登陆注册
5216200000054

第54章

"Go to your work," said he."Extinguish the lights, and see that all the doors and windows are carefully closed."He had made up his mind now, and taking out his watch, saw that it was just eight o'clock."I have time to reach Paris," muttered he, "by the appointed time." Then he called Jean to him again.There was no need to conceal anything from this trusty adherent of the house of Champdoce."I must start for Paris," said the Duke, "without an instant's delay.""On account of that letter?" asked the old man with an expression of the deepest sorrow upon his features.

"Yes, for that reason only."

"Some one has been making false charges against the Duchess.""How do you know that?"

"It was easy enough to guess."

"Have the carriage got ready, and tell the coachman to wait for me in front of the club.I myself will go on foot.""You must not do that," answered Jean gravely."The servants may have conceived the same suspicions as I have.You ought to creep away without any one being a bit the wiser.The other domestics need not even suppose that you have left the house.I can get you a horse out of the little stables without any one being the wiser.I will wait for you on the other side of the bridge.""Good; but remember that I have not a moment to lose."Jean left the room, and as he reached the passage Norbert heard him say to one of the servants, "Put some cold supper on the table; the Duke says that he is starving."Norbert went into his bedroom, put on a great coat and a pair of high boots, and slipped into his pocket a revolver, the charges of which he had examined with the greatest care.The night was exceedingly dark, a fine, icy rain was falling, and the roads were very heavy.Norbert found Jean with the horse at the appointed spot, and as he leaped into the saddle the Duke exclaimed, "Not a soul saw me leave the house.""Nor I either," returned the attached domestic."I shall go back and act as if you were at supper.At three in the morning I will be in the wine-shop on the left-hand side of the road.When you return, give a gentle tap on the window-pane with the handle of your whip." Norbert sprang into the saddle, and sped away through the darkness like a phantom of the night.Jean had made an excellent choice in the horse he had brought for his master's use, and the animal made its way rapidly through the mud and rain; but Norbert by this time was half mad with excitement, and spurred him madly on.As he neared home a new idea crossed his brain.Suppose it was a practical joke on the part of some of the members of the club? In that case, they would doubtless be watching for his arrival, and, after talking to him on indifferent subjects, would, when he betrayed any symptoms of impatience, overwhelm him with ridicule.The fear of this made him cautious.What should he do with the horse he was riding? The wine-shops were open, and perhaps he might pick up some man there who would take charge of it for him.As he was debating this point, his eyes fell upon a soldier, probably on his way to barracks.

"My man," asked the Duke, "would you like to earn twenty francs?""I should think so, if it is nothing contrary to the rules and regulations of the army.""It is only to take my horse and walk him up and down while I pay a visit close by.""I can stay out of the barracks a couple of hours longer, but no more," returned the soldier.

Norbert told the soldier where he was to wait for him, and then went on rapidly to his own house, and reached the side street along which ran the garden belonging to his magnificent residence.On the opposite side of the street the houses all had porticoes, and Norbert took up his position in one of these, and peered out carefully.He had studied the whole street, which was not a long one, from beginning to end, and was convinced that he was the only person in it.He made up his mind that he would wait until midnight; and if by that time no one appeared, he would feel confident that the Duchess was innocent, and return without any one but Jean having known of his expedition.From his position he could see that three windows on the second floor of his house were lighted up, and those windows were in his wife's sleeping apartment."She is the last woman in the world to permit a lover to visit her," thought he."No, no; the whole thing is a hoax."He began to think of the way in which he had treated his wife.Had he nothing to reproach himself with? Ten days after their marriage he had deserted her entirely; and if during the last few weeks he had paid her any attention, it was because he was acting in obedience to the whims of another woman.Suppose a lover was with her now, what right had he to interfere? The law gave him leave, but what did his conscience say? He leaned against the chill stone until he almost became as cold as it was.It seemed to him at that moment that life and hope were rapidly drifting away from him.He had lost all count of how long he had been on guard.He pulled out his watch, but it was too dark to distinguish the hands or the figures on the dial-plate.Aneighboring clock struck the half-hour, but this gave him no clue as to the time.He had almost made up his mind to leave, when he heard the sound of a quick step coming down the street.It was the light, quick step of a sportsman,--of a man more accustomed to the woods and fields than the pavement and asphalt of Paris.Then a shadow fell upon the opposite wall, and almost immediately disappeared.Then Norbert knew that the door had opened and closed, and that the man had entered the garden.There could be no doubt upon this point, and yet the Duke would have given worlds to be able to disbelieve the evidence of his senses.It might be a burglar, but burglars seldom work alone; or it might be a visitor to one of the servants, but all the servants were absent.He again raised his eyes to the windows of his wife's room.

All of a sudden the light grew brighter; either the lamp had been turned up, or fresh candles lighted.Yes, it was a candle, for he saw it borne across the room in the direction of the great staircase, and now he saw that the anonymous letter had spoken the truth, and that he was on the brink of a discovery.A lover had entered the garden, and the lighted candle was a signal to him.Norbert shuddered; the blood seemed to course through his veins like streams of molten fire, and the misty atmosphere that surrounded him appeared to stifle him.He ran across the street, forced the lock, and rushed wildly into the garden.

同类推荐
  • 佛说疗痔病经

    佛说疗痔病经

    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。
  • 广异记

    广异记

    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。
  • 大乘瑜伽金刚性海曼殊室利千臂千钵大教王经

    大乘瑜伽金刚性海曼殊室利千臂千钵大教王经

    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。
  • 潜书

    潜书

    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。
  • 录异传

    录异传

    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
  • 田园娇医之娘亲爹爹来了

    田园娇医之娘亲爹爹来了

    又名《山水相逢:识汝不识路》顾相思大学毕业后,被逼着继承了祖传医馆,意外收了个傻徒弟,一针把她给扎死了。再次睁开眼,回到古代当了娘。极品亲戚来找茬,抢她房子打她娃,当她死人吗?一根银针在手,谁来扎的谁抽搐,看谁还敢欺负她们孤儿寡母无人护。水涝黄豆飘?豆腐,豆酱生产起来!种种田,采采药,挖掘新物种,丰富古代食材,创造美食天下。然而,在日子越过越好后,孩子想要爹,她得找个夫。【片段一:冤家路窄】一次上山采药,她手贱救了一个美人儿。美人儿醒来第一句话:“你在做什么?”顾相思:“……给你做人工呼吸。”美人儿第二句话:“我记得你,五年前那个雨夜。”顾相思:“……”她就说这人有点眼熟吧?美人儿第三句话:“我找了你五年。”顾相思:“……”帝都离俺们村就十里地,爷您路痴吗?美人儿最后一句话:“我知道你与我有了孩子。”顾相思:“……”您真是个负责任的好男人,找了一个把你嗯哼,还和您有了孩子的女人五年,坚持不懈。【片段二:路痴人生】有一日,宝宝又找不到爹了。顾相思说:“你爹可能又迷路了。”数日后,某人一身狼狈的回来了,怀里抱着一只狼崽子。顾相思:“……”这是路痴找了条狗带路吗?宝宝萌萌问:“爹爹怎么总迷路?”美人儿看向某女说:“因为爹爹……识汝不识路。”顾相思:“……”三天两头撩她,有意思吗?山水相逢,识汝不识路。一顾相思,念念不忘。PS:这是一个患了“相思”病的男人,求一个绝色女神医救命的故事。——已完结文——《邪妃撩人:王爷休想逃》《妖皇盛宠:天命皇妃》《重生之凤女归来》
  • 迷失荒野的女知青

    迷失荒野的女知青

    拖拉机都陷在了冰河里“咔嚓”一声,正在欢唱的马达声突然憋住了,戛然而止。王建荒立刻意识到事情有点不妙。刚想探起身来,朝外看个明白,可还没等到他直起身子,随后忽悠了一下,他的脑袋撞在旁边车门上,接着便觉得车身歪斜了,陷进了冰窟窿里。紧跟着那只装满了木头的大爬犁又从后面撞上来,只听见“咣当”一声,拖拉机被死死地卡在了塌陷的冰河里,一股清澈的河水随后漫进了驾驶室。王建荒本能地抓住门把手,用力将车门拉开,一个箭步跳到驾驶室外面,随手把坐在三个人中间、早已吓得不知所措的女卫生员蔡芸丽从里面拽了出来。
  • 再见,寒生

    再见,寒生

    他是孤儿寒生,他和异父异母的妹妹白小七相依为命地生活在这个社会底层。他将光明的希望让给她,看着她盛装打扮,看着她笑颜如花,看着她站在星光熠熠的舞台前,接受世上最盛大的掌声和鲜花,从一个贫民窟的小女孩一步一步成为闪闪发光的巨星。而他自己,却满身泥泞地沉沦在黑暗的地狱里。当我所拥有的一切,只够我们一个人从这无边黑暗里离开的话,我希望那个人是你。小七,只要你幸福,就好了。
  • 重生全能影后

    重生全能影后

    本文女主不傻白甜,不圣母。女强,有无cp待定,有无男主待定。
  • 金蝴蝶的蜕变:穿越戈壁滩

    金蝴蝶的蜕变:穿越戈壁滩

    银河系另一个星球统治者的小女儿从小被养在星球地下山川与金蝴蝶为伍、修炼穿越银河的技术。就在公主准备出世时。尊者被害、王位被夺。为报父仇,重新夺回王位。公主驾着飞碟到银河系别的星球寻找超能的战士、跟着金蝴蝶的指引穿越到了地球。遇到了星际特训队的宇浩阳三人,公主把三人带回戈壁滩地下山川,签下契约,开始了复仇的行动。宇浩阳新婚的妻子见丈夫一去不返,音讯全无,来到宇浩阳失踪的地点,开始了寻求真相的艰难之旅。
  • 第一侧妃

    第一侧妃

    她生于皇家,却不爱养尊处优,久经沙场无往不胜。但是却眼睁睁看着亲叔叔杀死自己父兄,自此沦为亡国丧父的废人,被当作丧家之犬肆意凌虐。岂料哥哥未亡,为复国精心策划了一场代嫁的阴谋,将她送到与她有断臂之仇的男人身边。“呼延樱,你已经一无所有,到本王身边来,本王发誓,此生定倾心相付!”“呵呵……赫连城宣,故作深情累不累?你要的不过是藏在我身上让你彻底摧毁呼延城的秘密罢了。”
  • 娱乐帝国系统

    娱乐帝国系统

    在娱乐圈混了十年的配角演员叶明带着未来的娱乐帝国系统回到九七年,那一年,二十二岁的叶明,二十三岁的苏有鹏,意气风发,青春无敌那一年,二十一岁的赵微,林心如,十六岁的范彬彬,稚气未脱。清淡如菊。共同汇聚在一个叫做琼遥的旗下,静静的绽放着属于他们的美丽。一个娱乐圈的帝王从还珠格格开始,踏上了征途。重生者叶明利用超级系统,打造一个大大的娱乐帝国。[求订阅月票推荐票]
  • 萌徒倾城:师父,你够了

    萌徒倾城:师父,你够了

    秦菲一朝穿越,竟成了虚海皇甫卿的唯一弟子,皇甫卿好像对这徒儿有点不一样?究竟哪里不一样?比如二话不说和她躺在一张床上,再比如护短护的令人发指,又或者某一天为她一念成魔……皇甫卿对她的好,不是一点点就能说清的,比如现在,她以为穿越只是一场梦,回到现实,梦就醒了,可谁能告诉他,这个和梦中皇甫卿长得一模一样的大BOSS顾闫琛为什么在第一次见面时就对她说,“终于找到你了……”
  • 西班牙大冒险(环游世界大探险)

    西班牙大冒险(环游世界大探险)

    卡西欧博士为了实现其征服世界的计划,便准备去寻找一个有魔力的宝瓶,但是宝瓶开启的咒语是在一副毕加索的画中,而如果想知道那幅画真正的意图,就必须找到上一个宝瓶持有者的后代——一个吉普塞人。田健三郎带着老鼠眼和大胡子再一次上路了。而得到消息的米娜、卡奇和莱恩为了阻止博士的阴谋,也不得不开始了西班牙的冒险之旅……
  • 中国足球与世界杯

    中国足球与世界杯

    本书主要内容有:国际足球最高管理机构——国际足球联合会、世界杯足球赛的起源和发展、世界杯足球赛收入与支出、世界杯足球赛的社会问题、中国世界杯参赛历史回顾、中国与世界杯足球赛的申办、世界杯冠军队伍。