‘In less than half an hour, the superb apartments, the illuminated1 gardens of Aliaga, did not echo a footstep; all were gone, except a few who lingered, some from curiosity, some from humanity, to witness or condole2 with the sufferings of the wretched parents. The sumptuously3 decorated garden now presented a sight horrid4 from the contrasted figures and scenery. The domestics stood like statues, holding the torches still in their hands — Isidora lay beside the bloody5 corse of her brother, till an attempt was made to remove it, and then she clung to it with a strength that required strength to tear her from it — Aliaga, who had not uttered a word, and scarcely drawn6 a breath, sunk on his knees to curse his half-lifeless daughter — Donna Clara, who still retained a woman’s heart, lost all fear of her husband in this dreadful emergency, and, kneeling beside him, held his uplifted hands, and struggled hard for the suspension of the malediction7 — Fra Jose, the only one of the groupe who appeared to possess any power of recollection or of mental sanity8, addressed repeatedly to Isidora the question, ‘Are you married, — and married to that fearful being?’ — ‘I am married!’ answered the victim, rising from beside the corse of her brother. ‘I am married!’ she added, glancing a look at her splendid habit, and displaying it with a frantic9 laugh. A loud knocking at the garden gate was heard at this moment. ‘I am married!’ shrieked10 Isidora, ‘and here comes the witness of my nuptials11!’
‘As she spoke12, some peasants from the neighbourhood, assisted by the domestics of Don Aliaga, brought in a corse, so altered from the fearful change that passes on the mortal frame, that the nearest relative could not have known it. Isidora recognized it in a moment for the body of the old domestic who had disappeared so mysteriously on the night of her frightful13 nuptials. The body had been discovered but that evening by the peasants; it was lacerated as by a fall from rocks, and so disfigured and decayed as to retain no resemblance to humanity. It was recognizable only by the livery of Aliaga, which, though much defaced, was still distinguishable by some peculiarities14 in the dress, that announced that those defaced garments covered the mortal remains15 of the old domestic. ‘There!’ cried Isidora with delirious16 energy — ‘There is the witness of my fatal marriage!’
‘Fra Jose hung over the illegible17 fragments of that whereon nature had once written — ‘This is a human being,’ and, turning his eyes on Isidora, with involuntary horror he exclaimed, ‘Your witness is dumb!’ As the wretched Isidora was dragged away by those who surrounded her, she felt the first throes of maternal18 suffering, and exclaimed, ‘Oh! there will be a living witness — if you permit it to live!’ Her words were soon realized; she was conveyed to her apartment, and in a few hours after, scarcely assisted and wholly unpitied by her attendants, gave birth to a daughter.
‘This event excited a sentiment in the family at once ludicrous and horrible. Aliaga, who had remained in a state of stupefaction since his son’s death, uttered but one exclamation19 — ‘Let the wife of the sorcerer, and their accursed offspring, be delivered into the hands of the merciful and holy tribunal, the Inquisition.’ He afterwards muttered something about his property being confiscated20, but to this nobody paid attention. Donna Clara was almost distracted between compassion21 for her wretched daughter, and being grandmother to an infant demon22, for such she deemed the child of ‘Melmoth the Wanderer’ must be — and Fra Jose, while he baptized the infant with trembling hands, almost expected a fearful sponsor to appear and blast the rite23 with his horrible negative to the appeal made in the name of all that is holy among Christians24. The baptismal ceremony was performed, however, with an omission25 which the good-natured priest overlooked — there was no sponsor — the lowest domestic in the house declined with horror the proposal of being sponsor for the child of that terrible union. The wretched mother heard them from her bed of pain, and loved her infant better for its utter destitution26.
‘A few hours put an end to the consternation27 of the family, on the score of religion at least. The officers of the Inquisition arrived, armed with all the powers of their tribunal, and strongly excited by the report, that the Wanderer of whom they had been long in search, had lately perpetrated an act that brought him within the sphere of their jurisdiction28, by involving the life of the only being his solitary29 existence held alliance with. ‘We hold him by the cords of a man,’ said the chief inquisitor, speaking more from what he read than what he felt — ‘if he burst these cords he is more than man. He has a wife and child, and if there be human elements in him, if there be any thing mortal clinging to his heart, we shall wind round the roots of it, and extract it.’
‘It was not till after some weeks, that Isidora recovered her perfect recollection. When she did, she was in a prison, a pallet of straw was her bed, a crucifix and a death’s head the only furniture of her cell; the light struggled through a narrow grate, and struggled in vain, to cast one gleam on the squalid apartment that it visited and shrunk from. Isidora looked round her — she had light enough to see her child — she clasped it to her bosom30, from which it had unconsciously drawn its feverish31 nourishment32, and wept in extasy. ‘It is my own,’ she sobbed33, ‘and only mine! It has no father — he is at the ends of the earth — he has left me alone — but I am not alone while you are left to me!’
‘She was left in solitary confinement34 for many days, undisturbed and unvisited. The persons in whose hands she was had strong reasons for this mode of treatment. They were desirous that she should recover perfect sanity of intellect previous to her examination, and they also wished to give her time to form that profound attachment35 to the innocent companion of her solitude36, that might be a powerful engine in their hands in discovering those circumstances relative to Melmoth that had hitherto baffled all the power and penetration37 of the Inquisition itself. All reports agreed that the Wanderer had never before been known to make a woman the object of his temptation, or to entrust38 her with the terrible secret of his destiny;1 and the Inquisitors were heard to say to each other, ‘Now that we have got the Delilah in our hands, we shall soon have the Sampson.’
1 From this it should seem that they were unacquainted with the story of Elinor Mortimer.
‘It was on the night previous to her examination, (of which she was unapprized), that Isidora saw the door of her cell opened, and a figure appear at it, whom, amid the dreary39 obscurity that surrounded her, she recognized in a moment, — it was Fra Jose. After a long pause of mutual40 horror, she knelt in silence to receive his benediction41, which he gave with feeling solemnity; and then the good monk42, whose propensities43, though somewhat ‘earthly and sensual,’ were never ‘devilish,’ after vainly drawing his cowl over his face to stifle44 his sobs45, lifted up his voice and ‘wept bitterly.’
‘Isidora was silent, but her silence was not that of sullen46 apathy47, or of conscience-seared impenitence48. At length Fra Jose seated himself on the foot of the pallet, at some distance from the prisoner, who was also sitting, and bending her cheek, down which a cold tear slowly flowed, over her infant. ‘Daughter,’ said the monk, collecting himself, ‘it is to the indulgence of the holy office I owe this permission to visit you.’ — ‘I thank them,’ said Isidora, and her tears flowed fast and relievingly. ‘I am permitted also to tell you that your examination will take place to-morrow, — to adjure49 you to prepare for it, — and, if there be any thing which’ — ‘My examination!’ repeated Isidora with surprise, but evidently without terror, ‘on what subject am I then to be examined?’ — ‘On that of your inconceivable union with a being devoted50 and accursed.’ His voice was choaked with horror, and he added, ‘Daughter, are you then indeed the wife of — of — that being, whose name makes the flesh creep, and the hair stand on end?’ — ‘I am.’ — ‘Who were the witnesses of your marriage, and what hand dared to bind51 yours with that unholy and unnatural52 bond?’ — ‘There were no witnesses — we were wedded53 in darkness. I saw no form, but I thought I heard words uttered — I know I felt a hand place mine in Melmoth’s — its touch was as cold as that of the dead.’ — ‘Oh complicated and mysterious horror!’ said the priest, turning pale, and crossing himself with marks of unfeigned terror; he bowed his head on his arm for some time, and remained silent from unutterable emotion. ‘Father,’ said Isidora at length, ‘you knew the hermit54 who lived amid the ruins of the monastery55 near our house, — he was a priest also, — he was a holy man, it was he who united us!’ Her voice trembled. — ‘Wretched victim!’ groaned56 the priest, without raising his head, ‘you know not what you utter — that holy man is known to have died the very night preceding that of your dreadful union.’
‘Another pause of mute horror followed, which the priest at length broke. — ‘Unhappy daughter,’ said he in a composed and solemn voice, ‘I am indulged with permission to give you the benefit of the sacrament of confession57, previous to your examination. I adjure you to unburden your soul to me, — will you?’ — ‘I will, my father.’ — ‘Will you answer me, as you would answer at the tribunal of God?’ — ‘Yes, — as I would answer at the tribunal of God.’ As she spake, she prostrated58 herself before the priest in the attitude of confession.
‘And you have now disclosed the whole burden of your spirit?’ — ‘I have, my father.’ The priest sat thoughtfully for a considerable time. He then put to her several singular questions relative to Melmoth, which she was wholly unable to answer. They seemed chiefly the result of those impressions of supernatural power and terror, which were every where associated with his image. ‘My father,’ said Isidora, when he had ceased, in a faultering voice, ‘My father, may I inquire about my unhappy parents?’ The priest shook his head, and remained silent. At length, affected59 by the agony with which she urged her inquiry60, he reluctantly said she might guess the effect which the death of their son, and the imprisonment61 of their daughter in the Inquisition, must have on parents, who were no less eminent62 for their zeal63 for the Catholic faith, than for their parental64 affection. ‘Are they alive?’ said Isidora. — ‘Spare yourself the pain of further inquiries65, daughter,’ said the priest, ‘and be assured, that if the answer was such as could give you comfort, it would not be withheld66.’
‘At this moment a bell was heard to sound in a distant part of the structure. ‘That bell,’ said the priest, ‘announces that the hour of your examination approaches — farewell, and may the saints be with you.’ — ‘Stay, father, — stay one moment, — but one moment!’ cried Isidora, rushing franticly between him and the door. Fra Jose paused. Isidora sunk before him, and, hiding her face with her hands, exclaimed in a voice choaked with agony, ‘Father, do you think — that I am — lost for ever?’ — ‘Daughter,’ said the priest in heavy accents, and in a troubled and doubting spirit, ‘Daughter, — I have given you what comfort I could — press for no more, lest what I have given (with many struggles of conscience) may be withdrawn67. Perhaps you are in a state on which I can form no judgment68, and pronounce no sentence. May God be merciful to you, and may the holy tribunal judge you in its mercy also.’ — ‘Yet stay, father — stay one moment — only one moment — only one question more.’ As she spoke, she caught her pale and innocent companion from the pallet where it slept, and held it up to the priest. ‘Father, tell me, can this be the child of a demon? — can it be, this creature that smiles on me — that smiles on you, while you are mustering69 curses against it? — Oh, holy drops have sprinkled it from your own hand! — Father, you have spoke holy words over it. Father, let them tear me with their pincers, let them roast me on their flames, but will not my child escape — my innocent child, that smiles on you? — Holy father, dear father, look back on your child.’ And she crawled after him on her knees, holding up the miserable70 infant in her arms, whose weak cry and wasted frame, pleaded against the dungeon-life to which its infancy71 had been doomed72.
‘Fra Jose melted at the appeal, and he was about to bestow73 many a kiss and many a prayer on the wretched babe, when the bell again was sounded, and hasting away, he had but time to exclaim, ‘My daughter, may God protect you!’ — ‘God protect me,’ said Isidora, clasping her infant to her bosom. The bell sounded again, and Isidora knew that the hour of her trial approached.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
illuminated
|
|
| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
condole
|
|
| v.同情；慰问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
sumptuously
|
|
| 奢侈地，豪华地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
horrid
|
|
| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
bloody
|
|
| adj.非常的的；流血的；残忍的；adv.很；vt.血染 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
drawn
|
|
| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
malediction
|
|
| n.诅咒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
sanity
|
|
| n.心智健全，神智正常，判断正确 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
frantic
|
|
| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
shrieked
|
|
| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
nuptials
|
|
| n.婚礼；婚礼( nuptial的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
spoke
|
|
| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
frightful
|
|
| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
peculiarities
|
|
| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
remains
|
|
| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
delirious
|
|
| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
illegible
|
|
| adj.难以辨认的，字迹模糊的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
maternal
|
|
| adj.母亲的，母亲般的，母系的，母方的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
exclamation
|
|
| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
confiscated
|
|
| 没收，充公( confiscate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
compassion
|
|
| n.同情，怜悯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
demon
|
|
| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
rite
|
|
| n.典礼，惯例，习俗 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
Christians
|
|
| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
omission
|
|
| n.省略，删节；遗漏或省略的事物，冗长 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
destitution
|
|
| n.穷困，缺乏，贫穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
consternation
|
|
| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
jurisdiction
|
|
| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
solitary
|
|
| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
bosom
|
|
| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
feverish
|
|
| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
nourishment
|
|
| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
sobbed
|
|
| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
confinement
|
|
| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
attachment
|
|
| n.附属物，附件；依恋；依附 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
solitude
|
|
| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
penetration
|
|
| n.穿透，穿人，渗透 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
entrust
|
|
| v.信赖，信托，交托 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
dreary
|
|
| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
mutual
|
|
| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
benediction
|
|
| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
monk
|
|
| n.和尚，僧侣，修道士 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
propensities
|
|
| n.倾向，习性( propensity的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
stifle
|
|
| vt.使窒息；闷死；扼杀；抑止，阻止 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
sobs
|
|
| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
sullen
|
|
| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
apathy
|
|
| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
impenitence
|
|
| n.不知悔改，顽固 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
49
adjure
|
|
| v.郑重敦促(恳请) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
bind
|
|
| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
unnatural
|
|
| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
wedded
|
|
| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
hermit
|
|
| n.隐士，修道者；隐居 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
monastery
|
|
| n.修道院，僧院，寺院 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
groaned
|
|
| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
confession
|
|
| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
prostrated
|
|
| v.使俯伏，使拜倒( prostrate的过去式和过去分词 )；（指疾病、天气等）使某人无能为力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
inquiry
|
|
| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
imprisonment
|
|
| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
eminent
|
|
| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
zeal
|
|
| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
parental
|
|
| adj.父母的；父的；母的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
inquiries
|
|
| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
withheld
|
|
| withhold过去式及过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
withdrawn
|
|
| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
judgment
|
|
| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
mustering
|
|
| v.集合，召集，集结（尤指部队）( muster的现在分词 )；（自他人处）搜集某事物；聚集；激发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
infancy
|
|
| n.婴儿期；幼年期；初期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
doomed
|
|
| 命定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
bestow
|
|
| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |