登陆注册
26501000000392

第392章

Between the second stage and the third, Gibbie and Ginevra came in sight of their father's carriage.Having arranged with the postilions that the two carriages should not change horses at the same places, they easily passed unseen by him, while, thinking of nothing so little as their proximity, he sat in state before the door of a village inn.

Just as Mr.Galbraith was beginning to hope the major had contrived a new approach to the place, the carriage took an unexpected turn, and he found presently they were climbing, by a zig-zag road, the height over the Lorrie burn; but the place was no longer his, and to avoid a sense of humiliation, he avoided taking any interest in the change.

A young woman--it was Donal's eldest sister, but he knew nothing of her--opened the door to him, and showed him up the stair to his old study.There a great fire was burning; but, beyond that, everything, even to the trifles on his writing table, was just as when last he left the house.His chair stood in its usual position by the fire, and wine and biscuits were on a little table near.

"Very considerate!" he said to himself."I trust the major does not mean to keep me waiting, though.Deuced hard to have to leave a place like this!"Weary with his journey he fell into a doze, dreamed of his dead wife, woke suddenly, and heard the door of the room open.There was Major Culsalmon entering with outstretched hand! and there was a lady--his wife doubtless! But how young the major was! he had imagined him a man in middle age at least!--Bless his soul! was he never to get rid of this impostor fellow! it was not the major! it was the rascal calling himself Sir Gilbert Galbraith!--the half-witted wretch his fool of a daughter insisted on marrying!

Here he was, ubiquitous as Satan! And--bless his soul again! there was the minx, Jenny! looking as if the place was her own! The silly tears in her eyes too!--It was all too absurd! He had just been dreaming of his dead wife, and clearly that was it! he was not awake yet!

He tried hard to wake, but the dream mastered him.

"Jenny!" he said, as the two stood for a moment regarding him, a little doubtfully, but with smiles of welcome, "what is the meaning of this? I did not know Major Culsalmon had invited you! And what is this person doing here?""Papa," replied Ginevra, with a curious smile, half merry, half tearful, "this person is my husband, Sir Gilbert Galbraith of Glashruach; and you are at home in your own study again.""Will you never have done masquerading, Jenny?" he returned."Inform Major Culsalmon that I request to see him immediately."He turned towards the fire, and took up a newspaper.They thought it better to leave him.As he sat, by degrees the truth grew plain to him.But not one other word on the matter did the man utter to the day of his death.When dinner was announced, he walked straight from the dining-room door to his former place at the foot of the table.But Robina Grant was equal to the occasion.She caught up the dish before him, and set it at the side.There Gibbie seated himself; and, after a moment's hesitation, Ginevra placed herself opposite her husband.

The next day Gibbie provided him with something to do.He had the chest of papers found in the Auld Hoose o' Galbraith carried into his study, and the lawyer found both employment and interest for weeks in deciphering and arranging them.Amongst many others concerning the property, its tenures, and boundaries, appeared some papers which, associated and compared, threw considerable doubt on the way in which portions of it had changed hands, and passed from those of Gibbie's ancestors into those of Ginevra's--who were lawyers as well as Galbraiths; and the laird was keen of scent as any nose-hound after dishonesty in other people.In the course of a fortnight he found himself so much at home in his old quarters, and so much interested in those papers and his books, that when Sir Gilbert informed him Ginevra and he were going back to the city, he pronounced it decidedly the better plan, seeing he was there himself to look after affairs.

For the rest of the winter, therefore, Mr.Galbraith played the grand seigneur as before among the tenants of Glashruach.

同类推荐
  • 平盖观

    平盖观

    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。
  • The Eldest Son

    The Eldest Son

    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。
  • 廿载繁华梦

    廿载繁华梦

    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。
  • 静居集

    静居集

    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。
  • Volume Seven

    Volume Seven

    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
  • 永生的代价

    永生的代价

    我在这人世间已经游荡了很多年,几百年?或许有上千年了,我已经记不得,你问我是不是神明?不,我不是,我是人类。我只想寻求自己永生的原因,寻找封印我的仇人。只是,没有想过,他会出现。
  • 腹黑妖孽高冷妃

    腹黑妖孽高冷妃

    她,本是21世纪的商业奇才——云染月。他,是东篱皇帝最疼爱的儿子——陌凌轩。一朝穿越,当高冷如她遇上腹黑如他,又会发生什么呢……
  • 重生之青春的尾巴

    重生之青春的尾巴

    青春有太多的遗憾,纪言总会在夜深人静的时候会想起自己青春的尾巴,哪怕别人眼中,他家财万贯,风华正茂。但他知道自己真正需要的并不是财富给他的满足,真正让他心安的永远是少年爱慕的那个女孩迎着风儿,倩然一笑的那一幕。
  • 初心不变:缠上冷小姐

    初心不变:缠上冷小姐

    她,冷漠如冰:他,热情如火。爱,在冰火之间悄然出现,谁能发现?
  • 阴阳师

    阴阳师

    二十五年前,一个成年人带着一少年在下着大雨的午夜,把一个婴儿放到了一个孤儿院里。然后就消失不见。二十五年之后,当初的那个婴儿长大成人,而且成为了具有通灵法术的人,俗称‘阴阳师’。他生来就具有阴阳眼,专门做一些捉鬼驱魔的事情。他的身世只是一个谜,就连他自己也不知道的身世,父母是谁。任何人都无法算他的过去和未来。在他帮着一个女警察调查了一个校园闹鬼事件的幕后秘密,和朋友一起去解决了宋朝时期的女尸,大战会使用邪术的厉鬼。和一些人去了一个从来没有人去过的地方之后。直到在危难关头,被一个人救了。那人竟然称是他的亲哥哥,告诉了有关他所有的身世之谜。但在这之后又出现更大的谜团和冒险等着他……
  • 大侠从了我吧之我又挂了

    大侠从了我吧之我又挂了

    大学女生袁童童,刚一毕业就穿越了,而穿的方式也不同,不是像别人一样,只穿越到一个地方,而是穿越到任何一个小说女主角身上,不管如何,她都得完成任务,即使结局是好是坏,她都会不知不觉的穿越到另外一个地方,而且每次她都会忘记她之前的记忆,开始新的旅程,虽然当中,她会经历悲,伤(被人伤),但是她也收获了许多爱情(虽然是短暂的)总算没有白来!她也会经历被人欺骗被人伤,但是她都挺过来了,并且还有许多美男陪伴她!让我们一起观看袁童童的悲惨人生吧!
  • 仙剑奇侠传之侠侣奇缘

    仙剑奇侠传之侠侣奇缘

    一个初出茅庐的神秘门派弟子,在江湖历练时,先后结识了多名奇女子,恩怨情仇,家国兴亡,除魔卫道,在他略显稚嫩的肩膀上,担负了太多的重任,但是他义无反顾,至死无悔!正所谓:仗剑天涯,心怀家国。为情为义,宁舍真身。幸结仙缘,一息尚存。千辛万苦,冰晶还魂。
  • 主宰一元

    主宰一元

    讲述的是一个名叫“白冥”的少年为了找寻她而闯荡人间,离开一元世界。
  • 青春恩仇路

    青春恩仇路

    青春的祭奠,是一场繁华又毫无痕迹的派对。本书纯属非虚构,若有雷同,可能我们认识。
  • 沉沦在梦里

    沉沦在梦里

    “两人相遇人们总会说是缘份,但在我眼里,叫缘份更不如叫做缘分。缘是一个开始,分是一个结束。得到了缘的人也就面临着分,所以我只追求缘的开始。”