’Don’t，’saidJohnny，recoilingintruthfromthepicturebywhichhewasrevolted。’Neveragain，’shesaid，’neveragain！Butyouforceditfromme，andnowIshallnotclosemyeyesforaweek。’
Shethenbecameverycomfortablyconfidential，anddiscussedtheaffairsofpoorMrsDobbsBroughtonwithagreatdealofsatisfaction。’Iwenttoseeher，ofcourse，butshesentmedownwordtosaythattheshockwouldbetoomuchforher。Idonotwonderthatsheshouldnotseeme。
PoorMaria！Shecametomeforadvice，youknow，whenDobbsBroughtonfirstproposedtoher；andIwasobligedtotellherwhatIreallythought。Iknewhercharacterwell？"DearMaria，"Isaid，"ifyouthinkthatyoucanlovehim，takehim！""IthinkIcan，"shereplied。"But，"
saidI，"makeyourselfquitesureaboutthebusiness。"Andhowhasitturnedout？Sheneverlovedhim。WhatheartshehasshehasgiventothatwretchedDalrymple。’
’Idon’tseethatheisparticularlywretched，’saidJohnny，pleadingforhisfriend。
’Heiswretched，andsoyou’llfind。ShegavehimherheartaftergivingherhandtopoorDobbs；andasforthebusiness，thereisn’tasmuchleftaswillpayforhermourning。Idon’twonderthatshecouldnotbringherselftoseeme。’
’Andwhathasbecomeofthebusiness？’
’ItbelongstoMrsVanSiever——toherandMusselboro。PoorBroughtonhadsomelittlemoney，andithasgoneamongthem。Musselboro，whoneverhadapenny，willbearichman。OfcourseyouknowthatheisgoingtomarryClara？’
’Nonsense！’
’Ialwaystoldyouthatitwouldbeso。AndnowyoumayperhapsacknowledgethatConwayDalrymple’sprospectsarenotverybrilliant。I
hopehelikesbeingcutoutbyMrMusselboro！OfcoursehewillhavetomarryMaria。Idonotseehowhecanescape。Indeed，sheistoogoodforhim；——onlyaftersuchamarriageasthat，therewouldbeanendtoallhisprospectsasanartist。ThebestthingforthemwouldbetogotoNewZealand。’
JohnEamescertainlylikedtheseeveningswithMissDemolines。Hesatathiseaseinacomfortablechair，andamusedhimselfbywatchingherdifferentlittleplots。Andthenshehadbrighteyes，andsheflatteredhim，andallowedhimtoscoldheroccasionally。Andnowandagaintheremightbesomemoreattraction，whenshewouldadmithimtotakeherhand——orthelike。Itwasbetterthantositsmokingwithmenathisclub。ButhecouldnotsitupallnightevenwithMadalinaDemolines，andatelevenhegotuptotakehisleave。’WhenshallyouseeMissDale？’sheaskedhimsuddenly。
’Idonotknow，’heanswered，frowningather。HealwaysfrownedatherwhenshespoketohimofMissDale。
’Idonotintheleastcareforyourfrowns，’shesaidplayfully，puttingupherhandstosmoothhisbrows。’IthinkIknowyouintimatelyenoughtonameyourgoddesstoyou。’
’Sheisn’tmygoddess。’
’Averycoldgoddess，Ishouldthink，fromwhatIhear。Iwishtoaskyouforapromiserespectingher。’
’Whatpromise？’
’Willyougrantittome？’
’HowcanItelltillIhear？’
’Youmustpromisemenottospeakofmewhenyouseeher。’
’ButwhymustIpromisethat？’
’Promiseme。’
’Notunlessyoutellmewhy。’JohnnyhadalreadyassuredhimselfthatnothingcouldbemoreimprobablethanthatheshouldmentionthenameofMissDemolinestoLilyDale。
’Verywell，sir。Thenyoumaygo。AndImustsaythatunlessyoucancomplywithsoslightarequestasthat，Ishallnotcaretoseeyouhereagain。MrEames，whyshouldyouwanttospeakevilofmetoMissDale？’
’Idonotwanttospeakevilofyou。’
’Iknowthatyoucouldnotspeakofmetoherwithoutatleastridicule。
Come，promiseme。YoushallcomehereThursdayevening，andIwilltellyouwhyIhaveaskedyou。’
’Tellmenow。’
Shehesitatedamoment，andthenshookherhead。’No。Icannottellyounow。Myheartisstillbleedingwiththememoryofthatpoorman’sface。Iwillnottellyounow。Andyetisnotthatyoumustgivemethepromise。Willyounottrustmesofarasthat？’
’IwillnotspeakofyoutoMissDale。’
’Thereismyownfriend！Andnow，John，mindyouarehereathalf—pasteightonThursday。Punctuallyathalf—pasteight。ThereisathingI
havetotellyou，whichIwilltellyouthenifyouwillcome。Ihadthoughttohavetoldyoutoday。’
’Andwhynotnow？’
’Icannot。Myfeelingsaretoomanyforme。IshouldnevergothroughwithitafterallthathasbetweenusaboutpoorBroughton。Ishouldbreakdown；indeedIshould。Gonow，forIamtired。’Thenhavingprobablytakenamomentaryadvantageofthatmorepotentattractiontowhichwehavebeforealluded，helefttheroomverysuddenly。
HelefttheroomverysuddenlybecauseMadalina’smovementshadbeensosudden，andherwordssofullofimpulse。HehadbecomeawarethatinthislittlegameinwhichhewasplayinginPorchesterTerraceeverythingoughttobedoneaftersomeunaccustomedandspecialfashion。
So——havingclaspedMadalinaforonemomentinhisarms——hemadearushattheroomdoor，andwasoutonthelandinginasecond。HewasalittletooquickforoldLadyDemolines。Theskirtofwhosenight—dress——asitseemedtoJohnny——hesawwhiskingaway，inatanotherdoor。Itwasnothing，however，tohimifoldLadyDemolines，whowasalwaystooilltobeseen，chosetoroamaboutherownhouseinhernight—dress。
Whenhefoundhimselfaloneinthestreet，hismindrevertedtoDobbsBroughtonandthefateofthewretchedman，andhesaunteredslowlydownParisGardens，thathemightlookatthehouseinwhichhehaddinedwithamanwhohaddestroyedhimselfbyhisownhands。Hestoodforamomentlookingupatthewindows，inwhichtherewasnownolight，thinkingofthepoorwomanwhomhehadseeninthemidstofluxury，andwhowasnowleftawidowinsuchmiserablecircumstances！AsforthesuggestionthathisfriendConwaywouldmarryher，hedidnotbelieveitforamoment。HeknewtoowellwhatthesuggestionsofhisMadalinawereworth，andthemotivesfromwhichtheysprung。ButhethoughtitmightbetruethatMrsVanSieverhadabsorbedalltherewasoftheproperty，andpossibly，also，thatMusselborowastomarryherdaughter。Atanyrate，hewouldgotoDalrymple’srooms，andifhecouldfindhim，wouldlearnthetruth。HeknewenoughofDalrymple’swaysoflife，andofthewaysofhisfriend’schambersandstudio，tocarenothingforthelatenessofthehour，andinaveryfewminuteshewassittinginDalrymple’sarm—chair。HefoundSiphDunnthere，smokinginunperturbedtranquillity，andaslongasthatlastedhecouldasknoquestionsaboutMrsBroughton。Hetoldthem，therefore，ofhisadventuresabroad，andofCrawley’sescape。Butatlast，havingfinishedhisthirdpipe，SiphDunntookhisleave。
’Tellme，’saidJohn，assoonasDunnhadclosedthedoor，’whatisthisIhearaboutDobbsBroughton？’
’Hehasblownhisbrainsout。Thatisall。’
’Howterriblyshocking！’
’Yes；itshockedusallatfirst。Weareusedtoitnow。’
’Andthebusiness？’
’Thathasgonetothedogs。Theysayatleastthathisshareofithaddoneso。’
’Andhewasruined？’
’Theysayso。Thatis，Musselborosaysso，andMrsVanSiever。’
’Andwhatdoyousay，Conway？’
’ThelessIsaythebetter。Ihavemyhopes——onlyyou’resuchatalkativefellow，onecan’ttrustyou。’
’Inevertoldanysecretofyours，oldfellow。’
’Well——thatfactis，Ihaveanideathatsomethingmaybesavedforthepoorwoman。Ithinkthattheyarewrongingher。OfcourseallIcandoisputthematterintolawyer’shandsandpaythelawyer’sbill。SoI
wenttoyourcousin，andhehastakenthecaseup。Ihopehewon’truinme。’
’ThenIsupposeyouarequarrellingwithMrsVan？’
’Thatdoesn’tmatter...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：