The Golden Bowl Henry James (spicy books to read txt) đ
- Author: Henry James
Book online «The Golden Bowl Henry James (spicy books to read txt) đ». Author Henry James
âTheyâre not good days, you know,â he had said to Fanny Assingham after declaring himself grateful for finding her, and then, with his cup of tea, putting her in possession of the latest newsâ âthe documents signed an hour ago, de part et dâautre, and the telegram from his backers, who had reached Paris the morning before, and who, pausing there a little, poor dears, seemed to think the whole thing a tremendous lark. âWeâre very simple folk, mere country cousins compared with you,â he had also observed, âand Paris, for my sister and her husband, is the end of the world. London therefore will be more or less another planet. It has always been, as with so many of us, quite their Mecca, but this is their first real caravan; theyâve mainly known âold Englandâ as a shop for articles in india-rubber and leather, in which theyâve dressed themselves as much as possible. Which all means, however, that youâll see them, all of them, wreathed in smiles. We must be very easy with them. Maggieâs too wonderfulâ âher preparations are on a scale! She insists on taking in the sposi and my uncle. The others will come to me. Iâve been engaging their rooms at the hotel, and, with all those solemn signatures of an hour ago, that brings the case home to me.â
âDo you mean youâre afraid?â his hostess had amusedly asked.
âTerribly afraid. Iâve now but to wait to see the monster come. Theyâre not good days; theyâre neither one thing nor the other. Iâve really got nothing, yet Iâve everything to lose. One doesnât know what still may happen.â
The way she laughed at him was for an instant almost irritating; it came out, for his fancy, from behind the white curtain. It was a sign, that is, of her deep serenity, which worried instead of soothing him. And to be soothed, after all, to be tided over, in his mystic impatience, to be told what he could understand and believeâ âthat was what he had come for. âMarriage then,â said Mrs. Assingham, âis what you call the monster? I admit itâs a fearful thing at the best; but, for heavenâs sake, if thatâs what youâre thinking of, donât run away from it.â
âAh, to run away from it would be to run away from you,â the Prince replied; âand Iâve already told you often enough how I depend on you to see me through.â He so liked the way she took this, from the corner of her sofa, that he gave his sincerityâ âfor it was sincerityâ âfuller expression. âIâm starting on the great voyageâ âacross the unknown sea; my shipâs all rigged and appointed, the cargoâs stowed away and the company complete. But what seems the matter with me is that I canât sail alone; my ship must be one of a pair, must have, in the waste of waters, aâ âwhat do you call it?â âa consort. I donât ask you to stay on board with me, but I must keep your sail in sight for orientation. I donât in the least myself know, I assure you, the points of the compass. But with a lead I can perfectly follow. You must be my lead.â
âHow can you be sure,â she asked, âwhere I should take you?â
âWhy, from your having brought me safely thus far. I should never have got here without you. Youâve provided the ship itself, and, if youâve not quite seen me aboard, youâve attended me, ever so kindly, to the dock. Your own vessel is, all conveniently, in the next berth, and you canât desert me now.â
She showed him again her amusement, which struck him even as excessive, as if, to his surprise, he made her also a little nervous; she treated
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