登陆注册
19986100000019

第19章

"I must remind you, Champney," he said, with freezing deliberation, "that Miss Miranda Dows and her niece now represent the Drummond Company equally with myself, and that you cannot expect me to listen to any reflections upon the way they choose to administer their part in its affairs, either now, or to come.Still less do Icare to discuss the idle gossip which can affect only the PRIVATEinterests of these ladies, with which neither you nor I have any right to interfere."But the naivete of the young Englishman was as invincible as Miss Sally's own, and as fatal to Courtland's attitude."Of course Ihaven't any RIGHT, you know," he said, calmly ignoring the severe preamble of his companion's speech, "but I say! hang it all! even if a fellow has no chance HIMSELF, he don't like to see a girl throw herself and her property away on a man like that.""One moment, Champney," said Courtland, under the infection of his guest's simplicity, abandoning his former superior attitude."You say you have no chance.Do you want me to understand that you are regularly a suitor of Miss Dows?""Y-e-e-s," said the young fellow, but with the hesitation of conscientiousness rather than evasion."That is--you know I WAS.

But don't you see, it couldn't be.It wouldn't do, you know.If those clannish neighbors of hers--that Southern set--suspected that Miss Sally was courted by an Englishman, don't you know--a poacher on their preserves--it would be all up with her position on the property and her influence over them.I don't mind telling you that's one reason why I left the company and took that other plantation.But even that didn't work; they had their suspicions excited already.""Did Miss Dows give that as a reason for declining your suit?"asked Courtland slowly.

"Yes.You know what a straightforward girl she is.She didn't come no rot about 'not expecting anything of the kind,' or about 'being a sister to me,' and all that, for, by Jove! she's always more like a fellow's sister, don't you know, than his girl.Of course, it was hard lines for me, but I suppose she was about right." He stopped, and then added with a kind of gentle persistency: "YOU think she was about right, don't you?"With what was passing in Courtland's mind the question seemed so bitterly ironical that at first he leaned half angrily forward, in an unconscious attempt to catch the speaker's expression in the darkness."I should hardly venture to give an opinion," he said, after a pause."Miss Dows' relations with her neighbors are so very peculiar.And from what you tell me of her cousin it would seem that her desire to placate them is not always to be depended upon.""I'm not finding fault with HER, you know," said Champney hastily.

"I'm not such a beastly cad as that; I wouldn't have spoken of my affairs at all, but you asked, you know.I only thought, if she was going to get herself into trouble on account of that Frenchman, you might talk to her--she'd listen to you, because she'd know you only did it out of business reasons.And they're really business reasons, you know.I suppose you don't think much of my business capacity, colonel, and you wouldn't go much on my judgment--especially now; but I've been here longer than you and"--he lowered his voice slightly and dragged his chair nearer Courtland--"I don't like the looks of things here.There's some devilment plotting among those rascals.They're only awaiting an opportunity; a single flash would be enough to set them in a blaze, even if the fire wasn't lit and smouldering already like a spark in a bale of cotton.I'd cut the whole thing and clear out if I didn't think it would make it harder for Miss Dows, who would be left alone.""You're a good fellow, Champney," said Courtland, laying his hand on the young man's shoulder with a sudden impulse, "and I forgive you for overlooking any concern that I might have.Indeed," he added, with an odd seriousness and a half sigh, "it's not strange that you should.But I must remind you that the Dowses are strictly the agents and tenants of the company I represent, and that their rights and property under that tenancy shall not be interfered with by others as long as I am here.I have no right, however," he added gravely, "to keep Miss Dows from imperiling them by her social relations."Champney rose and shook hands with him awkwardly."The shower seems to be holding up," he said, "and I'll toddle along before it starts afresh.Good-night! I say--you didn't mind my coming to you this way, did you? By Jove! I thought you were a little stand-offish at first.But you know what I meant?""Perfectly, and I thank you." They shook hands again.Champney stepped from the portico, and, reaching the gate, seemed to vanish as he had come, out of the darkness.

The storm was not yet over; the air had again become close and suffocating.Courtland remained brooding in his chair.Whether he could accept Champney's news as true or not, he felt that he must end this suspense at once.A half-guilty consciousness that he was thinking more of it in reference to his own passion than his duty to the company did not render his meditations less unpleasant.Yet while he could not reconcile Miss Sally's confidences in the cemetery concerning the indifference of her people to Champney's attentions with what Champney had just told him of the reasons she had given HIM for declining them, I am afraid he was not shocked by her peculiar ethics.A lover seldom finds fault with his mistress for deceiving his rival, and is as little apt to consider the logical deduction that she could deceive him also, as Othello was to accept Brabantio's warning, The masculine sense of honor which might have resented the friendship of a man capable of such treachery did not hesitate to accept the love of a woman under the same conditions.Perhaps there was an implied compliment in thus allowing her to take the sole ethical responsibility, which few women would resist.

同类推荐
  • OTHELLO

    OTHELLO

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说法海经

    佛说法海经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 搜神记

    搜神记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 苇碧轩诗集

    苇碧轩诗集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无上玄元三天玉堂大法

    无上玄元三天玉堂大法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 酒罢去

    酒罢去

    杯酒罢,一去不回。路走到最后,无非是岁月不知数,故人不知处。
  • 超级近身高手

    超级近身高手

    一个从大山里走出的绝世高手,奉命下山融入都市,成为了千金大小姐的贴身高手。练兵团,战花都,扫强敌……他的强势到来,将这沉寂的都市掀起一片腥风血雨。
  • 末世中的希望

    末世中的希望

    末世来了,你做好准备了吗?丧尸横行就绝望了吗?那不过是苦难的开始,还有更加恐怖的事情在等待着你。看一个普通小市民如何带着老爸在这个疯狂的世界上打拼。本文不11,不11。谢谢!
  • 桑媛记

    桑媛记

    她的本尊是善于家斗的高门富女,一夕之间因着家族的没落而沦不弃妇,当了弃妇不要紧,还残忍地被毒害身亡。穿越而来的灵魂前身是个农村养蚕妇女,身陷在孟家村的族斗里面,始终摆脱不了作为他们之间争斗棋子的命运,而她一心却只系桑蚕事。她的口号——种桑养蚕,种种更健康,养养更幸福咱祝福她的日子越过越和美,蒸蒸日上*********本文非系治愈种田暖文,而系争斗种田半暖半凉文喜欢的亲记得推荐收藏支持,万分言谢
  • 20几岁要懂点职场策略(MBook随身读)

    20几岁要懂点职场策略(MBook随身读)

    本书从二十几岁年轻人在职场遭遇到的各个问题入手,以有趣的故事和生动的说理阐明职场人在求职面试、职场晋升、跳槽以及人际交往等环节中所需要掌握的策略,给年轻人提供最实用、最具体的指导,让你在职场中少走弯路,能够充分把握住机遇,懂得如何抉择、进退,进而迈向成功。
  • 力撼天穹

    力撼天穹

    一个平凡的少年,一个神奇的珠子,一个在逆境中掌握自己命运的故事。神恩世界是一个众神曾经存在的地方,神灵消逝,留下一个个充满秘密的神之秘域。只要进入神之秘域,通过了艰难的试炼,就实力大增,甚至得到神之传承。隐忍,没有,该出手时就出手,绝不屈服!低调,没有,男子汉大丈夫,理当轰轰烈烈!
  • 依稀往梦幻如真

    依稀往梦幻如真

    听风低吟,爱直至成伤……似梦非梦,亦真且真……
  • 三国生活

    三国生活

    路人甲张伟,没有惊天动地的谋略,没有学富五车的知识,更没有神奇的金手指,看他如何在乱世三国生存...
  • 春秋战国我修仙

    春秋战国我修仙

    这是一个神奇的异世,这里有春秋五霸却还有战国七雄,这里有周武王却也有周幽王,这儿还有那完成一统的始皇嬴政。这里还有修仙者!在春秋战国修炼无上大道,敬请关注春秋战国我修仙
  • 这个夏天有点乱,不过《爱情很靠近》

    这个夏天有点乱,不过《爱情很靠近》

    故事愉快轻松的步伐讲述一段夏天的青春恋曲,爱情就在你我他的身边。贺霆宇清岚大学的风云人物突然跟美术系的宣传队长夏蜜安传出火爆的绯闻,继而引发一连串的突发事件。如沐春风的话题人物韩律熙不知不觉的迷恋上夏蜜安,这一场三角关系会怎样发生呢?请大家多关注多支持哦!