A Woman Perfected
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Оглавление
Marsh Richard. A Woman Perfected
CHAPTER I. STRICKEN
CHAPTER II. THE OPEN WINDOW
CHAPTER III. LITTLE BY LITTLE
CHAPTER IV. THE AVERNIAN SLOPE
CHAPTER V. PETER PIPER'S POPULAR PILLS
CHAPTER VI. HER LOVE STORY
CHAPTER VII. THE PUZZLE WHICH DONALD LINDSAY LEFT BEHIND HIM
CHAPTER VIII. A PHILANTHROPIST
CHAPTER IX. THE BUTLER
CHAPTER X. THE EARL AND THE COUNTESS
CHAPTER XI. ROBERT
CHAPTER XII. IN THE WOOD
CHAPTER XIII. LOVERS' TIFFS
CHAPTER XIV. THE PARTING OF THE WAYS
CHAPTER XV 'SO EARLY IN THE MORNING'
CHAPTER XVI. GULDENHEIM
CHAPTER XVII. NORA GOES
CHAPTER XVIII. MISS GIBB
CHAPTER XIX. A YOUNG LADY IN SEARCH OF A LIVING
CHAPTER XX. KING SOLOMON
CHAPTER XXI. NORA FINDS SOMETHING TO DO
CHAPTER XXII. MASTER AND MAN
CHAPTER XXIII. A JOBBING SECRETARY
CHAPTER XXIV. MR. MORGAN'S EXPERIENCES OF THE UNEXPECTED
CHAPTER XXV. ON THEIR HONEYMOON
CHAPTER XXVI. AN OFFER OF FRIENDSHIP
CHAPTER XXVII. A ROYAL ROAD TO FORTUNE
CHAPTER XXVIII. TO BE-OR NOT TO BE-POSTPONED
CHAPTER XXIX. IN JOSEPH OLDFIELD'S FLAT
CHAPTER XXX. WHEN THIEVES FALL OUT
CHAPTER XXXI. HUSBAND AND WIFE
CHAPTER XXXII. A FORGOTTEN COAT
CHAPTER XXXIII. THE AUTOGRAPH ALBUM
CHAPTER XXXIV. UNTO THE LIGHT
CHAPTER XXXV. BREAD UPON THE WATERS
Отрывок из книги
On the Sunday Donald Lindsay died, in the afternoon, about half-past four; probably about the time, Dr. Banyard said, when he had first been stricken. Although, apparently, conscious to the last, he died speechless, without being able to do anything to relieve himself of the burden which lay upon his mind; a burden which, it seemed not improbable, had been the first cause of the fate which had so suddenly overtaken him. To Nora the blow was, of course, a bad one; when she realized that her father was dead it seemed as if all the light had gone out of the world for her. And yet, in the nature of things, it was impossible that she should feel for him the affection which sometimes associates the parent with the child. He himself had scoffed at love; sentiment, he had repeatedly told her, was the thing in life which was to be most avoided; he had illustrated his meaning in his own practice. He had never been unkind, but he had certainly never been tender; so far as she was aware he had never kissed her in his life; on those rare occasions on which she had ventured to kiss him he had brushed her aside as if she had been guilty of some folly. His attitude towards her was one of more or less genial indifference. He had provided her with a beautiful home; he had bought Cloverlea, as he was careful to inform her, for her, and in it he left her very much alone. He supplied her liberally with money, and there he seemed to think his duty towards her ended. She was welcome to have any companions she chose; he asked no questions about her comings and her goings; took no sort of interest in the young women of her own age whom, at rare intervals, she induced to stay with her. He made no attempt whatever to find for her a place in local, or any other, society; yet, unaided, she began, by degrees, to occupy a somewhat prominent place on the local horizon.
Living in one of the finest places in the neighbourhood, with horses and carriages at her disposal, and even, latterly, motor cars; possessed of a sufficiency of ready money, it was hardly likely that she should remain unnoticed; her father's peculiarities threw her, if anything, into bolder relief. There was not a house for miles in which she was not a welcome visitor, and for this she had, largely, to thank herself. Not only was she good to look at, she was good to be with; she had that indefinable thing, charm. Not all the pens which ever wrote could make clear to Us the secret of a young girl's charm. Whilst she was still the mistress of Cloverlea her father seemed to be the only living creature who remained impervious to its magic influence; afterwards-that influence waned. On the Sunday on which her father died she was left alone with her grief; but on the Monday morning Dr. Banyard called and insisted on her seeing him. His manner, while it was brusque, was sympathetic.
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Raising her eyes she looked him boldly in the face; there in the bright moonlight they could see each other almost as clearly as if it had been high noon.
"To try me? You're beyond me altogether; Elaine, are you pulling my leg?"
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