登陆注册
5154600000032

第32章

On hearing this, St.Aubert determined to proceed to the chateau, and risque the refusal of being accommodated for the night; he therefore desired the countryman would shew Michael the way, and bade him expect reward for his trouble.The man was for a moment silent, and then said, that he was going on other business, but that the road could not be missed, if they went up an avenue to the right, to which he pointed.St.Aubert was going to speak, but the peasant wished him good night, and walked on.

The carriage now moved towards the avenue, which was guarded by a gate, and Michael having dismounted to open it, they entered between rows of ancient oak and chesnut, whose intermingled branches formed a lofty arch above.There was something so gloomy and desolate in the appearance of this avenue, and its lonely silence, that Emily almost shuddered as she passed along; and, recollecting the manner in which the peasant had mentioned the chateau, she gave a mysterious meaning to his words, such as she had not suspected when he uttered them.

These apprehensions, however, she tried to check, considering that they were probably the effect of a melancholy imagination, which her father's situation, and a consideration of her own circumstances, had made sensible to every impression.

They passed slowly on, for they were now almost in darkness, which, together with the unevenness of the ground, and the frequent roots of old trees, that shot up above the soil, made it necessary to proceed with caution.On a sudden Michael stopped the carriage; and, as St.

Aubert looked from the window to enquire the cause, he perceived a figure at some distance moving up the avenue.The dusk would not permit him to distinguish what it was, but he bade Michael go on.

'This seems a wild place,' said Michael; 'there is no house hereabout, don't your honour think we had better turn back?'

'Go a little farther, and if we see no house then, we will return to the road,' replied St.Aubert.

Michael proceeded with reluctance, and the extreme slowness of his pace made St.Aubert look again from the window to hasten him, when again he saw the same figure.He was somewhat startled: probably the gloominess of the spot made him more liable to alarm than usual;however this might be, he now stopped Michael, and bade him call to the person in the avenue.

'Please your honour, he may be a robber,' said Michael.'It does not please me,' replied St.Aubert, who could not forbear smiling at the simplicity of his phrase, 'and we will, therefore, return to the road, for I see no probability of meeting here with what we seek.'

Michael turned about immediately, and was retracing his way with alacrity, when a voice was heard from among the trees on the left.

It was not the voice of command, or distress, but a deep hollow tone, which seemed to be scarcely human.The man whipped his mules till they went as fast as possible, regardless of the darkness, the broken ground, and the necks of the whole party, nor once stopped till he reached the gate, which opened from the avenue into the high-road, where he went into a more moderate pace.

'I am very ill,' said St.Aubert, taking his daughter's hand.'You are worse, then, sir!' said Emily, extremely alarmed by his manner, 'you are worse, and here is no assistance.Good God! what is to be done!' He leaned his head on her shoulder, while she endeavoured to support him with her arm, and Michael was again ordered to stop.

When the rattling of the wheels had ceased, music was heard on their air; it was to Emily the voice of Hope.'Oh! we are near some human habitation!' said she, 'help may soon be had.'

She listened anxiously; the sounds were distant, and seemed to come from a remote part of the woods that bordered the road; and, as she looked towards the spot whence they issued, she perceived in the faint moon-light something like a chateau.It was difficult, however, to reach this; St.Aubert was now too ill to bear the motion of the carriage; Michael could not quit his mules; and Emily, who still supported her father, feared to leave him, and also feared to venture alone to such a distance, she knew not whither, or to whom.

Something, however, it was necessary to determine upon immediately;St.Aubert, therefore, told Michael to proceed slowly; but they had not gone far, when he fainted, and the carriage was again stopped.

同类推荐
  • 医经读

    医经读

    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。
  • 秦鬟楼谈录

    秦鬟楼谈录

    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。
  • 七女观经

    七女观经

    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。
  • 本草择要纲目

    本草择要纲目

    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。
  • 却扫编

    却扫编

    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。
热门推荐
  • 提高孩子竞争力的36个好方法

    提高孩子竞争力的36个好方法

    “有些父母总是给孩子提出各种要求,命召孩子只能这样而不能那样,但就是不以身作则,这样的父母不可能教育出好孩子。没有想象力的人做一切事都以实际为准则,常带被陷于各种条条框框的束缚之中。这样的人,没有开柘创新的勇气和能力,干什么都缩手缩脚,不可能有什么作为,只能成为—个平庸之人。”
  • 绵绵有佳期

    绵绵有佳期

    土豪界萌蠢新势力郑绵绵在游戏《追风屠龙》中当着大神的面,自己把自己摔死后,那也必须继续保持会长的霸气!可是,会长……您真的确定您保持的是霸气而不是春……纯……蠢蠢蠢气吗?围殴买凶灭大神反被大神全灭也就算了,为何您要这样做?这样做真的好吗?扒掉大神的衣服真的能行吗?快点来人啊!她把节操君摔碎了!谁来阻止她?!节操君!节操君!你还好吗?——节操君!不要死!
  • 末世女僵尸的脱线生活

    末世女僵尸的脱线生活

    我的工作大到检查地盘里有没有新的丧尸闯入,小到替小区里几个捣蛋鬼收拾下掉落的残躯,能文能武,实乃新世纪高级复合型人才。而我就是僵尸女……--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 怀孕全程专家指导

    怀孕全程专家指导

    未来时代,也许生孩子的重负不再由女人来承担,而在这个角色反串的过程当中,男人女人又扮演着什么呢……
  • 市场营销工作制度规范与流程设计

    市场营销工作制度规范与流程设计

    《市场营销工作制度规范与流程设计》通过最新流程图的绘制方法,将每一个工作流程以最清晰、最简单的方式呈现出来,使企业管理工作者可以得到最实用的工具。制度范例从现实工作中的细节入手,对每一项工作环节都作了切合实际的论述,使企业管理工作者可以从中得到具有可操作性的考评依据和培训蓝本。
  • 花瓶重生日记

    花瓶重生日记

    老婆,只许我宠你简介这个世界真是太玄幻了!她这个云氏集团顽劣三小姐,在绝望自杀未遂之后,怎么忽然变成炙手可热的豪门媳妇人选了呢?有着“GAY”传闻的雅痞美男动不动就对她又搂又抱,哪有半点儿同志的倾向!青梅竹马化身天王巨星对她无微不至的关怀,引来无数粉丝的嫉妒唾骂!曾经暗恋的学长居然想要抛弃她的闺蜜,对她展开追求,幡然醒悟想吃回头草?我滴个心肝脾肺肾啊!她只想做一个普普通通的女人就好了,她才不要嫁入豪门,成为娱乐大众的对象呢!可是选来选去,为什么她的新郎官居然是最最最不普通的那一个?呃.她退婚可以不?答案是:绝对不行!某男将某人吃干抹尽之后,才深情地告白:这辈子,只许我宠你!美女帅哥众多,欢迎领养先苦后甜的宠文,过程有点儿小虐哈~精彩片段一“听说那个自杀的云家三小姐的男朋友是个GAY?”“哪里,我听说是一个超级大明星!”“不是吧,我听说的是她抢了闺蜜的未婚夫.”面对如此众多的听说,云缈只是云淡风轻的一笑,将那些聒噪的声音抛在脑后。精彩片段二“老公,我想开一家自己的餐厅.”“没问题!我出钱你管理。”“老公,我想买一栋属于自己的写字楼.”“没问题,想要哪一个楼盘?”“老公,我想去看XXX的演唱会.”某人不乐意了“不行!要听歌,我唱给你听!”精彩片段三“我求你劝劝你老公,让你高抬贵手,放过云家!”云一峰垂丧着头,拉下老脸对这个从来不上心的女儿恳求道。云缈冷笑着。“凭什么我要帮你?!”云夫人再也坐不住了,站起来破口大骂。“你这个死丫头,你怎么能这么对待自己的亲人?!好歹养了你十几年,你连一点儿亲情都不顾还在这里幸灾乐祸,你到底有没有良心啊?!”“亲情是什么玩意儿?”云缈的眼中充满了不屑。“是我的亲人,会轻则蔑视辱骂,重则拳打脚踢?如果这就是你们所说的亲情,那我还真是不敢领教!你们这么对我,我为什么不能这么对你们?!”
  • 巴蜀文化研究集刊(第7卷)

    巴蜀文化研究集刊(第7卷)

    段渝主编的《巴蜀文化研究集刊7》内容介绍:伊尹是商王朝开国的辅弼良臣,一名伊挚、尹挚,单称伊,又名阿衡,辅佐成汤伐灭夏桀,建立了商王朝。汤之后,太甲不遵汤法乱德,伊尹放太甲,摄朝政,保证了早期商王朝王室政权的平稳过渡。伊尹的治国大略流芳后世,到春秋战国时期乃有伊尹学派形成。
  • Evita, First Lady

    Evita, First Lady

    Eva Peron was a star and a legend during her lifetime, one of the most alluring women of the twentieth century. Through the hit Broadway musical Evita by Andrew Lloyd Webber, her story became famous, and with the release of the film starring Madonna as Eva Peron, her life became a media obsession once again. Whore and feminist, tyrant and saint, Evita was the beautiful and legendary woman who rose up from poverty to become the hypnotically powerful first lady of Argentina. To millions of poor people she was a savior; to her enemies she was a monstrous dictator. In this riveting biography, John Barnes explores the astonishing paradox of this champion of the poor who attacked the rich and, in the process, made herself the wealthiest woman in the world.
  • 执天掌道

    执天掌道

    如果时间是记忆的错觉,那么记忆便是时间的碎片。世间的一切都是记忆组成,而这个大千世界,也只是一个人的记忆罢了。先民怒吼,诸神离殇!谁为棋手,谁是棋子?看万道争锋,吾执天掌道!
  • 次元小说系统

    次元小说系统

    前世没去那二次元和小说的世界,今世分身去看看那些世界。