登陆注册
19599500000047

第47章 Volume 2(11)

I was too much appalled to move at once from the window,but I did so soon enough to avoid his eye.He was looking fixedly into the narrow quadrangle upon which the window opened.I shrank back unperceived,to pass the rest of the day in terror and despair.I went to my room early that night,but I was too miserable to sleep.

At about twelve o'clock,feeling very nervous,I determined to call my cousin Emily,who slept,you will remember,in the next room,which communicated with mine by a second door.By this private entrance I found my way into her chamber,and without difficulty persuaded her to return to my room and sleep with me.

We accordingly lay down together,she undressed,and I with my clothes on,for Iwas every moment walking up and down the room,and felt too nervous and miserable to think of rest or comfort.

Emily was soon fast asleep,and I lay awake,fervently longing for the first pale gleam of morning,reckoning every stroke of the old clock with an impatience which made every hour appear like six.

It must have been about one o'clock when I thought I heard a slight noise at the partition-door between Emily's room and mine,as if caused by somebody's turning the key in the lock.I held my breath,and the same sound was repeated at the second door of my room--that which opened upon the lobby--the sound was here distinctly caused by the revolution of the bolt in the lock,and it was followed by a slight pressure upon the door itself,as if to ascertain the security of the lock.

The person,whoever it might be,was probably satisfied,for I heard the old boards of the lobby creak and strain,as if under the weight of somebody moving cautiously over them.My sense of hearing became unnaturally,almost painfully acute.I suppose the imagination added distinctness to sounds vague in themselves.

I thought that I could actually hear the breathing of the person who was slowly returning down the lobby.At the head of the staircase there appeared to occur a pause;and I could distinctly hear two or three sentences hastily whispered;the steps then descended the stairs with apparently less caution.I now ventured to walk quickly and lightly to the lobby-door,and attempted to open it;it was indeed fast locked upon the outside,as was also the other.

I now felt that the dreadful hour was come;but one desperate expedient remained--it was to awaken Emily,and by our united strength to attempt to force the partition-door,which was slighter than the other,and through this to pass to the lower part of the house,whence it might be possible to escape to the grounds,and forth to the village.

I returned to the bedside and shook Emily,but in vain.Nothing that I could do availed to produce from her more than a few incoherent words--it was a death-like sleep.She had certainly drank of some narcotic,as had I probably also,spite of all the caution with which I had examined everything presented to us to eat or drink.

I now attempted,with as little noise as possible,to force first one door,then the other--but all in vain.I believe no strength could have effected my object,for both doors opened inwards.I therefore collected whatever movables I could carry thither,and piled them against the doors,so as to assist me in whatever attempts Ishould make to resist the entrance of those without.I then returned to the bed and endeavoured again,but fruitlessly,to awaken my cousin.It was not sleep,it was torpor,lethargy,death.I knelt down and prayed with an agony of earnestness;and then seating myself upon the bed,I awaited my fate with a kind of terrible tranquillity.

I heard a faint clanking sound from the narrow court which I have already mentioned,as if caused by the scraping of some iron instrument against stones or rubbish.I at first determined not to disturb the calmness which I now felt,by uselessly watching the proceedings of those who sought my life;but as the sounds continued,the horrible curiosity which Ifelt overcame every other emotion,and I determined,at all hazards,to gratify it.

I therefore crawled upon my knees to the window,so as to let the smallest portion of my head appear above the sill.

The moon was shining with an uncertain radiance upon the antique grey buildings,and obliquely upon the narrow court beneath,one side of which was therefore clearly illuminated,while the other was lost in obscurity,the sharp outlines of the old gables,with their nodding clusters of ivy,being at first alone visible.

Whoever or whatever occasioned the noise which had excited my curiosity,was concealed under the shadow of the dark side of the quadrangle.I placed my hand over my eyes to shade them from the moonlight,which was so bright as to be almost dazzling,and,peering into the darkness,I first dimly,but afterwards gradually,almost with full distinctness,beheld the form of a man engaged in digging what appeared to be a rude hole close under the wall.Some implements,probably a shovel and pickaxe,lay beside him,and to these he every now and then applied himself as the nature of the ground required.He pursued his task rapidly,and with as little noise as possible.

'So,'thought I,as,shovelful after shovel- ful,the dislodged rubbish mounted into a heap,'they are digging the grave in which,before two hours pass,I must lie,a cold,mangled corpse.I am THEIRS--I cannot escape.'

I felt as if my reason was leaving me.

I started to my feet,and in mere despair I applied myself again to each of the two doors alternately.I strained every nerve and sinew,but I might as well have attempted,with my single strength,to force the building itself from its foundation.Ithrew myself madly upon the ground,and clasped my hands over my eyes as if to shut out the horrible images which crowded upon me.

同类推荐
  • On the Heavens

    On the Heavens

    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。
  • 农桑衣食撮要

    农桑衣食撮要

    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。
  • 太上洞玄灵宝投简符文要诀

    太上洞玄灵宝投简符文要诀

    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。
  • Characteristics

    Characteristics

    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。
  • 赠米都知

    赠米都知

    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。
热门推荐
  • 魔契:萌萌女巫师

    魔契:萌萌女巫师

    地球被毁灭了无数人类被抓走,开始被惨无人道的对待,沦为一场阴谋下的牺牲品。地球人真的会乖乖听话,会束以待毙吗?撮进来,和地球人一起打败他们,将他们踩在脚底……本文女主是一个被现实世界逼得精分的人一面,她天真善良,希望保护身边一切关心她的人另一面,她恶毒狠辣,每一个欺她,辱,她之人必千百倍还之……本文小虐+溺宠+女皇养成+奇幻旅程
  • 染指不良丑妻  (大结局)

    染指不良丑妻 (大结局)

    (公告:每天凌晨保证更新!如果更新的章节没有显示,请大家在网址的地方novel后面加上阿拉伯数字2试试看。如:http://novel2.hongxiu.com/a/109012/)他,唐君尧,唐氏集团新任总裁,一个35岁的钻石王老五。回国后的一场商业聚会,居然让他老妈捡到了一个10岁的孙子,也就是他的儿子……他可以对天发誓,自己绝对不会让女人育他的种。什么,给自己生个儿子的女人,居然是这么个丑女?她,沈倩怡,业内首席设计师,一个32岁的单身女人。身材偏胖,生性迷糊,但是十年前一场精心策划,他偷了一个男人的种,这恐怕是她这一辈子做的最对的一件事。在父母的威逼利诱下,不得已他决定跟她结婚,可是在婚礼前,这个小猪丑女居然敢逃婚?唐君尧怒火中烧,发誓一定要把这个不知天高地厚的丑女抓回来,居然不懂得珍惜他这个钻石王老五,简直是没眼光啊……来了什么都可以不做,但是不能不收藏,请相信你的收藏有绝对的魔力,一个举手之劳给我一个辛勤创作的希望(×__×)嘻嘻……群号:86508375________________________________________________《残花败柳系列》第一部之《恋童:残花债幼妻》云霏霏风风火火地赶往小朋友薛灵儿的家,16岁的她清纯可人,绑着一根马尾,身上洋溢着少女的活力,可是今天她不是去玩的,她要去救她的小朋友。没错,她是圣母福利院的义工,哇靠,那个薛灵儿无良的老爹,居然欠了高利贷一屁股债,现在竟然还想把女儿卖了抵债,这都什么社会了,居然还有这样的老爹。云霏霏锄强扶弱的豪情壮志立马被激起了,背上自己的挎包就往人家那里赶,她不但要打醒那无良的老爹,还要把那个方高利贷的骂道狗血淋头,简直没人性。——————————————————————————这个女人,小胳膊小腿的,居然敢把他的人打了,真当他放高利贷的好欺负啊。花月翎大手一挥:“来人啊,就拿这女人抵债吧,把她洗干净送到我房间去。”云霏霏大骂一声:“……啊呸,你这朵烂喇叭花……”花月翎眉角弯弯,邪恶的说:“我有恋童癖……”云霏霏两眼一翻,直接漂亮的晕倒。,~~~~~————————————————————————欢迎亲亲砸花,收藏加推荐~~~
  • 世界最具推理性的侦破故事(4)

    世界最具推理性的侦破故事(4)

    我的课外第一本书——震撼心灵阅读之旅经典文库,《阅读文库》编委会编。通过各种形式的故事和语言,讲述我们在成长中需要的知识。
  • 阴山鬼魅之冰棺女尸

    阴山鬼魅之冰棺女尸

    一次意外的贪婪盗墓之旅,一群人意外的触动了机关,竟然让一群恶鬼从地狱里召唤了出来。镇压凶尸的四大凶兽在几近传说中,逐渐成为现实,剧毒蜘蛛,孤魂野鬼,人皮面具,冰棺女尸,荒漠孤魂,南海蝴蝶等等一系列出现的东西都无不提示着一群倒霉的盗墓贼的意外危险之旅。(全文免费,欢迎收藏)
  • 我们这样活着

    我们这样活着

    毕业五年,在这残酷的社会中,我们就这样活着。
  • 创荡九界

    创荡九界

    看主角如何手持鸿蒙器在人间界修真界仙界鬼界魔界妖界神界混沌界等八大界闯下赫赫威名
  • 中兴间气集

    中兴间气集

    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。
  • 校园美少女的穿越:龙之狂想

    校园美少女的穿越:龙之狂想

    女校超美型的校园王子凌南倩,因为好友介绍的一个游戏,和计算机专门为她打造的小不点龙到虚拟世界去比赛,竟然出乎意料的触动藏在地底的六芒魔法阵,传送到另一个世界?到另一个世界也就算了,多了一个便宜爷爷她也不在意,但她明明就是个女儿身...
  • 幽默笑话

    幽默笑话

    令人捧腹的幽默,打破不可抗拒的笑点;结合经典的笑话,让人回味无穷。是笑话,又不只是笑话,快来一起欢乐吧!
  • 缱绻与决绝

    缱绻与决绝

    缱绻与决绝,是赵德发的“农民三部曲”之一,也是他的代表作。本部小说正是以土地的变迁为背景,展现了农民求生存、求发展的艰难历程。 小说从1972年沂蒙山区天牛庙村首富宁学祥的长女乡乡正欲出嫁写起。