下载辰思小说免费APP
NIGHT
Threedayshadpassed,andOrlandoBrothersonsatinhisroomatthehotelbeforeatableladenwithtelegrams,lettersandmarkednewspapers。Thenewsofhisachievementhadgoneabroad,andDerbywas,forthemoment,thecentreofinterestfortwocontinents。
Hissuccesswasanestablishedfact。Thesecondtrialwhichhehadmadewithhiscar,thistimewiththewholetowngatheredtogetherinthestreetsaswitnesses,hadprovednotonlythereliabilityofitsmechanism,butthegreatadvantageswhichitpossessedforadirectflighttoanygivenpoint。AlreadyhesawFortunebeckoningtohimintheshapeofanunconditionalofferofmoneyfromafirst-classsource;andbetterstill,-forhewasamanofuntiringenergyandboundlessresource-thatopportunityfornewandenlargedeffortwhichcomeswiththerecognitionofone’sexceptionalpowers。
Allthiswashisandmore。Asweeterhope,amoreenduringjoyhadfollowedhardupongratifiedambition。Dorishadsmiledonhim;-
Doris!Shehadcaughtthecontagionoftheuniversalenthusiasmandhadgivenhimherfirstungrudgingtokenofapproval。Ithadalteredhiswholeoutlookonlifeinaninstant,fortherewasaneagernessinthisdemonstrationwhichproclaimedtherelievedheart。
Shenolongertrustedeitherappearancesorherdream。Hehadsucceededinconqueringherdoubtsbytheveryforceofhispersonality,andtheshadowwhichhadhithertodarkenedtheirintercoursehadmeltedquiteaway。ShewasreadytotakehiswordnowandOswald’s,afterwhichtherestmustfollow。Lovedoesnotlagfarbehindanardentadmiration。
Fame!Fortune!Love!Whatmorecouldamandesire?Whatmorecouldthisman,withhisstrenuouspastandanunlimitedcapacityforanenlargedfuture,askfromfatethanthis。Yet,ashebendsoverhisletters,fingeringsome,butreadingnonebeyondalineortwo,hebetraysbutapassingelation,andhardlyliftshisheadwhenaburstofloudacclaimcomesringinguptohiswindowfromsomeardentpasser-by:”HurrahforBrotherson!Hehasputourtownonthemap!”
Whythisdespondency?Havethosetwodemonsseizedhimagain?Itwouldseemsoandwithnewandovermasteringfury。Afterthehouroftriumphcomesthehourofreckoning。OrlandoBrothersoninhishourofproudattainmentstandsnakedbeforehisownsoul’stribunalandthepleaderisdumbandthejudgeinexorable。ThereisbutoneWitnesstosuchstruggles;butoneeyetonotethewasteanddesolationofthedevastatedsoul,whenthestormisoverpast。
OrlandoBrothersonhassuccumbed;theattackwastookeen,hisforcestooshaken。Butastheheavyminutespass,heslowlyre-gathershisstrengthandrises,intheend,aconqueror。
Nevertheless,heknows,eveninthatmomentofregainedcommand,thatthepeacehehadthusboughtwithstrainandstressisbutmomentary;thatthebattleisonforlife:thatthedayswhichtoothereyeswouldcarryasenseofbrilliancy-daysteemingwithworkandoutwardsatisfaction-wouldholdwithintheirhiddendepthsabroodinguncertaintywhichwouldrobapplauseofitsmusicandevenovershadowtheangelfaceofLove。
Hequailedattheprospect,materialistthoughhewas。Thedays-theinterminabledays!Inhisunbrokenstrengthandtheglareofthenoondaysun,heforgottotakeaccountofthenightsloominginblackandendlessprocessionbeforehim。Itwasfromthedayphantomheshrank,andnotfromtheghoulwhichworksinthedarknessandmakesagraveoftheheartwhilehappiermortalssleep。
Andtheformerterrorseemedformidableenoughtohiminthishishourofstartlingrealisation,evenifhehadfreedhimselfforthenoncefromitscontrollingpower。Toescapeallfurthercontemplationofithewouldwork。Theselettersdeservedattention。HewouldcarrythemtoOswald,andintheirconsiderationfinddistractionfortheres
后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP,或购买此章节