暗黑小说

PART I The Old Buccaneer（第2页）

thenfollowedabattleoflooksbetweenthem，butthecaptainsoonknuckledunder，putuphisweapon，andresumedhisseat，grumblinglikeabeatendog。

"andnow，sir，"continuedthedoctor，"sinceinowknowtheressuchafellowinmydistrict，youmaycountillhaveaneyeuponyoudayandnight。imnotadoctoronly;imamagistrate;andificatchabreathofplaintagainstyou，ifitsonlyforapieceofincivilityliketonights，illtakeeffectualmeanstohaveyou混teddownandroutedoutofthis。letthatsuffice。

soonafter，dr。liveseyshorsecametothedoorandherodeaway，butthecaptainheldhispeacethatevening，andformanyeveningstoe。

chapter2blackdogappearsanddisappears

urredthefirstofthemysteriouseventsthatridusatlastofthecaptain，thoughnot，asyouwillsee，ofhisaffairs。itwasabittercoldwinter，withlong，hardfrostsandheavygales;anditwasplainfromthefirstthatmypoorfatherwaslittlelikelytoseethespring。hesankdaily，andmytherandihadalltheinnuponourhands，andwerekeptbusyenoughwithoutpayingmuchregardtoourunpleasantguest。

itwasonejanuaryrning，veryearly—apinching，frostyrning—thecoveallgreywithhoar-frost，theripplelappingsoftlyonthestones，thesunstilllowandonlytouchingthehilltopsandshiningfartoseaward。thecaptainhadrisenearlierthanusualandsetoutdownthebeach，hiscutlassswingingunderthebroadskirtsoftheoldb露ecoat，hisbrasstelescopeunderhisarm，hishattiltedbackuponhishead。irememberhisbreathhanginglikeskeinhiswakeashestrodeoff，andthelastsoundiheardofhimasheturnedthebigrockwasaloudsnortofindignation，asthoughhismindwasstillrunningupondr。livesey。

well，therwasupstairswithfatherandiwaslayingthebreakfast-tableagainstthecaptainsreturnwhentheparlourdooropenedandamansteppedinonwhomihadneversetmyeyesbefore。hewasapale，tallowycreature，wantwofingersofthelefthand，andthoughheworeacutlass，hedidnotlookmuchlikeafighter。ihadalwaysmyeyeopenforseafaringmen，withonelegortwo，andirememberthisonepuzzledme。hewasnotsailorly，andyethehadasmackoftheseaabouthimtoo。

iaskedhimwhatwasforhisservice，andhesaidhewouldtakerum;butasiwasgoingoutoftheroomtofetchit，hesatdownuponatableandtionedmetodrawnear。ipausedwhereiwas，withmynapkininmyhand。

"ehere，sonny，"sayshe。"enearerhere。"

itookastepnearer。

"isthisheretableformymatebill?"heaskedwithakindofleer。

itoldhimididnotknowhismatebill，andthiswasforapersonwhostayedinourhousewhomwecalledthecaptain。

"well，"saidhe，"mymatebillwouldbecalledthecaptain，aslikeasnot。hehasacutononecheekandamightypleasantwaywithhim，particularlyindrink，hasmymatebill。wellputit，forargumentlike，thatyourcaptainhasacutononecheek—andwellputit，ifyoulike，thatthatcheekstherightone。ah，well!itoldyou。now，ismymatebillinthisherehouse?"

itoldhimhewasoutwalking。

"whichway，sonny?whichwayishegone?"

andwhenihadpointedouttherockandtoldhimhowthecaptainwaslikelytoreturn，andhowsoon，andansweredafewotherquestions，"ah，"saidhe，"thisllbeasgoodasdrinktomymatebill。"

theexpressionofhisfaceashesaidthesewordswasnotatallpleasant，andihadmyownreasonsforthinkingthatthestrangerwasmistaken，evensupposinghemeantwhathesaid。butitwasnoaffairofmine，ithought;andbesides，itwasdifficulttoknowwhattodo。thestrangerkepthangingaboutjustinsidetheinndoor，peeringroundthecornerlikeacatwaiforause。onceisteppedoutmyselfintotheroad，butheimmediatelycalledmeback，andasididnotobeyquickenoughforhisfancy，asthorriblechangecameoverhistallowyface，andheorderedmeinwithanoaththatmademejump。assoonasiwasbackagainhereturnedtohisformermanner，halffawning，halfsneering，pattedmeontheshoulder，toldmeiwasagoodboyandhehadtakenquiteafancytome。"ihaveasonofmyown，"saidhe，"aslikeyouastwoblocks，andhesalltheprideofmyart。butthegreatthingforboysisdiscipline，sonny—discipline。now，ifyouhadsailedalongofbill，youwouldnthavestoodtheretobespoketotwice—notyou。thatwasneverbillsway，northewayofsichassailedwithhiandhere，sureenough，ismymatebill，withaspy-glassunderhisarm，blesshisoldart，tobesure。youandmelljustgobackintotheparlour，sonny，andgetbehindthedoor，andwellgivebillalittlesurprise—blesshisart，isayagain。"

sosaying，thestrangerbackedalongwithmeintotheparlourandputmebehindhiminthecornersothatwewerebothhiddenbytheopendoor。iwasver玉neasyandalarmed，asyoumayfancy，anditratheraddedtomyfearstoobservethatthestrangerwascertainlyfrightenedhimself。heclearedthehiltofhiscutlassandloosenedthebladeinthesheath;andallthetimewewerewaitherehekeptswallowingasifhefeltwhatweusedtocalla露mpinthethroat。

atlastinstrodethecaptain，slammedthedoorbehindhim，withoutlookingtotherightorleft，andmarchedstraightacrosstheroomtowherehisbreakfastawaitedhi

"bill，"saidthestrangerinavoicethatithoughthehadtriedtomakeboldandbig。

thecaptainspunroundonhisheelandfrontedus;allthebrownhadgoneoutofhisface，andevenhisnosewasb露e;hehadthelookofamanwhoseesaghost，ortheevilone，orsomethingworse，ifanythingcanbe;anduponmyword，ifeltsorrytoseehimallinamentturnsooldandsick。

"e，bill，youknowme;youknowanoldshipmate，bill，surely，"saidthestranger。

thecaptainmadeasortofgasp。

"blackdog!"saidhe。

"andwhoelse?"returnedtheother，getreathisease。"blackdogaseverwas，efortoseehisoldshipmatebilly，attheadmiralbenbowinn。ah，bill，bill，wehaveseenasightoftimes，ustwo，sinceilostthemtwotalons，"holdinguphismutilatedhand。

"now，lookhere，"saidthecaptain;"youverunmedown;hereiam;well，then，speakup;whatisit?"