English
Itwasnotverylongafterthisthatthereoccurredthefirstofthemysteriouseventsthatridusatlastofthecaptain,thoughnot,asyouwillsee,ofhisaffairs.
Itwasabittercoldwinter,withlong,hardfrostsandheavygales;anditwasplainfromthefirstthatmypoorfatherwaslittlelikelytoseethespring.
Hesankdaily,andmymotherandIhadalltheinnuponourhands,andwerekeptbusyenoughwithoutpayingmuchregardtoourunpleasantguest.
ItwasoneJanuarymorning,veryearly—apinching,frostymorning—thecoveallgreywithhoar-frost,theripplelappingsoftlyonthestones,thesunstilllowandonlytouchingthehilltopsandshiningfartoseaward.
Thecaptainhadrisenearlierthanusualandsetoutdownthebeach,hiscutlassswingingunderthebroadskirtsoftheoldbluecoat,hisbrasstelescopeunderhisarm,hishattiltedbackuponhishead.
Irememberhisbreathhanginglikesmokeinhiswakeashestrodeoff,andthelastsoundIheardofhimasheturnedthebigrockwasaloudsnortofindignation,asthoughhismindwasstillrunninguponDr.Livesey.
Well,motherwasupstairswithfatherandIwaslayingthebreakfast-tableagainstthecaptain’sreturnwhentheparlourdooropenedandamansteppedinonwhomIhadneversetmyeyesbefore.
Hewasapale,tallowycreature,wantingtwofingersofthelefthand,andthoughheworeacutlass,hedidnotlookmuchlikeafighter.
Ihadalwaysmyeyeopenforseafaringmen,withonelegortwo,andIrememberthisonepuzzledme.
Hewasnotsailorly,andyethehadasmackoftheseaabouthimtoo.
Iaskedhimwhatwasforhisservice,andhesaidhewouldtakerum;butasIwasgoingoutoftheroomtofetchit,hesatdownuponatableandmotionedmetodrawnear.
IpausedwhereIwas,withmynapkininmyhand.
“Comehere,sonny,”sayshe.“Comenearerhere.”
Itookastepnearer.
“IsthisheretableformymateBill?”heaskedwithakindofleer.
ItoldhimIdidnotknowhismateBill,andthiswasforapersonwhostayedinourhousewhomwecalledthecaptain.
“Well,”saidhe,“mymateBillwouldbecalledthecaptain,aslikeasnot.
Hehasacutononecheekandamightypleasantwaywithhim,particularlyindrink,hasmymateBill.
We’llputit,forargumentlike,thatyourcaptainhasacutononecheek—andwe’llputit,ifyoulike,thatthatcheek’stherightone.Ah,well!Itoldyou.
Now,ismymateBillinthisherehouse?”
Itoldhimhewasoutwalking.
“Whichway,sonny?Whichwayishegone?”
AndwhenIhadpointedouttherockandtoldhimhowthecaptainwaslikelytoreturn,andhowsoon,andansweredafewotherquestions,“Ah,”saidhe,“this’llbeasgoodasdrinktomymateBill.”
Theexpressionofhisfaceashesaidthesewordswasnotatallpleasant,andIhadmyownreasonsforthinkingthatthestrangerwasmistaken,evensupposinghemeantwhathesaid.
Butitwasnoaffairofmine,Ithought;andbesides,itwasdifficulttoknowwhattodo.
Thestrangerkepthangingaboutjustinsidetheinndoor,peeringroundthecornerlikeacatwaitingforamouse.
OnceIsteppedoutmyselfintotheroad,butheimmediatelycalledmeback,andasIdidnotobeyquickenoughforhisfancy,amosthorriblechangecameoverhistallowyface,andheorderedmeinwithanoaththatmademejump.
AssoonasIwasbackagainhereturnedtohisformermanner,halffawning,halfsneering,pattedmeontheshoulder,toldmeIwasagoodboyandhehadtakenquiteafancytome.
“Ihaveasonofmyown,”saidhe,“aslikeyouastwoblocks,andhe’salltheprideofmy‘art.
Butthegreatthingforboysisdiscipline,sonny—discipline.
Now,ifyouhadsailedalongofBill,youwouldn’thavestoodtheretobespoketotwice—notyou.
ThatwasneverBill’sway,northewayofsichassailedwithhim.
Andhere,sureenough,ismymateBill,withaspy-glassunderhisarm,blesshisold‘art,tobesure.
Youandme’lljustgobackintotheparlour,sonny,andgetbehindthedoor,andwe’llgiveBillalittlesurprise—blesshis‘art,Isayagain.”
Sosaying,thestrangerbackedalongwithmeintotheparlourandputmebehindhiminthecornersothatwewerebothhiddenbytheopendoor.
Iwasveryuneasyandalarmed,asyoumayfancy,anditratheraddedtomyfearstoobservethatthestrangerwascertainlyfrightenedhimself.
Heclearedthehiltofhiscutlassandloosenedthebladeinthesheath;andallthetimewewerewaitingtherehekeptswallowingasifhefeltwhatweusedtocallalumpinthethroat.
Atlastinstrodethecaptain,slammedthedoorbehindhim,withoutlookingtotherightorleft,andmarchedstraightacrosstheroomtowherehisbreakfastawaitedhim.
“Bill,”saidthestrangerinavoicethatIthoughthehadtriedtomakeboldandbig.
Thecaptainspunroundonhisheelandfrontedus;allthebrownhadgoneoutofhisface,andevenhisnosewasblue;hehadthelookofamanwhoseesaghost,ortheevilone,orsomethingworse,ifanythingcanbe;anduponmyword,Ifeltsorrytoseehimallinamomentturnsooldandsick.
“Come,Bill,youknowme;youknowanoldshipmate,Bill,surely,”saidthestranger.
Thecaptainmadeasortofgasp.
“BlackDog!”saidhe.
“Andwhoelse?”returnedtheother,gettingmoreathisease.
“BlackDogaseverwas,comefortoseehisoldshipmateBilly,attheAdmiralBenbowinn.
Ah,Bill,Bill,wehaveseenasightoftimes,ustwo,sinceIlostthemtwotalons,”holdinguphismutilatedhand.
“Now,lookhere,”saidthecaptain;“you’verunmedown;hereIam;well,then,speakup;whatisit?”
“That’syou,Bill,”returnedBlackDog,“you’reintherightofit,Billy.
I’llhaveaglassofrumfromthisdearchildhere,asI’vetooksuchalikingto;andwe’llsitdown,ifyouplease,andtalksquare,likeoldshipmates.”
WhenIreturnedwiththerum,theywerealreadyseatedoneithersideofthecaptain’sbreakfast-table—BlackDognexttothedoorandsittingsidewayssoastohaveoneeyeonhisoldshipmateandone,asIthought,onhisretreat.
Hebademegoandleavethedoorwideopen.“Noneofyourkeyholesforme,sonny,”hesaid;andIleftthemtogetherandretiredintothebar.
“Foralongtime,thoughIcertainlydidmybesttolisten,Icouldhearnothingbutalowgattling;butatlastthevoicesbegantogrowhigher,andIcouldpickupawordortwo,mostlyoaths,fromthecaptain.
“No,no,no,no;andanendofit!”hecriedonce.Andagain,“Ifitcomestoswinging,swingall,sayI.”
Thenallofasuddentherewasatremendousexplosionofoathsandothernoises—thechairandtablewentoverinalump,aclashofsteelfollowed,andthenacryofpain,andthenextinstantIsawBlackDoginfullflight,andthecaptainhotlypursuing,bothwithdrawncutlasses,andtheformerstreamingbloodfromtheleftshoulder.
Justatthedoorthecaptainaimedatthefugitiveonelasttremendouscut,whichwouldcertainlyhavesplithimtothechinehaditnotbeeninterceptedbyourbigsignboardofAdmiralBenbow.
Youmayseethenotchonthelowersideoftheframetothisday.
Thatblowwasthelastofthebattle.Onceoutupontheroad,BlackDog,inspiteofhiswound,showedawonderfulcleanpairofheelsanddisappearedovertheedgeofthehillinhalfaminute.
Thecaptain,forhispart,stoodstaringatthesignboardlikeabewilderedman.
Thenhepassedhishandoverhiseyesseveraltimesandatlastturnedbackintothehouse.
“Jim,”sayshe,“rum”;andashespoke,hereeledalittle,andcaughthimselfwithonehandagainstthewall.
“Areyouhurt?”criedI.
“Rum,”herepeated.“Imustgetawayfromhere.Rum!Rum!”
Irantofetchit,butIwasquiteunsteadiedbyallthathadfallenout,andIbrokeoneglassandfouledthetap,andwhileIwasstillgettinginmyownway,Iheardaloudfallintheparlour,andrunningin,beheldthecaptainlyingfulllengthuponthefloor.
Atthesameinstantmymother,alarmedbythecriesandfighting,camerunningdownstairstohelpme.Betweenusweraisedhishead.
Hewasbreathingveryloudandhard,buthiseyeswereclosedandhisfaceahorriblecolour.
“Dear,dearyme,”criedmymother,“whatadisgraceuponthehouse!Andyourpoorfathersick!”
Inthemeantime,wehadnoideawhattodotohelpthecaptain,noranyotherthoughtbutthathehadgothisdeath-hurtinthescufflewiththestranger.
Igottherum,tobesure,andtriedtoputitdownhisthroat,buthisteethweretightlyshutandhisjawsasstrongasiron.
ItwasahappyreliefforuswhenthedooropenedandDoctorLiveseycamein,onhisvisittomyfather.
“Oh,doctor,”wecried,“whatshallwedo?Whereishewounded?”
“Wounded?Afiddle-stick’send!”saidthedoctor.“NomorewoundedthanyouorI.
Themanhashadastroke,asIwarnedhim.
Now,Mrs.Hawkins,justyourunupstairstoyourhusbandandtellhim,ifpossible,nothingaboutit.
Formypart,Imustdomybesttosavethisfellow’streblyworthlesslife;Jim,yougetmeabasin.”
WhenIgotbackwiththebasin,thedoctorhadalreadyrippedupthecaptain’ssleeveandexposedhisgreatsinewyarm.Itwastattooedinseveralplaces.
“Here’sluck,”“Afairwind,”and“BillyBoneshisfancy,”wereveryneatlyandclearlyexecutedontheforearm;andupneartheshouldertherewasasketchofagallowsandamanhangingfromit—done,asIthought,withgreatspirit.
“Prophetic,”saidthedoctor,touchingthispicturewithhisfinger.
“Andnow,MasterBillyBones,ifthatbeyourname,we’llhavealookatthecolourofyourblood.
Jim,”hesaid,“areyouafraidofblood?”
“No,sir,”saidI.
“Well,then,”saidhe,“youholdthebasin”;andwiththathetookhislancetandopenedavein.
Agreatdealofbloodwastakenbeforethecaptainopenedhiseyesandlookedmistilyabouthim.
Firstherecognizedthedoctorwithanunmistakablefrown;thenhisglancefelluponme,andhelookedrelieved.
Butsuddenlyhiscolourchanged,andhetriedtoraisehimself,crying,“Where’sBlackDog?”
“ThereisnoBlackDoghere,”saidthedoctor,“exceptwhatyouhaveonyourownback.
Youhavebeendrinkingrum;youhavehadastroke,preciselyasItoldyou;andIhavejust,verymuchagainstmyownwill,draggedyouheadforemostoutofthegrave.Now,Mr.Bones—”
“That’snotmyname,”heinterrupted.
“MuchIcare,”returnedthedoctor.“It’sthenameofabuccaneerofmyacquaintance;andIcallyoubyitforthesakeofshortness,andwhatIhavetosaytoyouisthis;oneglassofrumwon’tkillyou,butifyoutakeoneyou’lltakeanotherandanother,andIstakemywigifyoudon’tbreakoffshort,you’lldie—doyouunderstandthat?
—die,andgotoyourownplace,likethemanintheBible.Come,now,makeaneffort.I’llhelpyoutoyourbedforonce.”
Betweenus,withmuchtrouble,wemanagedtohoisthimupstairs,andlaidhimonhisbed,wherehisheadfellbackonthepillowasifhewerealmostfainting.
“Now,mindyou,”saidthedoctor,“Iclearmyconscience—thenameofrumforyouisdeath.”
Andwiththathewentofftoseemyfather,takingmewithhimbythearm.
“Thisisnothing,”hesaidassoonashehadclosedthedoor.
“Ihavedrawnbloodenoughtokeephimquietawhile;heshouldlieforaweekwhereheis—thatisthebestthingforhimandyou;butanotherstrokewouldsettlehim.”
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