登陆注册
26195200000016

第16章

Tottenham's dumb departure that day in February--it was the year John got his C.B.--was followed, I am thankful to say, by none of the symptoms of unrequited affection on Cecily's part.Not for ten minutes, so far as I was aware, was she the maid forlorn.I think her self-respect was of too robust a character, thanks to the Misses Farnham.Still less, of course, had she any reproaches to serve upon her mother, although for a long time I thought I detected--or was it my guilty conscience?--a spark of shrewdness in the glance she bent upon me when the talk was of Mr.Tottenham and the probabilities of his return to Agra.So well did she sustain her experience, or so little did she feel it, that I believe the impression went abroad that Dacres had been sent disconsolate away.

One astonishing conversation I had with her some six months later, which turned upon the point of a particularly desirable offer.She told me something then, without any sort of embarrassment, but quite lucidly and directly, that edified me much to hear.She said that while she was quite sure that Mr.Tottenham thought of her only as a friend--she had never had the least reason for any other impression--he had done her a service for which she could not thank him enough--in showing her what a husband might be.He had given her a standard; it might be high, but it was unalterable.She didn't know whether she could describe it, but Mr.Tottenham was different from the kind of man you seemed to meet in India.He had his own ways of looking at things, and he talked so well.He had given her an ideal, and she intended to profit by it.To know that men like Mr.

Tottenham existed, and to marry any other kind would be an act of folly which she did not intend to commit.No, Major the Hon.Hugh Taverel did not come near it--very far short, indeed! He had talked to her during the whole of dinner the night before about jackal-hunting with a bobbery pack--not at all an elevated mind.Yes, he might be a very good fellow, but as a companion for life she was sure he would not be at all suitable.She would wait.

And she has waited.I never thought she would, but she has.From time to time men have wished to take her from us, but the standard has been inexorable, and none of them have reached it.When Dacres married the charming American whom he caught like a butterfly upon her Eastern tour, Cecily sent them as a wedding present an alabaster model of the Taj, and I let her do it--the gift was so exquisitely appropriate.I suppose he never looks at it without being reminded that he didn't marry Miss Farnham, and I hope that he remembers that he owes it to Miss Farnham's mother.So much I think I might claim;it is really very little considering what it stands for.Cecily is permanently with us--I believe she considers herself an intimate.Iam very reasonable about lending her to her aunts, but she takes no sort of advantage of my liberality; she says she knows her duty is at home.She is growing into a firm and solid English maiden lady, with a good colour and great decision of character.That she always had.

I point out to John, when she takes our crumpets away from us, that she gets it from him.I could never take away anybody's crumpets, merely because they were indigestible, least of all my own parents'.

She has acquired a distinct affection for us, by some means best known to herself; but I should have no objection to that if she would not rearrange my bonnet-strings.That is a fond liberty to which I take exception; but it is one thing to take exception and another to express it.

Our daughter is with us, permanently with us.She declares that she intends to be the prop of our declining years; she makes the statement often, and always as if it were humorous.Nevertheless Isometimes notice a spirit of inquiry, a note of investigation in her encounters with the opposite *** that suggests an expectation not yet extinct that another and perhaps a more appreciative Dacres Tottenham may flash across her field of vision--alas, how improbable! Myself I can not imagine why she should wish it; I have grown in my old age into a perfect horror of cultivated young men;but if such a person should by a miracle at any time appear, I think it is extremely improbable that I will interfere on his behalf.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 阴之阳

    阴之阳

    少年终于踏上修真旅途,他能颠覆这个城市一手遮天的势力么?还有城市之外的大千世界,大千世界之外的散修门派,左道妖人,还有那几百年来都称霸大陆的古老门派。笔者现在仅仅只是勾勒冰山一角,节奏稍慢,请各位看官稍安勿躁,我定不负期望,这是本人第一部小说,本人定会倾尽心血!
  • 剑写天道

    剑写天道

    自古神魔不两立,神修自诩正统、正义,便诋毁魔修,将魔修刻画为嗜血、残忍、无情。导致整片大陆开始追杀魔修。可是,在魔修逐渐销声匿迹之后,神修却开始走向了他们所形容魔修一般的道路之上.........到底何为正?何为恶?看一袭白衣手持神剑的少年,能否在这个是非颠倒的世界上重新制定善恶。
  • 冷傲女王闯天下

    冷傲女王闯天下

    她从现代莫名其妙的穿越而来,一个以强者为尊的世界。她发誓要在这片大陆上混出一片天地。他一个王爷,一个有强大势力的男人。步步为营却是为她的以后做打算。他莫名其妙的在现代失踪,她莫名其妙的在古代找到他。却发现他的失踪隐藏着巨大的秘密。看他们如何在异界风生水起,闯出自己的一片天地。PS:本文的简介不好,但内容绝对有保障。女强男更强。看男主如何陪女主一起闯天下,宠到腻。。。。
  • 2056

    2056

    公元2056年,平静的一年。科学与人文迅速发展,火星登陆者刚刚发回第一批照片,利益竞争继续在暗处运作。2056年6月21日,载入地球史册的一天。8时21分53秒,太阳耀斑大爆发,波及至火星。地球的白天暴露在80度高温中。死伤数亿。是年冬,太阳耀斑消失,全球的天空降下鹅毛大雪。人们从地下钻出来,仰望阳光下的天空,阴霾却充满希望。清点损失时,人类惊恐发现,世界各地出现很多变异的超能力的人。他们可能是身边朋友、亲人、邻居……
  • 蜕泪

    蜕泪

    骄傲、自我的林家俏小姐,背上行囊,为了他远走他乡,浪迹天涯,无怨无悔。万般柔情,激情之后,他怒吼:“你滚,你滚,我不愿意拖累你,这辈子我再也不想见到你。”曾经的恩爱在他眼神中荡然无存。“凭什么?玩我?”她妙眸圆瞪,“啪”的一掌甩出,可是她到死也没明白他为什么会这样说。陌生城市黑暗的街头,她嘶声呐喊:“我该去哪里?哪里是我的栖身之所?”遭遇绑架,进入毒窝,这是魔鬼还是地狱的生活?一路追杀,人命如纸,人生犹如一场噩梦,不幸的事情总是接二连三接踵而至,难道这是命中注定,逃不出魔掌,难以逃脱上天赋予的恶魔。比智商、比胆识,比武力,比谁更有权谋,全力反击,终于重获新生。然而上帝又给她开了个永远的玩笑……女主外柔内刚、善良果敢、顽强坚毅!走过路过,欢迎捧场!如有【收藏】、【票票】或【留言】,芙尔将感激不尽,鞠躬致谢
  • 青眸巫女

    青眸巫女

    凰星现,乾坤定,因果循环,命运的齿轮开始运转,暴雨来临之前必是风平浪静一般,是天命所致?还是天命所归?身为巫族后人,我理应肩负重任,虽然我怀有巫族与生俱来的能力,可是要想在这个弱肉强食的社会中,单凭我一人之力又怎能成为救世之主实现太平盛世?异世空间,显然我的力量是薄弱的,尽管这样那也不应该把这么大的舆论强加给一个女子身上,难道就因为这个女子天生一双青色眼眸能知晓未来吗?青眸巫女,我巫神乐倒要看看我这个天生富有一双青眸又能预晓未来的巫女本事该有多大?
  • 说谎心理学

    说谎心理学

    本书是世界著名心理学家、演说家、成功学大师戴尔卡耐基为“当众商务演讲与交流训练班”的商务口才训练课程精心编撰而成的。本书没有教科书那种死板的教条,而是通过具体生动的实例和严谨的语言,融合实用心理学、人际关系学、公开演讲术、商务演说技巧和推销术等诸多内容,旨在帮助读者培养出色商务口才所必备的心理素质,掌握实现高效沟通的基本原则和技巧,成功地进行演讲和谈判,做到在各种场合从容不迫地开口说话,展示自己的魅力,赢得商业上的竞争。
  • 极品下堂妻:多才小妾难追

    极品下堂妻:多才小妾难追

    天哪,人家穿越她也穿越,人家都是一朝穿越变成绝世大美女,与帅哥谈谈恋爱,亲亲小嘴,怎么她这么惨,美到是还算美,咋是个小妾嘞!还是个没人疼没人爱的下堂妾!真是郁闷到家了!相公大人倒是挺帅,等等,这个男人说什么,她偷人?拜托,大白天的,不要冤枉好人好不好?本小姐可不是好欺负的!情节虚构,切勿模仿。
  • 公主闯樱寒

    公主闯樱寒

    因为仇恨,让她7岁那年,本应无忧无虑,在妈妈的怀抱里撒娇的年纪,却走上了复仇这条路。十年之久,仇人相见,他霸道的爱,究竟能不能让她放下仇恨,重新开始享受生活?
  • 上古法师传承

    上古法师传承

    作为一个幸运的哈里兰,陆羽得到一个神秘的魔法石,从此他的生活发生了天翻地覆的变化。骁勇善战的兽灵,俊美优雅的精灵,强壮的诺亚,这些都一个个出现在他的生活之中。作为一个强大的魔法师,他有世界上最强大的传承,来自诺伊女神。光芒与玫瑰的时代再次来临,来自原大陆的邪恶势力再次侵袭着两个大陆。原大陆被封印的力量正在苏醒,远征队去原大陆探险,带来的不仅有财富还有战争。一代魔法师的崛起之路,在乱世当中该如何一步步登临魔法王者,窥伺传说之中的神之领域?建了个玩的群:215321995大家可以加进来一起讨论剧情哦……