登陆注册
15339300000023

第23章 VII(4)

"And if the result should be different,you will also send me word?""Certainly.But to whom shall I address my message?""I should have thought that since our first meeting you would have found out all about me,and that to tell you my name would be superfluous.But I have no reason to hide it:Maitre Quennebert,notary,Saint-Denis.I will not detain you any longer now,commander;excuse a simple citizen for dictating conditions to a noble such as you.For once chance has been on my side although a score of times it has gone against me.

De Jars made no reply except a nod,and walked away quickly,muttering words of suppressed anger between his teeth at all the--humiliations to which he had been obliged to submit so meekly.

"He's as insolent as a varlet who has no fear of a larruping before his eyes:how the rapscallion gloried in taking advantage of his position!Taking-off his hat while putting his foot on my neck!If ever I can be even with you,my worthy scrivener,you'll pass a very bad quarter of an hour,I can tell you."Everyone has his own idea of what constitutes perfect honour.De Jars,for instance,would have allowed himself to be cut up into little pieces rather than have broken the promise he had given Quennebert a week ago,because it was given in exchange for his life,and the slightest paltering with his word under those circumstances would have been dastardly.But the engagement into which he had just entered had in his eyes no such moral sanction;he had not been forced into it by threats,he had escaped by its means no serious danger,and therefore in regard to it his conscience was much more accommodating.What he should best have liked to do,would have been to have sought out the notary and provoked him by insults to send him a challenge.

That a clown such as that could have any chance of leaving the ground alive never entered his head.But willingly as he would have encompassed his death in this manner,the knowledge that his secret would not die with Quennebert restrained him,for when everything came out he felt that the notary's death would be regarded as an aggravation of his original offence,and in spite of his rank he was not at all certain that if he were put on his trial even now he would escape scot free,much less if a new offence were added to the indictment.So,however much he might chafe against the bit,he felt he must submit to the bridle.

"By God!"said he,"I know what the clodhopper is after;and even if I must suffer in consequence,I shall take good care that he cannot shake off his bonds.Wait a bit!I can play the detective too,and be down on him without letting him see the hand that deals the blows.

It'll be a wonder if I can't find a naked sword to suspend above his head."However,while thus brooding over projects of vengeance,Commander de Jars kept his word,and about a month after the interview above related he sent word to Quennebert that the Chevalier de Moranges had left Perregaud's completely recovered from his wound.But the nearly fatal result of the chevalier's last prank seemed to have subdued his adventurous spirit;he was no longer seen in public,and was soon forgotten by all his acquaintances with the exception of Mademoiselle de Guerchi.She faithfully treasured up the memory of his words of passion,his looks of love,the warmth of his caresses,although at first she struggled hard to chase his image from her heart.But as the Due de Vitry assured her that he had killed him on the spot,she considered it no breach of faith to think lovingly of the dead,and while she took the goods so bounteously provided by her living lover,her gentlest thoughts,her most enduring regrets,were given to one whom she never hoped to see again.

同类推荐
  • Tales of Unrest

    Tales of Unrest

    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。
  • 佛说除一切疾病陀罗尼经

    佛说除一切疾病陀罗尼经

    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。
  • 琴体说

    琴体说

    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。
  • 北魏僧惠生使西域记

    北魏僧惠生使西域记

    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。
  • 俱舍论记

    俱舍论记

    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
  • 后妃乱(1,2)

    后妃乱(1,2)

    莫名其妙的穿越后,她就摇身一变,竟成了已被皇帝打入冷宫的景妃娘娘!处处透着怪异的皇宫,个个都有后台的嫔妃!!为什么每一次见到龙陌,她都是心如刀绞般疼痛?为什么每一次见到龙珞,她都惊慌失措?她与他们,是在前世纠缠么?当她突然离宫,又突然回宫后,那满面绝美的美人,竟将她推入了龙珞的怀抱!那画面美人究竟是谁?
  • 重生之爱情公寓曾小贤

    重生之爱情公寓曾小贤

    这是一个《爱情公寓》与现实世界融合的新世界,重生为《爱情公寓》的贱人曾,灵魂的融合却也让主角染上了贱人曾的“贱格”,但脑海中拥有搜索神器的他怎能甘心一声平淡,和如此多的美女合租而居,他又怎么舍得这么一直二货下去........书友群:390023527,大家如果喜欢可以进来讨论交流一下!
  • 耐得住寂寞的人生更精彩

    耐得住寂寞的人生更精彩

    本书共分六部分,依次为寂寞是守候的宝藏、远离挡不住的诱惑、在平和中悠然生活、坚守是力量的凝聚、在夜晚中看到黎明、成功需要慢慢等待。
  • 惑乱江山:嫡女风华录

    惑乱江山:嫡女风华录

    一身罪孽累白骨!她为扶他坐上皇位机关算尽,却不想漏算他的狼心狗肺,被他一杯毒酒赐死后宫!重生十三岁,母亲安在,她尚未出嫁!这一世,她步步为谋,誓要报仇雪恨,改写前世枉死之命!
  • 弃棋

    弃棋

    人,生而知之,死而无知。我当为弃棋,棋差一招,扭转乾坤。弃子又如何,哪怕千山万仞,噬心灭骨,我也不惧!倒不如闹它个神哭鬼泣!诸天神佛,我又何惧!
  • 王者荣耀之极品队友

    王者荣耀之极品队友

    “天呐!!排位又被坑啦!”无奈地将手机甩到一边,江凌歇斯底里地抱怨道。沉迷王者荣耀这款手游已经1000多场了,可江凌的段位依旧只有白银二,老实说,真的不是他自己太菜,而是队友太坑!!!“要是能每局都能匹配到厉害的队友该多好啊...”大号的胜率已经不能再看,为了能有战队可加和摆脱这诅咒一般的厄运...江凌决定重开新号!今后的运气又将如何?精彩而离奇的故事,正悄然开启...
  • 无双圣道

    无双圣道

    一个热血执拗的少年,一个万年不死的老龟。前者身世迷离,天赋极高,酷爱打抱不平;后者实力高深,偷遍世间宝物,却被封印在一颗小小的珠子中。弱小的他热血好战,敢于担当,小人物却长闹出大风波;强大的它胆小怕事,讨厌麻烦,小小一件事却总想溜之大吉。这一人一龟在一起又会摩擦出怎样的火花呢……
  • 异世界的路途

    异世界的路途

    这里是修炼的世界。修炼等级:修者、修士、修徒、修师、修王、修皇、修帝、修宗、修尊、修罗、神。这里每个人都拥有自己的天生属性,最基本的金木水火土还有天生的毒属性等等等等。。。路途漫漫究竟谁在巅峰。我们拭目。。。
  • 玄言幻天

    玄言幻天

    巨大陨石从天而降,唤醒了地球深处,沉睡千年的妖魔。神话传说中的吸血鬼、狼人、恶魔、妖怪等怪物降临人间。人了文明面临着毁灭的危机!为了保护世界,高中生萧天诚、阴阳师寒雪音、沃斯特拉尔司令萧雪等人、踏上了拯救世界的征途。
  • 如何创办学生小饭桌

    如何创办学生小饭桌

    本书系统介绍了创办学生小饭桌需要注意的事项,对如何经营好学生小饭桌有具体的指导作用。