下载辰思小说免费APP
regardedtheeventwhichwastoseparateme，asitturnedout，foreverfromasisterwhosetendernessalonehadhithertomorethansuppliedallthatIwantedinmymother’saffection。
ThedaysoonarrivedwhichwastoremovethehappycouplefromAshtownHouse。Thecarriagestoodatthehall-
door，andmypoorsisterkissedmeagainandagain，tellingmethatIshouldseehersoon。
Thecarriagedroveaway，andIgazedafterituntilmyeyesfilledwithtears，and，returningslowlytomychamber，Iweptmorebitterlyand，sotospeak，moredesolately，thaneverIhaddonebefore。
Myfatherhadneverseemedtoloveortotakeaninterestinme。Hehaddesiredason，andIthinkheneverthoroughlyforgavememyunfortunatesex。
Myhavingcomeintotheworldatallashischildheregardedasakindoffraudulentintrusion，andashisantipathytomehaditsorigininanimperfectionofmine，tooradicalforremoval，Ineverevenhopedtostandhighinhisgoodgraces。
Mymotherwas，Idaresay，asfondofmeasshewasofanyone；butshewasawomanofamasculineandaworldlycastofmind。Shehadnotendernessorsympathyfortheweaknesses，orevenfortheaffections，ofwoman’snatureandherdemeanourtowardsmewasperemptory，andoftenevenharsh。
Itisnottobesupposed，then，thatI
foundinthesocietyofmyparentsmuchtosupplythelossofmysister。Aboutayearafterhermarriage，wereceivedlettersfromMr。Carew，containingaccountsofmysister’shealth，which，thoughnotactuallyalarming，werecalculatedtomakeusseriouslyuneasy。Thesymptomsmostdweltuponwerelossofappetiteandcough。
Thelettersconcludedbyintimatingthathewouldavailhimselfofmyfatherandmother’srepeatedinvitationtospendsometimeatAshtown，particularlyasthephysicianwhohadbeenconsultedastomysister’shealthhadstronglyadvisedaremovaltohernativeair。
Therewereaddedrepeatedassurancesthatnothingseriouswasapprehended，asitwassupposedthataderangedstateoftheliverwastheonlysourceofthesymptomswhichatfirsthadseemedtointimateconsumption。
Inaccordancewiththisannouncement，mysisterandMr。CarewarrivedinDublin，whereoneofmyfather’scarriagesawaitedthem，inreadinesstostartuponwhateverdayorhourtheymightchoosefortheirdepartureItwasarrangedthatMr。Carewwas，assoonasthedayuponwhichtheyweretoleaveDublinwasdefinitelyfixed，towritetomyfather，whointendedthatthetwolaststagesshouldbeperformedbyhisownhorses，uponwhosespeedandsafetyfarmorereliancemightbeplacedthanuponthoseoftheordinarypost-horses，whichwereatthattime，almostwithoutexception，oftheveryworstorder。Thejourney，oneofaboutninetymiles，wastobedivided；thelargerportionbeingreservedforthesecondday。
OnSundayaletterreachedus，statingthatthepartywouldleaveDublinonMonday，and，induecourse，reachAshtownuponTuesdayevening。
Tuesdaycametheeveningclosedin，andyetnocarriage；darknesscameon，andstillnosignofourexpectedvisitors。
Hourafterhourpassedaway，anditwasnowpasttwelve；thenightwasremarkablycalm，scarceabreathstirring，sothatanysound，suchasthatproducedbytherapidmovementofavehicle，wouldhavebeenaudibleataconsiderabledistance。ForsomesuchsoundIwasfeverishlylistening。
Itwas，however，myfather’sruletoclosethehouseatnightfall，andthewindow-
shuttersbeingfastened，IwasunabletoreconnoitretheavenueasIwouldhavewished。Itwasnearlyoneo’clock，andwebeganalmosttodespairofseeingthemuponthatnight，whenIthoughtIdistinguishedthesoundofwheels，butsoremoteandfaintastomakemeatfirstveryuncertain。Thenoiseapproached；itbecamelouderandclearer；itstoppedforamoment。
Inowheardtheshrillscreamingoftherustyiron，astheavenue-gaterevolvedonitshinges；againcamethesoundofwheelsinrapidmotion。
’Itisthey，’saidI，startingup；’thecarriageisintheavenue。’
Weallstoodforafewmomentsbreathlesslylistening。Onthunderedthevehiclewiththespeedofawhirlwind；crackwentthewhip，andclatterwentthewheels，asitrattledovertheunevenpavementofthecourt。Ageneralandfuriousbarkingfromallthedogsaboutthehouse，haileditsarrival。
Wehurriedtothehallintimetohearthestepsletdownwiththesharpclangingnoisepeculiartotheoperation，andthehumofvoicesexertedinthebustleofarrival。
Thehall-doorwasnowthrownopen，andweallsteppedforthtogreetourvisitors。
Thecourtwasperfectlyempty；themoonwasshiningbroadlyandbrightlyuponallaround；nothingwastobeseenbutthetalltreeswiththeirlongspectralshadows，nowwetwiththedewsofmidnight。
Westoodgazingfromrighttoleft，asifsuddenlyawakenedfromadream；thedogswalkedsuspiciously，growlingandsnuffingaboutthe
