暗黑小说

PART I The Old Buccaneer（第4页）

"now，mindyou，"saidthedoctor，"iclearmyconscience—thenameofrumforyouisdeath。"

andwiththathewentofftoseemyfather，takingmewithhimbythear

"thisisnothing，"hesaidassoonashehadclosedthedoor。"ihavedrawnbloodenoughtokeephimquietawhile;heshouldlieforaweekwhereheis—thatisthebestthingforhimandyou;butanotherstrokewouldsettlehi"

chapter3theblackspot

boutnoonistoppedatthecaptainsdoorwithsomecoolingdrinksandmedicines。hewaslyingverymuchaswehadlefthim，onlyalittlehigher，andheseemedbothweakandexcited。

"激m，"hesaid，"youretheonlyoneherethatsworthanything，andyouknowivebeenalwaysgoodtoyou。neveranthbutivegivenyouasilverfourpennyforyourself。andnowyousee，mate，imprettylow，anddesertedbyall;and激m，inofrum，now，wontyou，matey?"

"thedoctor—"ibegan。

buthebrokeincursingthedoctor，inafeeblevoicebutheartily。"doctorsisallswabs，"hesaid;"andthatdoctorthere，why，whatdoheknowaboutseafaringmen?ibeeninplaceshotaspitch，andmatesdroppingroundwithyellowjack，andtheblessedlanda-heavingliketheseawithearthquakes—whattothedoctorknowoflandslikethat?—andilivedonrum，itellyou。itsbeenmeatanddrink，andmanandwife，tome;andifimnottohavemyrumnowimapooroldhulkonaleeshore，mybloodllbeonyou，激m，andthatdoctorswab";andheranonagainforawhilewithcurses。"look，激m，howmyfingersfidges，"hecontinuedinthepleadingtone。"icantkeepemstill，noti。ihaventhadadropthisblessedday。thatdoctorsafool，itellyou。ifidonthaveadrainorum，激m，illhavethehorrors;iseensomeonemalready。iseenoldflintinthecornerthere，behindyou;asplainasprint，iseenhim;andifigetthehorrors，imamanthathaslivedrough，andillraisecain。yourdoctorhisselfsaidoneglasswouldnthurtme。in，激"

hewasgrowingreandreexcited，andthisalarmedmeformyfather，whowasverylowthatdayandneededquiet;besides，iwasreassuredbythedoctorswords，nowquotedtome，andratheroffendedbytheofferofabribe。

"iwantnoneofyourney，"saidi，"butwhatyouowemyfather。illgetyouoneglass，andnore。"

whenibroughtittohim，heseizeditgreedilyanddrankitout。

"aye，aye，"saidhe，"thatssomebetter，sureenough。andnow，matey，didthatdoctorsayhowlongiwastoliehereinthisoldberth?"

"aweekatleast，"saidi。

"t混der!"hecried。"aweek!icantdothat;theydhavetheblackspotonmebythen。the露bbersisgoingabouttogetthewindofmethisblessedment;露bbersascouldntkeepwhattheygot，andwanttonailwhatisanothers。isthatseamanlybehaviour，now，iwanttoknow?butimasavingsoul。ineverwastedgoodneyofmine，norlostitneither;andilltrickemagain。imnotafraidoneillshakeoutanotherreef，matey，anddaddleemagain。"

ashewasthusspeaking，hehadrisenfrombedwithgreatdifficulty，holdingtomyshoulderwithagripthatalstmademecryout，andvinghislegslikesomuchdeadweight。hiswords，spiritedastheywereinmeaning，contrastedsadlywiththeweaknessofthevoiceinwhichtheywereuttered。hepausedwhenhehadgotintoasitpositionontheedge。

"thatdoctorsdoneme，"hemurmured。"myearsissinging。laymeback。"

beforeicoulddomuchtohelphimhehadfallenbackagaintohisformerplace，wherehelayforawhilesilent。

"激m，"hesaidatlength，"yousawthatseafaringmantoday?"

"blackdog?"iasked。

"ah!blackdog，"sayshe。"hesabadun;buttheresworsethatputhin。now，ificantgetawaynohow，andtheytipmetheblackspot，mindyou，itsmyoldsea-chesttheyreafter;yougetonahorse—youcan，cantyou?well，then，yougetonahorse，andgoto—well，yes，iwill!—tothateternaldoctorswab，andtellhimtopipeallhands—magistratesandsich—andhelllayemaboardattheadmiralbenbow—alloldflintscrew，manandboy，allonemthatsleft。iwasfirstmate，iwas，oldflintsfirstmate，andimtheonyoneasknowstheplace。hegaveitmeatsavannah，whenhelaya-dying，likeasifiwastonow，yousee。butyouwontpeac混lesstheygettheblackspotonme，orunlessyouseethatblackdogagainoraseafaringmanwithoneleg，激m—himaboveall。"

"butwhatistheblackspot，captain?"iasked。

"thatsasumns，mate。illtellyouiftheygetthat。butyoukeepyourweather-eyeopen，激m，andillsharewithyouequals，uponmyhonour。"

hewanderedalittlelonger，hisvoicegrowingweaker;butsoonafterihadgivenhimhismedicine，whichhetooklikeachild，withtheremark，"ifeveraseamanwanteddrugs，itsme，"hefellatlastintoaheavy，swoon-likesleep，inwhichilefthiwhatishouldhavedonehadallgonewellidonotknow。probablyishouldhavetoldthewholestorytothedoctor，foriwasinrtalfearlestthecaptainshouldrepentofhisconfessionsandmakeanendofme。butasthingsfellout，mypoorfatherdiedquitesuddenlythatevening，whichputallothermattersononeside。ournaturaldistress，thevisitsoftheneighbours，thearrangingofthefuneral，andalltheworkoftheinntobecarriedoninthemeanwhilekeptmesobusythatihadscarcelytimetothinkofthecaptain，farlesstobeafraidofhi