The Mummy! A Tale of the Twenty-Second CenturyLoudon, Mrs. (Jane)
Science
The Mummy! A Tale of the Twenty-Second Century
Loudon, Mrs. (Jane)
Feminist fiction; Science fiction; Twenty-second century -- Fiction
At this moment, the deep awful roar of a cannon was heard, and Dr.
Entwerfen leaped from his knees. "Thank God! thank God!" cried he,
strutting up and down, and wiping his forehead with his pocket
handkerchief, as the continued roar of the cannon rolled awfully along,
rebounding from house to house, and shaking the very court in which
they stood. The magistrates looked aghast, whilst their pallid lips and
trembling limbs told that, however great they might be in the council,
their courage was not particularly conspicuous in the field.
The doctor, in the mean time, kept ejaculating, "I'm safe! I'm safe!
See what a thing it is to have a friend for a sovereign: no, no! what
did I say? a sovereign for a friend, I mean. Ay, ay! that's it! that's
it!"
Thus did the doctor exult, whilst the citizens crowded round their
chiefs, begging for directions, and not knowing whither to fly for
safety. In this dilemma, the exclamations of the doctor attracted
their attention; and, enraged to see him rejoice at their misery, the
magistrates ordered him to prison, whilst they consulted as to what
steps it was most advisable to take.
The poor doctor's joy was thus quickly changed to grief; and he
lamented loudly his foolish transports of delight, without which,
he might perhaps have passed unnoticed in the crowd. It was too
late, however, for repentance; the command had gone forth, and the
unfortunate doctor was dragged away to a loathsome dungeon. The assault
was, as we have seen, repulsed, and it being too late, when it was
over, to think of hanging Dr. Entwerfen that night, the magistrates
retired to their beds, determined to have him executed the first thing
in the morning.
All was now still; the plain between the camp and the city, which had
so lately echoed with the heavy tramp of horses and human beings, now
slept tranquilly in the moonlight; undisturbed, save by the groans
of some expiring wretch, or by the busy labours of those employed to
remove the dead and relieve the wounded. Roderick had thrown himself
upon his couch, and dozed, but in a disturbed slumber; whilst Alexis,
placed at a table, was writing dispatches from the dictation of Don
Alvarez de Ripparda, who had returned from the pursuit, and sate
opposite to him; whilst Lord Arthur O'Neil nodded at his side, and
Edric lay reclined on another couch, at a little distance, near the
opening of the tent.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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