"Wilkie Collins - I Say No" - читать интересную книгу автора (Collins Wilkie)

The candle was all burned out. Emily still offered her hand--and still Miss
Jethro refused to see it.
"There is just light enough left," she said, "to show me my way to the door.
Good-night--and good-by."
Emily caught at her dress, and stopped her. "Why won't you shake hands with me?"
she asked.
The wick of the candle fell over in the socket, and left them in the dark. Emily
resolutely held the teacher's dress. With or without light, she was still bent
on making Miss Jethro explain herself.
They had throughout spoken in guarded tones, fearing to disturb the sleeping
girls. The sudden darkness had its inevitable effect. Their voices sank to
whispers now. "My father's friend," Emily pleaded, "is surely my friend?"
"Drop the subject."
"Why?"
"You can never be my friend."
"Why not?"
"Let me go!"
Emily's sense of self-respect forbade her to persist any longer. "I beg your
pardon for having kept you here against your will," she said--and dropped her
hold on the dress.
Miss Jethro instantly yielded on her side. "I am sorry to have been obstinate,"
she answered. "If you do despise me, it is after all no more than I have
deserved." Her hot breath beat on Emily's face: the unhappy woman must have bent
over the bed as she made her confession. "I am not a fit person for you to
associate with."
"I don't believe it!"
Miss Jethro sighed bitterly. "Young and warm hearted--I was once like you!" She
controlled that outburst of despair. Her next words were spoken in steadier
tones. "You will have it--you shall have it!" she said. "Some one (in this house
or out of it; I don't know which) has betrayed me to the mistress of the school.
A wretch in my situation suspects everybody, and worse still, does it without
reason or excuse. I heard you girls talking when you ought to have been asleep.
You all dislike me. How did I know it mightn't be one of you? Absurd, to a
person with a well-balanced mind! I went halfway up the stairs, and felt ashamed
of myself, and went back to my room. If I could only have got some rest! Ah,
well, it was not to be done. My own vile suspicions kept me awake; I left my bed
again. You know what I heard on the other side of that door, and why I was
interested in hearing it. Your father never told me he had a daughter. 'Miss
Brown,' at this school, was any 'Miss Brown,' to me. I had no idea of who you
really were until to-night. I'm wandering. What does all this matter to you?
Miss Ladd has been merciful; she lets me go without exposing me. You can guess
what has happened. No? Not even yet? Is it innocence or kindness that makes you
so slow to understand? My dear, I have obtained admission to this respectable
house by means of false references, and I have been discovered. Now you know why
you must not be the friend of such a woman as I am! Once more, good-night--and
good-by."
Emily shrank from that miserable farewell.
"Bid me good-night," she said, "but don't bid me good-by. Let me see you again."

"Never!"