THE GREEN DWARF. Шарлотта Бронте
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satisfy your curiosity on that pointf. he was her tutor & should know all about it. Pray Gifford favour us with your opinion.”
Gifford hearing himself thus appealed to emerged from the dark corner which had hitherto nearly concealed him from view, the stranger started on seeing him & attempted to muffle his face with one end of the large mantle in which he was envelopped as if for the purpose of avoiding a recognition. But the worthy antiquary at no time sharp-sighted & whose brains at this particular juncture happened to be somewhat muddled by the draughts of spiced ale which he had just been administring to himself with no sparing hand, regarded him with a vacant stare of wonder as he drawled out “What’s your business with me Bud?”
“I merely wished to know if you could inform this gentleman what sort of temper lady Charlesworth had”
“What sort of a temper! why I don’t know, much the same as other girls of her age have & that’s a very bad one.f the stranger smiled gave a significant shrug of the shoulder which seemed to say there’s not much to be had from this quater & bowing politely to the corner walked away to a distant part of the hall. When he was gone the two friends sat silent for some time but Bud’s attention was soon attracted by the sound of a voice apparently employed in reading or recitation proceeding from the group of Frenchmen who were seated at no great distance, he walked towards them, the speaker was a little dapper man dressed in brown coat & waistcoat & cream? coulour continuations.” he was uttering the following words’’ with abundance of action & grimace as Bud came up.
“Well as I was saying the Emperor got into bed. “Cheveleure” says he to his valet “let down those window curtains & shut that casement before you leave the room.” Cheveleure did as he was told & then taking up his candlestick departed. In a few minutes the Emperor felt his pillow becoming rather hard & he got up to shake it. as he did so, a slight rustling noise was heard near the bedhead, his majesty listened but all was silent so he lay down again, scarcely had he settled into a peaceful attitude of repose when he was disturbed by a sensation of thirst, lifting himself on his elbow he took a glass of lemonade from the small stand which was placed beside him. he refreshed himself by a deep draught, as he returned the goblet to its station a deep groan burst from a kind of closet in one corner of the appartment. “Who’s there?” cried the Emperor seizing his pistols “Speak or I’ll blow your brains out.” this threat produced no other effect than a short sharp laugh & a dead silence followed, the Emperor started from his couch & hastily throwing on a robe de chambre which hung over the back of a chair stepped courageously to the haunted closet, as he opened the door something rustled, he sprang forward sword in hand, no soul or even substance appeared & the rustling it was evident had proceeded from the falling of a cloak which had been suspended by a peg from the door, half ashamed of himself he returned to bed. just as he was about once more to close his eyes the light of the three wax tapers which burnt in a silver branch over the mantle peice was suddenly darkened, he looked up. a black opaque shadow obscured it. sweating with terror the Emperor put out his hand to seize the bell-rope but some invisible being snatched it rudely from his grasp & at the same instant the ominous shade vanished. “Pooh” exclaimed Napoleon “it was but an ocular delusion.”
“Was it?” whispered a hollow voice in deep mysterious tones, close to his ear “Was it a delusion Emperor of France, no all thou hast heard & seen is sad forwarning reality. Rise lifter of the Eagle Standard, Awake swayer of the lily sceptre, follow me Napoleon & thou shalt see more.” as the voice ceased, a form dawned on his astonished sight, it was that of a tall thin man dressed in a blue surtout edged with gold lace, it wore a black cravat very tightly twisted round its neck & confined by two little sticks placed behind each ear. the countenance was livid, the tongue protruded from between the teeth & the eyes all glazed & bloodshot starting with frightful prominence from their sockets. “Mon Dieu”, exclaimed the Emperor “what do I see? dreadful? spectre whence comest thou?” the apparition spoke not but gliding forward beckoned Napoleon with uplifted finger to follow, controlled by a mysterious influence which entirely deprived him of the capability of either thinking or acting for himself he obeyed in silence, the solid wall of the appartment fell open as they approached & when both had passed through, it closed behind them with a noise like thunder, they would now have been in total darkness had it not been for a dim blue light which lit the air round? the ghost & revealed the damp walls of a long vaulted passage, down this they proceeded with mute rapidity, ere long a cool refreshing breeze which rushed wailing up the vault & caused the Emperor to wrap his loose night dress closer round announced their approach to the open air. this they soon reached & Napoleon found himself in one of the principal streets of Paris. “Worthy Spirit” said he shivering in the chill air “permit me to return & put on some additional clothing I will be with you again presently” “Forward” replied his companion sternly, he felt compelled in spite of the rising indignation which almost choked him to obey, on they went through the deserted streets till they arrived at a lofty house built on the banks of the Seine, here the Spectre stopped, the gates rolled back to receive them & they entered a large marble hall which was partly concealed by a curtain drawn across through the half transparent folds of which a bright light might be seen burning with dazzling lustre. A row of fine female figures richly attired stood before this screenf; each wore on their heads garlands of the most beautiful flowers but their faces were concealed by ghastly masks representing Death’s heads. “What is all this mummery,” cried the Emperor making an effort to shake off the mental shackles by which he was unwillingly restrained “where am I & why have I been brought here.” “Silence” said the guide lolling out still further his black & bloody tongue “Silence if thou wouldst escape instant death.” the Emperor would have replied his natural courage overcoming the temporary awe to which he had at first been subjected, but just then a strain of wild supernatural music swelled behind the huge curtain which waved to & fro & bellyed slowly out as if agitated by some internal commotion or battle of warring winds, at the same moment an overpowering mixture of the scents of mortal corruption blent with the richest eastern odours stole through the haunted hall. A murmur of many voices was now heard at a distance. something grasped his arm roughly from behind, he turned hastily round, his eyes met the well-known countenance of Maria Louisa. “What are you in this infernal place too?” says he “What has brought you here?” “Will your majesty permit me to ask the same question of yourself?” returned the Empress smiling, he made no reply — astonishment prevented him. no curtain now intervened between him & the lightf. it had been removed as if by magic & a splendid chandelier appeared suspended over his head, throngs of ladies richly dressed but without deaths head masks stood round & a due proportion of gay cavaliers was mingled with them, music was still sounding but it was now seen to proceed from a band of mortal musicians stationed in an orchestra near at hand, the air was yet redolent of incence but it was incense unblended with stench. “Bon Dieu” cried the Emperor “how is all this come about, where in the world is Piche?” “Piche?” replied the Empress “what does your majesty meanp had you not better leave the appartment & retire to rest?” “leave the appartment! why, where am I?” “in my private drawing-room surrounded by a few particular persons of the court whom I had invited this evening to a ball . you entred a few minutes since in your night dress with your eyes fixed & wide open. I suppose from the astonishment you now testify that you were walking in your sleep.” the Emperor immediately fell into a fit of the catalepsy in which he continued during the whole of that night & the greater part of next day.”
As the little man finished his story a person dressed in blue & gold uniform bustled through the surrounding crowd of listners & touching the narrator with a sort of official staff which he carried in his hand said “He arrests him in the name of the Emperor.”
“what for?” asked the little man.
“what for!” reiterated a voice at the other end of the hall “he’ll let him know what for. What’s the meaning of that scandalous anecdote he should like to know, to the Bastile with him instantly incessantly,”
all eyes were turned towards the deliverer of this peremptory mandate, & lo! the identical Emperor himself in his accustomed green surtout and violet couloured pantaloons stood surrounded by about twenty gens d’armes engaged in continued