    華夷譯語

    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。
  • 东征集

    东征集

    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。
热门推荐
  • 摸金盗墓

    摸金盗墓

    几十年前的罗布泊事件,引发出一场各抒己见神鬼之论,几十年后,一批经验丰富的盗墓贼再次出动,谁也没有想到,竟会牵引出这么多诡异的事情:地下的古城、湖底的古墓、以及传说中的双鱼玉佩,种种怪异事物接踵而现…………,你准备好了吗?
  • 都市之神级校花

    都市之神级校花

    他!因为偷了一个在他眼里是个臭老头的一本书。而不经意的他,发现书中的内容是能够让他获得另一种更高级的力量。于是,他开始了修炼,结果,他悲催的被轮回转世了。然而轮回后的他,却因为身体里所存在的能量太过庞大,导致了他变成了她,而她在变化后的生活里将会延续什么样的生活?爱情、友谊、坑爹的系统接重而来,不一样的体验,不一样的校园,让她体验到了人生中的喜怒哀乐。
  • 英雄联盟四部曲

    英雄联盟四部曲

    我是在五月十三号那天下午,大概六点半的时候删除英雄联盟这款游戏,我删除她的原因很简单--就是中国的职业战队在半决赛就回家啦,这怎么不让人痛心啊,并且我在之前就和朋友有个赌约,要是中标各国战队这赛季,还拿不下冠军,我就删除英雄联盟,并且不再玩这游戏,这游戏虽然删除,但是为纪念这几年来的梦,或者说期望中国拿冠军的梦,只以这部书做为纪念,,,,
  • 死神墨夜

    死神墨夜

    他出生时万鬼行路,五系武者是福是祸,血月当空大陆格局改变,他能否闯出属于自己的一片天下,跟多故事尽在死神墨夜
  • 谋妃不善

    谋妃不善

    她是楚络嫣,也是徐舒雅,一朝穿越为妃,入宫复仇他是当朝权倾朝野的左相大人,与她青梅竹马,自小以妹妹相待,自徐舒雅中毒过后,灵魂已变,感情发生了微妙的变化。他是东辰国的九五之尊,被她吸引,又会怎样泥足深陷,又会对她做出什么伤害?那年,她大仇得报,与他退居江南,逍遥自在。他守着六宫无妃的偌大皇宫,孤单寂寞。终于,他决定将皇位物归原主,却已经分不清,是为了自己的良心无悔,还是为了到江南多看她一眼找借口。她,又会何去何从?所谓的仇人,是否真的是仇人?
  • 万兽无疆2010

    万兽无疆2010

    作为万兽之王的他,转世为人在人类的世界又会掀起怎样的腥风血雨?
  • 我用一生为你守候

    我用一生为你守候

    过去对顾苏橙来说,像是一张遥远而混乱的网,那些心动那些心酸,那些逝去的友情和那些离开的人……她从来没有想过,会有再碰上裴周明的一天。当年少已逐渐远去,回忆亦成为过往,已经背道而驰的她和他,可否有再续前缘的那天?
  • 紫霄天启

    紫霄天启

    日月如梭天天天,寒来暑往年年年,指点江山侃侃侃,紫霄天启谈谈谈。
  • 四界风云录

    四界风云录

    两千余年来始皇帝假陵墓出土数座,始皇帝真身到底在哪里、陪葬了哪些价值连城的宝物;哪位王妃最终伴千古一帝长眠?祖龙之魂为何2000余年苦等有缘之人附身。依据出土物证及正野史记载展开遐想。带诸位看官随祖龙之魂附身的主角萧浓一起打破时空回到上古,探一探上古三皇五帝时期的九州世界。
  • 惊魂一路

    惊魂一路

    原本平凡的五个人,他们在逆境中成长,每个人都拥有着不同的本领,他们一起与妖魔斗争,侦破着一件件超出科学范围内的离奇任务。是什么令他们走到一起?他们又拥有着怎样神秘的身世?答案将会在文章里一一揭晓。他们相濡以沫,他们一路相互搀扶着走在这伏魔之路,他们的情谊究竟能走多久?千年冰封的缘分,在爱与恨的深渊里,在命与死的夹缝中,他将何去何从?前世姻缘孽,今生定结离。惊魂一路!曲折一生!伏魔路,非比寻常。