miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第3节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


she　did　not　keep　her　flirting　for　sly　corners；　nor　did　her　admirers
keep　their　distance　till　mamma　was　out　of　the　way。　　It　mattered　not
to　her　who　was　present。　　Had　she　been　called　on　to　make　one　at　a
synod　of　the　clergy　of　the　island；　she　would　have　flirted　with　the
bishop　before　all　his　priests。　　And　there　have　been　bishops　in　the
colony　who　would　not　have　gainsayed　her！

But　Maurice　Cumming　did　not　rightly　calculate　all　this；　nor　indeed
did　Miss　Jack　do　so　as　thoroughly　as　she　should　have　done；　for　Miss
Jack　knew　more　about　such　matters　than　did　poor　Maurice。　　〃If　you
like　Marion；　why　don't　you　marry　her？〃

Miss　Jack　had　once　said　to　him；　and　this　coming　from　Miss　Jack；　who
was　made　of　money；　was　a　great　deal。

〃She　wouldn't　have　me；〃　Maurice　had　answered。

〃That's　more　than　you　know　or　I　either；〃　was　Miss　Jack's　reply。　　〃But
if　you　like　to　try；　I'll　help　you。〃

With　reference　to　this；　Maurice　as　he　left　Miss　Jack's　residence　on
his　return　to　Mount　Pleasant；　had　declared　that　Marian　Leslie　was　not
worth　an　honest　man's　love。

〃Psha！〃　Miss　Jack　replied；　〃Marian　will　do　like　other　girls。　　When
you　marry　a　wife　I　suppose　you　mean　to　be　master？〃

〃At　any　rate　I　shan't　marry　her；〃　said　Maurice。　　And　so　he　went　his
way　back　to　Hanover　with　a　sore　heart。　　And　no　wonder；　for　that　was
the　very　day　on　which　Lieutenant　Ewing　had　asked　the　question　about
the　musk　rose。

But　there　was　a　dogged　constancy　of　feeling　about　Maurice　which　could
not　allow　him　to　disburden　himself　of　his　love。　　When　he　was　again　at
Mount　Pleasant　among　his　sugar…canes　and　hogsheads　he　could　not　help
thinking　about　Marian。　　It　is　true　he　always　thought　of　her　as　flying
round　that　ball…room　in　Ewing's　arms；　or　looking　up　with　rapt
admiration　into　that　young　parson's　face；　and　so　he　got　but　little
pleasure　from　his　thoughts。　　But　not　the　less　was　he　in　love　with
her；not　the　less；　though　he　would　swear　to　himself　three　times　in
the　day　that　for　no　earthly　consideration　would　he　marry　Marian
Leslie。

The　early　months　of　the　year　from　January　to　May　are　the　busiest　with
a　Jamaica　sugar…grower；　and　in　this　year　they　were　very　busy　months
with　Maurice　Cumming。　　It　seemed　as　though　there　were　actually　some
truth　in　Miss　Jack's　prediction　that　prosperity　would　return　to　him
if　he　attended　to　his　country；　for　the　prices　of　sugar　had　risen
higher　than　they　had　ever　been　since　the　duty　had　been　withdrawn；　and
there　was　more　promise　of　a　crop　at　Mount　Pleasant　than　he　had　seen
since　his　reign　commenced。　　But　then　the　question　of　labour？　　How　he
slaved　in　trying　to　get　work　from　those　free　negroes；　and　alas！　how
often　he　slaved　in　vain！　　But　it　was　not　all　in　vain；　for　as　things
went　on　it　became　clear　to　him　that　in　this　year　he　would；　for　the
first　time　since　he　commenced；　obtain　something　like　a　return　from
his　land。　　What　if　the　turning…point　had　come；　and　things　were　now
about　to　run　the　other　way。

But　then　the　happiness　which　might　have　accrued　to　him　from　this
source　was　dashed　by　his　thoughts　of　Marian　Leslie。　　Why　had　he
thrown　himself　in　the　way　of　that　syren？　　Why　had　he　left　Mount
Pleasant　at　all？　　He　knew　that　on　his　return　to　Spanish　Town　his
first　work　would　be　to　visit　Shandy　Hall；　and　yet　he　felt　that　of　all
places　in　the　island；　Shandy　Hall　was　the　last　which　he　ought　to
visit。

And　then　about　the　beginning　of　May；　when　he　was　hard　at　work　turning
the　last　of　his　canes　into　sugar　and　rum；　he　received　his　annual
visit　from　Miss　Jack。　　And　whom　should　Miss　Jack　bring　with　her　but
Mr。　Leslie。

〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　〃I　have　spoken　to　Mr。
Leslie　about　you　and　Marian。〃

〃Then　you　had　no　business　to　do　anything　of　the　kind；〃　said　Maurice；
blushing　up　to　his　ears。

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　Miss　Jack；　〃I　understand　what　I　am　about。　　Of
course　Mr。　Leslie　will　want　to　know　something　about　the　estate。〃

〃Then　he　may　go　back　as　wise　as　he　came；　for　he'll　learn　nothing　from
me。　　Not　that　I　have　anything　to　hide。〃

〃So　I　told　him。　　Now　there　are　a　large　family　of　them；　you　see；　and
of　course　he　can't　give　Marian　much。〃

〃I　don't　care　a　straw　if　he　doesn't　give　her　a　shilling。　　If　she
cared　for　me；　or　I　for　her；　I　shouldn't　look　after　her　for　her
money。〃

〃But　a　little　money　is　not　a　bad　thing；　Maurice；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　who
in　her　time　had　had　a　good　deal；　and　had　managed　to　take　care　of　it。

〃It　is　all　one　to　me。〃

〃But　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　thishumha。　　I　don't　like　to
pledge　myself　for　fear　I　should　raise　hopes　which　mayn't　be
fulfilled。〃

〃Don't　pledge　yourself　to　anything；　aunt；　in　which　Marian　Leslie　and
I　are　concerned。〃

〃But　what　I　was　going　to　say　is　this；　my　money；　what　little　I　have；
you　know；　must　go　some　day　either　to　you　or　to　the　Leslies。〃

〃You　may　give　all　to　them　if　you　please。〃

〃Of　course　I　may；　and　I　dare　say　I　shall；〃　said　Miss　Jack；　who　was
beginning　to　be　irritated。　　〃But　at　any　rate　you　might　have　the
civility　to　listen　to　me　when　I　am　endeavouring　to　put　you　on　your
legs。　　I　am　sure　I　think　about　nothing　else；　morning；　noon；　and
night；　and　yet　I　never　get　a　decent　word　from　you。　　Marian　is　too
good　for　you；　that's　the　truth。〃

But　at　length　Miss　Jack　was　allowed　to　open　her　budget；　and　to　make
her　proposition；　which　amounted　to　thisthat　she　had　already　told
Mr。　Leslie　that　she　would　settle　the　bulk　of　her　property　conjointly
on　Maurice　and　Marian　if　they　would　make　a　match　of　it。　　Now　as　Mr。
Leslie　had　long　been　casting　a　hankering　eye　after　Miss　Jack's　money；
with　a　strong　conviction　however　that　Maurice　Cumming　was　her
favourite　nephew　and　probable　heir；　this　proposition　was　not
unpalatable。　　So　he　agreed　to　go　down　to　Mount　Pleasant　and　look
about　him。

〃But　you　may　live　for　the　next　thirty　years；　my　dear　Miss　Jack；〃　Mr。
Leslie　had　said。

〃Yes；　I　may；〃　Miss　Jack　replied；　looking　very　dry。

〃And　I　am　sure　I　hope　you　will；〃　continued　Mr。　Leslie。　　And　then　the
subject　was　allowed　to　drop；　for　Mr。　Leslie　knew　that　it　was　not
always　easy　to　talk　to　Miss　Jack　on　such　matters。

Miss　Jack　was　a　person　in　whom　I　think　we　may　say　that　the　good
predominated　over　the　bad。　　She　was　often　morose；　crabbed；　and　self…
opinionated。　but　then　she　knew　her　own　imperfections；　and　forgave
those　she　loved　for　evincing　their　dislike　of　them。　　Maurice　Cumming
was　often　inattentive　to　her；　plainly　showing　that　he　was　worried　by
her　importunities　and　ill　at　ease　in　her　company。　　But　she　loved　her
nephew　with　all　her　heart；　and　though　she　dearly　liked　to　tyrannise
over　him；　never　allow　herself　to　be　really　angry　with　him；　though　he
so　frequently　refused　to　bow　to　her　dictation。　　And　she　loved　Marian
Leslie　also；　though　Marian　was　so　sweet　and　lovely　and　she　herself　so
harsh　and　ill…favoured。　　She　loved　Marian；　though　Marian　would　often
be　impertinent。　　She　forgave　the　flirting；　the　light…heartedness；　the
love　of　amusement。　　Marian；　she　said　to　herself；　was　young　and
pretty。　　She；　Miss　Jack；　had　never　known　Marian's　temptation。　　And　so
she　resolved　in　her　own　mind　that　Marian　should　be　made　a　good　and
happy　woman；but　always　as　the　wife　of　Maurice　Cumming。

But　Maurice　turned　a　deaf　ear　to　all　these　good　tidingsor　rather　he
turned　to　them　an　ear　that　seemed　to　be　deaf。　　He　dearly；　ardently
loved　that　little　flirt；　but　seeing　that　she　was　a　flirt；　that　she
had　flirted　so　grossly　when　he　was　by；　he　would　not　confess　his　love
to　a　human　being。　　He　would　not　have　it　known　that　he　was　wasting　his
heart　for　a　worthless　little　chit；　to　whom　every　man　was　the　same
except　that　those　were　most　eligible　whose　toes　were　the　lightest　and
their　outside　trappings　the　brightest。　　That　he　did　love　her　he　could
not　help；　but　he　would　not　disgrace　himself　by　acknowledging　it。

He　was　very　civil　to　Mr。　Leslie；　but　he　would　not　speak　a　word　that
could　be　taken　as　a　proposal　for　Marian。　　It　had　been　part　of　Miss
Jack's　plan　that　the　engagement　should　absolutely　be　made　down　there
at　Mount　Pleasant；　without　any　reference　to　the　young　lady；　but
Maurice　could　not　be　induced　to　break　the　ice。　　So　he　took　Mr。　Leslie
through　his　mills　and　over　his　cane…pieces；　talked　to　him　about　the
laziness　of　the　〃niggers；〃　while　the　〃niggers〃　themselves　stood　by
tittering；　and　rode　with　him　away　to　the　high　grounds　where　the
coffee　plantation　had　been　in　the　good　old　days；　but　not　a　word　was
said　between　them　about　Marian。　　And　yet　Marian　was　never　out　of　his
heart。

And　then　came　the　day　on　which　Mr。　Leslie　was　to　go　back　to　Kingston。
〃And　you　won't　have　her　then？〃　said　Miss　Jack　to　her　nephew　early
that　morning。　　〃You　won't　be　said　by　me？〃

〃Not　in　this　matter；　aunt。〃

〃Then　you　will　live　and　die　a　poor　man；　you　mean　that；　I　suppose？〃

〃It's　likely　enough　that　I　shall。　　There's　this　comfort；　at　any　rate；
I'm　used　to　it。〃　　And　then　Miss　Jack　was　silent　again　for　a　while。

〃Very　well；　sir；　that's　enough；〃　she　said　angrily。　　And　then　she
began　again。　　〃But；　Maurice；　you　wouldn't　have　to　wait　for　my　death；
you　know。〃　　And　she　put　out　her　hand　and　touched　his　arm；　entreating
him　as　it　were　to　yield　to　her。　　〃Oh；　Maurice；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　so
want　to　make　you　comfortable。　　Let　us　speak　to　Mr。　Leslie。〃

But　Maurice　would　not