下载辰思小说免费APP
"Yes，shedoneright，"saidLapham。"Itwastimeforhertocome，"headdedgently。
Thenhewassilentagain，andhiswifetoldhimofCorey’shavingbeenthere，andofhisfather’sandmother’scalling。
"IguessPen’sconcludedtomakeitup，"shesaid。
"Well，we’llseeaboutthat，"saidLapham；andnowshecouldnolongerforbeartoaskhimabouthisaffairs。
"Idon’tknowasI’vegotanyrighttoknowanythingaboutit，"shesaidhumbly，withremoteallusiontohertreatmentofhim。"ButIcan’thelpwantingtoknow。
HowAREthingsgoing，Si？"
"Bad，"hesaid，pushinghisplatefromhim，andtiltinghimselfbackinhischair。"Ortheyain’tgoingatall。
They’vestopped。"
"Whatdoyoumean，Si？"shepersisted，tenderly。
"I’vegottotheendofmystring。To—morrowIshallcallameetingofmycreditors，andputmyselfintheirhands。
Ifthere’senoughlefttosatisfythem，I’msatisfied。"
Hisvoicedroppedinhisthroat；heswallowedonceortwice，andthendidnotspeak。
"Doyoumeanthatit’salloverwithyou？"sheaskedfearfully。
Hebowedhisbighead，wrinkledandgrizzled；andafterawhilehesaid，"It’shardtorealiseit；butIguessthereain’tanydoubtaboutit。"Hedrewalongbreath，andthenheexplainedtoherabouttheWestVirginiapeople，andhowhehadgotanextensionofthefirsttimetheyhadgivenhim，andhadgotamantogouptoLaphamwithhimandlookattheworks，——amanthathadturnedupinNewYork，andwantedtoputmoneyinthebusiness。HismoneywouldhaveenabledLaphamtoclosewiththeWestVirginians。
"Thedevilwasinit，rightstraightalong，"saidLapham。
"AllIhadtodowastokeepquietaboutthatothercompany。
ItwasRogersandhispropertyrightoveragain。Helikedthelookofthings，andhewantedtogointothebusiness，andhehadthemoney——plenty；itwouldhavesavedmewiththoseWestVirginiafolks。ButIhadtotellhimhowIstood。
Ihadtotellhimallaboutit，andwhatIwantedtodo。
Hebegantobackwaterinaminute，andthenextmorningI
sawthatitwasupwithhim。He’sgonebacktoNewYork。
I’velostmylastchance。NowallI’vegottodoistosavethepieces。"
"Will——will——everythinggo？"sheasked。
"Ican’ttell，yet。Buttheyshallhaveachanceateverything——everydollar，everycent。I’msorryforyou，Persis——andthegirls。"
"Oh，don’ttalkofUS！"Shewastryingtorealisethatthesimple，rudesoultowhichherheartcloveinheryouth，butwhichshehadputtosuchcruelproof，withherunsparingconscienceandherunsparingtongue，hadbeenequaltoitsordeals，andhadcomeoutunscathedandunstained。
Hewasableinhistalktomakesolittleofthem；hehardlyseemedtoseewhattheywere；hewasapparentlynotproudofthem，andcertainlynotglad；iftheywerevictoriesofanysort，heborethemwiththepatienceofdefeat。
Hiswifewishedtopraisehim，butshedidnotknowhow；
sosheofferedhimalittlereproach，inwhichaloneshetouchedthecauseofherbehaviouratparting。
"Silas，"sheasked，afteralonggazeathim，"whydidn’tyoutellmeyouhadJimMillon’sgirlthere？"
"Ididn’tsupposeyou’dlikeit，Persis，"heanswered。
"Ididintendtotellyouatfirst，butthenIput——Iputitoff。Ithoughtyou’dcomeroundsomeday，andfinditoutforyourself。"
"I’mpunished，"saidhiswife，"fornottakingenoughinterestinyourbusinesstoevencomenearit。
Ifwe’rebroughtbacktothedayofsmallthings，Iguessit’salessonforme，Silas。"
"Oh，Idon’tknowaboutthelesson，"hesaidwearily。
Thatnightsheshowedhimtheanonymousscrawlwhichhadkindledherfuryagainsthim。Heturneditlistlesslyoverinhishand。"IguessIknowwhoit’sfrom，"hesaid，givingitbacktoher，"andIguessyoudotoo，Persis。"
"Buthow——howcouldhe————"
"Mebbehebelievedit，"saidLapham，withpatiencethatcuthermorekeenlythananyreproach。"YOUdid。"
Perhapsbecausetheprocessofhisruinhadbeensogradual，perhapsbecausetheexcitementofprecedingeventshadexhaustedtheircapacityforemotion，theactualconsummationofhisbankruptcybroughtarelief，areposetoLaphamandhisfamily，ratherthanafreshsensationofcalamity。
Intheshadowofhisdisastertheyreturnedtosomethingliketheirold，unitedlife；theywereatleastalltogetheragain；anditwillbeintelligibletothosewhomlifehasblessedwithvicissitude，thatLaphamshouldcomehometheeveningafterhehadgivenupeverything，tohiscreditors，andshouldsitdowntohissuppersocheerfulthatPenelopecouldjokehimintheoldway，andtellhimthatshethoughtfromhislookstheyhadconcludedtopayhimahundredcentsoneverydollarheowedthem。
AsJamesBellinghamhadtakensomuchinterestinhistroublesfromthefirst，Laphamthoughtheoughttotellhim，beforetakingthefinalstep，justhowthingsstoodwithhim，andwhathomeanttodo。BellinghammadesomefutileinquiriesabouthisnegotiationswiththeWestVirginians，andLaphamtoldhimtheyhadcometonothing。HespokeoftheNewYorkman，andthechancethathemighthavesoldouthalfhisbusinesstohim。"But，ofcourse，Ihadtolethimknowhowitwasaboutthosefellows。"
"Ofcourse，"saidBellingham，notseeingtillafterwardsthefullsignificanceofLapham’saction。
LaphamsaidnothingaboutRogersandtheEnglishmen。
Hebelievedthathehadactedrightinthatmatter，andhewassatisfied；buthedidnotcaretohaveBellingham，oranybody，perhaps，thinkhehadbeenafool。
Allthosewhowereconcernedinhisaffairssaidhebehavedwell，andevenmorethanwell，whenitcametotheworst。
Theprudence，thegoodsense，whichhehadshowninthefirstyearsofhissuccess，andofwhichhisgreatprosperityseemedtohaveberefthim，cameback，andthesequalities，usedinhisownbehalf，commendedhimasmuchtohiscreditorsastheanxietyheshowedthatnooneshouldsufferbyhim；
thisevenmadesomeofthemdoubtfulofhissincerity。
Theygavehimtime，andtherewouldhavebeennotroubleinhisresumingontheoldbasis，ifthegroundhadnotbeencutfromunderhimbythecompetitionoftheWestVirginiacompany。Hesawhimselfthatitwasuselesstotrytogoonintheoldway，andhepreferredtogobackandbegintheworldanewwherehehadfirstbegunit，inthehillsatLapham。HeputthehouseatNankeenSquare，witheverythingelsehehad，intothepaymentofhisdebts，andMrs。LaphamfounditeasiertoleaveitfortheoldfarmsteadinVermontthanitwouldhavebeentogofromthathomeofmanyyearstothenewhouseonthewatersideofBeacon。Thisthingandthatisembitteredtous，sothatwemaybewillingtorelinquishit；theworld，lifeitself，isembitteredtomostofus，sothatwearegladtohavedonewiththematlast；andthishomewashauntedwithsuchmemoriestoeachofthosewhoabandoneditthattogowaslessexilethanescape。
Mrs。LaphamcouldnotlookintoIrene’sroomwithoutseeingthegirltherebeforeherglass，tearingthepoorlittlekeep—sakesofherhaplessfancyfromtheirhiding—placestotakethemandflingtheminpassionaterenunciationuponhersister；shecouldnotcomeintothesitting—room，whereherlittleoneshadgrownup，withoutstartingatthethoughtofherhusbandsittingsomanywearynightsathisdeskthere，tryingtofighthiswaybacktohopeoutoftheruinintowhichbewasslipping。WhensherememberedthatnightwhenRogerscame，shehatedtheplace。
Ireneacceptedherreleasefromthehouseeagerly，andwasgladtogobeforeandprepareforthefamilyatLapham。
Penelopewasalwaysashamedofherengagementthere；itmustseembettersomewhereelseandshewasgladtogotoo。
NoonebutLaphaminfact，feltthepangofpartinginallitskeenness。WhateverregrettheothershadwassoftenedtothembythelikenessoftheirflittingtomanyofthoseremovalsforthesummerwhichtheymadeinthelatespringwhentheyleftNankeenSquare；
theyweregoingdirectlyintothecountryinsteadoftotheseasi
