登陆注册
5382900000142

第142章

"Teresa uttered a cry of joy, and, without inquiring whence this attire came, or even thanking Luigi, darted into the grotto, transformed into a dressing-room.Luigi pushed the stone behind her, for on the crest of a small adjacent hill which cut off the view toward Palestrina, he saw a traveller on horseback, stopping a moment, as if uncertain of his road, and thus presenting against the blue sky that perfect outline which is peculiar to distant objects in southern climes.When he saw Luigi, he put his horse into a gallop and advanced toward him.Luigi was not mistaken.The traveller, who was going from Palestrina to Tivoli, had mistaken his way; the young man directed him; but as at a distance of a quarter of a mile the road again divided into three ways, and on reaching these the traveller might again stray from his route, he begged Luigi to be his guide.Luigi threw his cloak on the ground, placed his carbine on his shoulder, and freed from his heavy covering, preceded the traveller with the rapid step of a mountaineer, which a horse can scarcely keep up with.In ten minutes Luigi and the traveller reached the cross-roads.On arriving there, with an air as majestic as that of an emperor, he stretched his hand towards that one of the roads which the traveller was to follow.-- "That is your road, excellency, and now you cannot again mistake.' -- `And here is your recompense,'

said the traveller, offering the young herdsman some small pieces of money.

"`Thank you,' said Luigi, drawing back his hand; `I render a service, I do not sell it.' -- `Well,' replied the traveller, who seemed used to this difference between the servility of a man of the cities and the pride of the mountaineer, `if you refuse wages, you will, perhaps, accept a gift.' -- `Ah, yes, that is another thing.' -- `Then,'

said the traveller, `take these two Venetian sequins and give them to your bride, to make herself a pair of earrings.'

"`And then do you take this poniard,' said the young herdsman; `you will not find one better carved between Albano and Civita-Castellana.'

"`I accept it,' answered the traveller, `but then the obligation will be on my side, for this poniard is worth more than two sequins.' -- `For a dealer perhaps; but for me, who engraved it myself, it is hardly worth a piastre.'

"`What is your name?' inquired the traveller.-- `Luigi Vampa,' replied the shepherd, with the same air as he would have replied, Alexander, King of Macedon.-- `And yours?' --`I,' said the traveller, `am called Sinbad the Sailor.'"Franz d'Epinay started with surprise.

"Sinbad the Sailor." he said.

"Yes," replied the narrator; "that was the name which the traveller gave to Vampa as his own.""Well, and what may you have to say against this name?"inquired Albert; "it is a very pretty name, and the adventures of the gentleman of that name amused me very much in my youth, I must confess." -- Franz said no more.The name of Sinbad the Sailor, as may well be supposed, awakened in him a world of recollections, as had the name of the Count of Monte Cristo on the previous evening.

"Proceed!" said he to the host.

"Vampa put the two sequins haughtily into his pocket, and slowly returned by the way he had gone.As he came within two or three hundred paces of the grotto, he thought he heard a cry.He listened to know whence this sound could proceed.A moment afterwards he thought he heard his own name pronounced distinctly.The cry proceeded from the grotto.He bounded like a chamois, cocking his carbine as he went, and in a moment reached the summit of a hill opposite to that on which he had perceived the traveller.Three cries for help came more distinctly to his ear.He cast his eyes around him and saw a man carrying off Teresa, as Nessus, the centaur, carried Dejanira.This man, who was hastening towards the wood, was already three-quarters of the way on the road from the grotto to the forest.Vampa measured the distance; the man was at least two hundred paces in advance of him, and there was not a chance of overtaking him.The young shepherd stopped, as if his feet had been rooted to the ground; then he put the butt of his carbine to his shoulder, took aim at the ravisher, followed him for a second in his track, and then fired.The ravisher stopped suddenly, his knees bent under him, and he fell with Teresa in his arms.The young girl rose instantly, but the man lay on the earth struggling in the agonies of death.Vampa then rushed towards Teresa; for at ten paces from the dying man her legs had failed her, and she had dropped on her knees, so that the young man feared that the ball that had brought down his enemy, had also wounded his betrothed.Fortunately, she was unscathed, and it was fright alone that had overcome Teresa.When Luigi had assured himself that she was safe and unharmed, he turned towards the wounded man.He had just expired, with clinched hands, his mouth in a spasm of agony, and his hair on end in the sweat of death.His eyes remained open and menacing.Vampa approached the corpse, and recognized Cucumetto.From the day on which the bandit had been saved by the two young peasants, he had been enamoured of Teresa, and had sworn she should be his.From that time he had watched them, and profiting by the moment when her lover had left her alone, had carried her off, and believed he at length had her in his power, when the ball, directed by the unerring skill of the young herdsman, had pierced his heart.Vampa gazed on him for a moment without betraying the slightest emotion; while, on the contrary, Teresa, shuddering in every limb, dared not approach the slain ruffian but by degrees, and threw a hesitating glance at the dead body over the shoulder of her lover.Suddenly Vampa turned toward his mistress: -- `Ah,' said he -- `good, good!

You are dressed; it is now my turn to dress myself.'

同类推荐
  • 上巳寄孟中丞

    上巳寄孟中丞

    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。
  • 博物汇编神异典释教部纪事

    博物汇编神异典释教部纪事

    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。
  • 调实居士证源录

    调实居士证源录

    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。
  • 佛说龙施菩萨本起经

    佛说龙施菩萨本起经

    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。
  • 诸病源候论

    诸病源候论

    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
  • 星际崛起之政府成立

    星际崛起之政府成立

    狩猎者摧毁了我们的家园,我们每一个星球的人民濒临着灭绝,但是狩猎者无法摧毁我们的意志。因为神圣的父神耶和华将会庇佑我们赢得这场战争最终的胜利。
  • 你一直都在

    你一直都在

    遇见你,是天崩地裂的祸害,还是最美丽的意外?十八岁的一次“意外摔倒”,竟把暗恋两年的英俊学长梁之尧摔到了九霄云外。而那个有点痞有点帅有点拉风的陈尚佑一只手捂住被她踹到的“要害”,一只手变出一枚“草戒指”,大言不惭地宣布接管她的人生!尽管我夏茉莉平板身材齐耳刘海被放羊在H班,但面对如此“草率”的表白方式,坚决不干!可造化弄人,无辜的茉莉惨遭家长算计,非但与“色狼”陈尚佑“拜堂成亲”,还住进新房当“女主人”,与他“同居”……
  • 魔音

    魔音

    大学女生夏千迪意外得到一根项链,里面封印着一个转世苏醒了三次的古代歌姬若雪的灵魂,因此夏千迪拥有了若雪的别人无法企及的歌喉,并一举夺得校园歌手大赛冠军,获得了奇怪的评委著名音乐人郁冬的青睐。在与若雪的相处中,千迪发现若雪的身份绝不仅仅是个歌姬那么简单,本是明朝郡主的若雪的遭遇慢慢展现在千迪脑海中。千迪在酒吧驻唱时遇到一个戴着翡翠手镯的女孩柳含菲,两人相见时彼此都产生了一种奇怪的恐惧感,危险的信号感染了在场的三个人,千迪,含菲,郁冬,这个带着翡翠手镯的女孩究竟是谁,为何能让一向平静的若雪产生巨大的不安感?千迪又会在即将到来的比赛时遇到怎样的危难?神秘的音乐人郁冬为何见到千迪的项链会如此震惊?他和若雪、含菲之间究竟有着怎样千丝万缕的关系?三个人之间纠缠了三世的命运又将再一次轮回。
  • 乔布斯给年轻人的119个忠告

    乔布斯给年轻人的119个忠告

    从痞子到魔鬼精英,从创办苹果公司到遭遇解雇危机,再到王者归来,重掌大权,乔布斯的成功之路如汹涌的大海般波澜起伏,而他也正以超人的魅力迅速感染着全世界。究竟他有什么特别的过人之处让全世界的人着迷?本书全面揭示了乔布斯成功的密码,是年轻人的行动指南,创业者的思想精髓。
  • 神奇宝贝之精灵掌控者

    神奇宝贝之精灵掌控者

    新书已开:无限神宠进化,跪求支持,直通车:https://wkkk.net/info/1017346544浩瀚无边的精灵世界,生存着天地精灵,每一只精灵都有无限潜能,三段进化不是终点,进化之路永无止境!每一次进化都是一次蜕变,属性可以改变,特性也可以改变,如何塑造精灵才最完美!乱世将至,绝色天骄辈出,共舞倾城!与精灵伙伴心灵相通,建立最强的羁绊,方能成为真正的强者。谁,能培养出超越一切的神迹精灵,屹立巅峰!群号:548527336
  • 红楼惊梦之黛灵

    红楼惊梦之黛灵

    她,一个空谷幽兰般的女子,绝尘的美貌,绝尘的才情,让人不忍心靠近,只怕一不小心,绝尘的她便会轻轻的离开,再也无处找寻。他,一块浊世美玉,干净的皮囊,可笑的痴情,纵有千般宠爱在身,又怎么能摆脱世俗的污浊?即使抛弃荣华万千,奈何终究一梦,梦醒后一切皆是空。她,瑶池王母的半支弃簪,不甘心被尘埃的掩埋,一心下凡,只为了实现那繁华世间惟我独尊的得意与荣耀。他,西方灵河的黑鳞神龙,摒弃了上神的诱惑,封印自己的灵力,下凡而去,只为了那一抹清丽的身影,只为了,她是他的心头之血。明枪暗箭的算计利用让纯洁的她几乎送了性命,更让他一改温文如水的儒雅,雷厉风行…天地动容的心心相通让痴然的他遁入空门,更让她顿时希望,风尘艳骨冰封于皑皑白雪…本以为,自此后,可以云淡风轻,长相思守谁成想,却也是,步步为棋,密雨惊风…——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——本文无关红楼原著,请红迷们凡事不要太较真。喜欢此文的读者亲亲们,欢迎光临!看文时别忘了收藏,留言,当然还有——票子…珠珠贪心,越多越好哦~还有珠珠的书友群:21056754(未满),想进来参加讨论的朋友请加进来,敲门砖:所有带着红楼字样的文字,不限此文…——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——*——沧海明珠09年力作:唯美清穿文《怡情绝恋》瑾瑜的大神推荐文:穿越正剧:《倾歌天下》精彩红楼文推荐:沧海明珠的完结文《宝黛情长》:梅灵的红楼新文《禛心俜玉》:瑾瑜的红楼热文《红影黛姿潇湘月》:
  • 三国杀召唤师

    三国杀召唤师

    剑与魔法!巨龙与斗气!我就买了一套三国杀而已!……我叫叶天,我是一名召唤师。别的召唤师召唤刀枪剑戟、妖魔鬼怪。我召唤的居然是……特么一套三国杀。我要三国杀有什么用!玩飞牌吗?啊!
  • 剑定情义

    剑定情义

    江湖辈人轮流出。一代天骄胜过一代天骄。江湖儿女,一剑一刀一枪封测往事
  • 气质决定女人一生

    气质决定女人一生

    诗歌、辞章、音乐都是无力的。无论多么优秀的诗人和歌者,最后都会发出奈美若何的叹息!美丽的女人人见人爱,但真正令人恒久心仪的,往往却是具有磁石般魅力的女人。那么,什么样的女人才具有魅力呢?三个字:气质美。
  • 素手拈花语不休

    素手拈花语不休

    〖快穿1v1〗那条小道,玉人静静伫立。天边何处惹尘埃,一切都终为土灰。望最后,少女终含笑回眸,素手拈花,语不休,少年宠溺一笑聆听。【病娇少年】“真是抱歉……不能再陪你了……好想将你带走,可……”【痞气土匪】“姑娘嫁给爷,上天入地,赴汤蹈火,爷,恭敬不如从命……”【纯情混混】“打劫!交出保护费……你,归我……没人敢欺负你,我也不行……”【风流大少】“我才不是糖做的!明明……你才像糖一样……甜甜的,让人日日夜夜,肝肠寸断……”最后,少女捂了捂脸,有些羞涩,转而被少年搂在怀中:“得卿吾幸,失卿吾命……”喵喵喵?系统懵,小姐姐真的很眼熟!少女淡笑,蹂躏了把它脑袋:“你看错了。”