C1-8 新郎终于出现 （欢迎评论留言转发）

'I hope you will. Then you will see for yourself how beautiful Helstone is.

Now I must go. Edith is sitting down to play, and I just know enough of

music to turn over the leaves for her; and besides, Aunt Shaw won't like

us to talk.' Edith played brilliantly. In the middle of the piece the door

half-opened, and Edith saw Captain Lennox hesitating whether to come

in. She threw down her music, and rushed out of the room, leaving

Margaret standing confused and blushing to explain to the astonished

guests what vision had shown itself to cause Edith's sudden flight. 10

Captain Lennox had come earlier than was expected; or was it really so

late? They looked at their watches, were duly shocked, and took their

leave.

Then Edith came back, glowing with pleasure, half-shyly, half-proudly

leading in her tall handsome Captain. His brother shook hands with him,

and Mrs. Shaw welcomed him in her gentle kindly way, which had

always something plaintive in it, arising from the long habit of

considering herself a victim to an uncongenial marriage. Now that, the

General being gone, she had every good of life, with as few drawbacks as

possible, she had been rather perplexed to find an anxiety, if not a

sorrow. She had, however, of late settled upon her own health as a source

of apprehension; she had a nervous little cough whenever she thought

about it; and some complaisant doctor ordered her just what she

desired,—a winter in Italy. Mrs. Shaw had as strong wishes as most

people, but she never liked to do anything from the open and

acknowledged motive of her own good will and pleasure; she preferred

being compelled to gratify herself by some other person's command or

desire. She really did persuade herself that she was submitting to some

hard external necessity; and thus she was able to moan and complain in

her soft manner, all the time she was in reality doing just what she liked.

It was in this way she began to speak of her own journey to Captain

Lennox, who assented, as in duty bound, to all his future mother-in-law

said, while his eyes sought Edith, who was busying herself in rearranging

the tea-table, and ordering up all sorts of good things, in spite of his

assurances that he had dined within the last two hours.