FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143  
144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   >>   >|  
added, "More than you do me?" Flavia pressed her father's hand between both her palms and answered with a musical laugh, "How silly you are, papa! Why, of course I love you. Are you not my father? I love you too because you are kind and do all I wish, and because you are always telling me that you love me. Because you are like the cupids in the fairy stories--dear old people who give their children all their heart's desire; I love you for my carriage, my horses, and my lovely dresses; for my purse filled with gold, for my beautiful jewelry, and for all the lovely presents you make me." Every word she spoke betrayed the utter selfishness of her soul, and yet her father listened with a fixed smile of delight on his face. "And why do you love him?" asked he. "Because--because," stammered the girl, "first, because he is himself; and then,--well, I can't say, but I _do_ love him." Her accents betrayed such depth of passion that the father uttered a groan of anguish. Flavia caught the expression of his features, and burst into a fit of laughter. "I really believe that you are jealous," said she, as if she were speaking to a spoiled child. "That is very naughty of you; you ought to be ashamed of yourself. I tell you that the first time I set eyes upon him at Van Klopen's, I felt a thrill of love pierce through my heart, such love as I never felt for a human being before. Since then, I have known no rest. I cannot sleep, and instead of blood, liquid fire seems to come through my veins." Martin Rigal raised his eyes to the ceiling in mute surprise at this outburst of feeling. "You do not understand me," went on Flavia. "You are the best of fathers, but, after all, you are but a man. Had I a mother, she would comprehend me better." "What could your mother have done for you more than I? Have I neglected anything for your happiness?" asked the banker, with a sigh. "Perhaps nothing; for there are times when I hardly understand my own feelings." In gloomy silence the banker listened to the narrative of his daughter's state of mind; then he said,-- "All shall be as you desire, and the man you love shall be your husband." The girl was almost beside herself with joy, and, throwing her arms around his neck, pressed kiss upon kiss on his cheeks and forehead. "Darling," said she, "I love you for this more than for anything that you have given me in my life." The banker sighed again; and Flavia, shakin
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143  
144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Flavia
 

father

 

banker

 

lovely

 

mother

 
betrayed
 
listened
 

desire

 
understand
 

Because


pressed

 

liquid

 
raised
 

outburst

 
surprise
 

ceiling

 
Martin
 
cheeks
 

pierce

 

thrill


shakin

 

sighed

 

forehead

 

Darling

 

feeling

 

neglected

 

Klopen

 

happiness

 

gloomy

 

narrative


silence

 
feelings
 

Perhaps

 

daughter

 

fathers

 
throwing
 

husband

 
comprehend
 

laughter

 
children

carriage
 

horses

 
dresses
 
stories
 

people

 

filled

 
presents
 

beautiful

 
jewelry
 

cupids