登陆注册
15420500000079

第79章 Chapter 28(1)

The Little River We started before six o'clock the next morning, as we were still twenty-five miles from our resting-place, and Dick wanted to be there before dusk. The journey was pleasant, though to those who do not know the upper Thames, there is little to say about it. Ellen and I were once more together in her boat, though Dick, for fairness' sake, was for having me in his, and letting the two women scull the green toy.

Ellen, however, would not allow this, but claimed me as the interesting person of the company. "After having come so far," said she, "I will not be put off with a companion who will always be thinking of somebody else than me: the guest is the only person who can amuse me properly. I mean that really," said she, turning to me, "and have not said it merely as a pretty saying."Clara blushed and looked very happy at all this; for I think up to this time she had been rather frightened of Ellen. As for me I felt young again, and strange hopes of my youth were mingling with the pleasure of the present; almost destroying it, and quickening it into something like pain.

As we passed through the short and winding reaches of the now quickly lessening stream, Ellen said: "How pleasant this little river is to me, who am used to a great wide wash of water; it almost seems as if we shall have to stop at every reach-end. I expect before I get home this evening I shall have realised what a little country England is, since we can so soon get to the end of its biggest river.""It is not big," said I, "but it is pretty.""Yes," she said, "and don't you find it difficult to imagine the times when this pretty country was treated by its folk as if it had been an ugly characterless waste, with no delicate beauty to be guarded, with no heed taken of the ever fresh pleasure of the recurring seasons, and changeful weather, and diverse quality of the soil, and so forth? How could people be so cruel to themselves?""And to each other," said I. Then a sudden resolution took hold of me, and I said: "Dear neighbour, I may as well tell you at once that Ifind it easier to imagine all that ugly past than you do, because Imyself have been part of it. I see both that you have divined something of this in me; and also I think you will believe me when Itell you of it, so that I am going to hide nothing from you at all."She was silent a little, and then she said: "My friend, you have guessed right about me; and to tell you the truth I have followed you up from Runnymede in order that I might ask you many questions, and because I saw that you were not one of us; and that interested and pleased me, and I wanted to make you as happy as you could be. To say the truth, there was a risk in it," said she, blushing--"I mean as to Dick and Clara; for I must tell you, since we are going to be such close friends, that even amongst us, where there are so many beautiful women, I have often troubled men's minds disastrously. That is one reason why I was living alone with my father in the cottage at Runnymede. But it did not answer on that score; for of course people came there, as the place is not a desert, and they seemed to find me all the more interesting for living alone like that, and fell to making stories of me to themselves--like I know you did, my friend.

同类推荐
  • The Paris Sketch Book

    The Paris Sketch Book

    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。
  • 内经知要

    内经知要

    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。
  • 鱼篮宝卷

    鱼篮宝卷

    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。
  • 土司灯仪

    土司灯仪

    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。
  • 读诗私记

    读诗私记

    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。
热门推荐
  • 远古天幽龙

    远古天幽龙

    少年从蛮荒走出,寻亲密友。怎奈世间沧桑,无可奈何花落去
  • 心灵与境界

    心灵与境界

    本书包括:“心与心理学:中国文化心理学的意义”、“以心为本:中国文化心理学的境界”、“走近荣格与走进自己,感受中国文化心理学的意义”等9讲。
  • 顶级管理:聆听世界顶级管理大师智慧之声

    顶级管理:聆听世界顶级管理大师智慧之声

    本书集中了40位世界顶级管理思想大师的智慧,并简要和重点摘述了每位大师的管理思想,评估了他们对今日商业世界的影响和流传的价值,从而涉取全球管理思想之精华,使你有机会聆听最聪明、最优秀的学者如何看待管理领域,为你提供独一无二的机会思考各种观点。重温顶尖管理大师们的光辉思想,领悟他们精辟而深邃的智慧,是一个震撼心灵的过程。 榜样的力量是无穷的!我们把世界公认的顶级管理大师最精要的论述呈现给每一位立志在商业界、管理界出类拔萃的企业家、经理人以及每一位对管理思想感兴趣的人,以便您能领先一步,高人一筹。
  • 一念威鸣

    一念威鸣

    我之意天地万物,我之意视你唯一,为你唯吾独尊,为你舞悼封心......
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 御兽七魄

    御兽七魄

    人有三魂,御兽七魄。一名胎光,二名爽灵,三名幽精,统称三魂.一为侍犬;二为伏豕;三为雀吟;四为噬鲗;五为绯独;六为畜慧;七为雔飞,合称七魄。
  • 九界奕剑录

    九界奕剑录

    世上事,身边人,皆多变,唯剑与心不变。身辟寒暑,剑斩红尘,且看背负血仇与惊天秘密的乡野少年,一人一剑,如何搅动这黄土苍天!
  • 神者尊王

    神者尊王

    他,是一个神奇的人,拥有不死之身,却因性情狂傲不羁而被绝世强者所封,数亿年时间已过,他强势归来,这世间却再无真正的强者,就连封印他的那人也已坐化,从此,他是世间最强者,再无人能抵抗他的狂傲。傲气的她,作为他的属下,只为成为他身边的那一个人,可他已消失多年,直到再次相见,她知道,她无法再等了,这一次,她要主动出击,拿下他的心。(本故事纯属虚幻)
  • 圣皇无上

    圣皇无上

    翩翩少年独立于世,在这危机即将来临的异世中。他要做这世界的仲裁者……得上古神榆传承,夺天地之造化!
  • 血狱天尊

    血狱天尊

    鸿蒙大道,诸天万界,界面交错,大势之下,群雄并起。萧寒出生魔道至尊皇族,却无皇血,一度被认为是通奸之子,备受凌辱,惨遭同族遗弃,修为被废,九死一生,沦落下界。萧寒不甘,我等生来自由,谁敢高高在上,天若欺我,封印那天,地若拘我,踏破那地。男儿在世,畏什么至尊皇族,高高在上,惧什么凡人成仙,必遭天诛。我意如此,天亦如何?