登陆注册
5154600000253

第253章

Screaming with terror, they both fled, and got out of the chamber as fast as their trembling limbs would bear them, leaving open the doors of all the rooms, through which they passed.When they reached the stair-case, Dorothee threw open a chamber door, where some of the female servants slept, and sunk breathless on the bed; while Emily, deprived of all presence of mind, made only a feeble attempt to conceal the occasion of her terror from the astonished servants; and, though Dorothee, when she could speak, endeavoured to laugh at her own fright, and was joined by Emily, no remonstrances could prevail with the servants, who had quickly taken the alarm, to pass even the remainder of the night in a room so near to these terrific chambers.

Dorothee having accompanied Emily to her own apartment, they then began to talk over, with some degree of coolness, the strange circumstance, that had just occurred; and Emily would almost have doubted her own perceptions, had not those of Dorothee attested their truth.Having now mentioned what she had observed in the outer chamber, she asked the housekeeper, whether she was certain no door had been left unfastened, by which a person might secretly have entered the apartments? Dorothee replied, that she had constantly kept the keys of the several doors in her own possession; that, when she had gone her rounds through the castle, as she frequently did, to examine if all was safe, she had tried these doors among the rest, and had always found them fastened.It was, therefore, impossible, she added, that any person could have got admittance into the apartments; and, if they could--it was very improbable they should have chose to sleep in a place so cold and forlorn.

Emily observed, that their visit to these chambers had, perhaps, been watched, and that some person, for a frolic, had followed them into the rooms, with a design to frighten them, and, while they were in the oriel, had taken the opportunity of concealing himself in the bed.

Dorothee allowed, that this was possible, till she recollected, that, on entering the apartments, she had turned the key of the outer door, and this, which had been done to prevent their visit being noticed by any of the family, who might happen to be up, must effectually have excluded every person, except themselves, from the chambers; and she now persisted in affirming, that the ghastly countenance she had seen was nothing human, but some dreadful apparition.

Emily was very solemnly affected.Of whatever nature might be the appearance she had witnessed, whether human or supernatural, the fate of the deceased Marchioness was a truth not to be doubted; and this unaccountable circumstance, occurring in the very scene of her sufferings, affected Emily's imagination with a superstitious awe, to which, after having detected the fallacies at Udolpho, she might not have yielded, had she been ignorant of the unhappy story, related by the housekeeper.Her she now solemnly conjured to conceal the occurrence of this night, and to make light of the terror she had already betrayed, that the Count might not be distressed by reports, which would certainly spread alarm and confusion among his family.

'Time,' she added, 'may explain this mysterious affair; meanwhile let us watch the event in silence.'

Dorothee readily acquiesced; but she now recollected that she had left all the doors of the north suite of rooms open, and, not having courage to return alone to lock even the outer one, Emily, after some effort, so far conquered her own fears, that she offered to accompany her to the foot of the back stair-case, and to wait there while Dorothee ascended, whose resolution being re-assured by this circumstance, she consented to go, and they left Emily's apartment together.

No sound disturbed the stillness, as they passed along the halls and galleries; but, on reaching the foot of the back stair-case, Dorothee's resolution failed again; having, however, paused a moment to listen, and no sound being heard above, she ascended, leaving Emily below, and, scarcely suffering her eye to glance within the first chamber, she fastened the door, which shut up the whole suite of apartments, and returned to Emily.

As they stepped along the passage, leading into the great hall, a sound of lamentation was heard, which seemed to come from the hall itself, and they stopped in new alarm to listen, when Emily presently distinguished the voice of Annette, whom she found crossing the hall, with another female servant, and so terrified by the report, which the other maids had spread, that, believing she could be safe only where her lady was, she was going for refuge to her apartment.

Emily's endeavours to laugh, or to argue her out of these terrors, were equally vain, and, in compassion to her distress, she consented that she should remain in her room during the night.

同类推荐
  • The Great War Syndicate

    The Great War Syndicate

    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。
  • 聪训斋语

    聪训斋语

    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。
  • 田家历

    田家历

    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。
  • 太上玄都妙本清静身心经

    太上玄都妙本清静身心经

    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。
  • 凤凰台记事

    凤凰台记事

    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
  • 宝宝开始走路了

    宝宝开始走路了

    吉娜·福特是英国最受欢迎的育儿专家,30多年来亲手照看过300多名新生宝宝,有丰富的育儿经验,是英国上流社会及许多知名人士抢着预约的育儿顾问。多年以来,吉娜被认为是最受全球欢迎的“超级保姆”,她的工作地点遍及世界各地。她曾被英国时尚杂志《Hapers&Queen》评为全英十大著名产科护理员之一。
  • 天气

    天气

    温亚军,现为北京武警总部某文学杂志主编。著有长篇小说伪生活等六部,小说集硬雪、驮水的日子等七部。获第三届鲁迅文学奖,第十一届庄重文文学奖,《小说选刊》《中国作家》和《上海文学》等刊物奖,入选中国小说学会排行榜。中国作家协会会员。
  • 重生学霸异能妻

    重生学霸异能妻

    【女扮男爽文,男女主异能】前世,她是顶级财团的富豪,最后却被下属背叛而死……这一世,她魂穿到了普通初中生身上,没想到原主竟是个女扮男装的软妹子。面对恶毒继母,歹毒妹妹,无良渣爹,她见招拆招,狠狠回敬!学校她化身学霸校草,迷倒万千少女;对外她是神秘黑客,著名漫画家……看学霸如何重生逆袭!
  • 帝君大人,么么哒

    帝君大人,么么哒

    推荐我的新书,《萌妻2号,老公快过来》本文不长,有甜有虐他是这个大陆的身份地位最高的统治者,有着惊为天人的容貌,但世人皆知,荒神域的帝君最是无情,千万年来靠近他的女人不是死就是残她,是穿过的小白菜,没有金手指就算了,还是个原本本的废材,虽然爹爹疼,娘亲爱,但是那个整天逼着她背医书的臭老头哪里来的?两人第一次相遇以后,某女发誓这个男人她要了,都说女追男,隔层纱,反正她脸皮厚,实在不行,直接下药。后来的后来,“夫人这是想要去哪里啊?”某帝君似非似笑的看着身下的女子“呵呵,我觉得你长得太帅,我太丑,准备退位让贤!”(中间有一部分写得有点菜,大家可以跳章阅读)
  • 吊头山(三)

    吊头山(三)

    阿孟和小野在山林中迷失了方向,他们找到猎人居住的木屋,却无意中发现,木屋外鬼影重重,阿孟掩住口中的惊呼,却被“鬼”捉住了……“孟哥。”小野的声音出现在耳侧,而我的眼前却是一片的黑暗,后脑也在隐隐作痛,像是被人敲了一记。“孟哥。”小野又叫了我一次。我感觉身子被轻轻摇动,这才发现自己还没睁开眼皮。我连忙打开眼睛,一眼就看见小野蹲在我前面,而阳光的光束从木屋的窗户射人,照亮了污黑发霉的空间,此时已经是天色泛白之际。
  • 重生初中:穆少,你老婆又黑化了

    重生初中:穆少,你老婆又黑化了

    她是男装大佬,帅出全宇宙的Lin神!黑客,特工,电竞,样样拿手。离奇身亡,灵气复苏的时代来临,她被系统绑架,摇身一变成了死肥宅的初中生?改头换面,重回电竞圈,成为女学霸,她的的人生像是开挂。谁知,一不小心惹上了大人物。穆希延将她堵在房间,“你以为换了一个身体,我就认不出你了吗?”当晚,时泠揍得穆少捶地求饶:“老婆,求求你别再黑化了!”时泠:“你、妈、逼、的。”『纵使换一身皮囊,我也要紧紧拥抱你。』 PS:灵气复苏!虐渣!脑洞!爽文!女强男强,1V1绝对身心干净
  • A Doll's House

    A Doll's House

    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。
  • 位面无限轮盘

    位面无限轮盘

    【dc(1到34章),侠岚(35到49章),海贼(50到78,175到197),一拳(79到147章),漫威(151到173)......各种乱入】......李呵呵搞了个“游戏轮盘”系统。可以把游戏中的能力,带到异世界位面使用。啥?到哥谭了?那就先打把撸啊撸吧。这么想着,李呵呵便开始选起了英雄。
  • 像法决疑经

    像法决疑经

    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。
  • 西藏岁月系列丛书·高原魂

    西藏岁月系列丛书·高原魂

    《西藏岁月系列丛书:高原魂》收入的是作者创作的诗词,共169首。第一部分是作者在西藏工作期间所创作的。作者讴歌以“老西藏”精神为代表的一大批具有高原精神的先进人物,做出超乎寻常的奉献,这就是高原魂。第二部分为大多是作者退休之后参加全国的书法活动而创作的。