登陆注册
5154600000289

第289章

'They met with us, and a merry meeting too,' replied his companion aloud in good French.'This chevalier, and his party, had lost their way, and asked a night's lodging in the fort.' The others made no reply, but threw down a kind of knapsack, and drew forth several brace of birds.The bag sounded heavily as it fell to the ground, and the glitter of some bright metal within glanced on the eye of the Count, who now surveyed, with a more enquiring look, the man, that held the knapsack.He was a tall robust figure, of a hard countenance, and had short black hair, curling in his neck.Instead of the hunter's dress, he wore a faded military uniform; sandals were laced on his broad legs, and a kind of short trowsers hung from his waist.On his head he wore a leathern cap, somewhat resembling in shape an ancient Roman helmet; but the brows that scowled beneath it, would have characterized those of the barbarians, who conquered Rome, rather than those of a Roman soldier.The Count, at length, turned away his eyes, and remained silent and thoughtful, till, again raising them, he perceived a figure standing in an obscure part of the hall, fixed in attentive gaze on St.Foix, who was conversing with Blanche, and did not observe this; but the Count, soon after, saw the same man looking over the shoulder of the soldier as attentively at himself.He withdrew his eye, when that of the Count met it, who felt mistrust gathering fast upon his mind, but feared to betray it in his countenance, and, forcing his features to assume a smile, addressed Blanche on some indifferent subject.When he again looked round, he perceived, that the soldier and his companion were gone.

The man, who was called Jacques, now returned from the stone gallery.

'A fire is lighted there,' said he, 'and the birds are dressing; the table too is spread there, for that place is warmer than this.'

His companions approved of the removal, and invited their guests to follow to the gallery, of whom Blanche appeared distressed, and remained seated, and St.Foix looked at the Count, who said, he preferred the comfortable blaze of the fire he was then near.The hunters, however, commended the warmth of the other apartment, and pressed his removal with such seeming courtesy, that the Count, half doubting, and half fearful of betraying his doubts, consented to go.

The long and ruinous passages, through which they went, somewhat daunted him, but the thunder, which now burst in loud peals above, made it dangerous to quit this place of shelter, and he forbore to provoke his conductors by shewing that he distrusted them.The hunters led the way, with a lamp; the Count and St.Foix, who wished to please their hosts by some instances of familiarity, carried each a seat, and Blanche followed, with faltering steps.As she passed on, part of her dress caught on a nail in the wall, and, while she stopped, somewhat too scrupulously, to disengage it, the Count, who was talking to St.Foix, and neither of whom observed the circumstance, followed their conductor round an abrupt angle of the passage, and Blanche was left behind in darkness.The thunder prevented them from hearing her call but, having disengaged her dress, she quickly followed, as she thought, the way they had taken.

A light, that glimmered at a distance, confirmed this belief, and she proceeded towards an open door, whence it issued, conjecturing the room beyond to be the stone gallery the men had spoken of.Hearing voices as she advanced, she paused within a few paces of the chamber, that she might be certain whether she was right, and from thence, by the light of a lamp, that hung from the ceiling, observed four men, seated round a table, over which they leaned in apparent consultation.In one of them she distinguished the features of him, whom she had observed, gazing at St.Foix, with such deep attention;and who was now speaking in an earnest, though restrained voice, till, one of his companions seeming to oppose him, they spoke together in a loud and harsher tone.Blanche, alarmed by perceiving that neither her father, or St.Foix were there, and terrified at the fierce countenances and manners of these men, was turning hastily from the chamber, to pursue her search of the gallery, when she heard one of the men say:

'Let all dispute end here.Who talks of danger? Follow my advice, and there will be none--secure THEM, and the rest are an easy prey.'

Blanche, struck with these words, paused a moment, to hear more.

'There is nothing to be got by the rest,' said one of his companions, 'I am never for blood when I can help it--dispatch the two others, and our business is done; the rest may go.'

'May they so?' exclaimed the first ruffian, with a tremendous oath--'What! to tell how we have disposed of their masters, and to send the king's troops to drag us to the wheel! You was always a choice adviser--I warrant we have not yet forgot St.Thomas's eve last year.'

Blanche's heart now sunk with horror.Her first impulse was to retreat from the door, but, when she would have gone, her trembling frame refused to support her, and, having tottered a few paces, to a more obscure part of the passage, she was compelled to listen to the dreadful councils of those, who, she was no longer suffered to doubt, were banditti.In the next moment, she heard the following words, 'Why you would not murder the whole GANG?'

'I warrant our lives are as good as theirs,' replied his comrade.

'If we don't kill them, they will hang us: better they should die than we be hanged.'

'Better, better,' cried his comrades.

'To commit murder, is a hopeful way of escaping the gallows!' said the first ruffian--'many an honest fellow has run his head into the noose that way, though.' There was a pause of some moments, during which they appeared to be considering.

同类推荐
  • 权谋残卷

    权谋残卷

    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。
  • 洞玄灵宝河图仰谢三十六天斋仪

    洞玄灵宝河图仰谢三十六天斋仪

    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。
  • 黄帝内经素问补注释文

    黄帝内经素问补注释文

    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。
  • 杂症会心录

    杂症会心录

    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。
  • 广成集

    广成集

    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
  • 我家少爷又帅又坏

    我家少爷又帅又坏

    (正文完结!新书《影后养了一只仙》求支持!)她是佣人的女儿,却被他视为珍宝。他步步为营,心狠腹黑,只为圈她入怀!自控男VS美少女,男主腹黑女主不弱,放心入坑!
  • 大皇后

    大皇后

    作为皇后,眼光该放得长远一些,须知道后宫这个地方是皇帝的家,一家即是一国,后宫即是朝廷之缩影,一言一行即可天下震动,这才是皇家帝室的权威。
  • 无华企盼 福禄寿喜(文化之美)

    无华企盼 福禄寿喜(文化之美)

    它是吉祥文化的重要组成部分;它凝结着中国人的伦理情感、生命意识、审美趣味与宗教情怀;他源远流长,博大情深……
  • 寻找生命的感动

    寻找生命的感动

    《寻找生命的感动》是著名散文家安谅先生近期推出的一部散文力作。他以极小的点切入,带人进入广阔的生命体验里,在这里,没有所谓的伟大,庄严,神圣,有的只是一些寻常细微甚至很可能被忽略的风景。尽管他的写作呈现出一种轻盈之美,它又不同一般的心灵鸡汤。在琐碎细小的事物背后,可以看到作者高度的文化自觉。禅意,学识,智慧,以及一种深切的悲悯意识都在这个集子里很好的呈现出来了。同时,我们又在里面看到了一种纠缠之美,生活可能就是这样一种纠缠。对个人经验的珍视,对无法来得及驻足的风景的告别,对世声灯影,浮华人间的复杂感受都糅杂在此书中。
  • 流水落花

    流水落花

    一个出身世家的著名作家夫人,在经历了解放、文革、改革开放直至今天的社会变迁后,她内心被迫建起了一道无形之墙。在彬彬有礼背后,是什么造成了亲人之间的冷漠与疏离?在我母亲的南方故乡有一个传说:经历过生死大病的人们,其灵魂就像受惊的鸟儿般容易飞走。你务必当心,你更要留意,因为当他们返回人间时,身体里很可能栖居着别的东西。我姨妈周璇在88岁那年接受了结肠癌切除手术,从监护室出来的第三天,我来到医院。半掩的窗帘遮住了阳光,她躺着,苍白的脸在幽暗中影影绰绰。我把一大束百合放在床头并向她问好,她沉默着,那异乎寻常的寂静让我怀疑她是否昏睡。
  • 我已沦陷

    我已沦陷

    天地间充斥着令人作呕的血腥,黑夜里月发出微弱的光,世间风情万种,灯红酒绿,暗藏玄机的背后,是扑朔迷离的诡计还是血淋淋的真相分崩离析?四顾茫然?前奏渐起故事才刚刚开始。
  • 放弃执着

    放弃执着

    我们之间的距离,有时隔着一座山,有时隔着一片海。或者弹指之间皆是你。而所有人的舆论,我们怎么承受得起。舒楚,如果当初我不认识你,你应该会很好。会特别好。
  • 栎社沿革志略

    栎社沿革志略

    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。
  • 醉挽倾歌之妾本惊华

    醉挽倾歌之妾本惊华

    一朝穿越,冷血女警变纨绔嫡女,有着倾国倾城的容貌却是纨绔不化?嚣张跋扈?且看她如何扭转命运,改变未来……
  • 时空纵横

    时空纵横

    一个普通的大学生……机缘巧合下他遇见了它——“什么,你是六千年前的……超级电脑,能穿越两个世界,操控时间?”身怀异能闹都市,手揣手机闯仙门。穿梭现世与异界间,寻找过去与未来路。