登陆注册
5154600000309

第309章

In the solitude of his prison, Valancourt had leisure for reflection, and cause for repentance; here, too, the image of Emily, which, amidst the dissipation of the city had been obscured, but never obliterated from his heart, revived with all the charms of innocence and beauty, to reproach him for having sacrificed his happiness and debased his talents by pursuits, which his nobler faculties would formerly have taught him to consider were as tasteless as they were degrading.But, though his passions had been seduced, his heart was not depraved, nor had habit riveted the chains, that hung heavily on his conscience; and, as he retained that energy of will, which was necessary to burst them, he, at length, emancipated himself from the bondage of vice, but not till after much effort and severe suffering.

Being released by his brother from the prison, where he had witnessed the affecting meeting between Mons.Bonnac and his wife, with whom he had been for some time acquainted, the first use of his liberty formed a striking instance of his humanity and his rashness; for with nearly all the money, just received from his brother, he went to a gaming-house, and gave it as a last stake for the chance of restoring his friend to freedom, and to his afflicted family.The event was fortunate, and, while he had awaited the issue of this momentous stake, he made a solemn vow never again to yield to the destructive and fascinating vice of gaming.

Having restored the venerable Mons.Bonnac to his rejoicing family, he hurried from Paris to Estuviere; and, in the delight of having made the wretched happy, forgot, for a while, his own misfortunes.

Soon, however, he remembered, that he had thrown away the fortune, without which he could never hope to marry Emily; and life, unless passed with her, now scarcely appeared supportable; for her goodness, refinement, and simplicity of heart, rendered her beauty more enchanting, if possible, to his fancy, than it had ever yet appeared.

Experience had taught him to understand the full value of the qualities, which he had before admired, but which the contrasted characters he had seen in the world made him now adore; and these reflections, increasing the pangs of remorse and regret, occasioned the deep dejection, that had accompanied him even into the presence of Emily, of whom he considered himself no longer worthy.To the ignominy of having received pecuniary obligations from the Marchioness Chamfort, or any other lady of intrigue, as the Count De Villefort had been informed, or of having been engaged in the depredating schemes of gamesters, Valancourt had never submitted; and these were some of such scandals as often mingle with truth, against the unfortunate.Count De Villefort had received them from authority which he had no reason to doubt, and which the imprudent conduct he had himself witnessed in Valancourt, had certainly induced him the more readily to believe.Being such as Emily could not name to the Chevalier, he had no opportunity of refuting them; and, when he confessed himself to be unworthy of her esteem, he little suspected, that he was confirming to her the most dreadful calumnies.Thus the mistake had been mutual, and had remained so, when Mons.Bonnac explained the conduct of his generous, but imprudent young friend to Du Pont, who, with severe justice, determined not only to undeceive the Count on this subject, but to resign all hope of Emily.Such a sacrifice as his love rendered this, was deserving of a noble reward, and Mons.Bonnac, if it had been possible for him to forget the benevolent Valancourt, would have wished that Emily might accept the just Du Pont.

When the Count was informed of the error he had committed, he was extremely shocked at the consequence of his credulity, and the account which Mons.Bonnac gave of his friend's situation, while at Paris, convinced him, that Valancourt had been entrapped by the schemes of a set of dissipated young men, with whom his profession had partly obliged him to associate, rather than by an inclination to vice; and, charmed by the humanity, and noble, though rash generosity, which his conduct towards Mons.Bonnac exhibited, he forgave him the transient errors, that had stained his youth, and restored him to the high degree of esteem, with which he had regarded him, during their early acquaintance.But, as the least reparation he could now make Valancourt was to afford him an opportunity of explaining to Emily his former conduct, he immediately wrote, to request his forgiveness of the unintentional injury he had done him, and to invite him to Chateau-le-Blanc.Motives of delicacy with-held the Count from informing Emily of this letter, and of kindness from acquainting her with the discovery respecting Valancourt, till his arrival should save her from the possibility of anxiety, as to its event; and this precaution spared her even severer inquietude, than the Count had foreseen, since he was ignorant of the symptoms of despair, which Valancourt's late conduct had betrayed.

同类推荐
  • Memoir of the Proposed Territory of Arizona

    Memoir of the Proposed Territory of Arizona

    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。
  • 小品方

    小品方

    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。
  • 辅行诀脏腑用药法要

    辅行诀脏腑用药法要

    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。
  • 全梁文

    全梁文

    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。
  • 阿閦如来念诵供养法

    阿閦如来念诵供养法

    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
  • 袖手天下美人谋

    袖手天下美人谋

    十岁入宫,即已深知愁滋味。锦衣玉食敌不过宫墙内的孤独。有我在的地方,就要有你。喜怒无常的他,曾几何时,是她唯一的温柔,唯一的爱恋。幸福的时光,总是转瞬即是,他却一直陪伴着她,仿佛要到地老天荒。原来,这么快,就已经老了。
  • 重生之美丽系统

    重生之美丽系统

    温言很郁闷自己为什么综合了爸爸妈妈的缺点,爸爸的黑皮肤,妈妈的小眼睛,再加上扁平偏矮的身材和干黄稀疏的头发。之前上学的时候还好啦,工作了之后,才发现怎么保养也没办法,天生底子差。这样子,就是重生回到小时候也改善不了吧。
  • 凤倾天下:嚣张王爷假萌妃

    凤倾天下:嚣张王爷假萌妃

    她装傻充愣整十年,为的就是吃饱喝足百事不理。可偏偏,这样的她,也会被天下第一妖孽王爷给看上,弯刀定亲,深陷囹圄。她曾是冷酷狠辣的王牌杀手,却因为十年的懈怠,被人暗算坠崖。可是,等等,‘你是什么玩意儿?’‘娘,亲亲!’眼前的庞然大物,明明恐怖至极,却一脸卖萌的冲着她喊‘娘’。此时,她才恍然明白,她待了十年的地方究竟是个什么地方,原本假装的废柴,如今却成了真正的废柴。生可忍孰不可忍,看她带着萌宠浴血而归,在这片陌生的大陆上,杀出她的天下。
  • 拉萨·虚构爱情

    拉萨·虚构爱情

    我是在即将醉的时候给普琼打的电话,我在电话里近似于歇斯底里地对普琼说,我要走了,要离开这里,现在只是想见你。在我的意识里,是普琼用他有力的臂膀把我扶回住处的。我在酩酊大醉中像泻洪一样把我堆积在心里的苦闷全部发泄了出来,这是一次彻底地发泄,这也是许多年来一直压抑的结果,这样的发泄也只有在拉萨朋友的面前得以体现,这是真实的一种体现。事情过去了很长时间,至今我还为那天我的行为感到羞愧。我走了,与来的时候一样,什么也没有。本来计划从阿里到西藏,顺便可以去看看幸福的姚海和小闵,但是,如石沉大海的姚海和小闵是否能幸福快乐像他们计划的那样在那里开一家带网吧的书吧。
  • 和谐处世(中华民族传统美德教育读本)

    和谐处世(中华民族传统美德教育读本)

    本丛书筛选内容主要遵循以下原则要求:(1)坚持批判继承思想,取其精华、去其糟粕。既不全盘肯定,也不全盘否定。坚持抽象继承、演绎发展、立足当代、为我所用。(2)坚持系统整体的原则。注意各历史时期分布;注意各民族的进步人物;注意各层面人物;注意人物各侧面。做到:竖看历史五千年,纵向成条线;横看美德重实践,横向不漏面。(3)坚持古为今用,为我所用原则。在发掘美德资源时,特别挖掘古代人物故事、言论,注重寻找挖掘各阶层、各民族的传统公德、通德、同德;注重人民性、民主性、进步性、发展性、普遍性、抽象性,不求全古代,不求全个体。
  • 愿所有的坚持终不被辜负

    愿所有的坚持终不被辜负

    本书是15位豆瓣、微信等网络人气作者的合集,作者通过讲述温暖的故事,给读者以励志或感悟。本书不光写爱情,也写了友情、亲情,是一部优秀的,向上的文学作品。不管外界怎么变,我们都要坚持做一个温暖的人。
  • 高血脂自我康复全书

    高血脂自我康复全书

    血液和脂肪都是人类维持生命的根本,特别是血液还担负着将营养输往全身数十万亿细胞的重任。想要维持血液洁净,就必须协调它与脂肪的平衡。然而众多事实告诉我们,在各种因素作用下,当二者的关系彻底被打乱后就会产生高血脂。这就需要人们重新找到它们之间的平衡点,还血液一个“清白”。
  • 婚后合法

    婚后合法

    为了维持家里的生计,顾念卿终究还是答应了陆家的安排,替陆家二小姐顶下了所有的罪行,狼狈入狱,背负一切罪孽。四年的牢狱生活,四年的生不如死,当终于刑满释放走出监狱大门的时候,却意外的在门口看见了他。那个当年和她商量顶罪事宜的男子,直到入狱的前一刻,她才知道他的身份是那般的显赫,本市最为年轻的权贵,陆家唯一的独子,陆希尧!面对男人假惺的面孔,听着他所谓的补偿,顾念卿心底鄙夷,头脑发热间竟说出惊世核俗的两字:“娶我!”闻言微怔,半响,他道:“你确定?”“当然。”她笃定的颔首,眼中却无半点喜意。“那好,我答应你。”男子点头,如若秋澜的眸子,温和一片。*直到嫁给了陆希尧之后,顾念卿才明白,原来这个男人,似乎并不是表面上看起来那么简单。对,他很温柔,不过,那是哄你上床之前。对,他很腹黑,不过,这是在你被吃干抹净之后才能体会到。对,他很花心,因为,总是有无数个自称他情人的女人不断地找上她。“宝贝!”揽过顾念卿的细腰,陆希尧笑得翩然:“你放心,我陆希尧这辈子的女人,只有你一个。其他的,都是赝品!”*只是,当最后的阴谋被揭晓。这场突如其来的宠溺与婚姻,原来,都是出于一个目的。情,不知所起,而一往情深。她与他,最终会以什么样的立场站在彼此的对面,去面对曾经亲密爱人的…真面目!【宠文,这绝对是宠文一枚,不过只是带了点小虐小阴谋,请亲们笑纳。】
  • 瞬息万变的海洋灾难

    瞬息万变的海洋灾难

    海洋——生命的摇篮,海洋为地球上生命的诞生与繁衍提供了必要的条件地球上的生命诞生于海洋,海洋对人类的生存和发展有着重要作用,海洋对于人类社会的过去和现在都产生了重要影响,它将继续影响人类社会的未来..对于海洋,人类已经做了很多:但人类做得还远远不够。海洋的无穷奥秘和未解之谜又说明人类对海洋仍是一知半解。它们只是一部浩瀚巨著的一段引子,期待人们去撰写它丰富多彩的华章。我们更希望它成为一种诱饵,吸引当代青少年,从而开拓我们民族的新视野,在21世纪刻上我们民族的海洋印记!21世纪已经降临,21世纪将是海洋的世纪,也是人类开发、利用海洋的新时代。
  • 梦魇天祭

    梦魇天祭

    徐乾是一名知名医生,而面对一个衰老综合症的患者,却无能为力。本故事从一个病例开始,引发往事与恐怖经历……