a mortal antipathy-第64章

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both　as　they　approached　each　other。　　Both　looked　pale　at　first；　but

Maurice　soon　recovered　his　usual　color；　and　Laura's　natural；　rich

bloom　came　back　by　degrees。　　Their　emotion　at　meeting　was　not　to　be

wondered　at；　but　there　was　no　trace　in　it　of　the　paralyzing　influence

on　the　great　centres　of　life　which　had　once　acted　upon　its　fated

victim　like　the　fabled　head　which　turned　the　looker…on　into　a　stone。



〃Is　the　boy　still　awake？〃　said　Maurice　to　Paolo；　who；　as　they　used　to

say　of　Pushee　at　the　old　Anchor　Tavern；　was　everywhere　at　once　on

that　gay　and　busy　evening。



〃What！　　Mahser　Maurice　asleep　an'　all　this　racket　going　on？　　I　hear

him　crowing　like　young　cockerel　when　he　fus'　smell　daylight。〃



〃Tell　the　nurse　to　bring　him　down　quietly　to　the　little　room　that

leads　out　of　the　library。〃



The　child　was　brought　down　in　his　night…clothes；　wide　awake；

wondering　apparently　at　the　noise　he　heard；　which　he　seemed　to　think

was　for　his　special　amusement。



〃See　if　he　will　go　to　that　lady；〃　said　his　father。　　Both　of　us　held

our　breath　as　Laura　stretched　her　arms　towards　little　Maurice。



The　child　looked　for　an　instant　searchingly；　but　fearlessly；　at　her

glowing　cheeks；　her　bright　eyes；　her　welcoming　smile；　and　met　her

embrace　as　she　clasped　him　to　her　bosom　as　if　he　had　known　her　all

his　days。



The　mortal　antipathy　had　died　out　of　the　soul　and　the　blood　of

Maurice　Kirkwood　at　that　supreme　moment　when　he　found　himself

snatched　from　the　grasp　of　death　and　cradled　in　the　arms　of　Euthymia。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　





In　closing　the　New　Portfolio　I　remember　that　it　began　with　a　prefix

which　the　reader　may　by　this　time　have　forgotten；　namely；　the　First

Opening。　　It　was　perhaps　presumptuous　to　thus　imply　the　probability

of　a　second　opening。



I　am　reminded　from　time　to　time　by　the　correspondents　who　ask　a

certain　small　favor　of　me　that；　as　I　can　only　expect　to　be　with　my

surviving　contemporaries　a　very　little　while　longer；　they　would　be

much　obliged　if　I　would　hurry　up　my　answer　before　it　is　too　late。

They　are　right；　these　delicious　unknown　friends　of　mine；　in　reminding

me　of　a　fact　which　I　cannot　gainsay　and　might　suffer　to　pass　from　my

recollection。　　I　thank　them　for　recalling　my　attention　to　a　truth

which　I　shall　be　wiser；　if　not　more　hilarious；　for　remembering。



No；　I　had　no　right　to　say　the　First　Opening。　　How　do　I　know　that　I

shall　have　a　chance　to　open　it　again？　　How　do　I　know　that　anybody

will　want　it　to　be　opened　a　second　time？　　How　do　I　know　that　I　shall

feel　like　opening　it？　　It　is　safest　neither　to　promise　to　open　the

New　Portfolio　once　more；　nor　yet　to　pledge　myself　to　keep　it　closed

hereafter。　　There　are　many　papers　potentially　existent　in　it；　some　of

which　might　interest　a　reader　here　and　there。　　The　Records　of　the

Pansophian　Society　contain　a　considerable　number　of　essays；　poems；

stories；　and　hints　capable　of　being　expanded　into　presentable

dimensions。　　In　the　mean　time　I　will　say　with　Prospero；　addressing　my

old　readers；　and　my　new　ones；　if　such　I　have；



　　　　〃If　you　be　pleased；　retire　into　my　cell

　　　　　And　there　repose：　a　turn　or　two　I'll　walk；

　　　　　To　still　my　beating　mind。〃



When　it　has　got　quiet　I　may　take　up　the　New　Portfolio　again；　and

consider　whether　it　is　worth　while　to　open　it。











End