登陆注册
5220400000237

第237章

We experienced considerable difficulty in this undertaking;at length,with the assistance of the postilion,we saw our efforts crowned with success-the chaise was lifted up,and stood upright on three wheels.

'We may leave it here in safety,'said I,'for it will hardly move away on three wheels,even supposing it could run by itself;I am afraid there is work here for a wheelwright,in which case I cannot assist you;if you were in need of a blacksmith it would be otherwise.''I don't think either the wheel or the axle is hurt,'

said the postilion,who had been handling both;'it is only the linch-pin having dropped out that caused the wheel to fly off;if I could but find the linch-pin!-though,perhaps,it fell out a mile away.''Very likely,'said I;'but never mind the linch-pin,I can make you one,or something that will serve:but I can't stay here any longer,I am going to my place below with this young gentlewoman,and you had better follow us.''I am ready,'said the man;and after lifting up the wheel and propping it against the chaise,he went with us,slightly limping,and with his hand pressed to his thigh.

As we were descending the narrow path,Belle leading the way,and myself the last of the party,the postilion suddenly stopped short,and looked about him.'Why do you stop?'said I.'I don't wish to offend you,'said the man,'but this seems to be a strange place you are leading me into;I hope you and the young gentlewoman,as you call her,don't mean me any harm-you seemed in a great hurry to bring me here.''We wished to get you out of the rain,'said I,'and ourselves too;that is,if we can,which I rather doubt,for the canvas of a tent is slight shelter in such a rain;but what harm should we wish to do you?''You may think I have money,'said the man,'and I have some,but only thirty shillings,and for a sum like that it would be hardly worth while to-''Would it not?'

said I;'thirty shillings,after all,are thirty shillings,and for what I know,half a dozen throats may have been cut in this place for that sum at the rate of five shillings each;moreover,there are the horses,which would serve to establish this young gentlewoman and myself in housekeeping,provided we were thinking of such a thing.''Then I suppose I have fallen into pretty hands,'said the man,putting himself in a posture of defence;'but I'll show no craven heart;and if you attempt to lay hands on me,I'll try to pay you in your own coin.I'm rather lamed in the leg,but I can still use my fists;so come on,both of you,man and woman,if woman this be,though she looks more like a grenadier.'

'Let me hear no more of this nonsense,'said Belle;'if you are afraid,you can go back to your chaise-we only seek to do you a kindness.'

'Why,he was just now talking of cutting throats,'said the man.

'You brought it on yourself,'said Belle;'you suspected us,and he wished to pass a joke upon you;he would not hurt a hair of your head,were your coach laden with gold,nor would I.''Well,'said the man,'I was wrong-here's my hand to both of you,'shaking us by the hands;'I'll go with you where you please,but I thought this a strange lonesome place,though I ought not much to mind strange lonesome places,having been in plenty of such when I was a servant in Italy,without coming to any harm-come,let us move on,for 'tis a shame to keep you two in the rain.'

So we descended the path which led into the depths of the dingle;at the bottom I conducted the postilion to my tent,which,though the rain dripped and trickled through it,afforded some shelter;there I bade him sit down on the log of wood,whilst I placed myself as usual on my stone.Belle in the meantime had repaired to her own place of abode.After a little time,I produced a bottle of the cordial of which I have previously had occasion to speak,and made my guest take a considerable draught.I then offered him some,bread and cheese,which he accepted with thanks.In about an hour the rain had much abated:'What do you now propose to do?'

said I.'I scarcely know,'said the man;'I suppose I must endeavour to put on the wheel with your help.''How far are you from your home?'I demanded.'Upwards of thirty miles,'said the man;'my master keeps an inn on the great north road,and from thence I started early this morning with a family,which I conveyed across the country to a hall at some distance from here.On my return I was beset by the thunderstorm,which frightened the horses,who dragged the chaise off the road to the field above,and overset it as you saw.I had proposed to pass the night at an inn about twelve miles from here on my way back,though how I am to get there to-night I scarcely know,even if we can put on the wheel,for,to tell you the truth,I am shaken by my fall,and the smoulder and smoke of that fireball have rather bewildered my head;I am,moreover,not much acquainted with the way.

'The best thing you can do,'said I,'is to pass the night here;I will presently light a fire,and endeavour to make you comfortable-in the morning we will see to your wheel.''Well,'said the man,'I shall be glad to pass the night here,provided I do not intrude,but I must see to the horses.'Thereupon I conducted the man to the place where the horses were tied.'The trees drip very much upon them,'said the man,'and it will not do for them to remain here all night;they will be better out on the field picking the grass;but first of all they must have a good feed of corn.'

Thereupon he went to his chaise,from which he presently brought two small bags,partly filled with corn-into them he inserted the mouths of the horses,tying them over their heads.'Here we will leave them for a time,'said the man;'when I think they have had enough,I will come back,tie their fore-legs,and let them pick about.'

同类推荐
  • Emile Zola

    Emile Zola

    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。
  • 看命一掌金

    看命一掌金

    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。
  • 庶斋老学丛谈

    庶斋老学丛谈

    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。
  • Twilight Stories

    Twilight Stories

    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。
  • 纪事杂录外编

    纪事杂录外编

    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
  • 嫡女归来

    嫡女归来

    杀我皇儿,弑我亲母,夺我后位,抢我荣华富贵,还将我活生生烧死。你可想过,我还能回来?--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 战甲核心

    战甲核心

    这是一个充满战斗装甲的传奇大陆。 龙族的傲世;魔兽的天赐;空族的空舰; 精灵的战藤;兽人的兽魂;矮人的火甲; 当然,还有人类的战甲核心。 拥有战甲核心的人类被称为“能力者”,他们突破了人体的极限,在神性水晶的强化下达到了一个前所未有的高度,是人类王朝的中流砥柱。 本书讲述的是一个怀揣着梦想的小子,在被坑了无数回之后…… 这个世界上既然有坑,总会有人跳的(我踢)。
  • 末日降临中二病系列

    末日降临中二病系列

    当末日降临时,我们的主角却是个中二病患者,这可怎么办呢?
  • 逍遥魔法界

    逍遥魔法界

    古雷一直都认为自己是一个平凡的人,直到有一天,他走进了一个哈利波特的世界,一个他过去只以为是幻想的世界,从此他开始在不同的世界里学习魔法,传播真理,周游在无尽世界之中。哈利波特,库洛牌,魔法师的学徒,冰与火之歌,漫威,魔兽,……世界很多,我想去看看!这是一个伪无限文,主角以哈利波特为主世界,时不时去其他世界串串门,交交朋友,学学魔法,但是主线还是在哈利波特世界,哪怕这个世界的武力不是最强大的。
  • 兽妃不当宠

    兽妃不当宠

    世人皆道,将军府嫡长女其貌不扬,更是无知暴躁。却不知,那副丑陋的皮相下又是何等的倾城妖娆。他是神秘的地下皇帝,却甘愿折服于她的裙摆之下。他以师父之名将她囚禁于身旁,她说:“师父,待我长发及腰你娶我,可好?”“待你长开,为师必定以这天下为聘。”当他不再是原来的他,她与他又该在这茫茫人海中何去何从……
  • 名门权少无良妻

    名门权少无良妻

    【他是名门权少,她是落魄千金,为了雪恨,她委身于他!她先是抢了姐姐的老公,后是和初恋纠缠不清,唯独对他,冷清又冷清,他情根深种,却不知她早已断了七情,“落落,我不求你爱我,在你心里你可以爱萧离,或者,你可以爱江航,我不在乎这一切,我宁愿你只给我一个躯壳,我只要你在我身边,唯独你在我身边,我愿意守着你给的躯壳到死!”每逢午夜,她的耳边挥之不去的都是他的声音。其实她知道,她就是只刺猬,把刺拔掉,她疼,不拔,他疼!【片段】“非嫁他不可?”“是!”顾落声音比海风还要冷。……唐一栗盯着白色婚纱的顾落,视线下移,顾落手指上已经有了一枚戒指——新郎给她的结婚钻戒。刺眼的很,抓住她的手,唐一栗便想把那枚戒指褪下来。“你要干什么?”顾落用力挣脱。唐一栗不说话,抓得更紧了,把她手上的戒指褪下来,然后小心翼翼的再给她一点一点戴上去。“我曾经无数次想过这样做,”唐一栗说,顾落不再挣扎,就这么静静地让他戴,呆呆的看着手上的戒指,眼眶发胀,这样也好,唐一栗终是给她戴过戒指的。唐一栗的拥抱紧的她挣不开,他低头,只是看着她,“顾落,你愿意嫁给唐一栗吗?”顾落微微颤抖着肩膀,“不,我不愿意!”“你终是比我狠,我爱你,何必在乎?我不愿意别的男人亲你的脸,吻你的唇,甚至做更亲密的事情!”唐一栗笑了一下,眼里却有晶莹再闪,“顾落,知不知道,我要费多大劲,才不会在这个婚礼上把你抢走!”望着他离开的背影,顾落呼吸不过来,喘息着,滴落的泪达到沸腾的温度,灼得她的心肺生疼,……梓色心晴说:“男人哭了,是因为他真的爱了,女人哭了,是因为她真得放弃了。”梓色心晴说:“男人哭了,是因为他真的爱了,女人哭了,是因为她真得放弃了。”
  • 善谋势者必成大事

    善谋势者必成大事

    外行眼里平平常常的几颗棋子,在内行貌似随意的布局下,居然逐渐形成了一个天罗地网般的大气阵势。善奕者谋势,不善奕者谋子。下棋如此,经营人生又何尝不是如此?看有些人不显山不露水,数年之后竟好运连连、功成名就;而更多的人忙忙碌碌、东奔西跑,却一直没有出头的日子。这其中的差别无非在于:前者生“谋势”,而后者谋的只是“事”。谋势者,善于辨势、预势、造势、乘势、借势、蓄势,力之所至,势如破斤;谋事者拘于琐事,难免“一叶障目,不见泰山”,得到的往往只是眼前的微利,却可能损失了将来的厚后。
  • 帝君难侍奉:天价小庶女

    帝君难侍奉:天价小庶女

    她,是将军府的庶出小姐,更是举国皆知的废物,软蛋。她,冷漠无情,傲视天下,明明是倾城绝代之姿,偏缠绕着肃杀的戾气。当清冷绝色的眸子睁开,过往的一干人等,便要血染江湖。谁敢欺我夫君?我便化身为魔,让天下都后悔,让大地都颤抖。他,一个比神更强比魔更狠的人中之龙,手握江山,杀人无数;视女人为粪土,却为她对抗整个三界,生杀予夺只因她一个眼神一声轻叹。看昔日的病秧子小姐,如何与绝色强悍的万凰之王携手立于世界的顶峰。
  • 所多玛的咒语

    所多玛的咒语

    母亲的离奇死亡,诱发了女孩叶苇对于自己前世今身之谜的探究欲望。殊不料,命案一再发生,一桩比一桩诡秘,死者竟全是处女座的男性,古老的咒语在灵验中考验着每一个人。巨大的疑云笼罩着叶苇,外面看起来一片漆黑,像是终年不见阳光,却四季繁花如春的小树林里住着一些神秘的诡异的女子;情同姐妹的女子竟然有着一些非常人之举;匪夷所思的事情不时困扰着叶苇,种种蛛丝马迹似乎都在指向那遥远的古埃及……
  • 疑云

    疑云

    工作是嘉兴市中级法院的一名法官。已发表小说100万余字,散见于《小说选刊》、《中篇小说选刊》、《中国作家》、《江南》、《山花》、《百花洲》等期刊。