酷兔英语
    当前位置:
  1. 首页
  2. 文章
  3. 娱乐英语
  4. 原版小说
  5. 正文

Maitre Cornelius-Part9_Honore de Balzac(1799-1850)_Translated Works(翻译文学)-第2页

0 收藏 0 分享 0 赞

章节正文
文章总共2页
in the room the king ordered him to make a new mark with his foot

beside those already existing, and easily convinced him that the



robber of his treasure was no other than himself.

"The pearl necklace is gone!" cried Cornelius. "There is sorcery in



this. I never left my room."

"We'll know all about it now," said the king; the evident truthfulness



of his silversmith making him still more thoughtful.

He immediately sent for the men he had stationed on the watch and



asked:--

"What did you see during the night?"



"Oh, sire!" said the lieutenant, "an amazing sight! Your silversmith

crept down the side of the wall like a cat; so lightly that he seemed



to be a shadow."

"I!" exclaimed Cornelius; after that one word, he remained silent, and



stood stock-still like a man who has lost the use of his limbs.

"Go away, all of you," said the king, addressing the archers, "and



tell Messieurs Conyngham, Coyctier, Bridore, and also Tristan, to

leave their rooms and come here to mine.--You have incurred the



penalty of death," he said to Cornelius, who, happily, did not hear

him. "You have ten murders on your conscience!"



Thereupon Louis XI. gave a silent laugh, and made a pause. Presently,

remarking the strange pallor on the Fleming's face, he added:--



"You need not be uneasy; you are more valuable to bleed than to kill.

You can get out of the claws of MY justice by payment of a good round



sum to my treasury, but if you don't build at least one chapel in

honor of the Virgin, you are likely to find things hot for you



throughout eternity."

"Twelve hundred and thirty, and eighty-seven thousand crowns, make



thirteen hundred and seventeen thousand crowns," replied Cornelius

mechanically, absorbed in his calculations. "Thirteen hundred and



seventeen thousand crowns hidden somewhere!"

"He must have buried them in some hiding-place," muttered the king,



beginning to think the sum royally magnificent. "That was the magnet

that invariably brought him back to Tours. He felt his treasure."



Coyctier entered at this moment. Noticing the attitude of Maitre

Cornelius, he watched him narrowly while the king related the



adventure.

"Sire," replied the physician, "there is nothing supernatural in that.



Your silversmith has the faculty of walking in his sleep. This is the

third case I have seen of that singularmalady. If you would give



yourself the amusement of watching him at such times, you would see

that old man stepping without danger at the very edge of the roof. I



noticed in the two other cases I have already observed, a curious

connection between the actions of that nocturnal existence and the



interests and occupations of their daily life."

"Ah! Maitre Coyctier, you are a wise man."



"I am your physician," replied the other, insolently.

At this answer, Louis XI. made the gesture which was customary with



him when a good idea was presented to his mind; he shoved up his cap

with a hasty motion.



"At such times," continued Coyctier, "persons attend to their business

while asleep. As this man is fond of hoarding, he has simply pursued



his dearest habit. No doubt each of these attacks have come on after a

day in which he has felt some fears about the safety of his treasure."



"Pasques-Dieu! and such treasure!" cried the king.

"Where is it?" asked Cornelius, who, by a singularprovision of



nature, heard the remarks of the king and his physician, while

continuing himself almost torpid with thought and the shock of this



singular misfortune.

"Ha!" cried Coyctier, bursting into a diabolical, coarse laugh,



"somnambulists never remember on their waking what they have done when

asleep."



"Leave us," said the king.

When Louis XI. was alone with his silversmith, he looked at him and



chuckled coldly.

"Messire Hoogworst," he said, with a nod, "all treasures buried in



France belong to the king."

"Yes, sire, all is yours; you are the absolute master of our lives and



fortunes; but, up to this moment, you have only taken what you need."

"Listen to me, old crony; if I help you to recover this treasure, you



can surely, and without fear, agree to divide it with me."

"No, sire, I will not divide it; I will give it all to you, at my



death. But what scheme have you for finding it?"

"I shall watch you myself when you are taking your nocturnal tramps.






文章总共2页
文章标签:翻译  译文  翻译文  

章节正文
Copyright © 2023 Qeto All rights reserved.
商务合作 | 联系我们 | 关于我们 | 版权声明 | 隐私条款 | 如果智培

京ICP备05059198号-1 京公网安备 11011202003401号