Prev | Current Page 522 | Next

James, Henry, 1843-1916

"Roderick Hudson"

But he
checked it, and he was afterwards glad he had done so. "You must do
something," he said. "Choose, select, decide!"
"My dear Rowland, how you talk!" Roderick cried. "The very point of the
matter is that I can't do anything. I will do as I 'm told, but I don't
call that doing. We must leave Rome, I suppose, though I don't see why.
We have got no money, and you have to pay money on the railroads."
Mrs. Hudson surreptitiously wrung her hands. "Listen to him, please!"
she cried. "Not leave Rome, when we have staid here later than any
Christians ever did before! It 's this dreadful place that has made us
so unhappy."
"That 's very true," said Roderick, serenely. "If I had not come to
Rome, I would n't have risen, and if I had not risen, I should n't have
fallen."
"Fallen--fallen!" murmured Mrs. Hudson. "Just hear him!"
"I will do anything you say, Rowland," Roderick added. "I will do
anything you want. I have not been unkind to my mother--have I, mother?
I was unkind yesterday, without meaning it; for after all, all that had
to be said. Murder will out, and my low spirits can't be hidden.


Pages:
510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 522 523 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534