She knew that Roma was selfish and cruel, but she had never realized that such depths of wickedness were concealed2 beneath her beautiful exterior3.
When she saw Roma push the supposed Jesse Devereaux over the face of the cliff to a dreadful death, the hair seemed to rise on her head with horror, and from her lips burst an uncontrollable shriek4 of dismay and remonstrance5, while she tried to spring forward with outstretched arms in a futile6 impulse to avert7 the man's awful fate.
Too late! The writhing8, struggling body went hurtling down over the high cliff, and struck the water with a loud thud that dashed the spray high in air. Then Sophie's limbs relaxed beneath her, and she fell in a heap like one paralyzed, behind the ledge9 of stones, while her terrified shriek went wandering forth10 on the air of night like a wailing11 banshee.
[Pg 62]
But Roma had shrieked12, wildly, too—perhaps in nature's recoil13 from her own sin—so Sophie's protesting cry lost itself in dismal14 echoes. Then all grew still save for the voice of the sea and the dash of water churning itself to fury at the foot of the bluff15.
The maid, crouching16 low in her concealment17, heard Roma flying with terror-haunted footsteps from the scene of her awful crime, and muttered distractedly:
"She has murdered her handsome lover, the beautiful fiend! God in heaven alone knows why! I thought she loved the very ground he trod on!"
The maid was suffering from severe nervous shock. She sobbed18 hysterically19 as she thought of handsome Jesse Devereaux lying drowned at the foot of the cliff, and beaten by the cruel waves that would wash him out to sea when the tide turned, so that Roma's sin would be forever hidden from the sight of men.
"I will go and inform on her at once! She shall suffer the penalty!" she vowed21 at first; but when she thought of gentle, loving Mrs. Clarke her resolution wavered.
"It will kill her to learn of her child's wickedness, the good, gentle lady who has been so kind[Pg 63] and generous to me! I do not know what to do! I would like to punish the daughter, and spare the mother, but I cannot do both," she groaned22, in a state of miserable23 indecision.
It was some time before her trembling limbs permitted her to drag herself from the spot; and when she gained the house and her bed she could not rest. She tossed and groaned, and at length was seized with hysterical20 spasms24, obliging the housemaid to call for assistance.
In the meantime Roma, far less excited than Sophie, had also retired25 to her room and flung herself down by the open window to await impatiently the inevitable26 good-night chat with her mother.
"I wish she would not come. Her affection grows really tiresome27 at times," she muttered rebelliously28, as she heard the light footsteps outside her door.
Mrs. Clarke entered and sat down close to her daughter, putting her white hand tenderly on the girl's shoulder.
"Good girl, to come in when mamma sent for you," she said caressingly29, as to a child.
"You—sent—for—me!" Roma faltered30, in surprise.
[Pg 64]
"Yes, by Sophie. I feared you would take cold, bareheaded out in the night air."
"I have not seen Sophie," Roma muttered sullenly31, with a downcast face.
"Why did Jesse leave so soon?" continued the mother curiously32.
"He did not come. I have been walking in the grounds alone."
"But your papa said, dear——"
"Yes, I know; papa told you I was waiting for Jesse at the gate, but he never came. He disappointed me!"
"Why, that is very strange, dear. And you are grieved over it, I see. Your face is pale, and your whole frame trembles under my touch. Do not take it so hard, darling. Of course Jesse was detained. He will come to-morrow."
"He should have sent me an excuse, mamma!"
"He must have been prevented. I am sure he would not neglect you purposely. He will explain to-morrow."
Roma tossed her proud head, with a bitter laugh.
"I tell you, mamma, I will not brook33 such negligence34. I have broken our engagement."
"Roma!"
[Pg 65]
The girl gave a reckless laugh of wounded pride.
"Yes; I sent him a note, with his ring, just now, setting him free."
"You were precipitate35, Roma; you should have waited for an explanation."
"I did not choose to wait!"
"I fear you will regret it."
"I do not think it likely."
Mrs. Clarke gazed at her in sorrowful silence, whose reproach goaded36 Roma into adding haughtily37:
"I wished to teach Jesse, early, a lesson that I am not to be neglected for anything; that I must be foremost always in his thoughts."
"But have you not gone too far in giving him this lesson? His thoughts will not belong to you now."
"He will bring back his ring, and beg me to take it back to-morrow."
"Are you certain, Roma?"
"As sure as I am of my life!" with a confident laugh.
"Well, perhaps you know him better than I do, Roma, but I fancied Jesse Devereaux very high-spirited—too high-spirited to bear dictation."
"He will have to bend to my will!" Roma cried arrogantly38, and the gentle lady sighed, for she knew that her daughter made this her own motto in life. Power and dominion39 were hers by the force of "might makes right."
Mrs. Clarke rose with a sigh and touched Roma's cheeks with her lips, saying kindly40:
"Well, I hope it will all come right, dear. Good night."
She returned to her own room, thinking: "Poor girl, she is the miserable victim of her own caprice. I could see that she is too terribly agitated41 to sleep an hour to-night."
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1
nutter
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| n.疯子 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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exterior
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| adj.外部的，外在的；表面的 | |
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4
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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5
remonstrance
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| n抗议，抱怨 | |
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6
futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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7
avert
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| v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等) | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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10
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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12
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
recoil
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| vi.退却，退缩，畏缩 | |
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14
dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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15
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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16
crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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18
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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19
hysterically
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| ad. 歇斯底里地 | |
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hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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22
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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23
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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spasms
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| n.痉挛( spasm的名词复数 )；抽搐；（能量、行为等的）突发；发作 | |
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25
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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27
tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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28
rebelliously
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| adv.造反地，难以控制地 | |
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29
caressingly
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| 爱抚地，亲切地 | |
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30
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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31
sullenly
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| 不高兴地，绷着脸，忧郁地 | |
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32
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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33
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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34
negligence
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| n.疏忽，玩忽，粗心大意 | |
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35
precipitate
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| adj.突如其来的；vt.使突然发生；n.沉淀物 | |
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36
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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37
haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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38
arrogantly
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| adv.傲慢地 | |
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39
dominion
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| n.统治，管辖，支配权；领土，版图 | |
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40
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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41
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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