登陆注册
5226200000114

第114章 Chapter Eight(2)

And she threw the two links away from her, their gold chain breaking as it struck against the wall.

"But I! I would have given you everything. I would have sold all, worked for you with my hands, I would have begged on the highroads for a smile, for a look, to hear you say 'Thanks!' And you sit there quietly in your arm-chair, as if you had not made me suffer enough already! But for you, and you know it, I might have lived happily. What made you do it? Was it a bet? Yet you loved me--you said so. And but a moment since--Ah! it would have been better to have driven me away. My hands are hot with your kisses, and there is the spot on the carpet where at my knees you swore an eternity of love! You made me believe you; for two years you held me in the most magnificent, the sweetest dream! Eh! Our plans for the journey, do you remember? Oh, your letter! your letter! it tore my heart! And then when I come back to him--to him, rich, happy, free--to implore the help the first stranger would give, a suppliant, and bringing back to him all my tenderness, he repulses me because it would cost him three thousand francs!"

"I haven't got them," replied Rodolphe, with that perfect calm with which resigned rage covers itself as with a shield.

She went out. The walls trembled, the ceiling was crushing her, and she passed back through the long alley, stumbling against the heaps of dead leaves scattered by the wind. At last she reached the ha-ha hedge in front of the gate; she broke her nails against the lock in her haste to open it. Then a hundred steps farther on, breathless, almost falling, she stopped. And now turning round, she once more saw the impassive chateau, with the park, the gardens, the three courts, and all the windows of the facade.

She remained lost in stupor, and having no more consciousness of herself than through the beating of her arteries, that she seemed to hear bursting forth like a deafening music filling all the fields. The earth beneath her feet was more yielding than the sea, and the furrows seemed to her immense brown waves breaking into foam. Everything in her head, of memories, ideas, went off at once like a thousand pieces of fireworks. She saw her father, Lheureux's closet, their room at home, another landscape. Madness was coming upon her; she grew afraid, and managed to recover herself, in a confused way, it is true, for she did not in the, least remember the cause of the terrible condition she was in, that is to say, the question of money. She suffered only in her love, and felt her soul passing from her in this memory; as wounded men, dying, feel their life ebb from their bleeding wounds.

Night was falling, crows were flying about.

Suddenly it seemed to her that fiery spheres were exploding in the air like fulminating balls when they strike, and were whirling, whirling, to melt at last upon the snow between the branches of the trees. In the midst of each of them appeared the face of Rodolphe. They multiplied and drew near her, penetrating, her. It all disappeared; she recognised the lights of the houses that shone through the fog.

Now her situation, like an abyss, rose up before her. She was panting as if her heart would burst. Then in an ecstasy of heroism, that made her almost joyous, she ran down the hill, crossed the cow-plank, the foot-path, the alley, the market, and reached the chemist's shop. She was about to enter, but at the sound of the bell someone might come, and slipping in by the gate, holding her breath, feeling her way along the walls, she went as far as the door of the kitchen, where a candle stuck on the stove was burning. Justin in his shirt-sleeves was carrying out a dish.

"Ah! they are dining; I will wait."

He returned; she tapped at the window. He went out.

"The key! the one for upstairs where he keeps the--"

"What?"

And he looked at her, astonished at the pallor of her face, that stood out white against the black background of the night. She seemed to him extraordinarily beautiful and majestic as a phantom. Without understanding what she wanted, he had the presentiment of something terrible.

But she went on quickly in a love voice; in a sweet, melting voice, "I want it; give it to me."

As the partition wall was thin, they could hear the clatter of the forks on the plates in the dining-room.

She pretended that she wanted to kill the rats that kept her from sleeping.

"I must tell master."

"No, stay!" Then with an indifferent air, "Oh, it's not worth while; I'll tell him presently. Come, light me upstairs."

She entered the corridor into which the laboratory door opened.

Against the wall was a key labelled Capharnaum.

"Justin!" called the druggist impatiently.

"Let us go up."

And he followed her. The key turned in the lock, and she went straight to the third shelf, so well did her memory guide her, seized the blue jar, tore out the cork, plunged in her hand, and withdrawing it full of a white powder, she began eating it.

"Stop!" he cried, rushing at her.

"Hush! someone will come."

He was in despair, was calling out.

"Say nothing, or all the blame will fall on your master."

Then she went home, suddenly calmed, and with something of the serenity of one that had performed a duty.

When Charles, distracted by the news of the distraint, returned home, Emma had just gone out. He cried aloud, wept, fainted, but she did not return. Where could she be? He sent Felicite to Homais, to Monsieur Tuvache, to Lheureux, to the "Lion d'Or," everywhere, and in the intervals of his agony he saw his reputation destroyed, their fortune lost, Berthe's future ruined.

By what?--Not a word! He waited till six in the evening. At last, unable to bear it any longer, and fancying she had gone to Rouen, he set out along the highroad, walked a mile, met no one, again waited, and returned home. She had come back.

"What was the matter? Why? Explain to me."

She sat down at her writing-table and wrote a letter, which she sealed slowly, adding the date and the hour. Then she said in a solemn tone:

"You are to read it to-morrow; till then, I pray you, do not ask me a single question. No, not one!"

同类推荐
  • The Poverty of Philosophy

    The Poverty of Philosophy

    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。
  • 咸淳玉峰续志

    咸淳玉峰续志

    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。
  • 萨婆多部毗尼摩得勒伽

    萨婆多部毗尼摩得勒伽

    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。
  • 说郛

    说郛

    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。
  • 八美图

    八美图

    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
  • 冷漠的人,谢谢你们曾经看轻我:我是射手座女孩

    冷漠的人,谢谢你们曾经看轻我:我是射手座女孩

    射手座女孩,音乐专业女生寇韵在一次音乐比赛中输给了同校的柴婧、沈晴,她的男友江朗也移情别恋,喜欢上了柴婧。失意中的寇韵却意外得到与业内著名的新皇公司签约机会。在这里,她遇见了比自己先签约新皇的沈晴,沈晴的父亲是著名的沈氏集团主席,处处刁难她,而寇韵为了自己的音乐梦想,默默忍受、努力打拼。而慧眼识寇韵的新皇音乐总监王御在背后支持她,而且爱上了这个独立自强、具有音乐才华的女孩。两个人的感情,却遭到了沈晴的阻挠。寇韵能否实现自己的音乐梦想,她和王御的爱情能否受得住考验?沈晴作为王御的哥哥王宇的头牌艺人,又怎样落入了王宇的圈套,成为他谋夺新皇的工具。新皇集团王氏一家,又有着怎样的一个惊天秘密……
  • 三坊七巷

    三坊七巷

    李师江1974年生于福建宁德,1997年毕业于北京师范大学。目前居住北京,专职写作。在台湾出版《比爱情更假》《她们都挺棒的》等四部作品,内地出版长篇小说《逍遥游》,获得2006年“华语文学传媒大奖”。2007年推出长篇力作《福寿春》,获得《新快报》“年度十大好书”。短篇《廊桥遗梦之民工版》入选德语版《二十一世纪中国短篇小说精选》参展法兰克福书展。有部分作品被译为英、法、日等语言行畅海外。另著有历史传记《像曹操一样活着》。《三坊七巷》为其第一部虚构类历史小说。
  • 还好爱情没时差

    还好爱情没时差

    他是天选之子,为了兑现许给曾相恋四年的沈姑娘的承诺,凭借一己之力,建造起了阿苏里市最高的建筑。然而,沈姑娘却在毕业之际选择了离开他,单赴法国。而她,没有文化,没有出身,只是一个平凡清俗的异族姑娘,却因为一个镶着铃铛的香包与他结缘。从此,她相夫教子,而他则过上了“相妻教妻”的生活。生活虽然平淡清奇,却处处充满着惊喜。时间是个神奇的东西,不知不觉就能改变很多东西。五年之后,沈姑娘重回阿苏里市,然而,曾经熟悉的一切都变了模样。当年深情如许少年郎,变成了另外一种样子,却依旧让自己倾心,可是,却已心有另属。如果爱情真的有模样,那么,你希望她以何种样子出现?
  • 蒙古王的眷恋:落雁谣歌

    蒙古王的眷恋:落雁谣歌

    “无论你是谁都是我的夫人,我的谣谣!”好听的嗓音在耳畔沙哑响起。他的霸道与执着不肯承认她是替身的事实。耳鬓厮磨间她惊慌的发现自己已无法脱身,斑驳的意识闪现:穿越人,女高中,古怪的锁扣,为寻好友穿越到此……命运之轮启动,她的命定恋人在等,她却被蒙古王牢牢禁锢于此。
  • 前夫生存攻略

    前夫生存攻略

    两世为人,卫襄依旧作死无数,不过她学会了先下手为强。看皇帝不顺眼,干掉。看仇敌不顺眼,干掉。看前世夫君不顺眼……前世夫君瑟瑟发抖求生存:卫大仙,人形腿部挂件了解一下?卫襄表示嫌弃,本姑娘是要成仙的,不为凡人提供大腿!
  • 爆宠前妻:前夫送上门

    爆宠前妻:前夫送上门

    她是他仇人的女儿,他曾放下心结跟她在一起,她却终究狠心辜负。五年后,再次相遇,她嫁给他成为他的妻子。他爱她,却以恨之名。他放不下她,她是盘踞在他心口永不愈合的伤口。全世界都知道他对她的好,而她只当这一切是场交易。
  • 糖尿病的保健细节和养生(现代健康丛书)

    糖尿病的保健细节和养生(现代健康丛书)

    随着社会文明的发展,生活节奏的加快。精神压力日益增大我们更要关爱自己的身体,密切注意自己身体发出各种疾病信号。糖尿病是病因和发病机理尚未完全阐明的的内分泌代谢性疾病,而以高血糖为其共同主要标志。因胰岛素分泌绝对或相对不稳及删细胞对胰岛素敏感性降低,引起糖,蛋白质,脂肪和继发的水、电解质代谢紊,糖尿病严重威协着我们的生命、健康怎样合理治疗和预防糖尿病的并发症,让更多的人掌握糖尿病的知识就显得十分紧迫。为此我们编写了《糖尿病的保健细节和养生》一书。本书从糖尿病的基础知识,日常生活细节,糖尿病的保健养生和防治几个方面入手。让更多的人对糖尿病有更加深入的了解。力求贴进生活,科学实用。
  • 国防教育

    国防教育

    了解我国国防的概括和历史以及我国现代化国防建设的现状,熟悉国防法规的基本内容,明确我国武装力量建设的内容与要求,增强依法建设国防的观念。《中华人民共和国国防法》指出,国防是国家为防备和抵抗侵略,制止武装颠覆,保卫国家的主权、统一、领土完整和安全而进行的军事及与军事有关的政治、经济、外交、科技、教育等方面的活动。
  • 吾剑永恒

    吾剑永恒

    一人仗一剑,一剑退群雄,莫问有归处,青锋不留名。
  • 四号店

    四号店

    亲人,朋友,爱人,仇人,当恶念丛生,那些在仇怨中迷失的灵魂召唤来了一群神秘的人,一家奇异的店。狡黠的少女,诡异的黑猫,阴魂不散的恶灵,神秘莫测的黑影,一件又一件惊心动魄的事件。这里可以实现你的愿望,那么嗜舔鲜血的灵魂,你准备好要付出的代价了吗?欢迎光临四号店!