Followed at some distance by a wondering crowd, he entered the inn-yard, where, for the first time, he checked his flight, and returned his sword to the scabbard.
The ostler presented himself, gazing in unfeigned astonishment2 at the distracted, pale, and bleeding figure before him.
"Where have you put my horse?" said Ashwoode.
"The boy's whisping him down in the back stable, your honour," replied he.
"Have him saddled and bridled3 in three seconds," said Ashwoode, striding before the man towards the place indicated. "I'll make it worth your while. My life—my life depends on it!"
With these words, they entered the stable together, but the horse was not there.
"Confound them, they brought him to the dark stable, I suppose," said the groom, impatiently. "Come along, sir."
"'Sdeath! it will be too late! Quick!—quick, man!—in the fiend's name, be quick!" said Ashwoode, glaring fearfully towards the entrance to the inn-yard.
Their visit to the second stable was not more satisfactory.
"Where the devil's Sir Henry Ashwoode's horse?" inquired the groom, addressing a fellow who was seated on an oat-bin, drumming listlessly with his heels upon its sides, and smoking a pipe the while—"where's the horse?" repeated he.
The man first satisfied his curiosity by a leisurely6 view of Ashwoode's disordered dress and person, and then removed his pipe deliberately7 from his mouth, and spat8 upon the ground.
"Where's Sir Henry's horse?" he repeated. "Why, Jim took him out a quarter of an hour ago, walking down towards the Poddle there. I'm thinking he'll be back soon now."
"Saddle a horse—any horse—only let him be sure and fleet," cried Ashwoode, "and I'll pay you his price thrice over!"
"Well, it's a bargain," replied the groom, promptly9; "I don't like to see a gentleman caught in a hobble, if I can help him out of it. Take my advice, though, and duck your head under the water in the trough there; your face is full of blood and dust, and couldn't but be noticed wherever you went."
While the groom was with marvellous celerity preparing the horse which he selected for the young man's service, Ashwoode, seeing the reasonableness of his advice, ran to the large trough full of water which stood before the pump in the inn-yard; but as he reached it, he perceived the entrance of some four or five persons into the little quadrangle whom, at a glance, he discovered to be constables11.
"That's him—he's our bird! After him!—there he goes!" cried several voices.
Ashwoode sprang up the stairs of the gallery which, as in most old inns, overhung the yard. He ran along it, and rushed into the first passage which opened from it. This he traversed with his utmost speed, and reached a chamber12 door. It was fastened; but hurling13 himself against it with his whole weight, he burst it open, the hoarse14 voices of his pursuers, and their heavy tread, ringing in his ears. He ran directly to the casement15; it looked out upon a narrow by-lane. He strove to open it, that he might leap down upon the pavement, but it resisted his efforts; and, driven to bay, and hearing the steps at the very door of the chamber, he turned about and drew his sword.
"Come, no sparring," cried the foremost, a huge fellow in a great coat, and with a bludgeon in his hand; "give in quietly; you're regularly caged."
As the fellow advanced, Ashwoode met him with a thrust of his sword. The constable10 partly threw it up with his hand, but it entered the fleshy part of his arm, and came out near his shoulder blade.
"Murder! murder!—help! help!" shouted the man, staggering back, while two or three more of his companions thrust themselves in at the door.
Ashwoode had hardly disengaged his sword, when a tremendous blow upon the knuckles16 with a bludgeon dashed it from his grasp, and almost at the same instant, he received a second blow upon the head, which felled him to the ground, insensible, and weltering in blood, the execrations and uproar17 of his assailants still ringing in his ears.
"Lift him on the bed. Pull off his cravat18. By the hoky, he's done for. Devil a kick in him. Open his vest. Are you hurted, Crotty? Get some water and spirits, some of yees, an' a towel. Begorra, we just nicked him. He's an active chap. See, he's opening his mouth and his eyes. Hould him, Teague, for he's the devil's bird. Never mind it, Crotty. Devil a fear of you. Tear open the shirt. Bedad, it was close shaving. Give him a drop iv the brandy. Never a fear of you, old bulldog."
These and such broken sentences from fifty voices filled the little chamber where Ashwoode lay in dull and ghastly insensibility after his recent deadly struggle, while some stuped the wounds of the combatants with spirits and water, and others applied19 the same medicaments to their own interiors, and all talked loud and fast together, as men are apt to do after scenes of excitement.
We need not follow Ashwoode through the dreadful preliminaries which terminated in his trial. In vain did he implore20 an interview with Nicholas Blarden, his relentless21 prosecutor22. It were needless to enter into the evidence for the prosecution23, and that for the defence, together with the points made arguments, and advanced by the opposing counsel; it is enough to know that the case was conducted with much ability on both sides, and that the jury, having deliberated for more than an hour, at length found the verdict which we shall just now state. A baronet in the dock was too novel an exhibition to fail in drawing a full attendance, and the consequence was, that never was known such a crowd of human beings in a compass so small as that which packed the court-house upon this memorable24 occasion.
Throughout the whole proceedings25, Sir Henry Ashwoode, though deadly pale, conducted himself with singular coolness and self-possession, frequently suggesting questions to his counsel, and watching the proceedings apparently26 with a mind as disengaged from every agitating27 consciousness of personal danger as that of any of the indifferent but curious bystanders who looked on. He was handsomely dressed, and in his degraded and awful situation preserved, nevertheless, in his outward mien28 and attire29, the dignity of his rank and former pretensions30. As is invariably the case in Ireland, popular sympathy moved strongly in favour of the prisoner, a feeling of interest which the grace, beauty, and evident youth of the accused, as well as his high rank—for the Irish have ever been an aristocratic race—served much to enhance; and when the case closed, and the jury retired31 after an adverse32 charge from the learned judge, to consider their verdict, perhaps Ashwoode himself would have seemed, to the careless observer, the least interested in the result of all who were assembled in that densely33 crowded place, to hear the final adjudication of the law. Those, however, who watched him more narrowly could observe, in this dreadful interval34, that he raised his handkerchief often to his face, keeping it almost constantly at his mouth to conceal35 the nervous twitching36 of the muscles which he could not control. The eyes of the eager multitude wandered from the prisoner to the jury-box, and thence to the impassive parchment countenance37 of the old ermined effigy38 who presided at the harrowing scene, and not one ventured to speak above his breath. At length, a sound was heard at the door of the jury-box—the jury was returning. A buzz ran through the court, and then the prolonged "hish," enjoining39 silence, while one by one the jurors entered and resumed their places in the box. The verdict was—Guilty.
In reply to the usual interrogatory from the officer of the court, Sir Henry Ashwoode spoke40, and though many there were moved, even to sobs41 and tears, yet his manner had recovered its grace and collectedness, and his voice was unbroken and musical as when it was wont42 to charm all hearers in the gay saloons of fashion, and splendour, and heedless folly43, in other times—when he, blasted and ruined as he stood there, was the admired and courted favourite of the great and gay.
"My lord," said he, "I have nothing to urge which, in the strict requirements of the law, avails to abate44 the solemn sentence which you are about to pronounce—for my life I care not—something is, however, due to my character and the name I bear—a name, my lord, never, never except on this day, never clouded by the shadow of dishonour—a name which will yet, after I am dead and gone, be surely and entirely45 vindicated46; vindicated, my lord, in the entire dispersion of the foul47 imputations and fatal contrivances under which my fame is darkened and my life is taken. Far am I from impeaching48 the verdict that I have just heard. I will not arraign49 the jurymen, nor lay to their charge that I am this day wrongfully condemned50, but to the charge of those who, on that witness table, have sworn my life away—perjurers procured51 for money, whose exposure I leave to time, and whose punishment to God. Knowing that although my body shall ignominiously53 perish, and though my fame be tarnished54 for an hour, yet shall truth and years, with irresistible55 power, bring my innocence56 to light—rescue my character and restore the name I bear. He who stands in the shadow of death, as I do, has little to fear in human censure57, and little to gather from the applause of men. My life is forfeited58, and I must soon go into the presence of my Creator, to receive my everlasting59 doom60; and in presence of that almighty61 and terrible God before whom I must soon stand, and as I look for mercy when He shall judge me, I declare, that of this crime, of which I am pronounced guilty, I am altogether innocent. I am a victim of a conspiracy62, the motives63 of which my defence hath truly showed you. I never committed the crime for which I am to suffer. I repeat that I am innocent, and in witness of the truth of what I say, I appeal to my Maker64 and my Judge, the Eternal and Almighty God."
Having thus spoken, Ashwoode received his sentence, and was forthwith removed to the condemned cell.
Ashwoode had many and influential65 friends, and it required but a small exercise of their good offices to procure52 a reprieve66. He would not suffer himself to despond—no, nor for one moment to doubt his final escape from the fangs67 of justice. He was first reprieved68 for a fortnight, and before that term expired again for six weeks. In the course of the latter term, however, an event occurred which fearfully altered his chances of escape, and filled his mind with the justest and most dreadful apprehensions69. This was the recall of Wharton from the viceroyalty of Ireland.
The new lord-lieutenant could not see, in the case of the young Whig baronet, the same extenuating70 circumstances which had wrought71 so effectually upon his predecessor72, Wharton. The judge who had tried the case refused to recommend the prisoner to the mercy of the Crown; and the viceroy accordingly, in his turn, refused to entertain any application for the commutation or further suspension of his sentence; and now, for the first time, Sir Henry Ashwoode felt the tremendous reality of his situation. The term for which he was reprieved had nearly expired, and he felt that the hours which separated him from the deadly offices of the hangman were numbered. Still, in this dreadful consciousness, there mingled73 some faint and flickering74 ray of hope—by its uncertain mockery rendering75 the terrors of his situation but the more intolerable, and by the sleepless76 agonies of suspense77, unnerving the resolution which he might have otherwise summoned to his aid.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
groom
|
|
| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
bridled
|
|
| 给…套龙头( bridle的过去式和过去分词 )； 控制； 昂首表示轻蔑（或怨忿等）； 动怒，生气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
buckle
|
|
| n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
strap
|
|
| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
leisurely
|
|
| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
deliberately
|
|
| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
spat
|
|
| n.口角，掌击；v.发出呼噜呼噜声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
constable
|
|
| n.(英国)警察，警官 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
constables
|
|
| n.警察( constable的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
chamber
|
|
| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
hurling
|
|
| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hoarse
|
|
| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
casement
|
|
| n.竖铰链窗；窗扉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
knuckles
|
|
| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
uproar
|
|
| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
cravat
|
|
| n.领巾，领结；v.使穿有领结的服装，使结领结 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
applied
|
|
| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
implore
|
|
| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
relentless
|
|
| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
prosecutor
|
|
| n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
prosecution
|
|
| n.起诉，告发，检举，执行，经营 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
memorable
|
|
| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
proceedings
|
|
| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
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： |
|
|
|
|
28
mien
|
|
| n.风采；态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
attire
|
|
| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
pretensions
|
|
| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
retired
|
|
| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
adverse
|
|
| adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
densely
|
|
| ad.密集地；浓厚地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
interval
|
|
| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
twitching
|
|
| n.颤搐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
effigy
|
|
| n.肖像 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
enjoining
|
|
| v.命令( enjoin的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
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： |
|
|
|
|
41
sobs
|
|
| 啜泣（声），呜咽（声）( sob的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
wont
|
|
| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
folly
|
|
| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
abate
|
|
| vi.(风势，疼痛等)减弱，减轻，减退 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
entirely
|
|
| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
vindicated
|
|
| v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
foul
|
|
| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
impeaching
|
|
| v.控告（某人）犯罪( impeach的现在分词 )；弹劾；对（某事物）怀疑；提出异议 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
49
arraign
|
|
| v.提讯；控告 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
condemned
|
|
| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
procured
|
|
| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
procure
|
|
| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
ignominiously
|
|
| adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
tarnished
|
|
| （通常指金属）（使）失去光泽，（使）变灰暗( tarnish的过去式和过去分词 )； 玷污，败坏 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
irresistible
|
|
| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
innocence
|
|
| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
censure
|
|
| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
forfeited
|
|
| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
everlasting
|
|
| adj.永恒的，持久的，无止境的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
doom
|
|
| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
almighty
|
|
| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
conspiracy
|
|
| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
motives
|
|
| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
maker
|
|
| n.制造者，制造商 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
influential
|
|
| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
reprieve
|
|
| n.暂缓执行（死刑）；v.缓期执行；给…带来缓解 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
fangs
|
|
| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
reprieved
|
|
| v.缓期执行（死刑）( reprieve的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
apprehensions
|
|
| 疑惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
extenuating
|
|
| adj.使减轻的，情有可原的v.（用偏袒的辩解或借口）减轻( extenuate的现在分词 )；低估，藐视 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
wrought
|
|
| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
predecessor
|
|
| n.前辈，前任 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
mingled
|
|
| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
flickering
|
|
| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
rendering
|
|
| n.表现，描写 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
sleepless
|
|
| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
77
suspense
|
|
| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |