Chapter 2 Kidnapped！

When I woke up in darkness，my head was hurting badly，and I was unable to move my hands or feet．I could hear the sailors’ shouts and the sound of the wind and the waves．The whole world seemed to go up，up，up，and then down again．I felt very ill，and at first could not under stand what was happening．After a while I realized that I must be somewhere inside the ship，which was moving very fast through the water．‘I've been kidnapped！’I thought angrily．It was clear that my uncle and the captain had planned it together．I began to feel frightened and hopeless，as I lay there in the dark．

Some hours later，a light shone in my face．Mr Riach，one of the ship's officers，stood looking down at me．He washed the cut on my head，gave me some water，and told me kindly to go to sleep．The next time he came，I was feeling very hot and ill．He had brought Captain Hoseason with him．

‘Now，sir，see for yourself，’ said Mr Riach．‘The lad's seriously ill．We must take him out of this unhealthy hole at once．

‘That's none of your business，’answered the captain．‘Ye're paid to do your job，not to worry about the by．He's staying down here．’

‘I'm only paid to be an officer on this ship，’ replied Mr Riach sharply．He looked hard at the captain．‘I'm not paid，like you，to kidnap and murder—’

Hoseason turned on him angrily．‘What did ye say？’be cried．‘What do ye mean？’

‘You understand，’ said Mr Riach，looking calmly at him．

‘You should know me by now，Mr Riach．I'm a hard man．But if ye say the lad will die—’

‘Aye，he will！’ said Mr Riach．

‘Well，sir，put him where ye like！’

So I was carried up into the sunlight a few minutes later，and put in a cabin where some of the sailors were sleeping．It was a wonderful feeling to see the daylight and to be able to talk to people again．I lay in the cabin for several days，and after a while began to feel better．The sailors were kind to me in their way．They brought me food and drink， and told me about their families at home．I discovered from them that the ship was sailing to the Carolinas，in North America．There the captain was planning to sell me as a slave，to work in a rich man's house or on a farm．

I also learnt that both the ship's officers，Mr Riach and Mr Shuan，enjoyed drinking far too much．The sailors liked Mr Shuan，but said that he was sometimes violent when he had drunk a lot．One of the sailors was a young boy， called Ransome．His job was to bring meals to the captain and officers in the round-house，a big cabin on the top of the ship，where the officers slept and ate．When Ransome dropped something or did something wrong，Mr Shuan used to hit him，and I often saw the poor boy crying．

One night，about nine o’clock，I heard one of the sailors in the cabin saying quietly to the others，‘Shuan's killed him at last！’We all knew who he meant．Just then the captain came in．I was surprised to see him walk towards me and say kindly，‘My man，We Want ye to help us in the round-house．From now on，ye'll sleep there instead of Ransome．’As he spoke，two sailors carried Ransome into the cabin His face was as white as a sheet，and he did not move．My blood ran cold when I saw him．

I obeyed the captain，and ran to the round-house．It was a large room，with a table，a bench and locked cupboards All the best food and drink was kept there，under the captain's eyes，as well as the guns．When I entered，I saw Mr Shuan sitting at the table，with a bottle of whisky in front of him．He did not seem to notice what was happening around him，and was looking fixedly at the table．

Mr Riach soon joined the captain and me．He looked at Hoseason meaningfully，and I understood from his look that Ransome was dead．We three all stood silently looking down at Mr Shuan．

Suddenly the captain stepped forward．‘Do ye know what ye've done？’he cried．‘Ye've murdered the boy！’

Mr Shuan put a hand to his head．‘Well，’he said，‘he brought me a dirty glass！’

The captain and Mr Riach and I looked at each other，almost frightened．Then Hoseason took Mr Shuan by the arm，and told him to go to bed．The murderer cried a little at first，but he took off his boots and lay down，like a small child．

‘Mr Riach，’ said the captain，when we could see that Mr Shuan was asleep，‘nobody on land must know what happened tonight．We'll say that the boy fell into the sea．Get us a drink，David，we both need one，’and he gave me the key to the cupboards．

In the next few days I was very busy，running here and there with the officers’food and drink．Mr Riach and the cap tain were surprisingly patient with me when I made mistakes．Perhaps they were thinking of the poor boy who had died．But Mr Shuan was very strange after Ransome's death． He did not seem to know what he had done，or to recognize me．On my second day in the round-house，he looked at me with a white face and fear in his eyes．‘You weren't here before？’he asked．

‘No，sir，’I replied．

‘There was another boy？’he asked．‘Ah！Yes，I thought so，’and sitting down，he called for some more whisky．

It wasn't a hard life for me．I was able to eat well，and talk to Mr Riach，who spoke to me like a friend．But I could not forget poor Ransome．As the days passed，I became more and more worried．I knew that，when the ship arrived in the Carolinas，I would no longer be a free man，but a slave．I thought hard，but there did not seem to be any way of escaping．

About a week later，we were sailing round the rocky coast of northern Scotland in very bad weather．It was difficult to see anything because of the thick fog．One evening there was a great crash，and the officers ran out to see what had happened．I thought we had hit a rock，but in fact it was a small boat As we watched，the boat broke in two，and went to the bottom with all its men，except the one passenger．At the moment of the crash，this man managed to jump up and catch the side of the ship and pull himself up．

The captain brought him into the round-house He was smallish but well-built，with an open，sunburnt face，and bright，amused eyes When he took off his long coat，I could see that he had a pair of pistols and was wearing a sword at his side．Although his life had clearly been in great danger，he seemed very calm，and spoke politely to the captain Hoseason was looking with interest at the man's clothes．He Was Wear ing a hat with feathers，a blue coat with silver buttons，and expensive-looking lace round his neck．

‘I'm sorry about the boat，sir，’ said the captain．

‘I've lost some grand friends today，’ replied the stranger，‘and that's worse than losing ten boats．’

‘Well，sir，there are more men in the world than boats，’ replied the captain，still watching him closely．‘I know，be cause I've been in France，like you．’

He said these last words clearly and carefully．They seemed to have a special meaning．The stranger put his hand quickly on his pistol．

‘Don't worry，’ said Hoseason．‘Ye've a French soldier's coat on your back and a Scottish tongue in your head，that's true，but so has many an honest man these days．’

‘Well，sir，’ replied the stranger，‘I must tell you that I'm one of those honest Highlanders who were proud to fight for their homes，their clan and their country in 1745，against the English King．And I must tell you another thing．If King George's soldiers find me，I'll be in trouble．I was on my way to France，where some of my clansmen live now．But in the fog my boat missed the French ship that was meeting me．So if you can take me to France，I'll pay you well．’

He opened his purse and showed that it was full of gold coins．The captain seemed excited as he looked at the money，and then at the man's face．

‘To France？’he replied．‘No，I can't do that．But to the Highlands，aye，we can discuss that．’ They sat down together，and in the end agreed that the captain would take the stranger to Loch Linnhe，on the northwest coast of Scot land，for sixty pounds．There the Highlander would be among friends，and safe from the English army．He and Hoseason shook hands，and the captain left me alone with the stranger．

He had told the captain that the gold was not his own．Some of the Highlanders had escaped to France after the Forty-Five，but their friends and clansmen in Scotland sometimes managed to find a little money to send them．It was this man's job to take the money across to France，and he did this by travelling secretly to Scotland as often as possible．I thought he was very brave．‘If he's caught by the English army，they'll kill him！’ I told myself．I liked the way he seemed to enjoy living dangerously．

When he asked me for whisky，I had to go to ask the cap tain for the key to the cupboard．I found Hoseason and his officers talking quietly in a corner，and heard them planning to kill the stranger and steal his money．They seemed to think that I would help them，and asked me to bring them secretly some guns from the round-house．I went slowly back to the stranger，not sure what I should do．But when I entered the round-house，and saw him eating his supper，I decided at once．

‘They're going to attack you，and murder you！’ I told him．

‘What！’he cried，jumping up．‘Will ye stand with me，against them？’

‘I will！ I'm no thief or murderer！’I replied bravely．

‘Are ye for King George？’

‘More or less，’I answered．

‘Well，Mr More-or-Less，what's your name？’

‘David Balfour，’I said，and then，thinking that a man with so fine a coat must like fine people，I added，‘of Shaws．’

‘My name is Stewart，’he said proudly．‘Alan Breck，they call me．And Stewart is a king's name，so it's good enough for me，although I have no name of a farmhouse to add to it．’He looked around him．‘Now，David，I'll take any man who comes in through this door．You must watch the window， and the door behind me，and shoot anyone who tries to enter．

He gave me a pistol．I was very frightened，but tried hard not to show it．The ship seemed very quiet．Suddenly there was the sound of running feet，and a shout，and then I heard fighting in the doorway．I looked over my shoulder，and saw Mr Shuan， just as Alan drove his sword into the officer's body．Then several men ran at my door．I did not want to hurt them，but it was now or never．I lifted my pistol and shot at them．One man fell，and the others ran away．After a few moments，the sailors attacked again．Alan fought as bravely as before， his sword now red with blood． He was clearly enjoying himself．I had no time to think，but when two more men appeared at the window，I shot them too．Now there were several bodies on the floor，and blood everywhere．

Suddenly I realized that we had won，and that the danger was over．Alan was driving the men out of the round-house like sheep．When he returned，he took me in his arms．

‘David！’he cried．‘I love ye like a brother．And oh，man，am I not a grand fighter？’I had to agree．He took a knife from the table and cut a silver button off his blue coat．‘Take this，David．The buttons come from my father，Duncan Stewart．where ye show that button，the friends of Alan Breck will come to ye．’He spoke as proudly as a king，and I tried not to smile．

We slept in the round-house，one of us keeping watch all night，and the next morning the captain came to speak to us． ‘Ye'veve won the fight，sir，’he said to Alan．‘We're sailing through the Little Minch now，and I'll keep my promise to take ye to Loch Linnhe．But ye've killed my chief officer，Shuan，and without him I can't find my way safely round these rocky coasts．We'll go round the island of Mull，but I warn ye，it'll be dangerous．

Hoseason was right to be worried．All that day Alan and I sat in the round-house and told each other the stories of our lives，but by night the wind was growing stronger and the sailors found it hard to keep the ship away from the dangerous rocks．As we came round Earraid，a small island close to the larger island of Mull，there was a sudden，terrible crash，and we realized that the ship had hit a rock．There was only one thing to do-leave the ship and try to reach land in the ship's boat．But as we were climbing down into the boat，a great wave hit the ship and knocked some of us into the sea．

I went down and came up again several times . Then，luckily，I managed to find a piece of wood，which helped me to stay up in the water．I looked round，but could not see Alan , or any of the sailors，or the boat．My only hope was to try to swim to Earraid，which I could see，not far away，in the moonlight．It was hard，tiring work，but I reached it，and was very grateful to step on to dry land at last．

2 诱拐！

 

我在黑暗中醒过来时，我的头疼得很厉害，手脚也动不了。我能听到水手们的叫声、风声和涛声。整个世界似乎在上升、上升，然后又下降了。我感到病得很厉害，最初稿不清在发生什么事。过了一会儿我意识到一定是在船里某处，那船又在水中快速行驶着。“我被诱拐了！”我气愤地想。显然我叔叔和船长合伙预谋了这一切。我黑暗中躺在那儿时，开始感到害怕和无望。

几个小时之后，有一束光照到我脸上。船上的一名叫里亚奇先生的高级船员站在那儿俯视着我。他擦洗了我头上的伤口，给我一些水，并和蔼地让我睡觉。下一次他来时，我感到很热，病了。他把霍齐亚森船长也带来了。

“好，船长，你自己看看，”里亚奇先生说道，“这个小伙子病得很厉害。我们得立刻把他带出这个不卫生的牢房。”

“那与你无关。”船长回答道，“给你付钱是让你干你的工作，不要为这男孩操心。他得待在下面这儿。”

“我只是受雇来当船上的高级船员。”里亚奇先生厉声答道。他盯着船长。“我不是收了钱，像你一样来诱拐和谋杀——”

霍齐亚森恼怒地攻击里亚奇。“你说什么？”他叫道，“你是什么意思？”

“你明白，”里亚奇先生说道，平静地看着他。

“到现在你也应该了解我了，里亚奇先生。我可不是一个软弱的人。但如果你说这个小伙子将要死掉的话——”

“对，他要死了！”里亚奇先生说道。

“好吧，先生，把他放在你想要放的地方！”

于是几分钟后，我被人抬到上面阳光能照到之处，并被安置在一个里面有一些水手正在睡觉的机舱里。又能看见阳光、又能和人交谈是一种很好的感觉。我在机舱里躺了几天，不久之后开始感到好些了。水手们以自己的方式善待我。他们给我带来吃的、喝的，并给我讲他们家的事。从他们那儿我发现船正驶往北美洲的卡罗来纳。船长打算在那儿把我当奴隶卖掉，卖到一个有钱人家或一家农场。

我也了解到船上的高级船员里亚奇先生和舒安先生都酗酒。船员们喜欢舒安先生，但说舒安先生有时喝得太多时很凶。有一个水手是一个年轻的小男孩，名叫兰塞姆。他的工作是给后甲板室（即船顶上的一个大机舱）里的船长和高级船员送饭。高级船员吃住都在后甲板室里。当兰塞姆掉了东西或做错了事时，舒安先生时常揍他，我也经常看见这个可怜的小男孩在哭泣。

一天晚上，约莫九点钟，我听见机舱里有位水手悄悄地对别的水手们说：“舒安到底杀了他！”我们大家都明白他指的是谁。正在那时船长进来了。我很吃惊地看见他走向我，和蔼地对我说：“小伙子，我们需要你到后甲板室给我们帮忙。从现在起，你就代替兰塞姆睡在那儿。”当他说话时，两名水手把兰塞姆抬进机舱。他的脸和纸一样白，并且他不动弹。我看见他时，被吓得不寒而栗。

我遵从船长的话，跑到后甲板室。后甲板室很大，有一张桌子、一个凳子和锁住的一些小橱子。最好的食品和饮料都放在那儿，就在船长的眼皮底下，也在枪口保护之下。当我进去时，看见舒安先生正坐在桌旁，面前摆着一瓶威士忌。他似乎没有注意周围发生的一切，他的眼睛直直地看着桌子。

里亚奇先生很快加入到我和船长中间。他意味深长地看看霍齐亚森，从他的表情我明白兰塞姆死了。我们三个都静静地站着，俯视着舒安先生。

猛然间船长大步走向前。“你知道你干了些什么吗？”他喊道。“你杀了那个男孩！”

舒安先生把一只手放到头上。“唔，”他说道，“他当时给我拿来一个脏杯子！”

我、船长还有里亚奇你看我、我望你，差不多给吓住了。接着霍齐亚森抓住舒安先生的胳膊，命令他上床睡觉。这个谋杀犯起初叫了一小下，但是他还是像一个小孩似地脱了靴子并且躺了下来。

“里亚奇先生，”当我们确实看到舒安睡着之后船长开口说道，“不能让岸上的人知道今晚发生的事儿。我们就说那个男孩掉进了海里。戴维，给我们拿点喝的来，我们二人都需要喝一杯。”接着他给了我开小橱子的钥匙。

在接下来的几天里，我很忙，一会儿跑到这儿、一会儿跑到那儿地拿高级船员们的食品和饮料。里亚奇先生和船长即使在我出了错时也对我很出奇地耐心。也许是他们还在想那个已死的可怜的小男孩。但兰塞姆死后舒安先生变得很怪了。他似乎不知道他做了些什么，也不认识我。在我待在后甲板室的第二天，他脸色苍白、眼带恐惧地看着我。“你以前不在这儿吗？”他问道。

“对，先生，”我回答道。

“有另外一个小男孩吗？”他问道。“啊！是的，我想有。”他又叫了些威士忌，坐了下来。

这生活对我来说并不艰难。我能吃好，能够与里亚奇先生交谈。他像一个朋友一样对我说话。但我不能忘记可怜的兰塞姆。当日子一天天过去时，我变得越来越担忧了。我明白，当船抵达卡罗来纳时，我将不再是个自由人，而是一个奴隶了。我使劲想，但似乎没有逃跑的方法。

大约一周以后，在非常恶劣的天气条件下，我们沿苏格兰北部的礁岩海岸行驶着。由于大雾弥漫，很难看见什么东西。一天晚上，有一声猛烈的撞击声，高级船员们都跑出去看发生了什么。我以为我们是撞上了一块岩石，但实际上是一条小船。我们观看时，小船碎成了两半，除了这一位乘客外其余的人连船一起沉入海底了。在撞船的那一刻，这个人用力跳起来，抓住了我们这条船的船舷，挣扎着上了船。

船长把他带进了后甲板室里。他个子有点小，但身体强壮，长着一张开朗的、晒黑的脸和一双明亮的、逗人喜欢的眼睛。当他脱下长大衣时，我能看见他带着一对手枪，佩着一把剑。虽然他的生命显然处于极大的危险之中，但他看起来很镇静，并且有礼貌地和船长说着话。霍齐亚森饶有兴趣地看看那个男人的衣服。他戴着一顶插有羽毛的帽子，穿着一件带银扣子的蓝外衣，脖子那儿有一圈看似贵重的花边。

“就船的事我很抱歉，先生，”船长说道。

“今天我失去了一些好朋友，”陌生人回答道，“这比失掉10条船更糟糕。”

“唔，先生，这世界上人比船多，”船长回答道，眼睛仍紧紧地盯着陌生人，“我知道，因为我和你一样曾经在法国待过。”

船长既清晰又当心地吐出了最后几个字。它们似乎有一种特殊的含义。陌生人迅速地把手搁到手枪上。

“别担心。”霍齐亚森说道，“你穿着一件法国士兵的外套，但又操着苏格兰口音，那不假，但现今有很多诚实的人都这样。”

“好吧，先生，”陌生人说道，“我必须告诉你我是那些以自己在1745年反抗英格兰国王、为家园而战、为部族而战、为国家而战为荣的诚实的高地人之一。我还得告诉你另外一件事。如果乔治国王的士兵发现我，我将会有麻烦。我要去法国，我的一些族人现在住在那儿。但是在雾中我的小船错过了来接我的法国船。如果你能把我带到法国的话，我将好好酬谢你。”

他打开钱包，示意那里面装满了金币。船长看看钱接着又看看那人的脸，显得激动的样子。

“去法国？”他答道，“不，我不能那样做。但如果是去高地，对，我们还可以商量商量那个。”他们坐在一起，最后达成协议：船长将把陌生人带到苏格兰西北海岸的林荷湖，条件是给他60镑。在那儿这位高地人将置身于朋友之中，并因远离英格兰军队而很安全。他和霍齐亚森握握手，然后把我和陌生人单独留在一起。

他已告诉过船长金子不是他自己的。在1745年政变后，有些高地人逃到了法国，但他们在苏格兰的一些朋友和族人有时设法找到一点钱送给他们。这个人的使命是把钱带到法国，他通常是通过秘密地尽量常去苏格兰来完成他的使命的。我认为他很勇敢。“如果他被英格兰军队抓住了，他们会杀了他！”我自言自语道。我喜欢他看似喜欢冒险地生活的样子。

他找我要威士忌时，我不得不去找船长要小橱子的钥匙。我发现霍齐亚森船长和高级船员们在一个角落里悄声地谈论着，而且我听到他们计划杀掉这位陌生人并偷走他的钱财。他们似乎认为我能帮他们，让我从后甲板室给他们偷偷地拿些枪来。我慢慢地回到陌生人那儿，不清楚该怎么办。但当我进了后甲板室并看见他在吃晚餐时，我立刻做出了决定。

“他们将袭击你并杀害你！”我告诉他。

“什么？！”他惊叫着，跳起身来。“你能站在我这边，反对他们吗？”

“我会！我不是贼，也不是杀人犯！”我勇敢地对答道。

“你拥护乔治国王吗？”

“差不多，”我回答。

“好的，差不多先生，你叫什么？”

“戴维·鲍尔弗，”我说着，接着我想到穿着这么好外衣的人一定喜欢杰出的人物，于是补了一句话：“肖家族的。”

“我姓斯图尔特。”他骄傲地说道，“他们叫我艾伦·布雷克。而且斯图尔特是一个国王的姓氏，所以虽然我身无农居，但有斯图尔特这个出身背景对我来说已经够好的了。”他环顾四周。“听我说，戴维，我要干掉从这扇门进来的任何人。你一定要看守着这窗户和我身后的门，并打死任何想进来的人。”

他给了我一把手枪。我非常害怕，但我尽力掩饰着不显露出来。船上似乎很安静。突然有跑步声，并有一声喊叫声，接着我听到门廊处有打斗声。我掉头看了看，就在艾伦把剑刺进了那个高级船员的身体时我看见了那是舒安先生。接着，又有几个人跑向我的门这儿来。我并不打算伤害他们，但事不宜迟。我举起手枪朝他们射击起来。一个人倒下了，另外的几个人跑掉了。过了一会儿，又有船员攻上来。艾伦一如既往地英勇战斗，他的剑这时都被血浸红了。很显然他很开心。我没有时间思考，但当窗户边又有两个人出现时，我也用枪射死了他们。现在地上有几具尸体了，血则到处都是。

忽然间我意识到我们已胜了，危险结束了。艾伦像赶绵羊似地赶着那班人出了后甲板室。当他回来时，他把我抱在怀里。

“戴维！”他叫道，“我爱你像爱我的兄弟一样。噢，伙计，难道我不是一个了不起的斗士？”我得同意。他从桌子那儿抽出一把刀，从他的蓝外衣上割下一颗银扣子。“拿着这个，戴维。这些扣子是从我父亲邓肯·斯图尔特那儿传来的。无论你在哪儿拿出这颗扣子，艾伦·布雷克的朋友们都会来到你身边。”他像国王一样骄傲地说道，我控制着自己不笑出来。

我们睡在后甲板室里，整夜都有其中一人放着哨；第二天早晨船长过来对我们说话。“你赢得了战斗，先生。”他对艾伦说道，“我们现在要穿过小明奇，我将遵守诺言把你带到林荷湖。但你杀了我的主要的高级船员——舒安，没有了他在这些多石的海岸边我不能安全地找到路。我们将围着马尔岛走，但我警告你，将会是危险的。”

霍齐亚森的担心是对的。一整天我和艾伦坐在后甲板舱室，互相讲述着我们自己生活中的故事；但是到了晚上时风刮得更紧了，水手们发现很难让船远离这些危险的岩石。当我们来到伊锐德岛（即较大的马尔岛的附近的小岛）时，忽然间有一声可怕的撞击声，我们意识到船撞到了一块岩石上。现在只能做一件事了——弃船并尽力通过小艇到岸上去。但当我们爬进小艇时，有一个大浪打过来，把我们中的一些人打进了海里。

我沉下浮上好几回。接着，我幸运地发现了一块木头，这块木头帮助我浮在水面。我看了看四周，但看不见艾伦，也看不见水手或小艇。我唯一的希望就是试着游到伊锐德岛，在月色中我能看见它离得不远。这很难，也很耗人体力，但我还是到了，终于踏上干地上时我感到特别愉快舒适。