登陆注册
3554300000003

第3章 BOOK THE FIRST:RECALLED TO LIFE(3)

'So-ho!'the guard sang out,as loud as he could roar.'Yo there!Stand!I shall fire!'

The pace was suddenly checked,and,with much splashing and floundering,a man's voice called from the mist,'Is that the Dovermail?'

'Never you mind what it is,'the guard retorted.'What are you?'

'Is that the Dover mail?'

'Why do you want to know?'

'I want a passenger,if it is.'

'What passenger?'

'Mr. Jarvis Lorry.'

Our booked passenger showed in a moment that it was his name. The guard,the coachman,and the two other passengers eyed him distrustfully.

'Keep where you are,'the guard called to the voice in the mist,'because,if I should make a mistake,it could never be set right in your lifetime. Gentleman of the name of Lorry answer straight.'

'What is the matter?'asked the passenger,then,with mildly quavering speech.'Who wants me?Is it Jerry?'

('I don't like Jerry's voice,if it is Jerry,'growled the guard to himself.'He's hoarser than suits me,is Jerry.')

'Yes,Mr. Lorry.'

'What is the matter?'

'A despatch sent after you from over yonder. T.and Co.'

'I know this messenger,guard,'said Mr. Lorry,getting down into the road,assisted from behind more swiftly than politely by the other two passengers,who immediately scrambled into the coach,shut the door,and pulled up the window.'He may come close;there's nothing wrong.'

'I hope there ain't,but can't make so'Nation sure of that,'said the guard,in gruff soliloquy.'Hallo you!'

'Well!And hallo you!'said Jerry,more hoarsely than before.

'Come on at a footpace!d'ye mind me?And if you've got holsters to that saddle o'yourn,don't let me see your hands go nigh'em. For I'm a devil at a quick mistake,and when I make one it takes the form of Lead.So now let's look at you.'

The figures of a horse and rider came slowly through the eddying mist,and came to the side of the mail,where the passenger stood. The rider stopped,and,casting up his eyes at the guard,handed the passenger a small folded paper.The rider's horse was blown,and both horse and rider were covered with mud,from the hoofs of the horse to the hat of the man.

'Guard!'said the passenger,in a tone of quiet business confidence.

The watchful guard,with his right hand at the stock of his raised blunderbuss,his left at the barrel,and his eye on the horseman,answered curtly,'Sir.'

'There is nothing to apprehend. I belong to Tellson's Bank.You must know Tellson's Bank in London.I am going to Paris on business.A crown to drink.I may read this?'

'If so be as you're quick,sir.'

He opened it in the light of the coach-lamp on that side,and read—first to himself and then aloud:''Wait at Dover for Mam'selle.'It's not long,you see,guard. Jerry,say that my answer was,RECALLED TO LIFE.'

Jerry started in his saddle.'That's a Blazing strange answer,too,'said he,at his hoarsest.

'Take that message back,and they will know that I received this,as well as if I wrote. Make the best of your way.Good night.'

With those words the passenger opened the coach-door and got in;not at all assisted by his fellow-passengers,who hadexpeditiously secreted their watches and purses in their boots,and were now making a general pretence of being asleep. With no more definite purpose than to escape the hazard of originating any other kind of action.

The coach lumbered on again,with heavier wreaths of mist closing round it as it began the descent. The guard soon replaced his blunderbuss in his arm-chest,and,having looked to the rest of its contents,and having looked to the supplementary pistols that he wore in his belt,looked to a smaller chest beneath his seat,in which there were a few smith's tools,a couple of torches,and a tinderbox.For he was furnished with that completeness that if the coach-lamps had been blown and stormed out,which did occasionally happen,he had only to shut himself up inside,keep the flint and steel sparks well off the straw,and get a light with tolerable safety and ease(if he were lucky)in five minutes.

'Tom!'softly over the coach-roof.

'Hallo,Joe.'

'Did you hear the message?'

'I did,Joe.'

'What did you make of it,Tom?'

'Nothing at all,Joe.'

'That's a coincidence,too,'the guard mused,'for I made the same of it myself.'

Jerry,left alone in the mist and darkness,dismounted meanwhile,not only to ease his spent horse,but to wipe the mud from his face,and shake the wet out of his hat-brim,which might be capable of holding about half a gallon. After standing with the bridle over his heavily-splashed arm,until the wheels of the mail were no longer within hearing and the night was quite still again,he turned to walk down the hill.

'After that there gallop from Temple Bar,old lady,I won't trust your forelegs till I get you on the level,'said this hoarse messenger,glancing at his mare.''Recalled to life.'That's a Blazing strange message. Much of that wouldn't do for you,Jerry!I say,Jerry!You'd be in a Blazing bad way,if recalling to life was to come into fashion,Jerry!'

同类推荐
  • 保幼新编

    保幼新编

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 疑龙经

    疑龙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 岭海焚余

    岭海焚余

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • A Century of Roundels

    A Century of Roundels

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 舍头谏太子二十八宿经

    舍头谏太子二十八宿经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 天道燎原1

    天道燎原1

    末日降临,预言重现!!仙术魔法注定碰撞,幻界神界接连浮现,树妖精灵纵横战场,剑侠神佛气冲山河,战魔灵、斗恶魂,千万强敌能奈我何?精彩纷呈的超凡世界,神奇莫测的召唤绝技,空前绝后又包罗万象的征途即将启程,你,准备好没有?……
  • 天道无轮回

    天道无轮回

    “十二万九千六百年之后,一切都会重现”,人们称之为一个轮回。
  • 中层主管枕边书

    中层主管枕边书

    本书从中层主管这个角度出发,详细地论述了中层主管应具备的能力以及在工作中应该注意的问题,针对问题还给出了相关的建议。
  • 百炼神体

    百炼神体

    从一个平凡的吃货,无意间发现了自己特殊的能力,从此走上了一条不归的吃货之路……一息若存,希望不灭。身怀饕餮体的吴天,开始了他的征程,开始了迎接一个又一个的挑战。问鼎之路,何其困难,无边杀戮,蔓延而来。且看,他如何克服重重困难,《吞天噬地决》,君临天下!金刚之身,问鼎苍穹!
  • 怀念一把刀子(中篇小说)

    怀念一把刀子(中篇小说)

    早想好了,一毕业就工作,去挣一份钱。不是不想考研,不想读博,没法去读。原因只有一个,爹妈是农民,没有钱。供他上学,借了别人不少钱。这个钱不能让爹妈还,得自已还。找工作,这年头不好找,大学生多如牛毛,一份工作,不知有多少人在抢。一般人,很难抢上。快毕业时,吴猎分析了一下自己。方方面面看,吴猎都很一般,长相一般,脸黑,还长了一些青春痘,成绩一般,有两门功课补考过,英语四级要不是作了一点弊,很可能连证都拿不到,社会关系,全在深山老林里,自已都活不好,别说帮他了。清楚了自己,也就清楚了要走的路。吴猎上学的这个城市,是个大城市,道路很多,也很宽阔。
  • 重生逆袭,恶魔总裁别过来

    重生逆袭,恶魔总裁别过来

    她是夏家千金,婚前被亲妹与未婚夫背叛,爸爸背负巨债,为了还债她进入了暗黑组织成了职业杀手。五年来遭受非人的折磨,本想完成最后的任务便可重获自由,任务完成后遭到了组织的杀害。重生后,她是黎家的千金,双胞胎中的姐姐,黎昕诺,好吃懒做的肥胖花痴女。经历上一世的悲惨这一世她要卷土重来,运用信息资源来个资源整合,金钱帅哥统统跟着她团团转转。情节虚构,请勿模仿--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • Tarzan the Untamed

    Tarzan the Untamed

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 魔尊之殇

    魔尊之殇

    上古时期,幻空大陆因一场打战导致空间混乱能量分流。大陆被分为十个界面,以神迹通天塔相连接。而千万年的发展,各族都在自己的界面上建立了自己的文明繁衍了自己的种族。炼药;炼器;修神;修魔……绚丽多彩也残酷无情。
  • 灵药秘方

    灵药秘方

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 马年的圆梦之旅(中国好小说)

    马年的圆梦之旅(中国好小说)

    《马年的圆梦之旅》讲述了爸爸大马带着儿子小马坐飞机去长沙圆梦,可是旅途中却因丢失行李箱而打乱了一切的计划,为了找到行李箱大马到有关部门来来回回地询问,打了很多电话,最终还是没有找到行李箱。无奈之中将遭遇发到了微博上,却意外地接到了两年未给自己打电话的妻子的电话……