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Richard Marsh. A Woman Perfected
A Woman Perfected
Table of Contents
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
THE END
Отрывок из книги
Richard Marsh
Published by Good Press, 2021
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It happened on the Thursday evening on which Mr. Lindsay was taken ill, that Elaine Harding was left with nothing to do, and no one to do it with. It is true that, had she insisted, she might have made herself of use in some way; but, as she herself admitted, she was no good when there was illness about. Indeed, she was one of those persons--though this she kept to herself--who shrunk from suffering in any form with a sort of instinctive physical repugnance. She only needed half-a-hint to the effect that her services were not required, and she was ready to give the sick-room as wide a berth as any one could possibly require. To be plain, she was disposed to regard Mr. Lindsay's attack almost as if it had been an injury to herself. Had she been perfectly free, she would have packed up her boxes and left the house within the hour; it would have been better for her if she had. The idea of having to remain under the same roof with a man who was suffering from an apoplectic stroke was horrid; but, at the same time, there were reasons, of divers sorts, why she should not flee from the dearest friend she had in the world at the first sign of trouble.
Instead of packing up her boxes she dined alone, off food which had been ruined by being kept waiting. That was another grievance. She did like good food, perfectly cooked. She was conscious that the servants were regarding her askance, as if they were surprised that she should dine at all; that also was annoying. When she rose from table she was in quite a bad temper--what Mr. Lindsay meant by falling ill when she was in the house she could not imagine. The solitude of the empty drawing-room was appalling. The French window still stood open; better the solitude of the grounds than that great bare chamber. She went out on to the terrace. It was a lovely night, warmer than many nights in June. There was not a cloud in the sky. A moon, almost at the full, lighted the world with her silver glory. She looked about her. Suddenly she perceived that a light was shining out upon the terrace from what was evidently an uncurtained window. She remembered; no doubt it was the lamp in Mr. Lindsay's study, the lamp which Morgan had lit; in that case the window must still be open. She went to see; her slight form moved along the terrace with something stealthy in its movements, as if she was ashamed of what she was doing. She reached the study; it was as she supposed; the lamp was lit, the window was open, the room was empty. She was seized by what she would afterwards have described as a sudden access of curiosity. She glanced over her shoulder, to left and right; there was no one in sight; not a sound. She put her dainty head inside the window, to indulge herself with just one peep; after all, there is very little harm in innocent peeping; then she passed into the room.
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