登陆注册
5230900000048

第48章 ZERO'S TALE OF THE EXPLOSIVE BOMB.(3)

Meanwhile, he was conscious of a strange abstraction from himself; and heard and felt his footfalls on the ground, as those of a very old, small, debile and tragically fortuned man, whom he sincerely pitied.

As he was thus moving forward past the National Gallery, in a medium, it seemed, of greater rarity and quiet than ordinary air, there slipped into his mind the recollection of a certain entry in Whitcomb Street hard by, where he might perhaps lay down his tragic cargo unremarked. Thither, then, he bent his steps, seeming, as he went, to float above the pavement; and there, in the mouth of the entry, he found a man in a sleeved waistcoat, gravely chewing a straw. He passed him by, and twice patrolled the entry, scouting for the barest chance; but the man had faced about and continued to observe him curiously.

Another hope was gone. M'Guire reissued from the entry, still followed by the wondering eyes of the man in the sleeved waistcoat. He once more consulted his watch: there were but fourteen minutes left to him. At that, it seemed as if a sudden, genial heat were spread about his brain; for a second or two, he saw the world as red as blood; and thereafter entered into a complete possession of himself, with an incredible cheerfulness of spirits, prompting him to sing and chuckle as he walked. And yet this mirth seemed to belong to things external; and within, like a black and leaden-heavy kernel, he was conscious of the weight upon his soul.

I care for nobody, no, not I, And nobody cares for me, he sang, and laughed at the appropriate burthen, so that the passengers stared upon him on the street. And still the warmth seemed to increase and to become more genial. What was life? he considered, and what he, M'Guire? What even Erin, our green Erin? All seemed so incalculably little that he smiled as he looked down upon it. He would have given years, had he possessed them, for a glass of spirits; but time failed, and he must deny himself this last indulgence.

At the corner of the Haymarket, he very jauntily hailed a hansom cab; jumped in; bade the fellow drive him to a part of the Embankment, which he named; and as soon as the vehicle was in motion, concealed the bag as completely as he could under the vantage of the apron, and once more drew out his watch. So he rode for five interminable minutes, his heart in his mouth at every jolt, scarce able to possess his terrors, yet fearing to wake the attention of the driver by too obvious a change of plan, and willing, if possible, to leave him time to forget the Gladstone bag.

At length, at the head of some stairs on the Embankment, he hailed; the cab was stopped; and he alighted - with how glad a heart! He thrust his hand into his pocket. All was now over; he had saved his life; nor that alone, but he had engineered a striking act of dynamite; for what could be more pictorial, what more effective, than the explosion of a hansom cab, as it sped rapidly along the streets of London.

He felt in one pocket; then in another. The most crushing seizure of despair descended on his soul; and struck into abject dumbness, he stared upon the driver. He had not one penny.

'Hillo,' said the driver, 'don't seem well.'

'Lost my money,' said M'Guire, in tones so faint and strange that they surprised his hearing.

The man looked through the trap. 'I dessay,' said he:

'you've left your bag.'

M'Guire half unconsciously fetched it out; and looking on that black continent at arm's length, withered inwardly and felt his features sharpen as with mortal sickness.

'This is not mine,' said he. 'Your last fare must have left it. You had better take it to the station.'

'Now look here,' returned the cabman: 'are you off your chump? or am I?'

'Well, then, I'll tell you what,' exclaimed M'Guire; 'you take it for your fare!'

'Oh, I dessay,' replied the driver. 'Anything else? What's IN your bag? Open it, and let me see.'

'No, no,' returned M'Guire. 'Oh no, not that. It's a surprise; it's prepared expressly: a surprise for honest cabmen.'

'No, you don't,' said the man, alighting from his perch, and coming very close to the unhappy patriot. 'You're either going to pay my fare, or get in again and drive to the office.'

It was at this supreme hour of his distress, that M'Guire spied the stout figure of one Godall, a tobacconist of Rupert Street, drawing near along the Embankment. The man was not unknown to him; he had bought of his wares, and heard him quoted for the soul of liberality; and such was now the nearness of his peril, that even at such a straw of hope, he clutched with gratitude.

'Thank God!' he cried. 'Here comes a friend of mine. I'll borrow.' And he dashed to meet the tradesman. 'Sir,' said he, 'Mr. Godall, I have dealt with you - you doubtless know my face - calamities for which I cannot blame myself have overwhelmed me. Oh, sir, for the love of innocence, for the sake of the bonds of humanity, and as you hope for mercy at the throne of grace, lend me two-and-six!'

'I do not recognise your face,' replied Mr. Godall; 'but I remember the cut of your beard, which I have the misfortune to dislike. Here, sir, is a sovereign; which I very willingly advance to you, on the single condition that you shave your chin.'

M'Guire grasped the coin without a word; cast it to the cabman, calling out to him to keep the change; bounded down the steps, flung the bag far forth into the river, and fell headlong after it. He was plucked from a watery grave, it is believed, by the hands of Mr. Godall. Even as he was being hoisted dripping to the shore, a dull and choked explosion shook the solid masonry of the Embankment, and far out in the river a momentary fountain rose and disappeared.

同类推荐
  • 终南家业

    终南家业

    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。
  • 阿惟越致遮经

    阿惟越致遮经

    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。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Persians

    The Persians

    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。
  • 天女散花

    天女散花

    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。
  • Other Things Being Equal

    Other Things Being Equal

    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。
热门推荐
  • 重生之欲凌九霄

    重生之欲凌九霄

    他本是九霄之上最为古老的存在,万界中与他并肩之人无几,他欲追求洪荒之前的众神之路,无奈遭人暗算,成为下位面一世家之子,记忆被尘封的他在梦中逐渐觉醒,看他如何重临九霄,踏上众神之路.....
  • 绿光倾城

    绿光倾城

    世界上最耀眼的光,不是太阳,也不是一颗叫“绿光”的钻石。而是,她的笑容。那是一种很奇怪的感觉。第一次见到她的时候,明明,还不了解,他却有一种,他们总有一天会相爱的预感……一颗价值连城的钻石“绿光”,由国际友人捐赠到国内,入住S市的波西米亚大厦,引发各路盗窃团伙摩拳擦掌跃跃欲试。一个外表花哨肤浅的光头男,找到了一对身世复杂的兄妹,也打起了钻石的主意——但是,目的却是保护这颗意义特殊的“绿光”。由此,一场较量艰难的钻石防守战就此拉开。
  • 童年的秘密

    童年的秘密

    《童年的秘密》揭开了儿童心理发展的神秘面纱,提出了“敏感期”这一极富革命性的理念,即儿童在智力、节奏、运动、人物角色认识和工作等方面的发展拥有一个特殊的敏感期,处于敏感期的孩子会根据“敏感性”的指令,以一种独特的方式从周围的环境中进行吸收和学习。抓住敏感期,将对儿童的发展起到极大的促进作用。同时,本书也对父母教育孩子的方式进行了反思,指出成人应该处于观察者的地位,不要压抑孩子的发展,要学会富有智慧地爱孩子。
  • 废弃王妃弃王爷

    废弃王妃弃王爷

    我也潮了一把,开通了围脖...http://m.wkkk.net/1753154923欢迎大家关注哦~本文公众章节16w字···V部分正文仅需4.5元···不看是你们的损失哦~~~!一次失败的恋情让她选择结束自己的生命,命运的齿轮将她带到了古代。她有了新的身份:流沙国的七公主、和亲到紫鹰国的王妃——沈若离。她是王妃,亦是名存实亡的废弃王妃。她决定为自己好好的再活一次.王爷?我还不稀罕呢!重生后,一切都改变了,她不再是那个对他爱得死去活来的人儿,弱水三千只取一瓢的爱情观,会让她做怎样的选择?被伤害得遍体鳞伤后才不经意的发现,一直以来他对她的伤害,是源于不得已的苦衷,他的爱,太过沉重,不言放弃的执着却深深打动着她......温柔的他出现了,在知晓了她的身份后对她付出了全心全意的爱,他是第一个想要珍惜她的人,面对他的温柔攻势,她会为之倾倒么他是一个邪魅的男子,似乎埋藏着太多的秘密,一直将对她的爱深深的藏在心中,当有一日一切被揭开时,她该如何抉择曾经让她爱的遍体鳞伤的楚律···对重生后的她痴心一片的楚岩···儿时便深深将她印入骨髓的雨澈···究竟谁才是陪伴她余生的那个人···谁都不是谁的谁,谁离了谁都不会活不下去。世界上的爱情究竟有不有先来后到?爱情的结局,究竟应该如何~~********************************************************插播广告:溪开新坑了···09巨献!且看现代版灰姑娘曲折的爱情故事(虐身虐心)总裁的弃妻“宇轩,其实从头到尾,你都没有爱过我,对不对?”“我这辈子做的最错的决定,就是和你结婚。”“你就这么讨厌我?”“是!我不想再看到你,看到你,只会让我厌恶!”“原来你真的不爱我,一点也不爱!宇轩,如果我走了,就再也不会回来了,你真的,这么狠心?”*“可馨,别离开我,没有你在身边,我会怕!”“傻瓜,我就在你身边,不是么?”“只有在你面前,我才会这么没有自信,我总会害怕有一天你忽然发现自己再也不需要我了.”*她只不过是个很普通的女人,只是希望能有一份简单的幸福,可往往事与愿违。曾经一直坚持的爱,原来只不过是自己的一厢情愿;遍体鳞伤后,她决定离开.心碎了,究竟还能不能再爱?痛彻心扉后,那人才悔不当初,可她,还会原谅么?一个,是她曾用全力去爱过的他;
  • 雨清秋容倦

    雨清秋容倦

    故事发生在抗日战争时期,不安世事的小狐狸清越复生在,全家死于日本人的沈清越身上,就在她也要死在日本人的刺刀下时,她遇到了,自己的命定之人,一个,难以忘怀,却以忘记的人,水川秋容……
  • 思维决定创意:23种获得绝佳创意的思考法

    思维决定创意:23种获得绝佳创意的思考法

    创意对每个人来说都是至关重要的。倘若你希望自己的人生丰富多彩、充满乐趣,那么你就要始终保持自由的创意思维,不断地寻找创意。事实证明,有创意的人生才能充满活力、充满快乐。本书旨在为读者揭开创意的神秘面纱,做读者思考创意的好帮手。本书主要分为3个部分,首先为读者介绍什么是真正的创意,然后介绍了捕捉灵感的5个秘诀,最后介绍了激发创意的8个法则。倘若你希望自己的人生更有乐趣,想要了解创意及其产生的过程,那么本书将会是你最佳的选择!
  • 大金王朝:卷二·降龙的骑士

    大金王朝:卷二·降龙的骑士

    本书将金降辽伏宋的历史苍劲地铺展开来,描绘了雄霸北中国近200年的辽帝国如何步入末途,以及空想利国却无实力支撑的宋朝的悲剧之源。在三足鼎立这一平衡打破之后,从赵匡胤黄袍加身开始,崇尚重文轻武、奢靡享乐的宋帝国是崛起于铁血竞争的乱世之中,还是在“娱乐至死”中越陷越深,在“降龙的骑士”中可以窥其一斑。张觉叛变、阿骨打猝死、宋徽宗君臣之言而无信、李师师柔情侠骨、萧莫娜殉情、天祚帝被俘而辽灭,种种情节再现了国家生于忧患死于安乐这一哲理。书中每一行每一页都可以看到阳谋的风骨,奋发惕励的光明,也可以看到醉生梦死,信义缺失,腐化堕落的黑暗,光暗对比,大气磅礴、跌宕起伏,引人深思。
  • 医女倾国

    医女倾国

    她是丞相府中不起眼的庶女,生性懦弱,被自己的爹当做一颗棋子送入皇宫当皇后,又因其他妃子的争风吃醋,被她只见一面就倾心的皇上打入冷宫。她是二十一世纪医术高超的医生,仁心仁术,却被失去理智的病人家属开车撞死,灵魂飘入异世,重生在只有美貌的燕国皇朝冷宫皇后身上。看着家徒四壁的冷宫,凌墨嘴角噙着冷笑,心里却在疯狂流泪,要是她知道自己学医的最终下场是在医院门口被人开车撞死,她一定会连医院的门都不踏进半分的,可是现在的当务之急是,到底要怎样才能离开冷宫这个鬼地方!终于离开,她过上了逍遥自在的生活,每天在医馆医治病人,而更多的时候是化身为男子每天乐的逍遥。什么都不知道的她本想就这样平淡的过完一生,却被卷入一个又一个麻烦之中。因为医术高超被召进皇宫?好吧,她可是好不容易才逃出去的,怎么可能回去?却因迟走了一步被皇宫来的人包围,没办法,还是易容吧,女儿身怎么办?不用慌,办成男子就是了。可是要不要这么惊险,要上战场啊。医者父母心,不忍心看着战场上的生命一个一个消失,她上战场救伤兵,却悲催的被敌军俘获。什么?敌军的太子竟然看上了她,要她做太子妃,有没有搞错,她可是个‘男’的。另一边,冷血皇上在她被抓走后,每日辗转反侧,不能入眠,以前她都是睡在龙塌之下,没有她每日的嬉笑,他觉得好像失去了什么东西一样。偶遇巫族皇子,被预言成可兴亡天下的圣女,从此展开了六国之间的争斗,连巫族皇子也要来插一脚。拜托,这天下管她什么事,她可是中华人民共和国的子民。翻了翻白眼,她气定神闲的走入一个又一个皇宫。那些妒妇还想陷害她,微微一笑,皇帝皇子大手一挥,陷害她的女人统统遭受酷刑,被逐出皇宫。在追逐与被追逐之间,到底会发生一些什么样的有趣事情呢?她始终在逃,他们也跟着追。最终,还是他俘获了她的心,让她成为世上最尊贵的女子,一起看江山的秀丽。
  • 中华营养百味:学生营养菜

    中华营养百味:学生营养菜

    《学生营养菜》全书以精美的实物照片和详细的文字说明向读者介绍了各式各样有关学生营养餐的制作方法。读者只需按图索骥就一定能制作出精美的菜肴。本书内容丰富,图文并茂,通俗易懂,不仅可供您在日常生活中使用,还可作为各类餐厅、饭店以及烹饪学校的参考教材。
  • 楚先生的甜宠娇妻

    楚先生的甜宠娇妻

    许安然一朝失足,嫁给了楚先生,从此开始了夜夜笙歌。婚后日子,人前楚先生把她宠得一塌糊涂,人后坐拥着神秘组织,拥有不为人知的身份。不久,楚先生对她的身份保持怀疑,她决定,躲!逃跑途中,得知当年楚先生入狱另有隐情......某日“老公,最近有谣言说你喜欢我!”“嗯!我澄清一下,这不是谣言!”“老公,我好像胖了。”“怪不得,你在我心中的分量越来越重!”最近,楚先生的土味情话有点儿撩。她说:我只会书写故事的开头他说:我陪你走到故事的结尾