登陆注册
19496500000110

第110章

THE foregoing correspondence will sufficiently explain why no choice is left to me but to pass over Lady Verinder's death with the simple announcement of the fact which ends my fifth chapter.

Keeping myself for the future strictly within the limits of my own personal experience, I have next to relate that a month elapsed from the time of my aunt's decease before Rachel Verinder and I met again.That meeting was the occasion of my spending a few days under the same roof with her.

In the course of my visit, something happened, relating to her marriage engagement with Mr.Godfrey Ablewhite, which is important enough to require special notice in these pages.When this last of many painful family circumstances has been disclosed, my task will be completed; for I shall then have told all that I know, as an actual (and most unwilling) witness of events.

My aunt's remains were removed from London, and were buried in the little cemetery attached to the church in her own park.I was invited to the funeral with the rest of the family.But it was impossible (with my religious views)to rouse myself in a few days only from the shock which this death had caused me.I was informed, moreover, that the rector of Frizinghall was to read the service.Having myself in past times seen this clerical castaway making one of the players at Lady Verinder's whisttable, I doubt, even if I had been fit to travel, whether I should have felt justified in attending the ceremony.

Lady Verinder's death left her daughter under the care of her brother-in-law, Mr.Ablewhite the elder.He was appointed guardian by the Will, until his niece married, or came of age.Under these circumstances, Mr.Godfrey informed his father, I suppose, of the new relation in which he stood towards Rachel.

At any rate, in ten days from my aunt's death, the secret of the marriage engagement was no secret at all within the circle of the family, and the grand question for Mr.Ablewhite senior--another confirmed castaway!--was how to make himself and his authority most agreeable to the wealthy young lady who was going to marry his son.

Rachel gave him some trouble at the outset, about the choice of a place in which she could be prevailed upon to reside.The house in Montagu Square was associated with the calamity of her mother's death.The house in Yorkshire was associated with the scandalous affair of the lost Moonstone.Her guardian's own residence at Frizinghall was open to neither of these objections.But Rachel's presence in it, after her recent bereavement, operated as a check on the gaieties of her cousins, the Miss Ablewhites--and she herself requested that her visit might be deferred to a more favourable opportunity.It ended in a proposal, emanating from old Mr.Ablewhite, to try a furnished house at Brighton.His wife, an invalid daughter, and Rachel were to inhabit it together, and were to expect him to join them later in the season.They would see no society but a few old friends, and they would have his son Godfrey, travelling backwards and forwards by the London train, always at their disposal.

I describe this aimless flitting about from one place of residence to another--this insatiate restlessness of body and appalling stagnation of soul--merely with the view to arriving at results.The event which (under Providence) proved to be the means of bringing Rachel Verinder and myself together again, was no other than the hiring of the house at Brighton.

My Aunt Ablewhite is a large, silent, fair-complexioned woman, with one noteworthy point in her character.From the hour of her birth she has never been known to do anything for herself.She has gone through life, accepting everybody's help, and adopting everybody's opinions.A more hopeless person, in a spiritual point of view, I have never met with--there is absolutely, in this perplexing case, no obstructive material to work upon.Aunt Ablewhite would listen to the Grand Lama of Thibet exactly as she listens to Me, and would reflect his views quite as readily as she reflects mine.She found the furnished house at Brighton by stopping at an hotel in London, composing herself on a sofa, and sending for her son.She discovered the necessary servants by break-fasting in bed one morning (still at the hotel), and giving her maid a holiday on condition that the girl `would begin enjoying herself by fetching Miss Clack.' I found her placidly fanning herself in her dressing-gown at eleven o'clock.`Drusilla, dear, I want some servants.

You are so clever--please get them for me.' I looked round the untidy room.

The church bells were going for a week-day service; they suggested a word of affectionate remonstrance on my part.`Oh, aunt!' I said sadly.`Is this worthy of a Christian Englishwoman? Is the passage from time to eternity to be made in this manner?' My aunt answered, `I'll put on my gown, Drusilla, if you will be kind enough to help me.' What was to be said after that? I have done wonders with murderesses--I have never advanced an inch with Aunt Ablewhite.`Where is the list,' I asked, `of the servants whom you require?' My aunt shook her head; she hadn't even energy enough to keep the list.`Rachel has got it, dear,' she said, `in the next room.' I went into the next room, and so saw Rachel again, for the first time since we had parted in Montagu Square.

She looked pitiably small and thin in her deep mourning.If I attached any serious importance to such a perishable trifle as personal appearance, I might be inclined to add that hers was one of those unfortunate complexions which always suffer when not relieved by a border of white next the skin.

But what are our complexions and our looks? Hindrances and pitfalls, dear girls, which beset us on our way to higher things! Greatly to my surprise, Rachel rose when I entered the room, and came forward to meet me with outstretched hand.

`I am glad to see you,' she said.`Drusilla, I have been in the habit of speaking very foolishly and very rudely to you, on former occasions.

同类推荐
  • 高斋漫录

    高斋漫录

    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。
  • 唯识三十论要释

    唯识三十论要释

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Bygone Beliefs

    Bygone Beliefs

    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。
  • 观世音菩萨授记经

    观世音菩萨授记经

    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。
  • 释门归敬仪

    释门归敬仪

    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
  • 三国之轩辕子嗣

    三国之轩辕子嗣

    上古双帝,炎黄宿敌;汉室重生,唯一子嗣。天下纠纷,征战开篇;命运轮回,历史新编。吾以吾血荐轩辕,千军万马纵九州不朽霸业,我的传奇!天敌争斗,我的宿命!我就是轩辕晨,一个微小的商贾斗强悍诸侯!紧跟着我的脚步,让我们一起开始征战四方吧!(ps:小说内容皆为虚拟,切勿当真!)
  • 网游之人皇无敌

    网游之人皇无敌

    专属武器爆不出,自己造!专属防具爆不出,自己造!专属宠物爆不出,自己孵!专属妹子,不用爆,走哪都有!专属汉子?对不起我们还是做兄弟!他是征天第一美女军团红蔷薇唯一男性成员。征天大陆唯一的全生活职业拥有者。10万年一出的人皇。征天激活了他的远古血脉。从此一路高歌猛进,纵横三块大陆无论科技魔法修真。无论敌人多么强大,他自是一刀斩出,为自己斩出一条大道,直到踏上世界的巅峰。
  • 花都小邪仙

    花都小邪仙

    从欠债百万的无业游民,到无尽财富的强者。从殉情的痴心浪子,到美女环绕的花花公子。一个被三阳大仙选中的凄惨男,用刻苦的修炼,用不懈的努力,用正义的信念,在一点一滴的演绎着他的精彩人生。希望给您带来欢乐轻快的体验。
  • 女配逆袭之绝色女仙

    女配逆袭之绝色女仙

    一场穿越是人为还是意外?做为一个反派女配是否能摆脱原定的剧情?一路的陪伴,一路的守护。逆袭之路很难,前有女主等着,后有与她一样穿越女配虎视眈眈。夜若离;想要我命的人最后都会命丧我手。
  • 王爷爱上小笨蛋

    王爷爱上小笨蛋

    她是21世纪冷血无情的杀手之王,却莫名其妙的落水身亡。他是古代的小国王爷,却有着风华绝代的外表和头脑。一朝穿越,色女缠上美男子,美人一笑照接之。当亭亭玉立的她再次出现在江湖,又将和他共同演绎出怎样精彩的人生?(本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。)
  • 安禄山史思明评传

    安禄山史思明评传

    这是“隋唐历史人物”丛书中的一本,在唐代历史中留下骂名最多的大概就是安禄山和史思明这两个人,二人以“安史之乱”而“名扬史册”。为传统的反面人物客观地立传也是史学界的重要工作。本书文史结合,史实清楚、文字流畅。安禄山之子安庆绪杀安禄山,史思明杀安庆绪,史思明之子史朝义弑史思明,都是极为血腥、极为残酷的历史。安禄山、史思明是唐中叶进行叛乱的罪魁祸首,二人不仅是同乡同岁同为藩将,而且同日发动的叛唐战乱,成为唐朝由盛变衰的转折点。通过本书了解安史之乱,认识唐朝统治者居安忘危的危害,历史意义极为深远。
  • 混血公主:缠你一生一世

    混血公主:缠你一生一世

    她是瞳,天生的杀人工具,生性冷漠,全身都是谜。她一直在昏睡,一直等待着瞳的到来。再次睁眸,冷光闪现,原来,她终于回来了。以半妖混血种的身份活于世间。年仅十四岁的她只用了短短半年的时间,掌控了整个国家。冷漠的她,凌厉的她,睿智的她,虽然貌美,却没人敢近身。只有……一只妖孽,不论风吹雨打,不论春夏秋冬,他的使命就是纠缠着她。也不知道从何时起,她的心里逐渐有了他的一席之地……
  • 听那记忆在唱歌

    听那记忆在唱歌

    这是一个由死亡作为开端的故事,一向行事自由的林橙雨因为帮好友忙而进行的社会新闻采访,误打误撞的被卷进了一起女大学生意外死亡的事件。一起初看并不显眼的案件为什么触动了她的心弦,让她执意的想要拨开迷雾寻找到被层层掩盖的真相,这一路的追索就像是在记忆的迷宫里前行,除了案件中的相关人,还有林橙雨自己的记忆,都被一点点的剥开,露出最初的本心。听……记忆在唱歌,有时高亢有时低吟,可最终会因为爱和勇敢,浇筑出一朵叫做希望的花……慢慢的述说一个温暖的故事。本故事纯属虚构,如有雷同纯属巧合
  • 星球代言人

    星球代言人

    无尽的时间,无尽的空间,宇宙才孕育出地球这一颗行星,诞生了人类。然而,就在人类开启探索宇宙外星人类的旅途中,意外降临在田一石身上。原来宇宙真的有外星人类,而且他们早已经潜伏进来……古老古老球文明真的不堪一击,还是另有玄机。外星人类超级科技和地球人类古文明激烈碰撞,田一石被卷入其中,精彩的故事,从此开始。
  • 亚里士多德的智慧

    亚里士多德的智慧

    亚里士多德(Aristotle,前384~前322年),古希腊著名哲学家、科学家和教育家,百科全书式的人物,被视为柏拉图之后世界古代史的另一位大思想家,被马克思和恩格斯誉为“古代最伟大的思想家”,“最博学的人”。