登陆注册
5243800000005

第5章 CHAPTER III(1)

As the young man staggered to his feet, he had somehow a sense of detachment, as though he were commencing a new life, or had suddenly come into a new existence. Yet his immediate surroundings were charged with ugly reminiscences. Through a great gap in the ruined side of the saloon the rain was tearing in. As he stood up, his head caught the fragments of the roof. He was able to push back the wreckage with ease and step out. For a moment he reeled, as he met the violence of the storm. Then, clutching hold of the side of the wreck, he steadied himself. A light was moving back and forth, close at hand. He cried out weakly: "Hullo!"

A man carrying a lantern, bent double as he made his way against the wind, crawled up to them. He was a porter from the station close at hand.

"My God! "he exclaimed. "Any one alive here?"

"I'm all right," Gerald muttered, "at least, I suppose I am. What's it all - what's it all about? We've had an accident."

The porter caught hold of a piece of the wreckage with which to steady himself.

"Your train ran right into three feet of water," he answered. "The rails had gone - torn up. The telegraph line's down."

"Why didn't you stop the train?"

"We were doing all we could," the man retorted gloomily. "We weren't expecting anything else through to-night. We'd a man along the line with a lantern, but he's just been found blown over the embankment, with his head in a pool of water. Any one else in your carriage?"

"One gentleman travelling with me," Gerald answered. "We'd better try to get him out. What about the guard and engine-driver?"

"The engine-driver and stoker are both alive," the porter told him.

"I came across them before I saw you. They're both knocked sort of sillylike, but they aren't much hurt. The guard's stone dead."

"Where are we?"

"A few hundred yards from Wymondham. Let's have a look for the other gentleman."

Mr. John P. Dunster was lying quite still, his right leg doubled up, and a huge block of telegraph post, which the saloon had carried with it in its fall, still pressing against his forehead. He groaned as they dragged him out and laid him down upon a cushion in the shelter of the wreckage.

"He's alive all right," the porter remarked. "There's a doctor on the way. Let's cover him up quick and wait."

"Can't we carry him to shelter of some sort Gerald proposed.

The man shook his head. Speech of any sort was difficult. Even with his lips close to the other's ears, he had almost to shout.

"Couldn't be done," he replied. "It's all one can do to walk alone when you get out in the middle of the field, away from the shelter of the embankment here. There's bits of trees flying all down the lane. Never was such a night! Folks is fair afraid of the morning to see what's happened. There's a mill blown right over on its side in the next field, and the man in charge of it lying dead. This poor chap's bad enough."

Gerald, on all fours, had crept back into the compartment. The bottle of wine was smashed into atoms. He came out, dragging the small dressing-case which his companion had kept on the table before him. One side of it was dented in, but the lock, which was of great strength, still held.

"Perhaps there's a flask somewhere in this dressing-case," Gerald said. " Lend me a knife."

Strong though it had been, the lock was already almost torn out from its foundation. They forced the spring and opened it. The porter turned his lantern on the widening space. Just as Gerald was raising the lid very slowly to save the contents from being scattered by the wind, the man turned his head to answer an approaching hail. Gerald raised the lid a little higher and suddenly closed it with a bang.

"There's folks coming at last!" the porter exclaimed, turning around excitedly. "They've been a time and no mistake. The village isn't a quarter of a mile away. Did you find a flask, sir?"

Gerald made no answer. The dressing-case once more was closed, and his hand pressed upon the lid. The porter turned the light upon his face and whistled softly.

"You're about done yourself, sir," he remarked. "Hold up."

He caught the young man in his arms. There was another roar in Gerald's ears besides the roar of the wind. He had never fainted in his life, but the feeling was upon him now - a deadly sickness, a swaying of the earth. The porter suddenly gave a little cry.

"If I'm not a born idiot!" he exclaimed, drawing a bottle from the pocket of his coat with his disengaged hand. "There's whisky here.

I was taking it home to the missis for her rheumatism. Now, then."

He drew the cork from the bottle with his teeth and forced some of the liquid between the lips of the young man. The voices now were coming nearer and nearer. Gerald made a desperate effort.

"I am all right," he declared. "Let's look after him."

They groped their way towards the unconscious man, Gerald still gripping the dressing-case with both hands. There were no signs of any change in his condition, but he was still breathing heavily.

Then they heard a shout behind, almost in their ears. The porter staggered to his feet.

"It's all right now, sir!" he exclaimed. "They've brought blankets and a stretcher and brandy. Here's a doctor, sir."

A powerful-looking man, hatless, and wrapped in a great ulster, moved towards them.

"How many are there of you?" he asked, as he bent over Mr. Dunster.

"Only we two," Gerald replied. "Is my friend badly hurt?"

"Concussion," the doctor announced. "We'll take him to the village.

What about you, young man? Your face is bleeding, I see."

"Just a cut," Gerald faltered; "nothing else."

"Lucky chap," the doctor remarked. "Let's get him to shelter of some sort. Come along. There's an inn at the corner of the lane there."

They all staggered along, Gerald still clutching the dressing-case, and supported on the other side by an excited and somewhat incoherent villager.

同类推荐
  • Caught In The Net

    Caught In The Net

    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。
  • 安禄山事迹

    安禄山事迹

    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。
  • The Burning Spear

    The Burning Spear

    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。
  • 宋季三朝政要

    宋季三朝政要

    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。
  • 二林唱和詩

    二林唱和詩

    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
  • 你被写在歌声里

    你被写在歌声里

    林西薇以为经历不辞而别、父辈恩怨、误会错过种种之后,她的爱情已然面目全非,但跨越时光的荒野,程一柏还在原地等着她;章晓菲以为十年黄粱一梦,待经历人生重创后,才发现把她伤害得支离破碎的友情依旧是治愈她的心药;兜兜转转、彼此伤痕累累的十数年,贺祎最终在罗马街头的暮色里,对宋思涵说出沉重的“我爱你”。
  • 那女孩真可爱

    那女孩真可爱

    李沐沐觉得,人生最好的状态,是每天醒来,面朝栩尘,甜甜一笑
  • 兵法心要

    兵法心要

    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。
  • 剥豆集(二)

    剥豆集(二)

    登高接连好几年,每当听得别人重阳登高,玩得尽兴,有所收益,有所发泄,心里不免泛起些懊悔。别人每每能玩,自己何尝不能玩玩?无意于发泄积怨,无意于寄托向往,效仿别人登临高处,于野火酒歌里寻点人生乐趣还是可以吧!主意敲定,只等来年。哪知到了第二年,疲于应付生计的脑袋早把重阳登高忘得了一干二净。待见人家登高归来,恍然知之为时又晚。年复一年,懊悔复懊悔,登高终为空想。许是为了弥补心里这点缺憾,抑或为了平息心里再次泛起的小小躁动。今年阴历九月九日上午,冒着深秋浓重的寒意,踩着一路落叶,我来到北山脚下。北山不高,无仙。
  • 高阳版《胡雪岩全传》3

    高阳版《胡雪岩全传》3

    讲透一代商圣胡雪岩的天才与宿命,影响中国一代企业家的经典!马云读了两遍!胡雪岩传记小说至高经典,其他版本大多是这套书的删减版或改编版。高阳版《胡雪岩全传》出版40年来无可逾越,是商人必备的生存手册。胡雪岩从店伙计到大清巨富花了30年,倾家荡产只花了5天!“有井水处有金庸,有村镇处有高阳。”武侠小说有金庸,历史小说有高阳!高阳的历史小说,注重历史的真实性,又擅长讲故事,读起来轻松畅快,有读者评为“华语历史小说不可逾越的高峰”。翻开本书,看当代历史小说巨匠高阳,重现一代商圣胡雪岩的辉煌与宿命。
  • 中国传统道德论卷(中华民族传统美德教育读本)

    中国传统道德论卷(中华民族传统美德教育读本)

    本丛书筛选内容主要遵循以下原则要求:(1)坚持批判继承思想,取其精华、去其糟粕。既不全盘肯定,也不全盘否定。坚持抽象继承、演绎发展、立足当代、为我所用。(2)坚持系统整体的原则。注意各历史时期分布;注意各民族的进步人物;注意各层面人物;注意人物各侧面。做到:竖看历史五千年,纵向成条线;横看美德重实践,横向不漏面。(3)坚持古为今用,为我所用原则。在发掘美德资源时,特别挖掘古代人物故事、言论,注重寻找挖掘各阶层、各民族的传统公德、通德、同德;注重人民性、民主性、进步性、发展性、普遍性、抽象性,不求全古代,不求全个体。
  • 血契魔君:妻奴养成计划

    血契魔君:妻奴养成计划

    二十一世纪的优质特工穿越到满是魔兽的玄幻世界,风烬兰:什么情况?一时手误和上古大魔签订血契,两人相看无言。高贵冷艳的上古大魔冷笑:蠢女人。于是渐渐的被撩成妻奴,开始不可描述的恋爱之路。
  • 武器装备全知道

    武器装备全知道

    《孙子兵法》中有这样一段话:"兵者,国之大事,死生之地,存亡之道,不可不察。"也就是说,军事是关系到国家民族生死存亡的大事,不可不谨慎对待。在和平年代,国无防不立仍然是颠扑不破的真理。虽然和平与发展巳成为当今世界的主流,但战争仍不可避免。因此,世界各国都争相把国防建设摆到十分突出的位置。在这样的国际环境下,要想国家真正地强大,必须拥有强大的国防实力。国防的主要手段是军事手段。现代国防的根本职能是捍卫国家利益,防备和抵御外来的各种形式和不同程度的侵犯,维护世界和平。
  • 蒂姆:学校生活

    蒂姆:学校生活

    《蒂姆:学校生活故事》一书叙述了发生在男生寄宿学校里的一段同性情,是一个细腻又感人的悲剧故事。本书是作者的第一部作品,发表于1891年。小说最初以匿名形式发表,作者称此书献给“超越女人之爱”。
  • The Turn of the Screw

    The Turn of the Screw

    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。