Риф, або Там, де розбивається щастя

XXI

           

           AfterluncheonAnna,whowastomotorthesurgeonhome,suggestedtoDarrowthatheshouldaccompanythem.Effiewasalsooftheparty;andDarrowinferredthatAnnawishedtogiveherstep-sonachancetobealonewithhisbetrothed.Onthewayback,afterthesurgeonhadbeenleftathisdoor,thelittlegirlsatbetweenhermotherandDarrow,andherpresencekepttheirtalkfromtakingapersonalturn.DarrowknewthatMrs.LeathhadnotyettoldEffieoftherelationinwhichhewastostandtoher.TheprematuredivulgingofOwen’splanshadthrowntheirownintothebackground,andbycommonconsenttheycontinued,inthelittlegirl’spresence,ontermsofaninformalfriendliness.

           Theskyhadclearedafterluncheon,andtoprolongtheirexcursiontheyreturnedbywayoftheivy-mantledruinwhichwastohavebeenthesceneoftheprojectedpicnic.Thiscircuitbroughtthembacktotheparkgatesnotlongbeforesunset,andasAnnawishedtostopatthelodgefornewsoftheinjuredchildDarrowlefthertherewithEffieandwalkedonalonetothehouse.Hehadtheimpressionthatshewasslightlysurprisedathisnotwaitingforher;buthisinnerrestlessnessventeditselfinanintensedesireforbodilymovement.Hewouldhavelikedtowalkhimselfintoastateoftorpor;totramponforhoursthroughthemoistwindsandthehealingdarknessandcomebackstaggeringwithfatigueandsleep.Buthehadnopretextforsuchaflight,andhefearedthat,atsuchamoment,hisprolongedabsencemightseemsingulartoAnna.

           Asheapproachedthehouse,thethoughtofhernearnessproducedaswiftreactionofmood.

Налаштування
Фон сторінки
Розмір шрифту
Міжрядковий інтервал
Фразові дієслова
Показати / Приховати меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Сторінка 210 з 369