登陆注册
5382900000140

第140章

"Then the carbineers scoured the country in different directions, but in vain; then, after a time, they disappeared.Vampa then removed the stone, and Cucumetto came out.Through the crevices in the granite he had seen the two young peasants talking with the carbineers, and guessed the subject of their parley.He had read in the countenances of Luigi and Teresa their steadfast resolution not to surrender him, and he drew from his pocket a purse full of gold, which he offered to them.But Vampa raised his head proudly; as to Teresa, her eyes sparkled when she thought of all the fine gowns and gay jewellery she could buy with this purse of gold.

"Cucumetto was a cunning fiend, and had assumed the form of a brigand instead of a serpent, and this look from Teresa showed to him that she was a worthy daughter of Eve, and he returned to the forest, pausing several times on his way, under the pretext of saluting his protectors.Several days elapsed, and they neither saw nor heard of Cucumetto.The time of the Carnival was at hand.The Count of San-Felice announced a grand masked ball, to which all that were distinguished in Rome were invited.Teresa had a great desire to see this ball.Luigi asked permission of his protector, the steward, that she and he might be present amongst the servants of the house.This was granted.The ball was given by the Count for the particular pleasure of his daughter Carmela, whom he adored.Carmela was precisely the age and figure of Teresa, and Teresa was as handsome as Carmela.On the evening of the ball Teresa was attired in her best, her most brilliant ornaments in her hair, and gayest glass beads, -- she was in the costume of the women of Frascati.Luigi wore the very picturesque garb of the Roman peasant at holiday time.They both mingled, as they had leave to do, with the servants and peasants.

"The festa was magnificent; not only was the villa brilliantly illuminated, but thousands of colored lanterns were suspended from the trees in the garden; and very soon the palace overflowed to the terraces, and the terraces to the garden-walks.At each cross-path was an orchestra, and tables spread with refreshments; the guests stopped, formed quadrilles, and danced in any part of the grounds they pleased.Carmela was attired like a woman of Sonnino.Her cap was embroidered with pearls, the pins in her hair were of gold and diamonds, her girdle was of Turkey silk, with large embroidered flowers, her bodice and skirt were of cashmere, her apron of Indian muslin, and the buttons of her corset were of jewels.Two of her companions were dressed, the one as a woman of Nettuno, and the other as a woman of La Riccia.Four young men of the richest and noblest families of Rome accompanied them with that Italian freedom which has not its parallel in any other country in the world.They were attired as peasants of Albano, Velletri, Civita-Castellana, and Sora.We need hardly add that these peasant costumes, like those of the young women, were brilliant with gold and jewels.

"Carmela wished to form a quadrille, but there was one lady wanting.Carmela looked all around her, but not one of the guests had a costume similar to her own, or those of her companions.The Count of San-Felice pointed out Teresa, who was hanging on Luigi's arm in a group of peasants.`Will you allow me, father?' said Carmela.-- `Certainly,' replied the count, `are we not in Carnival time?' -- Carmela turned towards the young man who was talking with her, and saying a few words to him, pointed with her finger to Teresa.The young man looked, bowed in obedience, and then went to Teresa, and invited her to dance in a quadrille directed by the count's daughter.Teresa felt a flush pass over her face; she looked at Luigi, who could not refuse his assent.

Luigi slowly relinquished Teresa's arm, which he had held beneath his own, and Teresa, accompanied by her elegant cavalier, took her appointed place with much agitation in the aristocratic quadrille.Certainly, in the eyes of an artist, the exact and strict costume of Teresa had a very different character from that of Carmela and her companions;and Teresa was frivolous and coquettish, and thus the embroidery and muslins, the cashmere waist-girdles, all dazzled her, and the reflection of sapphires and diamonds almost turned her giddy brain.

"Luigi felt a sensation hitherto unknown arising in his mind.It was like an acute pain which gnawed at his heart, and then thrilled through his whole body.He followed with his eye each movement of Teresa and her cavalier; when their hands touched, he felt as though he should swoon; every pulse beat with violence, and it seemed as though a bell were ringing in his ears.When they spoke, although Teresa listened timidly and with downcast eyes to the conversation of her cavalier, as Luigi could read in the ardent looks of the good-looking young man that his language was that of praise, it seemed as if the whole world was turning round with him, and all the voices of hell were whispering in his ears ideas of murder and assassination.Then fearing that his paroxysm might get the better of him, he clutched with one hand the branch of a tree against which he was leaning, and with the other convulsively grasped the dagger with a carved handle which was in his belt, and which, unwittingly, he drew from the scabbard from time to time.Luigi was jealous! He felt that, influenced by her ambitions and coquettish disposition, Teresa might escape him.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 世界简史

    世界简史

    《世界简史》的时间节点是从宇宙中的地球,到第一次世界大战后的“凡尔赛和约”,是一部独具韵味的世界史,从人类文明的起源讲到第一次世界大战的结束,把人类文明各种滋味的旅程都重新展现在人们面前。在这本书中,对于古代埃及、古代希腊罗马、欧洲文艺复兴、宗教改革、美国独立战争等,作者都进行了独具特色的描绘,还涉及到了像儒家和道家这样的东方文化。作者没有用枯燥堆砌的文学史料进行陈述,而是用剥离的方式对繁冗的文学史料进行简炼,把这段历史清晰地呈现在人们面前,可以称为世界史的代表作品。
  • 孕产妇健康生活指南

    孕产妇健康生活指南

    从优生学和生物学最新观念来讲,“座上喜”不利于优生。因为新婚蜜月期间,夫妻为筹备婚礼疲劳不堪,新婚佳期少不了陪酒吸烟,酒中乙醇、烟中尼古丁等都可间接或直接使发育中的精子和卵子受损害。加之蜜月期间性生活频繁,精子和卵子质量下降。这种受毒害而质量又不高的受精卵发育成胎儿,容易导致流产、死胎、胎儿畸形、智力低下等后果。因此,新婚夫妇不宜在蜜月期间怀孕。
  • 莲花仙印

    莲花仙印

    你可知道你的身边,谁是妖,谁是仙,谁是菩萨?他们虽然貌似平凡,或许埋着不为人知的传奇经历。你是否爱过,恨过,见惯了缘起缘灭?善缘也好,恶缘也罢,还不都是一样的好缘分。
  • 金鸡子

    金鸡子

    天啦,小男孩即勇敢又坚毅,不然不可能从魔鬼的手中挣脱,逃出了这个地狱般的世界,踏上寻找妈妈的坚辛路程,还结交了很多好朋友。神奇的鸡血石针,木马马车,七七石塔,老顽童通玄镜、南瓜里面有养蜘蛛,冬瓜里面养鳄鱼等等各种神奇的法器。情节新奇,法物神奇,法术新颖,法术系统如此庞大,囊括道门、佛门、巫门、赶尸派,新创蕾门、血门等诸多派系。卵灵珠、古龙塔、三三女巫、蕾老婆婆、龟太师,奇人奇物奇法术,与世隔绝的个性环境,无一不是耳目一新。
  • 暗恋的男神又看我了

    暗恋的男神又看我了

    “为什么睡我睡我天天睡我!我要静静!”“你想进进,我想出出,刚好一起进进出出。”“……”她嫁给了暗恋六年的男神,他却对她说别妄想得到他的爱情。她遵守约定跟他保持距离,他却在一次采访里对记者说:“我和她没关系,只是偶尔睡一起。”“老公,你在说什么。”“说我爱你。”纳尼!说好的商业联姻不要爱情呢?“老公,你最爱我哪里?”“阳台,草地,泳池都可以。”“……”咦?好像有什么不对…!【新书《帝少99亿夺婚:盛宠,小新娘!》已发表】
  • 中华人民共和国海关官衔条例

    中华人民共和国海关官衔条例

    为加强法制宣传,迅速普及法律知识,服务于我国民主法制建设,多年来,中国民主法制出版社根据全国人大常委会每年定期审议通过、修订的法律,全品种、大规模的出版了全国人民代表大会常务委员会公报版的系列法律单行本。该套法律单行本经过最高立法机关即全国人民代表大会常务委员会的权威审定,法条内容准确无误,文本格式规范合理,多年来受到了社会各界广泛关注与好评。
  • 病宠

    病宠

    病宠俗称:病态宠爱!简正阳很复杂,用医生的话来说:他身体没病,有病的是心理他有的不是一种病,而是几种病混合在一起从表面上看,他除了比旁人孤僻点,偏执点,没有什么不同他不容易动情,被他爱上的女人,是幸福的也是不幸福的白小兔很苦恼,她明明那么爱简正阳,为什么他总是表现得没有安全感呢?直到有一天,她知道了简正阳的病…片断一:从警察局里出来,白小兔气愤的抱怨简正阳:“好端端的,你打别人干什么?”简正阳满脸阴霾:“谁让那个家伙摸你的手了。”白小兔无语:“那你也不用把人家打得半残啊。”虽然那个混蛋该打…片断二:他说:“白小兔,如果我告诉你我是个魔鬼,你还敢爱我吗?”白小兔说:“只要你不负我,我必不负你。”半响,他笑了,他说:“白小兔,记住你今天说的话,今生今世,就是死,你也要与我死在一起。”
  • 明伦汇编人事典十二岁部

    明伦汇编人事典十二岁部

    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。
  • 七言绝

    七言绝

    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。
  • 星辰玄尊

    星辰玄尊

    天生残脉,不甘命运;神秘星辰认主,太虚之体临降于身;凌风修武道,踏虚空;逆天改命,斩强敌;几多放纵,几许情殇,一世尽张狂;英雄仗剑行天下,豪情踏血染诸天。