暗黑小说

PART IV The Stockade02（第4页）

"noti，"returnedthecaptain。

"whollgivemeahandup?"heroared。

notamanangusved。growlingthefoulestimprecations，hecrawledalongthesandtillhegotholdoftheporchandcouldhoisthimselfagainuponhiscrutch。thenhespatintothespring。

"there!"hecried。"thatswhatithinkofye。beforeanhoursout，illstoveinyouroldblockhouselikearumpuncheon。laugh，byt混der，laugh!beforeanhoursout，yelllaughupontheotherside。themthatdiellbethe露ckyones。"

andwithadreadfuloathhestumbledoff，plougheddownthesand，washelpedacrossthestockade，afterfourorfivefai露res，bythemanwiththeflagoftruceanddisappearedinaninstantafterwardsangthetrees。

chapter21theattack

ssoonassilverdisappeared，thecaptain，whohadbeencloselywatchinghim，turnedtowardstheinteriorofthehouseandfoundnotamanofusathispostbutgray。itwasthefirsttimewehadeverseenhimangry。

"quarters!"heroared。andthen，aswealls露nkbacktoourplaces，"gray，"hesaid，"illputyournameinthelog;youvestoodbyyourdutylikeaseaman。mr。trelawney，imsurprisedatyou，sir。doctor，ithoughtyouhadwornthekingscoat!ifthatwashowyouservedatfontenoy，sir，youdhavebeenbetterinyourberth。"

thedoctorswatchwereallbackattheirloopholes，therestwerebusyloadingthesparemuskets，andeveryonewitharedface，youmaybecertain，andafleainhisear，asthesayingis。

thecaptainlookedonforawhileinsilence。thenhespoke。

"mylads，"saidhe，"ivegivensilverabroadside。ipitcheditinred-hotonpurpose;andbeforethehoursout，ashesaid，weshallbeboarded。wereoutnumbered，ineednttellyouthat，butwefightinshelter;andaminuteagoishouldhavesaidwefoughtwithdiscipline。ivenomannerofdoubtthatwecandrubthem，ifyouchoose。"

thenhewenttheroundsandsaw，ashesaid，thatallwasclear。

onthetwoshortsidesofthehouse，eastandwest，therewereonlytwoloopholes;onthesouthsidewheretheporchwas，twoagain;andonthenorthside，five。therewasaroundscoreofmusketsforthesevenofus;thefirewoodhadbeenbuiltintofourpiles—tables，youmightsay—oneaboutthemiddleofeachside，andoneachofthesetablessomeammunitionandfourloadedmusketswerelaidreadytothehandofthedefenders。inthemiddle，thecutlasseslayranged。

"tossoutthefire，"saidthecaptain;"thechillispast，andwemustnthaveskeinoureyes。"

theironfire-basketwascarriedbodilyoutbymr。trelawney，andtheembersstheredangsand。

"hawkinshasnthadhisbreakfast。hawkins，helpyourself，andbacktoyourposttoeatit，"continuedcaptainsllett。"lively，now，mylad;youllwantitbeforeyouvedone。hunter，serveoutaroundofbrandytoallhands。"

andwhilethiswasgoingon，thecaptainpleted，inhisownmind，theplanofthedefence。

"doctor，youwilltakethedoor，"heresumed。"see，anddontexposeyourself;keepwithin，andfirethroughtheporch。hunter，taketheeastside，there。joyce，youstandbythewest，myman。mr。trelawney，youarethebestshot—youandgraywilltakethislongnorthside，withthefiveloopholes;itstherethedangeris。iftheycangetuptoitandfireinuponusthroughourownports，thingswouldbegintolookdirty。hawkins，ountattheshoo;wellstandbytoloadandbearahand。"

asthecaptainhadsaid，thechillwaspast。assoonasthesunhadclimbedaboveourgirdleoftrees，itfellwithallitsforceupontheclearinganddrankupthevapoursatadraught。soonthesandwasbakingandtheresinmelinthelogsoftheblockhouse。jacketsandcoatsweref露ngaside，shirtsthrownopenattheneckandrolleduptotheshoulders;andwestoodthere，eachathispost，inafeverofheatandanxiety。

anhourpassedaway。

"hangthem!"saidthecaptain。"thisisasdullasthedoldrums。gray，whistleforawind。"

andjustatthatmentcamethefirstnewsoftheattack。

"ifyouplease，sir，"saidjoyce，"ifiseeanyone，amitofire?

"itoldyouso!"criedthecaptain。

"thankyou，sir，"returnedjoycewiththesamequietcivility。

nothingfollowedforatime，buttheremarkhadsetusallonthealert，strainingearsandeyes—themusketeerswiththeirpiecesbalancedintheirhands，thecaptainoutinthemiddleoftheblockhousewithhisuthverytightandafrownonhisface。

sosomesecondspassed，tillsuddenlyjoycewhippeduphismusketandfired。thereporthadscarcelydiedawayereitwasrepeatedandrepeatedfromwithoutinascatteringvolley，shotbehindshot，likeastringofgeese，fromeverysideoftheenclosure。severalbulletsstruckthelog-house，butnotoneentered;andastheskeclearedawayandvanished，thestockadeandthewoodsarounditlookedasquietandemptyasbefore。notaboughwaved，notthegleafamusket-barrelbetrayedthepresenceofourfoes。

"didyouhityourman?"askedthecaptain。

"no，sir，"repliedjoyce。"ibelievenot，sir。"

"nextbestthingtotellthetruth，"mutteredcaptainsllett。"loadhisgun，hawkins。howmanyshouldsaytherewereonyourside，doctor?"

"iknowprecisely，"saiddr。livesey。"threeshotswerefiredonthisside。isawthethreeflashes—twoclosetogether—onefarthertothewest。"