https://youtube.com/watch?v=M2InRS4ssk0
learn English through stories one a wedding is arranged most
people who knew Baptista truth and agreed that there was nothing in
her to love and nothing in her to hate she did not seem to feel very strongly about
anything but still waters run deep and nothing had yet happened to make her show what lay
hidden inside her like gold Underground since her birth she had lived on Saint Maria's
an island off the Southwest coast of England her father a farmer had spent a lot of money
on sending her to school on the mainland at 19 she studied at a training college
for teachers and at 21 she found a teaching job in a town called tour upon Sea on the
mainland Coast Baptista taught the children as well as she could but after a year had
passed she seemed worried about something Mrs Weiss her landlady noticed the change in the
young woman and asked her what the matter was it has nothing to do with the town or you replied
Miss Truth and she seemed reluctant to say more then is it the pay no it isn't the pay is it
something that you've heard from home my dear Baptista was silent for a few moments then
she said it's Mr hadagan David hadigan he's an old neighbor of ours on Saint
Maria's with no wife or family at all when I was a child he used to say he wanted to
marry me one day now I'm a woman it's no longer a joke and he really wishes to do it and my parents
say I can't do better than have him has he a lot of money yes he's the richest man that we know
how much older than you is he 20 years maybe more and is he perhaps an unpleasant man no he's
not unpleasant well child all I can say is this don't accept this engagement if it doesn't please
you you're comfortable here in my house I hope and I like having you here thank you Mrs Weiss you're
very kind to me but here comes my difficulty I don't like teaching ah you're surprised that's
because I've hidden it from everyone well I really hate school the children are awful little
things who make trouble all day long but even they are not as bad as the inspector for the three
months before his visit I woke up several times every night worrying about it it's so difficult
knowing what to teach and what to leave untaught I think father and mother are right they say
I'll never be a good teacher if I don't like the work so I should marry Mr hide again and then
I won't need to work I don't know what to do Mrs ways I like him better than teaching but I don't
like him enough to marry him these conversations were continued from day to day until at last the
landlady decided to agree with baptista's parents life will be much easier for you my dear she told
her young friend if you marry this Rich neighbor in April Baptista went home to Saint Maria's for
a short holiday and when she returned she seemed calmer I have agreed to have him as my husband
so that's the end of it she told Mrs Weiss in the next few months letters pass between
Baptista and Mr hadegan but the girl preferred not to discuss her engagement with Mrs Weiss later
she told her that she was leaving her job at the end of July and the wedding was arranged for the
first Wednesday in August 2.
A chance meeting when the end of July arrived Baptista was
in no hurry to return home to the island she was not planning to buy any special clothes
for the wedding and her parents were making all the other arrangements so she did not leave tore
upon sea until the Saturday before her wedding she traveled by train to the town of penzephyr
but when she arrived she found that the boat to Saint Maria's had left early and there was
no other boat until Tuesday I'll have to stay here until then she thought it's too far to go
back to Mrs wayces she did not seem to mind this in fact she was almost happy to wait another
three nights before seeing her future husband she found a room in a small hotel took her luggage
there then went out for a walk around the town Baptista yes baptistery tears the words came
from behind her turning round she gave a jump and stared oh is it really you Charles she said with
a half smile the newcomer looked her up and down he appeared almost angry with her but he said
nothing I'm going home she continued but I've missed the boat he did not seem interested in
this news still teaching he said what a fine teacher you make Baptista I'm sure she knew that
was not his real meaning I know I'm not very good at teaching she replied that's why I've stopped
oh you've stopped you surprised me I hate teaching perhaps that's because I'm a teacher oh no it
isn't it's because I'm starting a new life next week I'm going to marry Mr David herdegan but this
unexpected reply the young man took a step back who is Mr David herdegan he said trying to sound
bored he owns a number of shops on Saint Maria's and he's my father's neighbor and oldest friend
so no longer a school teacher just a shopkeeper's wife I knew you would never succeed as a teacher
you're like a woman who thinks she can be a great actress just because she has a beautiful face
and forgets she has to be able to act but you found out your mistake early didn't you don't
be unpleasant to me Charles Baptista said sadly I'm not being unpleasant I'm just saying what is
true in a friendly way although I do have good reason to be unpleasant to you what a hurry you've
been in Baptista I do hate a woman in a hurry what do you mean well in a hurry to be somebody's
wife any husband is better than no husband for you it seems you couldn't wait for me oh no
well thank God that's all in the past for me wait for you what does that mean Charlie you
never showed that you felt anything special for me oh really Baptista dear what I mean is there
was nothing that I could be sure of I suppose you like me a little but I didn't think you
meant to make an honest engagement of it that's just it you girls expect a man to
talk about marrying after the first look but I did mean to get engaged to you you know but
you never said so and a woman can't wait forever Baptista I promise you that I was planning
to ask you to marry me in six months time she appeared very uncomfortable
and they walked along in silence soon he said did you want to marry me
then and she whispered sadly back yes as they walked on away from the town and into the
fields her shoulder and his were close together he held her arm with a strong hand this seemed
to say now I hold you and you must do what I want how strange that we should meet
like this said the young man you and I could be husband and wife
going on our honeymoon together but instead of that we'll say goodbye in half
an hour perhaps forever yes life is strange she stopped walking I must go back this is too
painful Charlie you're not being kind today I don't want to hurt you you know I don't he
answered more gently but it makes me angry what you're going to do I don't think you should marry
him I must do it now that I've agreed why he asked speaking more seriously now it's never too late
to stop a wedding if you're not happy with it now you could marry me instead of him although
you were in too much of a hurry to wait for me oh it isn't possible to think of
that she cried shaking her head at home everything will be ready for the wedding if we marry it must be at once this evening you
can come back with me to True FAL the town where I live we can get married there on Tuesday and
then no Mr David herdegan or anyone else can take you away from me but I must go home on the
Tuesday boat she said worriedly what will they think if I don't arrive you can go home on that
boat just the same the only difference is that I'll go with you you'll tell your parents that
you've married a young man with a good job someone that you met at training College when I meet them
they'll accept that we're married and it can't be changed and you won't be miserable forever as the
wife of an awful old man now honestly you do like me best don't you Baptista yes she whispered then
we will do what I say three Baptista gets married that same afternoon Charles Stowe and Baptista
truth and travel by train to the town of truffle Charles was surprisingly very careful of
appearances and found a room for Baptista in a different house from where he was staying on
Sunday they went to church and then walked around the town on Monday Charles made the arrangements
and by nine o'clock on Tuesday morning they were husband and wife for the first time in her life
Baptista had gone against her parents wishes she went cold with fear when she thought
of their first meeting with her new husband but she felt she had to tell them as soon as
possible and now the most important thing was to get home to Saint Maria's so in a great hurry
they packed their bags and caught the train to penzephyr they arrived two hours before the boat
left so to pass the time they decided to walk along the cliffs a little way it was a hot summer
day and Charles wanted to have a swim in the sea Baptista did not like the idea of sitting alone
while he swam but I'll only be a quarter of an hour Charles said and Baptista passively
accepted this she sat high up on the cliffs and watched him go down a footpath disappear
appear again and run across the beach to the Sea she watched him for a moment then stared
out to sea thinking about her family they were probably not worried about her
because she had sometimes missed the boat before but they were expecting her to arrive
today and to marry David herdegan tomorrow how angry father will be she thought miserably
and mother will say I've made a terrible mistake I almost wish I hadn't married Charles in that
moment of Madness oh dear what have I done this made her think of her new
husband and she turned to look for him he did not appear to be in the sea anymore and
she could not see him on the beach by this time she was frightened and she climbed down the path
as quickly as her shaking legs could manage on the beach she called two men to help her but they said
they could see nothing at all in the water soon she found the place where Charles had left his
clothes but by now the sea had carried them away for a few minutes she stood there without moving
there was only one way to explain this sudden disappearance her husband had drowned and as she
stood there it began to seem like a terrible dream and the last three days of her life
with Charles seemed to disappear she even had difficulty in Remembering his face
how unexpected it was meeting him that day she thought and the wedding did I really agree to
it are we really married it all happened so fast she began to cry still standing there on the beach
she did not know what to do or even what to think finally she remembered the boat and catching
the boat home seemed the easiest thing to do so she walked to the station arranged for someone
to carry her luggage and went down to the boat she did all this automatically in a kind of dream just before the boat left she heard part of a
conversation which made her sure that Charles was dead one passenger said to another a man drowned
here earlier today you know he swam out too far they say a stranger I think some people in a
boat saw him but they couldn't get to him in time the boat was a long way out to sea before Baptista
realized that Mr hedegan was on the boat with her she saw him walking towards her and quickly
took the wedding ring off her left hand I hope you're well my dear he said he was a
healthy red-faced man of 55.
I wanted to come across to meet you what bad luck that you missed
the boat on Saturday and Baptista had to agree and smile and make conversation Mr hadegan had
spoken to her before she was ready to say anything now the moment had passed when the boat
arrived her parents were there to meet her father walked home beside Mr herdegan while
her mother walked next to Baptista talking all the time I'm so happy my child said Mrs
truthan in her loud cheerful voice that you kept your promise to marry Mr herdegan
how busy we've been but now things are all ready for the wedding and a few friends and
neighbors are coming in for supper this evening again the moment for confessing had
passed and Baptista stayed silent when they reached home Mrs truth and said now
Baptista hurry up to your room and take off your hat then come downstairs I must go to the
kitchen the young woman passively obeyed her mother's orders the evening was a great success
for all except Baptista she had no chance to tell her parents the news and it was already much
more difficult than it had been at first by the end of the evening when all the neighbors had
left she found herself alone in her bedroom again she had come home with much to say and had said
none of it she now realized that she was not brave enough to tell her story and as the Clock
Struck midnight she decided it should stay Untold morning came and when she thought of
Charles it was more with fear than with love her mother called from downstairs Baptista time to
get up Mr hadegan will be at the church in three quarters of an hour Baptista got out of bed looked
out of the window and took the easy way she put her best clothes on confessed nothing and kept her
promise to marry David hadigan 4.
The honeymoon Mr hedegan did not worry about his new wife's
coldness towards him during and after the wedding I know she was reluctant to marry me he thought
but that will pass things will be different in a few months time during the wedding dinner
someone asked hedegan about the honeymoon to baptista's horror he answered oh we're
going to spend a few days in penzephyr what cried Baptista I know nothing of this because
of her later rival hodegin had not been able to ask where she would like to spend the honeymoon
so he had arranged a trip to the mainland it was difficult to change these
plans at the last minute so she had to agree and that evening she and
her new husband arrived in penzephyr their first problem was finding a hotel because
the fine weather had filled the town with tourists they walked from place to place hadegan
polite and friendly Baptista cold and silent finally they found an excellent hotel
which to their surprise was empty kindly Mr hadagan who wanted to please his young
wife asked for the best room on the first floor with a good view of the sea I'm sorry said
the landlady there's a gentleman in that room then seeing hadigan's disappointed face and not
wishing to lose a customer she added quickly but perhaps the gentleman will agree to move to
another room and then you can have the one that you want well if he doesn't want to view
said Mr hadigan oh no I'm sure he doesn't and if you don't mind going for a little walk
I'll have the room ready when you return during their walk Baptiste was careful to choose
different streets from those that she had walked down with Charles and her white face showed how
difficult this visit was for her at last they returned to the hotel and were shown into the
best bedroom they sat at the window drinking tea although hadigan had arranged for a sea view to
please Baptista she did not look out of the window once but kept her eyes on the floor and walls of
the room suddenly she noticed a hat on the back of the door it was just like the hat that Charles had
worn she stared harder yes it was the actual hat she fell back in her chair her husband jumped up
saying worriedly you're not well what can I get you smelling salts she said quickly her voice
shaking a little from the shop near the station he ran out of the room Baptista rang the
bell and when a young girl came whispered to her that hat whose is it oh I'm sorry
I'll take it away said the girl hurriedly she took the hat off the door it
belongs to the other gentleman where is the other gentleman asked Baptista
he's in the Next Room Madam he was in here but I can't hear him I don't think he's there he
makes no noise but he's there replied the girl suddenly Baptista understood what the girl
meant and a cold hand lay on her heart why is he so silent she whispered if I tell
you please don't say anything to the landlady beg the girl or I'll lose my job it's because
he's dead he's the young teacher who drowned yesterday they brought his body here and that's
why there's nobody staying in the hotel people don't like a dead body in the house but we've
changed the sheets and cleaned the room Adam just then herdegan arrived with the
smelling salts and the girl left the room any better he asked Baptista I don't like
the hotel she cried we'll have to leave for the first time herdegan
spoke crossly to his wife now that's enough Baptista first you want one
thing then another it's cost me enough in money and words to get this fine room and it's too
much to expect me to find another hotel at this time of the evening we'll stay quietly here
tonight dear here and find another place tomorrow the young woman said no more her mind was cold
with horror that night she lay between the two men who she'd married David had egg on one side
and on the other side through the bedroom wall Charles Stowe 5.
Secrets discovered Mr and
Mrs herdegan both felt the honeymoon was not a success they were happy to return to the
island and start married life together in David hadigan's large house Baptista soon became
as calm and passive as she had been before she even smiled when neighbors called her Mrs
hadigan and she began to enjoy the comfortable life that a rich husband could offer her she did
nothing at all to stop people finding out about her first marriage to Charles Stowe although
there was always a danger of that happening one evening in September when she was standing in
her garden a Workman walked past along the road he seemed to recognize her and spoke to her in a
friendly surprise what don't you know me he asked I'm afraid I don't said Baptista I was your
witness Madam I was mending the church window where you and your young man came to get married
don't you remember the vicar called me to be a witness Baptista look quickly around her Degan was
at the other end of the garden but unluckily just at that moment he turned and walked towards the
house are you coming in my dear he called out to Baptista the Workman stared at him that's not your
he began then he saw baptista's face and stopped Baptiste was unable to speak and the Workman began
to realize that there was a little mystery here I've been unlucky since then he continued still
staring at baptista's white face it's hard finding enough work to buy food for my wife and myself
perhaps you could help me because I once helped you Baptista gave him some money and hope never to
see him again but he was cleverer than he looked by asking questions on the island and the
mainland he soon realized that Baptista had married one man on Tuesday and another man on
Wednesday he visited her again two days later it was a mystery to me Madam he said when she
opened the door but now I understand it all I want to tell you madam that I'm not a man to make
trouble between husband and wife but I'm going to get back to the mainland again and I need a little
more money if your old man finds out about your first husband I'm sure he won't like it will he
she knew he was right and paid him what he wanted a week later the Workman sent his wife to
ask for more money and again Baptista paid but when there was a fourth visit she refused to
pay and shut the door in the man's surprised face she knew she had to tell her husband everything
she liked him better now than she had done at first and did not want to lose him but our secret
was no longer safe she went to find him and said David I have something to tell you yes my dear he
said with a sigh in the last week he had been less cheerful and had seemed worried about something
when they were both in the sitting room she said David perhaps you will hate me for this but I
must confess something that I've hidden from you it happened before we were
married and it's about a lover I don't mind in fact I was hoping it was more
than that well it was I met my old Lover by chance and he asked me and well I married
him we were coming here to tell you but he drowned and I said nothing about him and then
I married you David for peace and quietness now you'll be angry with me I know you will she
spoke wildly and expected her husband to shout and scream but instead the old man jumped up and began
to dance happily around the room oh wonderful he cried how lucky my dear Baptista I see a way
out of my difficulty haha what do you mean she asked afraid he had gone mad oh my dear
I've got something to confess to you see I was very friendly with a woman in penzephyr for many
years very friendly you could say and in the end I married her just before she died I kept it secret
but people here are beginning to talk and I've got four big girls to think of oh David four daughters
she cried in horror that's right my dear I'm sorry to say they haven't been to school at all I'd like
to bring them to live here with us and I thought by marrying a teacher I could get someone to teach
them all for nothing what do you think Baptista four grown girls always around the house and
I hate teaching it kills me but I must do it I can see that I am punished for that moment of
Madness I really am here the conversation ended the next day Baptista had to welcome her
husband's daughters into her home they were not good looking or intelligent or even well
dressed and poor Baptista could only look forward to years of hard work with them she went about
sighing miserably with no hope for the future but when hadegan asked her a month later how
do you like him now her answer was unexpected much better than At first she said I may like them
very much one day and so began a more pleasant time for Baptista hadigan she had discovered what
kind gentle girls these unwelcome daughters were At first she felt sorry for them then grew
to like them and from liking she grew to love them in the end they brought her and her
husband closer together and so Baptista and David were able to put the past behind them and
find unexpected happiness in their married life
