He was at that age when young men admire a formed beauty more than a face with any amount of future capability of loveliness, and when they are morbidly conscious of the difficulty of finding subjects of conversation in talking to girls in a state of feminine hobbledehoyhood.Besides, his thoughts were full of other subjects, which he did not intend to allow to ooze out in words, yet he wanted to prevent any of that heavy silence which he feared might be impending - with an angry and displeased father, and a timorous and distressed mother.He only looked upon Molly as a badly-dressed, and rather awkward girl, with black hair and an intelligent face, who might help him in the task he had set himself of keeping up a bright general conversation during the rest of the evening; might help him - if she would, but she would not.She thought him unfeeling in his talkativeness; his constant flow of words upon indifferent subjects was a wonder and a repulsion to her.How could he go on so cheerfully while his mother sate there, scarcely eating anything, and doing her best, with ill success, to swallow down the tears that would keep rising to her eyes; when his father's heavy brow was deeply clouded, and he evidently cared nothing - at first at least - for all the chatter his son poured forth? Had Mr Roger Hamley no sympathy in him? She would show that she had, at any rate.So she quite declined the part, which he had hoped she would have taken, of respondent, and possible questioner; and his work became more and more like that of a man walking in a quagmire.Once the squire roused himself to speak to the butler; he felt the need of outward stimulus - of a better vintage than usual.'Bring up a bottle of the Burgundy with the yellow seal.' He spoke low; he had no spirit to speak in his usual voice.The butler answered in the same tone.Molly sitting near them, and silent herself, heard what they said.'If you please, sir, there are not above six bottles of that seal left;and it is Mr Osborne's favourite wine.' The squire turned round with a growl in his voice.'Bring up a bottle of the Burgundy with the yellow seal, as I said.' The butler went away, wondering.'Mr Osborne's' likes and dislikes had been the law of the house in general until now.If he had liked any particular food or drink, any seat or place, any special degree of warmth or coolness, his wishes were to be attended to; for he was the heir, and he was delicate, and he was the clever one of the family.All the out-of-doors men would have said the same; Mr Osborne wished a tree cut down, or kept standing, or had such-and-such a fancy about the game; or had desired something unusual about the horses; and they had all to attend to it as if it were law.But to-day the Burgundy with the yellow seal was to be brought; and it was brought.Molly testified with quiet vehemence of action; she never took wine, so she need not have been afraid of the man's pouring it into her glass; but as an open mark of fealty to the absent Osborne, however little it might be understood, she placed the palm of her small brown hand over the top of the glass, and held it there, till the wine had gone round, and Roger and his father were in full enjoyment of the same.After dinner, too, the gentlemen lingered long over their dessert, and Molly heard them laughing; and then she saw them loitering about in the twilight out-of-doors; Roger hatless, his hands in his pockets, lounging by his father's side, who was now able to talk in his usual loud and cheerful way, forgetting Osborne.Voe, victis! And so in mute opposition on Molly's side, in polite indifference, scarcely verging on kindliness on his, Roger and she steered clear of each other.
同类推荐
热门推荐
萧常在又又又被陷害啦
萧婉清本想在后宫当一条默默无闻的小咸鱼,和后宫的各路小姐妹们搞好关系,怎么就被突然被莫名陷害进了冷宫?!萧常在表示,就这样隐忍一次。谁知,刚在后宫安了家,哼着小曲二打着麻将时,又被陷害进了大牢。萧常在这次表示,绝对不能忍!于是开始了自己的反击!正当自己走向人生巅峰时,半路突然杀出了个皇帝,还表示,要给自己封啥⊙?⊙?皇后?绝色倾城:废材逆天大小姐
一朝穿越,竟发现竟不是偶然!可谁能帮她解释一下···别人穿越最少也得十二三岁而她却是三岁孩童别人穿越都是高冷傲娇而她却是后宫三千还有,谁能告诉她为什么她一个好好的女的会有媳妇!这个对外威武对内装可怜的哥哥是怎么回事!!!我家有萌猫
在小说的世界里,可以说是无奇不有了吧!同一个身体里,两个人格,两种存在,两段感情,无数种今人感到惊心动魄的破碎与纠葛。因此能够完全驾驭她们的,大概大概就只有我,慕林凛了吧!是吗?“小希,你是怎样认为的呢?就算我真的,已经喜欢上小梦了吧!所以说你愿意为了我,把小梦的身体还给她吗?”“主人,希望小希说愿意吗?”{小希}“你是在开玩笑吗?那种傻事,我怎么可能,随便听过,就可以当做过去了啊!”{小梦}“所以说,只有小希,才有资格回答我的问题,我想交谈的对象大概就只有她,就足够了吧!”“可是,是主人,故意问小希,那么难的问题的吧!而且小希知道,如果是小梦姐姐的话,就一定是会帮小希的吧!”{小希}