barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第115章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of his men。
‘Come！ Be alive here！’ cried Hugh； stamping his foot upon the
ground。 ‘Make haste！’
Dennis； with a wink and a nod； unwound the cord from about
his person； and raising his eyes to the ceiling； looked all over it；
and round the walls and cornice； with a curious eye； then shook
his head。
‘Move； man； can’t you！’ cried Hugh； with another impatient
stamp of his foot。 ‘Are we to wait here； till the cry has gone for ten
miles round； and our work’s interrupted？’
‘It’s all very fine talking； brother；’ answered Dennis； stepping
towards him； ‘but unless—’ and here he whispered in his ear—
‘unless we do it over the door； it can’t be done at all in this here
room。’
‘What can’t？’ Hugh demanded。
‘What can’t！’ retorted Dennis。 ‘Why； the old man can’t。’
‘Why； you weren’t going to hang him！’ cried Hugh。
‘No； brother？’ returned the hangman with a stare。 ‘What else？’
Hugh made no answer； but snatching the rope from his
companion’s hand； proceeded to bind old John himself； but his
very first move was so bungling and unskilful； that Mr Dennis
entreated； almost with tears in his eyes； that he might be
permitted to perform the duty。 Hugh consenting； be achieved it in
a twinkling。
‘There；’ he said； looking mournfully at John Willet； who
displayed no more emotion in his bonds than he had shown out of
them。 ‘That’s what I call pretty and workmanlike。 He’s quite a
picter now。 But； brother； just a word with you—now that he’s
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 585…
Barnaby Rudge 586
ready trussed； as one may say； wouldn’t it be better for all parties
if we was to work him off？ It would read uncommon well in the
newspapers； it would indeed。 The public would think a great deal
more on us！’
Hugh； inferring what his companion meant； rather from his
gestures than his technical mode of expressing himself （to which；
as he was ignorant of his calling； he wanted the clue）； rejected this
proposition for the second time； and gave the word ‘Forward！’
which was echoed by a hundred voices from without。
‘To the Warren！’ shouted Dennis as he ran out； followed by the
rest。 ‘A witness’s house； my lads！’
A loud yell followed； and the whole throng hurried off； mad for
pillage and destruction。 Hugh lingered behind for a few moments
to stimulate himself with more drink； and to set all the taps
running； a few of which had accidentally been spared； then；
glancing round the despoiled and plundered room； through whose
shattered window the rioters had thrust the Maypole itself；—for
even that had been sawn down；—lighted a torch； clapped the mute
and motionless John Willet on the back； and waving his light
above his head； and uttering a fierce shout； hastened after his
companions。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 586…
Barnaby Rudge 587
Chapter 55
ohn Willet； left alone in his dismantled bar； continued to sit
Jstaring about him； awake as to his eyes； certainly； but with
all his powers of reason and reflection in a sound and
dreamless sleep。 He looked round upon the room which had been
for years； and was within an hour ago； the pride of his heart； and
not a muscle of his face was moved。 The night； without； looked
black and cold through the dreary gaps in the casement； the
precious liquids； now nearly leaked away； dripped with a hollow
sound upon the floor； the Maypole peered ruefully in through the
broken window； like the bowsprit of a wrecked ship； the ground
might have been the bottom of the sea； it was so strewn with
precious fragments。 Currents of air rushed in； as the old doors
jarred and creaked upon their hinges； the candles flickered and
guttered down； and made long winding…sheets； the cheery deep…
red curtains flapped and fluttered idly in the wind； even the stout
Dutch kegs； overthrown and lying empty in dark corners； seemed
the mere husks of good fellows whose jollity had departed； and
who could kindle with a friendly glow no more。 John saw this
desolation； and yet saw it not。 He was perfectly contented to sit
there； staring at it； and felt no more indignation or discomfort in
his bonds than if they had been robes of honour。 So far as he was
personally concerned； old Time lay snoring； and the world stood
still。
Save for the dripping from the barrels； the rustling of such light
fragments of destruction as the wind affected； and the dull
creaking of the open doors； all was profoundly quiet： indeed； these
sounds； like the ticking of the death…watch in the night； only made
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 587…
Barnaby Rudge 588
the silence they invaded deeper and more apparent。 But quiet or
noisy； it was all one to John。 If a train of heavy artillery could have
come up and commenced ball practice outside the window； it
would have been all the same to him。 He was a long way beyond
surprise。 A ghost couldn’t have overtaken him。
By and by he heard a footstep—a hurried； and yet cautious
footstep—coming on towards the house。 It stopped； advanced
again； then seemed to go quite round it。 Having done that； it came
beneath the window； and a head looked in。
It was strongly relieved against the darkness outside by the
glare of the guttering candles。 A pale； worn； withered face； the
eyes—but that was owing to its gaunt condition—unnaturally
large and bright； the hair； a grizzled black。 It gave a searching
glance all round the room； and a deep voice said：
‘Are you alone in this house？’
John made no sign； though the question was repeated twice；
and he heard it distinctly。 After a moment’s pause； the man got in
at the window。 John was not at all surprised at this； either。 There
had been so much getting in and out of window in the course of
the last hour or so； that he had quite forgotten the door； and
seemed to have lived among such exercises from infancy。
The man wore a large； dark； faded cloak； and a slouched hat； he
walked up close to John； and looked at him。 John returned the
compliment with interest。
‘How long have you been sitting thus？’ said the man。
John considered； but nothing came of it。
‘Which way have the party gone？’
Some wandering speculations relative to the fashion of the
stranger’s boots； got into Mr Willet’s mind by some accident or
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 588…
Barnaby Rudge 589
other； but they got out again in a hurry； and left him in his former
state。
‘You would do well to speak；’ said the man； ‘you may keep a
whole skin； though you have nothing else left that can be hurt。
Which way have the party gone？’
‘That！’ said John； finding his voice all at once； and nodding with
perfect good faith—he couldn’t point； he was so tightly bound—in
exactly the opposite direction to the right one。
‘You lie！’ said the man angrily； and with a threatening gesture。
‘I came that way。 You would betray me。’
It was so evident that John’s imperturbability was not assumed；
but was the result of the late proceedings under his roof； that the
man stayed his hand in the very act of striking him； and turned
away。
John looked after him without so much as a twitch in a single
nerve of his face。 He seized a glass； and holding it under one of the
little casks until a few drops were collected； drank them greedily
off； then throwing it down upon the floor impatiently； he took the
vessel in his hands and drained it into his throat。 Some scraps of
bread and meat were scattered about； and on these he fell next；
eating them with voracity； and pausing every now and then to
listen for some fancied noise outside。 When he had refreshed
himself in this manner with violent haste； and raised another
barrel to his lips； he pulled his hat upon his brow as though he
were about to leave the house； and turned to John。
‘Where are your servants？’
Mr Willet indistinctly remembered to have heard the rioters
calling to them to throw the key of the room in which they were；
out of window； for their keeping。 He therefore replied； ‘Locked
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 589…
Barnaby Rudge 590
up。’
‘Well for them if they remain quiet； and well for you if you do
the like；’ said the man。 ‘Now show me the way the party went。’
This time Mr Willet indicated it correctly。 The man was
hurrying to the door； when suddenly there came towards them on
the wind； the loud and rapid tolling of an alarm…bell； and then a
bright and vivid glare streamed up； which illumined； not only the
whole chamber； but all the country。
It was not the sudden change from darkness to this dreadful
light； it was not the sound of distant shrieks and shouts of
triumph； it was not this dread invasion of the sere
