aaron trow-第4章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


against　her　as　he　would　have　striven　against　a　dog。　　But　yet；　when
the　knife　was　in　his　hand；　he　had　not　driven　it　against　her　heart。

Then　suddenly；　while　they　were　yet　rolling　on　the　floor；　there　was　a
sound　of　footsteps　in　the　passage。　　Aaron　Trow　instantly　leaped　to
his　feet；　leaving　his　victim　on　the　ground；　with　huge　lumps　of　his
thick　clotted　hair　in　her　hand。　　Thus；　and　thus　only；　could　he　have
liberated　himself　from　her　grasp。　　He　rushed　at　the　door；　and　there
he　came　against　the　two　negro　servant…girls　who　had　returned　down　to
their　kitchen　from　the　road　on　which　they　had　been　straying。　　Trow；
as　he　half　saw　them　in　the　dark；　not　knowing　how　many　there　might
be；　or　whether　there　was　a　man　among　them；　rushed　through　them；
upsetting　one　scared　girl　in　his　passage。　　With　the　instinct　and
with　the　timidity　of　a　beast；　his　impulse　now　was　to　escape；　and　he
hurried　away　back　to　the　road　and　to　his　lair；　leaving　the　three
women　together　in　the　cottage。　　Poor　wretch！　　As　he　crossed　the
road；　not　skulking　in　his　impotent　haste；　but　running　at　his　best；
another　pair　of　eyes　saw　him；　and　when　the　search　became　hot　after
him；　it　was　known　that　his　hiding…place　was　not　distant。

It　was　some　time　before　any　of　the　women　were　able　to　act；　and　when
some　step　was　taken；　Anastasia　was　the　first　to　take　it。　　She　had
not　absolutely　swooned；　but　the　reaction；　after　the　violence　of　her
efforts；　was　so　great；　that　for　some　minutes　she　had　been　unable　to
speak。　　She　had　risen　from　the　floor　when　Trow　left　her；　and　had
even　followed　him　to　the　door；　but　since　that　she　had　fallen　back
into　her　father's　old　arm…chair；　and　there　sat　gasping　not　only　for
words；　but　for　breath　also。

At　last　she　bade　one　of　the　girls　to　run　into　St。　George；　and　beg
Mr。　Morton　to　come　to　her　aid。　　The　girl　would　not　stir　without　her
companion；　and　even　then；　Anastasia；　covered　as　she　was　with　blood；
with　dishevelled　hair；　and　her　clothes　half　torn　from　her　body；
accompanied　them　as　far　as　the　road。　　There　they　found　a　negro　lad
still　hanging　about　the　place；　and　he　told　them　that　he　had　seen　the
man　cross　the　road；　and　run　down　over　the　open　ground　towards　the
rocks　of　the　sea…coast。　　〃He　must　be　there；〃　said　the　lad；　pointing
in　the　direction　of　a　corner　of　the　rocks；　〃unless　he　swim　across
the　mouth　of　the　ferry。〃　　But　the　mouth　of　that　ferry　is　an　arm　of
the　sea；　and　it　was　not　probable　that　a　man　would　do　that　when　he
might　have　taken　the　narrow　water　by　keeping　on　the　other　side　of
the　road。

At　about　one　that　night　Caleb　Morton　reached　the　cottage　breathless
with　running；　and　before　a　word　was　spoken　between　them；　Anastasia
had　fallen　on　his　shoulder　and　had　fainted。　　As　soon　as　she　was　in
the　arms　of　her　lover；　all　her　power　had　gone　from　her。　　The　spirit
and　passion　of　the　tiger　had　gone；　and　she　was　again　a　weak　woman
shuddering　at　the　thought　of　what　she　had　suffered。　　She　remembered
that　she　had　had　the　man's　hand　between　her　teeth；　and　by　degrees
she　found　his　hair　still　clinging　to　her　fingers；　but　even　then　she
could　hardly　call　to　mind　the　nature　of　the　struggle　she　had
undergone。　　His　hot　breath　close　to　her　own　cheek　she　did　remember；
and　his　glaring　eyes；　and　even　the　roughness　of　his　beard　as　he
pressed　his　face　against　her　own；　but　she　could　not　say　whence　had
come　the　blood；　nor　till　her　arm　became　stiff　and　motionless　did　she
know　that　she　had　been　wounded。

It　was　all　joy　with　her　now；　as　she　sat　motionless　without　speaking；
while　he　administered　to　her　wants　and　spoke　words　of　love　into　her
ears。　　She　remembered　the　man's　horrid　threat；　and　knew　that　by
God's　mercy　she　had　been　saved。　　And　he　was　there　caressing　her；
loving　her；　comforting　her！　　As　she　thought　of　the　fate　that　had
threatened　her；　of　the　evil　that　had　been　so　imminent；　she　fell
forward　on　her　knees；　and　with　incoherent　sobs　uttered　her
thanksgivings；　while　her　head　was　still　supported　on　his　arms。

It　was　almost　morning　before　she　could　induce　herself　to　leave　him
and　lie　down。　　With　him　she　seemed　to　be　so　perfectly　safe；　but　the
moment　he　was　away　she　could　see　Aaron　Trow's　eyes　gleaming　at　her
across　the　room。　　At　last；　however；　she　slept；　and　when　he　saw　that
she　was　at　rest；　he　told　himself　that　his　work　must　then　begin。
Hitherto　Caleb　Morton　had　lived　in　all　respects　the　life　of　a　man　of
peace；　but　now；　asking　himself　no　questions　as　to　the　propriety　of
what　he　would　do；　using　no　inward　arguments　as　to　this　or　that　line
of　conduct；　he　girded　the　sword　on　his　loins；　and　prepared　himself
for　war。　　The　wretch　who　had　thus　treated　the　woman　whom　he　loved
should　be　hunted　down　like　a　wild　beast；　as　long　as　he　had　arms　and
legs　with　which　to　carry　on　the　hunt。　　He　would　pursue　the　miscreant
with　any　weapons　that　might　come　to　his　hands；　and　might　Heaven　help
him　at　his　need　as　he　dealt　forth　punishment　to　that　man；　if　he
caught　him　within　his　grasp。　　Those　who　had　hitherto　known　Morton　in
the　island；　could　not　recognise　the　man　as　he　came　forth　on　that
day；　thirsty　after　blood；　and　desirous　to　thrust　himself　into
personal　conflict　with　the　wild　ruffian　who　had　injured　him。　　The
meek　Presbyterian　minister　had　been　a　preacher；　preaching　ways　of
peace；　and　living　in　accordance　with　his　own　doctrines。　　The　world
had　been　very　quiet　for　him；　and　he　had　walked　quietly　in　his
appointed　path。　　But　now　the　world　was　quiet　no　longer；　nor　was
there　any　preaching　of　peace。　　His　cry　was　for　blood；　for　the　blood
of　the　untamed　savage　brute　who　had　come　upon　his　young　doe　in　her
solitude；　and　striven　with　such　brutal　violence　to　tear　her　heart
from　her　bosom。

He　got　to　his　assistance　early　in　the　morning　some　of　the　constables
from　St。　George；　and　before　the　day　was　over；　he　was　joined　by　two
or　three　of　the　warders　from　the　convict　establishment。　　There　was
with　him　also　a　friend　or　two；　and　thus　a　party　was　formed；
numbering　together　ten　or　twelve　persons。　　They　were　of　course　all
armed；　and　therefore　it　might　be　thought　that　there　would　be　but
small　chance　for　the　wretched　man　if　they　should　come　upon　his
track。　　At　first　they　all　searched　together；　thinking　from　the
tidings　which　had　reached　them　that　he　must　be　near　to　them；　but
gradually　they　spread　themselves　along　the　rocks　between　St。　George
and　the　ferry；　keeping　watchman　on　the　road；　so　that　he　should　not
escape　unnoticed　into　the　island。

Ten　times　during　the　day　did　Anastasia　send　from　the　cottage　up　to
Morton；　begging　him　to　leave　the　search　to　others；　and　come　down　to
her。　　But　not　for　a　moment　would　he　lose　the　scent　of　his　prey。
What！　should　it　be　said　that　she　had　been　so　treated；　and　that
others　had　avenged　her？　　He　sent　back　to　say　that　her　father　was
with　her　now；　and　that　he　would　come　when　his　work　was　over。　　And　in
that　job　of　work　the　life…blood　of　Aaron　Trow　was　counted　up。

Towards　evening　they　were　all　congregated　on　the　road　near　to　the
spot　at　which　the　path　turns　off　towards　the　cottage；　when　a　voice
was　heard　hallooing　to　them　from　the　summit　of　a　little　hill　which
lies　between　the　road　and　the　sea　on　the　side　towards　the　ferry；　and
presently　a　boy　came　running　down　to　them　full　of　news。　　〃Danny　Lund
has　seen　him；〃　said　the　boy；　〃he　has　seen　him　plainly　in　among　the
rocks。〃　　And　then　came　Danny　Lund　himself；　a　small　negro　lad　about
fourteen　years　of　age；　who　was　known　in　those　parts　as　the　idlest；
most　dishonest；　and　most　useless　of　his　race。　　On　this　occasion；
however；　Danny　Lund　became　important；　and　every　one　listened　to　him。
He　had　seen；　he　said；　a　pair　of　eyes　moving　down　in　a　cave　of　the
rocks　which　he　well　knew。　　He　had　been　in　the　cave　often；　he　said；
and　could　get　there　again。　　But　not　now；　not　while　that　pair　of　eyes
was　moving　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　And　so　they　all　went　up　over　the
hill；　Morton　leading　the　way　with　hot　haste。　　In　his　waist…band　he
held　a　pistol；　and　his　hand　grasped　a　short　iron　bar　with　which　he
had　armed　himself。　　They　ascended　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　when
there；　the　open　sea　was　before　them　on　two　sides；　and　on　the　third
was　the　narrow　creek　over　which　the　ferry　passed。　　Immediately
beneath　their　feet　were　the　broken　rocks；　for　on　that　side；　towards
the　sea；　the　earth　and　grass　of　the　hill　descended　but　a　little　way
towards　the　water。　　Down　among　the　rocks　they　all　went；　silently；
Caleb　Morton　leading　the　way；　and　Danny　Lund　directing　him　from
behind。

〃Mr。　Morton；〃　said　an　elderly　man　from　St。　George；　〃had　you　not
better　let　the　warders　of　the　gaol　go　first；　he　is　a　desperate　man；
and　they　will　best　understand　his　ways？〃

In　answer　to　this　Morton　said　nothing；　but　he　would　let　no　one　put　a
foot　before　him。　　He　still　pressed　forward　among　the　rocks；　and　at
last　came　to　a　spot　from　whence　he　might　have　sprung　at　one　leap
into　the　ocean。　　It　was　a　broken　cranny　on　the　sea…shore　into　which
the　sea　beat；　and　surrounded　on　every　side　but　the　one　by　huge
broken　fragments　of　stone；　which　at　first　sight　seemed　as　though
they　would　have　admitted　of　a　path　down　among　them　to　the　water's
edge；　but　which；　when　scanned　more　closely；　were　seen　to　be　so　large
in　size；　that　no　man　could　climb　from　one　to　another。　　It　was　a
singularly　romantic　spot；　but　now　well　known　to　them　all　there；　for
they　had　visited　it　over　and　over　again　that　morning。

〃In　there；〃　said　Danny　Lund；　keeping　well　behind　Morton's　body；　and
pointing　at　the　same　time　to　a　cavern　high　up　among　the　rocks；　but
quite　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　little　inlet　of　the　sea。　　The
mouth　of　the　cavern　was　not　twenty　yards　from　where　they　stood；　but
at　the　first　sight　it　seemed　as　though　it　must　be　impossible　to
reach　it。　　The　precipice　on　the　brink　of　which　they　all　now　stood；
ran　down　sheer　into　the　sea；　and　the　fall　from　the　mouth　of　the
cavern　on　the　other　side　was　as　steep。　　But　Danny　solved　the　mystery
by　pointing　upwards；　and　showing　them　how　he　had　been　used　to　climb
to　a　projecting　rock　over　their　heads；　and　from　thence　creep　round
by　certain　vantages　of　the　stone　till　he　was　able　to　let　himself
down　into　the　aperture。　　But　now；　at　the　present　moment；　he　was
unwilling　to　make　essay　of　his　prowess　as　a　cragsman。　　He　had；　he
said；　been　up　on　that　projecting　rock　thrice；　and　there　had　seen　the
eyes　moving　in　the　cavern。　　He　was　quite　sure　of　that　fact　of　the
pair　of　eyes；　and　declined　to　ascend　the　rock　again。

Traces　soon　became　visible　to　them　by　which　they　knew　that　some　one
had　passed　in　and　out　of　the　cavern　recently。　　The　stone；　when
examined；　bore　those　marks　of　friction　which　passage　and　repassage
over　it　will　always　give。　　At　the　spot　from　whence　the　climber　left
the　platform　and　commenced　his　ascent；　the　side　of　the　stone　had
been　rubbed　by　the　close　friction　of　a　man's　body。　　A　light　boy　like
Danny　Lund　might　find　his　way　in　and　out　without　leaving　such　marks
behind　him；　but　no　heavy　man　could　do　so。　　Thus　before　long　they　all
were　satisfied　that　Aaron　Trow　was　in　the　cavern　before　them。

Then　there　was　a　long　consultation　as　to　what　they　would　do　to　carry
on　the　hunt；　and　how　they　would　drive　the　tiger　from　his　lair。　　That
he　should　not　again　come　out；　except　to　fall　into　their　hands；　was
to　all　of　them　a　matter　of　course。　　They　would　keep　watch　and　ward