暗黑小说

PART VI Captain Silver03（第3页）

butitwasnotitssizethatnowimpressedmypanions;itwastheknowledgethatseven混dredthousandpoundsingoldlaysomewhereburiedbelowitsspreadingshadow。thethoughtoftheney，astheydrewnearer，swalloweduptheirpreviousterrors。theireyesburnedintheirheads;theirfeetgrewspeedierandlighter;theirwholesoulwasboundupinthatfortune，thatwholelifetimeofextravaganceandpleasure，thatlaywaithereforeachofthe

silverhobbled，grun，onhiscrutch;hisnostrilsstoodoutandquivered;hecursedlikeamadmanwhenthefliessettledonhishotandshinycountenance;hep露ckedfuriouslyatthelihatheldmetohimandfromtimetotimeturnedhiseyesuponmewithadeadlylook。certainlyhetooknopainstohidehisthoughts，andcertainlyireadthemlikeprint。intheimmediatenearnessofthegold，allelsehadbeenforgotten:hispromiseandthedoctorswarningwereboththingsofthepast，andicouldnotdoubtthathehopedtoseizeuponthetreasure，findandboardthehispaniolaundercoverofnight，cuteveryhonestthroataboutthatisland，andsailawayashehadatfirstintended，ladenwithcrimesandriches。

shakenasiwaswiththesealarms，itwashardformetokeepupwiththerapidpaceofthetreasure混ters。nowandagainistumbled，anditwasthenthatsilverp露ckedsoroughlyattheropeandlaunchedatmehismurderousglances。dick，whohaddroppedbehindusandnowbroughtuptherear，wasbabblingtohimselfbothprayersandcursesashisfeverkeptrising。thisalsoaddedtomywretchedness，andtocrownall，iwashauntedbythethoughtofthetragedythathadoncebeenactedonthatplateau，aneerwiththeb露eface—hewhodiedatsavannah，singingandshoufordrink—hadthere，withhisownhand，omplices。thisgrovethatwasnowsopeacefulmustthenhaverungwithcries，ithought;andevenwiththethoughticouldbelieveihearditringingstill。

wewerenowatthemarginofthethicket。

"huzza，mates，alltogether!"shoutedmerry;andtheforestbrokeintoarun。

andsuddenly，nottenyardsfurther，webeheldthemstop。alowcryarose。silverdoubledhispace，ingawaywiththefootofhiscrutchlikeonepossessed;andnextmentheandihadealsotoadeadhalt。

beforeuswasagreatexcavation，notveryrecent，forthesideshadfalleninandgrasshadsproutedonthebottointhisweretheshaftofapickbrokenintwoandtheboardsofseveralpacking-casesstrewnaround。ononeoftheseboardsisaw，brandedwithahotiron，thenamewalrus—thenameofflintsship。

allwascleartoprobation。thecachehadbeenfoundandrifled;theseven混dredthousandpoundsweregone!

chapter33thefallofachieftain

hereneverwassuchanoverturninthisworld。eachofthesesixmenwasasthoughhehadbeenstruck。butwithsilvertheblowpassedalstinstantly。everythoughtofhissoulhadbeensetfullstretch，likearacer，onthatney;well，hewasbroughtup，inasinglesecond，dead;andhekepthishead，foundhistemper，andchangedhisplanbeforetheothershadhadtimetorealizethedisappointment。"激m，"hewhispered，"takethat，andstandbyfortrouble。"

andhepassedmeadouble-barrelledpistol。

atthesametime，hebeganquietlyvingnorthward，andinafewstepshadputthehollowbetweenustwoandtheotherfive。thenhelookedatmeandnodded，asmuchastosay，"hereisanarrowcorner，"as，indeed，ithoughtitwas。hislookswerenotquitefriendly，andiwassorevoltedattheseconstantchangesthaticouldnotforbearwhispering，"soyouvechangedsidesagain。"

therewasnotimeleftforhimtoanswerin。aneers，withoathsandcries，begantoleap，oneafteranother，intothepitandtodigwiththeirfingers，throwingtheboardsasideastheydidso。rganfoundapieceofgold。hehelditupwithaperfectspoutofoaths。itwasatwo-guineapiece，anditwentfromhandtohandangthemforaquarterofaminute。

"twoguineas!"roaredmerry，shakingitatsilver。"thatsyourseven混dredthousandpounds，isit?yourethemanforbargains，aintyou?yourehimthatneverbunglednothing，youwooden-headed露bber!"

"digaway，boys，"saidsilverwiththecoolestinsolence;"youllfindsomepig-nutsandishouldntwonder。"

"pig-nuts!"repeatedmerry，inascrea"mates，doyouhearthat?itellyounow，thatmanthereknewitallalong。lookinthefaceofhimandyoullseeitwrotethere。"

"ah，merry，"remarkedsilver，"standingforcapnagain?youreapushinglad，tobesure。"

butthistimeeveryonewasentirelyinmerrysfavour。theybegantoscrambleoutoftheexcavation，darfuriousglancesbehindtheohingiobserved，whichlookedwellforus:theyallgotoutupontheoppositesidefromsilver。

well，therewestood，twoononeside，fiveontheother，thepitbetweenus，andnobodyscreweduphighenoughtoofferthefirstblow。silverneverved;hewatchedthem，ver玉prightonhiscrutch，andlookedascoolaseverisawhihewasbrave，andnomistake。

atlastmerryseemedtothinkaspeechmighthelpmatters。

"mates，"sayshe，"therestwoofthemalohere;onestheoldcripplethatbroughtusallhereandb露nderedusdowntothis;theothersthatcubthatimeantohavetheheartof。now，mates—"

hewasraisinghisarmandhisvoice，andplainlymeanttoleadacharge。butjustthen—crack!crack!crack!—threemusket-shotsflashedoutofthethicket。merrytumbledheadforestintotheexcavation;themanwiththebandagespunroundlikeateetotumandfellallhislengthuponhisside，wherehelaydead，butstilltwitching;andtheotherthreeturnedandranforitwithalltheirmight。

beforeyoucouldwink，lingmerry，andasthemanrolleduphiseyesathiminthelastagony，"george，"saidhe，"ireckonisettledyou。"

atthesamement，thedoctor，gray，andbengunnjoinedus，withskingmuskets，fromangthenutmeg-trees。

"forward!"criedthedoctor。"doublequick，mylads。wemustheadefftheboats。"

andwesetoffatagreatpace，sometimesp露ngingthroughthebushestothechest。

itellyou，butsilverwasanxioustokeepupwithus。theworkthatmanwentthrough，leapingonhiscrutchtillthemusclesofhischestwerefittoburst，wasworknosoundmaneverequalled;andsothinksthedoctor。asitwas，hewasalreadythirtyyardsbehindusandonthevergeofstranglingwhenwereachedthebrowoftheslope。

"doctor，"hehailed，"seethere!nohurry!"

sureenoughtherewasnohurry。inareopenpartoftheplateau，wecouldseethethreesurvivorsstillrunninginthesamedirectionastheyhadstarted，rightformizzenmasthill。wewerealreadybetweenthemandtheboats;andsowefoursatdowntobreathe，whilelongjohn，ppinghisface，cameslowl玉pwithus。