远大前程-第1章

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1　　Pip　meets　a　stranger

　　

My　first　name　was　Philip，but　when　I　was　a　small　child　I　could　only　manage　to　say　Pip．So　Pip　was　what　every…body　called　me．I　lived　in　a　small　village　in　Essex　with　my　sister，who　was　over　twenty　years　older　than　me，and　married　to　Joe　Gargery，the　village　blacksmith．My　parents　had　died　when　I　was　a　baby，so　I　could　not　remember　them　at　all，but　quite　often　I　used　to　visit　the　churchyard，abut　a　mile　from　the　village，to　look　at　their　names　on　their　gravestones．

My　first　memory　is　of　sitting　on　a　gravestone　in　that　church…yard　one　cold，grey，December　afternoon，looking　out　at　the　dark，flat，wild　marshes　divided　by　the　black　line　of　the　River　Thames，and　listening　to　the　rushing　sound　of　the　sea　in　the　distance．

‘Don't　say　a　word！’cried　a　terrible　voice，as　a　man　jumped　up　from　among　the　graves　and　caught　hold　of　me．‘If　you　shout　I'll　cut　your　throat！’He　was　a　big　man，dressed　all　in　grey，with　an　iron　chain　on　his　leg．His　clothes　were　wet　and　torn．He　looked　exhausted，and　hungry，and　very　fierce．I　had　never　been　so　frightened　in　my　whole　life．

‘Oh！Don't　cut　my　throat，sir！’I　begged　in　terror．

‘Tell　me　your　name，boy！Quick！’he　said，still　holding　me．‘And　show　me　where　you　live！’

‘My　name's　Pip，sir．And　I　live　in　the　village　over　there．’

He　picked　me　up　and　turned　me　upside…down．Nothing　fell　out　of　my　pocket　except　a　piece　of　old　bread．He　ate　it　in　two　bites，like　a　dog，and　put　me　back　on　the　gravestone．

‘So　where　are　your　father　and　mother？’he　asked．

‘There，sir，’I　answered，pointing　to　their　graves．

‘What！’he　cried，and　was　about　to　run，when　he　saw　where　I　was　pointing．‘Oh！’he　said．‘　I　see．They're　dead．Well，who　do　you　live　with，if　I　let　you　live，which　I　haven't　decided　yet？’

‘With　my　sister，sir，wife　of　Joe　Gargery，the　blacksmith．’

Blacksmith，you　say？And　he　looked　down　at　his　leg．Then　he　held　me　by　both　arms　and　stared　fiercely　down　into　my　eyes．

‘Now　look　here．You　bring　me　a　file．You　know　what　that　is？And　you　bring　me　some　food．If　you　don't，or　if　you　tell　anyone　about　me，I'll　cut　your　heart　out．’

‘I　promise　I'll　do　it，sir，’I　answered．I　was　badly　fright　ened　and　my　whole　body　was　trembling　。

‘You　see，’he　continued，smiling　unpleasantly，‘I　travel　with　a　young　man，a　friend　of　mine，who　roasts　boys’hearts　and　eats　them．He'll　find　you，wherever　you　are，and　he'll　have　your　heart．So　bring　the　file　and　the　food　to　that　wooden　shelter　over　there，early　tomorrow　morning，if　you　want　to　keep　your　heart，that　is　Remember，you　promised！’

I　watched　him　turn　and　walk　with　difficulty　across　the　marshes，the　chain　hanging　clumsily　around　his　leg．Then　I　ran　home　as　fast　as　I　could．

My　sister，Mrs　Joe　Gargery，was　very　proud　of　the　fact　that　she　had　brought　me　up‘by　hand’．Nobody　explained　to　me　what　this　meant，and　because　she　had　a　hard　and　heavy　hand，which　she　used　freely　on　her　husband　as　well　as　me，I　supposed　that　Joe　and　I　were　both　brought　up　by　hand．She　was　not　a　beautiful　woman，being　tall　and　thin，with　black　hair　and　eyes　and　a　very　red　face．She　clearly　felt　that　Joe　and　I　caused　her　a　lot　of　trouble，and　she　frequently　complained　about　it．Joe，on　the　other　hand，was　a　gentle，kind　man　with　fair　hair　and　weak　blue　eyes，who　quietly　accepted　her　scolding．

Because　Joe　and　I　were　in　the　same　position　of　being　scolded　by　Mrs　Joe，we　were　good　friends，and　Joe　protected　me　from　her　anger　whenever　he　could．So　when　I　ran　breathless　into　the　kitchen，he　gave　me　a　friendly　warning．‘She's　out　look…ing　for　you，Pip！And　she's　got　the　stick　with　her！’This　stick　had　been　used　so　often　for　beating　me　that　it　was　now　quite　smooth．

Just　then　Mrs　Joe　rushed　in．

‘Where　have　you　been，you　young　monkey？’she　shouted．I　jumped　behind　Joe　to　avoid　being　hit　with　the　stick．

‘Only　to　the　churchyard，’I　whispered，starting　to　cry．

‘Churchyard！If　I　hadn't　brought　you　up，you'd　be　in　the　churchyard　with　our　parents．You'll　send　me　to　the　church…yard　one　day！Now　let　me　get　your　supper　ready，both　of　you！’

For　the　rest　of　the　evening，I　thought　of　nothing　but　the　stranger　on　the　marshes．Sometimes，as　the　wind　blew　round　the　house，I　imagined　I　heard　his　voice　outside，and　I　thought　with　horror　of　the　young　man　who　ate　boys’　hearts．

Just　before　I　went　to　bed，we　heard　the　sound　of　a　big　gun　on　the　marshes．‘Was　that　a　gun，Joe？’I　asked．

‘Ah！’said　Joe．‘Another　convict's　escaped．One　got　away　last　night．They　always　fire　the　gun　when　one　escapes．’

‘Who　fires　the　gun？’I　asked．Joe　shook　his　head　to　warn　me．

‘Too　many　questions，’frowned　my　sister．‘If　you　must　know　it's　the　men　in　the　prison…ships　who　fire　the　gun．’

‘I　wonder　who　is　put　into　prison…ships，and　why？’I　asked，in　a　general　way，quietly　desperate　to　know　the　answer．

This　was　too　much　for　Mrs　Joe．‘Listen，my　boy，I　didn't　bring　you　up　by　hand　to　annoy　people　to　death！There　are　ships　on　the　river　which　are　used　as　prisons．People　who　steal　and　murder　are　put　in　the　prison…ships，and　they　stay　there　for　years　sometimes．And　they　always　begin　their　life　of　crime　by　asking　too　many　questions！Now，go　to　bed！’

I　could　not　sleep　at　all　that　night．I　was　in　terror　of　the　young　man　who　wanted　my　heart，I　was　in　terror　of　the　man　with　the　iron　chain，I　was　in　terror　of　my　sister，who　would　soon　discover　I　had　stolen　her　food．As　soon　as　there　was　a　lit…tle　light　in　the　sky　outside　my　window，　I　got　up　and　went　qui…etly　down　to　the　kitchen．I　stole　some　bread，cheese　and　a　big　meat　pie，hoping　that，as　there　was　a　lot　of　food　ready　for　Christmas，nobody　would　notice　what　was　missing．I　did　not　dare　take　the　whole　brandy　bottle，so　I　poured　some　into　a　smaller　bottle　to　take　away　with　me．Then　I　filled　up　the　brandy　bottle　with　what　I　thought　was　water　from　a　big　brown　bottle．I　took　a　file　from　Joe's　box　of　tools，and　ran　out　on　to　the　dark　marshes．

The　mist　was　so　thick　that　I　could　not　see　anything．Al…though　I　knew　my　way　to　the　shelter　very　well，I　almost　got　lost　this　time．I　was　near　it　when　I　saw　a　man　sitting　on　the　ground，half　asleep．I　went　up　and　touched　his　shoulder．He　jumped　up，and　it　was　the　wrong　man！He　was　dressed　in　grey，too，and　had　an　iron　chain　on　his　leg．He　ran　away　into　the　mist．

‘It's　the　young　man！’I　thought，feeling　a　pain　in　my　heart．

When　I　arrived　at　the　shelter，I　found　the　right　man．He　looked　so　cold　and　hungry　that　I　felt　sorry　for　him．Trembling　violently　he　swallowed　the　brandy　and　ate　the　food　like　a　hunt…ed　animal，looking　around　him　all　the　time　for　danger．

‘You're　sure　you　didn't　tell　anyone？Or　bring　anyone？’

‘No，sir．I'm　glad　you're　enjoying　the　food，sir．’

‘Thank　you，my　boy．You've　been　good　to　a　poor　man．’

‘But　I'm　afraid　there　won't　be　any　left　for　him．’

‘Him？　Who's　that？’My　friend　stopped　in　the　middle　of　eating．

‘The　young　man　who　travels　with　you．’

‘Oh，him！’he　replied，smiling．‘He　doesn't　want　any　food．’

‘I　thought　he　looked　rather　hungry，’I　answered．

He　stared　at　me　in　great　surprise．‘Looked？When？’

‘Just　now，over　there．I　found　him　half　asleep　and　I　thought　it　was　you．He　was　dressed　like　you，and—’I　was　anxious　to　express　this　politely‘…he　had　the　same　reason　for　wanting　to　borrow　a　file．’

‘Then　I　did　hear　them　fire　the　gun　last　night！You　know，boy，when　you're　on　the　marsh　alone　at　night，you　imagine　all　kinds　of　things，voices　calling，guns　firing，soldiers　marching！But　show　me　where　this　man　went．I'll　find　him　and　I'll　fin…ish　with　him！I'll　smash　his　face！Give　me　the　file　first．’

I　was　afraid　of　him　now　that　he　was　angry　again．

‘I'm　sorry，I　must　go　home　now，’I　said．He　did　not　seem　to　hear，so　I　left　him　bending　over　his　leg　and　filing　away　at　his　iron　chain　like　a　madman．Halfway　home　I　stopped　in　the　mist　to　listen，and　I　could　still　hear　the　sound　of　the　file．

　　




2　　Catching　a　convict

　　

All　that　morning　I　was　frightened　that　my　sister　would　discover　that　I　had　stolen　from　her，but　luckily　she　was　so　busy　cleaning　the　house，and　roasting　the　chickens　for　our　Christmas　lunch　that　she　did　not　notice　that　I　had　been　out，or　that　any　food　was　missing．At　half…past　one　our　two　guests　arrived．Mr　Wopsle　had　a　large　nose　and　a　shining，bald　forehead，and　was　the　church　clerk．Mr　Pumblechook，　who　had　a　shop　in　the　nearest　town，was　a　fat，middle…aged　man　witn　a　mouth　like　a　fish，and　staring　eyes．He　was　really　Joe's　uncle　but　it　was　Mrs　Joe　who　called　him　uncle．Every　Christmas　Day　he　arrived　with　two　bottles　of　wine，handing　them　proudly　to　my　sister．

‘Oh　Uncle　Pumblechook！This　is　kind！’she　always　replied．

‘It's　no　more　than　you　deserve，’was　the　answer　every　time．

Sitting　at　table　with　these　guests　I　would　have　felt　uncomfortable　even　if　I　hadn't　robbed　my　sister．Not　only　was　Pumblechook's　elbow　in　my　eye，but　I　wasn't　allowed　to　speak，and　they　gave　me　the　worst　pieces　of　meat．Even　the　chickens　must　have　been　ashamed　of　those　parts　of　their　bodies　when　they　were　alive．And　worse　than　that，the　adults　never　left　me　in　peace．

‘Before　we　eat，let　us　thank　God　for　the　food　in　front　of　us，’said　Mr　Wopsle，in　the　deep　voice　he　used　in　church．

‘Do　you　hear　that？’whispered　my　sister　to　me．‘Be　grateful！’

‘Especially，’said　Mr　Pumblechook　firmly，‘be　grateful，boy，to　those　who　brought　you　up　by　hand．’

‘Why　are　the　young　never　grateful？’wondered　Mr　Wopsle　sadly．

‘Their　characters　are　naturally　bad，’answered　Mr　Pumblechook，and　all　three　looked　unpleasantly　at　me．

When　there　were　guests，Joe's　position　was　even　lower　than　usual（if　that　was　possible），but　he　always　tried　to　help　me　if　he　could．Sometimes　he　comforted　me　by　giving　me　extra　gravy．He　did　that　now．

‘Just　imagine，boy，’said　Mr　Pumblechook，‘if　your　sister　hadn't　brought　you　up—’

‘You　listen　to　this，’said　my　sister　to　me　crossly．

‘If，as　I　say，she　hadn't　spent　her　life　looking　after　you，where　would　you　be　now？’

Joe　offered　me　more　gravy．

‘He　was　a　lot　of　trouble　to　you，madam，’Mr　Wopsle　said　sympathetically　to　my　sister．

‘Trouble？’she　cried．‘Trouble？’And　then　she　started　on　a　list　of　all　my　illnesses，accidents　and　crimes，while　everybody　except　Joe　looked　at　me　with　disgust．Joe　added　more　gravy　to　the　meat　swimming　on　my　plate，and　I　wanted　to　pull　Mr　Wopsle's　nose．

In　the　end　Mrs　Joe　stopped　for　breath，and　said　to　Mr　Pumblechook，‘Have　a　little　brandy，uncle．There　is　a　bottle　al…ready　open．’

It　had　happened　at　last！Now　she　would　discover　I　had　stolen　some　brandy，and　put　water　in　the　bottle．Mr　Pumblechook　held　his　glass　up　to　the　light，smiled　importantly　at　it　and　drank　it．When，immediately　afterwards，he　jumped　up　and　began　to　rush　round　the　room　in　a　strange　wild　dance，we　all　stared　at　him　in　great　surprise．Was　he　mad？I　wondered　if　I　had　murdered　him，but　if　so，how？At　last　he　threw　himself　gasping　into　a　chair，crying　‘Medicine！’Then　I　understood．Instead　of　filling　up　the　brandy