登陆注册
5154600000076

第76章

With a candour, that proved how truly she esteemed and loved him, and which endeared her to him, if possible, more than ever, she told Valancourt all her reasons for rejecting his proposals.Those, which influenced her concerning his future welfare, he instantly refuted, or rather contradicted; but they awakened tender considerations for her, which the frenzy of passion and despair had concealed before, and love, which had but lately prompted him to propose a clandestine and immediate marriage, now induced him to renounce it.The triumph was almost too much for his heart; for Emily's sake, he endeavoured to stifle his grief, but the swelling anguish would not be restrained.'O Emily!' said he, 'I must leave you--I MUST leave you, and I know it is for ever!'

Convulsive sobs again interrupted his words, and they wept together in silence, till Emily, recollecting the danger of being discovered, and the impropriety of prolonging an interview, which might subject her to censure, summoned all her fortitude to utter a last farewell.

'Stay!' said Valancourt, 'I conjure you stay, for I have much to tell you.The agitation of my mind has hitherto suffered me to speak only on the subject that occupied it;--I have forborne to mention a doubt of much importance, partly, lest it should appear as if I told it with an ungenerous view of alarming you into a compliance with my late proposal.'

Emily, much agitated, did not leave Valancourt, but she led him from the pavilion, and, as they walked upon the terrace, he proceeded as follows:

'This Montoni: I have heard some strange hints concerning him.Are you certain he is of Madame Quesnel's family, and that his fortune is what it appears to be?'

'I have no reason to doubt either,' replied Emily, in a voice of alarm.'Of the first, indeed, I cannot doubt, but I have no certain means of judging of the latter, and I entreat you will tell me all you have heard.'

'That I certainly will, but it is very imperfect, and unsatisfactory information.I gathered it by accident from an Italian, who was speaking to another person of this Montoni.They were talking of his marriage; the Italian said, that if he was the person he meant, he was not likely to make Madame Cheron happy.He proceeded to speak of him in general terms of dislike, and then gave some particular hints, concerning his character, that excited my curiosity, and I ventured to ask him a few questions.He was reserved in his replies, but, after hesitating for some time, he owned, that he had understood abroad, that Montoni was a man of desperate fortune and character.

He said something of a castle of Montoni's, situated among the Apennines, and of some strange circumstances, that might be mentioned, as to his former mode of life.I pressed him to inform me further, but I believe the strong interest I felt was visible in my manner, and alarmed him; for no entreaties could prevail with him to give any explanation of the circumstances he had alluded to, or to mention any thing further concerning Montoni.I observed to him, that, if Montoni was possessed of a castle in the Apennines, it appeared from such a circumstance, that he was of some family, and also seemed to contradict the report, that he was a man of entirely broken fortunes.He shook his head, and looked as if he could have said a great deal, but made no reply.

'A hope of learning something more satisfactory, or more positive, detained me in his company a considerable time, and I renewed the subject repeatedly, but the Italian wrapped himself up in reserve, said--that what he had mentioned he had caught only from a floating report, and that reports frequently arose from personal malice, and were very little to be depended upon.I forbore to press the subject farther, since it was obvious that he was alarmed for the consequence of what he had already said, and I was compelled to remain in uncertainty on a point where suspense is almost intolerable.Think, Emily, what I must suffer to see you depart for a foreign country, committed to the power of a man of such doubtful character as is this Montoni! But I will not alarm you unnecessarily;--it is possible, as the Italian said, at first, that this is not the Montoni he alluded to.Yet, Emily, consider well before you resolve to commit yourself to him.O! I must not trust myself to speak--or I shall renounce all the motives, which so lately influenced me to resign the hope of your becoming mine immediately.'

Valancourt walked upon the terrace with hurried steps, while Emily remained leaning on the balustrade in deep thought.The information she had just received excited, perhaps, more alarm than it could justify, and raised once more the conflict of contrasted interests.

She had never liked Montoni.The fire and keenness of his eye, its proud exultation, its bold fierceness, its sullen watchfulness, as occasion, and even slight occasion, had called forth the latent soul, she had often observed with emotion; while from the usual expression of his countenance she had always shrunk.From such observations she was the more inclined to believe, that it was this Montoni, of whom the Italian had uttered his suspicious hints.The thought of being solely in his power, in a foreign land, was terrifying to her, but it was not by terror alone that she was urged to an immediate marriage with Valancourt.The tenderest love had already pleaded his cause, but had been unable to overcome her opinion, as to her duty, her disinterested considerations for Valancourt, and the delicacy, which made her revolt from a clandestine union.It was not to be expected, that a vague terror would be more powerful, than the united influence of love and grief.But it recalled all their energy, and rendered a second conquest necessary.

同类推荐
  • 世说新语

    世说新语

    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。
  • 金刚上味陀罗尼经

    金刚上味陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 佛说树提伽经

    佛说树提伽经

    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。
  • 玄真子外篇

    玄真子外篇

    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。
  • The Phantom of the Opera

    The Phantom of the Opera

    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
  • 绝世妻主休想跑

    绝世妻主休想跑

    一刀绝情的刺入,砍断了缠绕多年的孽缘。几句神秘的对话,回归了错位已久的世界。天命?!宿命?!哼,都是放P,我的命由我不由天。姻缘?!缘分?!呵,情投意合,彼此白首不相离。废物变女神,强势回归!!片段一:某盟主:“云姑娘年纪轻轻就取得如此成就,他日必定青出于蓝。若姑娘不嫌弃,不如加入我们全武盟,待遇优厚……”某藜:“是吗?可我怕长江后浪推前浪,把前辈你推死在沙滩上。”某皇:“藜儿,朕看你年纪不小了,也该成家立正夫了,不如朕把柔月七皇子许配于你……”某藜:“皇上万万不可啊,七皇子貌若天仙,‘贤良淑德’,并情系太女,臣自知比不上七皇子一往情深,愿皇上三思!”阴谋陷阱接踵而来,靠!老虎不发威,都当我是HelloKitty啊,看我不搅浑你的武林水,踹翻你的朝堂窝,让你们鸡犬不宁。新人新文,美人多多,欢迎跳坑,看霸王文的,个个别想跑,乖乖跳坑吧。呵呵~
  • 机警

    机警

    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。
  • 庙堂往事

    庙堂往事

    为何混官比升官更难?为何文人做官总不长?为何太子党不易取胜?为何身正也怕影子斜?为何官德出了问题比杀人放火还严重?为何新科进士好升官?为何发脾气要抓机会?为何新官最怕”泼冷水”?为何一名技术官员能快速晋升?为何“默许”是一种神奇的力量?为何京城里也有很穷的官?这是一本语言幽默诙谐的官场历史解析读物。
  • 江湖之乱吹

    江湖之乱吹

    ☆从不谙人事到不羡情海,只因一段不知从何而起的一往情深☆他说他这十七年来一直在强求,无论是对自己还是陌生人。是以,人生中的最后几年,他只想为自己而活。那天他抱着雪白的菊走过青石小路,说大仇已报,他一生好像也没什么牵挂了。谨以此书,献给天下爱而不得,求而不能的情侣。望你们在天涯海角,能找到自己的归宿。————————分割线—————————每晚六点准时更新~再次感谢予阳小姐姐倾情相助(???????)???????
  • 密码之谜

    密码之谜

    挖掘了人类社会、地球乃至宇宙所包含的难解谜题首次披露了大干世界中神秘的、充满悬疑色彩的谜团背后鲜为人知的内幕。百万字的传奇读本精选了有关国宝、密码、海盗、大谋杀,诡异事件、离奇事件的未解经典内容选配了数千幅珍贵图片,带给读者一场视觉饕餮盛宴。
  • 时代·师承·史学:瞿林东教授八秩祝寿文集

    时代·师承·史学:瞿林东教授八秩祝寿文集

    瞿林东教授在学术界享有很高的声誉,是中国史学史和史学理论研究领域的代表人物。他的代表作主要有《唐代史学论稿》《中国史学史纲》《中国古代史学批评纵横》《中国史学的理论遗产——从过去到现在和未来的传承》《二十世纪中国史学论集》等。这部文集,是全体学生敬献给瞿林东教授的一份生日礼物,以祝贺他充实而又光辉的学术、教育生涯。
  • 老骥琐谈

    老骥琐谈

    仲冬时节,良金同志送来他的书稿——《老骥琐谈》。书稿收集了作者四十篇散文随笔。其中有赞赏故乡的风土人情,有异地他乡的旅行札记,有现实生活中的人生感悟。读罢掩卷之后,犹如一汪清泉,润泽着心田。
  • 汉天师世家

    汉天师世家

    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。
  • 亿万老公,太撩人

    亿万老公,太撩人

    江时暮做人很有原则。可被拷的未来老公死不要脸,居然讹她来了,怎么办!
  • 重生之我是齐天大圣

    重生之我是齐天大圣

    被穿越的西游记,绝不是一个按部就班的取经故事,孙悟空也不再窝囊,不再事事求神!仙界有的,妖界也要有,仙界不需要有的,也绝不能强加在我们妖界头上!每个妖精都有机会成神,让别人尊称我们为“妖神”,从此以后把命运牢牢的掌握在自己手里!搞笑?有!争霸?有!悬疑?有!金手指?有!热血?有!萝莉养成?有!升级?有!一根手指戳掉一个星球?这个真没有,隔壁,玄幻有!本书读者QQ群:227649692