登陆注册
20043700000008

第8章 CHAPTER III(3)

Four persons only stood before the altar--the bride and bridegroom and their two witnesses. One of these last was an elderly woman, who might have been the Countess's companion or maid; the other was undoubtedly her brother, Baron Rivar. The bridal party (the bride herself included) wore their ordinary morning costume.

Lord Montbarry, personally viewed, was a middle-aged military man of the ordinary type: nothing in the least remarkable distinguished him either in face or figure. Baron Rivar, again, in his way was another conventional representative of another well-known type.

One sees his finely-pointed moustache, his bold eyes, his crisply-curling hair, and his dashing carriage of the head, repeated hundreds of times over on the Boulevards of Paris.

The only noteworthy point about him was of the negative sort--he was not in the least like his sister. Even the officiating priest was only a harmless, humble-looking old man, who went through his duties resignedly, and felt visible rheumatic difficulties every time he bent his knees. The one remarkable person, the Countess herself, only raised her veil at the beginning of the ceremony, and presented nothing in her plain dress that was worth a second look. Never, on the face of it, was there a less interesting and less romantic marriage than this. From time to time the Doctor glanced round at the door or up at the galleries, vaguely anticipating the appearance of some protesting stranger, in possession of some terrible secret, commissioned to forbid the progress of the service. Nothing in the shape of an event occurred--nothing extraordinary, nothing dramatic. Bound fast together as man and wife, the two disappeared, followed by their witnesses, to sign the registers; and still Doctor Wybrow waited, and still he cherished the obstinate hope that something worth seeing must certainly happen yet.

The interval passed, and the married couple, returning to the church, walked together down the nave to the door. Doctor Wybrow drew back as they approached. To his confusion and surprise, the Countess discovered him. He heard her say to her husband, 'One moment; I see a friend.' Lord Montbarry bowed and waited.

She stepped up to the Doctor, took his hand, and wrung it hard.

He felt her overpowering black eyes looking at him through her veil. 'One step more, you see, on the way to the end!'

She whispered those strange words, and returned to her husband.

Before the Doctor could recover himself and follow her, Lord and Lady Montbarry had stepped into their carriage, and had driven away.

Outside the church door stood the three or four members of the club who, like Doctor Wybrow, had watched the ceremony out of curiosity.

Near them was the bride's brother, waiting alone. He was evidently bent on seeing the man whom his sister had spoken to, in broad daylight.

His bold eyes rested on the Doctor's face, with a momentary flash of suspicion in them. The cloud suddenly cleared away; the Baron smiled with charming courtesy, lifted his hat to his sister's friend, and walked off.

The members constituted themselves into a club conclave on the church steps. They began with the Baron. 'Damned ill-looking rascal!'

They went on with Montbarry. 'Is he going to take that horrid woman with him to Ireland?' 'Not he! he can't face the tenantry;they know about Agnes Lockwood.' 'Well, but where is he going?'

'To Scotland.' 'Does she like that?' 'It's only for a fortnight;they come back to London, and go abroad.' 'And they will never return to England, eh?' 'Who can tell? Did you see how she looked at Montbarry, when she had to lift her veil at the beginning of the service?

In his place, I should have bolted. Did you see her, Doctor?'

By this time, Doctor Wybrow had remembered his patients, and had heard enough of the club gossip. He followed the example of Baron Rivar, and walked off.

'One step more, you see, on the way to the end,' he repeated to himself, on his way home. 'What end?'

同类推荐
  • The Lifted Veil

    The Lifted Veil

    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。
  • 观心玄枢

    观心玄枢

    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。
  • 察病指南

    察病指南

    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。
  • 明伦汇编官常典行人司部

    明伦汇编官常典行人司部

    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。
  • 佛说菩萨睒子经

    佛说菩萨睒子经

    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。
热门推荐
  • 三国之反贼

    三国之反贼

    刘银穿越了,可是无奈成了一名黄巾小兵。成了反贼该怎么在三国这个乱世生存?你们既然称我为反贼,那我就一反到底吧!钱财粮食没有怎么办?抢!名将谋士没有怎么办?抢!美女地盘没有怎么办?抢!书友群:94999332保证完本!放心收藏!
  • 雪之汐

    雪之汐

    他玩世不恭,对她矢志不渝;他温文儒雅,对她倾其一生;他冷酷严峻,对她默默守护……两个时空,她肩负着巨大的使命,面对错综复杂的感情,她该何去何从?
  • 杀尽乾坤

    杀尽乾坤

    天南储君燕恒,因叛乱被迫逃进幽冥血海,机缘巧合之下,竟成为了修罗教的教主!从此,一个逆天强者的传奇,开始了!
  • 情剑仙劫

    情剑仙劫

    灵剑在手,神弓在身,为完成师之使命重返星原世界,他奋力修炼,惊世的情缘在灭魔的决战中,慢慢弥漫……看被朋友戏谑的少年,从高空一跃而下,以为命丧湖面,却被异界绝世高手收为爱徒,他的人生从此如何巨变……
  • 不争宠的王妃

    不争宠的王妃

    如果在路上遇见你老公领着别的女人你会怎么做?打老公打小三?还是一哭二闹三上吊?本文女主不哭不闹而是笑,你若背叛我,我就笑着祝福你,这远远比你哭闹还要狠。重活一世:不是不爱,是不会爱,因为心门早已不知如何打开,“你不知如何打开那我就撬开”某爷自信说道,“那就麻烦等你撬开那天在说吧”某女淡定回道.
  • 妃你莫属:王爷请娶我

    妃你莫属:王爷请娶我

    他是王爷了怎么了,只要她喜欢,他就得娶她,什么公主什么圣女,她都不要管,因为爱上了,谁也不能来阻止,哪怕是父王母后,哪怕是王公大臣,哪怕是三纲五常,只要她喜欢就够了,只要他答应就够了,爱是两个人的事,就算真的到了那个时候,她会嫁的,但那人必须是…
  • 柳传志的领导智慧

    柳传志的领导智慧

    每个著名企业家都有其独步天下的“秘技”,这也是其耀眼的闪光点。柳传志从创办联想开始,即以其卓越的领导力,为联想人乃至整个企业界所称道。
  • 不朽魔尊

    不朽魔尊

    天荒大陆降魔尊者,只因仙府出世,引起兄弟背叛,被偷袭修为几乎尽失,为报仇无奈之下修炼绝世魔功,一统魔道;大仇得报之时,也引起其他正道势力猜忌,这一世我不再容忍,管你是地狱还是仙道,统统都要臣服!横行霸道任我行,仙魔两道我对独尊!
  • 都市超级纨绔

    都市超级纨绔

    从前有个系统,赚取到的胜点可以兑换很多的好东西。比如口香糖:吹出来的泡泡不仅可以防御,还可以困敌。比如电风扇:可以发出飓风吹飞敌人。比如镜子:可以反弹伤害。诸如此类等等等等,得到这个系统的苏小寻表示幸福来得太快,很有想尿尿的感觉呀。
  • 水果

    水果

    我们可以轻易的创造出生命,但是我们并没有剥夺他们的权利。