登陆注册
5253600000145

第145章

But thou hadst not then the necklace, which now I see thee bear, and which, seest thou! is like to that about my neck.

Wilt thou tell me whence thou hadst it?"

She said: "Yea; it was given unto me by a lady, mighty as I deem, and certainly most lovely, who delivered me from an evil plight, and a peril past words, but whereof I will tell thee afterwards.

And she it was who told me of the way to the Well at the World's End, and many matters concerning them that seek it, whereof thou shalt wot soon."

Said Ralph: "As to how thou wert made a thrall thou needest not to tell me; for I have learned that of those that had to do with taking thee to Utterbol. But tell me; here are met we two in the pathless wilds, as if it were on the deep sea, and we two seeking the same thing.

Didst thou deem that we should meet, or that I should seek thee?"

Now was the fire burning somewhat low, but he saw that she looked on him steadily; yet withal her sweet voice trembled a little as she answered:

"Kind friend, I had a hope that thou wert seeking me and wouldst find me: for indeed that fairest of women who gave me the beads spake to me of thee, and said that thou also wouldst turn thee to the quest of the Well at the World's End; and already had I deemed thine eyes lucky as well as lovely.

But tell me, my friend, what has befallen that lady that she is not with thee? For in such wise she spake of thee, that I deemed that naught would sunder you save death."

"It is death that hath sundered us," said Ralph.

Then she hung her head, and sat silent a while, neither did he speak till she had risen up and cast more wood upon the fire; and she stood before it with her back towards him.

Then he spake to her in a cheerful voice and said: "Belike we shall be long together: tell me thy name; is it not Dorothy?"

She turned about to him with a smiling face, and said:

"Nay lord, nay: did I not tell thee my name before?

They that held me at the font bid the priest call me Ursula, after the Friend of Maidens. But what is thy name?"

"I am Ralph of Upmeads," quoth he; and sat a while silent, pondering his dream and how it had betrayed him as to her name, when it had told him much that he yet deemed true.

She came and sat down by him again, and said to him: "Thy questions I have answered; but thou hast not yet told me the tale of thy captivity."

Her voice sounded exceeding sweet to him, and he looked on her face and spake as kindly as he knew how, and said: "A short tale it is to-night at least:

I came from Whitwall with a Company of Chapmen, and it was thee I was seeking and the Well at the World's End. All went well with me, till I came to Goldburg, and there I was betrayed by a felon, who had promised to lead me safe to Utterness, and tell me concerning the way unto the Well.

But he sold me to the Lord of Utterbol, who would lead me to his house; which irked me not, at first, because I looked to find thee there.

Thereafter, if for shame I may tell the tale, his lady and wife cast her love upon me, and I was entangled in the nets of guile: yet since I was told, and believed that it would be ill both for thee and for me if I met thee at Utterbol, I took occasion to flee away, I will tell thee how another while."

She had turned pale as she heard him, and now she said: "It is indeed God's mercy that thou camest not to Utterbol nor foundest me there, for then had both we been undone amidst the lusts of those two; or that thou camest not there to find me fled, else hadst thou been undone.

My heart is sick to think of it, even as I sit by thy side."

Said Ralph: "Thy last word maketh me afraid and ashamed to ask thee a thing.

But tell me first, is that Lord of Utterbol as evil as men's fear would make him? for no man is feared so much unless he is deemed evil."

She was silent a while, and then she said: "He is so evil that it might be deemed that he has been brought up out of hell."

Then Ralph looked sore troubled, and he said: "Dear friend, this is the thing hard for me to say. In what wise did they use thee at Utterbol?

同类推荐
  • 苌楚斋续笔

    苌楚斋续笔

    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。
  • 菩萨优婆塞五戒威仪经

    菩萨优婆塞五戒威仪经

    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。
  • 大方等大云经请雨品第六十四

    大方等大云经请雨品第六十四

    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。
  • 江阴城守纪

    江阴城守纪

    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。
  • 否泰录

    否泰录

    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。
热门推荐
  • 黄帝内经灵枢集注

    黄帝内经灵枢集注

    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。
  • 俊美七少

    俊美七少

    《合卺词》镜子的古文镜子新文《重生—硬碰硬》莫桐未,现代能力颇高但懒散不称职的逍遥杀手,一朝穿越跑到民国,成了临安军督军。临安原总督军流失在外的女儿,排行老七,绝色倾城,本为佳人,世人却皆为男儿身,人称莫七少,征战杀场。一穿就继承了原身的所有恩恩怨怨,据说杀了清允军老督军,境遇颇狗血。风倾宇,清允军老督军七子,人称风七少,长相俊美绝伦,能力天资傲人天成。父亲老督军一死,从法国回来任清允总督军之职。志向颇乌龙,以游戏折磨临安督军莫七少为乐。誓为父报仇。军阀割据,狼烟四起,场场杀戮,恩怨纠缠。是谁在爱恨中迷失了前途,走向了情感的不归路?风火弥漫,挥刀斩棘,点点花红,意乱情迷。是谁在争战中模糊了双眼,沦陷对方无心铸起的城池?民国乱世,一场纠葛,且看俊美两个七少,孰胜孰负?终是,谁负谁的倾城,谁染谁的华池。片段一:风七少黑洞洞的枪口顺着莫七少的精致五官一点点下滑,额头,眉宇,鼻息,嘴唇,脖颈,一路对准心脏的位置。俊眉一挑,语气不羁玩味:“都说莫七少是个娘娘腔,依我看倒像个绝色倾城的佳人呢。”莫七少淡笑如风:“竟不知众人口中极爱美人的风七少还有这样诡异的嗜好,到底是佳人还是男人,风七少要不要亲自尝一尝?”一阵薄香扑面,一张冷唇贴上来,细细吸吮,一点凉意一点诱惑。莫七少一惊,猛然推开,恶狠狠的擦拭嘴角冷斥:“你真是个变态!”风七少撇撇嘴,风轻云淡的笑开:“别说,这男人的味道比女人的还要好上几分。”片段二:喧哗的人群洋溢着沸腾的喜悦,清允统帅风倾宇娶亲。门当户对,几省督军的掌上明珠,娇滴滴的军家小姐。人群被拔开,喧哗即刻止息。来人一身戎装,肤胜白雪,眉似远山,眸若星辰,盈盈浅笑间唯有风情万种。嘴角一抿,透出男人的坚定和强硬。飒爽的气质与隐约的婉约矛盾又强烈地融合在一起,令人连感叹都变成了惊艳。“风倾宇,你想娶亲可问过我?我莫桐未不许,你风七少夫人的位子就得给我莫七少留着!”众人再次唏嘘哗然,临安军主帅莫七少来劫风七少的亲,这……这男人和男人啊!成何体统?!风倾宇懒散的揉了揉眉宇,面带微笑,波澜不惊的样子:“莫七少好大的口气,我风七少粘着你的时候,你都不要。现在来说这样的话算什么?”莫桐未一挑眉宇,颇显无赖,纤手一扬,笑道:“看好了,自己签的卖身契,风七少堂堂清允督军想赖帐么?”风倾宇一怔,笑开。
  • 后宋慈云走国全传

    后宋慈云走国全传

    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。
  • 全世界陪你失眠

    全世界陪你失眠

    深夜里的徘徊,和无助,我们都在寻找一个光圈,环绕之后又是等待,又一个起点
  • 逃离德黑兰

    逃离德黑兰

    2013年奥斯卡最佳影片《逃离德黑兰》的原著,影片主角原型CIA负责人门德兹的真实讲述。电影的导演本阿弗莱克称赞它是“一个伟大的故事”。这个真实的故事讲述了一个男人的勇气与责任,以及在绝境中看到希望的坚定信心。1979年11月4日,六位美国外交官设法逃出了激进分子围攻的美国大使馆。其余人员遭到扣押,长达444天。六位逃亡者在加拿大使馆留宿了两个多月,直到中央情报局展开冒险营救行动。
  • 农门贵妇

    农门贵妇

    祖母偏心,忍不忍?大伯自私,忍不忍?堂姐欺压,忍不忍?遇到一家子极品怎么办?闻芮说:三十六计,溜为上计。发家致富嫁情郎,带着亲娘奔小康。
  • 心灵减压手册

    心灵减压手册

    本书会让迷茫中的你获得一些宽慰并找到生活的本真。在这个物欲横流的经济社会里,在我们追求成功的同时,一定不要忘记我们追求成功的目的:让生活变得更美好,懂得关爱自己以及身边的人和事物,注重心灵和精神的修炼。我们要学会静心、养心,学会欣赏奋斗的过程,学会调整自己,更要学会欣赏生活。
  • 健身俱乐部管理

    健身俱乐部管理

    随着国内各种规模的健身俱乐部的广泛建立,体育健身已从一种培养生活与生产技术的手段而逐步发展成为国民经济的一个部门产业,《健身俱乐部管理》主要讲述了健身俱乐部的概述;我国健身俱乐部发展的社会背景;健身俱乐部的筹建、选址和装修、健身俱乐部的组织管理机构;健身俱乐部的人力资源管理、客户管理、服务管理等内容,旨在为健身俱乐部的管理提供有用的参考。
  • 大话貂蝉:忠告女人如何获取一生的幸福

    大话貂蝉:忠告女人如何获取一生的幸福

    作为一个女人,怎样抓信男人的心?怎样经营好自己的婚姻?怎样做人做事?怎样展现自己的魅力?本书紧密结合当今的时代特点,通过大话貂蝉的故事以及她与甘夫人、小乔等人的交谈娓娓道来。在轻松幽默的氛围中,多角度、深刻地阐释了“一个女人如何去做,才能获取一生幸福”这一永恒主题。
  • 带着空间远古遇见爱

    带着空间远古遇见爱

    难道是因为自己有个可以种地的空间,所以上天就把她派到这鸟不拉屎的地方了,天天都抱着能回去的白日梦,可是,日渐已久后,钱芊终于感觉再也回不去了,算了,既来之则安之,就让她带领这群野人走上不愁吃不愁穿,改善衣不蔽体的生活吧!