I did not care one of his own regimental buttons, whether he was dead or not; I was, at that moment, carried away by such a tumult3 of delightful4 and diabolical5 emotions!
I broke his sword under my foot, and flung the pieces across the street. The old Count de St. Alyre skipped nimbly without looking to the right or left, or thanking anybody, over the floor, out of the door, down the steps, and into his carriage. Instantly I was at the side of the beautiful Countess, thus left to shift for herself; I offered her my arm, which she took, and I led her to the carriage. She entered, and I shut the door. All this without a word.
I was about to ask if there were any commands with which she would honor me — my hand was laid upon the lower edge of the window, which was open.
The lady’s hand was laid upon mine timidly and excitedly. Her lips almost touched my cheek as she whispered hurriedly:
“I may never see you more, and, oh! that I could forget you. Go — farewell — for God’s sake, go!”
I pressed her hand for a moment. She withdrew it, but tremblingly pressed into mine the rose which she had held in her fingers during the agitating6 scene she had just passed through.
All this took place while the Count was commanding, entreating7, cursing his servants, tipsy, and out of the way during the crisis, my conscience afterwards insinuated8, by my clever contrivance. They now mounted to their places with the agility9 of alarm. The postilions’ whips cracked, the horses scrambled10 into a trot11, and away rolled the carriage, with its precious freightage, along the quaint12 main street, in the moonlight, toward Paris.
I stood on the pavement till it was quite lost to eye and ear in the distance.
With a deep sigh, I then turned, my white rose folded in my handkerchief — the little parting gage13 — the
Favor secret, sweet, and precious,
which no mortal eye but hers and mine had seen conveyed to me.
The care of the host of the Belle14 étoile, and his assistants, had raised the wounded hero of a hundred fights partly against the wall, and propped15 him at each side with portmanteaus and pillows, and poured a glass of brandy, which was duly placed to his account, into his big mouth, where, for the first time, such a godsend remained unswallowed.
A bald-headed little military surgeon of sixty, with spectacles, who had cut off eighty-seven legs and arms to his own share, after the battle of Eylau, having retired16 with his sword and his saw, his laurels17 and his sticking-plaster to this, his native town, was called in, and rather thought the gallant18 Colonel’s skull19 was fractured; at all events, there was concussion20 of the seat of thought, and quite enough work for his remarkable21 self-healing powers to occupy him for a fortnight.
I began to grow a little uneasy. A disagreeable surprise, if my excursion, in which I was to break banks and hearts, and, as you see, heads, should end upon the gallows22 or the guillotine. I was not clear, in those times of political oscillation, which was the established apparatus23.
The Colonel was conveyed, snorting apoplectically24, to his room.
I saw my host in the apartment in which we had supped. Wherever you employ a force of any sort, to carry a point of real importance, reject all nice calculations of economy. Better to be a thousand per cent, over the mark, than the smallest fraction of a unit under it. I instinctively25 felt this.
I ordered a bottle of my landlord’s very best wine; made him partake with me, in the proportion of two glasses to one; and then told him that he must not decline a trifling26 souvenir from a guest who had been so charmed with all he had seen of the renowned27 Belle étoile. Thus saying, I placed five-and-thirty Napoleons in his hand: at touch of which his countenance28, by no means encouraging before, grew sunny, his manners thawed29, and it was plain, as he dropped the coins hastily into his pocket, that benevolent30 relations had been established between us.
I immediately placed the Colonel’s broken head upon the tapis. We both agreed that if I had not given him that rather smart tap of my walking-cane, he would have beheaded half the inmates31 of the Belle étoile. There was not a waiter in the house who would not verify that statement on oath.
The reader may suppose that I had other motives32, beside the desire to escape the tedious inquisition of the law, for desiring to recommence my journey to Paris with the least possible delay. Judge what was my horror then to learn that, for love or money, horses were nowhere to be had that night. The last pair in the town had been obtained from the écu de France by a gentleman who dined and supped at the Belle étoile, and was obliged to proceed to Paris that night.
Who was the gentleman? Had he actually gone? Could he possibly be induced to wait till morning?
The gentleman was now upstairs getting his things together, and his name was Monsieur Droqville.
I ran upstairs. I found my servant St. Clair in my room. At sight of him, for a moment, my thoughts were turned into a different channel.
“Well, St. Clair, tell me this moment who the lady is?” I demanded.
“The lady is the daughter or wife, it matters not which, of the Count de St. Alyre — the old gentleman who was so near being sliced like a cucumber tonight, I am informed, by the sword of the general whom Monsieur, by a turn of fortune, has put to bed of an apoplexy.”
“Hold your tongue, fool! The man’s beastly drunk — he’s sulking — he could talk if he liked — who cares? Pack up my things. Which are Monsieur Droqville’s apartments?”
He knew, of course; he always knew everything.
Half an hour later Monsieur Droqville and I were traveling towards Paris in my carriage and with his horses. I ventured to ask the Marquis d’Harmonville, in a little while, whether the lady, who accompanied the Count, was certainly the Countess. “Has he not a daughter?”
“Yes; I believe a very beautiful and charming young lady — I cannot say — it may have been she, his daughter by an earlier marriage. I saw only the Count himself today.”
The Marquis was growing a little sleepy, and, in a little while, he actually fell asleep in his corner. I dozed33 and nodded; but the Marquis slept like a top. He awoke only for a minute or two at the next posting-house where he had fortunately secured horses by sending on his man, he told me. “You will excuse my being so dull a companion,” he said, “but till tonight I have had but two hours’ sleep, for more than sixty hours. I shall have a cup of coffee here; I have had my nap. Permit me to recommend you to do likewise. Their coffee is really excellent.” He ordered two cups of café noir, and waited, with his head from the window. “We will keep the cups,” he said, as he received them from the waiter, “and the tray. Thank you.”
There was a little delay as he paid for these things; and then he took in the little tray, and handed me a cup of coffee.
I declined the tray; so he placed it on his own knees, to act as a miniature table.
“I can’t endure being waited for and hurried,” he said, “I like to sip34 my coffee at leisure.”
I agreed. It really was the very perfection of coffee.
“I, like Monsieur le Marquis, have slept very little for the last two or three nights; and find it difficult to keep awake. This coffee will do wonders for me; it refreshes one so.”
Before we had half done, the carriage was again in motion.
For a time our coffee made us chatty, and our conversation was animated35.
The Marquis was extremely good-natured, as well as clever, and gave me a brilliant and amusing account of Parisian life, schemes, and dangers, all put so as to furnish me with practical warnings of the most valuable kind.
In spite of the amusing and curious stories which the Marquis related with so much point and color, I felt myself again becoming gradually drowsy36 and dreamy.
Perceiving this, no doubt, the Marquis good-naturedly suffered our conversation to subside37 into silence. The window next him was open. He threw his cup out of it; and did the same kind office for mine, and finally the little tray flew after, and I heard it clank on the road; a valuable waif, no doubt, for some early wayfarer38 in wooden shoes.
I leaned back in my corner; I had my beloved souvenir — my white rose — close to my heart, folded, now, in white paper. It inspired all manner of romantic dreams. I began to grow more and more sleepy. But actual slumber39 did not come. I was still viewing, with my half-closed eyes, from my corner, diagonally, the interior of the carriage.
I wished for sleep; but the barrier between waking and sleeping seemed absolutely insurmountable; and, instead, I entered into a state of novel and indescribable indolence.
The Marquis lifted his dispatch-box from the floor, placed it on his knees, unlocked it, and took out what proved to be a lamp, which he hung with two hooks, attached to it, to the window opposite to him. He lighted it with a match, put on his spectacles, and taking out a bundle of letters began to read them carefully.
We were making way very slowly. My impatience40 had hitherto employed four horses from stage to stage. We were in this emergency, only too happy to have secured two. But the difference in pace was depressing.
I grew tired of the monotony of seeing the spectacled Marquis reading, folding, and docketing, letter after letter. I wished to shut out the image which wearied me, but something prevented my being able to shut my eyes. I tried again and again; but, positively41, I had lost the power of closing them.
I would have rubbed my eyes, but I could not stir my hand, my will no longer acted on my body — I found that I could not move one joint42, or muscle, no more than I could, by an effort of my will, have turned the carriage about.
Up to this I had experienced no sense of horror. Whatever it was, simple night-mare was not the cause. I was awfully43 frightened! Was I in a fit?
It was horrible to see my good-natured companion pursue his occupation so serenely44, when he might have dissipated my horrors by a single shake.
I made a stupendous exertion45 to call out, but in vain; I repeated the effort again and again, with no result.
My companion now tied up his letters, and looked out of the window, humming an air from an opera. He drew back his head, and said, turning to me:
“Yes, I see the lights; we shall be there in two or three minutes.”
He looked more closely at me, and with a kind smile, and a little shrug46, he said, “Poor child! how fatigued47 he must have been — how profoundly he sleeps! when the carriage stops he will waken.”
He then replaced his letters in the box-box, locked it, put his spectacles in his pocket, and again looked out of the window.
We had entered a little town. I suppose it was past two o’clock by this time. The carriage drew up, I saw an inn-door open, and a light issuing from it.
“Here we are!” said my companion, turning gaily48 to me. But I did not awake.
“Yes, how tired he must have been!” he exclaimed, after he had waited for an answer. My servant was at the carriage door, and opened it.
“Your master sleeps soundly, he is so fatigued! It would be cruel to disturb him. You and I will go in, while they change the horses, and take some refreshment49, and choose something that Monsieur Beckett will like to take in the carriage, for when he awakes by-and-by, he will, I am sure, be hungry.”
He trimmed his lamp, poured in some oil; and taking care not to disturb me, with another kind smile and another word of caution to my servant he got out, and I heard him talking to St. Clair, as they entered the inn-door, and I was left in my corner, in the carriage, in the same state.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
condign
|
|
| adj.应得的，相当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
cleave
|
|
| v．(clave；cleaved)粘着，粘住；坚持；依恋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
tumult
|
|
| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
diabolical
|
|
| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
agitating
|
|
| 搅动( agitate的现在分词 )； 激怒； 使焦虑不安； （尤指为法律、社会状况的改变而）激烈争论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
entreating
|
|
| 恳求，乞求( entreat的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
insinuated
|
|
| v.暗示( insinuate的过去式和过去分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
agility
|
|
| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
scrambled
|
|
| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
trot
|
|
| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
quaint
|
|
| adj.古雅的，离奇有趣的，奇怪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
gage
|
|
| n.标准尺寸，规格；量规，量表 [=gauge] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
belle
|
|
| n.靓女 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
propped
|
|
| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
laurels
|
|
| n.桂冠，荣誉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
gallant
|
|
| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
skull
|
|
| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
concussion
|
|
| n.脑震荡；震动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
gallows
|
|
| n.绞刑架，绞台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
apparatus
|
|
| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
apoplectically
|
|
| Apoplectically | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
25
instinctively
|
|
| adv.本能地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
trifling
|
|
| adj.微不足道的；没什么价值的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
renowned
|
|
| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
thawed
|
|
| 解冻 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
benevolent
|
|
| adj.仁慈的，乐善好施的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
inmates
|
|
| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
motives
|
|
| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
dozed
|
|
| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
sip
|
|
| v.小口地喝，抿，呷；n.一小口的量 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
animated
|
|
| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
drowsy
|
|
| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
subside
|
|
| vi.平静，平息；下沉，塌陷，沉降 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
wayfarer
|
|
| n.旅人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
slumber
|
|
| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
impatience
|
|
| n.不耐烦，急躁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
joint
|
|
| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
awfully
|
|
| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
serenely
|
|
| adv.安详地，宁静地，平静地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
exertion
|
|
| n.尽力，努力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
shrug
|
|
| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
fatigued
|
|
| adj. 疲乏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
gaily
|
|
| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
refreshment
|
|
| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |