登陆注册
5154600000215

第215章

The moon was now risen high over the woods, that hung upon the sides of the narrow glen, through which they wandered, and afforded them light sufficient to distinguish their way, and to avoid the loose and broken stones, that frequently crossed it.They now travelled leisurely, and in profound silence; for they had scarcely yet recovered from the astonishment, into which this sudden escape had thrown them.--Emily's mind, especially, was sunk, after the various emotions it had suffered, into a kind of musing stillness, which the reposing beauty of the surrounding scene and the creeping murmur of the night-breeze among the foliage above contributed to prolong.She thought of Valancourt and of France, with hope, and she would have thought of them with joy, had not the first events of this evening harassed her spirits too much, to permit her now to feel so lively a sensation.Meanwhile, Emily was alone the object of Du Pont's melancholy consideration; yet, with the despondency he suffered, as he mused on his recent disappointment, was mingled a sweet pleasure, occasioned by her presence, though they did not now exchange a single word.Annette thought of this wonderful escape, of the bustle in which Montoni and his people must be, now that their flight was discovered; of her native country, whither she hoped she was returning, and of her marriage with Ludovico, to which there no longer appeared any impediment, for poverty she did not consider such.Ludovico, on his part, congratulated himself, on having rescued his Annette and Signora Emily from the danger, that had surrounded them; on his own liberation from people, whose manners he had long detested; on the freedom he had given to Monsieur Du Pont;on his prospect of happiness with the object of his affections, and not a little on the address, with which he had deceived the sentinel, and conducted the whole of this affair.

Thus variously engaged in thought, the travellers passed on silently, for above an hour, a question only being, now and then, asked by Du Pont, concerning the road, or a remark uttered by Annette, respecting objects, seen imperfectly in the twilight.At length, lights were perceived twinkling on the side of a mountain, and Ludovico had no doubt, that they proceeded from the town he had mentioned, while his companions, satisfied by this assurance, sunk again into silence.

Annette was the first who interrupted this.'Holy Peter!' said she, 'What shall we do for money on our journey? for I know neither I, or my lady, have a single sequin; the Signor took care of that!'

This remark produced a serious enquiry, which ended in as serious an embarrassment, for Du Pont had been rifled of nearly all his money, when he was taken prisoner; the remainder he had given to the sentinel, who had enabled him occasionally to leave his prison-chamber; and Ludovico, who had for some time found a difficulty, in procuring any part of the wages due to him, had now scarcely cash sufficient to procure necessary refreshment at the first town, in which they should arrive.

Their poverty was the more distressing, since it would detain them among the mountains, where, even in a town, they could scarcely consider themselves safe from Montoni.The travellers, however, had only to proceed and dare the future; and they continued their way through lonely wilds and dusky vallies, where the overhanging foliage now admitted, and then excluded the moon-light;--wilds so desolate, that they appeared, on the first glance, as if no human being had ever trode them before.Even the road, in which the party were, did but slightly contradict this error, for the high grass and other luxuriant vegetation, with which it was overgrown, told how very seldom the foot of a traveller had passed it.

At length, from a distance, was heard the faint tinkling of a sheep-bell; and, soon after, the bleat of flocks, and the party then knew, that they were near some human habitation, for the light, which Ludovico had fancied to proceed from a town, had long been concealed by intervening mountains.Cheered by this hope, they quickened their pace along the narrow pass they were winding, and it opened upon one of those pastoral vallies of the Apennines, which might be painted for a scene of Arcadia, and whose beauty and simplicity are finely contrasted by the grandeur of the snow-topt mountains above.

The morning light, now glimmering in the horizon, shewed faintly, at a little distance, upon the brow of a hill, which seemed to peep from 'under the opening eye-lids of the morn,' the town they were in search of, and which they soon after reached.It was not without some difficulty, that they there found a house, which could afford shelter for themselves and their horses; and Emily desired they might not rest longer than was necessary for refreshment.Her appearance excited some surprise, for she was without a hat, having had time only to throw on her veil before she left the castle, a circumstance, that compelled her to regret again the want of money, without which it was impossible to procure this necessary article of dress.

同类推荐
  • 星变志

    星变志

    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。
  • 明伦汇编皇极典君父部

    明伦汇编皇极典君父部

    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。
  • 灵应传

    灵应传

    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。
  • 高丽国普照禅师修心诀

    高丽国普照禅师修心诀

    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。
  • 联灯会要

    联灯会要

    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
  • 培养不服输男孩儿的方法

    培养不服输男孩儿的方法

    《培养不服输男孩儿的方法》一书中引用了大量名言警句,作为父母教育孩子、引导孩子的一个参考。这对于提高和增强孩子的想象力、理解力、记忆力、分析力、反应力和模仿力,都有很好的作用。这些教育方法不仅可以促进孩子的身心发展,还可以让孩子获得一个健康快乐的人生,从而生活得更幸福。我们有理由相信,孩子的未来重于一切、高于一切,所以,从现在起,做一个充满智慧的家长,用您的头脑和双手,为培养一个聪明、高智商的孩子做好充分的准备,以让孩子拥有一个光辉灿烂的明天。
  • 宋词概论

    宋词概论

    从宏观的角度来论述宋词发展过程,着重探讨宋词与宋代文化生活、宋人词体观念的形成和宋词的发展趋势,对宋词演唱情况、宋代歌妓状况的研究探赜索隐,别辟蹊径。
  • 做人做事好心态(全集)

    做人做事好心态(全集)

    我们确信,一个人只有有好心态,他才能拥有成功的人生。打开本书,从现在开始我们的好心态之旅,它会给我们带来一份鼓励,带来一份慰藉,带来一份豁然,带来一份快乐……
  • 胡可可北京成功记

    胡可可北京成功记

    你可以把这本书当作一本小说来消遣,你也可以把它当作哲学,当作人生,当作我们每一个人成长的历史。你会在胡可可的身上找到自己的影子,你或许会惊讶地发现,胡可可就是你自己!是的,胡可可太普通了,可是她为什么能够成功?选择合适自己的道路,把平凡的事情做一千遍,做好人,做好事,坚持到底。这就是凡女胡可可的成功秘诀。
  • 不屑凰王宠:庶女要升仙

    不屑凰王宠:庶女要升仙

    被家族流放,本以为这一生注定凄苦潦倒、冷情冷性!孰料时来运转,她从废柴变天才,惊艳大陆,风华天下,引无数宗门贵少、英雄俊杰竞折腰!她生性冷情,从不识情为何物,被世人斥责冷血无情,无心无肺,直到她遇上他,一个称霸天下的王,一个将天才踩在脚底,如仙、如妖,深情不悔的男子……“我不知道,下一辈子能否再遇见你,所以我今生才会这么努力,只希望追上你的脚步,与你同行。”她逃,他追,她是废材,他就是烈火,势要把她给融入骨头里,“此生,我定要执你之手,将你拖走。”他为她,倾尽天下、白衣染血,只愿唤醒她两世冰封的心!
  • 女扮男装:极品三少爷

    女扮男装:极品三少爷

    慕清风——博览群书,文武全才,空难身死,灵魂坠入异世。再次醒来,却穿越到东祥国第一草包美男的身上,传言他懦弱胆小,胸无点墨,手无缚鸡之力。一朝穿越,迷乱世人。第一杀手“废话真多,我就是断袖了,你不从也得从!”天水族少主“一直以为我能走进你的心里,没想到却是你赖在我的心里不出去了!”妖孽太子“你如果不把他们都甩了,我就死给你看!”纨绔公子“谁叫你在我面前洗澡了,就要对我负责!”女主晕倒.【片段】“娘亲,爹爹说因为娘亲太懒了,所以小宝才没有妹妹的,小宝想要妹妹,娘亲你要勤快一点!”某小宝一脸义正言辞的站在沐清风面前。女主“……”回头一看某男正在角落里偷笑。
  • 重生之机甲大师

    重生之机甲大师

    他原本是一名机甲大师,因一次意外重生,重生之后,如同来到了一个平行世界,许多不曾登记在册的记载,突然出现在面前,机甲,武术,神秘力量,诡异的三眼族人,以及恐怖的巨虫一族,历史之外,还有着另一段的历史,一个小小人物,在惊涛中前行,在骇浪中翻滚,寻找着史册之外,真真正正的历史。
  • 只道当时已惘然

    只道当时已惘然

    苏依在一个不能称之为故乡的地方再次邂逅她生命中最为厚重的两个人。多年前,一个许了她十年之约,却以最决绝的方式舍她而去,一个以爱之名,却带给她最刻骨铭心的伤害。再相遇,物是人非,一个满腔怨愤誓要她感同身受,一个满腹悔恨却让她无所适从。原来很多事情不是想着淡忘便能释怀的,再回首,却只道,当时已惘然。
  • 修仙女配逆袭记

    修仙女配逆袭记

    "前世,张容儿被继母毁掉灵根,被继妹连同渣男谋夺修行秘宝玉液瓶,被继母种入邪虫,生生被折磨致死。对天发誓,若有来世,一定要血仇血报,要让她受到的痛苦,让那些人一一承受。重生归来,继母要毁她灵根,她把继母灵根毁掉。继妹虚伪伪善小白花,让大家都来看看她的真面目。简单的讲,这是一个男主以为心爱的女人死掉了,所以想毁灭整个世界一起陪葬的故事。此文是复仇类爽文,为了折磨仇人,用了十八般手段,慎入哦!"
  • 狂女猎夫

    狂女猎夫

    而他,也知道此刻坐在他上面的女子到底是什么身份。A市重案组的超级女警,绰号毒野猫,不光是黑道之人个个闻之骇然,就连在白道里面,她也威望也是很高的,谁叫她自出任以来,从来没有一次败仗呢!而且,她那火辣豪放的个性,也是出了名的。所以,当她故意在夜总会出现,虽然是化了很浓的妆,但是,他一眼便知道她是谁了。不过,不得不说,她是一个很有趣的女人,而且,自见到她第一眼,他的心里却突然萌生……