shall give you a safe and powerful opiate; for, whatever you do,



you must have rest."

The next day was the longest in Silas's memory; it seemed as if it



would never be done. He denied himself to his friends, and sat in

a corner with his eyes fixed upon the Saratoga trunk in dismal



contemplation. His own former indiscretions were now returned upon

him in kind; for the observatory had been once more opened, and he



was conscious of an almost continual study from Madame Zephyrine's

apartment. So distressing did this become, that he was at last



obliged to block up the spy-hole from his own side; and when he was

thus secured from observation he spent a considerableportion of



his time in contrite tears and prayer.

Late in the evening Dr. Noel entered the room carrying in his hand



a pair of sealed envelopes without address, one somewhat bulky, and

the other so slim as to seem without enclosure.



"Silas," he said, seating himself at the table, "the time has now

come for me to explain my plan for your salvation. To-morrow



morning, at an early hour, Prince Florizel of Bohemia returns to

London, after having diverted himself for a few days with the



Parisian Carnival. It was my fortune, a good while ago, to do

Colonel Geraldine, his Master of the Horse, one of those services,



so common in my profession, which are never forgotten upon either

side. I have no need to explain to you the nature of the



obligation under which he was laid; suffice it to say that I knew

him ready to serve me in any practicable manner. Now, it was



necessary for you to gain London with your trunk unopened. To this

the Custom House seemed to oppose a fatal difficulty; but I



bethought me that the baggage of so considerable a person as the

Prince, is, as a matter of courtesy, passed without examination by



the officers of Custom. I applied to Colonel Geraldine, and

succeeded in obtaining a favourable answer. To-morrow, if you go



before six to the hotel where the Prince lodges, your baggage will

be passed over as a part of his, and you yourself will make the



journey as a member of his suite."

"It seems to me, as you speak, that I have already seen both the



Prince and Colonel Geraldine; I even overheard some of their

conversation the other evening at the Bullier Ball."



"It is probable enough; for the Prince loves to mix with all

societies," replied the Doctor. "Once arrived in London," he



pursued, "your task is nearly ended. In this more bulky envelope I

have given you a letter which I dare not address; but in the other



you will find the designation of the house to which you must carry

it along with your box, which will there be taken from you and not



trouble you any more."

"Alas!" said Silas, "I have every wish to believe you; but how is



it possible? You open up to me a bright prospect, but, I ask you,

is my mind capable of receiving so unlikely a solution? Be more



generous, and let me further understand your meaning."

The Doctor seemed painfully impressed.



"Boy," he answered, "you do not know how hard a thing you ask of

me. But be it so. I am now inured to humiliation; and it would be



strange if I refused you this, after having granted you so much.

Know, then, that although I now make so quiet an appearance -



frugal, solitary, addicted to study - when I was younger, my name

was once a rallying-cry among the most astute and dangerous spirits



of London; and while I was outwardly an object for respect and

consideration, my true power resided in the most secret, terrible,



and criminal relations. It is to one of the persons who then

obeyed me that I now address myself to deliver you from your



burden. They were men of many different nations and dexterities,

all bound together by a formidable oath, and working to the same



purposes; the trade of the association was in murder; and I who

speak to you, innocent as I appear, was the chieftain of this



redoubtable crew."

"What?" cried Silas. "A murderer? And one with whom murder was a



trade? Can I take your hand? Ought I so much as to accept your

• stream [stri:m] n.河 vi.流出；飘扬 (初中英语单词)


• countenance [´kauntinəns] n.面部表情；脸色；面容 (初中英语单词)


• advanced [əd´vɑ:nst] a.先进的；高级的 (初中英语单词)


• hesitate [´heziteit] vi.犹豫，踌躇 (初中英语单词)


• fearful [´fiəfəl] a.可怕的；担心的 (初中英语单词)


• persuade [pə´sweid] v.(被)说服；使相信 (初中英语单词)


• physician [fi´ziʃən] n.(内科)医生 (初中英语单词)


• movement [´mu:vmənt] n.活动；运动；动作 (初中英语单词)


• freely [´fri:li] ad.自由地；慷慨地 (初中英语单词)


• sympathy [´simpəθi] n.同情，怜悯 (初中英语单词)


• horror [´hɔrə] n.恐怖；战栗 (初中英语单词)


• prince [´prins] n.王子；亲王；君主 (初中英语单词)


• altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə] ad.完全；总而言之 (初中英语单词)


• deadly [´dedli] a.致命的 ad.死一般地 (初中英语单词)


• suspect [´sʌspekt, sə´spekt] v.怀疑；觉得 n.嫌疑犯 (初中英语单词)


• curiosity [,kjuəri´ɔsiti] n.好奇；奇事；珍品 (初中英语单词)


• cultivate [´kʌltiveit] vt.耕作；培植；培养 (初中英语单词)


• guilty [´gilti] a.有罪的；心虚的 (初中英语单词)


• portion [´pɔ:ʃən] n.嫁妆；命运 vt.分配 (初中英语单词)


• inquiry [in´kwaiəri] n.询问；质询；调查 (初中英语单词)


• terror [´terə] n.恐怖；惊骇 (初中英语单词)


• accustom [ə´kʌstəm] vt.使习惯于 (初中英语单词)


• scheme [ski:m] n.计划；阴谋，诡计 (初中英语单词)


• constant [´kɔnstənt] a.坚定的；坚贞的 (初中英语单词)


• supposed [sə´pəuzd] a.想象的；假定的 (初中英语单词)


• thoroughly [´θʌrəli] ad.完全地，彻底地 (初中英语单词)


• extreme [ik´stri:m] a.尽头的 n.极端 (初中英语单词)


• anxiety [æŋ´zaiəti] n.挂念；渴望；焦虑的事 (初中英语单词)


• conceive [kən´si:v] v.设想；表达；怀孕 (初中英语单词)


• employment [im´plɔimənt] n.工作；职业；雇用 (初中英语单词)


• contain [kən´tein] v.包含；容纳；抑制 (初中英语单词)


• considerable [kən´sidərəbəl] a.重要的；值得重视 (初中英语单词)


• closet [´klɔzit] n.橱；私室；盥洗室 (初中英语单词)


• conclusion [kən´klu:ʒən] n.结束；结论；推论 (初中英语单词)


• meantime [´mi:ntaim] n.&ad.其间；同时 (初中英语单词)


• whatever [wɔt´evə] pron.&a.无论什么 (初中英语单词)


• conscious [´kɔnʃəs] a.意识的；自觉的 (初中英语单词)


• observation [,ɔbzə´veiʃən] n.观测；注意；意义 (初中英语单词)


• profession [prə´feʃən] n.职业；声明；表白 (初中英语单词)


• examination [ig,zæmi´neiʃən] n.检查；考试；检验 (初中英语单词)


• probable [´prɔbəbəl] a.大概的n.很可能的事 (初中英语单词)


• envelope [´envələup] n.信封，封皮 (初中英语单词)


• prospect [´prɔspekt, prəs´pekt] n.景色；境界 v.勘察 (初中英语单词)


• capable [´keipəbəl] a.有能力；能干的 (初中英语单词)


• solution [sə´lu:ʃən] n.解答；解决；溶解 (初中英语单词)


• criminal [´kriminəl] a.犯罪的 n.罪犯 (初中英语单词)


• working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)


• innocent [´inəsənt] a.无罪的；单纯的 (初中英语单词)


• speculation [,spekju´leiʃən] n.思索，推测；投机 (高中英语单词)


• reporter [ri´pɔ:tə] n.报告人；记者；广播员 (高中英语单词)


• strain [strein] vt.拉紧 vi.拖 n.张力 (高中英语单词)


• endurance [in´djuərəns] n.忍受(耐)；耐力 (高中英语单词)


• destiny [´destini] n.命运 (高中英语单词)


• related [ri´leitid] a.叙述的；有联系的 (高中英语单词)


• seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)


• angrily [´æŋgrili] ad.生气地；愤怒地 (高中英语单词)


• repeated [ri´pi:tid] a.反复的；重复的 (高中英语单词)


• ingenious [in´dʒi:niəs] a.富于创新的；巧妙的 (高中英语单词)


• attraction [ə´trækʃən] n.吸引(力)；引力 (高中英语单词)


• fortunately [´fɔ:tʃənətli] ad.幸运地 (高中英语单词)


• monstrous [´mɔnstrəs] a.怪异的；庞大的 (高中英语单词)


• convenience [kən´vi:niəns] n.方便；适当的机会 (高中英语单词)


• litter [´litə] n.杂乱 v.乱丢 (高中英语单词)


• baggage [´bægidʒ] n.行李 (高中英语单词)


• porter [´pɔ:tə] n.守门人；勤杂工人 (高中英语单词)


• continual [kən´tinjuəl] a.不断的，频繁的 (高中英语单词)


• salvation [sæl´veiʃən] n.救助；拯救 (高中英语单词)


• suffice [sə´fais] vt.使满足 vi.足够 (高中英语单词)


• courtesy [´kə:tisi] n.礼貌；殷勤；好意 (高中英语单词)


• colonel [´kə:nəl] n.海(陆)军上校 (高中英语单词)


• solitary [´sɔlitəri] a.独居的；孤独的 (高中英语单词)


• formidable [´fɔ:midəbəl] a.可怕的；艰难的 (高中英语单词)


• murderer [´mə:dərə] n.杀人犯，凶手 (高中英语单词)


• swollen [´swəulən] swell的过去分词 (英语四级单词)


• nought [nɔ:t] n.=naught (英语四级单词)


• contrivance [kən´traivəns] n.发明，设计(的才能) (英语四级单词)


• recollect [rekə´lekt] v.重新集合；恢复 (英语四级单词)


• cowardly [´kauədli] a.&ad.胆小的(地) (英语四级单词)


• cautious [´kɔ:ʃəs] a.小心的；谨慎的 (英语四级单词)


• composure [kəm´pəuʒə] n.镇静，沉着 (英语四级单词)


• utility [ju:´tiliti] n.有用 a.有各种用途的 (英语四级单词)


• glimmer [´glimə] n.&vi.闪光 (英语四级单词)


• deliverance [di´livərəns] n.援救；获释 (英语四级单词)


• painfully [´peinfuli] ad.痛苦地；费力地 (英语四级单词)


• tremulous [´tremjuləs] a.发抖的；震颤的 (英语六级单词)


• discreet [di´skri:t] a.谨慎的，考虑周到的 (英语六级单词)


• beating [´bi:tiŋ] n.敲；搅打；失败 (英语六级单词)


• backwards [´bækwədz] ad.向后 a.向后的 (英语六级单词)


• weeping [´wi:piŋ] a.&n.哭泣(的) (英语六级单词)


• credulous [´kredjuləs] a.轻信的 (英语六级单词)


• purport [´pə:pɔ:t, -pət] n.意义 vt.意味着 (英语六级单词)


• infamous [´infəməs] a.声名狼藉的 (英语六级单词)


• practicable [´præktikəbəl] a.可实行的；适用的 (英语六级单词)


• coffer [´kɔfə] n.保险箱；资产 (英语六级单词)


• observatory [əb´zə:vətəri] n.天文台；气象台 (英语六级单词)


• applied [ə´plaid] a.实用的，应用的 (英语六级单词)


• unlikely [ʌn´laikli] a.不像的；未必可能的 (英语六级单词)


• humiliation [hju:,mili´eiʃən] n.羞辱，屈辱 (英语六级单词)


• chieftain [´tʃi:ftən] n.(强盗)首领；族长 (英语六级单词)