登陆注册
5254300000090

第90章

Its waters, in creeping down these miles of meadow-land, frequently divided, serpentining in purposeless curves, looping themselves around little islands that had no name, returning and re-embodying themselves as a broad main stream further on.Opposite the spot to which he had brought her was such a general confluence, and the river was proportionately voluminous and deep.Across it was a narrow foot-bridge; but now the autumn flood had washed the handrail away, leaving the bare plank only, which, lying a few inches above the speeding current, formed a giddy pathway for even steady heads; and Tess had noticed from the window of the house in the daytime young men walking across upon it as a feat in balancing.Her husband had possibly observed the same performance; anyhow, he now mounted the plank, and, sliding one foot forward, advanced along it.

Was he going to drown her? Probably he was.The spot was lonely, the river deep and wide enough to make such a purpose easy of accomplishment.

He might drown her if he would; It would be better than parting to-morrow to lead severed lives.

The swift stream raced and gyrated under them, tossing, distorting, and splitting the moon's reflected face.Spots of froth travelled past, and intercepted weeds waved behind the piles.If they could both fall together into the current now, their arms would be so tightly clasped together that they could not be saved; they would go out of the world almost painlessly, and there would be no more reproach to her, or to him for marrying her.

His last half-hour with her would have been a loving one, while if they lived till he awoke his daytime aversion would return, and this hour would remain to be contemplated only as a transient dream.

The impulse stirred in her, yet she dared not indulge it, to make a movement that would have precipitated them both into the gulf.How she valued her own life had been proved; but his - she had no right to tamper with it.He reached the other side with her in safety.

Here they were within a plantation which formed the Abbey grounds, and taking a new hold of her he went onward a few steps till they reached the ruined choir of the Abbey-church.Against the north wall was the empty stone coffin of an abbot, in which every tourist with a turn for grim humour was accustomed to stretch himself.In this Clare carefully laid Tess.Having kissed her lips a second time he breathed deeply, as if a greatly desired end were attained.Clare then lay down on the ground alongside, when he immediately fell into the deep dead slumber of exhaustion, and remained motionless as a log.The spurt of mental excitement which had produced the effort was now over.

Tess sat up in the coffin.The night, though dry and mild for the season, was more than sufficiently cold to make it dangerous for him to remain here long, in his half-clothed state.If he were left to himself he would in all probability stay there till the morning, and be chilled to certain death.She had heard of such deaths after sleep-walking.But how could she dare to awaken him, and let him know what he had been doing, when it would mortify him to discover his folly in respect of her? Tess, however, stepping out of her stone confine, shook him slightly, but was unable to arouse him without being violent.It was indispensable to do something, for she was beginning to shiver, the sheet being but a poor protection.

Her excitement had in a measure kept her warm during the few minutes' adventure;but that beatific interval was over.

It suddenly occurred to her to try persuasion; and accordingly she whispered in his ear, with as much firmness and decision as she could summon--`Let us walk on, darling,' at the same time taking him suggestively by the arm.To her relief, he unresistingly acquiesced; her words had apparently thrown him back into his dream, which thenceforward seemed to enter on a new phase, wherein he fancied she had risen as a spirit, and was leading him to Heaven.Thus she conducted him by the arm to the stone bridge in front of their residence, crossing which they stood at the manor-house door.Tess's feet were quite bare, and the stones hurt her, and chilled her to the bone; but Clare was in his woollen stockings, and appeared to feel no discomfort.

There was no further difficulty.She induced him to lie down on his own sofa bed, and covered him up warmly, lighting a temporary fire of wood, to dry any dampness out of him.The noise of these attentions she thought might awaken him, and secretly wished that they might.But the exhaustion of his mind and body was such that he remained undisturbed.

As soon as they met the next morning Tess divined that Angel knew little or nothing of how far she had been concerned in the night's excursion, though, as regarded himself he may have been aware that he had not lain still.In truth, he had awakened that morning from a sleep deep as annihilation;and during those first few moments in which the brain, like a Samson shaking himself, is trying its strength, he had some dim notion of an unusual nocturnal proceeding.But the realities of his situation soon displaced conjecture on the other subject.

He waited in expectancy to discern some mental pointing; he knew that if any intention of his, concluded over-night, did not vanish in the light of morning, it stood on a basis approximating to one of pure reason, even if initiated by impulse of feeling; that it was so far, therefore, to be trusted.He thus beheld in the pale morning light the resolve to separate from her; not as a hot and indignant instinct, but denuded of the passionateness which had made it scorch and burn; standing in its bones; nothing but a skeleton, but none the less there.Clare no longer hesitated.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 联盟之英雄纪元

    联盟之英雄纪元

    战争拉开了序幕…英雄纪元两百年时,无数魔物从次元裂缝中钻出,联盟危危可及,无数城市被攻陷。一位浪人放下自己手中的笛子,拔出腰间长剑,吟着“死亡如风,常伴吾身”,一日之内踏遍全球,斩杀数千万魔物,随后消散于风中;………………一道身影藏匿于黑色的斗篷之中,层层薄纱中,隐隐约约透露出,一身黑曜石般的紧身鳞甲,手臂上的腕刀闪烁着锋利的刀芒。他望着眼前无边无际的异变兽狂潮,张开背后遮天的巨翅,一往无前地朝着前方杀去!一名异界来客,在这个联盟的世界里,能掀起怎样的狂涌?纪元之路,英雄至上!(本书慢热)
  • 天使消失在街角

    天使消失在街角

    三流酒吧歌手的私生女安尹禾在7岁那年被一群小男生嘲笑后得到天使男孩的帮助,告诉她永远要在对手面前表现出坚强。此后安禾一直坚强隐忍,因为成绩优秀而被挖角到贵族学校,因此邂逅了神秘优雅的瑭和因梦想而叛逆的“坏小子”英树。安禾认定瑭是天使男孩并迷恋上他,这段爱情一波三折,而另一边,命运偏偏又让她和英树滋生出无数的牵连……
  • 帝妃倾城凌邪天下

    帝妃倾城凌邪天下

    注意(?>?<?)这是玄幻修炼升级小说,不涉及宅斗宫斗哈。 北应邪想他这一辈子中了一种叫凌玥的毒,解不开、化不掉,那就一起中毒好了。 男装的凌玥一直想不通,北应邪是为了什么偏要和她在一起,她又不搞基。 本文前半部分女扮男装,后半部分女主霸气四方。 本文女强 本文男主是个蹲墙角的(前期男主弱鸡,后期男主还是弱鸡→_→在女主面前) 此书有一个群:330497640名字是我的笔名
  • 工业霸主

    工业霸主

    机械系研究生林振华穿越到1979年,成为一名工厂青工。凭借扎实的技术功底和对历史的些许预见,林振华带领工人师傅们挥洒汗水,打造出一个横跨欧亚的重型工业集团,成就了一段工业霸主的传奇故事。焊弧飞溅,锻锤轰鸣,为您书写一曲中国工业人的雄浑赞歌。
  • 网王之颜倾吾心

    网王之颜倾吾心

    在一起前啊,迹部觉得颜颜,真可爱,想捏捏,想拐回家。在一起后呢,迹部觉得颜颜,唉呀妈呀,真香!在一起前呀,倾颜觉得迹部,真帅,真棒,真好。在一起后呐,倾颜觉得迹部,体力真好。。这是一个为了不让自己养了多年的小白菜被别的猪拱了,而选择自己拱了的故事。(伪兄妹,不过中间会有大反转,某羊脑洞大开,修真家族也有哦,不喜勿入哦!)
  • 体育器材概论

    体育器材概论

    从体育器材发展、现状和趋势入手,详细的阐述了体育器材的分类;体育器材新品研制与研发的过程和国外成功的设计案例;健身器材的使用功能、各种要素以及应用材料;仿真模拟技术在体育器材中的应用等。最后《体育器材概论》还就体育器材的规格、国家标准中的体育器材的分类进行了系统的论述。
  • 凡人日记之生存手札

    凡人日记之生存手札

    这是一个人的故事,这也是一群人的故事,活着是为了什么?为什么要活着?生存或死亡这是一个永恒的命题
  • 月笼沙照

    月笼沙照

    这是一部穿越架空的女主穿越,具体架构怎么走还在慢慢创作中。希望你们会喜欢
  • 丹青帝说

    丹青帝说

    风,起于青萍之末。扶摇直上,浩浩乎,九万里!起初的风,只是一道看似微弱的气息;任这缕微风,掠过河流大地,一路集聚力量。当其借势攀缘上高山之巅!便会形成横扫天地的风暴!他,便是那缕微风…
  • 药性赋

    药性赋

    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。