He remained by her side, enraptured1 with her beauty and her bashful grace, and he lost no time in preferring a request to walk home with her that night, thinking to himself how sweet it would be to walk with her beneath the brilliant moonlight, the little hand resting on his arm, while the low, musical voice answered his remarks with the timidity that showed how unconscious she was of her own enchanting2 beauty.
He could scarcely credit what they had told him this afternoon when examining the portraits: that Liane Lester was only a poor sewing girl, with a cruel grandmother, who beat her upon the slightest pretext3, and never permitted her to have a lover.
"She looks like a young princess. It is a wonder that some brave young man has not eloped with her before now," he declared.
[Pg 134]
"Every one is afraid of Granny Jenks," they replied; but Jesse Devereaux only remained gravely silent. He had decided4 to win sweet Liane for his own, in spite of a hundred vixenish grannies.
He had sent her the fragrant5 roses to wear, determining to disclose his identity that night, and to win her sweet promise to be his bride.
Now his plans were all spoiled by the artist's sudden infatuation, and he could have cursed Roma for the spiteful man?uvring that had kept him an unwilling6 captive, while Liane was drifting beyond his reach.
All his pleasure was over for to-night, yet he did not give up hope for the future. His dark eyes had not failed to detect the joy in her glance, and the blush on her cheek at their meeting, and his ears had caught the little regretful ring in her voice, as she whispered that she had already promised Mr. Dean.
Presently the people all began to go away, and with keen pain he saw Liane leaving with her new admirer, her little hand resting like a snowflake on his black coat sleeve.
"But it shall be my turn to-morrow," he vowed7 to himself, turning away with a jealous pang8, and[Pg 135] pretending not to see Dolly Dorr, who had lingered purposely in his way, hoping he would see her home.
Disappointed in her little scheme, she rather crossly accepted the offer of a dapper dry-goods clerk, and went off on his arm, laughing with forced gayety as she passed Devereaux, to let him see that she did not care.
Devereaux did not even hear the laughter of the piqued9 little flirt10. He could think of nothing but his keen disappointment over Liane. He returned to his hotel in the sulks.
After all his pleasant anticipations11, his disappointment was keen and bitter.
"How can I wait until to-morrow?" he muttered, throwing himself down disconsolately12 into a chair.
Suddenly a messenger entered with a telegram, and, tearing it hastily open, he read:
Come at once. Father has had a stroke of apoplexy.
Lyde.
Lyde was his only sister, married a year before, and a leader in society. He could fancy how helpless she would be at this juncture—the pretty, petted girl.
[Pg 136]
Filial grief and affection drove even the thought of Liane temporarily from his mind.
Calling in a man to pack his effects, he left on the earliest train for his home in Boston.
But as the train rushed on through the night and darkness, Liane blended with his troubled thoughts, and he resolved that he would write to her at the earliest opportunity. He would not leave the field clear for his enamored rival.
He realized, too, that the clever and handsome artist would be a dangerous rival; still, he felt sure that Liane had some preference for himself. On this he based his hopes for Malcolm Dean's failure.
"She will not forget that night upon the beach, and the opportune13 service I did her. Her grateful little heart will not turn from me," he thought hopefully.
Malcolm Dean was the only one he could think of as likely to come between him and Liane. He had not an apprehension14 as to Roma Clarke's baleful jealousy15. And yet he should have remembered the hate that had flashed from her eyes and hissed16 in her voice when she taxed him with voting for Liane.
[Pg 137]
Again, she had nearly fainted when he was excusing himself to speak to her successful rival.
And even now, while the fast-flying train bore him swiftly from Stonecliff, Roma paced her chamber17 floor like one distraught, wringing18 her hands and alternately bewailing her fate and vowing19 vengeance20.
Before Roma's angry eyes seemed to move constantly the vision of her rival in her exquisite21 beauty. Liane, in her girlish white gown, with the fragrant pink roses at her slender waist—Liane, the humble22 sewing girl she had despised, but who had now become her hated rival.
Jesse Devereaux admired her; thought her the loveliest girl in the world. Perhaps, even, he was in love with her. That was why he had taken so gladly the dismissal she had so rashly given.
A fever of unavailing regret burned in Roma's veins23, the fires of jealous hate gleamed in her flashing eyes.
"I would gladly see her dead at my feet," she cried furiously.
Before she sought her pillow, she had resolved on a plan to forestall24 Devereaux's courtship.
She would go to-morrow morning to see the wicked old grandmother of Liane; she would have[Pg 138] a good excuse, because the old woman had desired the visit, and she would tell her that Devereaux was engaged to herself, and warn her not to permit her granddaughter to accept attentions that could mean nothing but evil. She would even bribe25 the old woman, if necessary. She was ready to make any sacrifice to punish Jesse for what she called to herself his perfidy26, ignoring the fact that she had set him free to woo whom he would.
Granny was tidying up her floor next morning, when a footstep on the threshold made her start and look around at a vision of elegance27 and beauty framed in sunshine that made the coppery waves of her hair shine lurid28 red as the girl bowed courteously29, saying:
"I am Miss Clarke. Mamma said you wished to see me."
Granny dropped her broom and sank into a chair, staring with dazed eyes at the radiant beauty in her silken gown.
As no invitation to enter was forthcoming, Roma stepped in and seated herself, with a supercilious30 glance at the shabby surroundings. She thought to herself disdainfully:
"To think of being rivaled in both beauty and love by a low-born girl raised in a hovel!"
[Pg 139]
Yet she saw that everything was scrupulously31 clean and neat, as though Liane made the best of what she had.
The old woman, without speaking a word, stared at Roma with eager eyes, as if feasting on her beauty, a tribute to her vanity that pleased Roma well, so she smiled graciously and waited with unwonted patience until granny heaved a long sigh, and exclaimed:
"It is a pleasure to behold32 you at last, Miss Roma, as a beauty and an heiress! Ah, you must be very happy!"
The young girl sighed mournfully:
"Wealth and beauty cannot give happiness when one's lover is fickle33, flirting34 with poor girls at the expense of their reputations."
"What do you mean?" gasped35 the old woman, and somehow Roma felt that she was making a favorable impression, and did not hesitate to add:
"I am speaking of your granddaughter, Liane Lester. The girl is rather pretty, and I suppose that her vanity makes her ambitious to marry rich. She flirts36 with every young man she sees, and lately she has been making eyes at my betrothed37 husband, Jesse Devereaux, a handsome young millionaire. He loves me as he does his[Pg 140] life, but he is a born flirt, and he is amusing himself with Liane in spite of my objections. So I thought I would come and ask you to scold the girl for her boldness."
"Scold her! That I will, and whip her, too, if you say so! I will do anything to please you, beautiful lady," whimpered granny, moving closer to Roma, and furtively38 stroking her rich dress with a skinny, clawlike hand, while she looked at the girl with eager eyes.
Roma frowned a little at this demonstration39 of tenderness, but she was glad the old woman took it so calmly about Liane, and answered coolly:
"So that you keep them apart, I do not care how much you whip her, for her boldness deserves a check, and I suppose that you cannot restrain her, except by beating."
She was surprised and almost shocked as granny whispered hoarsely40:
"I would beat her—yes; I would kill her before she should steal your grand lover, darling!"
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收听单词发音
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1
enraptured
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| v.使狂喜( enrapture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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enchanting
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| a.讨人喜欢的 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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6
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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7
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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8
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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9
piqued
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| v.伤害…的自尊心( pique的过去式和过去分词 )；激起（好奇心） | |
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flirt
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| v.调情，挑逗，调戏；n.调情者，卖俏者 | |
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anticipations
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| 预期( anticipation的名词复数 )； 预测； （信托财产收益的）预支； 预期的事物 | |
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disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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opportune
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| adj.合适的，适当的 | |
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apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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16
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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17
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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18
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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19
vowing
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式） | |
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20
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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21
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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23
veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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24
forestall
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| vt.抢在…之前采取行动；预先阻止 | |
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bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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26
perfidy
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| n.背信弃义，不忠贞 | |
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27
elegance
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| n.优雅；优美，雅致；精致，巧妙 | |
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28
lurid
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| adj.可怕的；血红的；苍白的 | |
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courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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30
supercilious
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| adj.目中无人的，高傲的；adv.高傲地；n.高傲 | |
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31
scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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32
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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fickle
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| adj.(爱情或友谊上)易变的，不坚定的 | |
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34
flirting
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| v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的现在分词 ) | |
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35
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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36
flirts
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| v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的第三人称单数 ) | |
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37
betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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38
furtively
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| adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
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39
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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40
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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