下载辰思小说免费APP
Varneylookedwithgreatattentionatthemachinery，andpeepedmorethanoncedowntheabysswhichwasopenedbythefallofthetrap—door。Itwasdarkaspitch，andseemedprofoundlydeep，going，asFosterinformedhisconfederateinawhisper，nightothelowestvaultoftheCastle。Varneycastoncemoreafixedandlonglookdownintothissablegulf，andthenfollowedFostertothepartofthemanor—housemostusuallyinhabited。
Whentheyarrivedintheparlourwhichwehavementioned，VarneyrequestedFostertogetthemsupper，andsomeofthechoicestwine。"IwillseekAlasco，"headded;"wehaveworkforhimtodo，andwemustputhimingoodheart。"
Fostergroanedatthisintimation，butmadenoremonstrance。TheoldwomanassuredVarneythatAlascohadscarceeatenordrunkensincehermaster\'sdeparture，livingperpetuallyshutupinthelaboratory，andtalkingasiftheworld\'scontinuancedependedonwhathewasdoingthere。
"Iwillteachhimthattheworldhathotherclaimsonhim，"saidVarney，seizingalight，andgoinginquestofthealchemist。Hereturned，afteraconsiderableabsence，verypale，butyetwithhishabitualsneeronhischeekandnostril。"Ourfriend，"hesaid，"hasexhaled。"
"How！——whatmeanyou？"saidFoster——"runaway——fledwithmyfortypounds，thatshouldhavebeenmultipliedathousand—fold？
IwillhaveHueandCry！"
"Iwilltelltheeasurerway，"saidVarney。
"How！——whichway？"exclaimedFoster;"Iwillhavebackmyfortypounds——Ideemedthemassurelyathousandtimesmultiplied——I
willhavebackmyin—put，attheleast。"
"Gohangthyself，then，andsueAlascointheDevil\'sCourtofChancery，forthitherhehascarriedthecause。"
"How！——whatdostthoumeanishedead？"
"Ay，trulyishe，"saidVarney;"andproperlyswollenalreadyinthefaceandbody。Hehadbeenmixingsomeofhisdevil\'smedicines，andtheglassmaskwhichheusedconstantlyhadfallenfromhisface，sothatthesubtlepoisonenteredthebrain，anddiditswork。"
"SANCTAMARIA！"saidFoster——"Imean，GodinHismercypreserveusfromcovetousnessanddeadlysin！——Hadhenothadprojection，thinkyou？Sawyounoingotsinthecrucibles？"
"Nay，Ilookednotbutatthedeadcarrion，"answeredVarney;"anuglyspectacle——hewasswollenlikeacorpsethreedaysexposedonthewheel。Pah！givemeacupofwine。"
"Iwillgo，"saidFoster，"Iwillexaminemyself——"Hetookthelamp，andhastenedtothedoor，buttherehesitatedandpaused。
"Willyounotgowithme？"saidhetoVarney。
"Towhatpurpose？"saidVarney;"Ihaveseenandsmelledenoughtospoilmyappetite。Ibrokethewindow，however，andletintheair;itreekedofsulphur，andsuchlikesuffocatingsteams，asiftheverydevilhadbeenthere。"
"Andmightitnotbetheactofthedemonhimself？"saidFoster，stillhesitating;"Ihaveheardheispowerfulatsuchtimes，andwithsuchpeople。"
"Still，ifitwerethatSatanofthine，"answeredVarney，"whothusjadesthyimagination，thouartinperfectsafety，unlessheisamostunconscionabledevilindeed。Hehathhadtwogoodsopsoflate。"
"HowTWOsops——whatmeanyou？"saidFoster——"whatmeanyou？"
"Youwillknowintime，"saidVarney;——"andthenthisotherbanquet——butthouwiltesteemHertoochoiceamorselforthefiend\'stooth——shemusthaveherpsalms，andharps，andseraphs。"
AnthonyFosterheard，andcameslowlybacktothetable。"God！
SirRichard，andmustthatthenbedone？"
"Ay，inverytruth，Anthony，ortherecomesnocopyholdinthyway，"repliedhisinflexibleassociate。
"Ialwaysforesawitwouldlandthere！"saidFoster。"Buthow，SirRichard，how？——fornottowintheworldwouldIputhandsonher。"
"Icannotblamethee，"saidVarney;"Ishouldbereluctanttodothatmyself。WemissAlascoandhismannasorely——ay，andthedogLambourne。"
"Why，wheretarriesLambourne？"saidAnthony。
"Asknoquestions，"saidVarney，"thouwiltseehimonedayifthycreedistrue。Buttoourgravermatter。Iwillteachtheeaspring，Tony，tocatchapewit。Yondertrap—door——yondergimcrackofthine，willremainsecureinappearance，willitnot，thoughthesupportsarewithdrawnbeneath？"
"Ay，marry，willit，"saidFoster;"solongasitisnottroddenon。"
"Butweretheladytoattemptanescapeoverit，"repliedVarney，"herweightwouldcarryitdown？"
"Amouse\'sweightwoulddoit，"saidFoster。
"Why，then，shediesinattemptingherescape，andwhatcouldyouorIhelpit，honestTony？Letustobed，wewilladjustourprojectto—morrow。"
Onthenextday，wheneveningapproached，VarneysummonedFostertotheexecutionoftheirplan。TiderandFoster\'soldman—
servantweresentonafeignederranddowntothevillage，andAnthonyhimself，asifanxioustoseethattheCountesssufferednowantofaccommodation，visitedherplaceofconfinement。Hewassomuchstaggeredatthemildnessandpatiencewithwhichsheseemedtoendureherconfinement，thathecouldnothelpearnestlyrecommendingtohernottocrossthethresholdofherroomonanyaccountwhatever，untilLordLeicestershouldcome，"which，"headded，"ItrustinGod，willbeverysoon。"Amypatientlypromisedthatshewouldresignherselftoherfate。
andFosterreturnedtohishardenedcompanionwithhisconsciencehalf—easedoftheperilousloadthatweighedonit。"Ihavewarnedher，"hesaid;"surelyinvainisthesnaresetinthesightofanybird！"
Heleft，therefore，theCountess\'sdoorunsecuredontheoutside，and，undertheeyeofVarney，withdrewthesupportswhichsustainedthefallingtrap，which，therefore，keptitslevelpositionmerelybyaslightadhesion。Theywithdrewtowaittheissueontheground—flooradjoining;buttheywaitedlonginvain。AtlengthVarney，afterwalkinglongtoandfro，withhisfacemuffledinhiscloak，threwitsuddenlybackandexclaimed，"Surelyneverwasawomanfoolenoughtoneglectsofairanopportunityofescape！"
"Perhapssheisresolved，"saidFoster，"toawaitherhusband\'sreturn，"
"True！——mosttrue！"saidVarney，rushingout;"Ihadnotthoughtofthatbefore。"
Inlessthantwominutes，Foster，whoremainedbehind，heardthetreadofahorseinthecourtyard，andthenawhistlesimilartothatwhichwastheEarl\'susualsignal。TheinstantafterthedooroftheCountess\'schamberopened，andinthesamemomentthetrap—doorgaveway。Therewasarushingsound——aheavyfall——afaintgroan——andallwasover。
Atthesameinstant，Varneycalledinatthewindow，inanaccentandtonewhichwasanindescribablemixturebetwixthorrorandraillery，"Isthebirdcaught？——isthedeeddone？"
"OGod，forgiveus！"repliedAnthonyFoster。
"Why，thoufool，"saidVarney，"thytoilisended，andthyrewardsecure。Lookdownintothevault——whatseestthou？"
"Iseeonlyaheapofwhiteclothes，likeasnowdrift，"saidFoster。"OGod，shemovesherarm！"
"Hurlsomethingdownonher——thygoldchest，Tony——itisanheavyone。"
"Varney，thouartanincarnatefiend！"repliedFoster。
"Thereneedsnothingmore——sheisgone！"
"Sopassourtroubles，"saidVarney，enteringtheroom;"I
dreamednotIcouldhavemimickedtheEarl\'scallsowell。"
"Oh，iftherebejudgmentinheaven，thouhastdeservedit，"saidFoster，"andwiltmeetit！Thouhastdestroyedherbymeansofherbestaffections——itisaseethingofthekidinthemother\'smilk！"
"Thouartafanaticalass，"repliedVarney;"letusnowthinkhowthealarmshouldbegiven——thebodyistoremainwhereitis。"
Buttheirwickednesswastobepermittednolonger;forevenwhiletheywereatthisconsultation，TressilianandRaleighbrokeinuponthem，havingobtainedadmittancebymeansofTiderandFoster\'sservant，whomtheyhadsecuredatthevillage。
AnthonyFosterfledontheirentrance，andknowingeachcornerandpassoftheintricateoldhouse，escapedallsearch。ButVarneywastakenonthespot;andinsteadofexpressingcompunctionforwhathehaddone，seemedtotakeafiendishpleasureinpointingouttothemtheremainsofthemurderedCountess，whileatthesametimehedefiedthemtoshowthathehadanyshareinherdeath。ThedespairinggriefofTressilian，onviewingthemangledandyetwarmremainsofwhathadlatelybeensolovelyandsobeloved，wassuchthatRaleighwascompelledtohavehimremovedfromtheplacebyforce，whilehehimselfassumedthedirectionofwhatwastobedone。
Varney，uponasecondexamination，madeverylittlemysteryeitherofthecrimeorofitsmotives———alleging，asareasonforhisfrankness，thatthoughmuchofwhatheconfessedcouldonlyhaveattachedtohimbysuspicion，yetsuchsuspicionwouldhavebeensufficienttodeprivehimofLeicester\'sconfidence，andtodestroyallhistoweringplansofambition。"Iwasnotborn，"hesaid，"todragontheremainderoflifeadegradedoutcast;norwillIsodiethatmyfateshallmakeaholidaytothevulgarherd。"
Fromthesewordsitwasapprehendedhehadsomedesignuponhimself，andhewascarefullydeprivedofallmeansbywhichsuchcouldbecarriedintoexecution。Butlikesomeoftheheroesofantiquity，hecarriedabouthispersonasmallquantityofstrongpoison，preparedprobablybythecelebratedDemetriusAlasco。
Havingswallowedthispotionover—night，hewasfoundnextmorningdeadinhiscell;nordidheappeartohavesufferedmuchagony，hiscountenancepresenting，evenindeath，thehabitualexpressionofsneeringsarcasmwhichwaspredominantwhilehelived。"Thewickedman，"saithScripture，"hathnobandsinhisdeath。"
Thefateofhiscolleagueinwickednesswaslongunknown。CumnorPlacewasdesertedimmediatelyafterthemurder;forinthevicinityofwhatwascalledtheLadyDudley\'sChamber，thedomesticspretendedtoheargroans，andscreams，andothersupernaturalnoises。Afteracertainlengthoftime，Janet，hearingnotidingsofherfather，becametheuncontrolledmistressofhisproperty，andconferreditwithherhanduponWayland，nowamanofsettledcharacter，andholdingaplaceinElizabeth\'shousehold。Butitwasaftertheyhadbeenbothdeadforsomeyearsthattheireldestsonandheir，inmakingsomeresearchesaboutCumnorHall，discoveredasecretpassage，closedbyanirondoor，which，openingfrombehindthebedintheLadyDudley\'sChamber，descendedtoasortofcell，inwhichtheyfoundanironchestcontainingaquantityofgold，andahumanskeletonstretchedaboveit。ThefateofAnthonyFosterwasnowmanifest。Hehadfledtothisplaceofconcealment，forgettingthekeyofthespring—lock;andbeingbarredfromescapebythemeanshehadusedforpreservationofthatgold，forwhichhehadsoldhissalvation，hehadthereperishedmiserably。
Unquestionablythegroansandscreamsheardbythedomesticswerenotentirelyimaginary，butwerethoseofthiswretch，who，inhisagony，wascryingforreliefandsuccour。
ThenewsoftheCountess\'sdreadfulfateputasuddenperiodtothepleasuresofKenilworth。Leicesterretiredfromcourt，andforaconsiderabletimeabandonedhimselftohisremorse。ButasVarneyinhislastdeclarationhadbeenstudioustosparethecharacte
