登陆注册
5302400000060

第60章 Dealing with that which was done in the Panelled P

"Ay,mock!"she said,setting her teeth,"thinking that I am conquered--yet am I not!'Twas an honest blow struck by a creature goaded past all thought!Ay,mock--and yet,but for one man's sake,would I call in those outside and stand before them,crying:'Here is a villain whom I struck in madness--and he lies dead!I ask not mercy,but only justice.'"She crouched still nearer,her breath and words coming hard and quick.'Twas indeed as if she spoke to a living man who heard--as if she answered what he had said.

"There would be men in England who would give it me,"she raved,whispering."That would there,I swear!But there would be dullards and dastards who would not.He would give it--he!Ay,mock as thou wilt!But between his high honour and love and me thy carrion SHALL not come!"By her great divan the dead man had fallen,and so near to it he lay that one arm was hidden by the draperies;and at this moment this she saw--before having seemed to see nothing but the death in his face.A thought came to her like a flame lit on a sudden,and springing high the instant the match struck the fuel it leaped from.

It was a thought so daring and so strange that even she gasped once,being appalled,and her hands,stealing to her brow,clutched at the hair that grew there,feeling it seem to rise and stand erect.

"Is it madness to so dare?"she said hoarsely,and for an instant,shuddering,hid her eyes,but then uncovered and showed them burning."Nay!not as I will dare it,"she said,"for it will make me steel.You fell well,"she said to the stone-faced thing,"and as you lie there,seem to tell me what to do,in your own despite.

You would not have so helped me had you known.Now 'tis 'twixt Fate and I--a human thing--who is but a hunted woman."She put her strong hand forth and thrust him--he was already stiffening--backward from the shoulder,there being no shrinking on her face as she felt his flesh yield beneath her touch,for she had passed the barrier lying between that which is mere life and that which is pitiless hell,and could feel naught that was human.Apoor wild beast at bay,pressed on all sides by dogs,by huntsmen,by resistless weapons,by Nature's pitiless self -glaring with bloodshot eyes,panting,with fangs bared in the savagery of its unfriended agony--might feel thus.'Tis but a hunted beast;but 'tis alone,and faces so the terror and anguish of death.

The thing gazing with its set sneer,and moving but stiffly,she put forth another hand upon its side and thrust it farther backward until it lay stretched beneath the great broad seat,its glazed and open eyes seeming to stare upward blankly at the low roof of its strange prison;she thrust it farther backward still,and letting the draperies fall,steadily and with care so rearranged them that all was safe and hid from sight.

"Until to-night,"she said,"You will lie well there.And then--and then--"She picked up the long silken lock of hair which lay like a serpent at her feet,and threw it into the fire,watching it burn,as all hair burns,with slow hissing,and she watched it till 'twas gone.

Then she stood with her hands pressed upon her eyeballs and her brow,her thoughts moving in great leaps.Although it reeled,the brain which had worked for her ever,worked clear and strong,setting before her what was impending,arguing her case,showing her where dangers would arise,how she must provide against them,what she must defend and set at defiance.The power of will with which she had been endowed at birth,and which had but grown stronger by its exercise,was indeed to be compared to some great engine whose lever 'tis not nature should be placed in human hands;but on that lever her hand rested now,and to herself she vowed she would control it,since only thus might she be saved.The torture she had undergone for months,the warring of the evil past with the noble present,of that which was sweet and passionately loving woman with that which was all but devil,had strung her to a pitch so intense and high that on the falling of this unnatural and unforeseen blow she was left scarce a human thing.Looking back,she saw herself a creature doomed from birth;and here in one moment seemed to stand a force ranged in mad battle with the fate which had doomed her.

"'Twas ordained that the blow should fall so,"she said,"and those who did it laugh--laugh at me."'Twas but a moment,and her sharp breathing became even and regular as though at her command;her face composed itself,and she turned to the bell and rang it as with imperious haste.

When the lacquey entered,she was standing holding papers in her hand as if she had but just been consulting them.

"Follow Sir John Oxon,"she commanded."Tell him I have forgot an important thing and beg him to return at once.Lose no time.He has but just left me and can scarce be out of sight."The fellow saw there was no time to lose.They all feared that imperial eye of hers and fled to obey its glances.Bowing,he turned,and hastened to do her bidding,fearing to admit that he had not seen the guest leave,because to do so would be to confess that he had been absent from his post,which was indeed the truth.

She knew he would come back shortly,and thus he did,entering somewhat breathed by his haste.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 蛮荒沧狼

    蛮荒沧狼

    一座大山压在必经之路上少年翻过去可是过去后发现那是一片海这里没有能够长出一双翅膀的奇果没有一叶扁舟无论他怎样世界的框架都将他锁在盒子里面他以为能改变全世界他以为他努力就可以守护自己想要的
  • 催眠术:一种奇妙的心理疗法(第3版)

    催眠术:一种奇妙的心理疗法(第3版)

    本书2005年初次出版,2013年再版,先后重印15次,又告售罄。第三版中,作者再做修订、补充,使内容更充实、逻辑更明晰、文字更流畅。版式亦做更新,更符合当代读者阅读习惯与审美情趣。全书从回顾催眠术从迷信到科学的历程切入,探索催眠术的生理基础与心理机制,介绍16种简便有效的催眠方法,进而对催眠术在治疗生理疾病、解决心理问题、实现自我改善诸方面的应用一一道来。
  • 至尊毒妃:魔皇要洞房

    至尊毒妃:魔皇要洞房

    她,21世纪顶尖杀手,冷酷腹黑,口蜜腹剑,却因夺宝被害身亡。一朝穿越,却成纳亚家最无用的废物,生母逝世,爹爹不疼,嫡姐陷害……呵!当清冷的眸子再度睁开时,废物已经不再懦弱,王者强势归来!天才?废物?不屑?嘲讽?有种你就放马过来,老娘男女通吃,绝不手软!想杀她?那也要看看地府敢不敢收?呃……神马?邪灵,魔皇,争着要跟她洞房?好吧,谁有车有房,我就嫁给谁!
  • 钱德勒短篇侦探小说全集2:找麻烦是我的职业

    钱德勒短篇侦探小说全集2:找麻烦是我的职业

    雷蒙德·钱德勒擅于塑造冷峻、坚硬、黑暗的故事氛围。他的短篇小说步步惊险,孤独危险的灵魂遍布大都市各个角落,明星、妓女、混混、生意人、私人侦探、警察……为了各自的目的明争暗斗。主角裹挟在阴谋当中,凭借老辣身手和精明世故,看穿一个个险恶的心机,揭开隐藏在黑暗中的惊人内幕。
  • 心理平衡术:让你的人生不偏不倚不失衡

    心理平衡术:让你的人生不偏不倚不失衡

    你的心理是否已然失衡?比如总会因一些小事而生气,因生活的繁琐而烦恼,因工作压力而沮丧,因人生的艰辛而消沉,因一次次的失败而抑郁,因人际关系关系的复杂而不知所措?果真如此的话,就要好好地平衡一下自己的心理了。《心理平衡术:让你的人生不偏不倚不失衡》从心理学的角度来帮助广大读者找到内心的平衡状态,使大家摆脱忧郁、沮丧、自卑、愤怒、傲慢,自负的不良情绪,重拾自信、乐观、积极、淡定、从容、平和的心态,从而使大家在平衡了自己内心的同时平衡好自己的生活。
  • 云家九爷超帅气

    云家九爷超帅气

    女装可以俏皮可爱,倾国倾城,天下法术最高强者,是统治天下的千灵祭司,也是无数人心目中的国民女神,上天入地无所不能,性格欢脱外加小流氓一枚。男装俊美邪佞,邪肆慵懒九爷,也是网络上的黑客J,现实中撩妹技术一流,侧脸俊美如画,无数少女的梦中情人。“祭司,请问您是怎么评价自己的?”“嗯?小爷我这么帅气,既能撩妹又能撩汉,简直完美,不过这么多人想嫁给我的确很烦恼。”“……”说好的千灵祭司气质高贵,举止优雅呢,这个一头银白色短发,对着旁边少女不停放电的俊美少年是谁?
  • 萌宠狐狸王妃

    萌宠狐狸王妃

    白夕颜,千年雪狐一只。莫名其妙的预言“得雪狐者得天下”,使得她在即将化身为人之际遭到围捕。好歹她也是千年雪狐,居然沦为了宠物?不过看在对方是个温润如玉的大帅哥的份上,她就不计较了。反正三个月之后她化身为人,就可以拍拍屁股走人了。白夕颜并不是只省事的狐狸。四处惹麻烦,却总逃不过这九皇子的手掌心,于是,白夕颜有了一个深刻的认知,这九皇子简直就是一只披着羊皮的狐狸!>祁如墨,凤翔国九皇子。看似清雅无双,实则腹黑无比。某只小狐狸既然跟了他,那就是他的人了。他的人,他自当拴在身边一辈子,也自当护在手心一辈子。敢惹他的人,下场绝对很凄惨。公主想要拔某只小狐狸的毛?!那就把公主的头发全剃了!皇后竟想要处死某只小狐狸?!那就给皇后送杯毒酒去!太子想要娶某只小狐狸为妃?!那就把太子殿下给阉了!>片段(一)“市井女子,居然也妄图做太子妃?!”官家小姐们不遗余力的嘲讽道。某女迷茫抬眸,她什么时候要嫁太子殿下了?!真是莫名其妙!“哼!如此低贱的身份,也就配嫁给那宰猪的!”官家小姐们依旧咄咄逼人。“众位小姐的意思是,太子是宰猪的?”某女故意作迷茫状。“胡说!!太子殿下是我们的梦中情人!怎么会是宰猪的!”“噢,我明白了,原来众位小姐的梦中情人是宰猪的。”某女露出一副恍然大悟的表情。某男嘴角上挑,拉过某女,清雅笑道,“既然众位小姐想嫁宰猪的,本殿明日就请旨为众位小姐赐婚!”片段(二)“白夕颜!”某男脸色苍白。“夫君大人,怎么了?”某女作无辜状。“你给我喝的什么?!”“就是你平时喝的茶嘛!”某女作委屈状。“你。。。”某男话未出口,已经向茅房奔去。某女勾起狡黠笑容,祁如墨,披着羊皮的狐狸也斗不过我这只真狐狸,叫你以前老整我!拉死你!>一对一宠文。喜欢的亲们可以点击加入书架。另外厚着脸皮推荐一下俺的完结文《女人,乖乖跟朕回家》
  • 全面稳定(中国近代历史大事详解)

    全面稳定(中国近代历史大事详解)

    中国历史渊源流长,博大精深,是国人精神底蕴之所在,是民族长盛不衰之根本。认识历史,了解历史,是每一位中国人所必须面对的人生课题。本套丛书浓缩了华夏五千年的风雨历程,以一个全新角度纵览中华民族的辉煌历史。全书以全新史料,记述了上溯古代,下至公元1912年的中国历史进程。内容涵盖政治、经济、军事、科技、文化、艺术、外交、法律、宗教、民俗等方方面面。内容详实,存真去伪。并由历史国学权威学者、专家最终审定。
  • 铁血宰相俾斯麦(下)

    铁血宰相俾斯麦(下)

    铁血宰相俾斯麦,是德国近代史上杰出的政治家和外交家,也是19世纪欧洲政坛的传奇人物。他不但统一了德意志,更创造了日耳曼民族的特殊性格。他的铁血政策深刻地影响了后来德国的政治走向,甚至可以说是他改写了欧洲的历史。当时对于俾斯麦的功过得失,人们褒贬不一,因而作者认为要想真正了解他很有必要对他的精神历史作一些深入细致的研究。在本书里作者通过细腻的笔触和精彩的心理分析出色地完成了这一任务。在书里作者不仅仅描绘了一个因得胜而神采奕奕的将军形象,而且通过分析俾斯麦身上所特有的三种性格元素——骄傲、勇敢和怨恨——揭示了支配他一生如猛狮般能量不竭的缘由。
  • 红眸冷妃:逆天废材小姐

    红眸冷妃:逆天废材小姐

    穿越万年,只为与你相遇,同你携手走上世界巅峰…………她是现代杀手界的King,却悲催的穿越到了玄灵大陆南陵国四大家族之一的废物身上,这是一场意外还是命中注定?熟不知这是另一场阴谋的开始——————————(本文无虐,男主女主身心干净,无小三)那时,她问:“若我离你而去,你会怎么样?”他答:“会死。”“为什么?”他指了指心脏的地方,“因为这里将不再跳动。”在之前无数个漫长的岁月里,他孤身一人徘徊在这世界中,一颗心从没跳动过,直到遇见了她,第一次知道心动是什么感觉,她的笑,她的狡黠,她的一切都让他着迷。后来,他终于明白了,之前那颗心从不跳动,只因少了一个她,之前的孤身一人,只为遇见她…………