’I——Iain’talittlepieceofdirt，andifyousaythatI’llnevercometoyouagain。’
’Youdon’tknowwhatyou’vedonetomeI’mnotangry——indeed，I’mnot。
Bequietforaminute。’
BessieremainedinhisarmsshrinkingDick’sfirstthoughtwasconnectedwithMaisie，andithurthimaswhite-hotironhurtsanopensore。
Notfornothingisamanpermittedtoallyhimselftothewrongwoman。
Thefirstpang——thefirstsenseofthingslostisbutthepreludetotheplay，fortheveryjustProvidencewhodelightsincausingpainhasdecreedthattheagonyshallreturn，andthatinthemidstofkeenestpleasure。
Theyknowthispainequallywhohaveforsakenorbeenforsakenbytheloveoftheirlife，andintheirnewwives’armsarecompelledtorealiseit。
Itisbettertoremainaloneandsufferonlythemiseryofbeingalone，solongasitispossibletofinddistractionindailyworkWhenthatresourcegoesthemanistobepitiedandleftalone。
ThesethingsandsomeothersDickconsideredwhilehewasholdingBessietohisheart。
’Thoughyoumayn’tknowit，’hesaid，raisinghishead，’theLordisajustandaterribleGod，Bess；withaverystrongsenseofhumourItservesmeright——howitservesmeright！Torpcouldunderstanditifhewerehere；hemusthavesufferedsomethingatyourhands，child，butonlyforaminuteorsoIsavedhimSetthattomycredit，someone。’
’Letmego，’saidBess，herfacedarkening’Letmego。’
’AllingoodtimeDidyoueverattendSundayschool？’
’NeverLetmego，Itellyou；you’remakingfunofme。’
’Indeed，I’mnotI’mmakingfunofmyselfThus“Hesavedothers，himselfhecannotsave。”Itisn’texactlyaschool-boardtext。’Hereleasedherwrist，butsincehewasbetweenherandthedoor，shecouldnotescape’Whatanenormousamountofmischiefonelittlewomancando！’
’I’msorry；I’mawfulsorryaboutthepicture。’
’I’mnotI’mgratefultoyouforspoilingitWhatwerewetalkingaboutbeforeyoumentionedthething？’
’Aboutgettingaway——andmoneyMeandyougoingaway。’
’OfcourseWewillgetaway——thatistosay，Iwill。’
’Andme？’
’Youshallhavefiftywholepoundsforspoilingapicture。’
’Thenyouwon’t——？’
’I’mafraidnot，dearThinkoffiftypoundsforprettythingsalltoyourself。’
’Yousaidyoucouldn’tdoanythingwithoutme。’
’ThatwastruealittlewhileagoI’mbetternow，thankyouGetmemyhat。’
’S’poseIdon’t？’
’Beetonwill，andyou’lllosefiftypoundsThat’sallGetit。’
BessiecursedunderherbreathShehadpitiedthemansincerely，hadkissedhimwithalmostequalsincerity，forhewasnotunhandsome；itpleasedhertobeinawayandforatimehisprotector，andabovealltherewerefourthousandpoundstobehandledbysomeoneNowthroughaslipofthetongueandalittlefemininedesiretogivealittle，nottoomuch，painshehadlostthemoney，theblessedidlenessandtheprettythings，thecompanionship，andthechanceoflookingoutwardlyasrespectableasareallady。
’NowfillmeapipeTobaccodoesn’ttaste，butitdoesn’tmatter，andI’llthinkthingsoutWhat’sthedayoftheweek，Bess？’
’Tuesday。’
’ThenThursday’smail-dayWhatafool——whatablindfoolIhavebeen！
Twenty-twopoundscoversmypassagehomeagainAllowtenforadditionalexpensesWemustputupatMadamBinat’sforoldtime’ssakeThirty-twopoundsaltogetherAddahundredforthecostofthelasttrip——Gad，won’tTorpstaretoseeme！——ahundredandthirty-twoleavesseventy-eightforbaksheesh——Ishallneedit——andtoplaywith。
Whatareyoucryingfor，Bess？Itwasn’tyourfault，child；itwasminealtogetherOh，youfunnylittleopossum，mopyoureyesandtakemeout！
Iwantthepass-bookandthecheck-bookStopaminuteFourthousandpoundsatfourpercent——that’ssafeinterest——meansahundredandsixtypoundsayear；onehundredandtwentypoundsahear——alsosafe——istwoeighty，andtwohundredandeightypoundsaddedtothreehundredayearmeansgil...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：