“MASTER HAMPTON,” she said, bending over me, having arisen without disturbing me, “it is morning.”
I sprang to my feet instantly, as she shook me gently, and grasped my sword as I did so, whereat she laughed.
“I don’t know, I must have—” I began in great confusion.
“You must have gone to sleep yourself,” she laughed again, and I marveled, but thankfully, to see her so cheerful.
“I am ashamed,” I replied, “that I should have failed in my duty to keep good watch. I didn’t awaken you when I might because you needed sleep yourself, and then like a great animal I went to sleep myself.”
“I am glad,” she said, smiling at me, and I[285] could just see her lovely face faintly in the dark twilight2 of the cave, “that you did since nothing happened.”
“It is just as well then,” I said, smiling in turn, “we have both slept soundly and well. I feel greatly refreshed.”
“And I.”
“What is to be done now?” she asked.
“First breakfast.”
I broke open a cocoanut with my axe4, I had become expert at it, and we had food and drink in plenty, and for variety some of the hard bread which still remained and other fruit. I lighted the lantern for a moment and went toward the sound of the falling water. The cocoanut shell made an excellent cup and I brought her enough clear, cool, sweet water to lave her face and hands. Save for the stiffness of the constrained5 position and some slight pain caused by the damp we were both fit for any adventure. Well, we should have need of all our strength doubtless. When we finished our meal and our refreshing6 ablutions, she looked at me inquiringly.
“Well, what next?”
[286]“The next thing,” said I, “is to see what is toward.”
“I should find it difficult were I so minded,” I answered, smiling and thrilling to her touch again as always. Indeed, I have never got used to it even after all these years. As I look back on the scenes of the past now I do not think I have ever had happier moments in my life than those in which she clung to me and was dependent upon me.
“Why not?” she asked.
“You forget that we broke down the way last night.”
“But you are a sailor, you might make shift.”
“Yes, but not you,” I answered.
“Without me?”
“Without you I go nowhere.”
She looked at me with shining eyes.
“Come,” said I, “let us go into the outer room. We may find out something.”
I had wound my watch in the dark and looked at it now as we came into the light. It was three bells in the morning watch, or about half after[287] nine. We went past the altar with its grim bony circle of attendants, and stared through the entrance. There was an open space at the foot of the cliff forty or fifty yards wide perhaps before the jungle began. After looking some time and seeing nothing I foolishly—and yet it would have made no difference in the end—stepped out upon the shelf which made a sort of platform in front of the cave and Mistress Lucy fearlessly came with me.
We had scarcely appeared in view when to our astounded8 surprise we heard the report of a firearm and a heavy bullet struck the coral wall just over our heads. I had just time to mark the spot whence it came, by the betraying smoke, as I leaped back into the shelter carrying my precious charge before me. I was puzzled beyond measure. I was certain that the savages9 in these parts of the South Seas knew nothing about firearms and I could not account for it. The shower of arrows and spears that now came through the opening and fell harmlessly on the sand I could easily account for, but not that shot. What could it mean? I felt that I could hold my own against savages without difficulty, but[288] if there were European enemies there the case was different.
“That,” said I solemnly, “was a narrow escape.”
“Do these islanders have firearms?” she asked, the same thought in her mind.
“I never heard of it,” I replied. “I cannot account for it.”
“I can, though,” she said; “just before the discharge of that gun I caught sight of a man in clothes such as you wear. Is it possible that it could be one from The Rose of Devon?”
I nodded my head, a light at once breaking upon me.
“It is quite likely,” I answered, “now it is certain.”
At this moment our further conversation was interrupted by a hail. To our great amazement11 we heard in that lonely island my own name called! That hail could only come from a survivor12 of the ship. It confirmed our surmises13 about the shot.
“Master Hampdon,” the cry came to us, “will you respect a flag of truce14? If so, show yourself at the opening and I shall do the same.”
“I think it will be best for me to appear,” I said. “Stand clear so that if any treacherous16 movement be made I shall have space to leap backward, and meanwhile look to your weapons.”
I examined my own pistols and then calling out loudly that I would faithfully observe the flag of truce, I stepped out into the open. There below me on the edge of the glade17, convenient to a tree behind which he could leap, for the rascal18 trusted me apparently19 as little as I trusted him, stood the wretch20, Pimball. Back of him beneath the trees I distinguished21 Glibby and a number of the crew, nearly all of them, I should judge, and back of these were massed the savages. Pimball had a white neckcloth tied to the muzzle22 of his gun.
To that salutation I made no reply. I did not deign24 even to pass the time of day with such a man as he.
“Say what you have to say and be quick about[290] it,” I said haughtily25, but he looked past me and took off his hat with a profound sweep.
“Good morning, Mistress Wilberforce,” he cried.
I turned in a hurry and found that she had stepped out by my side, completely disobeying my positive direction. The two of us presented a fair mark for any weapon; one might escape, but hardly two if Pimball’s men opened fire.
“I stay where you are,” she answered firmly. “See, I, too, am armed,” her little hand lifted her own pistol.
“I can talk with the two of you jest as well as with one, or even better,” interposed Pimball smoothly27, “an’ the lady won’t need her pistol.”
“Talk on and be brief,” I returned, seeing there was no use in arguing with my little mistress who always did have her own way in the end.
Yet I did take the precaution to interpose my bulk between the man on the ground and my lady who strove to move around me, but I stubbornly held my position and compelled her to[291] keep in the background where she was in less danger.
“You’ve found the treasure,” he began, “there ain’t no use denyin’ it; we’ve l’arnt from our savage10 friends that the stuff is there. In years gone by they sacrificed here an’ on the cone28 yonder, but for generations the island has been taboo29. The comin’ of the white man has broke the ban an’ we’re here to take the treasure away with us.”
“Indeed!” said I sarcastically30, whereat he turned pale with anger but still mastered himself.
“We offer you,” he continued, “safety. We can’t take you with us, but we’ll leave you here on the island arter we have fetched away the treasure.”
“Thank you,” I returned, “you are vastly kind.”
He bit his lip at that and then his eyes turned from me to my companion.
“If you are willin’ to give up the woman,” he said suddenly, revealing his real villainy, “I’ll enroll32 you with our followin’ an’ we’ll all git away together on The Rose of Devon.”
[292]“What of the ship?” I asked.
It was a hard thing to control my temper, but I wanted the information and until I got it I must command myself.
“She was badly damaged when she took ground on the sand durin’ the storm but not entirely33 wrecked34, an’ is still seaworthy. We’ve patched her up, too. We can git away in her an’ you can navigate35 her, or we can do without you, for that matter, an’ make shift to git her back to the South American coast at least.”
“So you offer me free passage and my share of the treasure if I will give up Mistress Wilberforce, do you?”
“That’s just it,” answered Pimball. “Eh, mates?” whereat a deep chorus of approval came from Glibby and the men.
“And this is my answer,” I said furiously, leveling my pistol at him. “Get back, you villain31, or you will have looked your last on life.”
“But the flag of truce,” he cried, dropping his weapon in surprise.
“It is not meant to cover such propositions as yours. As for the treasure, you shall have it when you can get it.”
[293]As I spoke36 he sprang behind the tree and motioned to his men to fire, but I was too quick for him, and we were safely behind the walls of the cave when the sound of the reports came to us. I had carried my mistress there before me in my unceremonious backward rush.
“It was bravely said,” began my lady, “but if I were not here, you—”
I laughed.
“You are here and if you were not they would murder me like a sheep when they had got out of me all they wanted.”
“Yes,” said she, “I suppose so. Now what is to be done?”
“The next move,” said I, “is with them.”
“Shall we go further back into the cave?”
“No, we will stay here for the moment,” I replied.
We were not long left in suspense37 for I could hear them breaking through the woods and rushing toward the entrance. Missiles in the way of weapons there were none in the cave, but I picked up a skull38 that lay on the floor and hurled39 it out of the opening into the unseen crowd below on a venture. A shriek40 told me that I had[294] hit someone, but I saw at once that the game was one I could not play longer, for a rain of missiles, stones, arrows, what not, fell in the entrance.
These villainous white men had some skill at warfare41, it seemed. They had posted covering parties to protect the workmen who had been detailed42 to repair and make possible the approach. I stepped cautiously toward the entrance and peered down. I could see them working hard, piling up the stones to enable them to get at us, while back of them others stood with drawn43 bows and presented weapons.
I did not come off unscathed, for as I sprang back after having thrown another skull and taken my look, an arrow hit me in the fleshy part of my arm. My mistress noticed it instantly. The stone head had broken off and it was the work of an instant to draw out the slender wood shaft44. It was not at all a bad wound but it was quite painful. The next thing she did amazed me beyond measure, for before I could prevent it my mistress had put her lips to the wound.
“What mean you?” I cried when I could recover myself.
[295]“It might have been poisoned,” she said quietly, looking at me with luminous45 eyes, “and I cannot have you die!”
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收听单词发音
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1
awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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2
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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3
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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4
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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constrained
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| adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
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6
refreshing
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| adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的 | |
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7
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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8
astounded
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| v.使震惊(astound的过去式和过去分词)；愕然；愕；惊讶 | |
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9
savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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10
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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11
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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12
survivor
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| n.生存者，残存者，幸存者 | |
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13
surmises
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的第三人称单数 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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14
truce
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| n.休战，(争执，烦恼等的)缓和；v.以停战结束 | |
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15
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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16
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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17
glade
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| n.林间空地，一片表面有草的沼泽低地 | |
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18
rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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19
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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20
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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21
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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22
muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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23
suavely
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24
deign
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| v. 屈尊, 惠允 ( 做某事) | |
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haughtily
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| adv. 傲慢地, 高傲地 | |
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26
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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28
cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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29
taboo
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| n.禁忌，禁止接近，禁止使用；adj.禁忌的；v.禁忌，禁制，禁止 | |
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30
sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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31
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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32
enroll
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| v.招收；登记；入学；参军；成为会员（英)enrol | |
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33
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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34
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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35
navigate
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| v.航行，飞行；导航，领航 | |
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36
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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37
suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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38
skull
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| n.头骨；颅骨 | |
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39
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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40
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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41
warfare
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| n.战争(状态)；斗争；冲突 | |
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42
detailed
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| adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的 | |
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43
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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44
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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45
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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