As the carriage containing Jay Gardiner and Sally came to a sudden stop, he put his head out of the window to learn the cause, and found they had already reached the station.
"We shall reach home by nightfall," he said in a tone of relief.
But to this remark Sally made no reply. She was wondering how she could ever endure life under the same roof with his prying1 mother and sister.
While we leave them speeding onward2, toward the place which was to be the scene of a pitiful tragedy, we must draw back the curtain which has veiled the past, and learn what has become of beautiful, hapless Bernardine.
After her desertion by the young husband whom she had but just wedded3, and the theft of the money which he had placed in her hands, she lay tossing in the ravages4 of brain fever for many weeks in the home to which the kind-hearted policeman had escorted her.
But her youth, health, and strength at last gained the victory, and one day, in the late summer, the doctor in charge pronounced her well, entirely5 cured, but very weak.
As soon as she was able to leave her bed, Bernardine sent for the matron.
"You have all been very kind to me," she said, tears shining in her dark eyes. "You have saved my life; but perhaps it would have been better if you had let me die."
"No, no, my dear; you must not say that," responded the good woman, quickly. "The Lord intends you to do much good on earth yet. When you are a little stronger, we will talk about your future."
"I am strong enough to talk about it now," replied Bernardine. "You know I am poor, and the only way by which a poor girl can live is by working."
"I anticipated what you would say, my dear, and I have been making inquiries6. Of course, I did not know exactly what you were fitted for, but I supposed you would like to be a companion to some nice lady, governess to little children, or something like that."
"I should be thankful to take anything that offers itself," said Bernardine.
"It is our principal mission to find work for young girls who seek the shelter of this roof," went on the matron, kindly7. "The wealthy ladies who keep this home up are very enthusiastic over that part of it. Every week they send us lists of ladies wanting some one in some capacity. I have now several letters from a wealthy woman residing at Lee, Massachusetts. She wants a companion; some one who will be willing to stay in a grand, gloomy old house, content with the duties allotted8 to her."
Bernardine's face fell; there was a look of disappointment in her dark eyes.
"Work is exceedingly hard to obtain in New York just now, my dear child," replied the good woman. "There are thousands of young girls looking for situations who are actually starving. A chance like this occurs only once in a life-time."
Still, Bernardine looked troubled. How could she leave the city which held the one that was dearer than all in the world to her? Ah, how could she, and live?
"Let me show you the paper containing her advertisement," added the matron. "I brought it with me."
As she spoke10, she produced a copy of a paper several weeks old, a paragraph of which was marked, and handed it to Bernadine.
"You can read it over and decide. Let me know when I come to you an hour later. I should advise you to try the place."
Left to herself, Bernardine turned to the column indicated, and slowly perused11 the advertisement. It read as follows:
"Wanted—A quiet, modest young lady as companion to an elderly woman living in a grand, gloomy old house in the suburbs of a New England village. Must come well recommended. Address Mrs. Gardiner, Lee, Mass."
"Gardiner!"
The name fairly took Bernardine's breath away, for it was the name bestowed12 upon her by the young man who had wedded and deserted13 her within an hour.
The very sight of it made her heart grow sick and faint. Still, it held a strange fascination14 for her. She turned to look at it again—to study it closely, to see how it appeared in print, when, to her amazement15, she caught the name "Jay Gardiner" in a column immediately adjoining it.
She glanced up at the head-lines, and as she did so, the very breath seemed to leave her body.
It was a sketch16 of life at Newport by a special correspondent, telling of the gayety that was going on among the people there, particularly at the Ocean House. Nearly, half a column was given to extolling17 the beauty of young Mrs. Gardiner, née Sally Pendleton, the bride of Doctor Jay Gardiner, her diamonds, her magnificent costumes, and smart turn-outs.
The paper fell from Bernardine's hands. She did not faint, or cry out, or utter any moan; she sat there quite still, like an image carved in stone. Jay Gardiner was at Newport with his bride!
The words seemed to have scorched18 their way down to the very depths of her soul and seared themselves there. Jay Gardiner was at Newport with his bride!
What, then, in Heaven's name was she?
Poor Bernardine! It seemed to her in that moment that she was dying.
Had he played a practical joke upon her? Was the marriage which she had believed in so fully19 no marriage at all?
She had no certificate.
It was scarcely an hour from the time the matron had left her until she returned; but when she did so, she cried out in alarm, for Bernardine's face was of an ashen20 pallor, her dark eyes were like coals of fire, and her hands were cold as death. The matron went up to her in great alarm, and gently touched the bowed head.
"Bernardine," she murmured, gently—"Bernardine, my poor child, are you ill? What has happened?"
After some little correspondence back and forth21, Bernardine was accepted by the lady, and in a fortnight more she was able to make the journey.
The matron went down to the depot22 with her, to see her off, and prayed that the girl would not change her mind ere she reached her destination.
The train moved off, and she waved her handkerchief to the sweet, sad, tear-stained face pressed close to the window-pane until a curve in the road hid it from her sight; then she turned away with a sigh.
Bernardine fell back in her seat, not caring whether or not she lived to reach her destination.
It was almost dusk when the train reached the lovely little village of Lee, nestling like a bird's nest amid the sloping green hills.
Bernardine stepped from the car, then stood quite still on the platform, and looked in bewilderment around her.
Mrs. Gardiner had written that she would send a conveyance23 to the station to meet her; but Bernardine saw none.
While she was deliberating as to whether she should inquire the way to the Gardiner place of the station agent, that individual suddenly turned out the lights in the waiting-room, and in an instant had jumped on a bicycle and dashed away, leaving Bernardine alone in a strange place.
At that moment, a man stepped briskly beneath the swinging light. One glance, and she almost swooned from horror.
The man was Jasper Wilde!
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收听单词发音
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1
prying
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| adj.爱打听的v.打听，刺探（他人的私事）( pry的现在分词 )；撬开 | |
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2
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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3
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4
ravages
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| 劫掠后的残迹，破坏的结果，毁坏后的残迹 | |
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5
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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6
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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7
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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8
allotted
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| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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9
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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10
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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11
perused
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| v.读（某篇文字）( peruse的过去式和过去分词 )；（尤指）细阅；审阅；匆匆读或心不在焉地浏览（某篇文字） | |
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12
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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14
fascination
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| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
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15
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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16
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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17
extolling
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| v.赞美( extoll的现在分词 )；赞颂，赞扬，赞美( extol的现在分词 ) | |
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18
scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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19
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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20
ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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21
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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22
depot
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| n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站 | |
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23
conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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