CHAPTER XXVI. — A THIEF'S EMBARRASSMENT.

 When the thief left Obed Stackpole's cabin with his booty his heart was filled with exultation¹. He had been drifting about for years, the football of fortune, oftener down than up, and had more than once known what it was to pass an entire day without food. And all this because he had never been willing to settle down to steady work or honest industry. He had set out in life with a dislike for each, and a decided² preference for living by his wits. Theft was no new thing for him. Once he had barely escaped with his life in one of the Western States of America for stealing a horse. He had drifted to Australia, with no idea of working at the mines or anywhere else, but with the intention of robbing some lucky miner and making off with the proceeds of his industry.

 

Well, he had succeeded, and his heart was light.

 

"No more hard work for me," he said to himself joyfully³, "no more privation and suffering. Now I can live like a gentleman."

 

It never seemed to occur to him that a thief could by no possibility live like a gentleman. To be a gentleman, in his opinion, meant having a pocketful of money.

 

He would like to have examined the nugget, but there was no time, nor was there light enough to form an opinion of it. Besides, Obed and the two boys might at any moment discover their loss, and then there would be pursuers on his track. He could not hide it, for it was too large, and anyone seeing what he carried would suspect its nature and character.

 

The responsibility of property was upon him now. It was an unaccustomed sensation. This thief began now to dread⁴ an encounter with other thieves. There were other men, as well as himself, who had little respect for the rights of property, and this he well knew.

 

"Where shall I go?" he asked himself in perplexity.

 

It would not do to stay in the neighborhood of the mining camp. By dawn, or as soon as tidings of the robbery should spread, there would be an organized pursuit. In any mining settlement a thief fares hard. In the absence of any established code of laws, the relentless⁵ laws of Judge Lynch are executed with merciless severity. Beads⁶ of perspiration⁷ began to form on the brow of the thief as he realized the terrible danger he had incurred⁸. What good would it do him after all to get away with the nugget if it should cost him his life, and that was a contingency⁹, as his experience assured him, by no means improbable.

 

"If I were only in Melbourne," he said to himself, "I would lose no time in disposing of the nugget, and then would take the first ship for England—or anywhere else. Any place would be better than Australia, for that will soon be too hot to hold me."

 

It was one thing to wish, and another to realize the wish. He was still in the immediate¹⁰ vicinity of the mining camp, and there were almost insuperable difficulties in the way of getting far from it with his treasure safe.

 

The thief kept on his way, however, and after a while reached a piece of woods.

 

"This will be a good place to hide," he bethought himself. "I may be able to conceal¹¹ the nugget somewhere."

 

His first feeling of exultation had given place to one of deep anxiety and perplexity. After, he was not as happy as he anticipated. Only yesterday he had been poor—almost destitute—but at any rate free from anxiety and alarm. Now he was rich, or thought he was, and his heart was filled with nervous apprehension¹².

 

He wandered about for two or three hours, weary and feeling great need of sleep, but afraid to yield to the impulse. Suppose he should lose consciousness, and sleep till morning: the first man who found him asleep would rob him of the precious nugget, and then he would be back again where he had been the day before, and for years back. The dream of his life had been fulfilled, and he was in no position to enjoy it. Oftentimes God grants our wishes only to show us how little they add to our happiness.

 

It was no light burden—this heavy nugget which he was forced to carry with him, and, drowsy¹³ as he was, more than once he stumbled with it and came near falling. But at last he saw before him a cabin—deserted, apparently—and his heart was filled with joy. It would afford him a place to obtain needed repose¹⁴, and there would be some means of hiding his rich treasure.

 

He peered timidly into the cabin and found it empty. On the floor in the corner was a pallet. He put the nugget under the upper part, thus raising it and supplying the place of a pillow. It was hard enough, as the reader will imagine, but it was better than nothing; and appeared to combine safety with a chance to rest.

 

The thief fell asleep, and slept soundly. When he awoke it was bright, and the morning was evidently well advanced. In an instant consciousness came, and with anxious thought he felt for the nugget. It was still there, as he realized joyfully. He was on the point of examining it, when a step was heard. He looked up startled, and saw a man entering the cabin. This man was such another as himself—an adventurer—and the tramp remembered to have seen him about the camp. He was an ill-favored man, poorly dressed, and might have passed for a brother of the first comer so far as his moral qualities and general appearance were concerned.

 

"Halloa!" the new arrival said, gazing with a little surprise at the prostrate¹⁵ man.

 

"Halloa," returned the other, surveying the new arrival with apprehension.

 

"Is this your crib?"

 

"No, I'm only passing the night here."

 

"Haven't I seen you at the mines?"

 

"Yes, I have been there."

 

"And now you are leaving, are you?"

 

"I don't know exactly. I haven't made up my mind."

 

"Well I am. I'm out of luck."

 

"So am I."

 

"There's nothing to be done at the mines."

 

"Just my idea!"

 

"Humph! what do you think of doing?"

 

"I don't know. I want to get away for one thing."

 

"So do I. Suppose we keep company, friend. Two are more social than one, eh?"

 

This proposal gave the first man anxious thought. If he had a companion, he could not hide for any length of time the fact that he was in possession of the nugget. Yet he did not know how to refuse without exciting suspicion. The new arrival noticed it, and it stirred up anger in him.

 

"Perhaps I aint good enough for you?" he said, frowning.

 

"No, no, it isn't that," said the first eagerly.

 

"Don't you want me to go with you?" demanded the new arrival bluntly. "Yes or no."

 

"Have you got any money?" asked the thief, "because I haven't."

 

"No more have I. We'll be equal partners."

 

"Then I'm afraid we won't get very far."

 

"You'll get as far as I will. But I say, what is that under your head, pard?"

 

The question had come at last. The thief trembled, and answered nervously¹⁶:

 

"It's—it's—I am using it for a pillow," he faltered¹⁷.

 

"Let us see your pillow," said the new arrival suspiciously.

 

The thief came to a sudden determination, suggested by necessity. Two would make a stronger guard than one, and, though this man was not the one he would have selected, accident had thrown them together, and he would risk it.

 

"Look here, my friend," he said, "it's a great secret."

 

"Oh, a secret, is it?"

 

"Yes, but I am going to make you my confidant. I am greatly in need of a friend and partner, and I'll make it worth your while to stand by me. I'll give you a quarter of—what I have here—if you'll see me safe to Melbourne."

 

"What is it, pard? Out with it, quick!"

 

"It's—a nugget, and the biggest one that's been found at Bendigo since they commenced mining."

 

"A nugget! Great Jehoshaphat! Let me see it!"

 

The thief drew the bundle—still wrapped in Obed's red bandanna—from underneath¹⁸ the pallet, while his companion in intense excitement bent¹⁹ over to catch a glimpse of the treasure.

 

1 exultation   

n.狂喜，得意

参考例句：

• It made him catch his breath, it lit his face with exultation. 听了这个名字，他屏住呼吸，乐得脸上放光。
• He could get up no exultation that was really worthy the name. 他一点都激动不起来。

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 joyfully   

adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地

参考例句：

• She tripped along joyfully as if treading on air. 她高兴地走着，脚底下轻飘飘的。
• During these first weeks she slaved joyfully. 在最初的几周里，她干得很高兴。

4 dread   

vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧

参考例句：

• We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
• Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。

5 relentless   

adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的

参考例句：

• The traffic noise is relentless.交通车辆的噪音一刻也不停止。
• Their training has to be relentless.他们的训练必须是无情的。

6 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

7 perspiration   

n.汗水；出汗

参考例句：

• It is so hot that my clothes are wet with perspiration.天太热了，我的衣服被汗水湿透了。
• The perspiration was running down my back.汗从我背上淌下来。

8 incurred   

[医]招致的，遭受的； incur的过去式

参考例句：

• She had incurred the wrath of her father by marrying without his consent 她未经父亲同意就结婚，使父亲震怒。
• We will reimburse any expenses incurred. 我们将付还所有相关费用。

9 contingency   

n.意外事件，可能性

参考例句：

• We should be prepared for any contingency.我们应该对任何应急情况有所准备。
• A fire in our warehouse was a contingency that we had not expected.库房的一场大火是我们始料未及的。

10 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

11 conceal   

v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽

参考例句：

• He had to conceal his identity to escape the police.为了躲避警方，他只好隐瞒身份。
• He could hardly conceal his joy at his departure.他几乎掩饰不住临行时的喜悦。

12 apprehension   

n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑

参考例句：

• There were still areas of doubt and her apprehension grew.有些地方仍然存疑，于是她越来越担心。
• She is a girl of weak apprehension.她是一个理解力很差的女孩。

13 drowsy   

adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的

参考例句：

• Exhaust fumes made him drowsy and brought on a headache.废气把他熏得昏昏沉沉，还引起了头疼。
• I feel drowsy after lunch every day.每天午饭后我就想睡觉。

14 repose   

v.(使)休息；n.安息

参考例句：

• Don't disturb her repose.不要打扰她休息。
• Her mouth seemed always to be smiling,even in repose.她的嘴角似乎总是挂着微笑，即使在睡眠时也是这样。

15 prostrate   

v.拜倒，平卧，衰竭；adj.拜倒的，平卧的，衰竭的

参考例句：

• She was prostrate on the floor.她俯卧在地板上。
• The Yankees had the South prostrate and they intended to keep It'so.北方佬已经使南方屈服了,他们还打算继续下去。

16 nervously   

adv.神情激动地，不安地

参考例句：

• He bit his lip nervously,trying not to cry.他紧张地咬着唇，努力忍着不哭出来。
• He paced nervously up and down on the platform.他在站台上情绪不安地走来走去。

17 faltered   

（嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃

参考例句：

• He faltered out a few words. 他支吾地说出了几句。
• "Er - but he has such a longhead!" the man faltered. 他不好意思似的嚅嗫着：“这孩子脑袋真长。”

18 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

19 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。