stories by modern american authors-第52节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



had　proposed　to　shoot　rather　than　to　strangle　his　victim。　　My

terror　made　me　at　once　mute　and　motionless。　　He　continued；　〃I

leagued　to　murder　you。　　I　repent。　　Mark　my　bidding；　and　be　safe。

Avoid　this　spot。　　The　snares　of　death　encompass　it。　　Elsewhere

danger　will　be　distant；　but　this　spot；　shun　it　as　you　value　your

life。　　Mark　me　further：　profit　by　this　warning；　but　divulge　it　not。

If　a　syllable　of　what　has　passed　escape　you；　your　doom　is　sealed。

Remember　your　father；　and　be　faithful。〃



Here　the　accents　ceased；　and　left　me　overwhelmed　with　dismay。　　I

was　fraught　with　the　persuasion　that　during　every　moment　I　remained

here　my　life　was　endangered；　but　I　could　not　take　a　step　without

hazard　of　falling　to　the　bottom　of　the　precipice。　　The　path　leading

to　the　summit　was　short；　but　rugged　and　intricate。　　Even　starlight

was　excluded　by　the　umbrage；　and　not　the　faintest　gleam　was

afforded　to　guide　my　steps。　　What　should　I　do？　　To　depart　or　remain

was　equally　and　eminently　perilous。



In　this　state　of　uncertainty；　I　perceived　a　ray　flit　across　the

gloom　and　disappear。　　Another　succeeded；　which　was　stronger；　and

remained　for　a　passing　moment。　　It　glittered　on　the　shrubs　that

were　scattered　at　the　entrance；　and　gleam　continued　to　succeed

gleam　for　a　few　seconds；　till　they　finally　gave　place　to

unintermitted　darkness。



The　first　visitings　of　this　light　called　up　a　train　of　horrors　in

my　mind；　destruction　impended　over　this　spot；　the　voice　which　I　had

lately　heard　had　warned　me　to　retire；　and　had　menaced　me　with　the

fate　of　my　father　if　I　refused。　　I　was　desirous；　but　unable　to

obey；　these　gleams　were　such　as　preluded　the　stroke　by　which　he

fell；　the　hour；　perhaps；　was　the　same。　　I　shuddered　as　if　I　had

beheld　suspended　over　me　the　exterminating　sword。



Presently　a　new　and　stronger　illumination　burst　through　the　lattice

on　the　right　hand；　and　a　voice　from　the　edge　of　the　precipice　above

called　out　my　name。　　It　was　Pleyel。　　Joyfully　did　I　recognize　his

accents；　but　such　was　the　tumult　of　my　thoughts　that　I　had　not

power　to　answer　him　till　he　had　frequently　repeated　his　summons。　　I

hurried　at　length　from　the　fatal　spot；　and；　directed　by　the　lantern

which　he　bore；　ascended　the　hill。



Pale　and　breathless；　it　was　with　difficulty　I　could　support　myself。

He　anxiously　inquired　into　the　cause　of　my　affright　and　the　motive

of　my　unusual　absence。　　He　had　returned　from　my　brother's　at　a　late

hour；　and　was　informed　by　Judith　that　I　had　walked　out　before

sunset　and　had　not　yet　returned。　　This　intelligence　was　somewhat

alarming。　　He　waited　some　time；　but；　my　absence　continuing；　he　had

set　out　in　search　of　me。　　He　had　explored　the　neighborhood　with　the

utmost　care；　but；　receiving　no　tidings　of　me；　he　was　preparing　to

acquaint　my　brother　with　this　circumstance；　when　he　recollected　the

summer…house　on　the　bank；　and　conceived　it　possible　that　some

accident　had　detained　me　there。　　He　again　inquired　into　the　cause

of　this　detention；　and　of　that　confusion　and　dismay　which　my　looks

testified。



I　told　him　that　I　had　strolled　hither　in　the　afternoon；　that　sleep

had　overtaken　me　as　I　sat；　and　that　I　had　awakened　a　few　minutes

before　his　arrival。　　I　could　tell　him　no　more。　　In　the　present

impetuosity　of　my　thoughts；　I　was　almost　dubious　whether　the　pit

into　which　my　brother　had　endeavored　to　entice　me；　and　the　voice

that　talked　through　the　lattice；　were　not　parts　of　the　same　dream。

I　remembered；　likewise；　the　charge　of　secrecy；　and　the　penalty

denounced　if　I　should　rashly　divulge　what　I　had　heard。　　For　these

reasons　I　was　silent　on　that　subject；　and；　shutting　myself　in　my

chamber；　delivered　myself　up　to　contemplation。



What　I　have　related　will；　no　doubt；　appear　to　you　a　fable。　　You

will　believe　that　calamity　has　subverted　my　reason；　and　that　I　am

amusing　you　with　the　chimeras　of　my　brain　instead　of　facts　that

have　really　happened。　　I　shall　not　be　surprised　or　offended　if

these　be　your　suspicions。　　I　know　not；　indeed；　how　you　can　deny

them　admission。　　For；　if　to　me；　the　immediate　witness；　they　were

fertile　of　perplexity　and　doubt；　how　must　they　affect　another　to

whom　they　are　recommended　only　by　my　testimony？　　It　was　only　by

subsequent　events　that　I　was　fully　and　incontestably　assured　of　the

veracity　of　my　senses。



Meanwhile；　what　was　I　to　think？　　I　had　been　assured　that　a　design

had　been　formed　against　my　life。　　The　ruffians　had　leagued　to

murder　me。　　Whom　had　I　offended？　　Who　was　there；　with　whom　I　had

ever　maintained　intercourse；　who　was　capable　of　harboring　such

atrocious　purposes？



My　temper　was　the　reverse　of　cruel　and　imperious。　　My　heart　was

touched　with　sympathy　for　the　children　of　misfortune。　　But　this

sympathy　was　not　a　barren　sentiment。　　My　purse；　scanty　as　it　was；

was　ever　open；　and　my　hands　ever　active；　to　relieve　distress。　　Many

were　the　wretches　whom　my　personal　exertions　had　extricated　from

want　and　disease；　and　who　rewarded　me　with　their　gratitude。　　There

was　no　face　which　lowered　at　my　approach；　and　no　lips　which　uttered

imprecations　in　my　hearing。　　On　the　contrary；　there　was　none；　over

whose　fate　I　had　exerted　any　influence　or　to　whom　I　was　known　by

reputation；　who　did　not　greet　me　with　smiles　and　dismiss　me　with

proofs　of　veneration：　yet　did　not　my　senses　assure　me　that　a　plot

was　laid　against　my　life？



I　am　not　destitute　of　courage。　　I　have　shown　myself　deliberative

and　calm　in　the　midst　of　peril。　　I　have　hazarded　my　own　life　for

the　preservation　of　another；　but　now　was　I　confused　and　panic…

struck。　　I　have　not　lived　so　as　to　fear　death；　yet　to　perish　by　an

unseen　and　secret　stroke；　to　be　mangled　by　the　knife　of　an

assassin；　was　a　thought　at　which　I　shuddered：　what　had　I　done　to

deserve　to　be　made　the　victim　of　malignant　passions？



But　soft！　was　I　not　assured　that　my　life　was　safe　in　all　places　but

one？　　And　why　was　the　treason　limited　to　take　effect　in　this　spot？

I　was　everywhere　equally　defenseless。　　My　house　and　chamber　were　at

all　times　accessible。　　Danger　still　impended　over　me；　the　bloody

purpose　was　still　entertained；　but　the　hand　that　was　to　execute　it

was　powerless　in　all　places　but　one！



Here　I　had　remained　for　the　last　four　or　five　hours；　without　the

means　of　resistance　or　defense；　yet　I　had　not　been　attacked。　　A

human　being　was　at　hand；　who　was　conscious　of　my　presence；　and

warned　me　hereafter　to　avoid　this　retreat。　　His　voice　was　not

absolutely　new；　but　had　I　never　heard　it　but　once　before？　　But　why

did　he　prohibit　me　from　relating　this　incident　to　others；　and　what

species　of　death　will　be　awarded　if　I　disobey？



Such　were　the　reflections　that　haunted　me　during　the　night；　and

which　effectually　deprived　me　of　sleep。　　Next　morning；　at

breakfast；　Pleyel　related　an　event　which　my　disappearance　had

hindered　him　from　mentioning　the　night　before。　　Early　the　preceding

morning；　his　occasions　called　him　to　the　city：　he　had　stepped　into

a　coffee…house　to　while　away　an　hour；　here　he　had　met　a　person

whose　appearance　instantly　bespoke　him　to　be　the　same　whose　hasty

visit　I　have　mentioned；　and　whose　extraordinary　visage　and　tones

had　so　powerfully　affected　me。　　On　an　attentive　survey；　however；　he

proved；　likewise；　to　be　one　with　whom　my　friend　had　had　some

intercourse　in　Europe。　　This　authorized　the　liberty　of　accosting

him；　and　after　some　conversation；　mindful；　as　Pleyel　said；　of　the

footing　which　this　stranger　had　gained　in　my　heart；　he　had　ventured

to　invite　him　to　Mettingen。　　The　invitation　had　been　cheerfully

accepted；　and　a　visit　promised　on　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day。



This　information　excited　no　sober　emotions　in　my　breast。　　I　was；　of

course；　eager　to　be　informed　as　to　the　circumstances　of　their

ancient　intercourse。　　When　and　where　had　they　met？　　What　knew　he　of

the　life　and　character　of　this　man？



In　answer　to　my　inquiries；　he　informed　me　that；　three　years　before；

he　was　a　traveler　in　Spain。　　He　had　made　an　excursion　from　Valencia

to　Murviedro；　with　a　view　to　inspect　the　remains　of　Roman

magnificence　scattered　in　the　environs　of　that　town。　　While

traversing　the　site　of　the　theater　of　old　Saguntum；　he　alighted

upon　this　man；　seated　on　a　stone；　and　deeply　engaged　in　perusing

the　work　of　the　deacon　Marti。　　A　short　conversation　ensued；　which

proved　the　stranger　to　be　English。　　They　returned　to　Valencia

together。



His　garb；　aspect；　and　deportment　were　wholly　Spanish。　　A　residence

of　three　years　in　the　country；　indefatigable　attention　to　the

language；　and　a　studious　conformity　with　the　customs　of　the　people；

had　made　him　indistinguishable　from　a　native　when　he　chose　to

assume　that　character。　　Pleyel　found　him　to　be　connected；　on　the

footing　of　friendship　and　respect；　with　many　eminent　merchants　in

that　city。　　He　had　embraced　the　Catholic　religion；　and　adopted　a

Spanish　name　instead　of　his　own；　which　was　CARWIN；　and　devoted

himself　to　the　literature　and　religion　of　his　new　country。　　He