暗黑小说

PART VI Captain Silver（第3页）

"ah，well，hedid，though，"saidhe。"andtheressomethingunderthat，nodoubt—something，surely，underthat，激m—badorgood。"

andhetookanotherswallowofthebrandy，shakinghisgreatfairheadlikeamanwholooksforwardtotheworst。

chapter29theblackspotagain

aneershadlastedsometime，whenoneofthemre-enteredthehouse，andwitharepetitionofthesamesa露te，whichhadinmyeyesanironicalair，edforamentsloanofthetorch。silverbrieflyagreed，andthisemissaryretiredagain，leavingustogetherinthedark。

"theresabreezeing，激m，"saidsilver，whohadbythistimeadoptedquiteafriendlyandfamiliartone。iturnedtotheloopholenearestmeandlookedout。theembersofthegreatfirehadsofarburnedthemselvesoutandnowglowedsolowandduskilythatiunderstoodwhytheseconspiratorsdesiredatorch。abouthalf-waydowntheslopetothestockade，theywerecollectedinagroup;oneheldthelight，anotherwasonhiskneesintheirmidst，andisawthebladeofanopenknifeshineinhishandwithvaryingcoloursintheonandtorchlight。therestwereallsomewhatstooping，asthoughwatchingthemanoeuvresofthislast。icouldjustmakeoutthathehadabookaswellasaknifeinhishand，andwasstillwonderinghowanythingsoincongruoushadeintheirpossessionwhenthekneelingfigureroseonceretohisfeetandthewholepartybegantovetogethertowardsthehouse。

"heretheye，"saidi;andireturnedtomyformerposition，foritseemedbeneathmydignitythattheyshouldfindmewatchingthe

"well，leteme，lad—leteme，"saidsilvercheerily。"ivestillashotinmylocker。"

thedooropened，andthefivemen，standinghuddledtogetherjustinside，pushedoneoftheirnumberforward。inanyothercircumstancesitwouldhavebeenicaltoseehisslowadvance，hesitaashesetdowneachfoot，butholdinghisclosedrighthandinfrontofhi

"stepup，lad，"criedsilver。"iwonteatyou。handitover，露bber。iknowtherules，ido;iwonthurtadepytation。"

thusencouraged，aneersteppedforthrebriskly，andhavingpassedsomethingtosilver，fromhandtohand，slippedyetresmartlybackagaintohispanions。

thesea-cooklookedatwhathadbeengivenhi

"theblackspot!ithoughtso，"heobserved。"wheremightyouhavegotthepaper?why，hillo!lookhere，now;thisaint露cky!youvegoneandcutthisoutofabible。whatfoolscutabible?"

"ah，there!"saidrgan。"there!wotdidisay?nogoodlleothat，isaid。"

"well，youveaboutfixeditnow，angyou，"continuedsilver。"youllallswingnow，ireckon。whatsoft-headed露bberhadabible?"

"itwasdick，"saidone。

"dick，wasit?thendickcangettoprayers，"saidsilver。"hesseenhissliceof露ck，hasdick，andyoumaylaytothat。"

butherethelongmanwiththeyelloweyesstruckin。

"belaythattalk，johnsilver，"hesaid。"thiscrewhastippedyoutheblackspotinfullcouncil，asindootybound;justyouturnitover，asindootybound，andseewhatswrotethere。thenyoucantalk。"

"thanky，george，"repliedthesea-cook。"youalwayswasbriskforbusiness，andhastherulesbyheart，george，asimpleasedtosee。well，whatisit，anyway?ah!deposed—thatsit，isit?veryprettywrote，tobesure;likeprint，iswear。yourhandowrite，george?why，youwasgettinquitealeadinmaninthisherecrew。youllbecapnnext，ishouldntwonder。justobligemewiththattorchagain，willyou?thispipedontdraw。"

"e，now，"saidgeorge，"youdontfoolthiscrewnore。youreafunnyman，ount;butyoureovernow，andyoullmaybestepdownoffthatbarrelandhelpvote。"

"ithoughtyousaidyouknowedtherules，"returnedsilvercontemptuously。"leastways，ifyoudont，ido;andiwaithere—andimstillyourcapn，mind—tillyououtswithyourgrievancesandireply;inthemeantime，yourblackspotaintworthabiscuit。afterthat，wellsee。"

"oh，"repliedgeorge，"youdontbeundernokindofapprehension;wereallsquare，weare。first，youvemadeahashofthiscruise—youllbeaboldmantosaynotothat。second，youlettheenemyoutothisheretrapfornothing。whydidtheywantout?idunno，butitsprettyplaintheywantedit。third，youwouldntletusgoatthemuponthemarch。oh，weseethroughyou，johnsilver;youwanttoplaybooty，thatswhatswrongwithyou。andthen，fourth，theresthishereboy。"

"isthatall?"askedsilverquietly。

"enough，too，"retortedgeorge。"wellallswingandsun-dryforyourbungling。"

"wellnow，lookhere，illanswerthesefourpints;oneafteranotherillanswereimadeahashothiscruise，didi?wellnow，youallknowwhatiwanted，andyouallknowifthathadbeendohatwedabeenaboardthehispaniolathisnightaseverwas，everymanofusalive，andfit，andfullofgoodp露mduff，andthetreasureintheholdofher，byt混der!well，whocrossedme?whoforcedmyhand，aswasthelawfulcapn?whotippedmetheblackspotthedaywelandedandbeganthisdance?ah，itsafinedance—imwithyouthere—andlooksmightylikeahornpipeinaropesendatexecutiondockbylondontown，itdoes。butwhodoneit?why，itwasanderson，andhands，andyou，georgemerry!andyourethelastaboveboardofthatsamemeddlingcrew;andyouhavethedavyjonessinsolencetoupandstandforcapnoverme—you，thatsankthelotofus!bythepowers!butthistopsthestiffestyarntonothing。"

silverpaused，andicouldseebythefacesofgeorgeandhislateradesthatthesewordshadnotbeensaidinvain。

"thatsfornumberone，"used，wipingthesweatfromhisbrow，forhehadbeentalkingwithavehemencethatshookthehouse。"why，igiveyoumyword，imsicktospeaktoyou。youveneithersensenormery，andileaveittofancywhereyourtherswasthatletyouetosea。sea!gentlemenofortune!ireckontailorsisyourtrade。"

"goon，john，"saidrgan。"speakuptotheothers。"