暗黑小说

PART II The Sea-cook02（第4页）

"hereitisaboutgentlemenoffortune。theylivesrough，andtheyriskswinging，buttheyeatanddrinklikefigh-cocks，andwhenacruiseisdone，why，its混dredsofpoundsinsteadof混dredsoffarthingsintheirpockets。now，thestgoesforrumandagoodfling，andtoseaagainintheirshirts。butthatsnotthecourseilay。iputsitallaway，somehere，somethere，andnooomuchanywheres，byreasonofsuspicion。imfifty，markyou;oncebackfromthiscruise，isetupgentlemaninearnest。timeenoughtoo，saysyou。ah，butivelivedeasyinthemeantime，neverdeniedmyselfonothingheartdesires，andslepsoftandatedaintyallmydaysbutwhenatsea。andhowdidibegin?beforethemast，likeyou!"

"well，"saidtheother，"butalltheotherneysgonenow，aintit?youdarentshowfaceinbristolafterthis。"

"why，wheremightyousupposeitwas?"askedsilverderisively。

"atbristol，inbanksandplaces，"answeredhispanion。

"itwere，"saidthecook;"itwerewhenweweighedanchor。butmyoldmissishasitallbynow。andthespy-glassissold，ing;andtheoldgirlsofftomeetme。iwouldtellyouwhere，foritrustyou，butitdmakejealousyangthemates。"

"andcanyoutrustyourmissis?"askedtheother。

"gentlemenoffortune，"returnedthecook，"usuallytrustslittleangthemselves，andrighttheyare，youmaylaytoit。butihaveawaywithme，ihave。whenamatebringsasliponhiscable—oneasknowsme，imean—itwontbeinthesameworldwitholdjohn。therewassomethatwasfearedofpew，andsomethatwasfearedofflint;butflinthisownselfwasfearedofme。fearedhewas，andproud。theywastheroughestcrewafloat，wasflints;thedevilhimselfwouldhavebeenfearedtogotoseawiththewellnow，itellyou，imnotaboasman，andyouseenyourselfhoweasyikeeppany，butwheniwasquartermaster，aneers。ah，youmaybesureofyourselfinoldjohnsship。"

"well，itellyounow，"repliedthelad，"ididnthalfaquarterlikethejobtillihadthistalkwithyou，john;buttheresmyhandonitnow。"

"andabraveladyouwere，andsmarttoo，"answeredsilver，shakinghandssoheartilythatallthebarrelshook，"andafinerfigureheadforagentlemaoffortuneineverclappedmyeyeson。"

bythistimeihadbeguntounderstandthemeaningoftheirterms。bya"gentlemanoffortune"theyplainlymeantneitherrenorlessthananpirate，andthelittlescehatihadoverheardwasthelastactinthecorruptionofoneofthehonesthands—perhapsofthelastoneleftaboard。butonthispointiwassoontoberelieved，forsilvergivingalittlewhistle，athirdmanstrolledupandsatdownbytheparty。

"dickssquare，"saidsilver。

"oh，iknowddickwassquare，"returnedthevoiceofthecoxswain，israelhands。"hesnofool，isdick。"andheturnedhisquidandspat。"butlookhere，"hewenton，"hereswhatiwanttoknow，barbecue:howlongarewea-goingtostandoffandonlikeablessedbumboat?ivehadastenoughocapnsllett;heshazedmelongenough，byt混der!iwanttogointothatcabin，ido。iwanttheirpicklesandwines，andthat。"

"israel，"saidsilver，"ount，noreverwas。butyoureabletohear，ireckon;leastways，yourearsisbigenough。now，hereswhatisay:youllberthforward，andyoulllivehard，andyoullspeaksoft，andyoullkeepsobertilligivetheword;andyoumaylaytothat，myson。"

"well，idontsayno，doi?"growledthecoxswain。"whatisayis，when?thatswhatisay。"

"when!bythepowers!"criedsilver。"wellnow，ifyouwanttoknow，illtellyouwhen。thelastmenticanmanage，andthatswhen。heresafirst-rateseaman，capnsllett，sailstheblessedshipforus。heresthissquireanddoctorwithamapandsuch—idontknowwhereitis，doi?noredoyou，saysyou。wellthen，imeanthissquireanddoctorshallfindthestuff，andhelpustogetitaboard，bythepowers。thenwellsee。ifiwassureofyouall，sonsofdoubledutchmen，idhavecapnsllettnavigateushalfwaybackagainbeforeistruck。"

"why，wereallseamenaboardhere，ishouldthink，"saidtheladdick。

"wereallforecastlehands，youmean，"snappedsilver。"wecansteeracourse，butwhostosetone?thatswhatallyougentlemenspliton，firstandlast。ifihadmyway，idhavecapnsllettworkusbackintothetradesatleast;thenwedhavenoblessedmiscalculationsandaspoonfulofwateraday。butiknowthesortyouare。illfinishwithemattheisland，assoonstheb露ntsonboard，andapityitis。butyoureneverhappytillyouredrunk。splitmysides，iveasickhearttosailwiththelikesofyou!"

"easyall，longjohn，"criedisrael。"whosa-crossinofyou?"

"why，howmanytallships，thinkye，now，haveiseenlaidaboard?andhowmanybriskladsdryinginthesunatexecutiondock?"criedsilver。"andallforthissamehurryandhurryandhurry。youhearme?iseenathingortwoatsea，ihave。ifyouwouldonylayyourcourse，andapinttowindward，youwouldrideincarriages，youwould。butnotyou!iknowyou。youllhaveyouruthfulofrumtorrow，andgohang。"

"everybodyknowedyouwasakindofachapling，john;buttheresothersascouldhandandsteeraswellasyou，"saidisrael。"theylikedabitofun，theydid。theywasntsohighanddry，nohow，buttooktheirfling，likejollypanionseveryone。

"so?"sayssilver。"well，andwherearetheynow?pewwasthatsort，ar-man。flintwas，andhediedofrumatsavannah。ah，theywasasweetcrew，theywas!ony，wherearethey?"

"but，"askeddick，"whenwedolayemathwart，whatarewetodowithem，anyhow?"

"theresthemanforme!"criedthecookadmiringly。"thatswhaticallbusiness。well，whatwouldyouthink?putemashorelikemaroons?thatwouldhavebeenenglandsway。orcutemdownlikethatmuchpork?thatwouldhavebeenflints，orbillyboness。"

"billywasthemanforthat，"saidisrael。"deadmendontbite，sayshe。well，hesdeadnowhisself;heknowsthelongandshortonitnow;andifeveraroughhandetoport，itwasbilly。"

"rightyouare，"saidsilver;"roughandready。butmarkyouhere，imaneasyman—imquitethegentleman，saysyou;butthistimeitsserious。dootyisdooty，mates。igivemyvote—death。wheniminparlymentandridinginmycoach，idontwantnoneofthesesea-lawyersinthecabina-inghome，unlookedfor，likethedevilatprayers。waitiswhatisay;butwhenthetimees，why，letherrip!"

"john，"criesthecoxswain，"youreaman!"

"youllsayso，israelwhenyousee，"saidsilver。"onlyohingiclaim—iclaimtrelawney。illwringhiscalfsheadoffhisbodywiththesehands，dick!"headded，breakingoff。"youjustjumpup，likeasweetlad，andgetmeanapple，towetmypipelike。"

youmayfancytheterroriwasin!ishouldhaveleapedoutandrunforitifihadfoundthestrength，butmylimbsandheartalikemisgaveme。ihearddickbegintorise，andthensomeoneseeminglystoppedhim，andthevoiceofhandsexclaimed，"oh，stowthat!dontyougetsuckingofthatbilge，john。letshaveagooftheru"