登陆注册
6202900000178

第178章 CHAPTER XXVII "PACK CLOUDS AWAY"(2)

"You are unjust," said Margaret, gently. "Mr. Lennox has only spoken ofthe great probability which he believes there to be of your redeeming-yourmore than redeeming what you have lost--don"t speak till I haveended--pray don"t!" And collecting herself once more, she went onrapidly turning over some law papers, and statements of accounts in atrembling hurried manner. "Oh! here it is! and--he drew me out aproposal--I wish he was here to explain it--showing that if you wouldtake some money of mine, eighteen thousand and fifty-seven pounds,lying just at this moment unused in the bank, and bringing me in onlytwo and a half per cent.--you could pay me much better interest, andmight go on working Marlborough Mills." Her voice had cleared itselfand become more steady. Mr. Thornton did not speak, and she went onlooking for some paper on which were written down the proposals forsecurity; for she was most anxious to have it all looked upon in the lightof a mere business arrangement, in which the principal advantagewould be on her side. While she sought for this paper, her very heart-pulse was arrested by the tone in which Mr. Thornton spoke. His voicewas hoarse, and trembling with tender passion, as he said:-"

Margaret!"

For an instant she looked up; and then sought to veil her luminous eyesby dropping her forehead on her hands. Again, stepping nearer, hebesought her with another tremulous eager call upon her name.

"Margaret!"

Still lower went the head; more closely hidden was the face, almostresting on the table before her. He came close to her. He knelt by herside, to bring his face to a level with her ear; and whispered-panted outthe words:-"

Take care.--If you do not speak--I shall claim you as my own in somestrange presumptuous way.--Send me away at once, if I must go;-Margaret!--"

At that third call she turned her face, still covered with her small whitehands, towards him, and laid it on his shoulder, hiding it even there; andit was too delicious to feel her soft cheek against his, for him to wish tosee either deep blushes or loving eyes. He clasped her close. But theyboth kept silence. At length she murmured in a broken voice:

"Oh, Mr. Thornton, I am not good enough!"

"Not good enough! Don"t mock my own deep feeling of unworthiness."

After a minute or two, he gently disengaged her hands from her face,and laid her arms as they had once before been placed to protect himfrom the rioters.

"Do you remember, love?" he murmured. "And how I requited you withmy insolence the next day?"

"I remember how wrongly I spoke to you,--that is all."

"Look here! Lift up your head. I have something to show you!" Sheslowly faced him, glowing with beautiful shame.

"Do you know these roses?" he said, drawing out his pocket-book, inwhich were treasured up some dead flowers.

"No!" she replied, with innocent curiosity. "Did I give them to you?"

"No! Vanity; you did not. You may have worn sister roses veryprobably."

She looked at them, wondering for a minute, then she smiled a little asshe said-"

They are from Helstone, are they not? I know the deep indentationsround the leaves. Oh! have you been there? When were you there?"

"I wanted to see the place where Margaret grew to what she is, even atthe worst time of all, when I had no hope of ever calling her mine. Iwent there on my return from Havre."

"You must give them to me," she said, trying to take them out of hishand with gentle violence.

"Very well. Only you must pay me for them!"

"How shall I ever tell Aunt Shaw?" she whispered, after some time ofdelicious silence.

"Let me speak to her."

"Oh, no! I owe to her,--but what will she say?"

"I can guess. Her first exclamation will be, "That man!""

"Hush!" said Margaret, "or I shall try and show you your mother"sindignant tones as she says, "That woman!""

(1855)

同类推荐
  • 这么疼,那么爱

    这么疼,那么爱

    安宁用冷寂疼痛的文字,引领着你,穿越一丛又一丛茂密葳蕤的蓬勃情爱,并在这初始的欢愉与炽烈,最后的无情与残忍中,淡定检阅这犹如孤独繁花般,寂寞萎去的女爱男欢。此本疼痛爱情小说集,皆是选自安宁发表在《青年文摘》《爱人》《女友》《家庭》等知名期刊上的文字,每一个故事,都是经由她精挑细选,并在整体上,具有“爱遇——爱诱——爱离”等内容上的大致承接,使得此书在阅读之时,尽管故事相互独立,但一样可以给予读者一气呵成的连贯感觉。
  • 聊斋志异选

    聊斋志异选

    《聊斋志异选》在选辑过程中,着力挑选出其中脍炙人口、广为流传的代表作。其中既有反映民间疾苦、揭露官场黑暗、抨击科举腐败的愤世之作,也有阐释人伦事理、颇具教育意义的寓意故事,更有讴歌美好人格、纯洁爱情的佳美篇章。
  • 妖惑①:炎女

    妖惑①:炎女

    被人栽赃说偷了稀世翡翠?啧!小事一桩,本姑娘还不放在眼里。莫名其妙地来到古老的唐朝?呃,既来之,则安之嘛!被众人批评不守礼教、水性杨花?哎呀,那些八股规矩干我何事!哦,你问我什么是我觉得重要的呀?且听我大声道来──我爱你,最重要!
  • 小站不留客

    小站不留客

    本书收录了文坛实力派作家相裕亭近两年创作的《偷盐》《小城画师》《刹驴》等60余篇微型小说,题材丰富,风格多样,既有对乡村变革的深层开掘,又有对市井百态的精彩刻画。微型小说,又名小小说、袖珍小说、一分钟小说、一滴泉小说、超短篇小说或百字小说等。具有立意新颖、情节严谨、结局新奇三要素。微型小说是一种敏感,从一个点、一个画面、一个对比、一声赞叹、一瞬间之中,捕捉住了小说——一种智慧、一种美、一个耐人寻味的场景,一种新鲜的思想。
  • 双皇

    双皇

    被埋没的民国历史学家顾鸿年经过艰苦卓绝而又默默无闻的考证,发现秦始皇是假的,只是个替身,而这个替身又被荆轲入宫刺死,另一个与荆轲名字谐音的刺客也混入了宫廷,真正的秦王早已离开皇位游走民间踏上了一条不归路,宫廷暗遣的凶残斥候正对他一路追杀……他到底是公子子矝还是秦王?他到底是要与暗杀自己的仇人化敌为友,从他们身上找回昔日的友情,还是要叛逃宫廷的爱情?当六国破灭、天下一统之后,一个征服者又该如何找回人性?
热门推荐
  • 相思十年凭谁寄

    相思十年凭谁寄

    窗外,一团一团的白云轻软得就像一朵朵棉花糖,盛开在少年时的梦境里,跌宕又缱绻。你说如果当年没有遇见,我们的人生又会怎样?上一次来济州还是……十年前吧。WITHYOU
  • 江湖神捕

    江湖神捕

    为了能查清赈银案,他走遍江湖。他身中剧毒,游走于高手与社团之间。他伸张正义,不畏强权。只要你敢出手,我决不放过你。到底什么是江湖?到底谁才是阴谋的策划者?身边潜伏美女杀手,结果如何?我是谁?我就是陆小凤,四条眉毛的陆小凤。
  • 命梵

    命梵

    任俊看着昏暗的天空下,那残破的夕阳,和一望无际狼烟弥漫的战场…心里不由地呼出一口气﹕“这天下。终于是我的了!”一个人如何成就,在于和命运的拼搏,和自己的拼搏。
  • 快穿之炮灰女配黑化记

    快穿之炮灰女配黑化记

    身为一个炮灰女配,洛梨的小日子过得那叫一个水深火热,每天=逆袭+攻略,还有来自世界的深深恶意??洛梨表示有点方...#攻略人物【众多美男】等你解锁#还不快加个收藏?作者文笔略青涩,不喜请绕道!
  • 豪门小秘书

    豪门小秘书

    “这不就是你的目的么!”男人将她绑在床上,她的衣服和身体都被这个她刚刚救下的恶魔狠狠撕裂!被激情视频要挟,她只能成为他的贴身秘书,白天晚上都要为他工作!她不愿意做被圈养的宠物,想尽方法逃离,却没想到一步步走进了设计好的豪门圈套中。
  • 苏雨默

    苏雨默

    在经历了亲人的离去,友情的背叛。她以为世界都灰暗了,就在他的出现,带来了希望,两人经历种种磨难最终能否在一起??
  • 英雄联盟之最强战队系统

    英雄联盟之最强战队系统

    谁说一人不能同时成为队员,经理和教练?系统在手,打造一支最强战队不是梦。
  • 世界上最伟大的犹太商道

    世界上最伟大的犹太商道

    有人说,控制世界的是美国,而控制美国的则是犹太人。在全世界最有钱的企业家中,犹太人占一半以上,在美国百万富翁中,犹太人则三居其一。福布斯美国富豪榜前40名中有18名是犹太人。在犹太人历史上,则更是出现了若干世界级的金融巨头、实业家、银行家。超级石油大亨洛克菲勒;华尔街的奇才约翰·皮尔庞特·摩根;罗思柴尔德家族,享誉欧洲乃至全球的金融家族;格林斯潘,曾掌管美国经济命脉的美联储前主席;布林,美国最年轻的亿万富翁……
  • 呆萌女仆圈怀里

    呆萌女仆圈怀里

    几年前因为一场事故失去原本的记忆,使得夜笙笙变成了宫洛寒的贴身小女仆,宫洛寒:“夜笙笙,我累了,”夜笙笙立马跑来捶背,宫洛寒:“夜笙笙,我渴了”夜笙笙立马拿来水,他习惯了她的伺候,她的存在,当有一天,真相大白,她远离了她,他才知道她在他心里早已占有重要地位……
  • 未限之界

    未限之界

    “组织里異種实验室的那帮人疯了,往神新创的一个丧尸型末日带了异形进去。估计锅还得组织来背,反正肯定不是什么好事。但解决之后组织奖励也是少不了的,你们觉得这活干不干?”林腾坐在会议室上对着团队里的其他人问道......