barnaby rudge(巴纳比·卢杰)-第38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！
were making purchases to…night。’
‘I have a little left。 It is but a few shillings。’
‘Give me your purse。 You had it in your hand at the door。 Give
it to me。’
She stepped to the table and laid it down。 He reached across；
took it up； and told the contents into his hand。 As he was counting
them； she listened for a moment； and sprung towards him。
‘Take what there is； take all； take more if more were there； but
go before it is too late。 I have heard a wayward step without； I
know full well。 It will return directly。 Begone。’
‘What do you mean？’
‘Do not stop to ask。 I will not answer。 Much as I dread to touch
you； I would drag you to the door if I possessed the strength；
rather than you should lose an instant。 Miserable wretch！ fly from
this place。’
‘If there are spies without； I am safer here；’ replied the man；
standing aghast。 ‘I will remain here； and will not fly till the danger
is past。’
‘It is too late！’ cried the widow； who had listened for the step；
and not to him。 ‘Hark to that foot upon the ground。 Do you
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 192…
Barnaby Rudge 193
tremble to hear it！ It is my son； my idiot son！’
As she said this wildly； there came a heavy knocking at the
door。 He looked at her； and she at him。
‘Let him come in；’ said the man； hoarsely。 ‘I fear him less than
the dark； houseless night。 He knocks again。 Let him come in！’
‘The dread of this hour；’ returned the widow； ‘has been upon
me all my life； and I will not。 Evil will fall upon him； if you stand
eye to eye。 My blighted boy！ Oh！ all good angels who know the
truth—hear a poor mother’s prayer； and spare my boy from
knowledge of this man！’
‘He rattles at the shutters！’ cried the man。 ‘He calls you。 That
voice and cry！ It was he who grappled with me in the road。 Was it
he？’
She had sunk upon her knees； and so knelt down； moving her
lips； but uttering no sound。 As he gazed upon her； uncertain what
to do or where to turn； the shutters flew open。 He had barely time
to catch a knife from the table； sheathe it in the loose sleeve of his
coat； hide in the closet； and do all with the lightning’s speed； when
Barnaby tapped at the bare glass； and raised the sash exultingly。
‘Why； who can keep out Grip and me！’ he cried； thrusting in his
head； and staring round the room。 ‘Are you there； mother？ How
long you keep us from the fire and light。’
She stammered some excuse and tendered him her hand。 But
Barnaby sprung lightly in without assistance； and putting his arms
about her neck； kissed her a hundred times。
‘We have been afield； mother—leaping ditches； scrambling
through hedges； running down steep banks； up and away； and
hurrying on。 The wind has been blowing； and the rushes and
young plants bowing and bending to it； lest it should do them
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 193…
Barnaby Rudge 194
harm； the cowards—and Grip—ha ha ha！—brave Grip； who cares
for nothing； and when the wind rolls him over in the dust； turns
manfully to bite it—Grip； bold Grip； has quarrelled with every
little bowing twig—thinking； he told me； that it mocked him—and
has worried it like a bulldog。 Ha ha ha！’
The raven； in his little basket at his master’s back； hearing this
frequent mention of his name in a tone of exultation； expressed his
sympathy by crowing like a cock； and afterwards running over his
various phrases of speech with such rapidity； and in so many
varieties of hoarseness； that they sounded like the murmurs of a
crowd of people。
‘He takes such care of me besides！’ said Barnaby。 ‘Such care；
mother！ He watches all the time I sleep； and when I shut my eyes
and make…believe to slumber； he practises new learning softly； but
he keeps his eye on me the while； and if he sees me laugh； though
never so little； stops directly。 He won’t surprise me till he’s
perfect。’
The raven crowed again in a rapturous manner which plainly
said； ‘Those are certainly some of my characteristics； and I glory in
them。’ In the meantime； Barnaby closed the window and secured
it； and coming to the fireplace； prepared to sit down with his face
to the closet。 But his mother prevented this； by hastily taking that
side herself； and motioning him towards the other。
‘How pale you are to…night！’ said Barnaby； leaning on his stick。
‘We have been cruel； Grip； and made her anxious！’
Anxious in good truth； and sick at heart！ The listener held the
door of his hiding…place open with his hand； and closely watched
her son。 Grip—alive to everything his master was unconscious
of—had his head out of the basket； and in return was watching
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 194…
Barnaby Rudge 195
him intently with his glistening eye。
‘He flaps his wings；’ said Barnaby； turning almost quickly
enough to catch the retreating form and closing door； ‘as if there
were strangers here； but Grip is wiser than to fancy that。 Jump
then！’
Accepting this invitation with a dignity peculiar to himself； the
bird hopped up on his master’s shoulder； from that to his extended
hand； and so to the ground。 Barnaby unstrapping the basket and
putting it down in a corner with the lid open； Grip’s first care was
to shut it down with all possible despatch； and then to stand upon
it。 Believing； no doubt； that he had now rendered it utterly
impossible； and beyond the power of mortal man； to shut him up
in it any more； he drew a great many corks in triumph； and
uttered a corresponding number of hurrahs。
‘Mother！’ said Barnaby； laying aside his hat and stick； and
returning to the chair from which he had risen； ‘I’ll tell you where
we have been to…day； and what we have been doing；—shall I？’
She took his hand in hers； and holding it； nodded the word she
could not speak。
‘You mustn’t tell；’ said Barnaby； holding up his finger； ‘for it’s a
secret； mind； and only known to me； and Grip； and Hugh。 We had
the dog with us； but he’s not like Grip； clever as he is； and doesn’t
guess it yet； I’ll wager。—Why do you look behind me so？’
‘Did I？’ she answered faintly。 ‘I didn’t know I did。 Come nearer
me。’
‘You are frightened！’ said Barnaby； changing colour。 ‘Mother—
you don’t see’—
‘See what？’
‘There’s—there’s none of this about； is there？’ he answered in a
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 195…
Barnaby Rudge 196
whisper； drawing closer to her and clasping the mark upon his
wrist。 ‘I am afraid there is； somewhere。 You make my hair stand
on end； and my flesh creep。 Why do you look like that？ Is it in the
room as I have seen it in my dreams； dashing the ceiling and the
walls with red？ Tell me。 Is it？’
He fell into a shivering fit as he put the question； and shutting
out the light with his hands； sat shaking in every limb until it had
passed away。 After a time； he raised his head and looked about
him。
‘Is it gone？’
‘There has been nothing here；’ rejoined his mother； soothing
him。 ‘Nothing indeed； dear Barnaby。 Look！ You see there are but
you and me。’
He gazed at her vacantly； and； becoming reassured by degrees；
burst into a wild laugh。
‘But let us see；’ he said； thoughtfully。 ‘Were we talking？ Was it
you and me？ Where have we been？’
‘Nowhere but here。’
‘Aye； but Hugh； and I；’ said Barnaby；—‘that’s it。 Maypole Hugh；
and I； you know； and Grip—we have been lying in the forest； and
among the trees by the road side； with a dark lantern after night
came on； and the dog in a noose ready to slip him when the man
came by。’
‘What man？’
‘The robber； him that the stars winked at。 We have waited for
him after dark these many nights； and we shall have him。 I’d know
him in a thousand。 Mother； see here！ This is the man。 Look！’
He twisted his handkerchief round his head； pulled his hat
upon his brow； wrapped his coat about him； and stood up before
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 196…
Barnaby Rudge 197
her： so like the original he counterfeited； that the dark figure
peering out behind him might have passed for his own shadow。
‘Ha ha ha！ We shall have him；’ he cried； ridding himself of the
semblance as hastily as he had assumed it。 ‘You shall see him；
mother； bound hand and foot； and brought to London at a saddle…
girth； and you shall hear of him at Tyburn Tree if we have luck。 So
Hugh says。 You’re pale again； and trembling。 And why do you look
behind me so？’
‘It is nothing；’ she answered。 ‘I am not quite well。 Go you to bed；
dear； and leave me here。’
‘To bed！’ he answered。 ‘I don’t like bed。 I like to lie before the
fire； watching the prospects in the burning coals—the rivers； hills；
and dells； in the deep； red sunset； and the wild faces。 I am hungry
too； and Grip has eaten nothing since broad noon。 Let us to
supper。 Grip！ To supper； lad！’
The raven flapped his wings； and； croaking his satisfaction；
hopped to the feet of his master； and there held his bill open；
ready for snapping up such lumps of meat as he should throw him。
Of these he received about a score in rapid succession； without the
smallest discomposure。
‘That’s all；’ said Barnaby。
‘More！’ cried Grip。 ‘More！’
But it appearing for
