Joan Haste

JOAN HASTE

woman was, mother? She was Mr. Levinger’s legitimate daughter: it is Emma who is illegitimate; but she died begging me to keep the secret from my wife, and if you are wise you will respect her wish, as I shall. I have nothing more to say. Things have gone amiss between us, whoever is to blame; and now – her life is lost, and – mine is ruined».

«Oh! this is terrible, terrible!» said Lady Graves. «God knows that, whatever I have done, I acted for what I believed to be the best».

«Yes, mother», said Ellen boldly, «and not only for what you believed to be the best, but for what is the best. This unfortunate girl is dead, it seems, not through any deed of ours, but by the decrees of Providence. Henry says that his life is ruined; but do not grieve, mother, – he is not himself, and he will think very differently in six months’ time. Also he is responsible for this tragedy and no one else, since it springs from his own sin. ‘Les désirs accomplis,’ – you know the saying. Well, he has accomplished his desire; he sowed the seed, and he must reap the fruit and harvest it as best he may.

«And now, with your permission, Henry, I will order the carriage. I suppose that there will be policemen and reporters here presently, and you can understand that just at this moment, with the elections coming on, Edward and I do not wish to be mixed up in a most painful scandal».

FINIS

Литературно-художественное издание

H. Rider Haggard

Joan Haste

Выпускающий редактор: И. Ефанова Редактор: П. Воронин

Корректор: И. Серегина Компьютерная верстка: Т. Мосолова Художественное оформление: С. Дондупова

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Усл.печ.л. 35,13

ISBN 978-5-521-06606-3

9 785521 066063

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