SometimebeforeMr。Huntingdon’sdeath,LadyLowboroughelopedwithanothergallanttothecontinent,where,havinglivedawhileinrecklessgaietyanddissipation,theyquarrelledandparted。Shewentdashingonforaseason,butyearscameandmoneywent:shesunk,atlength,indifficultyanddebt,disgraceandmisery;anddiedatlast,asIhaveheard,inpenury,neglect,andutterwretchedness。Butthismightbeonlyareport:shemaybelivingyetforanythingI,oranyofherrelativesorformeracquaintancescantell;fortheyhavealllostsightofherlongyearsago,andwouldasthoroughlyforgetheriftheycould。Herhusband,however,uponthissecondmisdemeanour,immediatelysoughtandobtainedadivorce,and,notlongafter,marriedagain。Itwaswellhedid,forLordLowborough,moroseandmoodyasheseemed,wasnotthemanforabachelor’slife。Nopublicinterests,noambitiousprojects,oractivepursuits,——ortiesoffriendshipevenifhehadhadanyfriends,couldcompensatetohimfortheabsenceofdomesticcomfortsandendearments。Hehadasonandanominaldaughter,itistrue,buttheytoopainfullyremindedhimoftheirmother,andtheunfortunatelittleAnnabellawasasourceofperpetualbitternesstohissoul。Hehadobligedhimselftotreatherwithpaternalkindness:hehadforcedhimselfnottohateher,andeven,perhaps,tofeelsomedegreeofkindlyregardforher,atlast,inreturnforherartlessandunsuspectingattachmenttohimself;butthebitternessofhisself-condemnationforhisinwardfeelingstowardsthatinnocentbeing,hisconstantstrugglestosubduetheevilpromptingsofhisnatureforitwasnotagenerousone,thoughpartlyguessedatbythosewhoknewhim,couldbeknowntoGodandhisownheartalone;——soalsowasthehardnessofhisconflictswiththetemptationtoreturntotheviceofhisyouth,andseekoblivionforpastcalamities,anddeadnesstothepresentmiseryofablightedheart,ajoyless,friendlesslife,andamorbidlydisconsolatemind,byyieldingagaintothatinsidiousfoetohealth,andsense,andvirtue,whichhadsodeplorablyenslavedanddegradedhimbefore。
Thesecondobjectofhischoicewaswidelydifferentfromthefirst。Somewonderedathistaste;someevenridiculedit——butinthistheirfollywasmoreapparentthanhis。Theladywasabouthisownage——i。e。
betweenthirtyandforty——remarkableneitherforbeautynorwealth,norbrilliantaccomplishments;noranyotherthingthatIeverheardof,exceptgenuinegoodsense,unswervingintegrity,activepiety,warmheartedbenevolence,andafundofcheerfulspirits。Thesequalitieshowever,asyoumayreadilyimagine,combinedtorenderheranexcellentmothertothechildren,andaninvaluablewifetohislordship。He,withhisusualself-depreciationorappreciation?thoughtheraworldtoogoodforhim,andwhilehewonderedatthekindnessofProvidenceinconferringsuchagiftuponhim,andevenathertasteinpreferringhimtoothermen,hedidhisbesttoreciprocatethegoodshedidhim,andsofarsucceededthatshewas,andIbelievestillis,oneofthehappiestandfondestwivesinEngland;andallwhoquestionthegoodtasteofeitherpartner,maybethankfuliftheirrespectiveselectionsaffordthemhalfthegenuinesatisfactionintheend,orrepaytheirpreferencewithaffectionhalfaslastingandsincere。
Ifyouareatallinterestedinthefateofthatlowscoundrel,Grimsby,Icanonlytellyouthathewentfrombadtoworse,sinkingfrombathostobathosofviceandvillany,consortingonlywiththeworstmembersofhisclubandthelowestdregsofsociety——happilyfortherestoftheworld——andatlastmethisendinadrunkenbrawlfromthehands,itissaid,ofsomebrotherscoundrelhehadcheatedatplay。
AsforMr。Hattersley,hehadneverwhollyforgottenhisresolutionto`comeoutfromamongthem,’andbehavelikeamanandaChristian,andthelastillnessanddeathofhisoncejollyfriendHuntingdon,sodeeplyandseriouslyimpressedhimwiththeeviloftheirformerpractices,thatheneverneededanotherlessonofthekind。Avoidingthetemptationsofthetown,hecontinuedtopasshislifeinthecountryimmersedintheusualpursuitsofahearty,activecountrygentleman;hisoccupationsbeingthoseoffarming,andbreedinghorsesandcattle,diversifiedwithalittlehuntingandshooting,andenlivenedbytheoccasionalcompanionshipofhisfriendsbetterfriendsthanthoseofhisyouth,andthesocietyofhishappylittlewifenowcheerfulandconfidingasheartcouldwish
......购买会员看全站小说,或者下载APP免费观看所有作品 点击立即下载,搜索"TheTenant of Wildfell Hall",免费读到尾