miss sarah jack, of spanish town, jamaica-第6部分

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hours　of　Marian's　exhibition；　and　then　he　said　to　his　aunt　before　he
left〃I　hope　you　have　now　seen　enough；　you　will　hardly　mention　her
name　to　me　again。〃　　Miss　Jack　groaned　from　the　bottom　of　her　heart
but　she　said　nothing。　　She　said　nothing　that　night　to　any　one；　but
she　lay　awake　in　her　bed；　thinking；　till　it　was　time　to　rise　and
dress　herself。　　〃Ask　Miss　Marian　to　come　to　me；〃　she　said　to　the
black　girl　who　came　to　assist　her。　　But　it　was　not　till　she　had　sent
three　times；　that　Miss　Marian　obeyed　the　summons。

At　three　o'clock　on　the　following　day　Miss　Jack　arrived　at　her　own
hall　door　in　Spanish　Town。　　Long　as　the　distance　was　she　ordinarily
rode　it　all；　but　on　this　occasion　she　had　provided　a　carriage　to
bring　her　over　as　much　of　the　journey　as　it　was　practicable　for　her
to　perform　on　wheels。　　As　soon　as　she　reached　her　own　hall　door　she
asked　if　Mr。　Cumming　was　at　home。　　〃Yes；〃　the　servant　said。　　〃He　was
in　the　small　book…room；　at　the　back　of　the　house；　up　stairs。〃
Silently；　as　if　afraid　of　being　heard；　she　stepped　up　her　own　stairs
into　her　own　drawing…room；　and　very　silently　she　was　followed　by　a
pair　of　feet　lighter　and　smaller　than　her　own。

Miss　Jack　was　usually　somewhat　of　a　despot　in　her　own　house；　but
there　was　nothing　despotic　about　her　now　as　she　peered　into　the　book…
room。　　This　she　did　with　her　bonnet　still　on；　looking　round　the　half…
opened　door　as　though　she　were　afraid　to　disturb　her　nephew；　he　sat
at　the　window　looking　out　into　the　verandah　which　ran　behind　the
house；　so　intent　on　his　thoughts　that　he　did　not　hear　her。

〃Maurice；〃　she　said；　〃can　I　come　in？〃

〃Come　in？　oh　yes；　of　course；〃　and　he　turned　round　sharply　at　her。　　〃I
tell　you　what；　aunt；　I　am　not　well　here　and　I　cannot　stay　out　the
session。　　I　shall　go　back　to　Mount　Pleasant。〃

〃Maurice；〃　and　she　walked　close　up　to　him　as　she　spoke；　〃Maurice；　I
have　brought　some　one　with　me　to　ask　your　pardon。〃

His　face　became　red　up　to　the　roots　of　his　hair　as　he　stood　looking
at　her　without　answering。　　〃You　would　grant　it　certainly；〃　she
continued；　〃if　you　knew　how　much　it　would　be　valued。〃

〃Whom　do　you　mean？　who　is　it？〃　he　asked　at　last。

〃One　who　loves　you　as　well　as　you　love　herand　she　cannot　love　you
better。　　Come　in；　Marian。〃　　The　poor　girl　crept　in　at　the　door；
ashamed　of　what　she　was　induced　to　do；　but　yet　looking　anxiously　into
her　lover's　face。　　〃You　asked　her　yesterday　to　be　your　wife；〃　said
Miss　Jack；　〃and　she　did　not　then　know　her　own　mind。　　Now　she　has　had
a　lesson。　　You　will　ask　her　once　again；　will　you　not；　Maurice？〃

What　was　he　to　say？　how　was　he　to　refuse；　when　that　soft　little　hand
was　held　out　to　him；　when　those　eyes　laden　with　tears　just　ventured
to　look　into　his　face？

〃I　beg　your　pardon　if　I　angered　you　last　night；〃　she　said。

In　half　a　minute　Miss　Jack　had　left　the　room；　and　in　the　space　of
another　thirty　seconds　Maurice　had　forgiven　her。　　〃I　am　your　own　now；
you　know；〃　she　whispered　to　him　in　the　course　of　that　long　evening。
〃Yesterday；　you　know；〃　but　the　sentence　was　never　finished。

It　was　in　vain　that　Julia　Davis　was　ill…natured　and　sarcastic；　in
vain　that　Ewing　and　Graham　made　joint　attempt　upon　her　constancy。
From　that　night　to　the　morning　of　her　marriageand　the　interval　was
only　three　monthsMarian　Leslie　was　never　known　to　flirt。







End