登陆注册
5254300000142

第142章

He listened.The wind, playing upon the edifice, produced a booming tune, like the note of some gigantic one-stringed harp.No other sound came from it, and lifting his hand and advancing a step or two, Clare felt the vertical surface of the structure.It seemed to be of solid stone, without joint or moulding.Carrying his fingers onward he found that what he had come in contact with was a colossal rectangular pillar; by stretching out his left hand he could feel a similar one adjoining.At an indefinite height overhead something made the black sky blacker, which had the semblance of a vast architrave uniting the pillars horizontally.They carefully entered beneath and between; the surfaces echoed their soft rustle; but they seemed to be still out of doors.The place was roofless.Tess drew her breath fearfully, and Angel, perplexed, said--`What can it be?'

Feeling sideways they encountered another tower-like pillar, square and uncompromising as the first; beyond it another and another.The place was all doors and pillars, some connected above by continuous architraves.

`A very Temple of the Winds,' he said.

The next pillar was isolated; others composed a trilithon; others were prostrate, their flanks forming a causeway wide enough for a carriage;and it was soon obvious that they made up a forest of monoliths grouped upon the grassy expanse of the plain.The couple advanced further into this pavilion of the night till they stood in its midst.

`It is Stonehenge!' said Clare.

`The heathen temple, you mean?'

`Yes.Older than the centuries; older than the d'Urbervilles! Well, what shall we do, darling? We may find shelter further on.' But Tess, really tired by this time, flung herself upon an oblong slab that lay close at hand, and was sheltered from the wind by a pillar.Owing to the action of the sun during the preceding day the stone was warm and dry, in comforting contrast to the rough and chill grass around, which had damped her skirts and shoes.

`I don't want to go any further, Angel,' she said stretching out her hand for his.`Can't we bide here?'

`I fear not.This spot is visible for miles by day, although it does not seem so now.'

`One of my mother's people was a shepherd hereabouts, now I think of it.And you used to say at Talbothays that I was a heathen.So now I am at home.'

He knelt down beside her outstretched form, and put his lips upon hers.

`Sleepy are you, dear? I think you are lying on an altar.'

`I like very much to be here,' she murmured.`It is so solemn and lonely - after my great happiness - with nothing but the sky above my face.It seems as if there were no folk in the world but we two; and I wish there were not - except 'Liza-Lu.'

Clare thought she might as well rest here till it should get a little lighter, and he flung his overcoat upon her, and sat down by her side.

`Angel, if anything happens to me, will you watch over 'Liza-Lu for my sake?' she asked, when they had listened a long time to the wind among the pillars.

`I will.'

`She is so good and simple and pure.O, Angel - I wish you would marry her if you lose me, as you will do shortly.O, if you would!'

`If I lose you I lose all! And she is my sister-in-law.'

`That's nothing, dearest.People marry sister-laws continually about Marlott; and 'Liza-Lu is so gentle and sweet, and she is growing so beautiful.

O I could share you with her willingly when we are spirits! If you would train her and teach her, Angel, and bring her up for your own self!...

She has all the best of me without the bad of me; and if she were to become yours it would almost seem as if death had not divided us....Well, I have said it.I won't mention it again.'

She ceased, and he fell into thought.In the far north-east sky he could see between the pillars a level streak of light.The uniform concavity of black cloud was lifting bodily like the lid of a pot, letting in at the earth's edge the coming day, against which the towering monoliths and trilithons began to be blackly defined.

`Did they sacrifice to God here?' asked she.

`No,' said he.

`Who to?'

`I believe to the sun.That lofty stone set away by itself is in the direction of the sun, which will presently rise behind it.'

`This reminds me, dear,' she said.`You remember you never would interfere with any belief of mine before we were married? But I knew your mind all the same, and I thought as you thought - not from any reasons of my own, but because you thought so.Tell me now, Angel, do you think we shall meet again after we are dead? I want to know.'

He kissed her to avoid a reply at such a time.

`O, Angel - I fear that means no!' said she, with a suppressed sob.

`And I wanted so to see you again - so much, so much! What not even you and I, Angel, who love each other so well?' Like a greater than himself, to the critical question at the critical time he did not answer; and they were again silent.In a minute or two her breathing became more regular, her clasp of his hand relaxed, and she fell asleep.The band of silver paleness along the east horizon made even the distant parts of the Great Plain appear dark and near; and the whole enormous landscape bore that impress of reserve, taciturnity, and hesitation which is usual just before day.The eastward pillars and their architraves stood up blackly against the light, and the great flame-shaped Sun-stone beyond them; and the Stone of Sacrifice midway.Presently the night wind died out, and the quivering little pools in the cup-like hollows of the stones lay still.At the same time something seemed to move on the verge of the dip eastward - a mere dot.It was the head of a man approaching them from the hollow beyond the Sun-stone.Clare wished they had gone onward, but in the circumstances decided to remain quiet.The figure came straight towards the circle of pillars in which they were.

同类推荐
  • 阿育王经

    阿育王经

    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。
  • 医方集解

    医方集解

    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。
  • 香天谈薮

    香天谈薮

    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。
  • 新书

    新书

    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。
  • 横吹曲辞 捉搦歌

    横吹曲辞 捉搦歌

    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
  • 金彩妍相亲记

    金彩妍相亲记

    闺蜜的背叛,无数次相亲,与曾经喜欢的那个人的不期而遇,我将又是何种命运。且看我如何应付......
  • 皇后娘娘重生现代后

    皇后娘娘重生现代后

    “你愿意……将一生交给我吗?”他俯身贴面,目光灼灼,深情如许。传言,身份矜贵,多金又有颜的明影帝今生挚爱一人,将她放在心尖儿上宠,可惜某人不解风情。前世贵为皇后,一杯毒酒香消玉殒;今生名门千金,再遇到这个贵不可言的男人。方虞目标是虐死他,谁知这男人却将她宠在手心,甩都甩不掉。【宠文,古穿今,娱乐圈】
  • 优等生的失误

    优等生的失误

    短篇合集《优等生的失误》,由十二篇推理短篇组成,收录作品《优等生的失误》、《同伴》、《以爱之名》、《偏差》、《义眼》、《谁动了他的尸体》、《海的阴谋》、《优等生的困惑》、《杀死爱情》、《流行病》、《妄语》,合集以推理解谜为主,一切事件的发生必有其原因及经过,找到它,破解它,真相自然大白。
  • 喋血尘埃(第二次世界大战史丛书)

    喋血尘埃(第二次世界大战史丛书)

    第二次界大战的胜利具有伟大的历史意义。我们历史地辨证地看待这段人类惨痛历史,可以说,第二次世界大战的爆发给人类造成了巨大灾难,使人类文明惨遭浩劫,但同时,第二次世界大战的胜利,也开创了人类历史的新纪元,极大地推动了人类社会向前发展,给战后世界带来了广泛而深刻的影响。促进了世界进入力量制衡的相对和平时期;促进了殖民地国家的民族解放;促进了许多社会主义国家的诞生;促进了资本主义国家的经济、政治和社会改革;促进了人类认识的真理革命;促进了世界人民对和平的认识。
  • 照着做,你就能战胜拖延

    照着做,你就能战胜拖延

    拖延带给人们的是一种极其痛苦的精神折磨,因此超过95%的拖延者都望自己能够摒弃这种习性,重新回归正常而规律的生活和工作。尽管人们有心不拖延,但具体实施起来却是困难重重。为了帮助广大拖延者成就更精彩的人生,本书《照着做,你就能战胜拖延》紧扣拖延者的特点,有针对性地提出了不少战胜拖延的方式和方法,希望为广大拖延者提供帮助。
  • 乱世佳人(套装上下册)(译文名著精选)

    乱世佳人(套装上下册)(译文名著精选)

    《乱世佳人(套装上下册)》以美国南北战争为背景,主线是好强、任性的庄园主小姐斯佳丽纠缠在几个男人之间的爱恨情仇,与之相伴的还有社会、历史的重大变迁,旧日熟悉的一切的一去不返……《乱世佳人》既是一首人类爱情的绝唱,又是一幅反映社会政治、经济、道德诸多方面巨大而深刻变化的宏大历史画卷。
  • 生如夏花:泰戈尔经典诗选Ⅱ(白金纪念版)

    生如夏花:泰戈尔经典诗选Ⅱ(白金纪念版)

    本书收录了泰戈尔早期两部经典诗歌代表作:获得诺贝尔文学奖的哲理诗集《吉檀迦利》和青春恋歌《园丁集》。通过冰心清丽典雅的译笔可以感受到泰戈尔对生活的热爱和对爱的思索,他巧妙地隐去一些苦难与黑暗,而将光明与微笑毫无保留地奉献给读者,用蕴涵的广阔无边的哲思为我们开启另一个天堂。全书风格清新自然,带着泥土的芬芳,以轻快、欢畅的笔调歌唱生命的枯荣、现实生活的欢乐和悲哀。阅读这些诗篇,如同漫步在暴风雨过后的初夏,以挡不住的清新与芬芳,让我们看到世界的清透美丽,体味爱与青春的味道。
  • 你的勇气,价值连城

    你的勇气,价值连城

    我始终相信,只要我们愿意,就没有我们不敢做的事,没有我们过不上的生活。《你的勇气,价值连城》是北京大妞陈静的倾心之作,40多篇精心写作的文字,陈静用细腻而内敛的笔触,和你一起解读这个世界的温暖与坚强。人生就是这样,百转千回后,你慢慢学会了背过身流泪,转过身微笑;学会了将心事悄无声息地尘封和隐藏。一个坚强的人,会勇敢地面对人生,让自己不动声色地强大!
  • 仁王护国般若波罗蜜多经疏

    仁王护国般若波罗蜜多经疏

    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。
  • 涅凡传

    涅凡传

    在这个世上有一种人,活的很卑微,要逆天改命;雷霆古剑一指,战妖,战魔,战天地;敢为苍生争命。