condensed novels(儿抹弌傍)-及10嫗
梓囚徒貧圭�鮗� ○ 賜 ★ 辛酔堀貧和鍬匈��梓囚徒貧議 Enter 囚辛指欺云慕朕村匈��梓囚徒貧圭�鮗� ● 辛指欺云匈競何��
!!!!隆堋響頼��紗秘慕禰厮宴和肝写偬堋響��
;This match�察─�said the Lady Selina�察 �is connected with a mine beneath
the western tower�察�where my three children are confined�察�another branch
of it lies under the parish church�察�where the record of my first marriage is
kept。 I have only to light this match and the whole of my past life is swept
away� ─�she approached the match with a lighted candle。
But a hand was laid upon her arm�察�and with a shriek the Lady Selina
fell on her knees before the spectre of Sir Guy。
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CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER II。
;Forbear�察�Selina�察─�said the phantom in a hollow voice。
;Why should I forbear�拭─�responded Selina haughtily�察�as she recovered
her courage。 ;You know the secret of our race�拭─�
;I do。 Understand me��I do not object to the eccentricities of your
youth。 I know the fearful destiny which�察�pursuing you�察�led you to poison
your sister and drown your lady's´maid。 I know the awful doom which I
have brought upon this house� �But if you make way with these children;
;Well�察─�said the Lady Selina�察�hastily。
;They will haunt you� ─�
;Well�察�I fear them not�察─�said Selina�察�drawing her superb figure to its
full height。
;Yes�察 �but�察 �my dear child�察 �what place are they to haunt�拭 �The ruin is
sacred to your uncle's spirit。 Your aunt monopolizes the park�察�and�察�I must
be allowed to state�察�not unfrequently trespasses upon the grounds of others。
The horse´pond is frequented by the spirit of your maid�察 �and your
murdered sister walks these corridors。 To be plain�察 �there is no room at
Sloperton Grange for another ghost。 I cannot have them in my room��for
you know I don't like children。 Think of this�察�rash girl�察�and forbear� �Would
you�察�Selina�察─�said the phantom�察�mournfully�察�would you force your great´
grandfather's spirit to take lodgings elsewhere�拭─�
Lady Selina's hand trembled�察�the lighted candle fell from her nerveless
fingers。
;No�察─�she cried passionately�察 �never� ─�and fell fainting to the floor。
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CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER III
Edgardo galloped rapidly towards Sloperton。 When the outline of the
Grange had faded away in the darkness�察�he reined his magnificent steed
beside the ruins of Guy's Keep。
;It wants but a few minutes of the hour�察─�he said�察�consulting his watch
by the light of the moon。 ;He dare not break his word。 He will come。; He
paused�察�and peered anxiously into the darkness。 ;But come what may�察�she
is mine�察─�he continued�察�as his thoughts reverted fondly to the fair lady he
had quitted。 ;Yet if she knew all。 If she knew that I were a disgraced and
ruined man��a felon and an outcast。 If she knew that at the age of fourteen
I murdered my Latin tutor and forged my uncle's will。 If she knew that I
had three wives already�察 �and that the fourth victim of misplaced
confidence and my unfortunate peculiarity is expected to be at Sloperton
by to´night's train with her baby。 But no�察�she must not know it。 Constance
must not arrive。 Burke the Slogger must attend to that。
;Ha� �here he is� �Well�拭─�
These words were addressed to a ruffian in a slouched hat�察 �who
suddenly appeared from Guy's Keep。
;I be's here�察�measter�察─�said the villain�察�with a disgracefully low accent
and complete disregard of grammatical rules。
;It is well。 Listen�此�I'm in possession of facts that will send you to the
gallows。 I know of the murder of Bill Smithers�察�the robbery of the tollgate´
keeper�察�and the making away of the youngest daughter of Sir Reginald de
Walton。 A word from me�察�and the officers of justice are on your track。;
Burke the Slogger trembled。
;Hark ye� �serve my purpose�察�and I may yet save you。 The 5。30 train
from Clapham will be due at Sloperton at 9。25。 IT MUST NOT ARRIVE� ─�
The villain's eyes sparkled as he nodded at Edgardo。
;Enough��you understand�察�leave me� ─�
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CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER IV。
About half a mile from Sloperton Station the South Clapham and
Medway line crossed a bridge over Sloperton´on´Trent。 As the shades of
evening were closing�察 �a man in a slouched hat might have been seen
carrying a saw and axe under his arm�察 �hanging about the bridge。 From
time to time he disappeared in the shadow of its abutments�察�but the sound
of a saw and axe still betrayed his vicinity。 At exactly nine o'clock he
reappeared�察�and�察�crossing to the Sloperton side�察�rested his shoulder against
the abutment and gave a shove。 The bridge swayed a moment�察�and then
fell with a splash into the water�察 �leaving a space of one hundred feet
between the two banks。 This done�察�Burke the Slogger��for it was he��with
a fiendish chuckle seated himself on the divided railway track and awaited
the coming of the train。
A shriek from the woods announced its approach。 For an instant Burke
the Slogger saw the glaring of a red lamp。 The ground trembled。 The train
was going with fearful rapidity。 Another second and it had reached the
bank。 Burke the Slogger uttered a fiendish laugh。 But the next moment the
train leaped across the chasm�察�striking the rails exactly even�察�and�察�dashing
out the life of Burke the Slogger�察�sped away to Sloperton。
The first object that greeted Edgardo�察�as he rode up to the station on
the arrival of the train�察�was the body of Burke the Slogger hanging on the
cow´catcher�察�the second was the face of his deserted wife looking from the
windows of a second´class carriage。
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CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER V。
A nameless terror seemed to have taken possession of Clarissa�察�Lady
Selina's maid�察�as she rushed into the presence of her mistress。
;O my lady�察�such news� ─�
;Explain yourself�察─�said her mistress�察�rising。
;An accident has happened on the railway�察�and a man has been killed。;
;Whatnot Edgardo� ─�almost screamed Selina。
;No�察�Burke the Slogger� ─�your ladyship。
;My first husband� ─ �said Lady Selina�察 �sinking on her knees。 ;Just
Heaven�察�I thank thee� ─�
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CONDENSED NOVELS
CHAPTER VI。
The morning of the seventeenth dawned brightly over Sloperton。 ;A
fine day for the wedding�察─ �said the sexton to Swipes�察 �the butler of
Sloperton Grange。 The aged retainer shook his head sadly。 ;Alas� �there's
no trusting in signs� ─�he continued。 ;Seventy´five years ago�察�on a day like
this�察 �my young mistress; But he was cut short by the appearance of a
stranger。
;I would see Sir Edgardo�察─�said the new´comer�察�impatiently。
The bridegroom�察 �who�察 �with the rest of the wedding´train�察 �was about
stepping into the carriage to proceed to the parish church�察 �drew the
stranger aside。
;It's done� ─�said the stranger�察�in a hoarse whisper。
;Ah� �and you buried her�拭─�
;With the others� ─�
;Enough。 No more at present。 Meet me after the ceremony�察 �and you
shall have your reward。;
The stranger shuffled away�察 �and Edgardo returned to his br