登陆注册
5257900000047

第47章 Chapter XVIII : No. 6(1)

Consciousness returned very slowly, very painfully.

It was night when last Marguerite had clearly known what was going on around her; it was daylight before she realized that she still lived, that she still knew and suffered.

Her head ached intolerably: that was the first conscious sensation which came to her; then she vaguely perceived a pale ray of sunshine, very hazy and narrow, which came from somewhere in front of her and struck her in the face. She kept her eyes tightly shut, for that filmy light caused her an increase of pain.

She seemed to be lying on her back, and her fingers wandering restlessly around felt a hard paillasse, beneath their touch, then a rough pillow, and her own cloak laid over her: thought had not yet returned, only the sensation of great suffering and of infinite fatigue.

Anon she ventured to open her eyes, and gradually one or two objects detached themselves from out the haze which still obscured her vision.

Firstly, the narrow aperture--scarcely a window--filled in with tiny squares of coarse, unwashed glass, through which the rays of the morning sun were making kindly efforts to penetrate, then the cloud of dust illumined by those same rays, and made up--so it seemed to the poor tired brain that strove to perceive--of myriads of abnormally large molecules, over-abundant, and over-active, for they appeared to be dancing a kind of wild saraband before Marguerite's aching eyes, advancing and retreating, forming themselves into groups and taking on funny shapes of weird masques and grotesque faces which grinned at the unconscious figure lying helpless on the rough paillasse.

Through and beyond them Marguerite gradually became aware of three walls of a narrow room, dank and grey, half covered with whitewash and half with greenish mildew! Yes! and there, opposite to her and immediately beneath that semblance of a window, was another paillasse, and on it something dark, that moved.

The words: "Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite ou la Mort!" stared out at her from somewhere beyond those active molecules of dust, but she also saw just above the other paillasse the vague outline of a dark crucifix.

It seemed a terrible effort to co-ordinate all these things, and to try and realize what the room was, and what was the meaning of the paillasse, the narrow window and the stained walls, too much altogether for the aching head to take in save very slowly, very gradually.

Marguerite was content to wait and to let memory creep back as reluctantly as it would.

"Do you think, my child, you could drink a little of this now?"

It was a gentle, rather tremulous voice which struck upon her ear. She opened her eyes, and noticed that the dark something which had previously been on the opposite paillasse was no longer there, and that there appeared to be a presence close to her only vaguely defined, someone kindly and tender who had spoken to her in French, with that soft sing-song accent peculiar to the Normandy peasants, and who now seemed to be pressing something cool and soothing to her lips.

"They gave me this for you!" continued the tremulous voice close to her ear. "I think it would do you good, if you tried to take it."

A hand and arm was thrust underneath the rough pillow, causing her to raise her head a little. A glass was held to her lips and she drank.

The hand that held the glass was all wrinkled, brown and dry, and trembled slightly, but the arm which supported her head was firm and very kind.

"There! I am sure you feel better now. Close your eyes and try to go to sleep."

She did as she was bid, and was ready enough to close her eyes. It seemed to her presently as if something had been interposed between her aching head and that trying ray of white September sun.

Perhaps she slept peacefully for a little while after that, for though her head was still very painful, her mouth and throat felt less parched and dry. Through this sleep or semblance of sleep, she was conscious of the same pleasant voice softly droning Paters and Aves close to her ear.

Thus she lay, during the greater part of the day. Not quite fully conscious, not quite awake to the awful memories which anon would crowd upon her thick and fast.

From time to time the same kind and trembling hands would with gentle pressure force a little liquid food through her unwilling lips: some warm soup, or anon a glass of milk. Beyond the pain in her head, she was conscious of no physical ill; she felt at perfect peace, and an extraordinary sense of quiet and repose seemed to pervade this small room, with its narrow window through which the rays of the sun came gradually in more golden splendour as the day drew towards noon, and then they vanished altogether.

The drony voice close beside her acted as a soporific upon her nerves. In the afternoon she fell into a real and beneficent sleep. ...

But after that, she woke to full consciousness!

Oh! the horror, the folly of it all!

It came back to her with all the inexorable force of an appalling certainty.

She was a prisoner in the hands of those who long ago had sworn to bring The Scarlet Pimpernel to death!

She! his wife, a hostage in their hands! her freedom and safety offered to him as the price of his own! Here there was no question of dreams or of nightmares: no illusions as to the ultimate intentions of her husband's enemies. It was all a reality, and even now, before she had the strength fully to grasp the whole nature of this horrible situation, she knew that by her own act of mad and passionate impulse, she had hopelessly jeopardized the life of the man she loved.

For with that sublime confidence in him begotten of her love, she never for a moment doubted which of the two alternatives he would choose, when once they were placed before him. He would sacrifice himself for her; he would prefer to die a thousand deaths so long as they set her free.

同类推荐
  • 金花女

    金花女

    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。
  • 鲍参军集

    鲍参军集

    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。
  • 仲夏夜之梦

    仲夏夜之梦

    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。
  • 思归

    思归

    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。
  • 群居解颐

    群居解颐

    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
  • 被淹没的时光

    被淹没的时光

    前一秒她还在憧憬两人的未来,后一秒她唯有抽泣,分手让易河从此走近了她的世界里,不管是爱情还是友情,两个人在一起时快乐的,即便中间夹杂着他和前男友的回忆,但那毕竟已是过去,美好的时光总是短暂的,走进婚姻殿堂的他们是否会幸福?
  • 石碑和救世主

    石碑和救世主

    拯救世界的人有很多比如美国的流浪汉啊,日本的高中生啊,中国的小学生啊,不明来路的女装大佬啊之类的。但无论如何世界总是需要人去拯救不管。总而言之这是一个少年拉了一堆小伙伴在欢声笑语中拯救世界的故事。这种无厘头的简介连我自己都不信好不好……封面两次没过审,绝望了。
  • 消费心理学(心理学课堂02)

    消费心理学(心理学课堂02)

    《心理学课堂》套书共5册,包括《消费心理学》、《博弈心理学》、《乌合之众——大众心理研究》、《价格心理学》、《销售心理学》,《心理学课堂》从多方面总结和归纳了与人们生活息息相关的社会活动中的心理学,并配以生动的案例,增加了阅读趣味。阅读《心理学课堂》,可以使人们清醒的认识生活中所遇到的种种不合理现象并加以规避,从中得到人生智慧,使生活更加积极主动。
  • 不过余生遇殇哥

    不过余生遇殇哥

    (女扮男装√娱乐圈√宠文√)惹她生气了,他总是执着的跟着她:你是不是生气了,我错了好不好?傲娇的时候,他就会沉着一张脸,在旁边哼哼着。护犊子的时候,他淡定的坐在椅子上:老子放在心头宠着的人儿,你动一下试试看?忽然有一天,他失误了,她受伤了。他跪在床边,静静的握着她的手:我错了好不好,你别不理我好不好。举例:生日那天,他送了她生日的第一个礼物。她用这个特别的笔给粉丝签名的时候,粉丝突然问道:槿殿,这个是殇哥送的吗?她粲然一笑:对呀!(注:简介无能,文笔不好,可以跳过前面部分,后面剧情也能了解,套路相同,事件不同)
  • 你和我的倾城年华

    你和我的倾城年华

    她离开家乡到外地教学,后来因为闺蜜的婚贴而重新回到家乡,不料又遇上了他,她该如何选择?是默默守护的男生还是记忆中的他?青春的往事渐渐浮现在脑海里,到底谁才是那个对的人?
  • 凤仪九天:武乾孽凰

    凤仪九天:武乾孽凰

    京城第一贵女大婚前夕失了守宫砂,惨遭退婚,盛世良缘顿成茶余笑料。未婚夫君将她弃如蔽履,悦她之人将她换了权位,京城之内再无她容身之处,一纸圣命将她代嫁至遥远的西域古阗。她医术非凡,美若谪仙,却做事狠绝,心如刀剑。她琴棋书画,机谋万千,却凉薄冷漠,性如冰川。都道她忘恩负义,不念故国,谁又知晓,当初那奢华嫁衣红盖纱下,碎了心肠的孤凄女子,背负着污名,经了多少生死艰难?天玄最神秘的第十九国太子,最阴森的鬼国鬼王,最古老的乾元古国阴阳五行术,最忠诚的五凰尊,最卑劣的阴谋诡计明枪暗剑,还有最惨烈的战场硝烟,最彻骨的生死离别……且看她如何走过这坎坷艰难,与他携手天下!(群号:384289972)
  • 通灵师奚兰

    通灵师奚兰

    “龙家奇术,传儿不传女!”龙奚兰就因为这条祖上的规矩,穿了男装十七载,终于成为名噪一时的通灵师。为了寻找离家数年的娘亲,她孤身一人来到京城,却因为一个红衣女鬼的出现,把自己卷进了一系列的诡案之中。他是皇上最宠爱的第七子,亦是京城女子倾慕的对象。但是“本王不信鬼神,所有的凶案,都必定有个真凶!”誓要铲除文国全部污秽迷信之人的胥王,怎么可能想到,自己竟然娶了个通灵师?鬼宫怪事,僵尸叛军,迷魂小妖……从此以后,各路妖魔鬼怪粉墨登场,王爷,你还信不信?
  • 大佬皇后

    大佬皇后

    路凝芳龄二十八,相貌清秀,身材娇小,性格……暴力。身为上海青帮老大的她,一穿越居然就掉到了龙床上!原本成为钻石剩女的她一下缩水了十年,成了风华正茂的倾城倾国的皇贵妃!暴力的她遇到了暴力的酷酷的暴君慕容宇恒,咔咔,为了前途,努力积极的她朝着争宠之路进发……情节虚构,切勿模仿
  • 重生七零甜如蜜

    重生七零甜如蜜

    新书《穿越后朕每天都在翻牌子》正在火热连载中~ 前世,因为杜心茹的胆小懦弱,被自己最相信的亲人设计,还骗走了自己的婚姻!直到死她才知道,原来他心里也是有她的,可是一切都回不去了.......却没有想到一觉醒来,她又回到了从前!杜心茹表示:这一次,小白莲,我让你继续装!欠我的,都要给我吐出来!某男:媳妇儿,我帮你!本书非女强文,简单温馨,带着小虐,女主不是吊炸天,入坑需谨慎!
  • 整颗心为你跳动

    整颗心为你跳动

    初见,她心动的对他说:“帅哥哥,长大以后我要嫁给你!”谁知,一切在这时就已注定!回国的第一天,她就被骗去新学校,参观校园途中,遇到了一个厚颜无耻的家伙,撞了她不仅没道歉,还拿一沓厚厚的毛爷爷砸她脑袋,她怒了。她成绩差被迫接受他的补习就算了,他甚至还想要她以身相许,不仅如此,他还霸道的说:“不准看他以外的男生一眼,否则……”于是她果断收拾行李溜回家,远离他。可谁来告诉她,他为什么是她的未婚夫?!她连夜坐飞机回英国准备逃婚,结果是被他在机场逮个正着,逼到厕所墙角。他说:“宝贝,听说你要悔婚,给我个理由。”“你老是欺负我、捉弄我、说我比猪还蠢!唔唔唔......”