登陆注册
5287100000044

第44章 CHAPTER X(4)

The Captain gave the word and we moved forward. It was evident now that the cliff-path was our destination. It was possible for the eye to follow the track all the way to it, through rough stones and brushwood; and though Clon climbed feebly, and with many groans, two minutes saw us step on to it. It did not prove to be, in fact, the perilous place it looked at a distance. The ledge, grassy and terrace-like, sloped slightly downwards and outwards, and in parts was slippery; but it was as wide as a highway, and the fall to the water did not exceed thirty feet.

Even in such a dim light as now displayed it to us, and by increasing the depth and unseen dangers of the gorge gave a kind of impressiveness to our movements, a nervous woman need not have feared to tread it, I wondered how often Mademoiselle had passed along it with her milk-pitcher.

'I think that we have him now,' Captain Larolle muttered, twisting his moustachios, and looking about to make his last dispositions. 'Paul and Lebrun, see that your man makes no noise. Sergeant, come forward with your carbine, but do not fire without orders. Now, silence all, and close up, Lieutenant.

Forward!'

We advanced about a hundred paces, keeping the cliff on our left, turned a shoulder, and saw, a few paces in front of us, a slight hollow, a black blotch in the grey duskiness of the cliff-side.

The prisoner stopped, and, raising his bound hands, pointed to it.

'There?' the Captain whispered, pressing forward. 'Is it the place?'

Clon nodded. The Captain's voice shook with excitement.

'Paul and Lebrun remain here with the prisoner,' he said, in a low tone. 'Sergeant, come forward with me. Now, are you ready?

Forward!'

At the word he and the sergeant passed quickly, one on either side of Clon and his guards. The path grew narrow here, and the Captain passed outside. The eyes of all but one were on the black blotch, the hollow in the cliff-side, expecting we knew not what--a sudden shot or the rush or a desperate man; and no one saw exactly what happened. But somehow, as the Captain passed abreast of him, the prisoner thrust back his guards, and leaping sideways, flung his unbound arms round Larolle's body, and in an instant swept him, shouting, to the verge of the precipice.

It was done in a moment. By the time our startled wits and eyes were back with them, the two were already tottering on the edge, looking in the gloom like one dark form. The sergeant, who was the first to find his head, levelled his carbine, but, as the wrestlers twirled and twisted, the Captain, shrieking out oaths and threats, the mute silent as death, it was impossible to see which was which, and the sergeant lowered his gun again, while the men held back nervously. The ledge sloped steeply there, the edge was vague, already the two seemed to be wrestling in mid air; and the mute was desperate.

That moment of hesitation was fatal. Clon's long arms were round the other's arms, crushing them into his ribs; Clon's skull-like face grinned hate into the other's eyes; his bony limbs curled round him like the folds of a snake. Larolle's strength gave way.

'Damn you all! Why don't you come up?' he cried. And then, 'Ah! Mercy! mercy!' came in one last scream from his lips. As the Lieutenant, taken aback before, sprang forward to his aid, the two toppled over the edge, and in a second hurtled out of sight.

'MON DIEU!' the Lieutenant cried; the answer was a dull splash in the depths below. He flung up his arms. 'Water!' he said.

'Quick, men, get down. We may save him yet.'

But there was no path, and night was come, and the men's nerves were shaken. The lanthorns had to be lit, and the way to be retraced; by the time we reached the dark pool which lay below, the last bubbles were gone from the surface, the last ripples had beaten themselves out against the banks. The pool still rocked sullenly, and the yellow light showed a man's hat floating, and near it a glove three parts submerged. But that was all. The mute's dying grip had known no loosening, nor his hate any fear.

I heard afterwards that when they dragged the two out next day, his fingers were in the other's eye-sockets, his teeth in his throat. If ever man found death sweet, it was he!

As we turned slowly from the black water, some shuddering, some crossing themselves, the Lieutenant looked at me.

'Curse you!' he said passionately. 'I believe that you are glad.'

He deserved his fate,' I answered coldly. 'Why should I pretend to be sorry? It was now or in three months. And for the other poor devil's sake I am glad.'

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • Beyond the Mask

    Beyond the Mask

    In this dramatic conclusion to the Grasslands Trilogy, Corki, Pippa, and all their friends are reunited for a final fight to determine the future of Grassland. After escaping the mountains of Grassland, where Corki and Pippa and their friends were slaves and soldiers, the fugitives finally found a new life, and are seemingly safe at last. But as the former slaves explore new lands to the north, they discover that cruelty and injustice are not only found in Grassland, and that the people they visit may need their help. Grassland, too, may need assistance. When an appeal from an old friend reaches Corki and Pippa in their travels, will they have the courage to do what's right for their old land, despite its cruel history? What will it cost them to change Grassland for the better?
  • 逆天双绝狂傲妃

    逆天双绝狂傲妃

    一朝穿越成废材,废柴也就算了,还是又丑又没人要的野种?野种又何妨?有实力就行!敢说她丑?那美给你看!过来找茬儿,打趴你算!可偏偏怎么就遇上了一个极尽难缠的家伙?推荐新文《全能王妃上线了》团宠爽文!推荐完结文《重生千金逆天下》、《驭兽女王超凶的》爆笑爽文!
  • 新史学讲演录

    新史学讲演录

    历史学是一门古老的学问,但历史研究的观念和手段却与日俱进。本书据著者近年在北京大学等校的讲演写成,阐述并解释第二次世界大战以来历史研究的种种趋新的倾向:一、突破“大写历史”的理念和以民族国家为历史研究中心的方式;二、注重以往史家所忽略的“边缘”层面,提倡“自下而上”的新文化史的研究;三、倡导“记忆研究”,将普通人对过去的口述回忆纳入历史研究;四、回应全球化的挑战,尝试全球史的写作,以求在新的认知基础上,重拾、重建史家叙述历史演变、诠释历史走向的传统。
  • 赶考时代(二)

    赶考时代(二)

    正在和老校长攀谈的钱龙向会场扫了一眼,“湘……湘秀!”他差点喊了出来。钱龙被眼前这女子惊呆了,站在麦克风前的女子太像自己的初恋情人湘秀了。三十八时间像沙漏里的细沙在悄然无声中静静地流淌着。苏正浩一晃来北京有十几天了。这些日子他是一天也没有消停,不是今天约几个在京工作的同学,就是明天拜见朋友,忙得不亦乐乎。北京的九月底正是桑拿天气向秋老虎天气转变的阶段,室外像下火,室内天天空调不断。诗琪每天都煮些冰糖银耳莲子羹来给苏畅消暑,由于不适应北京的天气和内心的压力,从不感冒的苏正浩还是得了热感冒,天天咳嗽个不停。
  • 破棺而出·首席荐爱99分

    破棺而出·首席荐爱99分

    【她破棺而出,成为他的首席秘书。】詹氏集团,谁人不知詹少的首席秘书美艳动人。可这秘书,做事雷厉风行,对他人和善,对顶头上司詹少,却少有笑颜。“詹大公子好本事,今儿个又有挺着肚子的美女来公司认亲了。”“过奖过奖,那是美女们抬爱,什么孩子都喜欢往我这儿塞。”*女人总自信地以为自己会是某个男人的终结者,结束他风流荒唐的人生。可最终才发现,当付出的一切都化水东流,自己曾经的异想天开竟是那般可笑。“恭喜詹大公子,终于彻底地让我死了心。这婚,我同意离!”转身,她笑得美艳而妖娆,一步一步消失在天地尽头。地上那条她偷偷花了无数夜晚被扎破了无数次手指而织就的男性围巾,仿佛在嘲笑着她的无知,竟是那般刺目。*感情的戏,她一直都知她没演技。可后来她才知,有人比她,更没演技。那人,只会固执地守着她的衣冠冢,成为她的守陵人。
  • 灵女破苍穹:绝色双骄

    灵女破苍穹:绝色双骄

    洛灵儿,本乃至尊神女却不幸一身灵力被封,重练筋骨,她发誓要成为世上的绝顶强者,站在修炼的巅峰。糖可甜,梦兰大陆第一杀手,她受雇进行各种暗杀、作战甚至政变。她们都有一个共同的特点,她们都喜欢战斗,善于挑战。生死的厮杀,冲破束缚地争斗。我要这天,再遮不住我的双眼。我要这天地规则,再不能束缚我。
  • 有一种爱情叫学霸2

    有一种爱情叫学霸2

    那年,落英缤纷下,小青梅王青青贪恋颜值,一眼喜欢上了那个穿粉色衣服的男孩韩言鑫。她黏着他,缠着他,帮他倒追女孩子。他嫌弃她,讨厌她。N年后,大学校园重遇,他仍旧是美得霸占了“校花”艳名的校草,他是戏剧社无人可替的社长,她对他唯恐避之不及,他却突然莫名的就亲近了。见面第一次“被迫”帮忙刷卡买零食,第二次鞍前马后地扶她去医院,第三次为了套到她的手机号码忍着腐女的调戏,卖与第一男神的亲密照片求取信息……他都这么努力了!为什么她还对他视而不见?为什么转身和其他男神卿卿我我了?!为什么她还觉得他……性向不明!当高颜值男生动心的时候,即使他是个小忠犬,但是他只做阿菁的小忠犬……
  • 留白

    留白

    他要让她悄悄溜走,不留一丝痕迹地溜走。像偷嘴的老鼠一样——当然,让女人几近崩溃的是,她绞尽脑汁地想找出一条理由去反驳他,但她找不出,世界上还没有一条为她这种人说话的理由。如此看来,她最明智的选择还是只有离开——看来,应变能力极强的他能在几秒钟内就把一切缝合得天衣无缝;但为何有如此智慧的人却只能口口声声让自己钟爱的女人灰溜溜地像老鼠一样地溜走呢——女人想问,但问不出口;想必他是无法回答这问题的,或许这问题他连想都没有想过。
  • 解放兖州

    解放兖州

    1984年6月至7日,在第三次国内革命战争中,人民解放军华东野战军一部在津浦路中段战役中,对据守兖州的国民党军的一次攻坚战。攻克兖州,切断了国民党军济南、徐州间的陆上联系,有力地配合了华东野战军主力进行的豫东战役,使鲁中南、鲁西南解放区连成一片,进一步孤立了济南的国民党军。6月20日,华东野战军山东兵团包围兖州,激战至25日,扫清了外围,并攻占西关。7月1日山东兵团再度包围兖州,在完成各项攻城准备后,12日17时发起总攻。第7、第13纵队向兖州西关攻击,鲁中南纵队向东南助攻。经一昼夜激战,至13日19时全歼国民党守军2.7万余人。
  • 律政先锋

    律政先锋

    强奸杀人犯、毁容者、恋物癖、异装癖、变态杀手、校花、房地产商、英语教师……总是待到真凶浮出水面时,却让人不禁唏嘘沉思。萨拉·纽比面对着她的第一场刑事法庭辩护,她的当事人,贾森·巴恩斯,因为被控谋杀一妇女而在监狱里蹲了18年,受害者的尸体至今仍未找到。萨拉赢得了这场官司,当事人被无罪释放。但在他被释放后不久,那具尸体被一只狐狸发现了,贾森旋即踏上了逃亡之旅。他是真的有罪?萨拉的婚姻失败,但是不久后她便遇见了一个英俊富有的地产商迈克尔·帕克,两人正式交往,再次将可怜的探长特里·贝特森晾在了一旁。迈克尔对贾森·巴恩斯的案子中表现出些许兴趣,他可能隐藏了什么,如果是这样,那对萨拉来说究竟意味着什么?