He Falls Upon Scylla, Seeking to Avoid Charybdis.
Fathom1, whose own principles taught him to be suspicious, and ever upon his guard against the treachery of his fellow-creatures, could have dispensed2 with this instance of her care, in confining her guest to her chamber3, and began to be seized with strange fancies, when he observed that there was no bolt on the inside of the door, by which he might secure himself from intrusion. In consequence of these suggestions, he proposed to take an accurate survey of every object in the apartment, and, in the course of his inquiry4, had the mortification5 to find the dead body of a man, still warm, who had been lately stabbed, and concealed6 beneath several bundles of straw.
Such a discovery could not fail to fill the breast of our hero with unspeakable horror; for he concluded that he himself would undergo the same fate before morning, without the interposition of a miracle in his favour. In the first transports of his dread7, he ran to the window, with a view to escape by that outlet8, and found his flight effectually obstructed9 by divers10 strong bars of iron. Then his heart began to palpitate, his hair to bristle11 up, and his knees to totter12; his thoughts teemed13 with presages14 of death and destruction; his conscience rose up in judgment15 against him, and he underwent a severe paroxysm of dismay and distraction16. His spirits were agitated17 into a state of fermentation that produced a species of resolution akin18 to that which is inspired by brandy or other strong liquors, and, by an impulse that seemed supernatural, he was immediately hurried into measures for his own preservation20.
What upon a less interesting occasion his imagination durst not propose, he now executed without scruple21 or remorse22. He undressed the corpse23 that lay bleeding among the straw, and, conveying it to the bed in his arms, deposited it in the attitude of a person who sleeps at his ease; then he extinguished the light, took possession of the place from whence the body had been removed, and, holding a pistol ready cocked in each hand, waited for the sequel with that determined24 purpose which is often the immediate19 production of despair. About midnight he heard the sound of feet ascending25 the ladder; the door was softly opened; he saw the shadow of two men stalking towards the bed, a dark lanthorn being unshrouded, directed their aim to the supposed sleeper26, and he that held it thrust a poniard to his heart; the force of the blow made a compression on the chest, and a sort of groan27 issued from the windpipe of the defunct28; the stroke was repeated, without producing a repetition of the note, so that the assassins concluded the work was effectually done, and retired29 for the present with a design to return and rifle the deceased at their leisure.
Never had our hero spent a moment in such agony as he felt during this operation; the whole surface of his body was covered with a cold sweat, and his nerves were relaxed with an universal palsy. In short, he remained in a trance that, in all probability, contributed to his safety; for, had he retained the use of his senses, he might have been discovered by the transports of his fear. The first use he made of his retrieved30 recollection, was to perceive that the assassins had left the door open in their retreat; and he would have instantly availed himself of this their neglect, by sallying out upon them, at the hazard of his life, had he not been restrained by a conversation he overheard in the room below, importing, that the ruffians were going to set out upon another expedition, in hopes of finding more prey31. They accordingly departed, after having laid strong injunctions upon the old woman to keep the door fast locked during their absence; and Ferdinand took his resolution without farther delay. So soon as, by his conjecture32, the robbers were at a sufficient distance from the house, he rose from his lurking-place, moved softly towards the bed, and, rummaging33 the pockets of the deceased, found a purse well stored with ducats, of which, together with a silver watch and a diamond ring, he immediately possessed34 himself without scruple; then, descending35 with great care and circumspection36 into the lower apartment, stood before the old beldame, before she had the least intimation of his approach.
Accustomed as she was to the trade of blood, the hoary37 hag did not behold38 this apparition39 without giving signs of infinite terror and astonishment40, believing it was no other than the spirit of her second guest, who had been murdered; she fell upon her knees and began to recommend herself to the protection of the saints, crossing herself with as much devotion as if she had been entitled to the particular care and attention of Heaven. Nor did her anxiety abate41, when she was undeceived in this her supposition, and understood it was no phantom42, but the real substance of the stranger, who, without staying to upbraid43 her with the enormity of her crimes, commanded her, on pain of immediate death, to produce his horse, to which being conducted, he set her upon the saddle without delay, and, mounting behind, invested her with the management of the reins44, swearing, in a most peremptory45 tone, that the only chance she had for her life, was in directing him safely to the next town; and that, so soon as she should give him the least cause to doubt her fidelity46 in the performance of that task, he would on the instant act the part of her executioner.
This declaration had its effect upon the withered47 Hecate, who, with many supplications for mercy and forgiveness, promised to guide him in safety to a certain village at the distance of two leagues, where he might lodge48 in security, and be provided with a fresh horse, or other convenience, for pursuing his intended route. On these conditions he told her she might deserve his clemency49; and they accordingly took their departure together, she being placed astride upon the saddle, holding the bridle50 in one hand and a switch in the other; and our adventurer sitting on the crupper, superintending her conduct, and keeping the muzzle51 of a pistol close at her ear. In this equipage they travelled across part of the same wood in which his guide had forsaken52 him; and it is not to be supposed that he passed his time in the most agreeable reverie, while he found himself involved in the labyrinth53 of those shades, which he considered as the haunts of robbery and assassination54.
Common fear was a comfortable sensation to what he felt in this excursion. The first steps he had taken for his preservation were the effects of mere55 instinct, while his faculties56 were extinguished or suppressed by despair; but now, as his reflection began to recur57, he was haunted by the most intolerable apprehensions58. Every whisper of the wind through the thickets59 was swelled60 into the hoarse61 menaces of murder, the shaking of the boughs62 was construed63 into the brandishing64 of poniards, and every shadow of a tree became the apparition of a ruffian eager for blood. In short, at each of these occurrences he felt what was infinitely65 more tormenting66 than the stab of a real dagger67; and at every fresh fillip of his fear, he acted as a remembrancer to his conductress, in a new volley of imprecations, importing, that her life was absolutely connected with his opinion of his own safety.
Human nature could not longer subsist68 under such complicated terror. At last he found himself clear of the forest, and was blessed with the distant view of an inhabited place. He then began to exercise his thoughts upon a new subject. He debated with himself, whether he should make a parade of his intrepidity69 and public spirit, by disclosing his achievement, and surrendering his guide to the penalty of the law; or leave the old hag and her accomplices70 to the remorse of their own consciences, and proceed quietly on his journey to Paris in undisturbed possession of the prize he had already obtained. This last step he determined to take, upon recollecting71, that, in the course of his information, the story of the murdered stranger would infallibly attract the attention of justice, and, in that case, the effects he had borrowed from the defunct must be refunded72 for the benefit of those who had a right to the succession. This was an argument which our adventurer could not resist; he foresaw that he should be stripped of his acquisition, which he looked upon as the fair fruits of his valour and sagacity; and, moreover, be detained as an evidence against the robbers, to the manifest detriment73 of his affairs. Perhaps too he had motives74 of conscience, that dissuaded75 him from bearing witness against a set of people whose principles did not much differ from his own.
Influenced by such considerations, he yielded to the first importunity76 of the beldame, whom he dismissed at a very small distance from the village, after he had earnestly exhorted77 her to quit such an atrocious course of life, and atone78 for her past crimes, by sacrificing her associates to the demands of justice. She did not fail to vow79 a perfect reformation, and to prostrate80 herself before him for the favour she had found; then she betook herself to her habitation, with full purpose of advising her fellow-murderers to repair with all despatch81 to the village, and impeach82 our hero, who, wisely distrusting her professions, stayed no longer in the place than to hire a guide for the next stage, which brought him to the city of Chalons-sur-Marne.
1 fathom | |
v.领悟,彻底了解 | |
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2 dispensed | |
v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 );施与;配(药) | |
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3 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
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4 inquiry | |
n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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5 mortification | |
n.耻辱,屈辱 | |
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6 concealed | |
a.隐藏的,隐蔽的 | |
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7 dread | |
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧 | |
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8 outlet | |
n.出口/路;销路;批发商店;通风口;发泄 | |
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9 obstructed | |
阻塞( obstruct的过去式和过去分词 ); 堵塞; 阻碍; 阻止 | |
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10 divers | |
adj.不同的;种种的 | |
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11 bristle | |
v.(毛发)直立,气势汹汹,发怒;n.硬毛发 | |
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12 totter | |
v.蹒跚, 摇摇欲坠;n.蹒跚的步子 | |
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13 teemed | |
v.充满( teem的过去式和过去分词 );到处都是;(指水、雨等)暴降;倾注 | |
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14 presages | |
v.预示,预兆( presage的第三人称单数 ) | |
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15 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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16 distraction | |
n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐 | |
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17 agitated | |
adj.被鼓动的,不安的 | |
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18 akin | |
adj.同族的,类似的 | |
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19 immediate | |
adj.立即的;直接的,最接近的;紧靠的 | |
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20 preservation | |
n.保护,维护,保存,保留,保持 | |
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21 scruple | |
n./v.顾忌,迟疑 | |
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22 remorse | |
n.痛恨,悔恨,自责 | |
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23 corpse | |
n.尸体,死尸 | |
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24 determined | |
adj.坚定的;有决心的 | |
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25 ascending | |
adj.上升的,向上的 | |
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26 sleeper | |
n.睡眠者,卧车,卧铺 | |
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27 groan | |
vi./n.呻吟,抱怨;(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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28 defunct | |
adj.死亡的;已倒闭的 | |
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29 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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30 retrieved | |
v.取回( retrieve的过去式和过去分词 );恢复;寻回;检索(储存的信息) | |
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31 prey | |
n.被掠食者,牺牲者,掠食;v.捕食,掠夺,折磨 | |
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32 conjecture | |
n./v.推测,猜测 | |
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33 rummaging | |
翻找,搜寻( rummage的现在分词 ); 海关检查 | |
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34 possessed | |
adj.疯狂的;拥有的,占有的 | |
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35 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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36 circumspection | |
n.细心,慎重 | |
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37 hoary | |
adj.古老的;鬓发斑白的 | |
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38 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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39 apparition | |
n.幽灵,神奇的现象 | |
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40 astonishment | |
n.惊奇,惊异 | |
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41 abate | |
vi.(风势,疼痛等)减弱,减轻,减退 | |
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42 phantom | |
n.幻影,虚位,幽灵;adj.错觉的,幻影的,幽灵的 | |
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43 upbraid | |
v.斥责,责骂,责备 | |
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44 reins | |
感情,激情; 缰( rein的名词复数 ); 控制手段; 掌管; (成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的)保护带 | |
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45 peremptory | |
adj.紧急的,专横的,断然的 | |
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46 fidelity | |
n.忠诚,忠实;精确 | |
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47 withered | |
adj. 枯萎的,干瘪的,(人身体的部分器官)因病萎缩的或未发育良好的 动词wither的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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48 lodge | |
v.临时住宿,寄宿,寄存,容纳;n.传达室,小旅馆 | |
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49 clemency | |
n.温和,仁慈,宽厚 | |
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50 bridle | |
n.笼头,束缚;vt.抑制,约束;动怒 | |
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51 muzzle | |
n.鼻口部;口套;枪(炮)口;vt.使缄默 | |
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52 Forsaken | |
adj. 被遗忘的, 被抛弃的 动词forsake的过去分词 | |
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53 labyrinth | |
n.迷宫;难解的事物;迷路 | |
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54 assassination | |
n.暗杀;暗杀事件 | |
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55 mere | |
adj.纯粹的;仅仅,只不过 | |
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56 faculties | |
n.能力( faculty的名词复数 );全体教职员;技巧;院 | |
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57 recur | |
vi.复发,重现,再发生 | |
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58 apprehensions | |
疑惧 | |
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59 thickets | |
n.灌木丛( thicket的名词复数 );丛状物 | |
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60 swelled | |
增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 ); 肿胀; (使)凸出; 充满(激情) | |
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61 hoarse | |
adj.嘶哑的,沙哑的 | |
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62 boughs | |
大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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63 construed | |
v.解释(陈述、行为等)( construe的过去式和过去分词 );翻译,作句法分析 | |
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64 brandishing | |
v.挥舞( brandish的现在分词 );炫耀 | |
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65 infinitely | |
adv.无限地,无穷地 | |
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66 tormenting | |
使痛苦的,使苦恼的 | |
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67 dagger | |
n.匕首,短剑,剑号 | |
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68 subsist | |
vi.生存,存在,供养 | |
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69 intrepidity | |
n.大胆,刚勇;大胆的行为 | |
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70 accomplices | |
从犯,帮凶,同谋( accomplice的名词复数 ) | |
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71 recollecting | |
v.记起,想起( recollect的现在分词 ) | |
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72 refunded | |
v.归还,退还( refund的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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73 detriment | |
n.损害;损害物,造成损害的根源 | |
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74 motives | |
n.动机,目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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75 dissuaded | |
劝(某人)勿做某事,劝阻( dissuade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76 importunity | |
n.硬要,强求 | |
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77 exhorted | |
v.劝告,劝说( exhort的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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78 atone | |
v.赎罪,补偿 | |
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79 vow | |
n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓 | |
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80 prostrate | |
v.拜倒,平卧,衰竭;adj.拜倒的,平卧的,衰竭的 | |
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81 despatch | |
n./v.(dispatch)派遣;发送;n.急件;新闻报道 | |
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82 impeach | |
v.弹劾;检举 | |
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