The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
Edward Hopper Painting
Mary Cassatt painting
Jack Vettriano Painting
preferred quarrelling with Joseph in the kitchen to sitting at peace in her solitude. I did not mind their skirmishes: but Hareton was often obliged to seek the kitchen also, when the master wanted to have the house to himself; and though in the beginning she either left it at his approach, or quietly joined in my occupations, and shunned remarking or addressing him--and though he was always as sullen and silent as possible--after a while she changed her behaviour, and became incapable of letting him alone: talking at him; commenting on his stupidity and idleness; expressing her wonder how he could endure the life he lived--how he could sit a whole evening staring into the fire and dozing.
oil paintings
`He's just like a dog, is he not, Ellen?' she once observed, `or a carthorse? He does his work, eats his food, and sleeps eternally! What a blank, dreary mind he must have! Do you ever dream, Hareton? And, if you do, what is it about? But you can't speak to me!'
Then she looked at him; but he would neither open his mouth nor look again.
`He's, perhaps, dreaming now,' she continued. `He twitched his shoulder as Juno twitches hers. Ask him, Ellen.'

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"I had to tell my father, of course. He got very worked up," she smiled faintly. "He was convinced it was a put-up thing to get money out of us. My father gets very excited about money. He believes, or pretends to believe, that he is a very poor man, and that he must save every penny he can. I believe elderly people do get obsessions of that kind sometimes. It's not true, of course, he has a very large income and doesn't actually spend a quarter of it – or used not to until these days of high income tax. Certainly he has a large amount of savings put by." She paused and then went on. "I told my other two brothers also. Alfred seemed to consider it rather a joke
The Singing Butler
though he, too, thought it was almost certainly an imposture. Cedric just wasn't interested - he's inclined to be self-centred. Our idea was that the family would receive Martine, and that our lawyer, Mr. Wimborne, should also be asked to be present."
"What did Mr. Wimborne think about the matter?"
"We hadn't got as far as discussing the matter with him. We were on the point of doing so when Martine's telegram arrived."
"You have taken no further steps?"
"Yes. I wrote to the address in London with Please forward on the envelope, but I have had no reply of any kind."
"Rather a curious business…. Hm…"The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"I had to tell my father, of course. He got very worked up," she smiled faintly. "He was convinced it was a put-up thing to get money out of us. My father gets very excited about money. He believes, or pretends to believe, that he is a very poor man, and that he must save every penny he can. I believe elderly people do get obsessions of that kind sometimes. It's not true, of course, he has a very large income and doesn't actually spend a quarter of it – or used not to until these days of high income tax. Certainly he has a large amount of savings put by." She paused and then went on. "I told my other two brothers also. Alfred seemed to consider it rather a joke
The Singing Butler
though he, too, thought it was almost certainly an imposture. Cedric just wasn't interested - he's inclined to be self-centred. Our idea was that the family would receive Martine, and that our lawyer, Mr. Wimborne, should also be asked to be present."
"What did Mr. Wimborne think about the matter?"
"We hadn't got as far as discussing the matter with him. We were on the point of doing so when Martine's telegram arrived."
"You have taken no further steps?"
"Yes. I wrote to the address in London with Please forward on the envelope, but I have had no reply of any kind."
"Rather a curious business…. Hm…"The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"You hardly spared my feelings，"said Thora Grey. "I do not fancy you returned me a truthful answer，mademoiselle，"saidPoirot dryly."And now your second expectation is disappointed.FranklinClarke will not inherit his brother's money." She flung up her head. "Is there any need for me to stay here and be insulted?" "None whatever，"said Poirot and held the door open politely for her. "That fingerprint clinched things，Poirot，"I said thoughtfully."He wentall to pieces when you mentioned that." "Yes，they are useful-fingerprints." He added thoughtfully: "I put that in to please you，my friend."
The Singing Butler
"But，Poirot，"I cried，"wasn't it true?" "Not in the least，mon ami，"said Hercule Poirot. I must mention a visit we had from Mr Alexander Bonaparte Cust a fewdays later.After wringing Poirot's hand and endeavouring very incoherentlyand unsuccessfully to thank him，Mr Cust drew himself up and said: "Do you know，a newspaper has actually offered me a hundred pounds-ahundred pounds-for a brief account of my life and history-I-I really don'tknow what to do about it." "I should not accept a hundred，"said Poirot."Be firm.Say five hundredis your price.And do not confine yourself to one newspaper." "Do you really think-that I might-""You must realize，"said Poirot，smiling，"that you are a very famous man.Practically the most famous man inEngland today."The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"And then?" "I-I lost my head rather.I was convinced she was with some man.I thoughtit probable he had taken her in his car to Hastings. I went on there-looked in hotels and restaurants，hung roundcinemas-went on the pier.All damn foolishness.Even if she was there I wasunlikely to find her，and anyway，there were heaps of other places he mighthave taken her to instead of Hastings." He stopped.Precise as his tone had remained，I caught an undertone ofthat blind，bewildering misery and anger that had possessed him at the timehe described. "In the end I gave it up-came back." "At what time?"
The Singing Butler
"I don'g know.I walked.It must have been midnignt or after when I gothome." "Then-"The kitchen door opened. "Oh，there you are，"said Inspector Kelsey. Inspector Crome pushed past him，shot a glance at Poirot and a glance atthe two strangers. "Miss Megan Barnard and Mr Donald Fraser，"said Poirot，introducing them. "This is Inspector Crome from London，"he explained. Turning to the inspector，he said: "Whild you pursued your investigations upstairs I have been conversingwith Miss Barnard and Mr Fraser，endeavouring if I could to find somethingthat will throw light upon the matter."
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"And now," said Dorothy, "how am I to get back to Kansas?"
"We shall have to think about that," replied the little man. "Give me two or three days to consider the matter and I'll try to find a way to carry you over the desert. In the meantime you shall all be treated as my guests, and
The Singing Butler
while you live in the Palace my people will wait upon you and obey your slightest wish. There is only one thing I ask in return for my help -- such as it is. You must keep my secret and tell no one I am a humbug."
They agreed to say nothing of what they had learned, and went back to their rooms in high spirits. Even Dorothy had hope that "The Great and Terrible Humbug," as she called him, would find a way to send her back to Kansas, and if he did she was willing to forgive him everything.
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
The elderly heads nodded recognition of Tom's wisdom once more, and one individual murmured, "An the king be mad himself, according to report, then it is a madness of a sort that would improve the sanity of some I wot of, if by the gentle providence of God they could but catch it."
"What age hath the child?" asked Tom.
"Nine years, please your majesty."
The Singing Butler
"By the law of England may a child enter into covenant and sell itself, my lord?" asked Tom, turning to a learned judge.
"The law doth not permit a child to make or meddle in any weighty matter, good my liege, holding that its callow wit unfitteth it to cope with the riper wit and evil schemings of them that are its elders. The devil may buy a child, if he so choose, and the child agree thereto, but not an Englishman-in this latter case the contract would be null and void."
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"I pray thee of thy grace believe me, I did but speak the truth, most dread lord; for I am the meanest among thy subjects, being a pauper born, and "tis by a sore mischance and accident I am here, albeit I was therein nothing blameful. I am but young to die, and thou canst save me with one little word. Oh, speak it, sir!"
"Die? Talk not so, sweet prince-peace, peace, to thy troubled heart-thou shalt not die!"
The Singing Butler
Tom dropped upon his knees with a glad cry:
"God requite thy mercy, oh my king, and save thee long to bless thy land!" Then springing up, he turned a joyful face toward the two lords in waiting, and exclaimed, "Thou heard'st it! I am not to die: the king hath said it!" There was no movement, save that all bowed with grave respect; but no one spoke. He hesitated, a little confused, then turned timidly toward the king, saying, "I may go now?"
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"Why, Ellen, don't you feel well?" asked Bunting quickly.
"Just a spasm, a sharp stitch in my side, like," answered the poor woman heavily. "It's over now. Don't mind me."
"But I don't believe - no, that I don't - that there's anybody in the world who knows who The Avenger is," went on Chandler quickly. "It stands to reason that anybody'd give him up - in their own interest, if not in anyone else's. Who'd shelter such a creature? Why, 'twould be dangerous to have him in the house along with one!"
The Singing Butler
"Then it's your idea that he's not responsible for the wicked things he does?" Mrs. Bunting raised her head, and looked over at Chandler with eager, anxious eyes.
"I'd be sorry to think he wasn't responsible enough to hang!" said Chandler deliberately. "After all the trouble he's been giving us, too!"
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"Well, you know why, Mrs. Bunting - "
She stared at him for a moment, wondering what he could mean. Then, suddenly she remembered. Why, of course, Joe was on a big job just now - the job of trying to catch The Avenger! Her husband had alluded to the fact again and again when reading out to her little bits from the halfpenny evening paper he was taking again.
The Singing Butler
She led the way to the sitting-room. It was a good thing Bunting had insisted on lighting the fire before he went out, for now the room was nice and warm - and it was just horrible outside. She had felt a chill go right through her as she had stood, even for that second, at the front door.
And she hadn't been alone to feel it, for, "I say, it is jolly to be in here, out of that awful cold!" exclaimed Chandler, sitting down heavily in Bunting's easy chair.
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
And the great scientist wept like a child.
We stood around him in silence, deeply affected by his great distress. Monsieur Darzac pressed closely to his side, and tried in vain to restrain his tears - a sight which, for the moment, almost made me like him, in spite of an instinctive repulsion which his strange demeanour and his inexplicable anxiety had inspired me.
The Singing Butler
Monsieur Rouletabille alone, - as if his precious time and mission on earth did not permit him to dwell in the contemplation on human suffering - had, very calmly, stepped up to the empty cabinet and, pointing at it, broke the almost solemn silence. He entered into explanations, for which there was no need, as to why he had been led to believe that a robbery had been committed
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
don't know."
"And when will she come back?"
"She will never come back. Yesterday she went away bleating sadly, and it seemed to me she said: `Poor Pinocchio, I shall never see him again. . .the Shark must have eaten him by this time.'"
Tired of reading? Add this page to your Bookmarks or Favorites and finish it later.
"Were those her real words? Then it was she--it was-- my dear little Fairy," cried out Pinocchio, sobbing bitterly. After he had cried a long time, he wiped his eyes and then he made a bed of straw for old Geppetto. He laid him on it and said to the Talking Cricket:
The Singing Butler
Tell me, little Cricket, where shall I find a glass of milk for my poor Father?"
"Three fields away from here lives Farmer John. He has some cows. Go there and he will give you what you want."
Pinocchio ran all the way to Farmer John's house. The Farmer said to him:
"How much milk do you want?"
"I want a full glass."
"A full glass costs a penny. First give me the penny."
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
"Oh, Pinocchio," he cried in a tearful voice. "Give us some alms, we beg of you! We are old, tired, and sick."
"Sick!" repeated the Cat.
"Addio, false friends!" answered the Marionette. "You cheated me once, but you will never catch me again."
We have hundreds more books for your enjoyment. Read them all!
"Believe us! Today we are truly poor and starving."
"Starving!" repeated the Cat.
The Singing Butler
If you are poor; you deserve it! Remember the old proverb which says: `Stolen money never bears fruit.' Addio, false friends."
"Have mercy on us!"
"On us."
"Addio, false friends. Remember the old proverb which says: `Bad wheat always makes poor bread!'"
"Do not abandon us."
"Abandon us," repeated the Cat.
"Addio, false friends. Remember the old proverb: `Whoever steals his neighbor's shirt, usually dies without his own.'"
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
Mademoiselle. The man who had been there had first gone up to my attic and taken my revolver from the drawer where I kept it. We then ascertained, by counting the cartridges, that the assassin had fired two shots. Ah! it was fortunate for me that Monsieur Stangerson was in the laboratory when the affair took place and had seen with his own eyes that I was there with him; for otherwise, with this business of my
The Singing Butler
revolver, I don't know where we should have been, - I should now be under lock and bar. Justice wants no more to send a man to the scaffold!'"
The editor of the "Matin" added to this interview the following lines:
"We have, without interrupting him, allowed Daddy Jacques to recount to us roughly all he knows about the crime of The Yellow Room. We have reproduced it in his own words, only sparing the reader the continual lamentations with which he garnished his narrative. It is quite understood, Daddy
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
冲上前的男人们，一个个应声倒下，苦痛的表情不真实写在脸上。在场的人甚至没有一个人看清拉比到底做了什么，他们到底为什么倒下，仿佛刚才生死交替的那霎那，唯一动过的只有拉比的衣角。
静。。。。。。。
众人默契的定格在他身上。
“看来玛里的酒并没有想象中的好喝” 拉比不在意的继续喝着未完的酒 ，拉着脸上逐渐恢复红润可心并肩站起。
“保护王上”拉比的这一动弹，像是毁灭世界的核武器，一下子让殿中的所有人紧张了起来。更不知从哪里冒出许多拿着刀剑的士兵
The Singing Butler
拉比不悦的挑了挑眉。
“你……你……”怎么也没让玛里王想到的结果，让他一下子不知道说什么为好
“尊敬的玛里国王是否应该给巴比伦一个解释呢”拉比漆黑的双眼一片冷酷
“你……你……”
和慌乱的玛里王相比，气定神闲得拉比让在场的众人有那么一瞬间的恍惚，仿佛眼前的这位才是名副其实的玛里国王
“没有解释，给我拿下他”玛里王忍不住唾了一口， 与拉比的冷静相比，自己的失态已经让他在重臣面前下不了台阶
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
宜妃似想起了什么，招手示意她走近道：“听说你前些日子又病了，现在可已大好了？”
“已没什么大碍了，劳额娘费心惦记着。”尘芳忙回答。
宜妃又道：“这两年，你皇阿玛被他们兄弟几个伤透了心，老九也不似老五那般安生，我念叨了几遍，他也不放在心上。我知道，你的话他还是听得进的，你可要多劝劝他。”
The Singing Butler
“额娘的话，九爷是记在心里的，他常说令额娘每日为他劳心费神，是他的不孝。即便是揽月摘星，也难报答额娘的养育之恩。”尘芳笑道。
宜妃听了这话很受用，频频颔首道：“我这辈子到这儿也算知足了。只要他们兄弟俩平平安安的，我就是日日吃斋念佛也心甘情愿。”又拉着尘芳道：“你这孩子就是身体单薄些，论品貌，在皇上这么多媳妇里可是拔尖的。”
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
依着飞玉的条件，还愁没人肯嫁吗？这些天府里门庭若市不就是因为这个理。男子三十而立，飞玉不过二十有五，只要自己耐下性子来，定能为飞玉挑个门当户对、才貌双全、温柔贤惠的妻子，将来三妻四妾也不必忌讳。当真做妻子的，还是要像自家夫人那样的才行。
The Singing Butler
想着这些，龙正毅突觉茅塞顿开、心情大好，手下的笔也顺畅起来，两行龙飞凤舞的大字即刻显现。
龙飞玉跨进书房时，看到的正是父亲大笔一挥的情景。但他没心思与父亲寒喧，只请了个安便跑到书架前翻腾起来。
龙正毅皱了皱眉。皇上指婚的旨意下了之后，儿子虽然有些愤慨，却又丝毫不着急，也从未在自己面前抱怨过，仿佛这一切都在他意料之中。只是这几日据家人来报有些不同寻常，心中不免有些担心。难道飞玉对长公主并非毫无情意？
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
那太医先还只是搭着脉，渐渐的表情越发的凝重……半晌，他拧紧了眉，从一边的药箱中取出一枚银针，在萧湘的头部扎了进去。
说来也怪，这银针一扎进去，萧湘的疼痛立刻缓解些许。那太医却更是严肃，脸色也更加难看，他的脸部微微抽搐，似乎是在恐惧着什么。
不过是二三分钟的时间，那太医便收了针，跪在地上：“回皇上的话，公主殿下身体基本上已无大碍，但……公主被人下了蛊，所以才会头疼欲裂……并且，丧失记忆。”
The Singing Butler
她跌入了怎么样的一个时代？她惊惧的看向那位皇帝，缓缓开了口：“你真的是我父皇？那么……我是谁？”
皇帝看向她的目光从叹息变成沉痛，又从沉痛变成怜爱，上前一步轻轻拍了她的头顶，满脸的慈爱：“湘儿，别怕。即使有人想害你，父皇也一定不会让他们得手。你记不住以前的事情不要紧，你只要记住，你是高高在上的太阳，是我大唐皇朝的最尊贵的高阳公主！！”
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
这不，穿上朝服，坐着马车来到官衙，报上本妃的名号，魏进连忙亲迎了出来。见我正装而入，他也摸不大清底细，只是正色请我进门。我嘱咐绯红带着涵儿四处走动，带着陈一守在门外，待两人坐定，我站到魏进跟前福了福，他唬得几次跳了起来。想我端敬王妃，那是见到皇帝、太后都有旨免跪的，如今着正装行半礼，算是给足了他面子。他连忙说道：“娘娘有事尽管吩咐，卑职不敢受此大礼。”
因有求于人，我直言不讳：“嘉靖五年除夕的宫变，魏大人当时在场想必也知道情况，信
The Singing Butler
王遗有一子，如今跟在本妃身边。这孩子固然聪明，但恐有其父遗风，本妃知魏大人是顶天立地之人，所以……想请魏大人在办差之余，带着身边教化一番，也不枉本妃今日特地登门拜师之情。”说罢不由得感慨万千。
他见我这番真心实意，也有所感，知道我此番不达目的绝不罢休，想了想：“卑职……定当尽力，只是，卑职不是那故弄玄虚的人，所以日后小世子有何不服管教之处，还请娘娘多多海涵。”
The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler

The Singing Butler
总算到了亲王府门口，停轿前趋，前头的信亲王已经下得马来，走到轿前象征性一踢，便有婆子上前一左一右的打开轿门，从盖头下方只见一条艳红地毯貌似直沿向府内，我一惊，不会是让我走进去吧？根据我在公主府及别庄的生活经历，知道从正门到正厅，那距离可不是一般的远。
正当我纳闷时，左边那个婆子上前喜洋洋地说：“恭迎王妃娘娘移轿！”我无奈地低叹，原来果真要走进去。正要下地，被右边那个婆子及时拦住：“王妃娘娘，奴婢背您过去。”背我？你背我进去？那得多远呀阿姨！我仍是听话地附到她背上，哪知才走几步，已移至另一顶精致的大红色小软轿上。晕，这才是移轿呀！还好。
The Singing Butler
又摇摇晃晃地坐了老大一阵小轿，总算到了正厅门口。被婆子扶着下得轿来，又被人接过一条红绿彩缎结成的同心结，慢腾腾地跟着彩缎另一头的信亲王进了门，刚立在高烧大红龙凤喜烛的堂前，只听得礼生唱道：“新郎挑头盖！”呀，又被肥皂剧害了，我一直以为盖头是要到洞房里才揭的，原来在大厅就揭了。
很快，信亲王用秤杆挑去我的盖头，这下视线好多了，虽然面上还有一层凤冠上垂下来的玉穗，但是从玉缝里还是大约可见人、物的。
The Singing Butler