暗黑小说

PART V My Sea Adventure02（第2页）

"tobesureyoudid，"hecried。"why，iaintsichaninfernal露bberafterall。icansee，canti?ivetriedmyfling，ihave，andivelost，anditsyouhasthewindofme。northinlet?why，ihaventnochice，noti!idhelpyousailheruptoexecutiondock，byt混der!soiwould。"

well，asitseemedtome，therewassomesenseinthis。westruckourbargainonthespot。inthreeminutesihadthehispaniolasailingeasilybeforethewindalongthecoastoftreasureisland，withgoodhopesofturningthenorthernpointerenoonandbeadownagainasfarasnorthinletbeforehighwater，whenwemightbeachhersafelyandwaittillthesubsidingtidepermittedustoland。

thenilashedthetillerandwentbelowtomyownchest，whereigotasoftsilkhandkerchiefofmythers。withthis，andwithmyaid，handsboundupthegreatbleedingstabhehadreceivedinthethigh，andafterhehadeatenalittleandhadaswallowortworeofthebrandy，hebegantopickupvisibly，satstraighterup，spokelouderandclearer，andlookedineverywayanotherman。

thebreezeservedusadmirably。weskimmedbeforeitlikeabird，thecoastoftheislandflashingbyandtheviewchangingeveryminute。soonwewerepastthehighlandsandbowlingbesidelow，sandycountry，sparselydottedwithdwarfpines，andsoonwewerebeyondthatagainandhadturnedthecorneroftherockyhillthatendstheislandonthenorth。

iwasgreatlyelatedwithmynewmand，andpleasedwiththebright，sunshinyweatherandthesedifferentprospectsofthecoast。ihadnowplentyofwaterandgoodthingstoeat，andmyconscience，whichhadsmittenmehardformydesertion，wasquietedbythegreatconquestihadmade。ishould，ithink，havehadnothingleftmetodesirebutfortheeyesofthecoxswainastheyfollowedmederisivelyaboutthedeckandtheoddsmilethatappearedcontinuallyonhisface。itwasasmilethathadinitsomethingbothofpainandweakness—ardoldmanssmile;buttherewas，besidesthat，agrainofderision，ashadowoftreachery，inhisexpressionashecraftilywatched，andwatched，andwatchedmeatmywork。

chapter26israelhands

hewind，servingustoadesire，nowhauledintothewest。wecouldrunsomuchtheeasierfromthenorth-eastcorneroftheislandtotheuthofthenorthinlet。only，aswehadnopowertoanchoranddarednotbeachhertillthetidehadflowedagooddealfarther，time混gonourhands。thecoxswaintoldmehowtolaytheshipto;eeded，andwebothsatinsilenceoveranothermeal。

"capn，"saidheatlengthwiththatsameunfortablesmile，"heresmyoldshipmate，obrien;sposeyouwastoheavehiverboard。iaintparticlarasarule，andidonttakenoblameforsettlinghishash，butidontreckonhirnamentalnow，doyou?"

"imnotstrongenough，andidontlikethejob;andtherehelies，forme，"saidi。

"thisheresanun露ckyship，thishispaniola，激m，"hewenton，blinking。"theresapowerofmenbeenkilledinthishispaniola—asightopoorseamendeadandgonesinceyouandmetookshiptobristol。ineverseensichdirty露ck，noti。therewasthishereobriennow—hesdead，ainthe?wellnow，imnoscholar，andyourealadascanreadandfigure，andtoputitstraight，doyoutakeitasadeadmanisdeadforgood，ordoheealiveagain?"

"youcankillthebody，mr。hands，butnotthespirit;youmustknowthatalready，"ireplied。"obrienthereisinanotherworld，andmaybewatchingus。"

"ah!"sayshe。"well，thatsunfortnate—appearsasifkillingpartieswasawasteoftime。howsomever，sperritsdontreckonformuch，bywhativeseen。illchanceitwiththesperrits，激andnow，youvespokeupfree，andilltakeitkindifyoudstepdownintothattherecabinandgetmea—well，a—shivermytimbers!icanthitthenameont;well，yougetmeabottleofwine，激m—thisherebrandystoostrongformyhead。"

now，thecoxswainshesitationseemedtobeunnatural，andasforthenotionofhispreferringwiobrandy，ientirelydisbelievedit。thewholestorywasapretext。hewantedmetoleavethedeck—somuchwasplain;butwithwhatpurposeicouldinnowayimagine。hiseyesnevermetmine;theykeptwanderingtoandfro，upanddown，nowwithalooktothesky，lanceuponthedeadobrien。allthetimehekeptsmilingandputhistongueoutinthestguilty，embarrassedmanner，sothatachildcouldhavetoldthathewasbentonsomedeception。iwaspromptwithmyanswer，however，forisawwheremyadvantagelayandthatwithafellowsodenselystupidicouldeasilyconcealmysuspicionstotheend。

"somewine?"isaid。"farbetter。willyouhavewhiteorred?"

"well，ireckonitsabouttheblessedsametome，shipmate，"hereplied;"soitsstrong，andplentyofit，whatstheodds?"

"allright，"ianswered。"illbringyouport，mr。hands。butillhavetodigforit。"

withthatiscuttleddownthepanionwithallthenoiseicould，slippedoffmyshoes，ranquietlyalongthesparredgallery，untedtheforecastleladder，andpoppedmyheadoutoftheforepanion。iknewhewouldnotexpecttoseemethere，yetitookeveryprecautionpossible，andcertainlytheworstofmysuspicionsprovedtootrue。

hehadrisenfromhispositiontohishandsandknees，andthoughhislegobviouslyhurthimprettysharplywhenheved—foricouldhearhimstifleagroan—yetitwasatagood，rattlingratethathetrailedhimselfacrossthedeck。inhalfaminutehehadreachedtheportscuppersandpicked，outofacoilofrope，alongknife，orratherashortdirk，discolouredtothehiltwithblood。helookeduponitforament，thrusforthhisunderjaw，triedthepointuponhishand，andthen，hastilyconcealingitinthebosofhisjacket，trundledbackagainintohisoldplaceagainstthebulwark。

thiswasallthatirequiredtoknow。israelcouldveabout，hewasnowarmed，andifhehadbeenatsomuchtroubletogetridofme，itwasplainthatiwasmeanttobethevictiwhathewoulddoafterwards—whetherhewouldtrytocrawlrightacrosstheislandfromnorthinlettothecampangtheswampsorwhetherhewouldfirelongtom，trusthathisownradesmightefirsttohelphim—was，ofcourse，rethanicouldsay。

yetifeltsurethaticouldtrusthiminonepoint，sinceinthatourinterestsjumpedtogether，andthatwasinthedispositionoftheschooner。webothdesiredtohaveherstrandedsafeenough，inashelteredplace，andsothat，whenthetimecame，shecouldbegotoffagainwithaslittlelabouranddangerasmightbe;anduntilthatwasdoneiconsideredthatmylifewouldcertainlybespared。

whileiwasthusturningthebusinessoverinmymind，ihadnotbeenidlewithmybody。ihadstolenbacktothecabin，slippedoncereintomyshoes，andlaidmyhandatrandonabottleofwine，andnow，withthisforanexcuse，imademyreappearanceonthedeck。

handslayasihadlefthim，allfallentogetherinabundleandwithhiseyelidsloweredasthoughheweretooweaktobearthelight。helookedup，however，atmying，knockedtheneckoffthebottlelikeamanwhohaddohesamethingoften，andtookagoodswig，withhisfavouritetoastof"heres露ck!"thenhelayquietforalittle，andthen，o，edmetocuthimaquid。

"cutmeajunkothat，"sayshe，"forihaventnoknifeandhardlystrengthenough，sobeasihad。ah，激m，激m，ireckonivemissedstays!cutmeaquid，aslllikelybethelast，lad，forimformylonghome，andnomistake。"

"well，"saidi，"o，butifiwasyouandthoughtmyselfsobadly，iwouldgotomyprayerslikeachristianman。"

"why?"saidhe。"now，youtellmewhy。"

"why?"icried。"youwereaskingmejustnowaboutthedead。youvebrokenyourtrust;youvelivedinsinandliesandblood;theresamanyoukilledlyingatyourfeetthisment，andyouaskmewhy!forgodsmercy，mr。hands，thatswhy。"

ispokewithalittleheat，thinkingofthebloodydirkhehadhiddeninhispocketanddesigned，inhisillthoughts，toendmewith。he，forhispart，tookagreatdraughtofthewineandspokewiththestunusualsolemnity。

"forthirtyyears，"hesaid，"ivesailedtheseasandseengoodandbad，betterandworse，fairweatherandfoul，provisionsrunningout，knivesgoing，andwhatnot。well，nowitellyou，ineverseengoodeogoodnessyet。himasstrikesfirstismyfancy;deadmendontbite;themsmyviews—amen，sobeit。andnow，youlookhere，"headded，suddenlychanginghistone，"wevehadaboutenoughofthisfoolery。thetidesmadegoodenoughbynow。youjusttakemyorders，capnhawkins，andwellsailslapinandbedonewithit。"

alltold，wehadscarcetwomilestorun;butthenavigationwasdelicate，theentrancetothisnorthernanchoragewasnotonlynarrowandshoal，butlayeastandwest，sothattheschoonermustbenicelyhandledtobegotin。ithinkiwasagood，promptsubaltern，andiamverysurethathandswasanexcellentpilot，forwewentaboutandaboutanddodgedin，shavingthebanks，withacertaintyandaneatnessthatwereapleasuretobehold。