English
OnegreenlightsquintingoverKidd'sCreek,whichisnearthemouthofthepirateriver,markedwherethebrig,theJOLLYROGER,lay,lowinthewater;arakish-looking[speedy-looking]craftfoultothehull,everybeaminherdetestable,likegroundstrewnwithmangledfeathers.
Shewasthecannibaloftheseas,andscarceneededthatwatchfuleye,forshefloatedimmuneinthehorrorofhername.
Shewaswrappedintheblanketofnight,throughwhichnosoundfromhercouldhavereachedtheshore.
Therewaslittlesound,andnoneagreeablesavethewhiroftheship'ssewingmachineatwhichSmeesat,everindustriousandobliging,theessenceofthecommonplace,patheticSmee.
Iknownotwhyhewassoinfinitelypathetic,unlessitwerebecausehewassopatheticallyunawareofit;butevenstrongmenhadtoturnhastilyfromlookingathim,andmorethanonceonsummereveningshehadtouchedthefountofHook'stearsandmadeitflow.
Ofthis,asofalmosteverythingelse,Smeewasquiteunconscious.
Afewofthepiratesleantoverthebulwarks,drinkinginthemiasma[putridmist]ofthenight;otherssprawledbybarrelsovergamesofdiceandcards;andtheexhaustedfourwhohadcarriedthelittlehouselayproneonthedeck,whereevenintheirsleeptheyrolledskillfullytothissideorthatoutofHook'sreach,lestheshouldclawthemmechanicallyinpassing.
Hooktrodthedeckinthought.Omanunfathomable.Itwashishouroftriumph.
Peterhadbeenremovedforeverfromhispath,andalltheotherboyswereinthebrig,abouttowalktheplank.
ItwashisgrimmestdeedsincethedayswhenhehadbroughtBarbecuetoheel;andknowingaswedohowvainatabernacleisman,couldwebesurprisedhadhenowpacedthedeckunsteadily,belliedoutbythewindsofhissuccess?
Buttherewasnoelationinhisgait,whichkeptpacewiththeactionofhissombremind.Hookwasprofoundlydejected.
Hewasoftenthuswhencommuningwithhimselfonboardshipinthequietudeofthenight.
Itwasbecausehewassoterriblyalone.
Thisinscrutablemanneverfeltmorealonethanwhensurroundedbyhisdogs.Theyweresociallyinferiortohim.
Hookwasnothistruename.Torevealwhohereallywaswouldevenatthisdatesetthecountryinablaze;butasthosewhoreadbetweenthelinesmustalreadyhaveguessed,hehadbeenatafamouspublicschool;anditstraditionsstillclungtohimlikegarments,withwhichindeedtheyarelargelyconcerned.
Thusitwasoffensivetohimevennowtoboardashipinthesamedressinwhichhegrappled[attacked]her,andhestilladheredinhiswalktotheschool'sdistinguishedslouch.
Butaboveallheretainedthepassionforgoodform.
Goodform!Howevermuchhemayhavedegenerated,hestillknewthatthisisallthatreallymatters.
Fromfarwithinhimheheardacreakingasofrustyportals,andthroughthemcameasterntap-tap-tap,likehammeringinthenightwhenonecannotsleep."Haveyoubeengoodformto-day?"wastheireternalquestion.
"Fame,fame,thatglitteringbauble,itismine,"hecried.
"Isitquitegoodformtobedistinguishedatanything?"thetap-tapfromhisschoolreplied.
"IamtheonlymanwhomBarbecuefeared,"heurged,"andFlintfearedBarbecue."
"Barbecue,Flint—whathouse?"camethecuttingretort.
Mostdisquietingreflectionofall,wasitnotbadformtothinkaboutgoodform?
Hisvitalsweretorturedbythisproblem.
Itwasaclawwithinhimsharperthantheironone;andasittorehim,theperspirationdrippeddownhistallow[waxy]countenanceandstreakedhisdoublet.
Ofttimeshedrewhissleeveacrosshisface,buttherewasnodammingthattrickle.
Ah,envynotHook.
Therecametohimapresentimentofhisearlydissolution[death].
ItwasasifPeter'sterribleoathhadboardedtheship.
Hookfeltagloomydesiretomakehisdyingspeech,lestpresentlythereshouldbenotimeforit.
"BetterforHook,"hecried,"ifhehadhadlessambition!"Itwasinhisdarkesthoursonlythathereferredtohimselfinthethirdperson.
"Nolittlechildrentoloveme!"
Strangethatheshouldthinkofthis,whichhadnevertroubledhimbefore;perhapsthesewingmachinebroughtittohismind.
Forlonghemutteredtohimself,staringatSmee,whowashemmingplacidly,undertheconvictionthatallchildrenfearedhim.
Fearedhim!FearedSmee!
Therewasnotachildonboardthebrigthatnightwhodidnotalreadylovehim.
Hehadsaidhorridthingstothemandhitthemwiththepalmofhishand,becausehecouldnothitwithhisfist,buttheyhadonlyclungtohimthemore.Michaelhadtriedonhisspectacles.
TotellpoorSmeethattheythoughthimlovable!
Hookitchedtodoit,butitseemedtoobrutal.
Instead,herevolvedthismysteryinhismind:whydotheyfindSmeelovable?
Hepursuedtheproblemlikethesleuth-houndthathewas.
IfSmeewaslovable,whatwasitthatmadehimso?
Aterribleanswersuddenlypresenteditself—"Goodform?"
Hadthebo'sungoodformwithoutknowingit,whichisthebestformofall?
Herememberedthatyouhavetoproveyoudon'tknowyouhaveitbeforeyouareeligibleforPop[anelitesocialclubatEton].
WithacryofrageheraisedhisironhandoverSmee'shead;buthedidnottear.Whatarrestedhimwasthisreflection:
"Toclawamanbecauseheisgoodform,whatwouldthatbe?"
"Badform!"
TheunhappyHookwasasimpotent[powerless]ashewasdamp,andhefellforwardlikeacutflower.
Hisdogsthinkinghimoutofthewayforatime,disciplineinstantlyrelaxed;andtheybrokeintoabacchanalian[drunken]dance,whichbroughthimtohisfeetatonce,alltracesofhumanweaknessgone,asifabucketofwaterhadpassedoverhim.
"Quiet,youscugs,"hecried,"orI'llcastanchorinyou;"andatoncethedinwashushed."Areallthechildrenchained,sothattheycannotflyaway?"
"Ay,ay."
"Thenhoistthemup."
Thewretchedprisonersweredraggedfromthehold,allexceptWendy,andrangedinlineinfrontofhim.
Foratimeheseemedunconsciousoftheirpresence.
Helolledathisease,humming,notunmelodiously,snatchesofarudesong,andfingeringapackofcards.
Everandanonthelightfromhiscigargaveatouchofcolourtohisface.
"Nowthen,bullies,"hesaidbriskly,"sixofyouwalktheplankto-night,butIhaveroomfortwocabinboys.Whichofyouisittobe?"
"Don'tirritatehimunnecessarily,"hadbeenWendy'sinstructionsinthehold;soTootlessteppedforwardpolitely.
Tootleshatedtheideaofsigningundersuchaman,butaninstincttoldhimthatitwouldbeprudenttolaytheresponsibilityonanabsentperson;andthoughasomewhatsillyboy,heknewthatmothersalonearealwayswillingtobethebuffer.
Allchildrenknowthisaboutmothers,anddespisethemforit,butmakeconstantuseofit.
SoTootlesexplainedprudently,"Yousee,sir,Idon'tthinkmymotherwouldlikemetobeapirate.Wouldyourmotherlikeyoutobeapirate,Slightly?"
HewinkedatSlightly,whosaidmournfully,"Idon'tthinkso,"asifhewishedthingshadbeenotherwise."Wouldyourmotherlikeyoutobeapirate,Twin?"
"Idon'tthinkso,"saidthefirsttwin,ascleverastheothers."Nibs,would—"
"Stowthisgab,"roaredHook,andthespokesmenweredraggedback."You,boy,"hesaid,addressingJohn,"youlookasifyouhadalittlepluckinyou.Didstneverwanttobeapirate,myhearty?"
NowJohnhadsometimesexperiencedthishankeringatmaths.prep.;andhewasstruckbyHook'spickinghimout.
"IoncethoughtofcallingmyselfRed-handedJack,"hesaiddiffidently.
"Andagoodnametoo.We'llcallyouthathere,bully,ifyoujoin."
"Whatdoyouthink,Michael?"askedJohn.
"WhatwouldyoucallmeifIjoin?"Michaeldemanded.
"BlackbeardJoe."
Michaelwasnaturallyimpressed."Whatdoyouthink,John?"HewantedJohntodecide,andJohnwantedhimtodecide.
"ShallwestillberespectfulsubjectsoftheKing?"Johninquired.
ThroughHook'steethcametheanswer:"Youwouldhavetoswear,'DownwiththeKing.'"
PerhapsJohnhadnotbehavedverywellsofar,butheshoneoutnow.
"ThenIrefuse,"hecried,bangingthebarrelinfrontofHook.
"AndIrefuse,"criedMichael.
"RuleBritannia!"squeakedCurly.
Theinfuriatedpiratesbuffetedtheminthemouth;andHookroaredout,"Thatsealsyourdoom.Bringuptheirmother.Gettheplankready."
Theywereonlyboys,andtheywentwhiteastheysawJukesandCeccopreparingthefatalplank.ButtheytriedtolookbravewhenWendywasbroughtup.
NowordsofminecantellyouhowWendydespisedthosepirates.
Totheboystherewasatleastsomeglamourinthepiratecalling;butallthatshesawwasthattheshiphadnotbeentidiedforyears.
Therewasnotaportholeonthegrimyglassofwhichyoumightnothavewrittenwithyourfinger"Dirtypig";andshehadalreadywrittenitonseveral.
Butastheboysgatheredroundhershehadnothought,ofcourse,saveforthem.
"So,mybeauty,"saidHook,asifhespokeinsyrup,"youaretoseeyourchildrenwalktheplank."
Finegentlementhoughhewas,theintensityofhiscommuningshadsoiledhisruff,andsuddenlyheknewthatshewasgazingatit.Withahastygesturehetriedtohideit,buthewastoolate.
"Aretheytodie?"askedWendy,withalookofsuchfrightfulcontemptthathenearlyfainted.
"Theyare,"hesnarled."Silenceall,"hecalledgloatingly,"foramother'slastwordstoherchildren."
AtthismomentWendywasgrand."Thesearemylastwords,dearboys,"shesaidfirmly.
"IfeelthatIhaveamessagetoyoufromyourrealmothers,anditisthis:'WehopeoursonswilldielikeEnglishgentlemen.'"
Eventhepirateswereawed,andTootlescriedouthysterically,"Iamgoingtodowhatmymotherhopes.Whatareyoutodo,Nibs?"
"Whatmymotherhopes.Whatareyoutodo,Twin?"
"Whatmymotherhopes.John,whatare—"
ButHookhadfoundhisvoiceagain.
"Tieherup!"heshouted.
ItwasSmeewhotiedhertothemast."Seehere,honey,"hewhispered,"I'llsaveyouifyoupromisetobemymother."
ButnotevenforSmeewouldshemakesuchapromise."Iwouldalmostratherhavenochildrenatall,"shesaiddisdainfully[scornfully].
ItissadtoknowthatnotaboywaslookingatherasSmeetiedhertothemast;theeyesofallwereontheplank:thatlastlittlewalktheywereabouttotake.
Theywerenolongerabletohopethattheywouldwalkitmanfully,forthecapacitytothinkhadgonefromthem;theycouldstareandshiveronly.
Hooksmiledonthemwithhisteethclosed,andtookasteptowardWendy.
Hisintentionwastoturnherfacesothatsheshouldseetheyboyswalkingtheplankonebyone.
Butheneverreachedher,heneverheardthecryofanguishhehopedtowringfromher.Heheardsomethingelseinstead.
Itwastheterribletick-tickofthecrocodile.
Theyallheardit—pirates,boys,Wendy;andimmediatelyeveryheadwasblowninonedirection;nottothewaterwhencethesoundproceeded,buttowardHook.
Allknewthatwhatwasabouttohappenconcernedhimalone,andthatfrombeingactorstheyweresuddenlybecomespectators.
Veryfrightfulwasittoseethechangethatcameoverhim.Itwasasifhehadbeenclippedateveryjoint.Hefellinalittleheap.
Thesoundcamesteadilynearer;andinadvanceofitcamethisghastlythought,"Thecrocodileisabouttoboardtheship!"
Eventheironclawhunginactive;asifknowingthatitwasnointrinsicpartofwhattheattackingforcewanted.
Leftsofearfullyalone,anyothermanwouldhavelainwithhiseyesshutwherehefell:butthegiganticbrainofHookwasstillworking,andunderitsguidancehecrawledonthekneesalongthedeckasfarfromthesoundashecouldgo.
Thepiratesrespectfullyclearedapassageforhim,anditwasonlywhenhebroughtupagainstthebulwarksthathespoke.
"Hideme!"hecriedhoarsely.
Theygatheredroundhim,alleyesavertedfromthethingthatwascomingaboard.Theyhadnothoughtoffightingit.ItwasFate.
OnlywhenHookwashiddenfromthemdidcuriosityloosenthelimbsoftheboyssothattheycouldrushtotheship'ssidetoseethecrocodileclimbingit.
ThentheygotthestrangestsurpriseoftheNightofNights;foritwasnocrocodilethatwascomingtotheiraid.ItwasPeter.
Hesignedtothemnottogiveventtoanycryofadmirationthatmightrousesuspicion.Thenhewentonticking.
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