登陆注册
15681800000040

第40章

"Ah, that I hope will never be.When I wrote to you from Liverpool Isaid I had something particular to tell you.You've never asked me what it is.Is it because you've suspected?""Suspected what? As a rule I don't think I suspect," said Isabel."Iremember now that phrase in your letter, but I confess I had forgotten it.What have you to tell me?"Henrietta looked disappointed, and her steady gaze betrayed it."You don't ask that right- as if you thought it important.You're changed- you're thinking of other things.""Tell me what you mean, and I'll think of that.""Will you really think of it? That's what I wish to be sure of.""I've not much control of my thoughts, but I'll do my best," said Isabel.Henrietta gazed at her, in silence, for a period which tried Isabel's patience, so that our heroine added at last: "Do you mean that you're going to be married?""Not till I've seen Europe!" said Miss Stackpole."What are you laughing at?" she went on."What I mean is that Mr.Goodwood came out in the steamer with me.""Ah!" Isabel responded.

"You say that right.I had a good deal of talk with him; he has come after you.""Did he tell you so?"

"No, he told me nothing; that's how I knew it," said Henrietta cleverly."He said very little about you, but I spoke of you a good deal."Isabel waited.At the mention of Mr.Goodwood's name she had turned a little pale."I'm very sorry you did that," she observed at last.

"It was a pleasure to me, and I liked the way he listened.I could have talked a long time to such a listener; he was so quiet, so intense; he drank it all in.""What did you say about me?" Isabel asked.

"I said you were on the whole the finest creature I know.""I'm very sorry for that.He thinks too well of me already; he oughtn't to be encouraged.""He's dying for a little encouragement.I see his face now, and his earnest absorbed look while I talked.I never saw an ugly man look so handsome.""He's very simple-minded," said Isabel."And he's not so ugly.""There's nothing so simplifying as a grand passion.""It's not a grand passion; I'm very sure it's not that.""You don't say that as if you were sure."Isabel gave rather a cold smile."I shall say it better to Mr.

Goodwood himself."

"He'll soon give you a chance," said Henrietta.Isabel offered no answer to this assertion, which her companion made with an air of great confidence."He'll find you changed," the latter pursued.

"You've been affected by your new surroundings.""Very likely.I'm affected by everything.""By everything but Mr.Goodwood!" Miss Stackpole exclaimed with a slightly harsh hilarity.

Isabel failed even to smile back and in a moment she said: "Did he ask you to speak to me?""Not in so many words.But his eyes asked it- and his handshake, when he bade me good-bye.""Thank you for doing so." And Isabel turned away.

"Yes, you're changed; you've got new ideas over here," her friend continued.

"I hope so," said Isabel; "one should get as many new ideas as possible.""Yes; but they shouldn't interfere with the old ones when the old ones have been the right ones."Isabel turned about again."If you mean that I had any idea with regard to Mr.Goodwood-!" But she faltered before her friend's implacable glitter.

"My dear child, you certainly encouraged him."Isabel made for the moment as if to deny this charge; instead of which, however, she presently answered: "It's very true.I did encourage him." And then she asked if her companion had learned from Mr.Goodwood what he intended to do.It was a concession to her curiosity, for she disliked discussing the subject and found Henrietta wanting in delicacy.

"I asked him, and he said he meant to do nothing," Miss Stackpole answered."But I don't believe that; he's not a man to do nothing.

He is a man of high, bold action.Whatever happens to him he'll always do something, and whatever he does will always be right.""I quite believe that." Henrietta might be wanting in delicacy, but it touched the girl, all the same, to hear this declaration.

"Ah, you do care for him!" her visitor rang out.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 录音带

    录音带

    南泽和静莲是一对恋人,毕业后,都没有找到中意的工作,静莲于是走上了婚姻改变命运这条路,并且如愿结识了富商西门,就在西门和静莲到了谈婚论嫁的时候.....
  • 兵魂之名

    兵魂之名

    感应天地魂力,觉醒本命武器。请问,你就是我的兵魂么?你叫什么名字?
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、
  • 恍如来时

    恍如来时

    彼去经年,月光如炙,笑语欢声,春风不识,尘将尘封,渐随渐次,你的过往,我的文字
  • 黑色审判官

    黑色审判官

    "悲伤!为什么每个人都会悲伤?为什么每个人都会悲伤的那么浓烈!"耀穿梭在来来往往的人群中,看着眼前惨烈的景象,迷惘着,疑问着。在平常人眼里,这是再也不过平常的都市气象,可在他眼里,这是地狱,这是充斥着梦魇的蜃楼,这是被黑炎焚烧过的森林,这是被沙尘席卷过的草原,这一切看起来那么罪恶,他必须要操起手中的黑色太刀,审判这世间的不公,清扫这世间的污秽,不为什么,只为自己所认为的正义!
  • 泼猴门徒闹都市

    泼猴门徒闹都市

    ……来自偏远山区的小农民工林云溪,在大城市里目睹了一场枪击案之后,他无意中捡到了一本书,没想到书里面有个小葫芦,更加不可思议的是,林云溪的后脑勺上面长出来一根金色的猴毛!……神奇的猴毛竟然是神话故事里面泼猴孙大圣的三根救命猴毛中的一根,而葫芦则是……在获得泼猴孙悟空的七十二变传承之后,农民工少年林云溪开始了他的都市传奇故事……
  • 此生绝配

    此生绝配

    一个科学不能解释的问题,穿越。云柒活了十九年,随着飞机失事,穿越了,穿越成了个世子爷。虽然应该入乡随俗,不过,一个女孩子如何适应男孩子的身份呢?而且还有一个可能一起穿越来的目前是女孩子的男孩子。玩转古代生活,顺应穿越潮流。一对穿越而来的男女,一场关于绝配的爱情。
  • 猫心少年

    猫心少年

    势力雄厚的北冥家族继承人北冥夜来到y市体验生活,偶然遇见了没落白家的少爷白沐,北冥夜并没有认出白沐,反而白沐却认出了他,他是害白家没落让自己重病的幕后黑手的继承人,为了报仇,也为了光复白家,白沐准备利用北冥夜,最后的结局是怎样的呢,是白家光复还是灭亡,白沐和北冥夜最终会在一起吗?
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 鎏世执颜

    鎏世执颜

    本书以溟夙教为主题,自古六界内无法与另界人相恋,毕竟各界的寿命也是不同。比如仙人,魔族,妖族都可以活上千岁之久,可人却只有不到百年的寿命。但凭空冒出的还愿族解决了这个大难题,没有人知道这一族从何而来,为何而来...........溟夙教,不同于其他亦正亦邪之教。传说是千年前仙魔界之间的爱恋感动了还愿一族,之后还原族人就在一个国家设立了溟夙教,因为千年后,这两人的缘分会再一次的交错。而地点,则就是这溟夙教。一个千古不曾改变的教派,只是为守护这刻骨铭心的恋。也只为了人世间的转世姻缘而建立,可命中注定的缘分又是谁能挡得了的?