robert falconer-第116节

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against　the　fence。



'And　then；'　he　went　on；　'what　if；　instead　of　closing　your　eyes；　as

you　expected；　and　going　to　sleep；　and　forgetting　everything；　you

should　find　them　come　open　all　at　once；　in　the　midst　of　a　multitude

of　eyes　all　round　about　you；　all　looking　at　you；　all　thinking　about

you；　all　judging　you？　　What　if　you　should　hear；　not　a　tumult　of

voices　and　noises；　from　which　you　could　hope　to　hide；　but　a　solemn

company　talking　about　youevery　word　clear　and　plain；　piercing　your

heart　with　what　you　could　not　deny；and　you　standing　naked　and

shivering　in　the　midst　of　them？'



'It　is　too　dreadful！'　she　cried；　making　a　movement　as　if　the　very

horror　of　the　idea　had　a　fascination　to　draw　her　towards　the

realization　of　it。　'But；'　she　added；　yielding　to　Falconer's　renewed

grasp；　'they　wouldn't　be　so　hard　upon　me　there。　　They　would　not　be

so　cruel　as　men　are　here。'



'Surely　not。　　But　all　men　are　not　cruel。　　I　am　not　cruel；'　he　added；

forgetting　himself　for　a　moment；　and　caressing　with　his　huge　hand

the　wild　pale　face　that　glimmered　upon　him　as　it　were　out　of　the

infinite　nightall　but　swallowed　up　in　it。



She　drew　herself　back；　and　Falconer；　instantly　removing　his　hand；

said；



'Look　in　my　face；　child；　and　see　whether　you　cannot　trust　me。'



As　he　uttered　the　words；　he　took　off　his　hat；　and　stood　bare…headed

in　the　moon；　which　now　broke　out　clear　from　the　clouds。　　She　did

look　at　him。　　His　hair　blew　about　his　face。　　He　turned　it　towards

the　wind　and　the　moon；　and　away　from　her；　that　she　might　be

undisturbed　in　her　scrutiny。　　But　how　she　judged　of　him；　I　cannot

tell；　for　the　next　moment　he　called　out　in　a　tone　of　repressed

excitement；



'Gordon；　Gordon；　look　thereabove　your　head；　on　the　other　bridge。'



I　looked　and　saw　a　gray　head　peering　over　the　same　gap　through　which

Falconer　had　looked　a　few　minutes　before。　　I　knew　something　of　his

personal　quest　by　this　time；　and　concluded　at　once　that　he　thought

it　was　or　might　be　his　father。



'I　cannot　leave　the　poor　thingI　dare　not；'　he　said。



I　understood　him；　and　darted　off　at　full　speed　for　the　Surrey　end　of

the　bridge。　　What　made　me　choose　that　end；　I　do　not　know；　but　I　was

right。



I　had　some　reason　to　fear　that　I　might　be　stopped　when　I　reached　it；

as　I　had　no　business　to　be　upon　the　new　bridge。　　I　therefore

managed；　where　the　upper　bridge　sank　again　towards　a　level　with　the

lower；　to　scramble　back　upon　it。　　As　I　did　so　the　tall　gray…headed

man　passed　me　with　an　uncertain　step。　　I　did　not　see　his　face。　　I

followed　him　a　few　yards　behind。　　He　seemed　to　hear　and　dislike　the

sound　of　my　footsteps；　for　he　quickened　his　pace。　　I　let　him

increase　the　distance　between　us；　but　followed　him　still。　　He　turned

down　the　river。　　I　followed。　　He　began　to　double。　　I　doubled　after

him。　　Not　a　turn　could　he　get　before　me。　　He　crossed　all　the　main

roads　leading　to　the　bridges　till　he　came　to　the　lastwhen　he

turned　toward　London　Bridge。　　At　the　other　end；　he　went　down　the

stairs　into　Thames　Street；　and　held　eastward　still。　　It　was　not

difficult　to　keep　up　with　him；　for　his　stride　though　long　was　slow。

He　never　looked　round；　and　I　never　saw　his　face；　but　I　could　not

help　fancying　that　his　back　and　his　gait　and　his　carriage　were　very

like　Falconer's。



We　were　now　in　a　quarter　of　which　I　knew　nothing；　but　as　far　as　I

can　guess　from　after　knowledge；　it　was　one　of　the　worst　districts　in

London；　lying　to　the　east　of　Spital　Square。　　It　was　late；　and　there

were　not　many　people　about。



As　I　passed　a　court；　I　was　accosted　thus：



''Ain't　you　got　a　glass　of　ale　for　a　poor　cove；　gov'nor？'



'I　have　no　coppers；'　I　said　hastily。　'I　am　in　a　hurry　besides；'　I

added　as　I　walked　on。



'Come；　come！'　he　said；　getting　up　with　me　in　a　moment；　'that　ain't　a

civil　answer　to　give　a　cove　after　his　lush；　that　'ain't　got　a

blessed　mag。'



As　he　spoke　he　laid　his　hand　rather　heavily　on　my　arm。　　He　was　a

lumpy…looking　individual；　like　a　groom　who　had　been　discharged　for

stealing　his　horse's　provender；　and　had　not　quite　worn　out　the

clothes　he　had　brought　with　him。　　From　the　opposite　side　at　the　same

moment；　another　man　appeared；　low　in　stature；　pale；　and　marked　with

the　small…pox。



He　advanced　upon　me　at　right　angles。　　I　shook　off　the　hand　of　the

first；　and　I　confess　would　have　taken　to　my　heels；　for　more　reasons

than　one；　but　almost　before　I　was　clear　of　him；　the　other　came

against　me；　and　shoved　me　into　one　of　the　low…browed　entries　which

abounded。



I　was　so　eager　to　follow　my　chase　that　I　acted　foolishly　throughout。

I　ought　to　have　emptied　my　pockets　at　once；　but　I　was　unwilling　to

lose　a　watch　which　was　an　old　family　piece；　and　of　value　besides。



'Come；　come！　　I　don't　carry　a　barrel　of　ale　in　my　pocket；'　I　said；

thinking　to　keep　them　in　good…humour。　　I　know　better　now。　　Some　of

these　roughs　will　take　all　you　have　in　the　most　good…humoured　way　in

the　world；　bandying　chaff　with　you　all　the　time。　　I　had　got　amongst

another　set；　however。



'Leastways　you've　got　as　good；'　said　a　third；　approaching　from　the

court；　as　villanous…looking　a　fellow　as　I　have　ever　seen。



'This　is　hardly　the　right　way　to　ask　for　it；'　I　said；　looking　out

for　a　chance　of　bolting；　but　putting　my　hand　in　my　pocket　at　the

same　time。　　I　confess　again　I　acted　very　stupidly　throughout　the

whole　affair；　but　it　was　my　first　experience。



'It's　a　way　we've　got　down　here；　anyhow；'　said　the　third　with　a

brutal　laugh。　'Look　out；　Savoury　Sam；'　he　added　to　one　of　them。



'Now　I　don't　want　to　hurt　you；'　struck　in　the　first；　coming　nearer；

'but　if　you　gives　tongue；　I'll　make　cold　meat　of　you；　and　gouge　your

pockets　at　my　leisure；　before　ever　a　blueskin　can　turn　the　corner。'



Two　or　three　more　came　sidling　up　with　their　hands　in　their　pockets。



'What　have　you　got　there；　Slicer？'　said　one　of　them；　addressing　the

third；　who　looked　like　a　ticket…of…leave　man。



'We've　cotched　a　pig…headed　counter…jumper　here；　that　didn't　know

Jim　there　from　a　man…trap；　and　went　by　him　as　if　he'd　been　a

bull…dog　on　a　long…chain。　　He　wants　to　fight　cocum。　　But　we　won't

trouble　him。　　We'll　help　ourselves。　　Shell　out　now。'



As　he　spoke　he　made　a　snatch　at　my　watch…chain。　　I　forgot　myself　and

hit　him。　　The　same　moment　I　received　a　blow　on　the　head；　and　felt

the　blood　running　down　my　face。　　I　did　not　quite　lose　my　senses；

though；　for　I　remember　seeing　yet　another　mana　tall　fellow；　coming

out　of　the　gloom　of　the　court。　　How　it　came　into　my　mind；　I　do　not

know；　and　what　I　said　I　do　not　remember；　but　I　must　have　mentioned

Falconer's　name　somehow。



The　man　they　called　Slicer；　said；



'Who's　he？　　Don't　know　the。'



Words　followed　which　I　cannot　write。



'What！　you　devil's　gossoon！'　returned　an　Irish　voice　I　had　not　heard

before。　'You　don't　know　Long　Bob；　you　gonnof！'



All　that　passed　I　heard　distinctly；　but　I　was　in　a　half　faint；　I

suppose；　for　I　could　no　longer　see。



'Now　what　the　devil　in　a　dice…box　do　you　mean？'　said　Slicer；

possessing　himself　of　my　watch。　'Who　is　the　blasted　cove？not　that

I　care　a　flash　of　damnation。'



'A　man　as　'll　knock　you　down　if　he　thinks　you　want　it；　or　give　you　a

half…a…crown　if　he　thinks　you　want　itall's　one　to　him；　only　he'll

have　the　choosing　which。'



'What　the　hell's　that　to　me？　　Look　spry。　　He　mustn't　lie　there　all

night。　　It's　too　near　the　ken。　　Come　along；　you　Scotch　haddock。'



I　was　aware　of　a　kick　in　the　side　as　he　spoke。



'I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Slicer；'　said　one　whose　voice　I　had　not　yet

heard；　'if　so　be　this　gentleman's　a　friend　of　Long　Bob；　you　just　let

him　alone；　I　say。'



I　opened　my　eyes　now；　and　saw　before　me　a　tall　rather　slender　man　in

a　big　loose　dress…coat；　to　whom　Slicer　had　turned　with　the　words；



'You　say！　　Ha！　ha！　　Well；　I　sayThere's　my　Scotch　haddock！　who'll

touch　him？'



'I'll　take　him　home；'　said　the　tall　man；　advancing　towards　me。　　I

made　an　attempt　to　rise。　　But　I　grew　deadly　ill；　fell　back；　and

remember　nothing　more。



When　I　came　to　myself　I　was　lying　on　a　bed　in　a　miserable　place。　　A

middle…aged　woman　of　degraded　countenance；　but　kindly　eyes；　was

putting　something　to　my　mouth　with　a　teaspoon：　I　knew　it　by　the

smell　to　be　gin。　　But　I　could　not　yet　move。　　They　began　to　talk

about　me；　and　I　lay　and　listened。　　Indeed；　while　I　listened；　I　lost

for　a　time　all　inclination　to　get　up；　I　was　so　much　interested　in

what　I　heard。



'He's　comin'　to　hisself；'　said　the　woman。　'He'll　be　all　right　by　and

by。　　I　wonder　what　brings　the　likes　of　him　into　the　likes　of　this

place。　　It　must　look　a　kind　of　hell　to　them　gentle…folks；　though　we

manage　to　live　and　die　in　it。'



'I　suppose；'　said　another；　'he's　come　on　some　of　Mr。　Falconer's

business。'



'That's　why　Job's　took　him　in　charge。　　They　say　he　was　after

somebody　or　other；　they　think。No　friend　of　Mr。　Falconer's　would　be

after　another　for　any　mischief；'　said　my　hostess。