FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118  
119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   >>   >|  
spectacle of the storm, until an increasing sensation of fatigue reminded me of the desirability of resting while I had the opportunity. I accordingly fixed upon a spot which seemed tolerably free from the eddies of wind which found easy access to the building, and first, by some strange instinct for which I cannot account, concealing the bag in which were the despatches among the wood stacked in the corner, placed my back against the wall, and folding my arms soon dropped off into a deep sleep, lulled thereto by the sound of the pouring rain upon the root. I seemed to have been asleep but a few minutes, when I became conscious of an odour of burning pine; then through my still-closed eyelids I perceived that the hut was lighted up. I heard the crackling sound of the blazing torch, and, as consciousness fully returned, I also heard voices speaking in a low tone in French. "Are you quite certain this is he? Why, he is a mere lad!" I heard a voice exclaim. "Quite sure, noble signor," replied another voice, gruff, harsh, and repellent. "I could see plainly, though the night was dark; I had been watching the approach of the boat, and had been lying so long concealed in the darkest part of the ruins that my eyes had grown thoroughly accustomed to the gloom, so that when I followed this one and the other to the road, it seemed quite light. Moreover, they both passed close to me as I was making my way through the trees towards the road, and I saw their faces distinctly enough to recognise them both again wherever I might meet them. I never forget a face I have once seen," the voice added in a sinister tone. "Umph!" ejaculated the first voice. "I can scarcely credit that the English captain would be fool enough to entrust important despatches to so young an officer. Poor lad! how soundly he sleeps; he must have lost his way and been wandering aimlessly about in the wood. By-the-way, did you hear him say where he had secreted those same despatches?" "No, signor, I did not; but he had a bag with him when he landed, no doubt they are in that." "A bag? What sort of a bag? I see no bag here anywhere. Perhaps--look here, Monsieur Guiseppe, or whatever your name is, I hope you are not playing fast and loose with us. You have not stolen the bag and handed over the despatches to some of your own people, claiming a reward for the safe conveyance of such important documents, eh?" "Stolen? For what does your m
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118  
119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
despatches
 

important

 

signor

 
passed
 

ejaculated

 
making
 

scarcely

 

Moreover

 

captain

 

entrust


English

 
credit
 

forget

 

sinister

 

recognise

 

distinctly

 

stolen

 

handed

 

playing

 
Guiseppe

people

 

Stolen

 
documents
 

reward

 

claiming

 

conveyance

 

Monsieur

 
wandering
 

aimlessly

 
officer

soundly

 

sleeps

 

Perhaps

 

landed

 
secreted
 

repellent

 

folding

 
concealing
 

stacked

 

corner


dropped

 
asleep
 

minutes

 

pouring

 

lulled

 

thereto

 

account

 

resting

 

desirability

 

opportunity