登陆注册
5430300000070

第70章 THE SANDS(1)

OUR school was not situated in the heart of the town: on entering A- from the north-west there is a row of respectable-looking houses, on each side of the broad, white road, with narrow slips of garden-ground before them, Venetian blinds to the windows, and a flight of steps leading to each trim, brass-handled door. In one of the largest of these habitations dwelt my mother and I, with such young ladies as our friends and the public chose to commit to our charge. Consequently, we were a considerable distance from the sea, and divided from it by a labyrinth of streets and houses.

But the sea was my delight; and I would often gladly pierce the town to obtain the pleasure of a walk beside it, whether with the pupils, or alone with my mother during the vacations. It was delightful to me at all times and seasons, but especially in the wild commotion of a rough sea-breeze, and in the brilliant freshness of a summer morning.

I awoke early on the third morning after my return from Ashby Park - the sun was shining through the blind, and I thought how pleasant it would be to pass through the quiet town and take a solitary ramble on the sands while half the world was in bed. I was not long in forming the resolution, nor slow to act upon it. Of course I would not disturb my mother, so I stole noiselessly downstairs, and quietly unfastened the door. I was dressed and out, when the church clock struck a quarter to six. There was a feeling of freshness and vigour in the very streets; and when I got free of the town, when my foot was on the sands and my face towards the broad, bright bay, no language can describe the effect of the deep, clear azure of the sky and ocean, the bright morning sunshine on the semicircular barrier of craggy cliffs surmounted by green swelling hills, and on the smooth, wide sands, and the low rocks out at sea - looking, with their clothing of weeds and moss, like little grass-grown islands - and above all, on the brilliant, sparkling waves. And then, the unspeakable purity - and freshness of the air! There was just enough heat to enhance the value of the breeze, and just enough wind to keep the whole sea in motion, to make the waves come bounding to the shore, foaming and sparkling, as if wild with glee. Nothing else was stirring - no living creature was visible besides myself. My footsteps were the first to press the firm, unbroken sands; - nothing before had trampled them since last night's flowing tide had obliterated the deepest marks of yesterday, and left them fair and even, except where the subsiding water had left behind it the traces of dimpled pools and little running streams.

Refreshed, delighted, invigorated, I walked along, forgetting all my cares, feeling as if I had wings to my feet, and could go at least forty miles without fatigue, and experiencing a sense of exhilaration to which I had been an entire stranger since the days of early youth. About half-past six, however, the grooms began to come down to air their masters' horses - first one, and then another, till there were some dozen horses and five or six riders:

but that need not trouble me, for they would not come as far as the low rocks which I was now approaching. When I had reached these, and walked over the moist, slippery sea-weed (at the risk of floundering into one of the numerous pools of clear, salt water that lay between them), to a little mossy promontory with the sea splashing round it, I looked back again to see who next was stirring. Still, there were only the early grooms with their horses, and one gentleman with a little dark speck of a dog running before him, and one water-cart coming out of the town to get water for the baths. In another minute or two, the distant bathing machines would begin to move, and then the elderly gentlemen of regular habits and sober quaker ladies would be coming to take their salutary morning walks. But however interesting such a scene might be, I could not wait to witness it, for the sun and the sea so dazzled my eyes in that direction, that I could but afford one glance; and then I turned again to delight myself with the sight and the sound of the sea, dashing against my promontory - with no prodigious force, for the swell was broken by the tangled sea-weed and the unseen rocks beneath; otherwise I should soon have been deluged with spray. But the tide was coming in; the water was rising; the gulfs and lakes were filling; the straits were widening: it was time to seek some safer footing; so I walked, skipped, and stumbled back to the smooth, wide sands, and resolved to proceed to a certain bold projection in the cliffs, and then return.

Presently, I heard a snuffling sound behind me and then a dog came frisking and wriggling to my feet. It was my own Snap - the little dark, wire-haired terrier! When I spoke his name, he leapt up in my face and yelled for joy. Almost as much delighted as himself, Icaught the little creature in my arms, and kissed him repeatedly.

But how came he to be there? He could not have dropped from the sky, or come all that way alone: it must be either his master, the rat-catcher, or somebody else that had brought him; so, repressing my extravagant caresses, and endeavouring to repress his likewise, I looked round, and beheld - Mr. Weston!

'Your dog remembers you well, Miss Grey,' said he, warmly grasping the hand I offered him without clearly knowing what I was about.

'You rise early.'

'Not often so early as this,' I replied, with amazing composure, considering all the circumstances of the case.

'How far do you purpose to extend your walk?'

'I was thinking of returning - it must be almost time, I think.'

He consulted his watch - a gold one now - and told me it was only five minutes past seven.

同类推荐
  • 明真破妄章颂

    明真破妄章颂

    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。
  • 太玄真一本际妙经

    太玄真一本际妙经

    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。
  • COLUMBA

    COLUMBA

    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。
  • 佛说文陀竭王经

    佛说文陀竭王经

    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。
  • 唐书志传通俗演义

    唐书志传通俗演义

    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
  • 根本说一切有部出家授近圆羯磨仪范

    根本说一切有部出家授近圆羯磨仪范

    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。
  • Novel Notes

    Novel Notes

    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。
  • 安什之路

    安什之路

    这是一条通往永恒的道路。不朽者在此地被埋葬。巴恩古兽的骸骨铺就了它的传奇,不语人见证了它的失落。它曾经无比繁华。它被无数冒险者视为信仰,风精灵们毕生追寻它的尽头。在世界的尽头,吟游诗人们仍在歌颂它的传说。它就是安什之路。
  • 魔师再现

    魔师再现

    信昌文化出版社独家授权
  • 军事智慧与谋略(世界军事之旅)

    军事智慧与谋略(世界军事之旅)

    青少年具有强烈的求知欲和探索欲,他们不仅对飞速发展的科学技术有着浓厚的兴趣,也对军事科学充满了强烈的好奇。真实地展现人类军事活动,也许我们无法成为一场军事变革的参与者和见证者,但我们可以把军事百科作为模拟战场。本丛书从不同角度阐述军事的相关知识。
  • 焚琴煮禾

    焚琴煮禾

    内脏器官外露者,勿进;四肢脑袋等有任何一部分不在原位者,勿进;流血不止者,勿进。我可不想每天做完生意,连饭都吃不下去。你以为谁都和司冥那变态一样,每天将十八层地狱巡逻一圈还能优哉游哉的喝两口小酒?”本神君守着一座城,做着起死回生的买卖,没事和司冥那厮抢抢生意,日子颇为舒心。直到——美人计?开什么玩笑?那大魔头残忍嗜血,捏死个神仙眼都不眨一下,让我去勾引他?去你妹的三界苍生,本神君不干!咦?这大魔头有点眼熟?打住!剧情发展怎么有点不对劲,这到底是谁勾引谁啊!你一个魔头长成这副模样诱惑本神君,老实说你到底有什么企图?男人勾唇浅浅一笑,“小离,挣扎总是徒劳无功的,反抗总是被镇压的。你就从了我吧!”
  • 暮光薄凉,夏了夏天

    暮光薄凉,夏了夏天

    夏薄凉并不知道,她和自己的初恋男友,是以多么错宗复杂的关系纠结在一起。她也不知道,所有的事情都被一个诈骗集团在幕后暗自操纵着。用她疼痛薄凉的文字,带给你一场深入骨髓的阅读盛宴。春青杂志所有编辑挥泪推荐 感动了整个青春杂志圈的疼痛之作
  • 毒宠药妾

    毒宠药妾

    “啊…”痛哭伴随着凌厉的惨叫回响着,未经呵护的领地很快染上了赫红的血……她哪里又知道,这是男人对她最后的考验,是她成为药人的最后一环,那便是…能承受他致命的毒。……朦胧间,睨见男人清冷的眼,是平静无波的残忍,仿佛,是他在操控欲望,占有她,不为情欲,只为占有而占有。她穿越而来,为他所救,禁锢她的人,掠夺她的身,撕裂她的心…而那双眼,从头至尾,寂静冷漠…是啊,在他眼中的自己只是一味药,一味药啊…………(本文小虐,慢热不小白,女主以柔克刚)————初初的新文推荐——————红伶的故事《媚行天下》故事简介:穿越并不可怕,可怕的这具破败的身体,竟然坑爹的染上了毒瘾,但这又岂能难倒她虞红伶。不幸的是她惹到小人,被人当眼中钉追杀…所以,才会遇见了他………她站在高位,俯瞰刑场的他,冷寂的问:你爱过我吗?他,一双黑眸澄清如镜,仿佛映出了她的丑陋和狰狞。一日夫妻百日恩,到底是谁在自作自受,呵呵呵…她凄然一笑,亲手扔出手中的斩立决。“斩!!”罢了,她真的放手了,放了他,也放过自己。………虚尘:“别碰他!”虚尘拧紧了眉头,一脸冷酷的正气,捉着她的手臂没有半点怜香惜玉,估计应该青紫一片了。红伶怒火丛生,反而嫣然一笑,衣衫半解使出混身解数……勾引他、诱惑他,硬是要击破他的面具,诱他堕落红尘俗世……路星辰:她的倔强、她的聪慧、她的歌声无不令他迷醉,只一眼,便爱上了这个绝美的女子。‘在下一定会高中状元,回来帮你赎身,娶你做我的娘子。’这是他的保证,也是日后的魔咒和枷锁,即便如此,他也心甘情愿……玄王:他邪魅地俯下身,白晰如玉的修长手指轻轻勾起她小巧的下颚,一双狭长的凤眸带着邪气,狂妄地诱惑着:“做本王的王妃,你要什么本王都可以给你。”红伶毫不躲避的正视着他的眼,流光四射,火花四溅,她气吐如兰,妖饶的笑道:“呵呵,如果我要的是天下,你给得起么?”元煞:他因她一次相救卖命十年,他冷漠无心,杀人如麻,却唯独对她千依百顺……为她,他可以成佛,为她,亦可以成魔。十年,也许对他来说,太短了……皇上:他懒洋洋的半倚在龙床上让人伺候着,半响,凭空飘来一句:“当朕的虞妃,荣华富贵享之不尽。”红伶微愣,随即回过神来,笑得妩媚娇俏,“可以,但我要天下皇权!!”……(注:女主聪明强势有主见,本文有点小强,有点小虐,亲亲若喜欢赶紧收藏+存文吧……)
  • 黑帝狂妻之至尊召唤师

    黑帝狂妻之至尊召唤师

    前世,她是世界最耀眼的异能特工组长,一手火系异能出神入化,半本元天诀制霸整个古武界,还是夜家百年一遇的天才人物。奈何树大招风,由于太过优秀,让那些人感到了威胁,最后被联合围攻。所幸,夜无双带着那些想要她死的人一起上路了。重生,她是天夜国的废物公主,寄人篱下,受尽虐待。当她成为了她。说我废物?先天满级灵力瞧瞧。说我不能召唤?极品神兽了解一下。黑帝,元天大陆最强者,暗夜神殿统治者,手一挥,嘴一动,分分钟有百万大军来碾压你,自从被夜无双救了以后,变成了这样:“你在干嘛?”夜无双好奇的看着眼前这个用圣水洗菜,‘魔炎’烧饭的人。“双双,你先等等,饭马上做好了。”某帝撸起袖子又加了把火。“普通的食材经不起你这样尊贵的待遇。”某帝一深思,“走,宝库里拿点东西出来煮了吃。”身边的暗卫一个趔趄:尊敬的黑帝陛下,天材地宝不是这样用的,您这样暴殄天物,良心不会痛吗?……某个月黑风高的夜里,“你松开!”“不!”“还想要你的嘴吗?”“不要了,就想长你身上。”……本文一对一,强强联手,身心干净。
  • 顾左右而言史

    顾左右而言史

    本书是著名学者王彬彬的历史人文随笔集。王彬彬的文章,兼具学者气度,书生风雷,以良知着墨,秉笔书史。讲谈五四,挥斥方遒;《“华人与狗不得入内”的公德教训》钩沉故事,澄澈褊狭;《章太炎的身后事》上下追索,摸索推演文化耆宿一段鲜为人知的身前身后事;《胡适面折陈济棠》摈弃“左”顾“右”盼的孔见,以知识分子的良知与独立人格秉笔,高屋建瓴,别有洞见。