United States or Nigeria ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"I suppose they're from the New House!" said Ian, returning after he had bowed the ladies from the threshold, with the reward of a bewitching smile from the elder, and a shy glance from the younger. "Where else could they be from?" returned his mother; " come to make our poor country yet poorer!" "They're not English!" "Not they! vulgar people from Glasgow!"
"I knew you would come back," she said, as the big, powerful form of Colonel Jeff towered upon the threshold, tall and dark against the background of the darkness. "You knew me well enough for that?" he rejoined, grimly. She closed the door, and turned towards the parlour. "In here," she said, quietly. He looked at her with a kind of fierce astonishment.
I had not sent any letter to announce my coming, and when I reached the Château of Sainte-Sévère I almost feared to cross the threshold. Then I rushed forward and entered the drawing room. The chevalier was asleep and did not wake. Edmée, bending over her tapestry, did not hear my steps. For a few seconds I stood looking at her, then I fell at her feet without being able to say a word.
"And did she say, 'Yes, but the veil can be raised?" "She did, mon pauvre ami," said the poet. "And did you raise it?" "I did," said the poet. "And so did I," I answered. And as I spoke, there was a crash of white marble in my soul, and lo! Love had fallen from his pedestal and been broken into a thousand pieces, a heavy, dead thing he lay upon the threshold of my heart.
The door of the parlour is open, the garden-path still passes before the threshold; but no step now has full right to halt at the door and interrupt the grave thought on Greek texts; no small talk on details and wise sayings chimes in with the wrath of "Medea."
When at length I took myself off to the anteroom to go to bed, she came out after me, stopped on the threshold, and said loudly, whilst her unsightly figure seemed to strut out towards me: "But this is the last night you sleep here, so now you know it." "Yes, yes," I replied. There would perhaps be some way of finding a shelter tomorrow, if I tried hard for it.
He was so absorbed in these meditations, that he had not at all observed that the hanging which concealed the door behind him was pushed aside, and a marvellous young woman, resplendent with diamonds and sparkling with jewelry, entered his cabinet. For an instant she stood still upon the threshold, and with a smile observed the earl, who was more and more absorbed in his reading.
It was natural that he should leave me to make our joint and brief preparations for departure. I finished my letter, sealed it, and when, five minutes afterwards, the chaise came to the door, I gave it to the hostler who accompanied the horses, with injunctions to deliver it forthwith to Lord Castleton himself. My uncle now descended, and stepped from the threshold with a firm stride.
All, that is, but one. Mlle. de Montluc started as the rest, but at the threshold paused to let them pass. She flung the door to behind them, and ran back to monsieur, her face drawn with terror, her hand outstretched. "Monsieur, monsieur!" she panted. "Go! you must go!" He seized her hand in both of his. "O Lorance! Lorance!" She laid her left hand on his for emphasis. "Go! go!
"Yes," gasped Leander, over her unconscious shoulder; "when she goes off in one of these sleeps, she does sleep very heavy" an explanation which, if obscure, was accepted by the other as part of the general strangeness of the case. On the threshold the chemist stopped again. "I'd almost forgotten the ring," he said. "I'll take that!" said Leander.
Word Of The Day