round the sofa-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！



arrive　at　the　story　at　all。　　At　length；　in　a　high…pitched；　ill…

assured　voice；　she　read　out　the　title：



〃THE　DOOM　OF　THE　GRIFFITHS。〃



＇At　this　point　comes　〃The　Doom　of　the　Griffiths〃already　released　by

Project　Gutenberg＇



You　cannot　think　how　kindly　Mrs。　Dawson　thanked　Miss　Duncan　for

writing　and　reading　this　story。　　She　shook　my　poor；　pale　governess　so

tenderly　by　the　hand　that　the　tears　came　into　her　eyes；　and　the

colour　to　her　checks。



〃I　though　you　had　been　so　kind；　I　liked　hearing　about　Lady　Ludlow；　I

fancied；　perhaps；　I　could　do　something　to　give　a　little　pleasure；〃

were　the　half…finished　sentences　Miss　Duncan　stammered　out。　　I　am

sure　it　was　the　wish　to　earn　similar　kind　words　from　Mrs。　Dawson；

that　made　Mrs。　Preston　try　and　rummage　through　her　memory　to　see　if

she　could　not　recollect　some　fact；　or　event；　or　history；　which　might

interested　Mrs。　Dawson　and　the　little　party　that　gathered　round　her

sofa。　　Mrs。　Preston　it　was　who　told　us　the　following　tale：



〃HALF　A　LIFE…TIME　AGO。〃



＇At　this　point　comes　〃Half　a　Life…Time　Ago〃already　released　by

Project　Gutenberg＇



When　this　narrative　was　finished；　Mrs。　Dawson　called　on　our　two

gentlemen；　Signor　Sperano　and　Mr。　Preston；　and　told　them　that　they

had　hitherto　been　amused　or　interested；　but　that　it　was　now　their

turn　to　amuse　or　interest。　　They　looked　at　each　other　as　if　this

application　of　hers　took　them　by　surprise；　and　seemed　altogether　as

much　abashed　as　well…grown　men　can　ever　be。　　Signor　Sperano　was　the

first　to　recover　himself：　　after　thinking　a　little；　he　said　…



〃Your　will；　dear　lady；　is　law。　　Next　Monday　evening；　I　will　bring　you

an　old；　old　story；　which　I　found　among　the　papers　of　the　good　old

priest　who　first　welcomed　me　to　England。　　It　was　but　a　poor　return

for　his　generous　kindness；　but　I　had　the　opportunity　of　nursing　him

through　the　cholera；　of　which　he　died。　　He　left　me　all　that　he　had

no　moneybut　his　scanty　furniture；　his　book　of　prayers；　his　crucifix

and　rosary；　and　his　papers。　　How　some　of　those　papers　came　into　his

hands　I　know　not。　　They　had　evidently　been　written　many　years　before

the　venerable　man　was　born；　and　I　doubt　whether　he　had　ever　examined

the　bundles；　which　had　come　down　to　him　from　some　old　ancestor；　or　in

some　strange　bequest。　　His　life　was　too　busy　to　leave　any　time　for

the　gratification　of　mere　curiosity；　I；　alas！　have　only　had　too　much

leisure。〃



Next　Monday；　Signor　Sperano　read　to　us　the　story　which　I　will　call



〃THE　POOR　CLARE。〃



＇At　this　point　comes　〃The　Poor　Clare〃already　released　by　Project

Gutenberg＇



Now；　of　all　our　party　who　had　first　listened　to　my　Lady　Ludlow；　Mr。

Preston　was　the　only　one　who　had　not　told　us　something；　either　of

information；　tradition；　history；　or　legend。　　We　naturally　turned　to

him；　but　we　did　not　like　asking　him　directly　for　his　contribution；

for　he　was　a　grave；　reserved；　and　silent　man。



He　understood　us；　however；　and；　rousing　himself　as　it　were；　he　said　…



〃I　know　you　wish　me　to　tell　you；　in　my　turn；　of　something　which　I

have　learnt　during　my　life。　　I　could　tell　you　something　of　my　own

life；　and　of　a　life　dearer　still　to　my　memory；　but　I　have　shunk　from

narrating　anything　so　purely　personal。　　Yet；　shrink　as　I　will；　no

other　but　those　sad　recollections　will　present　themselves　to　my　mind。

I　call　them　sad　when　I　think　of　the　end　of　it　all。　　However；　I　am　not

going　to　moralize。　　If　my　dear　brother's　life　and　death　does　not

speak　for　itself；　no　words　of　mine　will　teach　you　what　may　be　learnt

from　it。〃











End