登陆注册
5220400000010

第10章

I remember for some time sitting motionless in my corner,with my eyes bent upon the ground;at last I lifted my head and looked upon the packet as it lay on the table.All at once a strange sensation came over me,such as I had never experienced before-a singular blending of curiosity,awe,and pleasure,the remembrance of which,even at this distance of time,produces a remarkable effect upon my nervous system.What strange things are the nerves-I mean those more secret and mysterious ones in which I have some notion that the mind or soul,call it which you will,has its habitation;how they occasionally tingle and vibrate before any coming event closely connected with the future weal or woe of the human being.

Such a feeling was now within me,certainly independent of what the eye had seen or the ear had heard.A book of some deion had been brought for me,a present by no means calculated to interest me;what cared I for books?I had already many into which I never looked but from compulsion;friends,moreover,had presented me with similar things before,which I had entirely disregarded,and what was there in this particular book,whose very title I did not know,calculated to attract me more than the rest?yet something within told me that my fate was connected with the book which had been last brought;so,after looking on the packet from my corner for a considerable time,I got up and went to the table.

The packet was lying where it had been left-I took it up;had the envelope,which consisted of whitish brown paper,been secured by a string or a seal,I should not have opened it,as I should have considered such an act almost in the light of a crime;the books,however,had been merely folded up,and I therefore considered that there could be no possible harm in inspecting them,more especially as I had received no injunction to the contrary.Perhaps there was something unsound in this reasoning,something sophistical;but a child is sometimes as ready as a grown-up person in finding excuses for doing that which he is inclined to.But whether the action was right or wrong,and I am afraid it was not altogether right,Iundid the packet:it contained three books;two from their similarity seemed to be separate parts of one and the same work;they were handsomely bound,and to them I first turned my attention.I opened them successively,and endeavoured to make out their meaning;their contents,however,as far as I was able to understand them,were by no means interesting:whoever pleases may read these books for me,and keep them,too,into the bargain,said I to myself.

I now took up the third book:it did not resemble the others,being longer and considerably thicker;the binding was of dingy calf-skin.I opened it,and as I did so another strange thrill of pleasure shot through my frame.The first object on which my eyes rested was a picture;it was exceedingly well executed,at least the scene which it represented made a vivid impression upon me,which would hardly have been the case had the artist not been faithful to nature.A wild scene it was-a heavy sea and rocky shore,with mountains in the background,above which the moon was peering.Not far from the shore,upon the water,was a boat with two figures in it,one of which stood at the bow,pointing with what I knew to be a gun at a dreadful shape in the water;fire was flashing from the muzzle of the gun,and the monster appeared to be transfixed.I almost thought I heard its cry.I remained motionless,gazing upon the picture,scarcely daring to draw my breath,lest the new and wondrous world should vanish of which Ihad now obtained a glimpse.'Who are those people,and what could have brought them into that strange situation?'I asked of myself;and now the seed of curiosity,which had so long lain dormant,began to expand,and I vowed to myself to become speedily acquainted with the whole history of the people in the boat.After looking on the picture till every mark and line in it were familiar to me,I turned over various leaves till I came to another engraving;a new source of wonder-a low sandy beach on which the furious sea was breaking in mountain-like billows;cloud and rack deformed the firmament,which wore a dull and leaden-like hue;gulls and other aquatic fowls were toppling upon the blast,or skimming over the tops of the maddening waves-'Mercy upon him!he must be drowned!'I exclaimed,as my eyes fell upon a poor wretch who appeared to be striving to reach the shore;he was upon his legs,but was evidently half smothered with the brine;high above his head curled a horrible billow,as if to engulf him for ever.

'He must be drowned!he must be drowned!'I almost shrieked,and dropped the book.I soon snatched it up again,and now my eye lighted on a third picture:again a shore,but what a sweet and lovely one,and how I wished to be treading it;there were beautiful shells lying on the smooth white sand,some were empty like those I had occasionally seen on marble mantelpieces,but out of others peered the heads and bodies of wondrous crayfish,a wood of thick green trees skirted the beach and partly shaded it from the rays of the sun,which shone hot above,while blue waves slightly crested with foam were gently curling against it;there was a human figure upon the beach,wild and uncouth,clad in the skins of animals,with a huge cap on his head,a hatchet at his girdle,and in his hand a gun;his feet and legs were bare;he stood in an attitude of horror and surprise;his body was bent far back,and his eyes,which seemed starting out of his head,were fixed upon a mark on the sand-a large distinct mark-a human footprint....

同类推荐
  • 高斋诗话

    高斋诗话

    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。
  • 太子和休经

    太子和休经

    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。
  • 诗纪匡谬

    诗纪匡谬

    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。
  • 江淮异人录

    江淮异人录

    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。
  • 佛说不空罥索咒经

    佛说不空罥索咒经

    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
  • 国学经典导读(全集)(中华诵·经典诵读行动)

    国学经典导读(全集)(中华诵·经典诵读行动)

    方水清等主编的《国学经典导读》是一本关于中国文化经典的综合导读作品,分《国学经典导读(上册)》、《国学经典导读(中册)》、《国学经典导读(下册)》三册,共收录了《三字经》、《百家姓》、《千字文》、《弟子规》、《礼记》、《孝经》、《三十六记》、《大学》、《中庸》、《论语》、《孟子》、《唐诗三百首》、《宋词》、《唐五代词》、《诗经》、《左传》、《史记》、《战国策》、《古文观止》、《孙子兵法》等著作,对每部作品都按“原文”(或“原诗”)、“译文”、“师说”、“知识卡片”、“故事链接”或“经典案例”五部分进行详细解释,以便为读者深入了解传统文化经典,提供必要的阅读门径与学习指南。
  • 自己就是一座金矿

    自己就是一座金矿

    潜意识决定命运,潜意识创造一切,潜意识改变一切。每个人体内都埋藏着一座巨大的潜能宝藏,激活并运用这座宝藏,人人都能创造生命的奇迹。《潜意识与第六感大全集》《心灵的力量大全集》《自己就是一座金矿大全集》,为你揭开了潜意识深处的图景,传授一套最简单高效的潜能开发工具,让你开启能量宝库,挖掘潜意识,激发正能量,操纵命运、愿望、财富及健康,步向幸福和成功。
  • 佛说鸯掘摩经

    佛说鸯掘摩经

    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。
  • 争霸赛尔洛斯

    争霸赛尔洛斯

    在一个名为‘赛尔洛斯’的世界中,一个个国家为了利益互相斗争,一个个种族为了生存不断纠纷。经过了无休止的战争与吞并,和平的曙光似乎已经在大陆上点亮。可谁曾想到,一股可怕的暗流正在大陆各处疯狂涌动,它誓要将赛尔洛斯重新拖入战争的怒火中。在这样的大背景下,故事却发生在亚古大陆偏东,一个名叫的萨兰王国中的,一位名不见经传的小人物身上。————————————本书QQ群956632478
  • 炎黄共主

    炎黄共主

    生性顽劣,意外坠崖却获得神兵,沉寂了万载岁月之久,该是让人记起它的名字了,擎天归来!当然,还有我李青阳的名字将会如彗星一般划破天际,因为我是未来的神帝……
  • 飞花逐蝶

    飞花逐蝶

    爱情的起始都是单纯美好的。如若一支花一只蝶的单纯美好,命运无情,注定今世不能相依,可有来世?本书亦送给喜欢的一名女子,祝她一生幸福。
  • 唯宠

    唯宠

    她,一个清冷优雅高贵如斯的女子,面临未开花结果的恋情,她放弃了大好前途,只为了一句‘等我’而默默无闻着。她,作为S市的高干子弟,从不高调宣扬,也从不将身份作为自己炫耀的资本。哥哥身为家里的长子,身上背负着太重负担,而她却被哥哥保护的极好,低调的生活着,是哥哥背后无忧无虑的乖乖女。当追了她三年,在一起两年的初恋男友,为了女人的身体和事业的追求,果断和她说出了分手,她嘴上嘲讽的勾起一笑,冷淡的同意分手。当她苦苦暗恋三年的高中同学,突然回国。这让她心底泛起丝丝生机,这次,她还会再次错过吗?他是B市低调花心鼎鼎大名的左家二少。他,多变无常。而她,永远摸不透他在想什么。他说,你和我是同一类人,我们都是生活在哥哥的保护下,痛快畅意,唯心所欲的活着。分手后的这一年究竟是她的桃花运盛开,还是冤家找上门?片段一:“莫音,我们分手吧!”“我觉得婚姻没有父母的祝福和支持是不幸福的,陶子前一段时间对我表白,她爸说只要和她在一起,我年底就可以升为学院副院长,你知道的,我家庭条件一般,又是外地的,这次是我难得的机会,所以……”夏阳的意思很明显了,她莫音没有厚实的家庭背景,给不了他事业上的帮助。陶子,那个美丽开朗,在私立音乐学院中,跟她玩得最熟的老师,竟然……片段二:林清礼:“莫音,我喜欢你。”莫音的手握着手机颤抖了一下,尽管她听到电话那头窃窃笑声,但眼泪还是缓缓落下,平定了一下心情,淡淡的说道:“玩大冒险又输了?”林清礼:“我这次选得真心话。”片段三:左左转身,看着一脸认真的莫音,说出一番让她抓狂的话,“男人逢场作戏,玩玩罢了,又不是认真的。”莫音冷眼看向左左,快速的吐出一串话,“那是因为左少没有找到心爱的女人,当然不理解那种天天想着一个人,什么好的东西都想捧到她面前的感觉!”左左桃花眼眨呀眨,邪勾起唇角,与之前那个忧伤沉稳的男人完全不同,他吹了一声口哨,“哟,妹妹,看样子,你很了解相思之苦,那么,你心仪的男人又是谁呢?”配乐:蔡依林《柠檬草的味道》伊戈尔?克鲁托伊《悲伤的天使》钢琴曲伊戈尔?克鲁托伊《你是上帝赐予我的》钢琴曲DjOkawari《flowerdance》钢琴曲一杯花茶,一首配乐,希望妞们看书愉快。四首配乐,是我写这篇文必听的,淡淡的忧伤,淡淡的感悟。人生就是这么起起伏伏,这么狗血。
  • 厚爱成婚

    厚爱成婚

    三年爱恋终究禁不起背叛,曾经痴恋的爱人也可以老死不相往来,一怒之下,顾向晚义无反顾地进了娱乐圈这个大染缸。每一段绯闻,每一个徘徊在她身边的男人,都不过是她想要以此挽回那个男人的心的武器,可是他轻飘飘的一句话都在嘲笑她的无知跟幼稚。他说:“她怎么样都跟我没关系。”***两年后终于她心累了,当她褪去所有光环想重回宁静的时候,却遇上了她的命中注定。【顾向晚:他是我心里最后一个!】当苏景白听到这句话的时候,那张一成不变的俊脸终于有了淡漠之外的情绪,不管她说的是真是假,他心里清楚自己是不可能放开她了。本以为他是根呆木,却没想到却是个空心的,里边还装了一桶的黑墨水!一个高端大气上档次,一个冷艳高贵接地气!谁输谁赢,床上见!
  • 秋日冬夜黎明黄昏

    秋日冬夜黎明黄昏

    昨天晚上我坐在阳台上冬夜问着冬日里阳光的温柔是什么感觉?今天清晨,我坐在阳台上回答秋日秋天落叶缤纷是如何的景色……断断续续,续续短短人生总是要有一点颓废,才能知道继续前进的道路……
  • 基层农村档案发见记

    基层农村档案发见记

    2012年岁末,受台湾中央研究院谢国兴先生之邀,我第三次来中研院进行学术访问。此次访问除参加由明清研究推动委员会举办的“十字路口的明清研究”座谈会为“规定动作”外,其余时间均属“自选动作”了。“朝读易一卦,时钞史数行”,如此闲适的学术之旅不仅使人感到摆脱喧嚣日常后的放松,而且似乎体味到了那种信马由缰思绪飞扬的内中自由。随谢先生一起去台南考察民俗、到位于台北市中心的诚品书店购书、再去台湾大学及台大周围数不清的小书店看看,再就是在中研院傅斯年图书馆、近代史所图书馆和档案馆查资料看书了。