Narrative and Miscellaneous PapersDe Quincey, Thomas
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Narrative and Miscellaneous Papers
De Quincey, Thomas
English essays; English fiction
and Don Antonio answered carelessly, 'A bird flying out of the bushes.'
Catalina, as usual, had read everything. Not a wrinkle or a rustle was
lost upon _her_. And, therefore, when she reached the _locanda_, knowing
to an iota all that was coming, she did not retire to bed, but paced
before the house. She had not long to wait: in fifteen minutes the door
opened softly, and out stepped Calderon. Kate walked forward, and faced
him immediately; telling him laughingly that it was not good for his
health to go abroad on this night. The young man showed some impatience;
upon which, very seriously, Kate acquainted him with her suspicions, and
with the certainty that the Alcalde was not so blind as he had seemed.
Calderon thanked her for the information; would be upon his guard; but,
to prevent further expostulation, he wheeled round instantly into the
darkness. Catalina was too well convinced, however, of the mischief on
foot, to leave him thus. She followed rapidly, and passed silently
into the garden, almost at the same time with Calderon. Both took
their stations behind trees; Calderon watching nothing but the burning
candles, Catalina watching circumstances to direct her movements.
The candles burned brightly in the little pavilion. Presently one was
extinguished. Upon this, Calderon pressed forward to the steps, hastily
ascended them, and passed into the vestibule. Catalina followed on his
traces. What succeeded was all one scene of continued, dreadful dumb
show; different passions of panic, or deadly struggle, or hellish malice
absolutely suffocated all articulate words.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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