登陆注册
5168500000009

第9章

laughing at times, and answering me when I speak, instead of being so much engrossed with your own talk.Yes, yes, my little ladies! you seem to have had famous secrets together these last two days--so, much the better, if it amuses you."

The sisters colored, and exchanged a subdued smile, which contrasted with the tears that yet filled their eyes, and Rose said to the soldier, with a little embarrassment."No, I assure you, Dagobert, we talk of nothing in particular."

"Well, well; I don't wish to know it.Come, rest yourselves, a few moments more, and then we must start again; for it grows late, and we have to reach Mockern before night, so that we may be early on the road to-morrow."

"Have we still a long, long way to go?" asked Rose.

"What, to reach Paris? Yes, my children; some hundred days' march.We don't travel quick, but we get on; and we travel cheap, because we have a light purse.A closet for you, a straw mattress and a blanket at your door for me, with Spoil-sport on my feet, and a clean litter for old Jovial, these are our whole traveling expenses.I say nothing about food, because you two together don't eat more than a mouse, and I have learnt in Egypt and Spain to be hungry only when it suits."

"Not forgetting that, to save still more, you do all the cooking for us, and will not even let us assist."

"And to think, good Dagobert, that you wash almost every evening at our resting-place.As if it were not for us to--"

"You!" said the soldier, interrupting Blanche, "I, allow you to chap your pretty little hands in soap-suds! Pooh! don't a soldier on a campaign always wash his own linen? Clumsy as you see me, I was the best washerwoman in my squadron--and what a hand at ironing! Not to make a brag of it."

"Yes, yes--you can iron well--very well."

"Only sometimes, there will be a little singe," said Rose, smiling.

"Hah! when the iron is too hot.Zounds! I may bring it as near my cheek as I please; my skin is so tough that I don't feel the heat," said Dagobert, with imperturbable gravity.

"We are only jesting, good Dagobert!"

"Then, children, if you think that I know my trade as a washerwoman, let me continue to have your custom: it is cheaper; and, on a journey, poor people like us should save where we can, for we must, at all events, keep enough to reach Paris.Once there, our papers and the medal you wear will do the rest--I hope so, at least."

"This medal is sacred to us; mother gave it to us on her death-bed."

"Therefore, take great care that you do not lose it: see, from time to time, that you have it safe."

"Here it is," said Blanche, as she drew from her bosom a small bronze medal, which she wore suspended from her neck by a chain of the same material.The medal bore on its faces the following inscriptions:

Victim of L.C.D.J.

Pray for me!

Paris February the, 13th, 1682.

At Paris.

Rue Saint Francois, No.3, In a century and a half you will be.

February the 13th, 1832.

PRAY FOR ME!

"What does it mean, Dagobert?" resumed Blanche, as she examined the mournful inscriptions."Mother was not able to tell us."

"We will discuss all that this evening; at the place where we sleep,"

answered Dagobert."It grows late, let us be moving.Put up the medal carefully, and away!--We have yet nearly an hour's march to arrive at quarters.Come, my poor pets, once more look at the mound where your brave father fell--and then--to horse! to horse!"

The orphans gave a last pious glance at the spot which had recalled to their guide such painful recollections, and, with his aid, remounted Jovial.

This venerable animal had not for one moment dreamed of moving; but, with the consummate forethought of a veteran, he had made the best use of his time, by taking from that foreign soil a large contribution of green and tender grass, before the somewhat envious eyes of Spoil-sport, who had comfortably established himself in the meadow, with his snout protruding between his fore-paws.On the signal of departure, the dog resumed his post behind his master, and Dagobert, trying the ground with the end of his long staff, led the horse carefully along by the bridle, for the meadow was growing more and more marshy; indeed, after advancing a few steps, he was obliged to turn off to the left, in order to regain the high-road.

On reaching Mockern, Dagobert asked for the least expensive inn, and was told there was only one in the village--the White Falcon.

"Let us go then to the White Falcon," observed the soldier.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 法制故事

    法制故事

    无数事实、经验和理性已经证明:好故事可以影响人的一生。而以我们之见,所谓好故事,在内容上讲述的应是做人与处世的道理,在形式上也应听得进、记得住、讲得出、传得开,而且不会因时代的变迁而失去她的本质特征和艺术光彩。为了让更多的读者走进好故事,阅读好故事,欣赏好故事,珍藏好故事,传播好故事,我们特编选了一套“故事会5元精品系列”以飨之。其选择标准主要有以下三点:一、在《故事会》杂志上发表的作品。二、有过目不忘的艺术感染力。三、有恒久的趣味,对今天的读者仍有启迪作用。愿好故事伴随你的一生!
  • 丫头别跑:腹黑少爷宠入怀

    丫头别跑:腹黑少爷宠入怀

    【重生丫头&腹黑酷少】冷离笙从来没有想过,她还会认识擎止箫。遇见他以后,她开始重生之旅,思绪一阵错乱之后,擎止箫就出现在面前,对她霸道地说着:“从现在开始我们就是邻居了,我就住在你家对面。”冷离笙被吓得眼镜都掉了,却依然故作沉静地叉腰控诉道:“你……你不要吓唬我!我可不是吓大的!”而擎止箫紧接着说的,还真是让人瞠目结舌,“我见过你的学生证了,你就是厦大的!”冷离笙冷着一张脸转眼间煞白,住在酷少对面会有什么样的结果?重生丫头也不是那么好惹的!两个人还真是应了一句话,狭路相逢是冤家……
  • 茵为爱:女追男大逆转

    茵为爱:女追男大逆转

    懵懂淘气的小女子周成茵,初中还没毕业就暗恋上了表哥老婆的表弟,大自己五岁的杨帆,这段既不是近亲,也不是禁断的爱,潜伏十年后终见天日。表白当晚,皓月当空,寒风刺骨,英俊潇洒的杨帆温柔地削断了成茵的情思,让成茵从兴奋的云端直接掉到了冰冷的河里——明明是自己不小心,却被扬帆误以为是自杀……情场难淡定,职场当劳模。成茵一门心思事业爱情双丰收,寻回尊严,报仇雪恨。殊不知,那命运的推手又开始东扯西拽了……
  • 悍妻来袭:抢个相公来压寨

    悍妻来袭:抢个相公来压寨

    唐夭夭家里是山贼,她自从被逼婚后的人生目标就是抢个压寨相公回家生孩子。当她第一眼见到秦淮,脑子里冒出来的就是,没错就是他了,他就是我未来的相公。“秦淮,你娶我好不好啊!”唐夭夭一脸痴迷的看着秦淮。可秦淮一脸嫌弃的答道:“不好。”唐夭夭:“你不娶我也可以,那就换我娶你。”秦淮:“………”很久以后,秦淮看着一脸花痴的唐夭夭看着其他男子,整个人都要气的爆炸了。这个女人说好的只喜欢他一个人呢?怎么转头就去看别的男人了去了。秦淮忍无可忍,直接上前一把将唐夭夭扛起带走。
  • 恋上你的平凡

    恋上你的平凡

    张凯林:我只是一个普通的男人,老实巴交,没有雄厚的家庭背景。赚不了大钱,还带着一个女儿,只要一个贴心的老婆就可以了,要求太高的美女们自动绕路吧。卓晓菊:你个没用的男人,一辈子就只能当个小厨师。胆小怕事的死男人,你为什么要救我?你给我听好了,男人,我要定你了!两个家世都简单的男女,年龄相差甚大,男人做的一手好菜,女人偏爱美食。男人憨厚老实,女人从一开始的瞧不起,到最后的倒追。一场老土的英雄救美,却演出了一段不一样的感情。
  • 渔娘

    渔娘

    掉魂当傻子多年,尝尽艰辛。一朝魂魄归来,小渔娘背靠大海来发家。吹笛异能御兽有方,天灾人祸极品一锅端。只是人家召唤的是野兽,这个热血男儿是从哪里冒出来的?——————————————————————各位亲们,新文元旦要上架,下个月请大家帮忙留一下月票,先谢谢大家了!
  • 仙道隐名

    仙道隐名

    少年猪脚初登场就弄死了一只大猛虎,哦不是,是差点被大猛虎弄死,肯定是差点咯,要不然就是本书完了。别人家的灵宠都是威武雄壮,但猪脚的灵宠骇人听闻了,咳咳,是无语到想吐槽,就一只蚊子和一只蚂蚁,这样就敢闯荡仙侠界了?作者是认真的吗?肯定不是认真的,因为还有一只吃货兼话痨的肉球,居然敢自称“朕”的胖球,还有谁!还有一土法吗?外加一条不知道怎么形容大大大的鲸鱼,一个大铁锅,绝对装不下那种。女主吗?必须是有的。后宫吗?谁知道作者是怎么想的了,都一千多章了,还是钢铁直男!千言万语不如移步书中一观。
  • 归元直指集

    归元直指集

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 逆天明尊

    逆天明尊

    一个平凡的少年,遭受背弃,受尽嘲讽,誓要崛起,无意间找到一卷低级功法,便开始了修炼。少年没有令人羡慕的天赋,但却有惊人的修炼速度。强大的高级功法算什么?强大的法宝又算什么?凌傲天凭着惊人的速度和力量,一路过关斩将,人界、仙界、神界闻风丧胆!
  • 旧年的血迹

    旧年的血迹

    本书是第五届茅盾文学奖获得者阿来的作品集。收录老房子、奔马似的白色群山、环山的雪光、寐、旧年的血迹、生命、远方的地平线等小说。 当十年前的文学新星丛书收录阿来的这部小说集时,人们还不能真正体会这些描写阿坝藏族历史和现实生活小说的真谛,可随着他长篇小说《尘埃落定》的获奖,他早期的这些小说便透露出真正的艺术价值:那摇摇欲坠的"老房子"不正是土司制度衰微的缩影吗?那一步一趋的朝拜队伍不正是藏族寻求精神家园的写照吗?阿来正是从这本书开始起走向中国文学圣殿的。