下载辰思小说免费APP
"Ihopeyouwon\'tfindoutyourmistakewhenitistoolate.Ifyouthinkofmarryingthatartistfellow,Thorpe,Imayaswelltellyouthathecanhardlysupporthimself,muchlessawife."
ThiswasmorethanMabelcouldbear.Sherosetoherfeet,andhereyesflashedfire.
"Youhavenorighttosaythis,"sheexclaimed."Mr.Thorpehasneverspokentomeoflove.Asforhiscircumstances,Ihaveneverconsideredthem.Ionlyknowthatheisagentleman."
Shesweptoutoftheroomindignantly,leavingMr.Chesterratherbewildered.Hetookhishatandleftthehouse,sorelydisappointed,andstillmoreangry.Hisvanityhadreceivedaseverewound,whichwouldtakealongertimetohealthanhisheart,whichhadnotbeensoseriouslyaffected.
AshewalkedtowardsthehotelhefeltverybittertowardsMabel,andscowledfiercelyatAllanThorpe,whomhehappenedtomeetontheway,though,asitwasdark,theartistwashappilyunconsciousofit.Hethirstedforrevenge.HewishedtoshowMabelthathewasnotinconsolable.Unhappilyforthebachelor,hewasinthismoodwhenhereachedthehotelandmetMissClementinaRaymond.
Hedidnotcareaparticleforher,butspiteagainstMissFrosthurriedhimontotheavowalofapassionthathedidnotfeel.Hisofferwasratheracool,business-likeproposalthananimpulsivedeclarationofaffection.ButClementinamadeupforhislackofsentimentbyabashfulconfusion,whichwasverywellassumed.
"I
amsosurprised,andsoembarrassed,Mr.Chester,"shesaid.
"HowcouldIdreamthatyouwerekindenoughtoregardmewithsuchsentiments?Iought,perhaps,toconsultmamma."
"Ifyouhaveanydoubtaboutyouranswer,"saidMr.Chesterabruptly,alreadyhalfregrettinghisprecipitancy,"saysowithouthesitation."
Evidentlythedelaywouldbedangerous,andClementinadecidedtosettlethematteratonce.
"No,"shesaid,"Iwillnotconsultmamma.Iknowherhighopinionofyou,dearMr.Chester——letmesayRandolph.Ifyoucareforthislittlehand,itisyours,"andshetimidlylaidalargeandwelldevelopedpalminhis.Shewasratherdisappointedthathedidnotpressittohislips.
InallthenovelsshehadtakenfromtheBrooklynMercantileLibrary,thatwaswhatenrapturedloversalwaysdidwhenaccepted.Mr.Chesterjustpressedthehandslightly,and,rising,saidinabusiness-likeway;"Verywell,MissRaymond,wewillconsiderthemattersettled.Iwillleaveyounow,asyouwillprobablywishtotellyourmother."
ThiswasthewayinwhichClementinatoldhermotherthenews:"Mamma,thatoldgoosehasproposed,andIhaveacceptedhim."
"Whatoldgoose?"
"RandolphChester,ofcourse.He\'sasoldasthehills,buthe\'sgotmoney."
"Andyouarenearlytwentyfive,mylove."
"Oh,bother,mamma!What\'stheuseofmentioningmyage?Somebodymightbewithinhearing.Remember,ifheaskshowoldIam,youarenottoanswersoimpertinentaquestion."
"Verywell,Clementina.Ofcourse,mychild,ourinterestsarethesame.I
amreallygladyouwillhaveahusbandofmeans.Ithasbeenveryhardtokeepupagenteelappearanceonourlimitedincome,anditwillbearelieftohavesomeonetoprovide."
"Youareright,mother.OfcourseIwouldn\'tthinkofmarryingtheoldmummyifhehadn\'tplentyofmoney.Hethinkswearerich;soyoumustbecarefulnottodropanyhintofourrealsituationuntilafterwearemarried.
IwonderifIcan\'tinducehimtotakemetoEuropeforourweddingtour."
"Thatwouldbeaverypleasantarrangement,Clementina.IalwayswantedtogotoEurope."
"Ofcourseyoucouldn\'tgo,mamma,"saidtheselfishdaughter.
"IamsureMr.Chesterwouldn\'tagreetoit.Imayfinditveryhardtoinducehimtotakeme."
"I
shouldbeverylonelyifyouleftmeathome,"saidthedisappointedmother.
"I
shouldwriteyouoften.Thatwoulddoalmost,aswell."
Mrs.
Raymonddidnotthinkso,butsheknewherdaughter\'shard,ingrainedselfishnesstoowelltopressthematter.ShereceivedMr.Chesteronthefootingofason-in-lawmostgraciously,thoughitdidoccurtoherthatitwouldhavebeenbetterifshecouldhavesecuredhimasahusbandinsteadofClementina;thenshecouldhavemadetheEuropeantour.
Itmaybeaswell,however,tosayherethatneithertomothernordaughterwererevealedthesceniccharmsofEurope.WhenRandolphChesterdiscoveredthathehadmarriedagenteelpauperhewasdeeplyincensed,andwasinnomoodtograntfavorstothewifewhohaddeceivedhim.Hemarriedinhaste,torepentatleisure.
Chapter12
Thedayofexaminationcame,andthesmallschoolroomwasthrongedwithvisitors.Theexercisespassedoffinthemostsatisfactorymanner.SquireHadley,aschairmanoftheSchoolCommittee,madethefirstspeech.Itwasnotamodelofeloquence,buthemadeitclearthatheconsideredtheschoolasuccessandtookcredittohimselfforengagingsocompetentateacher.Mr.Wilsonfollowed.Hetoo,expressedheartyapprovaloftheexercises,andtenderedhiscordialcongratulationstoMissFrostforremarkablesuccessininspiringthescholarswithaloveoflearning.
Hehopedthetownwouldbeabletoretaintheservicesofsoaccomplishedaninstructress.TohimsucceededAdoniramFry,who,inajocularway,lamentedthatasaboyithadnotbeeninhispowertobeascholarunderMissFrost\'sinstruction.Allwerecomplimentary,andMabel\'scheekswereflushedwithpleasure.
RandolphChesterwasnotpresentattheclosingexercises.NeitherweretheRaymonds.Theengagementhadleakedout,andthereforetheirabsencedidnotexcitesurprise.Itwasascertainedthattheyhaddriventoaneighboringtown.
Itwasnotdiscovered,however,tilllater,whattheirerrandwas.Theydroveatoncetotheresidenceofaclergyman,andwhentheyreturnedClementinawasMrs.RandolphChester.Clementinaherselfhadartfullyhintedhowromanticitwouldbe,andhowpeoplewouldbetakenbysurprise.Mr.Chestercarednothingforthis;butitoccurredtohimthatMabelwouldbemortifiedonlearninghowquicklyhehadbeenconsoledforherloss.PoorMr.Chester!Inafteryearshelookeduponthisasthemostidioticactofhislife.
IntheeveningAllanThorpecalledandinvitedMabeltogooutforawalk.Itwasabeautifulmoonlightnight.Theywalkedslowlytothepond,whichwasnotfaraway,andsatdownonarusticseatbeneathawidespreadingoak.Theyhadbeentalkingonvariousthingsforsometime,whenasuddensilencecameuponboth.
Itwasatlengthbrokenbytheyoungartist.
"I
hopeyouwillforgivemeforbringingyouhere,"hesaid.
"Whyshouldyouwantforgiveness?"sheasked,verymuchsurprised.
"BecauseIbroughtyouherewithaspecialobjectinview.Rebukemeifyouwill,but——Mabel,Iloveyou."
Shedidnotseemmuchsurprised.
"Howlonghasitbeenso?"sheaskedinalowvoice.
"I
begantoloveyou,"heanswered,"whenIfirstsawyouattheartists\'reception.ButyouweresofarremovedfrommethatIdidnotdaretoavowit,eventomyself.Youwerearichsocialqueen,andIwasapoorman.I
shouldneverhavedaredtotellyouallthisifyouhadnotlostyourwealth."
"Doesthismakemeanymoreworthy?"askedMabelsmiling.
"Ithasbroughtyounearertome.WhenIsawhowbravelyyoumetadversefortune;whenIsawagirlbroughtuptoeveryluxury,asyouwere,quietlydevotingherselftoteachingavillageschool,Irejoiced.Iadmiredyoumorethanever,andIresolvedtowinyouifpossible.Canyougivemeahope,Mabel?
Hebentoverherwithalookoftenderaffectioninhismanlyface.
"I
won\'tkeepyouinsuspense,Allan,"shesaidwithanansweringlook.
"Ihavenotknownyoulongbutlongenoughtotrustmyfutureinyourhands."
AfterawhileAllanThorpebegantodiscusshisplansandhopesforthefuture.
"I
ambeginningtobesuccessful,"hesaid."Ican,evennow,supportyouinamodestway,andwithhealthIfeelassuredofalarger——Ihopeamuchlarger——incomeintime.Icanrelieveyoufromteachingatonce."
Mabelsmiled.
"ButsupposeIdonotconsideritaburden.SupposeIlikeit."
"Thenyoucanteachme."
"Itmightbecomemonotonoustohaveonlyonepupil."
"I
hopenot,"saidAllanearnestly.
Whenhepressedhertonameanearlydayfortheirmarriage,Mabelsaid:"Beforewegoanyfurther,Ihaveaconfessiontomake.Ihopeitwon\'tbedisagreeabletoyou."
Hesilentlyinclinedhisheadtolisten.
"WhotoldyouIhadlostmyproperty?"sheasked.
"Noone.Iinferreditfromfindingyouhere,teachingavillageschoolforsevendollarsaweek,"repliedAllan.
"What!Haveyouinquiredmyincomesoexactly?Ifearyouaremercenary."
"I
canrememberthetime——notsolongsince,either——whenIearnedlessthanthatbymyart.But,Mabel,whatdoyoumeanbyyourquestions?Ofcourseyouhavelostyourproperty."
"Thenmybankerhasfailedtoinformmeofit.No,Allan,IamnopoorerthanIeverwas."
"Why,then,didyoubecomeateacher?"askedAllanThorpe,bewildered.
"BecauseIwishedtobeofsomeservicetomykind;becauseIwastiredofthehollowfrivolityofthefashionableworld.Idon\'tregretmyexperiment.I
neverexpectedtobesorichlyrewarded."
"Andyou,asrichasever,bestowyourhandonapoorartist?"heexclaimedalmostincredulously.
"Unlessthepoorartistwithdrawshisoffer,"sheansweredwithasmile.
OftheconversationthatfolloweditisneedfulonlytoreportthatitwasmutuallydecidedthatMabel\'ssecretwastobekeptforthepresent.ShewasstilltobethepoorschoolteacherintheeyesofGranville.ThemarriagewastotakeplaceinOctober,MabelbeingreconciledtothebriefnessoftheengagementbytherepresentationthatOctoberwouldbeafavorablemonthforavoyagetoEurope.TheyhadalreadydecidedtospendtwoyearsinItaly.MabelhadalwayslongedtoseeItaly,anditwouldnodoubtbefullofdelightfulopportunitiesofimprovementinhisartforAllanThorpe.
Mabel\'sengagementmadeasecondsensation,Mr.Chester\'selopementbeingthefirst.
Manywerethecongratulationsoffered,thoughtheseweremingledwithregretthatsogoodateachershouldbelosttothevillage.Mr.Chesterheardthenewsingloomysilence.Hiswiferemarkedpatronizinglythatitwasaverysuitablematch,for"bothareaspooraspoverty,goodnessknows!"
TheweddingtookplacequietlyinOctober,andinGranville.NooneasyetknewthatMabelwasotherthansheseemed,thoughMr.Wilsonhadbeeninformedofherrealname.When,however,acheckforfivehundreddollarswashandedtohimashisfeeforcelebratingthemarriage,hefalteredinamazement,asheinquired,"Whatdoesthismean,Allan?"
"Itmeans,mydearuncle,thatMabelisnotonlyrichineveryvirtueandeveryaccomplishment,butsheisalsoburdenedwithalargeportionofthisworld\'sgoods.Thisismyfirstopportunityforsayingwhatsheauthorizedmetosay,thatwewillgladlydefrayRalph\'sexpensesthroughcollegewheneveryouarereadytosendhim."
"Godisindeedgoodtomeandmine!"saidtheminister,hisfacebeamingwithhappiness."Mydearchild"——thiswastoMabel——
"mayyoualwaysbeashappyasyouhavemadeus."
"Youhavemadeusallhappy,dearMabel,"saidherhusband."ItwasindeedablesseddaywhenyoucametoGranvilletoteach."
