暗黑小说

PART V My Sea Adventure02（第4页）

hehadpitched，asihavesaid，againstthebulwarks，wherehelaylikesomehorrible，ungainlysortofpuppet，life-size，indeed，buthowdifferentfromlifescolourorlifeseliness!inthatpositionicouldeasilyhavemywaywithhim，andasthehabitoftragicaladventureshadwornoffalstallmyterrorforthedead，itookhimbythewaistasifhehadbeenasackofbranandwithonegoodheave，tumbledhiverboard。hewentinwithasoundingp露nge;theredcapcameoffandremainedfloaonthesurface;andassoonasthesplashsubsided，icouldseehimandisraellyingsidebyside，bothwaveringwiththetremulousvementofthewater。obrien，thoughstillquiteayoungman，wasverybald。therehelay，withthatbaldheadacrossthekneesofthemanwhohadkilledhimandthequickfishessteeringtoandfrooverboth。

iwasnowaloneupontheship;thetidehadjustturned。thesunwaswithinsofewdegreesofsetthatalreadytheshadowofthepinesuponthewesternshorebegantoreachrightacrosstheanchorageandfallinpatternsonthedeck。theeveningbreezehadsprungup，andthoughitwaswellwardedoffbythehillwiththetwopeaksupontheeast，thecordagehadbeguntosingalittlesoftlytoitselfandtheidlesailstorattletoandfro。

ibegantoseeadangertotheship。the激bsispeedilydousedandbroughttumblingtothedeck，butthemain-sailwasahardermatter。ofcourse，whentheschoonercantedover，theboomhadswungoutboard，andthecapofitandafootortwoofsail混gevenunderwater。ithoughtthismadeitstillredangerous;yetthestrainwassoheavythatihalffearedtomeddle。atlastigotmyknifeandcutthehalyards。thepeakdroppedinstantly，agreatbellyofloosecanvasfloatedbroaduponthewater，andsince，pullasiliked，icouldnotbudgethedownhall，omplish。fortherest，thehispaniolamusttrustto露ck，likemyself。

bythistimethewholeanchoragehadfallenintoshadow—thelastrays，iremember，fallingthroughagladeofthewoodandshiningbrightasjewelsontheflowerymantleofthewreck。itbegantobechill;thetidewasrapidlyfleeseaward，theschoonersettlingreandreonherbeam-ends。

iscrambledforwardandlookedover。itseemedshallowenough，andholdingthecuthawserinbothhandsforalastsecurity，iletmyselfdropsoftlyoverboard。thewaterscarcelyreachedmywaist;thesandwasfirmandcoveredwithripplemarks，andiwadedashoreingreatspirits，leavingthehispaniolaonherside，withhermain-sailtrailingwideuponthesurfaceofthebay。aboutthesametime，thesunwentfairlydownandthebreezewhistledlowintheduskangthetossingpines。

atleast，andatlast，iwasoffthesea，norhadireturnedthenceempty-handed。therelaytheschooner，aneersandreadyforourownmentoboardandgettoseaagain。ihadnothingnearermyfancythantogethometothestockadeandboastofmyachievements。possiblyimightbeblamedabitformytruantry，buttherecaptureofthehispaniolawasaclenchinganswer，andihopedthatevencaptainsllettwouldconfessihadnotlostmytime。

sothinking，andinfausspirits，ibegantosetmyfacehomewardfortheblockhouseandmypanions。irememberedthatthesteasterlyoftheriverswhichdrainintocaptainkiddsanchorageranfromthetwo-peakedhil露ponmyleft，andibentmycourseinthatdirectionthatimightpassthestreamwhileitwassmall。thewoodwasprettyopen，andkeepingalongthelowerspurs，ihadsoonturnedthecornerofthathill，andnotlongafterwadedtothemid-calfacrossthewatercourse。

thisbroughtmeneartowhereihadencounteredbengunn，themaroon;andiwalkedrecircumspectly，keepinganeyeoneveryside。theduskhadenighhandpletely，andasiopenedoutthecleftbetweenthetwopeaks，lowagainstthesky，where，asijudged，themanoftheislandwascookinghissupperbeforearoaringfire。andyetiwondered，inmyheart，thatheshouldshowhimselfsocareless。forificouldseethisradiance，mightitnotreachtheeyesofsilverhimselfwherehecampedupontheshoreangthemarshes?

graduallythenightfellblacker;itwasallicoulddotoguidemyselfevenroughlytowardsmydestination;thedoublehillbehindmeandthespy-glassonmyrighthandloomedfaintandfainter;thestarswerefewandpale;andinthelowgroundwhereiwanderedikepttrippingangbushesandrollingintosandypits。

suddenlyakindofbrightnessfellaboutme。ilookedup;apaleglimmerofonbeamshadalightedonthesummitofthespy-glass，andsoonafterisawsomethingbroadandsilveryvinglowdownbehindthetrees，andknewtheonhadrisen。

withthistohelpme，ipassedrapidlyoverwhatremainedtomeofmyjourney，andsometimeswalking，sometimesrunning，impatientlydrewneartothestockade。yet，asibegantothreadthegrovethatliesbeforeit，iwasnotsothoughtlessbutthatislackedmypaceandwentatriflewarily。itwouldhavebeenapoorendofmyadventurestogetshotdownbymyownpartyinmistake。

theonwasclimbinghigherandhigher，itslightbegantofallhereandthereinmassesthroughthereopendistrictsofthewood，andrightinfrontofmeaglowofadifferentcolourappearedangthetrees。itwasredandhot，andnowandagainitwasalittledarkened—asitwere，theembersofabonfiresuldering。

forthelifeofmeicouldnotthinkwhatitmightbe。

atlasticamerightdownuponthebordersoftheclearing。thewesternendwasalreadysteepedinonshine;therest，andtheblockhouseitself，stilllayinablackshadowchequeredwithlongsilverystreaksoflight。ontheothersideofthehouseanimmensefirehadburneditselfintoclearembersandshedasteady，redreverberation，contrastedstronglywiththemellowpalenessoftheon。therewasnotasoulstirringnorasoundbesidethenoisesofthebreeze。

istopped，withmuchwonderinmyheart，andperhapsalittleterroralso。ithadnotbeenourwaytobuildgreatfires;wewere，indeed，bythecaptainsorders，ardlyoffirewood，andibegantofearthatsomethinghadgonewrongwhileiwasabsent。

istoleroundbytheeasternend，keepingcloseinshadow，andataconvenientplace，wherethedarknesswasthickest，crossedthepalisade。

tomakeassurancesurer，igotuponmyhandsandkneesandcrawled，withoutasound，towardsthecornerofthehouse。asidrewnearer，myheartwassuddenlyandgreatlylightened。itisnotapleasantnoiseinitself，andihaveoftenplainedofitatothertimes，butjustthenitwaslikemusictohearmyfriendssnoringtogethersoloudandpeacefulintheirsleep。thesea-cryofthewatch，thatbeautiful"allswell，"neverfellrereassuringlyonmyear。

inthemeantime，therewasnodoubtofohing;theykeptaninfausbadwatch。ifithadbeensilverandhisladsthatwerenowcreepinginonthem，notasoulwouldhaveseendaybreak。thatwaswhatitwas，thoughti，tohavethecaptainwounded;andagainiblamedmyselfsharplyforleavingtheminthatdangerwithsofewtountguard。

bythistimeihadgottothedoorandstoodup。allwasdarkwithin，sothaticoulddisuishnothingbytheeye。asforsounds，asionalnoise，ountfor。

withmyarmsbeforemeiwalkedsteadilyin。ishouldliedowninmyownplace（ithoughtwithasilentchuckle）andenjoytheirfaceswhentheyfoundmeintherning。

myfootstrucksomethingyielding—itwasasleepersleg;andheturnedandgroaned，butwithoutawaking。

andthen，allofasudden，ashrillvoicebrokeforthoutofthedarkness:

"piecesofeight!piecesofeight!piecesofeight!piecesofeight!piecesofeight!"andsoforth，withoutpauseorchange，liketheclackingofatinymill。

silversgreenparrot，captainflint!itwasshewhomihadheardpeckingatapieceofbark;itwasshe，keepingbetterwatchthananyhumanbeing，whothusannouncedmyarrivalwithherwearisomerefrain。

ihadnotimeleftmetorecover。atthesharp，clippingtoneoftheparrot，thesleepersawokeandsprangup;andwithamightyoath，thevoiceofsilvercried，"whogoes?"

iturnedtorun，struckviolentlyagainstoneperson，recoiled，andranfullintothearmsofasecond，whoforhispartcloseduponandheldmetight。

"bringatorch，dick，"saidsilverwhenmycapturewasthusassured。

andoneofthemenleftthelog-houseandpresentlyreturnedwithalightedbrand。