登陆注册
5192300000021

第21章

To tell the truth, Monsieur Paul has not inherited the fine tastes of his father.Monsieur Paul likes sporting; he is a great authority on horses and dogs; and I much fear that of all the sciences capable of satisfying or of duping the inexhaustible curiosity of mankind, those of the stable and the dog-kennel are the only ones thoroughly mastered by him.

I cannot say I was surprised to meet him, since we had made a rendezvous; but I acknowledge that I had become so preoccupied with my own thoughts that I had forgotten all about the Chateau de Lusance and its inhabitants, and that the voice of the gentleman calling out to me as I started to follow the country road winding away before me--"un bon ruban de queue," as they say--had given me quite a start.

I fear my face must have betrayed my incongruous distraction by a certain stupid expression which it is apt to assume in most of my social transactions.My valise was pulled up into the carriage, and I followed my valise.My host pleased me by his straightforward simplicity.

"I don't know anything myself about your old parchments," he said;"but I think you will find some folks to talk to at the house.

Besides the cure, who writes books himself, and the doctor, who is a very good fellow--although a radical--you will meet somebody able to keep your company.I mean my wife.She is not a very learned woman, but there are few things which she can't divine pretty well.Then I count upon being able to keep you with us long enough to make you acquainted with Mademoiselle Jeanne, who has the fingers of a magician and the soul of an angel.""And is this delightfully gifted young lady one of your family?" Iasked.

"Not at all," replied Monsieur Paul.

"Then she is just a friend of yours?" I persisted, rather stupidly.

"She has lost both her father and mother," answered Monsieur de Gabry, keeping his eyes fixed upon the ears of his horse, whose hoofs rang loudly over the road blue-tinted by the moonshine."Her father managed to get us into some very serious trouble; and we did not get off with a fright either!"Then he shook his head, and changed the subject.He gave me due warning of the ruinous condition in which I should find the chateau and the park; they had been absolutely deserted for thirty-two years.

I learned from him that Monsieur Honore de Gabry, his uncle, had been on very bad terms with some poachers, whom he used to shoot at like rabbits.One of them, a vindictive peasant, who had received a whole charge of shot in his face, lay in wait for the Seigneur one evening behind the trees of the mall, and very nearly succeeded in killing him, for the ball took off the tip of his ear.

"My uncle," Monsieur Paul continued, "tried to discover who had fired the shot; but he could not see any one, and he walked back slowly to the house.The day after he called his steward and ordered him to close up the manor and the park, and allow no living soul to enter.

同类推荐
  • The Voice

    The Voice

    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。
  • 玉泉子

    玉泉子

    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。
  • 佛说圣最胜陀罗尼经

    佛说圣最胜陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 诗说

    诗说

    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。
  • 云幻宸禅师语录

    云幻宸禅师语录

    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。
热门推荐
  • 出走

    出走

    方达明,在文学期刊发表中短篇小说几十篇。短篇小说《出走》获第八届美国新语丝文学奖三等奖。小说《婶婶》获第九届美国新语丝文学奖,短篇小说《我的土豆》获第四届林语堂文学创作奖。短篇小说《气球》获台湾第33届联合报文学奖小说评审奖。
  • 万象红尘传

    万象红尘传

    表面平和的生活中,隐藏着孤独者的悲哀。又或者每个寻常人都隐藏了一份孤独......那份孤独总是以不同的角度在看待世界,也许那是另一个不同的自己,而相同的是......期许变强,只有强者,方能选择命运!
  • 一张换三张

    一张换三张

    一位小女孩,一份暑假工引发的爱恋,不需要言语。
  • 度一切诸佛境界智严经

    度一切诸佛境界智严经

    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。
  • 万仞苍穹

    万仞苍穹

    大道阴阳,武者世界能人圣者修道称帝,却终难破凡为仙;武道黑白,忠奸纷争,且看肖云逆斩乾坤,睥睨天下!
  • 穿越异世我是皮卡丘

    穿越异世我是皮卡丘

    一部现代女汉子被雷劈后穿越到了修仙世界成了名副其实的汉子的悲催奋斗史。
  • 恶鬼索命

    恶鬼索命

    警笛声打破了这个依河而建的小村庄的宁静。紧靠河堤的一座砖包皮的四间老房前,聚集了这个三百多口人的小侯村中的一半人。人们交头接耳,议论纷纷。“这小子也该死!赌博不算,还经常把媳妇打得死去活来,只可怜他那受罪的媳妇竟和他一起去了。”一位头发有些花白的老人小声说。声音虽小,但却引起在场不少人的共鸣,纷纷点头,“还有那可怜的孩子,平常就可怜兮兮的,现在才十二岁就成了孤儿。”“哎!苏二叔,你可是苏田不远的兄弟,以后,他的孩子就全依靠你了。”
  • 茶疏

    茶疏

    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。
  • 木亦悠鹿鸣

    木亦悠鹿鸣

    她说:“有些事,我们明知道是错的,也要去坚持,因为不甘心;有些人,我们明知道是爱的,也要去放弃,因为没结果。我很庆幸,能陪在你身边这么多年,也很庆幸,当初停留在嘴边没有说出来的话。那么,我们为什么不把它彻底埋葬呢?"他说:“事情不去做,你怎会甘心。人不去追,你怎会知道没结果。”
  • 名作家

    名作家

    生活在北方黑龙死亡之地的江边一户人家,家中长子意外早亡,却在埋骨之地重生,重生后的他,手戴秘银戒指,向着南方而行,打算去解开九龙之秘的千古之谜……【全订群】二次元的旅站:717097708。【交流群】众神归来:761823203