the ruby of kishmoor-第3章

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brown　in　color。　　It　was　covered　over　with　strange　figures　and
characters　of　an　Oriental　sort；　which　appeared　to　our　hero　to　be
of　Chinese　workmanship。

〃I　must　tell　you；　sir；〃　said　the　lady；　after　she　had　permitted
her　guest　to　examine　this　for　a　while　in　silence；　〃that　though
this　appears　to　you　to　be　of　little　worth；　it　is　yet　of　extreme
value。　　After　all；　however；　it　is　nothing　but　a　curiosity　that　any
one　who　is　interested　in　such　matters　might　possess。　　What　I　have
to　ask　you　is　this：　Will　you　be　willing　to　take　this　into　your
charge；　to　guard　it　with　the　utmost　care　and　fidelityyes；　even
as　the　apple　of　your　eyeduring　your　continuance　in　these　parts；
and　to　return　it　to　me　in　safety　the　day　before　your　departure。
By　so　doing　you　will　render　me　a　service　which　you　may　neither
understand　nor　comprehend；　but　which　shall　make　me　your　debtor
for　my　entire　life。〃

By　this　time　Jonathan　had　pretty　well　composed　his　mind　for　a
reply。

〃Friend；〃　said　he；　〃such　a　matter　as　this　is　entirely　out　of　my
knowledge　of　business；　which　is；　indeed；　that　of　a　clerk　in　the
mercantile　profession。　　Nevertheless；　I　have　every　inclination　to
help　thee；　though　I　trust　thou　mayest　have　magnified　the　dangers
that　beset　thee。　　This　appears　to　me　to　be　a　little　trifle　for
such　an　ado；　nevertheless；　I　will　do　as　thou　dost　request。　　I　will
keep　it　in　safety　and　will　return　it　to　thee　upon　this　day　a　week
hence；　by　which　time　I　hope　to　have　discharged　my　cargo　and　be
ready　to　continue　my　voyage　to　Demerara。〃

At　these　words　the　lady；　who　had　been　watching　him　all　the　time
with　a　most　unaccountable　eagerness；　burst　forth　into　words　of
such　heart…felt　gratitude　as　to　entirely　overwhelm　our　hero。　　When
her　transports　had　been　somewhat　assuaged　she　permitted　him　to
depart；　and　the　negress　conducted　him　back　through　the　garden；
whence　she　presently　showed　him　through　the　gate　whither　he　had
entered　and　out　into　the　street。




III。　The　Terrific　Encounter　with　the　One…eyed　Little　Gentleman　in
Black



Finding　himself　once　more　in　the　open　street；　Jonathan　Rugg　stood
for　a　while　in　the　moonlight；　endeavoring　to　compose　his　mind
into　somewhat　of　that　sobriety　that　was　habitual　with　him；　for；
indeed；　he　was　not　a　little　excited　by　the　unexpected　incidents
that　had　just　befallen　him。　　From　this　effort　at　composure　he　was
aroused　by　observing　that　a　little　gentleman　clad　all　in　black
had　stopped　at　a　little　distance　away　and　was　looking　very
intently　at　him。　　In　the　brightness　of　the　moonlight　our　hero
could　see　that　the　little　gentleman　possessed　but　a　single　eye；
and　that　he　carried　a　gold…headed　cane　in　his　hand。　　He　had　hardly
time　to　observe　these　particulars；　when　the　other　approached　him
with　every　appearance　of　politeness　and　cordiality。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃surely　I　am　not　mistaken　in　recognizing　in　you
the　supercargo　of　the　ship　SUSANNA　HAYES；　which　arrived　this
afternoon　at　this　port？〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Jonathan；　〃thou　art　right；　friend。　　That　is　my
occupation；　and　that　is　whence　I　came。〃

〃To　be　sure！〃　　said　the　little　gentleman。　　〃To　be　sure！　　To　be　sure！
The　SUSANNA　HAYES；　with　a　cargo　of　Indian…corn　meal；　and　from
dear　good　friend　Jeremiah　Doolittle；　of　Philadelphia。　　I　know　your
good　master　very　wellvery　well　indeed。　　And　have　you　never　heard
him　speak　of　his　friend　Mr。　Abner　Greenway；　of　Kingston；
Jamaica？〃

〃Why；　no；〃　replied　Jonathan；　〃I　have　no　such　recollection　of　the
name　nor　do　I　know　that　any　such　name　hath　ever　appeared　upon　our
books。〃

〃To　be　sure！　　To　be　sure！〃　　repeated　the　little　gentleman；　briskly；
and　with　exceeding　good…nature。　　〃Indeed；　my　name　is　not　likely　to
have　ever　appeared　upon　his　books；　for　I　am　not　a　business
correspondent；　but　one　who；　in　times　past；　was　his　extremely
intimate　friend。　　There　is　much　I　would　like　to　ask　about　him；
and；　indeed；　I　was　in　hopes　that　you　would　have　been　the　bearer
of　a　letter　from　him。　　But　I　have　lodgings　at　a　little　distance
from　here；　so　that　if　it　is　not　requesting　too　much　of　you　maybe
you　will　accompany　me　thither；　so　that　we　may　talk　at　our
leisure。　　I　would　gladly　accompany　you　to　your　ship　instead　of
urging　you　to　come　to　my　apartments；　but　I　must　tell　you　I　am
possessed　of　a　devil　of　a　fever；　so　that　my　physician　hath
forbidden　me　to　be　out　of　nights。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Jonathan；　whom；　you　may　have　observed；　was　of　a
very　easy　disposition〃indeed；　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　accompany
thee　to　thy　lodgings。　　There　is　nothing　I　would　like　better　than
to　serve　any　friend　of　good　Jeremiah　Doolittle's。〃

And　thereupon；　and　with　great　amity；　the　two　walked　off　together；
the　little　one…eyed　gentleman　in　black　linking　his　arm
confidingly　into　that　of　Jonathan's；　and　tapping　the　pavement
continually　with　his　cane　as　he　trotted　on　at　a　great　pace。　　He
was　very　well　acquainted　with　the　town　（of　which　he　was　a
citizen）；　and　so　interesting　was　his　discourse　that　they　had　gone
a　considerable　distance　before　Jonathan　observed　they　were
entering　into　a　quarter　darker　and　less　frequented　than　that
which　they　had　quitted。　　Tall　brick　houses　stood　upon　either　side；
between　which　stretched　a　narrow；　crooked　roadway；　with　a　kennel
running　down　the　centre。

In　front　of　one　of　these　housesa　tall　and　gloomy　structureour
hero's　conductor　stopped　and；　opening　the　door　with　a　key；
beckoned　for　him　to　enter。　　Jonathan　having　complied；　his
new…found　friend　led　the　way　up　a　flight　of　steps；　against　which
Jonathan's　feet　beat　noisily　in　the　darkness；　and　at　length；
having　ascended　two　stairways　and　having　reached　a　landing；　he
opened　a　door　at　the　end　of　the　passage　and　ushered　Jonathan　into
an　apartment；　unlighted；　except　for　the　Moonshine；　which；　coming
in　through　a　partly　open　shutter；　lay　in　a　brilliant　patch　of
light　upon　the　floor。

His　conductor　having　struck　a　light　with　a　flint　and　steel；　our
hero　by　the　illumination　of　a　single　candle　presently　discovered
himself　to　be　in　a　bedchamber　furnished　with　no　small　degree　of
comfort；　and　even　elegance；　and　having　every　appearance　of　a
bachelor's　chamber。

〃You　will　pardon　me；〃　said　his　new　acquaintance；　〃if　I　shut　these
shutters　and　the　window；　for　that　devilish　fever　of　which　I　spoke
is　of　such　a　sort　that　I　must　keep　the　night　air　even　out　from　my
room；　or　else　I　shall　be　shaking　the　bones　out　of　my　joints　and
chattering　the　teeth　out　of　my　head　by　to…morrow　morning。〃

So　saying　he　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　not　only　drew　the
shutters　to；　but　shot　the　heavy　iron　bolt　into　its　place。　　Having
accomplished　this　he　bade　our　hero　to　be　seated；　and　placing
before　him　some　exceedingly　superior　rum；　together　with　some
equally　excellent　tobacco；　they　presently　fell　into　the
friendliest　discourse　imaginable。　　In　the　course　of　their　talk；
which　after　awhile　became　exceedingly　confidential；　Jonathan
confided　to　his　new　friend　the　circumstances　of　the　adventure
into　which　he　had　been　led　by　the　beautiful　stranger；　and　to　all
that　he　said　concerning　his　adventure　his　interlocutor　listened
with　the　closest　and　most　scrupulously　riveted　attention。

〃Upon　my　word；〃　said　he；　when　Jonathan　had　concluded；　〃I　hope
that　you　may　not　have　been　made　the　victim　of　some　foolish　hoax。
Let　me　see　what　it　is　she　has　confided　to　you。〃

〃That　I　will；〃　replied　Jonathan。　　And　thereupon　he　thrust　his　hand
into　his　breeches…pocket　and　brought　forth　the　ivory　ball。

No　sooner　did　the　one　eye　of　the　little　gentleman　in　black　light
upon　the　object　than　a　most　singular　and　extraordinary　convulsion
appeared　to　seize　upon　him。　　Had　a　bullet　penetrated　his　heart　he
could　not　have　started　more　violently；　nor　have　sat　more　rigidly
and　breathlessly　staring。

Mastering　his　emotion　with　the　utmost　difficulty　as　Jonathan
replaced　the　ball　in　his　pocket；　he　drew　a　deep　and　profound
breath　and　wiped　the　palm　of　his　hand　across　his　forehead　as
though　arousing　himself　from　a　dream。

〃And　you；〃　he　said；　of　a　sudden；　〃are；　I　understand　it；　a　Quaker。
Do　you；　then；　never　carry　a　weapon；　even　in　such　a　place　as　this；
where　at　any　moment　in　the　dark　a　Spanish　knife　may　be　stuck
betwixt　your　ribs？〃

〃Why；　no；〃　said　Jonathan；　somewhat　surprised　that　so　foreign　a
topic　should　have　been　so　suddenly　introduced　into　the　discourse。
〃I　am　a　man　of　peace　and　not　of　blood。　　The　people　of　the　Society
of　Friends　never　carry　weapons；　either　of　offence　or　defence。〃

As　Jonathan　concluded　his　reply　the　little　gentleman　suddenly
arose　from　his　chair　and　moved　briskly　around　to　the　other　side
of　the　room。　　Our　hero；　watching　him　with　some　surprise；　beheld
him　clap　to　the　door　and　with　a　single　movement　shoot　the　bolt
and　turn　the　key　therein。　　The　next　instant　he　turned　to　Jonathan
a　visage　transformed　as　suddenly　as　though　he　had　dropped　a　mask
from　his　face。　　The　gossiping　and　polite　little　old　bachelor　was
there　no　longer；　but　in　his　stead　a　man　with　a　countenance
convulsed　with　some　furious　and　nameless　passion。

〃That　ball！〃　he　cried；　in　a　hoarse　and　raucous　voice。　　〃That　ivory
ball！　　Give　it　to　me　upon　the　instant！〃

As　he　spoke　he　whipped　out　from　his　bosom　a　long；　keen　Spanish
knife　that　in　its　every　appearance　spoke　without　equivocation　of
the　most　murderous　possibilities。

The　malignant　passions　that　distorted　every　lineament　of　the
countenance　of　the　little　old　gentleman　in　black　filled　our　hero
with　such　astonishment　that　he　knew　not　whether　he　were　asleep　or
awake；　but　when　he　beheld　the　other　advancing　with　the　naked　and
shining　knife　in　his　hand　his　reason　returned　to　him　like　a
flash。　　Leaping　to　his　feet；　he　lost　no　time　in　putting　the　table
between　himself　and　his　sudden　enemy。

〃Indeed；　friend；〃　he　cried；　in　a　voice　penetrated　with
terror〃indeed；　friend；　thou　hadst　best　keep　thy　distance　from
me；　for　though　I　am　a　man　of　peace　and　a　shunner　of　bloodshed；　I
promise　thee　that　I　will　not　stand　still　to　be　murdered　without
outcry　or　without　endeavoring　to　defend　my　life！〃

〃Cry　as　loud　as　you　please！〃　exclaimed　the　other。　　〃No　one　is　near
this　place　to　hear　you！　　Cry　until　you　are　hoarse；　no　one　in　this
neighborhood　will　stop　to　ask　what　is　the　matter　with　you。　　I　tell
you　I　am　determined　to　possess　myself　of　that　ivory　ball；　and
have　it　I　shall；　even　though　I　am　obliged　to　cut　out　your　heart
to　get　it！〃　　As　he　spoke　he　grinned　with　so　extraordinary　and
devilish　a　distortion　of　his　countenance；　and　with　such　an
appearance　of　every　intention　of　carrying　out　his　threat　as　to
send　the　goose…flesh　creeping　like　icy　fingers　up　and　down　our
hero's　spine　with　the　most　incredible　rapidity　and　acuteness。

Nevertheless；　mastering　his　fears；　Jonathan　contrived　to　speak　up
with　a　pretty　good　appearance　of　spirit。　　〃Indeed；　friend；〃　he
said；　〃thou　appearest　to　forget　that　I　am　a　man　of　twice　thy　bulk
and　half　thy　years；　and　that　though　thou　hast　a　knife　I　am
determined　to　defend　myself　to　the　last　extremity。　　I　am　not　going
to　give　thee　that　which　thou　demandest　of　me；　and　for　thy　sake　I
advise　thee　to　open　the　door　and　let　me　go　free　as　I　entered；　or
else　harm　may　befall　thee。〃

〃Fool！〃　cried　the　other；　hardly　giving　him　time　to　end。　　〃Do　you；
then；　think　that　I　have　time　to　chatter　with　you　while　two
villains　are　lying　in　wait　for　me；　pe