|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 70
"Poor Harriet!" said Philip, swallowing the sugar. "One
more wrench and it will all be over for her; we are leaving
this evening."
Gino was sorry for this. "Then you will not be here
this evening as you promised us. All three leaving?"
"All three," said Philip, who had not revealed the
secession of Miss Abbott; "by the night train; at least,
that is my sister's plan. So I'm afraid I shan't be here."
They watched the departing figure of Harriet, and then
entered upon the final civilities. They shook each other
warmly by both hands. Philip was to come again next year,
and to write beforehand. He was to be introduced to Gino's
wife, for he was told of the marriage now. He was to be
godfather to his next baby. As for Gino, he would remember
some time that Philip liked vermouth. He begged him to give
his love to Irma. Mrs. Herriton--should he send her his
sympathetic regards? No; perhaps that would hardly do.
So the two young men parted with a good deal of genuine
affection. For the barrier of language is sometimes a
blessed barrier, which only lets pass what is good. Or--to
put the thing less cynically--we may be better in new clean
words, which have never been tainted by our pettiness or
vice. Philip, at all events, lived more graciously in
Italian, the very phrases of which entice one to be happy
and kind. It was horrible to think of the English of
Harriet, whose every word would be as hard, as distinct, and
as unfinished as a lump of coal.
Harriet, however, talked little. She had seen enough to
know that her brother had failed again, and with unwonted
dignity she accepted the situation. She did her packing,
she wrote up her diary, she made a brown paper cover for the
new Baedeker. Philip, finding her so amenable, tried to
discuss their future plans. But she only said that they
would sleep in Florence, and told him to telegraph for
rooms. They had supper alone. Miss Abbott did not come
down. The landlady told them that Signor Carella had called
on Miss Abbott to say good-bye, but she, though in, had not
been able to see him. She also told them that it had begun
to rain. Harriet sighed, but indicated to her brother that
he was not responsible.
The carriages came round at a quarter past eight. It
was not raining much, but the night was extraordinarily
dark, and one of the drivers wanted to go slowly to the
station. Miss Abbott came down and said that she was ready,
and would start at once.
"Yes, do," said Philip, who was standing in the hall.
"Now that we have quarrelled we scarcely want to travel in
procession all the way down the hill. Well, good-bye; it's
all over at last; another scene in my pageant has shifted."
"Good-bye; it's been a great pleasure to see you. I
hope that won't shift, at all events." She gripped his hand.
"You sound despondent," he said, laughing. "Don't
forget that you return victorious."
"I suppose I do," she replied, more despondently than
ever, and got into the carriage. He concluded that she was
thinking of her reception at Sawston, whither her fame would
doubtless precede her. Whatever would Mrs. Herriton do?
She could make things quite unpleasant when she thought it
right. She might think it right to be silent, but then
there was Harriet. Who would bridle Harriet's tongue?
Between the two of them Miss Abbott was bound to have a bad
time. Her reputation, both for consistency and for moral
enthusiasm, would be lost for ever.
"It's hard luck on her," he thought. "She is a good
person. I must do for her anything I can." Their intimacy
had been very rapid, but he too hoped that it would not
shift. He believed that he understood her, and that she, by
now, had seen the worst of him. What if after a long
time--if after all--he flushed like a boy as he looked after
her carriage.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|