下载辰思小说免费APP
Ifshewasnotthatnow,shewouldgrowintothatthroughthelapsefromthepersonaltotheancestralwhichweallundergointheprocessoftheyears。
Thesightofherfaceashehadpicturedit,andofthesoulwhichbehadimaginedforit,restoredhimtoabettersenseofher,buthefelttheneedofescapingfromthesuggestionofherfather’spresence,andtakingfurtherthought。Perhapsheshouldneveragainreachthepointthathewasawareofdeflectingfromnow;hefilledhislungswithlongbreaths,whichheexhaledinsighsofrelief。Itmighthavebeenamistakeonthespiritualaswellastheworldlyside;itwouldcertainlynothavepromotedhiscareer;itmighthaveimpededit。Thesemisgivingsflittedoverthesurfaceofthoughtthatmoreprofoundlywasoccupiedwithaquestionofotherthings。Inthetimesincehehadseenherlastitmightverywellbethatayoungandprettygirlhadmetsomeonewhohadtakenherfancy;andhecouldnotbesurethatherfancyhadeverbeenhis,evenifthishadnothappened。Hehadnoproofatallthatshehadevercaredorcouldcareforhimexceptgratefully,respectfully,almostreverentially,withthatminglingoffilialandmaternalanxietywhichhadhithertobeenthewarmestexpressionofherregard。Hetriedtoreasonitout,andcouldnot。Hesuddenlyfoundhimselfbitterlydisappointedthathehadmissedseeingher,foriftheyhadmet,hewouldhaveknownbythistimewhattothink,whattohope。Hefeltold——
hefeltfullythirty—sixyearsold——ashepassedhishandoverhiscrown,whosegossamergrowthopposedsolittleresistancetohistouch。Hehadbeguntolosehishairearly,buttillthenhehadnotmuchregrettedhisbaldness。Heenteredintoalittlequestionoftheircomparativeages,whichledhimtotheconclusionthatCynthiamustnowbeabouttwenty—
five。
Almostatthesamemomenthesawhercomingupthewalktowardhimfromfardowntheavenue。Forareason,orratheramotive,ofhisownhepretendedtohimselfthatitwasnotshe,butheknewinstantlythatitwas,andheputonhishat。Hecouldseethatshedidnotknowhim,anditwasaprettythingtowitnesstherecognitiondawnonher。Whenithaditsfulleffect,hewasawareofaflutter,apauseinherwholefigurebeforeshecameontowardhim,andhehurriedhisstepsforthecharmofherbeautifulb