treasure island chapter15英2

孙祎卓

All this time he had been feeling the stuff of my jacket, smoothing my hands, looking at my boots, and generally, in the intervals of his speech, showing a childish pleasure in the presence of a fellow-creature. But at my last words he perked up into a kind of startled slyness.
`If ever you can get aboard again, says you?' he repeated
`Why, now, who's to hinder you?'
`Not you, I know,' was my reply.
`And right you was,' he cried. `Now you - what do you call yourself, mate?'
`Jim,' I told him.
`Jim, Jim,' says he, quite pleased apparently. `Well, now, Jim, I've lived that rough as you'd be ashamed to hear of. Now, for instance, you wouldn't think I had had a pious mother - to look at me?' he asked.
`Why, no, not in particular,' I answered.
`Ah, well,' said he, `but I had - remarkable pious. And I was a civil, pious boy, and could rattle off my catechism that fast, as you couldn't tell one word from another. And here's what it come to, Jim, and it begun with chuck-farthen on the blessed grave-stones! That's what it begun with, but went further'n that; and so my mother told me, and predicked the whole, she did, the pious woman! But it were Providence that put me here. I've thought it all out in this here lonely island, and I'm back on piety. You don't catch me tasting rum so much; but just a thimbleful for luck, of course, the first chance I have. I'm bound I'll be good, and I see the way to. And, Jim' - looking all round him, and lowering his voice to a whisper - I'm rich.'
I now felt sure that the poor fellow had gone crazy in his solitude, and I suppose I must have shown the feeling in my face, for he repeated the statement hotly:--
`Rich! rich! I says. And I'll tell you what: I'll make a man of you, Jim. Ah, Jim, you'll bless your stars, you will, you was the first that found me!'
And at this there came suddenly a lowering shadow over his face; and he tightened his grasp upon my hand, and raised a forefinger threateningly before my eyes.
`Now, Jim, you tell me true: that ain't Flint's ship?' he asked.
At this I had a happy inspiration. I began to believe that I had found an ally, and I answered him at once.
`It's not Flint's ship, and Flint is dead; but I'll tell you true, as you ask me - there are some of Flint's hands aboard; worse luck for the rest of us.'
`Not a man - with one - leg?' he gasped.
`Silver?' I asked.
`Ah, Silver!' says he; `that were his name.'
`He's the cook; and the ringleader, too.'
He was still holding me by the wrist, and at that he gave it quite a wring.
`If you was sent by Long John,' he said, `I'm as good as pork, and I know it. But where was you, do you suppose?'
I had made my mind up in a moment, and by way of answer told him the whole story of our voyage, and the predicament in which we found ourselves. He heard me with the keenest interest, and when I had done he patted me on the head.
`You're a good lad, Jim,' he said; `and you're all in a clove hitch ain't you? Well, you just put your trust in Ben Gunn - Ben Gunn's the man to do it. Would you think it likely, now, that your squire would prove a liberal-minded one in case of help - him being in a clove hitch, as you remark?'
I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.
`Ay, but you see,' returned Ben Gunn, `I didn't mean giving me a gate to keep, and a shuit of livery clothes, and such; that's not my mark, Jim. What I mean is, would he be likely to come down to the toon of, say one thousand pounds out of money that's as good as a man's own already?'
`I am sure he would,' said I. `As it was, all hands were to share.'
`And a passage home?' he added, with a look of great shrewdness.
`Why,' I cried, `the squire's a gentleman. And, besides, if we got rid of the others, we should want you to help work the vessel home.'
`Ah,' said he, `so you would.' And he seemed very much relieved.
`Now, I'll tell you what,' he went on. `So much I'll tell you, and no more. I were in Flint's ship when he buried the treasure; he and six along - six strong seamen. They were ashore nigh on a week, and us standing off and on in the old Walrus. One fine day up went the signal, and here come Flint by himself in a little boat, and his head done up in a blue scarf. The sun was getting up, and mortal whit he looked about the cut-water. But, there he was, you mind, and the six all dead - dead and buried. How he done it, not a man aboard us could make out. It was battle murder, and sudden death, leastways - him against six Billy Bones was the mate; Long John, he was quartermaster and they asked him where the treasure was. ``Ah,'' say he, ``you can go ashore, if you like, and stay,'' he says ``but as for the ship, she'll beat up for more, by thunder!'' That's what he said.
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