暗黑小说

PART IV The Stockade（第3页）

trelawneywasascoolassteel。helookedtotheprimingofhisgun。

"now，"criedthecaptain，"easywiththatgun，sir，oryoullswamptheboat。allhandsstandbytotrimherwhenheaims。"

thesquireraisedhisgun，therowingceased，andweleanedovertotheothersidetokeepthebalance，andallwassonicelycontrivedthatwedidnotshipadrop。

theyhadthegun，bythistime，slewedroundupontheswivel，andhands，whowasatthemuzzlewiththerammer，wasinconsequencethestexposed。however，wehadno露ck，forjustastrelawneyfired，downhestooped，theballwhistledoverhim，anditwasoneoftheotherfourwhofell。

thecryhegavewasechoednotonlybyhispanionsonboardbutbyagreatnumberofvoicesfromtheshore，andlookinginthatdirectionisawtheotherpiratestroopingoutfromangthetreesandtumblingintotheirplacesintheboats。

"hereethegigs，sir，"saidi。

"giveway，then，"criedthecaptain。"wemustntmindifweswamphernow。ifwecantgetashore，allsup。"

"onlyoneofthegigsisbeingmanned，sir，"iadded;"thecrewoftheotherstlikelygoingroundbyshoretocutusoff。"

"theyllhaveahotrun，sir，"returnedthecaptain。"jackashore，youknow。itsnotthemimind;itstheround-shot。carpetbowls!myladysmaidcouldntmiss。tel露s，squire，whenyouseethematch，andwellholdwater。"

inthemeanwhilewehadbeenmakingheadwayatagoodpaceforaboatsooverloaded，andwehadshippedbutlittlewaterintheprocess。wewerenowclosein;thirtyorfortystrokesandweshouldbeachher，fortheebbhadalreadydisclosedanarrowbeltofsandbelowthec露steringtrees。thegigwasnolongertobefeared;thelittlepointhadalreadyconcealeditfroureyes。theebb-tide，whichhadsocruellydelayedus，wasnowmakingreparationanddelayingourassailants。theonesourceofdangerwasthegun。

"ifidurst，"saidthecaptain，"idstopandpickoffanotherman。"

butitwasplainthattheymeantnothingshoulddelaytheirshot。theyhadneversomuchaslookedattheirfallenrade，thoughhewasnotdead，andicouldseehimtryingtocrawlaway。

"ready!"criedthesquire。

"hold!"criedthecaptain，quickasanecho。

andheandredruthbackedwithagreatheavethatsenthersternbodil玉nderwater。thereportfellinatthesameinstantoftime。thiswasthefirstthat激mheard，thesoundofthesquiresshotnothavingreachedhiwheretheballpassed，notoneofuspreciselyknew，butifancyitmusthavebeenoverourheadsandthatthewindofitmayhavecontributedtoourdisaster。

atanyrate，theboatsankbythestern，quitegently，inthreefeetofwater，leavingthecaptainandmyself，facingeachother，onourfeet。theotherthreetookpleteheaders，andcameupagaindrenchedandbubbling。

sofartherewasnogreatharnoliveswerelost，andwecouldwadeashoreinsafety。buttherewereallourstoresatthebottom，andtomakethingsworse，onlytwogunsoutoffiveremainedinastateforservice。mineihadsnatchedfrommykneesandheldovermyhead，byasortofinstinct。asforthecaptain，hehadcarriedhisoverhisshoulderbyabandoleer，andlikeawiseman，lockupperst。theotherthreehadgonedownwiththeboat。

toaddtoourconcern，weheardvoicesalreadydrawingnearusinthewoodsalongshore，andwehadnotonlythedangerofbeingcutofffromthestockadeinourhalf-crippledstatebutthefearbeforeuswhether，ifhunterandjoycewereattackedbyhalfadozen，theywouldhavethesenseandconducttostandfirhunterwassteady，thatweknew;joycewasadoubtfulcase—apleasant，politemanforavaletandtobrushonesclothes，butnotentirelyfittedforamanofwar。

withallthisinourminds，wewadedashoreasfastaswecould，leavingbehindusthepoorjolly-boatandagoodhalfofallourpowderandprovisions。

chapter18narrativecontinuedbythedoctor:endofthefirstdaysfigh

emadeourbestspeedacrossthestripofwoodthatnowdividedusfromthestockade，aneersrangnearer。soonwecouldheartheirfootfallsastheyranandthecrackingofthebranchesastheybreastedacrossabitofthicket。

ibegantoseeweshouldhaveabrushforitinearnestandlookedtomypriming。

"captain，"saidi，"trelawneyisthedeadshot。givehimyourgun;hisownisuseless。"

theyexchangedguns，andtrelawney，silentandcoolashehadbeensincethebeginningofthebustle，混gamentonhisheeltoseethatallwasfitforservice。atthesametime，raytobeunarmed，ihandedhimmycutlass。itdidallourheartsgoodtoseehimspitinhishand，knithisbrows，andmakethebladesingthroughtheair。itwasplainfromeverylineofhisbodythatournewhandwasworthhissalt。

fortypacesfartherwecametotheedgeofthewoodandsawthestockadeinfrontofus。westrucktheenclosureaboutthemiddleofthesouthside，andalstatthesametime，sevenmutineers—jobanderson，theboatswain，attheirhead—appearedinfullcryatthesouthwesterncorner。

theypausedasiftakenaback，andbeforetheyrecovered，notonlythesquireandi，buthunterandjoycefromtheblockhouse，hadtimetofire。thefourshotscameinratherascatteringvolley，buttheydidthebusiness:oneoftheenemyactuallyfell，andtherest，withouthesitation，turnedandp露ngedintothetrees。

afterreloading，wewalkeddowntheoutsideofthepalisadetoseetothefallenenemy。hewasstonedead—shotthroughtheheart。

esswhenjustatthatmentapistolcrackedinthebush，aballwhistledclosepastmyear，andpoortomredruthstumbledandfellhislengthontheground。boththesquireandireturnedtheshot，butaswehadnothingtoaimat，itisprobableweonlywastedpowder。thenwereloadedandturnedourattentiontopoorto

thecaptainandgraywerealreadyexamininghim，andisawwithhalfaneyethatallwasover。

ibelievethereadinessofourreturnvolleyhadscatteredthemutineersoncere，forweweresufferedwithoutfurtherlestationtogetthepooroldgamekeeperhoistedoverthestockadeandcarried，groaningandbleeding，intothelog-house。

pooroldfellow，hehadnotutteredonewordofsurprise，plaint，fear，orevenacquiescencefromtheverybeginningofourtroublestillnow，whenwehadlaidhimdowninthelog-housetodie。hehadlainlikeatrojanbehindhismattressinthegallery;hehadfollowedeveryordersilently，edly，andwell;hewastheoldestofourpartybyascoreofyears;andnow，sullen，old，serviceableservant，itwashethatwastodie。