perils of certain english prisoners-第10章

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He　and　the　two　ladies　were　talking　about　the　Pirates；　and　were

talking　softly；　partly；　because　people　do　talk　softly　under　such

indolent　circumstances；　and　partly　because　the　little　girl　had　gone

off　asleep。



I　think　I　have　before　given　it　out　for　my　Lady　to　write　down；　that

Captain　Carton　had　a　fine　bright　eye　of　his　own。　　All　at　once；　he

darted　me　a　side　look；　as　much　as　to　say；　〃Steadydon't　take　onI

see　something！〃and　gave　the　child　into　her　mother's　arms。　　That

eye　of　his　was　so　easy　to　understand；　that　I　obeyed　it　by　not　so

much　as　looking　either　to　the　right　or　to　the　left　out　of　a　corner

of　my　own；　or　changing　my　attitude　the　least　trifle。　　The　Captain

went　on　talking　in　the　same　mild　and　easy　way；　but　beganwith　his

arms　resting　across　his　knees；　and　his　head　a　little　hanging

forward；　as　if　the　heat　were　rather　too　much　for　himbegan　to　play

with　the　Spanish　gun。



〃They　had　laid　their　plans；　you　see；〃　says　the　Captain；　taking　up

the　Spanish　gun　across　his　knees；　and　looking；　lazily；　at　the

inlaying　on　the　stock；　〃with　a　great　deal　of　art；　and　the　corrupt　or

blundering　local　authorities　were　so　easily　deceived；〃　he　ran　his

left　hand　idly　along　the　barrel；　but　I　saw；　with　my　breath　held；

that　he　covered　the　action　of　cocking　the　gun　with　his　right〃so

easily　deceived；　that　they　summoned　us　out　to　come　into　the　trap。

But　my　intention　as　to　future　operations〃　　In　a　flash　the　Spanish

gun　was　at　his　bright　eye；　and　he　fired。



All　started　up；　innumerable　echoes　repeated　the　sound　of　the

discharge；　a　cloud　of　bright…coloured　birds　flew　out　of　the　woods

screaming；　a　handful　of　leaves　were　scattered　in　the　place　where　the

shot　had　struck；　a　crackling　of　branches　was　heard；　and　some　lithe

but　heavy　creature　sprang　into　the　air；　and　fell　forward；　head　down；

over　the　muddy　bank。



〃What　is　it？〃　cries　Captain　Maryon　from　his　boat。　　All　silent　then；

but　the　echoes　rolling　away。



〃It　is　a　Traitor　and　a　Spy；〃　said　Captain　Carton；　handing　me　the　gun

to　load　again。　　〃And　I　think　the　other　name　of　the　animal　is

Christian　George　King！〃



Shot　through　the　heart。　　Some　of　the　people　ran　round　to　the　spot；

and　drew　him　out；　with　the　slime　and　wet　trickling　down　his　face；

but　his　face　itself　would　never　stir　any　more　to　the　end　of　time。



〃Leave　him　hanging　to　that　tree；〃　cried　Captain　Carton；　his　boat's

crew　giving　way；　and　he　leaping　ashore。　　〃But　first　into　this　wood；

every　man　in　his　place。　　And　boats！　　Out　of　gunshot！〃



It　was　a　quick　change；　well　meant　and　well　made；　though　it　ended　in

disappointment。　　No　Pirates　were　there；　no　one　but　the　Spy　was

found。　　It　was　supposed　that　the　Pirates；　unable　to　retake　us；　and

expecting　a　great　attack　upon　them　to　be　the　consequence　of　our

escape；　had　made　from　the　ruins　in　the　Forest；　taken　to　their　ship

along　with　the　Treasure；　and　left　the　Spy　to　pick　up　what

intelligence　he　could。　　In　the　evening　we　went　away；　and　he　was　left

hanging　to　the　tree；　all　alone；　with　the　red　sun　making　a　kind　of　a

dead　sunset　on　his　black　face。



Next　day；　we　gained　the　settlement　on　the　Mosquito　coast　for　which

we　were　bound。　　Having　stayed　there　to　refresh　seven　days；　and

having　been　much　commended；　and　highly　spoken　of；　and　finely

entertained；　we　Marines　stood　under　orders　to　march　from　the　Town…

Gate　（it　was　neither　much　of　a　town　nor　much　of　a　gate）；　at　five　in

the　morning。



My　officer　had　joined　us　before　then。　　When　we　turned　out　at　the

gate；　all　the　people　were　there；　in　the　front　of　them　all　those　who

had　been　our　fellow…prisoners；　and　all　the　seamen。



〃Davis；〃　says　Lieutenant　Linderwood。　　〃Stand　out；　my　friend！〃



I　stood　out　from　the　ranks；　and　Miss　Maryon　and　Captain　Carton　came

up　to　me。



〃Dear　Davis；〃　says　Miss　Maryon；　while　the　tears　fell　fast　down　her

face；　〃your　grateful　friends；　in　most　unwillingly　taking　leave　of

you；　ask　the　favour　that；　while　you　bear　away　with　you　their

affectionate　remembrance；　which　nothing　can　ever　impair；　you　will

also　take　this　purse　of　moneyfar　more　valuable　to　you；　we　all

know；　for　the　deep　attachment　and　thankfulness　with　which　it　is

offered；　than　for　its　own　contents；　though　we　hope　those　may　prove

useful　to　you；　too；　in　after　life。〃



I　got　out；　in　answer；　that　I　thankfully　accepted　the　attachment　and

affection；　but　not　the　money。　　Captain　Carton　looked　at　me　very

attentively；　and　stepped　back；　and　moved　away。　　I　made　him　my　bow　as

he　stepped　back；　to　thank　him　for　being　so　delicate。



〃No；　miss；〃　said　I；　〃I　think　it　would　break　my　heart　to　accept　of

money。　　But；　if　you　could　condescend　to　give　to　a　man　so　ignorant

and　common　as　myself；　any　little　thing　you　have　wornsuch　as　a　bit

of　ribbon〃



She　took　a　ring　from　her　finger；　and　put　it　in　my　hand。　　And　she

rested　her　hand　in　mine；　while　she　said　these　words：



〃The　brave　gentlemen　of　oldbut　not　one　of　them　was　braver；　or　had

a　nobler　nature　than　youtook　such　gifts　from　ladies；　and　did　all

their　good　actions　for　the　givers'　sakes。　　If　you　will　do　yours　for

mine；　I　shall　think　with　pride　that　I　continue　to　have　some　share　in

the　life　of　a　gallant　and　generous　man。〃



For　the　second　time　in　my　life　she　kissed　my　hand。　　I　made　so　bold；

for　the　first　time；　as　to　kiss　hers；　and　I　tied　the　ring　at　my

breast；　and　I　fell　back　to　my　place。



Then；　the　horse…litter　went　out　at　the　gate　with　Sergeant　Drooce　in

it；　and　the　horse…litter　went　out　at　the　gate　with　Mrs。　Belltott　in

it；　and　Lieutenant　Linderwood　gave　the　word　of　command；　〃Quick

march！〃　and；　cheered　and　cried　for；　we　went　out　of　the　gate　too；

marching　along　the　level　plain　towards　the　serene　blue　sky；　as　if　we

were　marching　straight　to　Heaven。



When　I　have　added　here　that　the　Pirate　scheme　was　blown　to　shivers；

by　the　Pirate…ship　which　had　the　Treasure　on　board　being　so

vigorously　attacked　by　one　of　His　Majesty's　cruisers；　among　the　West

India　Keys；　and　being　so　swiftly　boarded　and　carried；　that　nobody

suspected　anything　about　the　scheme　until　three…fourths　of　the

Pirates　were　killed；　and　the　other　fourth　were　in　irons；　and　the

Treasure　was　recovered；　I　come　to　the　last　singular　confession　I

have　got　to　make。



It　is　this。　　I　well　knew　what　an　immense　and　hopeless　distance　there

was　between　me　and　Miss　Maryon；　I　well　knew　that　I　was　no　fitter

company　for　her　than　I　was　for　the　angels；　I　well　knew；　that　she　was

as　high　above　my　reach　as　the　sky　over　my　head；　and　yet　I　loved　her。

What　put　it　in　my　low　heart　to　be　so　daring；　or　whether　such　a　thing

ever　happened　before　or　since；　as　that　a　man　so　uninstructed　and

obscure　as　myself　got　his　unhappy　thoughts　lifted　up　to　such　a

height；　while　knowing　very　well　how　presumptuous　and　impossible　to

be　realised　they　were；　I　am　unable　to　say；　still；　the　suffering　to

me　was　just　as　great　as　if　I　had　been　a　gentleman。　　I　suffered

agonyagony。　　I　suffered　hard；　and　I　suffered　long。　　I　thought　of

her　last　words　to　me；　however；　and　I　never　disgraced　them。　　If　it

had　not　been　for　those　dear　words；　I　think　I　should　have　lost　myself

in　despair　and　recklessness。



The　ring　will　be　found　lying　on　my　heart；　of　course；　and　will　be

laid　with　me　wherever　I　am　laid。　　I　am　getting　on　in　years　now；

though　I　am　able　and　hearty。　　I　was　recommended　for　promotion；　and

everything　was　done　to　reward　me　that　could　be　done；　but　my　total

want　of　all　learning　stood　in　my　way；　and　I　found　myself　so

completely　out　of　the　road　to　it　that　I　could　not　conquer　any

learning；　though　I　tried。　　I　was　long　in　the　service；　and　I

respected　it；　and　was　respected　in　it；　and　the　service　is　dear　to　me

at　this　present　hour。



At　this　present　hour；　when　I　give　this　out　to　my　Lady　to　be　written

down；　all　my　old　pain　has　softened　away；　and　I　am　as　happy　as　a　man

can　be；　at　this　present　fine　old　country…house　of　Admiral　Sir　George

Carton；　Baronet。　　It　was　my　Lady　Carton　who　herself　sought　me　out；

over　a　great　many　miles　of　the　wide　world；　and　found　me　in　Hospital

wounded；　and　brought　me　here。　　It　is　my　Lady　Carton　who　writes　down

my　words。　　My　Lady　was　Miss　Maryon。　　And　now；　that　I　conclude　what　I

had　to　tell；　I　see　my　Lady's　honoured　gray　hair　droop　over　her　face；

as　she　leans　a　little　lower　at　her　desk；　and　I　fervently　thank　her

for　being　so　tender　as　I　see　she　is；　towards　the　past　pain　and

trouble　of　her　poor；　old；　faithful；　humble　soldier。







Footnotes：



｛1｝　　　Dicken's　didn't　write　the　second　chapter　and　it　is　omitted　in

this　edition。　　In　it　the　prisoners　are　firstly　made　a　ransom　of　for

the　treasure　left　on　the　Island　and　then　manage　to　escape　from　the

Pirates。











End