登陆注册
19497600000078

第78章

Maggie's Second Visit THIS last breach between the two lads was not readily mended and for some time they spoke to each other no more than was necessary.Their natural antipathy of temperament made resentment an easy passage to hatred, and in Philip the transition seemed to have begun: there was no malignity in his disposition, but there was a susceptibility that made him peculiarly liable to a strong sense of repulsion.The ox - we may venture to assert it on the authority of a great classic - is not given to use his teeth as an instrument of attack; and Tom was an excellent bovine lad, who ran at questionable objects in a truly ingenuous bovine manner; but he had blundered on Philip's tenderest point, and had caused him as much acute pain as if he had studied the means with the nicest precision and the most envenomed spite.Tom saw no reason why they should not make up this quarrel as they had done many others, by behaving as if nothing had happened; for though he had never before said to Philip that his father was a rogue, this idea had so habitually made part of his feeling as to the relation between himself and his dubious schoolfellow, whom he could neither like nor dislike, that the mere utterance did not make such an epoch to him as it did to Philip.And he had a right to say so, when Philip hectored over him and called him names.But perceiving that his first advances towards amity were not met, he relapsed into his least favourable disposition towards Philip, and resolved never to appeal to him either about drawing or exercises again.They were only so far civil to each other as was necessary to prevent their state of feud from being observed by Mr Stelling, who would have `put down' such nonsense with great vigour.When Maggie came, however, she could not help looking with growing interest at the new school-fellow, although he was the son of that wicked Lawyer Wakem who made her father so angry.She had arrived in the middle of school- hours, and had sat by while Philip went through his lessons with Mr Stelling.Tom, some weeks ago, had sent her word that Philip knew no end of stories - not stupid stories like hers - and she was convinced now from her own observation that he must be very clever: she hoped he would think her rather clever too, when she came to talk to him.Maggie moreover had rather a tenderness for deformed things; she preferred the wry-necked lambs, because it seemed to her that the lambs which were quite strong and well made wouldn't mind so much about being petted, and she was especially fond of petting objects that would think it very delightful to be petted by her.She loved Tom very dearly, but she often wished that he cared more about her loving him.

`I think Philip Wakem seems a nice boy, Tom,' she said, when they went out of the study together into the garden, to pass the interval before dinner.`He couldn't choose his father, you know; and I've read of very bad men who had good sons, as well as good parents who had bad children.

And if Philip is good, I think we ought to be the more sorry for him because his father is not a good man.You like him, don't you?'

`O, he's a queer fellow,' said Tom, curtly, `and he's as sulky as can be with me, because I told him his father was a rogue.And I'd a right to tell him so, for it was true - and he began it, with calling me names.But you can stop here by yourself a bit, Magsie, will you? I've got something I want to do upstairs.'

`Can't I go too?' said Maggie, who, in this first day of meeting again, loved Tom's shadow.

`No, it's something I'll tell you about by and by, not yet,' said Tom, skipping away.

In the afternoon, the boys were at their books in the study, preparing the morrow's lessons, that they might have a holiday in the evening in honour of Maggie's arrival.Tom was hanging over his Latin grammar, moving his lips inaudibly like a strict but impatient Catholic repeating his tale of paternosters, and Philip, at the other end of the room, was busy with two volumes, with a look of contented diligence that excited Maggie's curiosity:

he did not look at all as if he were learning a lesson.She sat on a low stool at nearly right angle with the two boys, watching first one and then the other, and Philip looking off his book once towards the fireplace, caught the pair of questioning dark eyes fixed upon him.He thought this sister of Tulliver's seemed a nice little thing, quite unlike her brother:

he wished he had a little sister.What was it, he wondered, that made Maggie's dark eyes remind him of the stories about princesses being turned into animals?...I think it was, that her eyes were full of unsatisfied intelligence and unsatisfied, beseeching affection.

`I say, Magsie,' said Tom at last, shutting his books and putting them away with the energy and decision of a perfect master in the art of `leaving off,' `I've done my lessons now.Come upstairs with me.'

`What is it?' said Maggie when they were outside the door, a slight suspicion crossing her mind as she remembered Tom's Preliminary visit upstairs.

同类推荐
  • 慈氏菩萨所说大乘缘生稻[卄幹]喻经

    慈氏菩萨所说大乘缘生稻[卄幹]喻经

    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。
  • 华严念佛三昧论

    华严念佛三昧论

    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。
  • 盐铁论

    盐铁论

    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。
  • E+P Manus

    E+P Manus

    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。
  • 三皇内文遗秘

    三皇内文遗秘

    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。
热门推荐
  • 至尊武神败家子

    至尊武神败家子

    别跟我谈钱!一个字,俗;两个字,太俗;三个字,非常俗;四个字,俗不可耐!上一世因为抠门导致身陨的至尊武神云清扬重生了。小气便是他的心魔。如何克服心魔呢?这一世,他要做的就是穷奢极欲的败家,以求得证大道,问鼎苍穹!
  • 佞相毒女

    佞相毒女

    她是堂堂相府千金,手不能提,肩不能挑,却天生一副艳丽容颜,引得英雄尽折腰。人称她妖女,小小年纪心狠手辣,早晚天打五雷轰,她只是勾唇笑笑,雍容华贵不予反驳,当有人欲动她一指,早有那天下王者护在她身前,敢伤她?死无葬身之地!情节虚构,请勿模仿!
  • 佛说盂兰盆经疏

    佛说盂兰盆经疏

    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。
  • 我做盗墓贼那些年

    我做盗墓贼那些年

    一位故人的来访,带着主人公重游神话之地——千古神农架。炎帝神农氏的成名之地,中国最秘静的古林,传说最多的山脉,异兽出没最古怪的地方,上古奇书《黑暗传》,里面的秘密到底有多少!在神农架之中到底是谁在沉睡!一个盗墓者的传奇,一段倒斗人的故事,就这么惊悚的开始了!忍不住的尖叫,不自觉的发凉,够胆量就来这个盗墓的世界!
  • 那段时光我的伤

    那段时光我的伤

    多年以后,你还会记得那个在你面前大哭的女孩吗?你还记得对她说的话吗?“丫头,别哭了,难看死了…”“丫头,你要坚强点,这样别人才不会欺负你。”我也能放心。“夏清,我的小丫头,真的不想离开你……”
  • 空间女神养成记

    空间女神养成记

    身为孤女的她,残酷的现实让她心灰意冷...因缘巧合重生于异世,却因天生无属性无法修炼,落得个‘废物’之名。她聪明睿智她乖巧孤僻看她如何在异世利用所学发光发热...在温暖别人和被温暖的过程中,成长为一代女神!看各种奇花异草,奇珍异兽被她玩弄于股掌之间...
  • 龙吟月

    龙吟月

    这是一个简单的故事。讲的是:魔界蝠人族混血王子,如何成长为一世枭雄,一统七界。而当他达到巅峰,又如何面对自己的前世今生,如何面对生命的宿敌?一切精彩皆在龙吟月。敬请期待。
  • 天劫风云传

    天劫风云传

    五千年的轮回,五千年的战争,数不清的恩怨情仇,忘不掉的悲欢离合。看一名被所谓的“天”掌控命运的少年,如何突破命运的桎梏成长为一代至尊。
  • 欲望是把双刃剑3

    欲望是把双刃剑3

    太平天国运动是中国历史上最后一次大规模农民起义,也是人类历史上一场惊世浩劫。这场运动历时十四年,死亡数千万人,给了大清王朝致命一击。洪秀全、杨秀清、石达开、李秀成等天国英雄梦断金陵,却成就了曾国藩、左宗棠、李鸿章等晚清名臣的赫赫功业。本书从人性的视角出发,以人性解读历史,以历史印证人性,生动有趣又真实可信地解读了太平天国运动从萌芽到灭亡的精彩历史,从而揭秘太平天国运动的迷离真相,揭示太平天国前期成功到最终失败的原因所在,以为今人之鉴。
  • 美漫里的抽奖系统

    美漫里的抽奖系统

    艾伦带着一个可以不断抽奖的神奇系统,意外地穿越到了漫威世界中。想要变强么?那就抽奖吧!技能、功法、异能、赛亚人血统、恶魔果实、各种幻想世界(电影、动漫、小说、电视剧)…我…抽!抽!抽!PS:本书以漫威电影宇宙为背景,但会在此基础上进行新的创作,所以,请以小说剧情为主。