They went from one grand building to another, but the good woman soon noticed that Liane seemed best pleased walking along the crowded streets, and that instead of observing all that she pointed3 out, the girl's eyes wandered wistfully from one face to another, as if in search of some one.
"Are you looking for your grandmother?" she asked.
"Oh, no, ma'am," and Liane blushed like a rose.
"Then it must be your beau, you look so bashful. Have you got a beau in Boston?"
Liane shook her pretty head, but she looked so conscious that the woman plied4 her with curious questions, until the young girl owned that she knew one person in Boston, a young man, who had spent several weeks at Stonecliff. Then the curious matron did not rest until she had learned his name.
[Pg 168]
"Jesse Devereaux! Was he handsome as a picture, with big, rolling, black eyes? Yes? Why, my pretty dear, you must not set your heart on him. He is one of the young millionaires up on Commonwealth5 Avenue, the swellest young man in Boston. He would never stoop to a poor working girl."
She saw the beautiful color fade from the girl's rosy6 cheek, and her bosom7 heaved with emotion as she faltered8:
"He was very kind to me at Stonecliff!"
Mrs. Brinkley knew the world so well that she took instant alarm, exclaiming warningly:
"Don't you set any store by his kindness, child. No good comes of rich young men showing attentions to pretty working girls. If you have followed him here through a fancy for his handsome face, then you had better go home to-night."
Eagerly, blushingly, Liane disclaimed9 such a purpose, saying granny had brought her to see a relative.
"I—I only thought I might see his face in some of the crowded streets," she faltered.
"It is better for you never to see his face again, for it's plain to be seen he has stolen your heart,"[Pg 169] chided the widow. "Come, I'll show you his grand home, and then you may understand better how much he is above you, and how useless it is to hope to catch him."
Liane's cheeks burned at the chidings of the good woman, and tears leaped to her eyes, but she did not refuse the proffer10 of seeing Devereaux's home. She thought eagerly:
"I might see him at the window, or perhaps coming down the steps into the street. Then, if he should come and speak to me joyfully11, as he did that night at the beauty contest, I believe even this good, anxious woman could see that he loves me."
She walked along happily by Mrs. Brinkley's side, carrying the jaunty12 brown jacket on her arm, as Lizzie had advised, for the sun's rays were warm, and she was weary from her sightseeing. The scarlet13 silk waist looked very gay, but if she had dreamed of the dreadful letter that had told Devereaux she was coming to Boston to buy a red silk gown, she would have torn it off and trampled14 it beneath her feet.
Her beautiful eyes sparkled with pleasure at sight of the splendid homes of Boston's wealthy class, and she could not help exclaiming:
[Pg 170]
"I am not envious15, but I would like to be rich and live in one of these palaces."
"That you can never do, child, so don't think about it any more, as I tell Lizzie, when she gets to sighing for riches," rejoined the prudent16 matron. "Look, now, at that grand house we're coming to; Mr. Devereaux lives there with his old father and his young married sister, the proudest beauty in Boston. You see, I read all about them in the society columns, and—oh!"
She paused with a stifled17 shriek18, for the great front door of the grand mansion19 had indeed opened, as Liane secretly prayed it would, and a man came down the steps—Jesse Devereaux himself!
Leaving Lyde beside his father's bed, he was going out for a walk to try to shake off the benumbing influences of the letter that had shattered his air castles into hopeless ruins.
It seemed to him as if his thoughts had taken bodily shape, as he beheld20 Liane there in reach of his hand, her timid, eager glance lifted almost appealingly to his face.
He hesitated, he almost stopped to speak to her, so thrilled was he by the sight of her lovely face[Pg 171] again, but his eyes fell on the gay red silk waist, and the words of her letter recurred21 to his mind:
"I'm coming down to Bostin to see the sites, and buy a red silk gown. I've always been crazy for one."
She was here, she had the red silk gown she craved22, and idle curiosity had led her to pass his house, perhaps boasting to her companion, meanwhile, that she had flirted23 with the owner and refused his hand.
A deep crimson24 rose to his brow, and his heart almost stopped its beating with wounded love and pride. Just glancing at Liane with cold, indifferent eyes, he lifted his hat, bowed stiffly, and passed her by in scorn.
The girl, who had almost stopped to speak to him, gave a sigh that was almost a sob25, and dropped her eyes, moving on by Mrs. Brinkley's side with a sinking heart.
"That was he, Jesse Devereaux himself," whispered the latter excitedly. "My, what a cold, haughty26 stare and bow; enough to freeze you. You see how 'tis, my dear? When city folks visit the country they're mighty27 gracious, but when country folks come to the city, they don't hardly recognize 'em."
[Pg 172]
Liane's pale smile at Mrs. Brinkley's observation was sadder than the wildest outburst of tears.
"I see that you are right," she answered, with gentle humility28 that touched her new friend's heart, and made her exclaim:
"Don't never give him another thought, honey. He ain't worth it. You're sweet enough and pretty enough to marry the proudest in the land, but nothing don't count now but money."
They hurried home to the poor lodgings29, so different from the splendid locality they had just left, and found granny just returned from her search and in rather a good humor from the day's outing.
She did not scold Liane for going out, as the girl expected, but said calmly:
"I was too late. I found Cora dead and the funeral just starting, so I went with it, and saw her laid away in her last home. Then I thought I had just as well finish the day looking over the things she left, but I wasn't any better off by it, for the people where she boarded took it all for debt."
She was lying straight along, but, of course, Liane did not know it, and she tried to feel a little sorrow for the unknown mother laid in her lonely[Pg 173] grave to-day, but the emotion was very faint. She could not grieve much for one she had never seen, and of whom granny had given such a frankly30 bad report.
Her first thought was that now she could go back to Stonecliff, away from the city that had held Jesse Devereaux, whose proud glance and chilling bow had stabbed her heart with such cruel pain.
But on making this request, the old woman scowled31 in disapproval32.
"Back to Stonecliff? No, indeed!" she cried. "I hate the place, and I left it for good when we came away. You can get a place to work in Boston, and we will stay here."
"Yes, it will be easy to get in as a salesgirl at the store where I work. I'll recommend you," said the sick girl kindly33.
Liane knew there was no appeal from granny's decision, and, after thanking Lizzie for the loan of her gown and hat, she returned to the shabby little room, longing34 to seek solitude35 in her grief.
But granny soon entered, carrying a bundle, and exclaiming:
"Mrs. Brinkley says you bought this dress to-day,[Pg 174] and paid for it, too! Now, where'd the money come from, I'd like to know?"
Liane had to confess the truth about the beauty contest, and, as soon as the old woman took it in, she cried furiously:
"And you dared to spend that money for finery, you vain hussy?"
"It was my own, granny," Liane answered.
"Where is the rest of it? Give me every penny that is left, before I beat you black and blue!" raged the old termagant.
"Granny, you promised never to beat me again if I would stay and work for you in your old age," reminded Liane.
"I don't care what I promised! Give me the rest of the money before I kill you!" hissed36 the savage37 creature, clutching Liane's arm so tight that she sobbed38 with pain.
"Let go, or I'll call for help!"
"Dare to do it, and I'll choke you before any one comes!" winding39 her skinny claws about the fair white throat.
Liane felt as if her last hour had come, and she was so unhappy she did not greatly care, but she struggled with the old harpy, and succeeded in throwing her off, while she said rebelliously40:
[Pg 175]
"I will never give you the money while I live, and if you kill me to get it, it will do you no good. You will be hanged for my murder."
Perhaps granny saw the force of this reasoning, for she desisted from her brutality41, whining42:
"I'm so poor, so miserably43 poor, that you ought to give me every penny you get."
"And dress in rags!" cried the girl indignantly. "No, granny, I will never do it again, and if you illtreat me any more, I will run away from you, and then you will starve."
She knew she would never have the heart to carry out her threat, but she had found out that she could intimidate44 the old woman by the threat of leaving, so she put on a bold air, and continued:
"Here is five dollars for a present, and it is all you will get of that money. I gave away twenty-five dollars in keepsakes to my girl friends before I left Stonecliff, and I have spent thirty dollars for some decent clothes to wear. Now, I have given you five dollars, and I have but forty left, and I shall keep that for myself, in case I have to run away from you and hide myself from your brutality."
Granny snatched eagerly at the money, muttering[Pg 176] maledictions on the girl for her extravagance, but Liane, sitting with downcast eyes, pretended not to take any notice of her, until the old woman, glaring at her in wonder at the beauty that could win such a prize, demanded harshly:
"Was Miss Clarke's picture in that contest?"
When Liane answered in the affirmative, she was startled at the woman's anger.
"You dared to take that prize over beautiful Roma's head—you?" she cried furiously.
"I did not take it. The judges gave it to me. The contest was open to any pretty girl, rich or poor," Liane answered gently.
Granny looked as if she could spring upon the girl and rend45 her limb from limb, so bitter was her rage. She moved about the room, clinching46 her hands in fury, whispering maledictions to herself, but again Liane forgot to notice her, she was so absorbed in her own troubles.
She had dreamed a fleeting47 dream of love and bliss48, and the awakening49 was cruel!
"I have been vain, foolish, to dream he loved me because he sent me a few roses and offered to walk home with me that night. He was only amusing himself," she thought, shrinking in pain from the cruel truth.
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收听单词发音
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1
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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2
proprietorship
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| n.所有（权）；所有权 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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4
plied
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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commonwealth
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| n.共和国，联邦，共同体 | |
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rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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8
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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9
disclaimed
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| v.否认( disclaim的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
proffer
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| v.献出，赠送；n.提议，建议 | |
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11
joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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12
jaunty
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| adj．愉快的，满足的；adv.心满意足地，洋洋得意地；n.心满意足；洋洋得意 | |
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13
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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14
trampled
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| 踩( trample的过去式和过去分词 )； 践踏； 无视； 侵犯 | |
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15
envious
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| adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的 | |
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16
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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17
stifled
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| （使）窒息， （使）窒闷( stifle的过去式和过去分词 )； 镇压，遏制； 堵 | |
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18
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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19
mansion
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| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
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20
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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21
recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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22
craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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23
flirted
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| v.调情，打情骂俏( flirt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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25
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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26
haughty
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| adj.傲慢的，高傲的 | |
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27
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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28
humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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29
lodgings
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| n. 出租的房舍, 寄宿舍 | |
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30
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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31
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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33
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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34
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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35
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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36
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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37
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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38
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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39
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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40
rebelliously
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| adv.造反地，难以控制地 | |
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41
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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42
whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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43
miserably
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| adv.痛苦地；悲惨地；糟糕地；极度地 | |
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44
intimidate
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| vt.恐吓，威胁 | |
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45
rend
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| vt.把…撕开，割裂；把…揪下来，强行夺取 | |
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46
clinching
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| v.（尤指两人）互相紧紧抱[扭]住( clinch的现在分词 )；解决（争端、交易），达成（协议） | |
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47
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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48
bliss
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| n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福 | |
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49
awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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