下载辰思小说免费APP
ButHirstdidnothelphim，andtheotherpeoplewiththeiraimlessmovementsandtheirunknownlivesweredisturbing，sothathelongedfortheemptydarkness。ThefirstthinghelookedforwhenhesteppedoutofthehalldoorwasthelightoftheAmbroses’villa。Whenhehaddefinitelydecidedthatacertainlightapartfromtheothershigherupthehillwastheirlight，hewasconsiderablyreassured。
Thereseemedtobeatoncealittlestabilityinallthisincoherence。
Withoutanydefiniteplaninhishead，hetooktheturningtotherightandwalkedthroughthetownandcametothewallbythemeetingoftheroads，wherehestopped。Theboomingoftheseawasaudible。
Thedark-bluemassofthemountainsroseagainstthepalerblueofthesky。Therewasnomoon，butmyriadsofstars，andlightswereanchoredupanddowninthedarkwavesofearthallroundhim。
Hehadmeanttogoback，butthesinglelightoftheAmbroses’
villahadnowbecomethreeseparatelights，andhewastemptedtogoon。
HemightaswellmakesurethatRachelwasstillthere。Walkingfast，hesoonstoodbytheirongateoftheirgarden，andpusheditopen；
theoutlineofthehousesuddenlyappearedsharplybeforehiseyes，andthethincolumnoftheverandahcuttingacrossthepalelylitgraveloftheterrace。Hehesitated。Atthebackofthehousesomeonewasrattlingcans。Heapproachedthefront；thelightontheterraceshowedhimthatthesitting-roomswereonthatside。
Hestoodasnearthelightashecouldbythecornerofthehouse，theleavesofacreeperbrushinghisface。Afteramomenthecouldhearavoice。Thevoicewentonsteadily；itwasnottalking，butfromthecontinuityofthesounditwasavoicereadingaloud。
Hecreptalittlecloser；hecrumpledtheleavestogethersoastostoptheirrustlingabouthisears。ItmightbeRachel’svoice。
Helefttheshadowandsteppedintotheradiusofthelight，andthenheardasentencespokenquitedistinctly。
“Andtherewelivedfromtheyear1860to1895，thehappiestyearsofmyparents’lives，andtherein1862mybrotherMauricewasborn，tothedelightofhisparents，ashewasdestinedtobethedelightofallwhoknewhim。“
Thevoicequickened，andthetonebecameconclusiverisingslightlyinpitch，asifthesewordswereattheendofthechapter。
Hewetdrewbackagainintotheshadow。Therewasalongsilence。
Hecouldjusthearchairsbeingmovedinside。Hehadalmostdecidedtogoback，whensuddenlytwofiguresappearedatthewindow，notsixfeetfromhim。
“ItwasMauriceFielding，ofcourse，thatyourmotherwasengagedto，“
saidHelen’svoice。Shespokereflectively，lookingoutintothedarkgarden，andthinkingevidentlyasmuchofthelookofthenightasofwhatshewassaying。
“Mother？“saidRachel。Hewet’sheartleapt，andhenoticedthefact。
Hervoice，thoughlow，wasfullofsurprise。
“Youdidn’tknowthat？“saidHelen。
“Ineverknewthere’dbeenanyoneelse，“saidRachel。Shewasclearlysurprised，butalltheysaidwassaidlowandinexpressively，becausetheywerespeakingoutintothecooldarknight。
“MorepeoplewereinlovewithherthanwithanyoneI’veeverknown，“
Helenstated。Shehadthatpower——sheenjoyedthings。Shewasn’tbeautiful，but——Iwasthinkingofherlastnightatthedance。
Shegotonwitheverykindofperson，andthenshemadeitallsoamazingly——funny。“
ItappearedthatHelenwasgoingbackintothepast，choosingherwordsdeliberately，comparingTheresawiththepeopleshehadknownsinceTheresadied。
“Idon’tknowhowshedidit，“shecontinued，andceased，andtherewasalongpause，inwhichalittleowlcalledfirsthere，thenthere，asitmovedfromtreetotreeinthegarden。
“That’ssolikeAuntLucyandAuntKatie，“saidRachelatlast。
“Theyalwaysmakeoutthatshewasverysadandverygood。“
“Thenwhy，forgoodness’sake，didtheydonothingbutcriticizeherwhenshewasalive？“saidHelen。Verygentletheirvoicessounded，asiftheyfellthroughthewavesofthesea。
“IfIweretodieto-morrow……“shebegan。
ThebrokensentenceshadanextraordinarybeautyanddetachmentinHewet’sears，andak
