暗黑小说

PART I The Old Buccaneer（第3页）

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

"thatsyou，bill，"returnedblackdog，"youreintherightofit，billy。illhaveaglassofrumfromthisdearchildhere，asivetooksuchalikingto;andwellsitdown，ifyouplease，andtalksquare，likeoldshipmates。"

whenireturnedwiththerum，theywerealreadyseatedoneithersideofthecaptainsbreakfast-table—blackdognexttothedoorandsitsidewayssoastohaveoneeyeonhisoldshipmateandone，asithought，onhisretreat。

hebademegoandleavethedoorwideopen。"noneofyourkeyholesforme，sonny，"hesaid;andileftthemtogetherandretiredintothebar。

foralongtime，thoughicertainlydidmybesttolisten，icouldhearnothingbutalowgattling;butatlastthevoicesbegantogrowhigher，andicouldpickupawordortwo，stlyoaths，fromthecaptain。

"no，no，no，no;andanendofit!"hecriedonce。andagain，"ifitestoswinging，swingall，sayi。"

thenallofasuddentherewasatremendousexplosionofoathsandothernoises—thechairandtablewentoverina露mp，aclashofsteelfollowed，andthenacryofpain，andthenextinstantisawblackdoginfullflight，andthecaptainhotlypursuing，bothwithdrawncutlasses，andtheformerstreamingbloodfromtheleftshoulder。justatthedoorthecaptainaimedatthefugitiveonelasttremendouscut，whichwouldcertainlyhavesplithimtothechinehaditnotbeeninterceptedbyourbigsignboardofadmiralbenbow。youmayseethenotchonthelowersideoftheframetothisday。

thatblowwasthelastofthebattle。onceoutupontheroad，blackdog，inspiteofhiswound，showedawonderfulcleanpairofheelsanddisappearedovertheedgeofthehillinhalfaminute。thecaptain，forhispart，stoodstaringatthesignboardlikeabewilderedman。thenhepassedhishandoverhiseyesseveraltimesandatlastturnedbackintothehouse。

"激m，"sayshe，"rum";andashespoke，hereeledalittle，andcaughthimselfwithonehandagainstthewall。

"areyouhurt?"criedi。

"rum，"herepeated。"imustgetawayfromhere。rum!rum!"

irantofetchit，butiwasquiteunsteadiedbyallthathadfallenout，andibrokeoneglassandfouledthetap，andwhileiwasstillgetinmyownway，iheardaloudfallintheparlour，andrunningin，beheldthecaptainlyingfulllengthuponthefloor。atthesameinstantmyther，alarmedbythecriesandfigh，camerunningdownstairstohelpme。betweenusweraisedhishead。hewasbreathingveryloudandhard，buthiseyeswereclosedandhisfaceahorriblecolour。

"dear，dearyme，"criedmyther，"whatadisgraceuponthehouse!andyourpoorfathersick!"

inthemeantime，wehadnoideawhattodotohelpthecaptain，noranyotherthoughtbutthathehadgothisdeath-hurtinthescufflewiththestranger。igottherum，tobesure，andtriedtoputitdownhisthroat，buthisteethweretightlyshutandhisjawsasstrongasiron。itwasahappyreliefforuswhenthedooropenedanddoctorliveseycamein，onhisvisittomyfather。

"oh，doctor，"wecried，"whatshallwedo?whereishewounded?"

"wounded?afiddle-sticksend!"saidthedoctor。"norewoundedthanyouori。themanhashadastroke，asiwarnedhinow，mrs。hawkins，justyourunupstairstoyourhusbandandtellhim，ifpossible，nothingaboutit。formypart，imustdomybesttosavethisfellowstreblyworthlesslife;激m，yougetmeabasin。"

whenigotbackwiththebasin，thedoctorhadalreadyrippedupthecaptainssleeveandexposedhisgreatsinewyaritwastattooedinseveralplaces。"heres露ck，""afairwind，"and"billyboneshisfancy，"wereveryneatlyandclearlyexecutedontheforearm;andupneartheshouldertherewasasketchofagallowsandamanhangingfromit—done，asithought，withgreatspirit。

"prophetic，"saidthedoctor，touchingthispicturewithhisfinger。"andnow，masterbillybones，ifthatbeyourname，wellhavealookatthecolourofyourblood。激m，"hesaid，"areyouafraidofblood?"

"no，sir，"saidi。

"well，then，"saidhe，"youholdthebasin";andwiththathetookhislancetandopenedavein。

agreatdealofbloodwastakenbeforethecaptainopenedhiseyesandlookedmistilyabouthifirstherecognizedthedoctorwithanunmistakablefrown;thenhisglancefel露ponme，andhelookedrelieved。butsuddenlyhiscolourchanged，andhetriedtoraisehimself，crying，"wheresblackdog?"

"thereisnoblackdoghere，"saidthedoctor，"exceptwhatyouhaveonyourownback。youhavebeendrinkingrum;youhavehadastroke，preciselyasitoldyou;andihavejust，verymuchagainstmyownwill，edyouheadforestoutofthegrave。now，mr。bones—"

"thatsnotmyname，"heinterrupted。

"muchicare，"returnedthedoctor。"aneerofmyacquaintance;andicallyoubyitforthesakeofshortness，andwhatihavetosaytoyouisthis;oneglassofrumwontkillyou，butifyoutakeoneyoulltakeanotherandanother，andistakemywigifyoudontbreakoffshort，youlldie—doyouunderstandthat?—die，andgotoyourownplace，likethemaninthebible。e，now，makeaneffort。illhelpyoutoyourbedforonce。"

betweenus，withmuchtrouble，wemanagedtohoisthimupstairs，andlaidhinhisbed，wherehisheadfellbackonthepillowasifhewerealstfain。

"now，mindyou，"saidthedoctor，"iclearmyconscience—thenameofrumforyouisdeath。"