登陆注册
20268200000097

第97章

He saluted Rowland, however, with his usual obsequious bow.

"You have more than once done me the honor to invite me to call upon you,"he said."I am ashamed of my long delay, and I can only say to you, frankly, that my time this winter has not been my own."Rowland assented, ungrudgingly fumbled for the Italian correlative of the adage "Better late than never," begged him to be seated, and offered him a cigar.The Cavaliere sniffed imperceptibly the fragrant weed, and then declared that, if his kind host would allow him, he would reserve it for consumption at another time.

He apparently desired to intimate that the solemnity of his errand left him no breath for idle smoke-puffings.Rowland stayed himself, just in time, from an enthusiastic offer of a dozen more cigars, and, as he watched the Cavaliere stow his treasure tenderly away in his pocket-book, reflected that only an Italian could go through such a performance with uncompromised dignity."I must confess,"the little old man resumed, "that even now I come on business not of my own--or my own, at least, only in a secondary sense.

I have been dispatched as an ambassador, an envoy extraordinary, I may say, by my dear friend Mrs.Light.""If I can in any way be of service to Mrs.Light, I shall be happy," Rowland said.

"Well then, dear sir, Casa Light is in commotion.

The signora is in trouble--in terrible trouble."For a moment Rowland expected to hear that the signora's trouble was of a nature that a loan of five thousand francs would assuage.

But the Cavaliere continued: "Miss Light has committed a great crime;she has plunged a dagger into the heart of her mother.""A dagger!" cried Rowland.

The Cavaliere patted the air an instant with his finger-tips.

"I speak figuratively.She has broken off her marriage.""Broken it off?"

"Short! She has turned the prince from the door."And the Cavaliere, when he had made this announcement, folded his arms and bent upon Rowland his intense, inscrutable gaze.

It seemed to Rowland that he detected in the polished depths of it a sort of fantastic gleam of irony or of triumph;but superficially, at least, Giacosa did nothing to discredit his character as a presumably sympathetic representative of Mrs.Light's affliction.

Rowland heard his news with a kind of fierce disgust; it seemed the sinister counterpart of Christina's preternatural mildness at Madame Grandoni's tea-party.She had been too plausible to be honest.

Without being able to trace the connection, he yet instinctively associated her present rebellion with her meeting with Mary Garland.

If she had not seen Mary, she would have let things stand.

It was monstrous to suppose that she could have sacrificed so brilliant a fortune to a mere movement of jealousy, to a refined instinct of feminine deviltry, to a desire to frighten poor Mary from her security by again appearing in the field.Yet Rowland remembered his first impression of her; she was "dangerous," and she had measured in each direction the perturbing effect of her rupture.

She was smiling her sweetest smile at it! For half an hour Rowland simply detested her, and longed to denounce her to her face.

Of course all he could say to Giacosa was that he was extremely sorry.

"But I am not surprised," he added.

"You are not surprised?"

"With Miss Light everything is possible.Is n't that true?"Another ripple seemed to play for an instant in the current of the old man's irony, but he waived response.

"It was a magnificent marriage," he said, solemnly."I do not respect many people, but I respect Prince Casamassima.""I should judge him indeed to be a very honorable young man," said Rowland.

"Eh, young as he is, he 's made of the old stuff.And now, perhaps he 's blowing his brains out.He is the last of his house; it 's a great house.

But Miss Light will have put an end to it!""Is that the view she takes of it?" Rowland ventured to ask.

This time, unmistakably, the Cavaliere smiled, but still in that very out-of-the-way place."You have observed Miss Light with attention," he said, "and this brings me to my errand.

Mrs.Light has a high opinion of your wisdom, of your kindness, and she has reason to believe you have influence with her daughter.""I--with her daughter? Not a grain!"

"That is possibly your modesty.Mrs.Light believes that something may yet be done, and that Christina will listen to you.

She begs you to come and see her before it is too late.""But all this, my dear Cavaliere, is none of my business,"Rowland objected."I can't possibly, in such a matter, take the responsibility of advising Miss Light."The Cavaliere fixed his eyes for a moment on the floor, in brief but intense reflection.Then looking up, "Unfortunately," he said, "she has no man near her whom she respects; she has no father!""And a fatally foolish mother!" Rowland gave himself the satisfaction of exclaiming.

The Cavaliere was so pale that he could not easily have turned paler;yet it seemed for a moment that his dead complexion blanched.

"Eh, signore, such as she is, the mother appeals to you.

A very handsome woman--disheveled, in tears, in despair, in dishabille!"Rowland reflected a moment, not on the attractions of Mrs.Light under the circumstances thus indicated by the Cavaliere, but on the satisfaction he would take in accusing Christina to her face of having struck a cruel blow.

"I must add," said the Cavaliere, "that Mrs.Light desires also to speak to you on the subject of Mr.Hudson.""She considers Mr.Hudson, then, connected with this step of her daughter's?""Intimately.He must be got out of Rome.""Mrs.Light, then, must get an order from the Pope to remove him.

It 's not in my power."

The Cavaliere assented, deferentially."Mrs.Light is equally helpless.

She would leave Rome to-morrow, but Christina will not budge.

An order from the Pope would do nothing.A bull in council would do nothing.""She 's a remarkable young lady," said Rowland, with bitterness.

同类推荐
  • 针邪密要

    针邪密要

    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。
  • 书法纶贯

    书法纶贯

    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。
  • 大八义

    大八义

    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。
  • 范文正奏议

    范文正奏议

    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。
  • 祖庭钳锤录

    祖庭钳锤录

    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
  • 妃你莫属:王爷请娶我

    妃你莫属:王爷请娶我

    他是王爷了怎么了,只要她喜欢,他就得娶她,什么公主什么圣女,她都不要管,因为爱上了,谁也不能来阻止,哪怕是父王母后,哪怕是王公大臣,哪怕是三纲五常,只要她喜欢就够了,只要他答应就够了,爱是两个人的事,就算真的到了那个时候,她会嫁的,但那人必须是…
  • 那些年我们已回不到过去

    那些年我们已回不到过去

    我从小很喜欢热闹喜欢人群多的地方,但好像那些地方根本不需与我,我与我想要的世界格格不入。。。
  • 放纵少年

    放纵少年

    我是从窗户里爬进车厢的。站台上的人们就像一窝蜂子,肩扛、手抬着行李,叫喊着、推搡着往车内挤。也有人学着我从窗户往里爬,结果只进来一捆行李,车窗就被赶来的乘务员关死了,任凭那人在窗外咆哮、叫骂也无济于事。
  • 泯存裂天

    泯存裂天

    苍茫大地,朗朗乾坤,执掌沉浮谁与争!闯荡天下,笑看红尘,英姿漫天诉缱绻!热血男儿,万丈战芒,颠覆九天生死路!傲视天地,浩然长存,千古一醉梦风云!
  • 王爷很杯具:只怪本妃太多情

    王爷很杯具:只怪本妃太多情

    穿越不混个皇亲贵族富二代,都不好意思说自己到过古代。要了有美男有金子有身份的好命,却又因这身体前任的情人太多让王爷老公又爱又恨。所幸成功回归了富二代单身贵族身份……等等,王爷前夫你不是休了我吗,凭什么还在勾搭美男的时候老来妨碍我,你爸又不是李刚,管得着我吗!      
  • 监官

    监官

    薛峰本是一个善良的青年,因为一次意外变故,他来到了隋朝。在异朝,他仍然想做一个善良之人,然而,在黑暗和罪恶的社会大染缸中,他无法独善其身。在生与死的搏杀中,他的唯一选择就是比坏人更坏,比恶人更恶。他屡遭伤害,在一次伤害之后,他体内的来自遥远后世的程序被激活……他御突厥、参平叛,亲眼目睹朝廷的尔虞我诈。大业元年,他参加了史无前例的大规模的运河开发,作为监工,亲身经历开挖大运河的惨烈过程。残酷的现实,程序的改变,导致史上最最疯狂的监官诞生!
  • 东北出马仙之阴官录

    东北出马仙之阴官录

    他是天煞孤星,出时之时克死了生身母亲,不满一岁又克死了父亲。再回阳间要以不生不死无血无肉之身寻遍十八道关口才能重获阳寿可当阴雾层层剥开却发现,蛋糕的内部早已腐臭,一场巨大的阴谋铺天而来悲悯,阴毒,善良,糊涂,究竟什么才是生存之道“活着,必须活着,就算无血无肉,不生不灭也要让这世间所有践踏过我的人都血债血偿”“听说你会卜卦?那就算算如果以生命做赌注?你会赢还是输?”在此声明,小说中【美人画】【血祭祀】【七日老祖】【太岁】【君生我未生】【黄仙拦路】等卷皆取自现实生活作为素材,有人即有神,这世界本就很多事情无法用科学解释,文中涉及到东北地区的出马仙等,如果难以接受可以右上角退出
  • 绯红龙瞳之王者血脉

    绯红龙瞳之王者血脉

    这本书和上一本一样,是我喜欢江南的龙族写的,但抄袭太严重,于是废书,很抱歉,但千浮和辉烨两本书不会再让大家失望的
  • 洛水缘之白璃

    洛水缘之白璃

    第一世,她和她,相遇在莲池,是她们这一世为最好的朋友第二世,她和她,在蓬莱遇见,但是,这一世的她,和她,再也不是什么朋友,而是,宿敌。她和她两世的经历,总是坎坷不断,她爱上了蓬莱的掌门,也是渺渺的师父。她一笑而过,只留下一句:“只要是你喜欢的东西,只要是我有的,我都可以给你,哪怕是,我的生命,只求你,清明时节,能给我上柱香,那就行了。”
  • 废柴男逆袭:我要称霸江湖

    废柴男逆袭:我要称霸江湖

    一个无夜仙境圣人阁的少阁主,一次意外流落尘俗。曾经是日后统领一大门派的天才之骨,却落得孱弱之躯,变成废柴学生。谁说废柴不能练就傲视之才,谁说废柴终究沉寂。做学生一样能够风生水起。这是一场门派的较量,是一场豪门的争斗。待查明真相之日,就是一统江湖之时。属于我的,我一定要拿回来。