下载辰思小说免费APP
IamspeakingofthetimeswhenIbeheldherastheblamelesscompanionoftheyears,themotherofmychildren,thewomanIwasusedtoandshould——byallcanonsIhadknown——haveloved
Andtherewerethechildren.DaysandweekspassedwhenIscarcelysawthem,andthensomelittleincidentwouldhappentogivemeanunexpectedwrenchandplungemeintounhappiness.OneeveningIcamehomefromalongtalkwithNancythathadleftusbothwroughtup,andIhadenteredthelibrarybeforeIheardvoices.Maudewasseatedunderthelampattheendofthebigroomreadingfrom"DonQuixote";MatthewandBiddywereatherfeet,andMoreton,lessattentive,atalittledistancewastakingapartamechanicaltoy.Iwouldhavetiptoedout,butBiddycaughtsightofme.
"It\'sfather!"shecried,gettingupandflyingtome.
"Oh,father,docomeandlisten!Thestory\'ssoexciting,isn\'tit,Matthew?"
Ilookeddownintotheboy\'seyesshiningwithanexpressionthatsuddenlypiercedmyheartwithapoignantmemoryofmyself.MatthewwasfarawayamongthemountainsandcastlesofSpain.
"Matthew,"demandedhissister,"whydidhewanttogofightingwithallthosepeople?"
"Becausehewasdotty,"suppliedMoreton,whohadaninterestinghabitofpickingupslang.
"Itwasn\'tatall,"criedMatthew,indignantly,interruptingMaude\'srebukeofhisbrother.
"Whatwasit,then?"Moretondemanded.
"Youwouldn\'tunderstandifItoldyou,"Matthewwasretorting,whenMaudeputherhandonhislips.
"Ithinkthat\'senoughforto-night,"shesaid,assheclosedthebook.
"Therearelessonstodo——andfatherwantstoreadhisnewspaperinquiet."
ThisbroughtaprotestfromBiddy.
"Justalittlemore,mother!Can\'twegointotheschoolroom?Weshan\'tdisturbfatherthere."
"I\'llreadtothem——afewminutes,"Isaid.
AsItookthevolumefromherandsatdownMaudeshotatmeaswiftlookofsurprise.EvenMatthewglancedatmecuriously;andinhisglanceI
had,asitwere,asuddenrevelationoftheboy\'sperplexityconcerningme.Hewastwelve,rathertallforhisage,andthedelicatemodellingofhisfaceresembledmyfather\'s.HehadbeguntothinkWhatdidhethinkofme?
Biddyclappedherhands,andbegantodanceacrossthecarpet.
"Father\'sgoingtoreadtous,father\'sgoingtoreadtous,"shecried,finallyclamberinguponmykneeandsnugglingagainstme.
"Whereistheplace?"Iasked.
ButMaudehadlefttheroom.Shehadgoneswiftlyandsilently.
"I\'llfindit,"saidMoreton.
Ibegantoread,butIscarcelyknewwhatIwasreading,myfingerstighteningoverBiddy\'slittleknee
PresentlyMissAllsop,thegoverness,camein.ShehadbeensentbyMaude.TherewaswistfulnessinBiddy\'svoiceasIkissedhergoodnight.
"Father,ifyouwouldonlyreadoftener!"shesaid,"Ilikeitwhenyouread——betterthananyoneelse."
MaudeandIwerealonethatnight.Aswesatinthelibraryafteroursomewhatformal,perfunctorydinner,IventuredtoaskherwhyshehadgoneawaywhenIhadofferedtoread.
"Icouldn\'tbearit,Hugh,"sheanswered.
"Why?"Iasked,intendingtojustifymyself.
Shegotupabruptly,andleftme.Ididnotfollowher.InmyheartI
understoodwhy
SomeyearshadpassedsinceRalph\'sprophecyhadcometrue,andPerryandtheremainingBlackwoodshadbeen"relieved"oftheBoyneStreetline.
Theprocessneednotbegoneintoindetail,beingthetime-honouredoneemployedintheRibblevaleaffairof"runningdown"theline,orperhapsitwouldbebettertosay"showingitup."Ithadnotjustifieditssurvivalinourefficientdays,ithadheldout——thankstoPerry——withabsurdandanachronouspersistenceagainsttheinevitableconsolidation.
Mr.Tallant\'snewspaperhadpublishedmanycomplaintsoftheageandscarcityofthecars,etc.;andalarmedholdersofsecurities,inwhosevaultstheyhadlainsincetimeimmemorial,begantosellIsawlittleofPerryinthosedays,asIhaveexplained,butonedayImethimintheHambletonBuilding,andhewaswhite.
"Yourfriendsaredoingthus,Hugh,"hesaid.
"Doingwhat?"
"Underminingthereputationofacompanyassoundasanyinthiscity,acompanythat\'snotovercapitalized,either.Andwe\'regivingbetterservicerightnowthananyofyourconsolidatedlines."
Hewasinnoframeofmindtoarguewith;theconversationwasdistinctlyunpleasant.Idon\'trememberwhatIsaidsethingtotheeffectthathewasexcited,thathislanguagewasextravagant.ButafterhehadwalkedoffandleftmeItoldDickinsonthatheoughttobegivenachance,andoneofouryoungerfinanciers,Murphree,wenttoPerryandpointedoutthathehadnothingtogainbyobstruction;ifhewereonlyreasonable,hemightcomeintothenewcorporationonthesametermswiththeothers.
AllthatMurphreegotforhispainswastobeorderedou
