登陆注册
5257900000095

第95章 Chapter XXXIV : The Angelus(1)

And gradually all noises died away around the old Fort Gayole. The shouts and laugher of the merrymakers, who had quickly recovered from their fright, now came only as the muffled rumble of a distant storm, broken here and there by the shrill note of a girl's loud laughter, or a vigorous fanfare from the brass trumpets.

The room where so much turmoil had taken place, where so many hearts had beaten with torrent-like emotions, where the awesome tragedy of revenge and hate, of love and passion had been consummated, was now silent and at peace.

The soldiers had gone: some in pursuit of the revellers, some with Collot d'Herbois, others with Hebert and the calotin who was to ring the Angelus.

Chauvelin, overcome with the intensity of his exultation and the agony of the suspense which he had endured, sat, vaguely dreaming, hardly conscious, but wholly happy and content. Fearless, too, for his triumph was complete, and he cared not now if he lived or died.

He had lived long enough to see the complete annihilation and dishonour of his enemy.

What had happened to Sir Percy Blakeney now, what to Marguerite, he neither knew nor cared. No doubt the Englishman had picked himself up and got away through the window or the door: he would be anxious to get his wife out of the town as quickly as possible. The Angelus would ring directly, the gates would be opened, the harbour made free to everyone. ...

And Collot was a league outside Boulogne by now ... a league nearer to Paris.

So what mattered the humbled wayside English flower?--the damaged and withered Scarlet Pimpernel? ...

A slight noise suddenly caused him to start. He had been dreaming, no doubt, having fallen into some kind of torpor, akin to sleep, after the deadly and restless fatigue of the past four days. He certainly had been unconscious of everything around him, of time and of place. But now he felt fully awake.

And again he heard that slight noise, as if something or someone was moving in the room.

He tried to peer into the darkness, but could distinguish nothing. He rose and went to the door. It was still open, and close behind it against the wall a small oil lamp was fixed which lit up the corridor.

Chauvelin detached the lamp and came back with it into the room. Just as he did so there came to his ears the first sound of the little church bell ringing the Angelus.

He stepped into the room holding the lamp high above his head; its feeble rays fell full upon the brilliant figure of Sir Percy Blakeney.

He was smiling pleasantly, bowing slightly towards Chauvelin, and in his hand he held the sheathed sword, the blade of which had been fashioned in Toledo for Lorenzo Cenci, and the fellow of which was lying now--Chauvelin himself knew not where.

"The day and hour, Monsieur, I think," said Sir Percy with courtly grace, "when you and I are to cross swords together; those are the southern ramparts, meseems. Will you precede, sir? and I will follow."

At sight of this man, of his impudence and of his daring, Chauvelin felt an icy grip on his heart. His cheeks became ashen white, his thin lips closed with a snap, and the hand which held the lamp aloft trembled visibly. Sir Percy stood before him, still smiling and with a graceful gesture pointing towards the ramparts.

From the Church of St. Joseph the gentle, melancholy tones of the Angelus sounding the second Ave Maria came faintly echoing in the evening air.

With a violent effort Chauvelin forced himself to self-control, and tried to shake off the strange feeling of obsession which had overwhelmed him in the presence of this extraordinary man. He walked quite quietly up to the table and placed the lamp upon it. As in a flash recollection had come back to him .. the past few minutes! ... the letter! and Collot well on his way to Paris!

Bah! he had nothing to fear now, save perhaps death at the hand of this adventurer turned assassin in his misery and humiliation!

"A truce on this folly, Sir Percy," he said roughly, "as you well know, I had never any intention of fighting you with these poisoned swords of yours and ..."

"I knew that, M. Chauvelin. ... But do YOU know that I have the intention of killing you now ... as you stand ... like a dog! ..."

And throwing down the sword with one of those uncontrolled outbursts of almost animal passion, which for one instant revealed the real, inner man, he went up to Chauvelin and towering above him like a great avenging giant, he savoured for one second the joy of looking down on that puny, slender figure which he could crush with sheer brute force, with one blow from his powerful hands.

But Chauvelin at this moment was beyond fear.

"And if you killed me now, Sir Percy," he said quietly and looking the man whom he so hated fully in the eyes, "you could not destroy that letter which my colleague is taking to Paris at this very moment."

同类推荐
  • 明伦汇编人事典形神部

    明伦汇编人事典形神部

    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。
  • 元诗纪事

    元诗纪事

    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。
  • 元始天王欢乐经

    元始天王欢乐经

    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。
  • 四分戒本疏卷第一

    四分戒本疏卷第一

    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。
  • 王学质疑

    王学质疑

    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
  • 娇华

    娇华

    荣冠天下的定国公长女替兄死于西北战场,天下恸然。两年后,一个女童在乱世中苏醒。她卧雪而去,踏血归来,除了我自己赴死,这天下谁能杀我?
  • 绝色爹爹

    绝色爹爹

    只有二十二岁的少将军竟然有一个十三岁的私生女,九岁就能种下种,难道她爹爹是超人?这也就罢了,他竟然宠的这个女儿上天入地无所不能,几乎到了宠溺的极限。一道圣旨下来,吴国来和亲的绝色公主,放着太子皇子不嫁,非要嫁他,他竟抗旨不尊,为了什么?大概司马昭之心路人皆知了。从此柳承铭和柳纯儿这两个名字也就名扬天下了,在这里需要强调一下,名扬天下分两种,一种是美名,一种是臭名,没有悬念,他们绝对是后者!【领养区】一号女主---柳纯儿由亲亲2422771313领养!一号男主---柳承铭由亲亲加菲猫520领养!男配一号---莫岩由亲亲隋欣彤领养!推荐漠漠的现代宠文《盗婚--邪性老公》:http://m.wkkk.net/u/2614090771这是漠漠刚注册的新浪微博,亲亲们有空可以去戳一下的,其实我也没时间玩,汗滴滴
  • 99天宠妻日记

    99天宠妻日记

    一场阴错阳差。她签错了字,嫁错了人。喜孕三月,突遭未婚夫抛弃,她绝望逃离。一次错签,她的大名糊涂的签在一张‘结婚同意书’的女方栏上。男方却是未婚夫所在公司的合作伙伴,全国最高身价排行榜位居首位的龙先生。龙兆川,20岁便稳坐上市公司CEO的位置,不断刷新公司在全球的影响力,商界一匹无可匹敌的黑马。安一一,长相一般、工作一般、智商一般、情商一般,常犯糊涂的八卦小报记者。一次醉酒,她将自己完全的献给未婚夫,三月后却被未婚夫一口否决了一切。绝望间,她用拼命的工作来麻醉自己,却不料一次糊涂的错签,她转身成为人妻。新夫的无边宠溺,她越加沉沦其中。嫁入龙家,以为她终于可以安稳的生活,却不想,前未婚夫的骚扰,让她险些流产。一份检查报告,方知,宝宝的真实身份。原来.被甜蜜的坑了。【片段一】某BO:“小糊涂蛋呢?”小跟班:“少奶奶跟拍某大神被活捉了。”某BO:“让他破产。”小跟班:“.。”某BO:“小糊涂蛋还淘气吗?”小跟班:“恩,少奶奶不小心打破了某副总裁的收藏品,被当场骂哭。”某BO:“撤职,永不录用。”小跟班:“.。”某BO:“小糊涂蛋.。”小跟班:“哎.少奶奶一切平安,只是有些郁郁寡欢。”某BO:“备车,老婆为上。”小跟班:“.。”-----命运兜兜转转,却是暗中注定。P:宠爱有加,宠文当道~小虐大宠,宠爱无限。
  • 闪婚溺爱:霸道老公疼妻入骨

    闪婚溺爱:霸道老公疼妻入骨

    惨遭未婚夫背叛,她放下一句狠话。“我一定会出现在你家户口本上!”原以为,嫁给这个男人只是报复未婚夫的跳板,谁想,他却是一条披着人皮的狼,步步为营,在她没有防备的时候一点点拆吃入腹。“离婚,我要离婚!”某女大喊。“宝贝,你说什么?嗯?”“呜呜呜,老公大人……”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 法界安立图

    法界安立图

    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。
  • 尘骨

    尘骨

    所谓天命,不过是莫须有的束缚。若要踏破星河,立志前行,从来不晚。——————————书友QQ群号:415568005(尘世傲骨~尘骨书友群)等你来!
  • The Poverty of Philosophy

    The Poverty of Philosophy

    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。
  • 奇异剑魂

    奇异剑魂

    一个普通的人类少年突然发现了这个他家庭的真相
  • 20岁起,开始改变人生

    20岁起,开始改变人生

    学会“现实”,女孩越活越好命。虽然:20岁时,即使你什么都不做,也不会遭到非议,做错了事情,也会得到原谅。但是一旦到了30岁,你曾拥有的美貌、财富、年轻……所有的—切,都可能会离你而去。本书要告诉你的是,要学会掌握自己的命运,在最恰当的时间,在最恰当的地点,做最该做的事情。
  • 蜃楼志

    蜃楼志

    全书以广东洋行经纪苏万魁之子苏吉士(乳名笑官)的活动为线索,描写了他周围形形色色的人,曲尽人情世态。《蜃楼志》一方面将目光投向了清朝中后期中国南部沿海开放口岸,着眼点较为独特。另一方面充分暴露了官场的黑暗腐朽。