twice-told tales- the ambitious guest-第3章
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For a moment; the old woman's ghastly conception so engrossed the
minds of her hearers that a sound abroad in the night; rising like the
roar of a blast; had grown broad; deep; and terrible; before the fated
group were conscious of it。 The house and all within it trembled;
the foundations of the earth seemed to be shaken; as if this awful
sound were the peal of the last trump。 Young and old exchanged one
wild glance; and remained an instant; pale; affrighted; without
utterance; or power to move。 Then the same shriek burst simultaneously
from all their lips。
〃The Slide! The Slide!〃
The simplest words must intimate; but not portray; the
unutterable horror of the catastrophe。 The victims rushed from their
cottage; and sought refuge in what they deemed a safer spot… where; in
contemplation of such an emergency; a sort of barrier had been reared。
Alas! they had quitted their security; and fled right into the pathway
of destruction。 Down came the whole side of the mountain; in a
cataract of ruin。 Just before it reached the house; the stream broke
into two branches… shivered not a window there; but overwhelmed the
whole vicinity; blocked up the road; and annihilated everything in its
dreadful course。 Long ere the thunder of the great Slide had ceased to
roar among the mountains; the mortal agony had been endured; and the
victims were at peace。 Their bodies were never found。
The next morning; the light smoke was seen stealing from the
cottage chimney up the mountain side。 Within; the fire was yet
smouldering on the hearth; and the chairs in a circle round it; as
if the inhabitants had but gone forth to view the devastation of the
Slide; and would shortly return; to thank Heaven for their
miraculous escape。 All had left separate tokens; by which those who
had known the family were made to shed a tear for each。 Who has not
heard their name? The story has been told far and wide; and will
forever be a legend of these mountains。 Poets have sung their fate。
There were circumstances which led some to suppose that a
stranger had been received into the cottage on this awful night; and
had shared the catastrophe of all its inmates。 Others denied that
there were sufficient grounds for such a conjecture。 Wo for the
high…souled youth; with his dream of Earthly Immortality! His name and
person utterly unknown; his history; his way of life; his plans; a
mystery never to be solved; his death and his existence equally a
doubt! Whose was the agony of that death moment?
THE END
。