Незнакомка из Уайлдфелл-Холла. Уровень 2 / The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Then a tremulous darkness obscured my sight, my heart sickened and my head burned like fire. I dashed myself on the ground and lay there in a paroxysm of anger and despair – how long, I cannot say. Then I rose and journeyed homewards.

“Oh, Gilbert! Where have you been? Do come in and take your supper, ” my mother said. “But you look ill! Oh, gracious! What is the matter?”

“Nothing, nothing – give me a candle.”

“But won't you take some supper?”

“No; I want to go to bed,” said I.

“Oh, Gilbert, how you tremble!” exclaimed she.

“How white you look! Tell me what it is? Has anything happened?”

“It's nothing!” cried I.

What a miserable night it was! I was deceived, duped, hopeless, my angel was not an angel!

Chapter XIII

“My dear Gilbert, can you be a little more amiable?” said my mother one morning. “You say nothing has happened to grieve you, and yet I never saw anyone so altered as you within these last few days. You haven't a good word for anybody.

You don't know how it spoils you.”

I took up a book, and opened it on the table before me. My mischievous brother suddenly called out,

“Don't touch him, mother! He'll bite! He's a tiger in human form. He nearly fractured my skull because I was singing a pretty, inoffensive love-song, on purpose to amuse him.”

“I told you to hold your noise, Fergus,” said I.

I recollected that I had business with Robert Wilson. I was going to buy his field.

He was absent; and I stepped into the parlour and waited.

Mrs. Wilson was busy in the kitchen, but the room was not empty. There sat Miss Wilson, she was chattering with Eliza Millward. However, I determined to be cool and civil. Eliza asked:

“Have you seen Mrs. Graham lately?”

“Not lately,” I replied.

“What! Are you beginning to tire already?”

“I prefer not to speak of her now.”

“Ah! You have at length discovered that your divinity is not quite the immaculate – ”

“I desired you not to speak of her, Miss Eliza.

”

“Oh, I beg your pardon! I perceive Cupid's arrows are too sharp for you:the wounds are not yet healed and bleed afresh.”

“Mr. Markham feels,” interposed Miss Wilson, “that this name is unworthy to be mentioned.”

I rose and walked to the window. Mr. Wilson soon arrived. I quickly concluded the bargain. Then I gladly quitted the house.

I ascended the hill. Then I beheld Mrs. Graham and her son.