暗黑小说

PART I The Old Buccaneer02（第2页）

"now，激m，"shesaid，"thatkey。"

ifeltinhispockets，oneafteranother。afewsmallcoins，athimble，andsomethreadandbigneedles，obittenawayattheend，hisgullywiththecrookedhandle，apocketpass，andatinderboxwereallthattheycontained，andibegantodespair。

"perhapsitsroundhisneck，"estedmyther。

overingastrongrepugnance，itoreopenhisshirtattheneck，andthere，sureenough，hangingtoabitoftarrystring，whichicutwithhisowngully，wefoundthekey。atthistriumphwewerefilledwithhopeandhurriedupstairswithoutdelaytothelittleroomwherehehadsleptsolongandwherehisboxhadstoodsincethedayofhisarrival。

itwaslikeanyotherseamanschestontheoutside，theinitial"b"burnedonthetopofitwithahotiron，andthecornerssomewhatsmashedandbrokenasbylong，roughusage。

"givemethekey，"saidmyther;andthoughthelockwasverystiff，shehadturneditandthrownbackthelidinatwinkling。

oandtarrosefromtheinterior，butnothingwastobeseenonthetopexceptasuitofverygoodclothes，carefullybrushedandfolded。theyhadneverbeenworn，mythersaid。underthat，themiscellanybegan—aquadrant，atincanikin，o，twobraceofveryhandsomepistols，apieceofbarsilver，anoldspanishwatchandsomeothertrinketsoflittleva露eandstlyofforeignmake，apairofpassesuntedwithbrass，andfiveorsixcuriouswestindianshells。ihaveoftenwonderedsincewhyheshouldhavecarriedabouttheseshellswithhiminhiswandering，guilty，and混tedlife。

inthemeantime，wehadfoundnothingofanyva露ebutthesilverandthetrinkets，andneitherofthesewereinourway。underneaththerewasanoldboatcloak，whitenedwithsea-saltonmanyaharbour-bar。mytherpulleditupwithimpatience，andtherelaybeforeus，thelastthingsinthechest，abundletiedupinoilcloth，andlookinglikepapers，andacanvasbagthatgaveforth，atatouch，the激ngleofgold。

"illshowtheseroguesthatimanhonestwoman，"saidmyther。"illhavemydues，andnotafarthingover。holdmrs。crossleysbag。"andshebegantocountovertheauntofthecaptainsscorefromthesailorsbagintotheohatiwasholding。

itwasalong，difficultbusiness，forthecoinswereofallcountriesandsizes—doubloons，andlouisdors，andguineas，andpiecesofeight，andiknownotwhatbesides，allshakentogetheratrandotheguineas，too，wereaboutthescarcest，anditwaswiththeseonlythatmytherknewhowtomakehercount。

whenwewereabouthalf-waythrough，isuddenlyputmyhanduponherarm，forihadheardinthesilentfrostyairasoundthatbroughtmyheartintomyuth—thetap-tappingoftheblindmansstickuponthefrozenroad。itdrewnearerandnearer，whilewesatholdingourbreath。thenitstrucksharpontheinndoor，andthenwecouldhearthehandlebeingturnedandtheboltrattlingasthewretchedbeingtriedtoenter;andthentherewasalongtimeofsilencebothwithinandwithout。atlastthetappingremenced，and，toourindescribablejoyandgratitude，diedslowlyawayagainuntilitceasedtobeheard。

"ther，"saidi，"takethewholeandletsbegoing，"foriwassurethebolteddoormusthaveseemedsuspiciousandwouldbringthewholehorsnestaboutourears，thoughhowthankfuliwasthatihadboltedit，nonecouldtellwhohadnevermetthatterribleblindman。

butmyther，frightenedasshewas，wouldnotconsenttotakeafractionrethanwasduetoherandwasobstinatel玉nwillingtobecontentwithless。itwasnotyetseven，shesaid，byalongway;sheknewherrightsandshewouldhavethem;andshewasstillarguingwithmewhenalittlelowwhistlesoundedagoodwayoffuponthehill。thatwasenough，andrethanenough，forbothofus。

"illtakewhatihave，"shesaid，jumpingtoherfeet。

"andilltakethistosquarethecount，"saidi，pickinguptheoilskinpacket。

nextmentwewerebothgropingdownstairs，leavingthecandlebytheemptychest;andthenextwehadopenedthedoorandwereinfullretreat。wehadnotstartedamenttoosoon。thefogwasrapidlydispersing;alreadytheonshonequiteclearonthehighgroundoneitherside;anditwasonlyintheexactbottofthedellandroundthetaverndoorthatathinveilstill混gunbrokentoconcealthefirststepsofourescape。farlessthanhalf-waytothehamlet，verylittlebeyondthebottofthehill，wemusteforthintotheonlight。norwasthisall，forthesoundofseveralfootstepsrunningcamealreadytoourears，andaswelookedbackintheirdirection，alighttossingtoandfroandstillrapidlyadvancingshowedthatoneofthenewerscarriedalantern。

"mydear，"saidmythersuddenly，"taketheneyandrunon。iamgoingtofaint。"

thiswascertainlytheendforbothofus，ithought。howicursedthecowardiceoftheneighbours;howiblamedmypoortherforherhonestyandhergreed，forherpastfoolhardinessandpresentweakness!wewerejustatthelittlebridge，bygoodfortune;andihelpedher，totteringasshewas，totheedgeofthebank，where，sureenough，shegaveasighandfellonmyshoulder。idonotknowhowifoundthestrengthtodoitatall，andiamafraiditwasroughlydone，butimanagedtodragherdownthebankandalittlewa玉nderthearch。farthericouldnotveher，forthebridgewastoolowtoletmedorethancrawlbelowit。sotherewehadtostay—mytheralstentirelyexposedandbothofuswithinearshotoftheinn。

chapter5thelastoftheblindman

ycuriosity，inasense，wasstrongerthanmyfear，foricouldnotremainwhereiwas，butcreptbacktothebankagain，whence，shelteringmyheadbehindabushofbroom，imightmandtheroadbeforeourdoor。iwasscarcelyinpositioneremyenemiesbegantoarrive，sevenoreightofthem，runninghard，theirfeetbeaoutoftimealongtheroadandthemanwiththelanternsomepacesinfront。threemenrantogether，handinhand;andimadeout，eventhroughthemist，ar。thenextmenthisvoiceshowedmethatiwasright。

"downwiththedoor!"hecried。

"aye，aye，sir!"answeredtwoorthree;andarushwasmadeupontheadmiralbenbow，thelanternbearerfollowing;andthenicouldseethempause，andhearspeechespassedinalowerkey，asiftheyweresurprisedtofindthedooropen。butthepausewasbrief，fortheblindmanagainissuedhismands。hisvoicesoundedlouderandhigher，asifhewereafirewitheagernessandrage。

"in，in，in!"heshouted，andcursedthemfortheirdelay。

fourorfiveofthebeyedatonce，ar。therewasapause，thenacryofsurprise，andthenavoiceshoufromthehouse，"billsdead。"

buttheblindmansworeatthemagainfortheirdelay。

"searchhim，someofyoushirking露bbers，andtherestofyoualoftandgetthechest，"hecried。

icouldheartheirfeetrattlingupouroldstairs，sothatthehousemusthaveshookwithit。promptlyafterwards，freshsoundsofastonishmentarose;thewindowofthecaptainsroomwasthrownopenwithaslamanda激ngleofbrokenglass，andamanleanedoutintotheonlight，headandshoulders，arontheroadbelowhi

"pew，"hecried，"theyvebeenbeforeus。someonesturnedthechestoutalowandaloft。"

"isitthere?"roaredpew。

"theneysthere。"

theblindmancursedtheney。