The Kiss by Kate Chopin | Short Audio Story in English | Audiobook
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[{'start': '0.160', 'end': '5.360', 'text': 'THE KISS by KATE CHOPIN'}, {'start': '5.360', 'end': '10.880', 'text': 'It was still quite light out of doors, but inside\xa0\nwith the curtains drawn and the smouldering fire'}, {'start': '10.880', 'end': '16.880', 'text': 'sending out a dim, uncertain glow,\xa0\nthe room was full of deep shadows.'}, {'start': '16.880', 'end': '19.360', 'text': 'Brantain sat in one of these shadows;'}, {'start': '19.360', 'end': '25.360', 'text': 'it had overtaken him and he did not mind.\xa0\nThe obscurity lent him courage to keep his'}, {'start': '25.360', 'end': '29.280', 'text': 'eyes fastened as ardently as he liked\xa0\nupon the girl who sat in the firelight.'}, {'start': '30.160', 'end': '36.320', 'text': 'She was very handsome, with a certain fine, rich\xa0\ncoloring that belongs to the healthy brune type.'}, {'start': '36.320', 'end': '42.400', 'text': 'She was quite composed, as she idly stroked the\xa0\nsatiny coat of the cat that lay curled in her lap,'}, {'start': '42.400', 'end': '47.840', 'text': 'and she occasionally sent a slow glance into the\xa0\nshadow where her companion sat. They were talking'}, {'start': '47.840', 'end': '53.680', 'text': 'low, of indifferent things which plainly were not\xa0\nthe things that occupied their thoughts. She knew'}, {'start': '53.680', 'end': '59.600', 'text': 'that he loved her—a frank, blustering fellow\xa0\nwithout guile enough to conceal his feelings,'}, {'start': '59.600', 'end': '65.680', 'text': 'and no desire to do so. For two weeks\xa0\npast he had sought her society eagerly'}, {'start': '65.680', 'end': '71.520', 'text': 'and persistently. She was confidently waiting\xa0\nfor him to declare himself and she meant to'}, {'start': '71.520', 'end': '77.360', 'text': 'accept him. The rather insignificant and\xa0\nunattractive Brantain was enormously rich;'}, {'start': '77.360', 'end': '81.760', 'text': 'and she liked and required the\xa0\nentourage which wealth could give her.'}, {'start': '81.760', 'end': '85.360', 'text': 'During one of the pauses between\xa0\ntheir talk of the last tea and the'}, {'start': '85.360', 'end': '91.520', 'text': 'next reception the door opened and a young\xa0\nman entered whom Brantain knew quite well.'}, {'start': '91.520', 'end': '97.120', 'text': 'The girl turned her face toward him. A\xa0\nstride or two brought him to her side,'}, {'start': '97.120', 'end': '102.560', 'text': 'and bending over her chair—before she could\xa0\nsuspect his intention, for she did not realize'}, {'start': '102.560', 'end': '109.760', 'text': 'that he had not seen her visitor—he pressed\xa0\nan ardent, lingering kiss upon her lips.'}, {'start': '109.760', 'end': '115.840', 'text': 'Brantain slowly arose; so did the girl arise,\xa0\nbut quickly, and the newcomer stood between them,'}, {'start': '115.840', 'end': '120.880', 'text': 'a little amusement and some defiance\xa0\nstruggling with the confusion in his face.'}, {'start': '120.880', 'end': '130.880', 'text': '“I believe,” stammered Brantain, “I see that I\xa0\nhave stayed too long. I—I had no idea—that is,'}, {'start': '130.880', 'end': '134.720', 'text': 'I must wish you good-by.” He was\xa0\nclutching his hat with both hands,'}, {'start': '134.720', 'end': '139.200', 'text': 'and probably did not perceive that she was\xa0\nextending her hand to him, her presence'}, {'start': '139.200', 'end': '145.440', 'text': 'of mind had not completely deserted her; but\xa0\nshe could not have trusted herself to speak.'}, {'start': '145.440', 'end': '151.680', 'text': '“Hang me if I saw him sitting there, Nattie!\xa0\nI know it’s deuced awkward for you. But I hope'}, {'start': '151.680', 'end': '157.920', 'text': 'you’ll forgive me this once—this very\xa0\nfirst break. Why, what’s the matter?”'}, {'start': '157.920', 'end': '162.880', 'text': '“Don’t touch me; don’t come near\xa0\nme,” she returned angrily. “What do'}, {'start': '162.880', 'end': '166.320', 'text': 'you mean by entering the house without ringing?”'}, {'start': '166.320', 'end': '170.240', 'text': '“I came in with your brother, as\xa0\nI often do,” he answered coldly,'}, {'start': '170.240', 'end': '176.000', 'text': 'in self-justification. “We came in the side way.\xa0\nHe went upstairs and I came in here hoping to'}, {'start': '176.000', 'end': '181.680', 'text': 'find you. The explanation is simple enough and\xa0\nought to satisfy you that the misadventure was'}, {'start': '181.680', 'end': '188.480', 'text': 'unavoidable. But do say that you forgive\xa0\nme, Nathalie,” he entreated, softening.'}, {'start': '188.480', 'end': '195.280', 'text': '“Forgive you! You don’t know what\xa0\nyou are talking about. Let me pass.'}, {'start': '195.280', 'end': '199.920', 'text': 'It depends upon—a good deal\xa0\nwhether I ever forgive you.”'}, {'start': '199.920', 'end': '204.320', 'text': 'At that next reception which she and\xa0\nBrantain had been talking about she'}, {'start': '204.320', 'end': '209.120', 'text': 'approached the young man with a delicious\xa0\nfrankness of manner when she saw him there.'}, {'start': '209.120', 'end': '211.200', 'text': '“Will you let me speak to you a moment or two,'}, {'start': '211.200', 'end': '218.240', 'text': 'Mr. Brantain?” she asked with an engaging but\xa0\nperturbed smile. He seemed extremely unhappy;'}, {'start': '218.240', 'end': '223.600', 'text': 'but when she took his arm and walked away with\xa0\nhim, seeking a retired corner, a ray of hope'}, {'start': '223.600', 'end': '230.880', 'text': 'mingled with the almost comical misery of his\xa0\nexpression. She was apparently very outspoken.'}, {'start': '230.880', 'end': '235.760', 'text': '“Perhaps I should not have sought this\xa0\ninterview, Mr. Brantain; but—but, oh,'}, {'start': '235.760', 'end': '242.000', 'text': 'I have been very uncomfortable, almost miserable\xa0\nsince that little encounter the other afternoon.'}, {'start': '242.000', 'end': '247.360', 'text': 'When I thought how you might have misinterpreted\xa0\nit, and believed things”—hope was plainly gaining'}, {'start': '247.360', 'end': '254.080', 'text': 'the ascendancy over misery in Brantain’s round,\xa0\nguileless face—“Of course, I know it is nothing'}, {'start': '254.080', 'end': '259.120', 'text': 'to you, but for my own sake I do want you\xa0\nto understand that Mr. Harvy is an intimate'}, {'start': '259.120', 'end': '265.920', 'text': 'friend of long standing. Why, we have always been\xa0\nlike cousins—like brother and sister, I may say.'}, {'start': '265.920', 'end': '270.480', 'text': 'He is my brother’s most intimate associate and\xa0\noften fancies that he is entitled to the same'}, {'start': '270.480', 'end': '279.040', 'text': 'privileges as the family. Oh, I know it is absurd,\xa0\nuncalled for, to tell you this; undignified even,”'}, {'start': '279.040', 'end': '285.040', 'text': 'she was almost weeping, “but it makes so much\xa0\ndifference to me what you think of—of me.”'}, {'start': '285.040', 'end': '292.320', 'text': 'Her voice had grown very low and agitated. The\xa0\nmisery had all disappeared from Brantain’s face.'}, {'start': '292.320', 'end': '298.480', 'text': '“Then you do really care what I think, Miss\xa0\nNathalie? May I call you Miss Nathalie?” They'}, {'start': '298.480', 'end': '302.880', 'text': 'turned into a long, dim corridor that\xa0\nwas lined on either side with tall,'}, {'start': '302.880', 'end': '309.040', 'text': 'graceful plants. They walked slowly to\xa0\nthe very end of it. When they turned to'}, {'start': '309.040', 'end': '314.800', 'text': 'retrace their steps Brantain’s face\xa0\nwas radiant and hers was triumphant.'}, {'start': '315.680', 'end': '318.160', 'text': 'Harvy was among the guests at the wedding;'}, {'start': '318.160', 'end': '322.480', 'text': 'and he sought her out in a rare\xa0\nmoment when she stood alone.'}, {'start': '322.480', 'end': '328.000', 'text': '“Your husband,” he said, smiling,\xa0\n“has sent me over to kiss you.”'}, {'start': '328.000', 'end': '334.720', 'text': 'A quick blush suffused her face and round polished\xa0\nthroat. “I suppose it’s natural for a man to feel'}, {'start': '334.720', 'end': '340.240', 'text': 'and act generously on an occasion of this kind.\xa0\nHe tells me he doesn’t want his marriage to'}, {'start': '340.240', 'end': '346.000', 'text': 'interrupt wholly that pleasant intimacy which\xa0\nhas existed between you and me. I don’t know'}, {'start': '346.000', 'end': '352.880', 'text': 'what you’ve been telling him,” with an insolent\xa0\nsmile, “but he has sent me here to kiss you.”'}, {'start': '352.880', 'end': '357.360', 'text': 'She felt like a chess player who, by\xa0\nthe clever handling of his pieces,'}, {'start': '357.360', 'end': '362.240', 'text': 'sees the game taking the course intended.\xa0\nHer eyes were bright and tender with a'}, {'start': '362.240', 'end': '368.640', 'text': 'smile as they glanced up into his; and her lips\xa0\nlooked hungry for the kiss which they invited.'}, {'start': '368.640', 'end': '376.240', 'text': '“But, you know,” he went on quietly, “I didn’t\xa0\ntell him so, it would have seemed ungrateful,'}, {'start': '376.240', 'end': '382.000', 'text': 'but I can tell you. I’ve stopped\xa0\nkissing women; it’s dangerous.”'}, {'start': '382.000', 'end': '386.640', 'text': 'Well, she had Brantain and his million\xa0\nleft. A person can’t have everything'}, {'start': '386.640', 'end': '393.280', 'text': 'in this world; and it was a little\xa0\nunreasonable of her to expect it.'}]