登陆注册
19496500000151

第151章

he failed to negotiate it.His affairs had fallen into disorder, in the interval since I had borrowed of him; bankruptcy stared him in the face;and a relative of his, a French lawyer, came to England to find me, and to insist upon the payment of my debt.He was a man of violent temper;and he took the wrong way with me.High words passed on both sides; and my aunt and Rachel were unfortunately in the next room, and heard us.Lady Verinder came in, and insisted on knowing what was the matter.The Frenchman produced his credentials, and declared me to be responsible for the ruin of a poor man, who had trusted in my honour.My aunt instantly paid him the money, and sent him off.She knew me better, of course, than to take the Frenchman's view of the transaction.But she was shocked at my carelessness, and justly angry with me for placing myself in a position, which, but for her interference, might have become a very disgraceful one.Either her mother told her, or Rachel heard what passed--I can't say which.She took her own romantic, high-flown view of the matter.I was `heartless'; I was `dishonourable'; I had `no principle'; there was `no knowing what I might do next'--in short, she said some of the severest things to me which Ihad ever heard from a young lady's lips.The breach between us lasted for the whole of the next day.The day after, I succeeded in making my peace, and thought no more of it.Had Rachel reverted to this unlucky accident, at the critical moment when my place in her estimation was again, and far more seriously, assailed? Mr.Bruff, when I had mentioned the circumstances to him, answered the question at once in the affirmative.

`It would have its effect on her mind,' he said gravely.`And I wish, for your sake, the thing had not happened.However, we have discovered that there was a predisposing influence against you--and there is one uncertainty cleared out of our way, at any rate.I see nothing more that we can do now.Our next step in this inquiry must be the step that takes us to Rachel.'

He rose, and began walking thoughtfully up and down the room.Twice, I was on the point of telling him that I had determined on seeing Rachel personally; and twice, having regard to his age and his character, I hesitated to take him by surprise at an unfavourable moment.

`The grand difficulty is,' he resumed, `how to make her show her whole mind in this matter, without reserve.Have you any suggestions to offer?'

`I have made up my mind, Mr.Bruff, to speak to Rachel myself.'

`You!' He suddenly stopped in his walk, and looked at me as if he thought I had taken leave of my senses.`You, of all the people in the world!'

He abruptly checked himself, and took another turn in the room.`Wait a little,' he said.`In cases of this extra-ordinary kind, the rash way is sometimes the best way.' He considered the question for a moment or two, under that new light.and ended boldly by a decision in my favour.`Nothing venture, nothing have,' the old gentleman resumed.`You have a chance in your favour which I don't posses--and you shall be the first to try the experiment.'

`A chance in my favour?' I repeated, in the greatest surprise.

Mr.Bruff's face softened, for the first time, into a smile.

`This is how it stands,' he said.`I tell you fairly, I don't trust your discretion, and I don't trust your temper.But I do trust in Rachel's still preserving, in some remote little corner of her heart, a certain perverse weakness for you.Touch that--and trust to the consequences for the fullest disclosures that can flow from a woman's lips! The question is--how are you to see her?'

`She has been a guest of yours at this house,' I answered.`May I venture to suggest--if nothing was said about me beforehand--that I might see her here?'

`Cool!' said Mr.Bruff.With that one word of comment on the reply that I had made to him, he took another turn up and down the room.

`In plain English,' he said, `my house is to be turned into a trap to catch Rachel; with a bait to tempt her, in the shape of an invitation from my wife and daughters.If you were anybody else but Franklin Blake, and if this matter was one atom less serious than it really is, I should refuse point-blank.As things are, I firmly believe Rachel will live to thank me for turning traitor to her in my old age.Consider me your accomplice.

同类推荐
  • 永乐大典残卷

    永乐大典残卷

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 木兰奇女传

    木兰奇女传

    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。
  • 野菜博录

    野菜博录

    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。
  • 夢月軒詩鈔

    夢月軒詩鈔

    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。
  • 日本访书志

    日本访书志

    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
  • 亚斯帝国之超级炊烟寥寥

    亚斯帝国之超级炊烟寥寥

    一个音乐才女碰上温柔兼腹黑公子,火花不断
  • 三小只的四叶草

    三小只的四叶草

    这是作者第一次写小说,写的不好请谅解,我笔名是蓝依可萌,可以叫我可萌,2948859327这是我的QQ号,读者们可以加一下,421775556这是我的群,进群可以跟我讨论剧情,我的微博是帅气逼人凯少爷i,希望大家可以关注我。当富家千金遇上霸气大哥,当温柔女孩遇上呆萌二源,当热情女孩遇上高冷千千,一次偶遇让他们成为了朋友,渐渐地,爱情的火花在他们心中萌芽。从相识,相恋到相守,中间的剧情是怎么样的呢?敬请期待吧!
  • 今世惊鸿

    今世惊鸿

    人生数十年,不知活的个什么意思。江河湖泊,天涯尽头,此生何以?这是一个有意思的江湖,或者不仅仅是江湖。功高盖主,惨遭灭门。一个不懂复仇的复仇者的故事。一段不算江湖的经历。重若惊鸿,南飞今世。这,只是一个故事。
  • 钢琴恋曲:樱花萌芽成爱

    钢琴恋曲:樱花萌芽成爱

    搞什么?好歹她也是一代众人膜拜女神,剽悍女汉子!怎么能被蓝俊熙这个恶魔王子给打倒呢?校园决战,校园王子vs钢琴公主,谁胜谁负?在两人战斗的过程中,感情悄悄升温,爱情种子在悄悄萌芽但却在战斗的过程中,她的心越来越偏向那个讨厌的家伙……当爱情开始,面对霸气十足帅气王子的追求,钢琴公主会不会同意?樱花树下熟悉的钢琴恋曲,唤起了谁的恋情?指间的旋律,醉心的乐曲,谁……敲醒了她的音符?谁……奏响了她的心之门?倾dream樱花,浪漫幻想成曲,这一季,如雪一般的樱花恋情,是否会在花期中结束?当爱情种子懵懂悄悄发芽,才知道他们的爱情,苦涩于咖啡……
  • 蛊惑天下

    蛊惑天下

    此文中的蛊不同于世俗的观念;是去蛊惑天下还是被天下蛊惑;六大圣蛊的出现及其蛊之精义;野性圣蛊与饲养圣蛊融合之争;见死不救与舍生取义间的抉择;红尘浊世中,功名利禄下,年少的你何去何从?新作盟作品推荐:《我的爱因她们而存在》、《兽兵》、《独狼传》、《欲》、《血酬》、《一千来世之梦之名动长安》、《梦的距离》、《修真魔法师传奇》、《YY男》、《狼人纵横》、《风血江山》、《武士》、《暗夜默示录》、《千年审判》、《江湖之路》、《诸神之快意人生》
  • 小说选刊(2012年第2期)

    小说选刊(2012年第2期)

    本期收录了众多名家的优秀作品,如董立勃的《杀瓜》,王伏焱的《最青春》和方方的《声音低回》等,以飨读者。
  • 80后农民工

    80后农民工

    三个80后农民工平凡的创业故事。因为不安于现状,他们迷茫过,拼搏着。他们渺小、却又伟大,因为他们有梦,有一个不屈的灵魂。作为农民工,什么是生活的意义?想要什么样的生活?如何实现农民工那渴望已久的小小的梦想?读完这本书或许对你将有所启发。你或许会感觉到文中的主人公有自己的影子,因为这是一本描写农民工的真实生活的书,书中有你、有我…………
  • 甘露军茶利菩萨供养念诵成就仪轨

    甘露军茶利菩萨供养念诵成就仪轨

    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。
  • 逃婚事变:恋上恶毒皇后

    逃婚事变:恋上恶毒皇后

    她为了躲避一次又一次相亲,她为了忘记那曾经忧伤的眸子,毅然决定作为第一个人类穿越时空的试验品。却不料有去无回,命悬一线,劫后余生,她成了别人眼里的恶毒皇后。
  • 婚然心动,首席刻骨爱

    婚然心动,首席刻骨爱

    【新文《男神挚爱,天后很迷人》求收藏,已经更新了哦!】陆宸修,B市名媛争相追逐的黄金单身汉,外界盛传他还是处/男,只爱江山和男人!夏昕,时尚杂志社编辑,追求者无数,可她都视若无睹,直到意外再次遇见了陆宸修!而一场有预谋的车祸却将他们硬生生分离!再见面,她和别的男人正在举行订婚,他上前夺过钻石戒指并将它踩在脚下,笑得一脸冰冷,“夏昕,你别忘了,我们还没离婚呢!你这是想犯重婚罪?!”“陆总,你在说什么?难道我们之前认识?”他步步为营,只为帮她恢复记忆!当她记忆恢复后,却意外得知了自己的身世之谜!原来她的亲生父亲居然是…——————————————————————————陆宸修,“时间真的是一场很美丽的轮回,它让我更加看清楚了自己的心!”夏昕,“我对你的爱,只会随时间的推移变得越发浓烈!”PS:这是一篇腹黑暖男陆宸修VS夏昕的甜蜜暖心爱情故事…