登陆注册
5154600000059

第59章

Some pow'r impart the spear and shield, At which the wizard passions fly, By which the giant follies die.

COLLINS

Madame Cheron's house stood at a little distance from the city of Tholouse, and was surrounded by extensive gardens, in which Emily, who had risen early, amused herself with wandering before breakfast.

From a terrace, that extended along the highest part of them, was a wide view over Languedoc.On the distant horizon to the south, she discovered the wild summits of the Pyrenees, and her fancy immediately painted the green pastures of Gascony at their feet.Her heart pointed to her peaceful home--to the neighbourhood where Valancourt was--where St.Aubert had been; and her imagination, piercing the veil of distance, brought that home to her eyes in all its interesting and romantic beauty.She experienced an inexpressible pleasure in believing, that she beheld the country around it, though no feature could be distinguished, except the retiring chain of the Pyrenees; and, inattentive to the scene immediately before her, and to the flight of time, she continued to lean on the window of a pavilion, that terminated the terrace, with her eyes fixed on Gascony, and her mind occupied with the interesting ideas which the view of it awakened, till a servant came to tell her breakfast was ready.Her thoughts thus recalled to the surrounding objects, the straight walks, square parterres, and artificial fountains of the garden, could not fail, as she passed through it, to appear the worse, opposed to the negligent graces, and natural beauties of the grounds of La Vallee, upon which her recollection had been so intensely employed.

'Whither have you been rambling so early?' said Madame Cheron, as her niece entered the breakfast-room.'I don't approve of these solitary walks;' and Emily was surprised, when, having informed her aunt, that she had been no further than the gardens, she understood these to be included in the reproof.'I desire you will not walk there again at so early an hour unattended,' said Madame Cheron; 'my gardens are very extensive; and a young woman, who can make assignations by moon-light, at La Vallee, is not to be trusted to her own inclinations elsewhere.'

Emily, extremely surprised and shocked, had scarcely power to beg an explanation of these words, and, when she did, her aunt absolutely refused to give it, though, by her severe looks, and half sentences, she appeared anxious to impress Emily with a belief, that she was well informed of some degrading circumstances of her conduct.

Conscious innocence could not prevent a blush from stealing over Emily's cheek; she trembled, and looked confusedly under the bold eye of Madame Cheron, who blushed also; but hers was the blush of triumph, such as sometimes stains the countenance of a person, congratulating himself on the penetration which had taught him to suspect another, and who loses both pity for the supposed criminal, and indignation of his guilt, in the gratification of his own vanity.

Emily, not doubting that her aunt's mistake arose from the having observed her ramble in the garden on the night preceding her departure from La Vallee, now mentioned the motive of it, at which Madame Cheron smiled contemptuously, refusing either to accept this explanation, or to give her reasons for refusing it; and, soon after, she concluded the subject by saying, 'I never trust people's assertions, I always judge of them by their actions; but I am willing to try what will be your behaviour in future.'

Emily, less surprised by her aunt's moderation and mysterious silence, than by the accusation she had received, deeply considered the latter, and scarcely doubted, that it was Valancourt whom she had seen at night in the gardens of La Vallee, and that he had been observed there by Madame Cheron; who now passing from one painful topic only to revive another almost equally so, spoke of the situation of her niece's property, in the hands of M.Motteville.

While she thus talked with ostentatious pity of Emily's misfortunes, she failed not to inculcate the duties of humility and gratitude, or to render Emily fully sensible of every cruel mortification, who soon perceived, that she was to be considered as a dependant, not only by her aunt, but by her aunt's servants.

She was now informed, that a large party were expected to dinner, on which account Madame Cheron repeated the lesson of the preceding night, concerning her conduct in company, and Emily wished, that she might have courage enough to practise it.Her aunt then proceeded to examine the simplicity of her dress, adding, that she expected to see her attired with gaiety and taste; after which she condescended to shew Emily the splendour of her chateau, and to point out the particular beauty, or elegance, which she thought distinguished each of her numerous suites of apartments.she then withdrew to her toilet, the throne of her homage, and Emily to her chamber, to unpack her books, and to try to charm her mind by reading, till the hour of dressing.

When the company arrived, Emily entered the saloon with an air of timidity, which all her efforts could not overcome, and which was increased by the consciousness of Madame Cheron's severe observation.

Her mourning dress, the mild dejection of her beautiful countenance, and the retiring diffidence of her manner, rendered her a very interesting object to many of the company; among whom she distinguished Signor Montoni, and his friend Cavigni, the late visitors at M.Quesnel's, who now seemed to converse with Madame Cheron with the familiarity of old acquaintance, and she to attend to them with particular pleasure.

同类推荐
  • 戒子通录

    戒子通录

    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。
  • 修华严奥旨妄尽还源观

    修华严奥旨妄尽还源观

    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。
  • 分别功德论

    分别功德论

    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。
  • 观猎三首

    观猎三首

    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。
  • 元始天尊济度血湖真经

    元始天尊济度血湖真经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 错嫁王爷

    错嫁王爷

    我穿了,我竟然真的穿了,还直接被架着去拜堂,新郎却是一只猪?!老天,我竟然沦为猪的新娘,不要开这样的玩笑吧?半夜醒来,猪相公却摇身一变成为绝世冷美男,这……这是怎么回事?
  • 8种成功个性

    8种成功个性

    你知道哪8种个性可以帮助你获得成功么?你知道你具备了哪几种么?你想获得成功么?这本书将要告诉你。
  • 名捕与皇后

    名捕与皇后

    铁秀叹了口气。铁秀情不自禁叹一口气的时候,是他要杀人的时候,而且杀的还不止一个人。他对身后这个高贵的女人说了句“你自己小心”,然后纵身出刀……皇后惊恐地捂住了脸,闭上了眼睛。她受不了那刀光与血影齐飞、人头与雪花同落的惨烈。待她再次睁开眼睛,从指缝里悄悄向前望去时,只看见一个人远远地立在那里,那个人当然就是铁秀。大内高手死亡过半,活着的也都负了重伤,横躺竖卧在雪地上,染红了地上的雪。那些突然杀出的数不清的白衣人几乎个个身首异处,望去甚是骇人。
  • 龙帝狐后传奇缘

    龙帝狐后传奇缘

    她、上古瑞兽,仙界地位至高无上的涂山九尾狐族。却为他甘愿违背仙界的条例受尽九世磨难只为陪他...他、冷傲无情,蔑视万物众生,爱情对他而言是一个错词而已。始末他却为爱被困墨海九世,只为与她永生相守。那道困龙锁锁住了九世承诺!
  • Quality and Others

    Quality and Others

    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。
  • 魔法奇迹之移位

    魔法奇迹之移位

    阮柏南,二十岁,L市富豪阮某的独生子,终日吃喝玩乐、不务正业,是一个不折不扣的败家子。齐彦士,五十一岁,一年前开始,在L市富豪阮某家担任大厨,至今。他性格古怪,沉默寡言,大宅里的人都不喜欢跟他接触。这一天,阮柏南跟几个同学在房间里闲聊。“南哥,”其中一个同学说道,“那伙人实在是太嚣张了,他们说,阮柏南独占鳌头的时代已经结束,现在的车神是他们‘闪蝎队’。
  • 佛痛

    佛痛

    他是伸手渡她出黑暗恐惧卑微的温暖神佛。可命运安排给他们的是漫长寻找,无尽等待和彼此伤害。哪怕嫁为他人妇,她也想用尽每一丝力气成为他的羁绊,将他带离佛门三尺净。短暂一生里,他吝啬得不给她任何回应和承诺。但在失去他的最后一刻,隔了莲花宝座梵音禅钟,她终于读懂他的心音和告白。辩机(619-649)唐婺州人(今浙江省金华市)十五岁出家,师从大总持寺著名的萨婆多部学者道岳。并驻长安西北的金城坊会昌寺。因风韵高朗,文采斐然,被玄奘选为缀文大德,又因才德兼人,深受玄奘器重,撰成《大唐西域记》一书。后因与唐太宗之爱女高阳公主私通发案,被唐太宗怒而刑以腰斩。
  • 过去

    过去

    于晓愉看了看窗外,觉得现在走,天黑前就能赶回家。但她在思想上还是举棋不定,等张小卫一起走?还是自己先走?大概有三分钟的时间,她在这两个选择之间进行自我说服,最后还是决定自己先走。她下决心似的从衣帽架上拿下她的羽绒服,然后在镜子前看了看,她的头发有点乱,于是她去窗台上找来梳子,她要把自己收拾得整齐一些,总不能一出门,就让别人看到她乱糟糟的头发。临出门前,于晓愉关掉了电脑电源,看了看,她刚泡起的玫瑰花茶味道正好,她端起杯子又喝了一口。一下午的时间,她已经喝了两杯玫瑰花茶了,后来觉得味道有点淡,就倒掉了。
  • 名家经典散文选:宏论博天下·议论卷

    名家经典散文选:宏论博天下·议论卷

    “名家经典散文选”,包括 《万事融笔端·叙事卷》 《挥笔如传神·写人卷》 《情动于心中·抒情卷》 《情景两依依·情景卷》 《滴水见阳光·哲理卷》 《闲情说理趣·随笔卷》 《提笔如出鞘·杂文卷》 《宏论博天下·议论卷》共8册。本套散文所选文章除了当代我国的名家精品之外,还选择了一些当代外国名家经典散文,诸如法国作家雨果、大仲马,英国哲学家罗素,印度文豪泰戈尔等。这些中外文学大家的作品,知识丰富,思想深刻,对于我们开阔眼界、提升素养都有极大的帮助。这些散文大多以一种轻松随意的文笔,朴实自然地展现出了名家散文的基本状况,并以这些名家生卒时间为顺序进行编排,充分体现了这些名家散文的个性魅力和风格特色。
  • 佛说梵志頞波罗延问种尊经

    佛说梵志頞波罗延问种尊经

    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。