LII. I FINISH THE SICILIAN LOVE-STORY. It might have been supposed that my little experience in gathering up loose ends would have deterred me from further efforts in this direction, but it did not.I had left Miss Laniston without asking some questions I had intended to put to her. I wished very much to know--I thought it was my right to know--something definite about the Mr. Brownson who had formerly been connected, so to speak, with the Misses Raynor. I hated this subject as I hated the vilest medicine, but I felt that I must get the matter straightened in my mind,...
Long Stories - Post by : ben.g - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2423
LI. A LOOSE END. I was now a very happy man, but I was not an entirely satisfied one. Looking back upon what had happened, I could see that there were certain loose ends, which ought to be gathered up before they were broken off and lost, or tangled up with something to which they did not belong.It has always been my disposition to gather up the loose ends, to draw together the floating strands of circumstance, tendency, intention, and all that sort of thing, so that I may see what they are and where they come from. I like to...
Long Stories - Post by : Joe_Coon - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 1119
L. MY BOOK OF TRAVEL. When the House of Martha had been formally abolished, the members of the sisterhood made various dispositions of themselves. Some determined to enter institutions of a similar character, while others who had homes planned to retire to them, with the intention of endeavoring to do what good they could without separating themselves from the world in which they were to do it. Sister Sarah was greatly incensed at the dissolution of the House, and much more so because, had it continued, she expected to be at the head of it. She declared her intention of throwing herself...
Long Stories - Post by : Ndoki - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2484
XLIX. MY OWN WAY.When I went home to my grandmother, she was greatly surprised to see me, and I lost no time in explaining my unexpected appearance."Really, really," she exclaimed, "I was just writing you a letter, which I intended to send after you, so that you would get it when you arrived in London; and in it I was going to tell you all about the breaking up of the House of Martha, of which I first heard half an hour after you left me. I was glad you had not known of it before you started, for I thought...
Long Stories - Post by : codebluenj - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 1892
XLVIII. IN A COLD, BARE ROOMWhen I reached Arden I took one of the melancholy vehicles which stand at our station, and very much astonished the driver by ordering him to take me, not to my own home, but to the House of Martha."You know they're busted up, sir," said the man, turning to me, as his old horse hurried us along at the best of his speed."But the sisters have not left?" I eagerly asked."Not all," he said, "but two or three of them went down this morning.""Drive on quicker," I replied, "I am in a hurry."The man gave the...
Long Stories - Post by : best4you - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 1019
XLVII. I INTEREST MISS LANISTONWhen I reached Miss Laniston's house that lady was at breakfast, but she did not keep me waiting long."Truly," she said, as she entered the drawing-room, "you are the most expeditious person I ever knew. I knew that you would come to me, but I did not suppose you would even start as soon as this.""I had already started when I received your telegram," I said."To come here?""No, to sail for Europe.""Well, well!" she exclaimed, "from this moment I shall respect my instincts, a thing I never did before. When I woke this morning my first thought...
Long Stories - Post by : cclittle - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2101
XLVI. GOING BACK FOR A FRIENDWhen I reached home, I looked up my grandmother and told her everything that had happened. My excitement was so great that it was necessary I should talk to some one, and I felt a pang of regret when I remembered that latterly I had given no confidences to her.My grandmother listened eagerly and without interrupting me, but as I spoke she shook her head again and again, and when I had finished, she said:--"My dear boy, if you understood the world and the people in it as well as I do, you would know that...
Long Stories - Post by : mrtwist - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2412
XLV. I MAKE COFFEE AND GET INTO HOT WATERI do not like to do anything which looks in the least underhanded, but I must admit that I left that wretched cottage by the back door, and taking a path through some woods, made a wide circuit before returning to the village.As soon as I reached my house, I called Walkirk from his writing, and rapidly gave him instructions in regard to the execution of an idea which had come into my mind during my brotherhood labors of the morning.I told him to hasten to the scene of my building operations, and...
Long Stories - Post by : mrtwist - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 3050
XLIV. PRELIMINARY BROTHERHOODWhen I returned to Arden, I gave Walkirk an outline of what had occurred, but I did not go into details, having no desire that the preposterous idea which had gotten into the head of Miss Laniston should enter that of my under-study. Walkirk was not in good spirits."I had hoped something," he said, "from your interview with Mother Anastasia, though perhaps not exactly in the line of a brotherhood. I thought if she came to thoroughly understand your earnestness in the matter, she might use her influence with Miss Raynor, which at some time or other, or in...
Long Stories - Post by : gabby - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2832
XLIII. WAS HIS HEART TRUE TO POLL?Never before had any one spoken to me as Mother Anastasia had just spoken. Never before had I felt as I felt in leaving the house where she had spoken to me. I did not admit all that she had said; and yet not even to myself could I gainsay her statements. I was not convinced that I had been wrong, but I could not help feeling that she was right. I was angry, I was mortified, I was grieved. The world seemed cold and dark, and the coldest and darkest thing in it was...
Long Stories - Post by : runtonk - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2597
XLII. THE MOTHER SUPERIORSeldom, I think, has a berth in a sleeping-car held a more turbulent-minded man than I was during my journey from New York to Washington. The revelation that the same man had loved and been loved by Mother Anastasia and by Sylvia had disquieted me in a manner not easy to explain; but I knew that I was being torn by jealousy, and jealousy is a passion which it is sometimes impossible to explain.An idea which came into my mind in the night increased the storm within me. I imagined that the wretch who had made suit to...
Long Stories - Post by : gabby - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 3149
XLI. MISS LANISTONAt eight o'clock that evening I was at the house of Miss Laniston. The lady was at home, and received me. She advanced with both hands extended."Truly," she cried, "this is the most charming instance of masculine forgiveness I have ever witnessed."I took one of her hands; this much for the sake of policy. "Madam," I said, "I am not thinking of forgiveness, or unforgiveness. I am here to ask a favor; and if you grant it, I am willing that it shall counterbalance everything between us which suggests forgiveness.""Dear me!" she exclaimed, leading the way to a sofa....
Long Stories - Post by : rlscott - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2454
XL. AN INSPIRATIONI now found myself in an embarrassing situation. All my plans and hopes of tidings from Sylvia, or of any possible connection with her, were based upon Mother Anastasia. But would it be wise for me to continue my very friendly relations with the Mother Superior? On my side these relations were extremely pleasant, though that did not matter, one way or another. But would it be kind and just to her to meet with her on the footing I had enjoyed? In every point of this affair I wished to be honorable and considerate. Acting on these principles,...
Long Stories - Post by : andrewteg - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 1293
XXXIX. A SOUL WHISPER?My meditations upon the Mother Superior of the House of Martha were not concluded during my homeward walk; the subject occupied my mind for the greater part of the rest of the day. I do not call myself a philosopher, but I am in the habit of looking into the nature and import of what happens about me. My reflections on Mother Anastasia gradually produced in me the conviction that there was something more in her words, her manner, and her actions than would appear to the ordinary observer.In considering this matter, I went back to the very...
Long Stories - Post by : codebluenj - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 3508
XXXVIII. A BROKEN TRACEAs soon as my grandmother heard that I was at Arden, she terminated her visit abruptly, and returned home. When she saw me, she expressed the opinion that my holiday had not been of any service to me. She did not remember ever seeing me so greatly out of condition, and was of the opinion that I ought to see the doctor."These watering places and islands," she said, "are just as likely to be loaded down with malaria as any other place. In fact, I don't know but it is just as well for our health for us...
Long Stories - Post by : Dusty13 - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2499
XXXVII. THE PERFORMANCE OF MY UNDER-STUDYOn the next day, when Walkirk came back, I received him coolly. To be sure, the time of his return was now of slight importance, but my manner showed him that on general principles I blamed his delay.I did not care to hear his explanations, but proceeded at once to state the misfortunes which had befallen me. I told him in detail all that had happened since I left the floating grocery. I did not feel that it was at all necessary to do this, but there was a certain pleasure in talking of my mishaps...
Long Stories - Post by : add2it - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 3302
XXXVI. IN THE SHADE OF THE OAKI found my home at Arden very empty and dreary. The servants did not expect me, my grandmother had not returned, and the absence of Walkirk added much to my dissatisfaction with the premises.I was never a man who could sit down and wait for things to happen, and I felt now that it was absolutely necessary that I should do something, that I should talk to somebody; and accordingly, on the morning after my arrival, I determined to walk over to the House of Martha and talk to Mother Anastasia. For a man to...
Long Stories - Post by : Ndoki - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 1759
XXXV. MONEY MAKES THE MARE GOI rushed out of the Central Hotel, and looked over the water, but I could see nothing of the grocery boat: she had disappeared beyond the bluff, behind which I had stupidly taken it for granted Mrs. Raynor's yacht was lying."Oh, she's clean gone," said the bar-keeper, who had joined me, "an' she's not likely to come back ag'in' wind an' tide. They must have thought you was asleep in your berth."This was undoubtedly the truth, for there was no reason to suppose that any one on the boat knew I had gone on shore."Where can...
Long Stories - Post by : sbeard - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 1810
XXXIV. THE CENTRAL HOTELCaptain Jabez did not return until late that Saturday evening; but as soon as he set foot on shore I went to him and asked him if he could, in any way, get us to Sanpritchit that night, offering to pay him liberally for the service."I've got a sailboat," said he, "and ye'd be right welcome to it if it was here; but it ain't here. I lent it to Captain Neal, of Brimley, having no present use for it, and he won't bring it back till next week some time. There's a dory here, to be sure;...
Long Stories - Post by : Ndoki - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 2567
XXXIII. THE DISTANT TOPSAILI found Walkirk still fishing near the place where I had left him."I was beginning to be surprised at your long absence," he said, "and was thinking of going to look for you. Have you had good luck?"This was a hard question to answer. I smiled grimly. "I have not been fishing," I answered. "I have been dictating my story to my nun."The rod dropped from the relaxed fingers of my under-study, and he stood blankly staring at me, and waiting for an explanation. I gave it.Depressed as I was, I could not help feeling interested in the...
Long Stories - Post by : Ndoki - Date : May 2012 - Author : Frank R Stockton - Read : 1042
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The House Of Martha - Chapter 52. I finish the Sicilian Love-Story
