aaron trow-第3节

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her　father　that　all　this　must　be　brought　to　an　end。　　She　would　not
ask　him　for　money；　but　she　would　make　him　understand　that　her
services　must；　at　any　rate　in　part；　be　transferred。　　Why　should　not
she　and　Morton　still　live　at　the　cottage　when　they　were　married？
And　so　thinking；　and　at　last　resolving；　she　sat　there　till　the　dark
night　fell　upon　her。

She　was　at　last　disturbed　by　feeling　a　man's　hand　upon　her　shoulder。
She　jumped　from　her　chair　and　faced　him；not　screaming；　for　it　was
especially　within　her　power　to　control　herself；　and　to　make　no
utterance　except　with　forethought。　　Perhaps　it　might　have　been
better　for　her　had　she　screamed；　and　sent　a　shrill　shriek　down　the
shore　of　that　inland　sea。　　She　was　silent；　however；　and　with　awe…
struck　face　and　outstretched　hands　gazed　into　the　face　of　him　who
still　held　her　by　the　shoulder。　　The　night　was　dark；　but　her　eyes
were　now　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　and　she　could　see　indistinctly
something　of　his　features。　　He　was　a　low…sized　man；　dressed　in　a
suit　of　sailor's　blue　clothing；　with　a　rough　cap　of　hair　on　his
head；　and　a　beard　that　had　not　been　clipped　for　many　weeks。　　His
eyes　were　large；　and　hollow；　and　frightfully　bright；　so　that　she
seemed　to　see　nothing　else　of　him；　but　she　felt　the　strength　of　his
fingers　as　he　grasped　her　tighter　and　more　tightly　by　the　arm。

〃Who　are　you？〃　she　said；　after　a　moment's　pause。

〃Do　you　know　me？〃　he　asked。

〃Know　you！　　No。〃　　But　the　words　were　hardly　out　of　her　mouth　before
it　struck　her　that　the　man　was　Aaron　Trow；　of　whom　every　one　in
Bermuda　had　been　talking。

〃Come　into　the　house；〃　he　said；　〃and　give　me　food。〃　　And　he　still
held　her　with　his　hand　as　though　he　would　compel　her　to　follow　him。

She　stood　for　a　moment　thinking　what　she　would　say　to　him；　for　even
then；　with　that　terrible　man　standing　close　to　her　in　the　darkness；
her　presence　of　mind　did　not　desert　her。　　〃Surely；〃　she　said；　〃I
will　give　you　food　if　you　are　hungry。　　But　take　your　hand　from　me。
No　man　would　lay　his　hands　on　a　woman。〃

〃A　woman！〃　said　the　stranger。　　〃What　does　the　starved　wolf　care　for
that？　　A　woman's　blood　is　as　sweet　to　him　as　that　of　a　man。　　Come
into　the　house；　I　tell　you。〃　　And　then　she　preceded　him　through　the
open　door　into　the　narrow　passage；　and　thence　to　the　kitchen。　　There
she　saw　that　the　back　door；　leading　out　on　the　other　side　of　the
house；　was　open；　and　she　knew　that　he　had　come　down　from　the　road
and　entered　on　that　side。　　She　threw　her　eyes　around；　looking　for
the　negro　girls；　but　they　were　away；　and　she　remembered　that　there
was　no　human　being　within　sound　of　her　voice　but　this　man　who　had
told　her　that　he　was　as　a　wolf　thirsty　after　her　blood！

〃Give　me　food　at　once；〃　he　said。

〃And　will　you　go　if　I　give　it　you？〃　she　asked。

〃I　will　knock　out　your　brains　if　you　do　not；〃　he　replied；　lifting
from　the　grate　a　short；　thick　poker　which　lay　there。　　〃Do　as　I　bid
you　at　once。　　You　also　would　be　like　a　tiger　if　you　had　fasted　for
two　days；　as　I　have　done。〃

She　could　see；　as　she　moved　across　the　kitchen；　that　he　had　already
searched　there　for　something　that　he　might　eat；　but　that　he　had
searched　in　vain。　　With　the　close　economy　common　among　his　class　in
the　islands；　all　comestibles　were　kept　under　close　lock　and　key　in
the　house　of　Mr。　Bergen。　　Their　daily　allowance　was　given　day　by　day
to　the　negro　servants；　and　even　the　fragments　were　then　gathered　up
and　locked　away　in　safety。　　She　moved　across　the　kitchen　to　the
accustomed　cupboard；　taking　the　keys　from　her　pocket；　and　he
followed　close　upon　her。　　There　was　a　small　oil　lamp　hanging　from
the　low　ceiling　which　just　gave　them　light　to　see　each　other。　　She
lifted　her　hand　to　this　to　tare　it　from　its　hook；　but　he　prevented
her。　　〃No；　by　Heaven！〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　touch　that　till　I've　done
with　it。　　There's　light　enough　for　you　to　drag　out　your　scraps。〃

She　did　drag　out　her　scraps　and　a　bowl　of　milk；　which　might　hold
perhaps　a　quart。　　There　was　a　fragment　of　bread；　a　morsel　of　cold
potato…cake；　and　the　bone　of　a　leg　of　kid。　　〃And　is　that　all？〃　said
he。　　But　as　he　spoke　he　fleshed　his　teeth　against　the　bone　as　a　dog
would　have　done。

〃It　is　the　best　I　have；〃　she　said；　〃I　wish　it　were　better；　and　you
should　have　had　it　without　violence；　as　you　have　suffered　so　long
from　hunger。〃

〃Bah！　　Better；　yes！　　You　would　give　the　best　no　doubt；　and　set　the
hell　hounds　on　my　track　the　moment　I　am　gone。　　I　know　how　much　I
might　expect　from　your　charity。〃

〃I　would　have　fed　you　for　pity's　sake；〃　she　answered。

〃Pity！　　Who　are　you；　that　you　should　dare　to　pity　me！　　By　…；　my
young　woman；　it　is　I　that　pity　you。　　I　must　cut　your　throat　unless
you　give　me　money。　　Do　you　know　that？〃

〃Money！　　I　have　got　no　money。〃

〃I'll　make　you　have　some　before　I　go。　　Come；　don't　move　till　I　have
done。〃　　And　as　he　spoke　to　her　he　went　on　tugging　at　the　bone；　and
swallowing　the　lumps　of　stale　bread。　　He　had　already　finished　the
bowl　of　milk。　　〃And；　now；〃　said　he；　〃tell　me　who　I　am。〃

〃I　suppose　you　are　Aaron　Trow；〃　she　answered；　very　slowly。　　He　said
nothing　on　hearing　this；　but　continued　his　meal；　standing　close　to
her　so　that　she　might　not　possibly　escape　from　him　out　into　the
darkness。　　Twice　or　thrice　in　those　few　minutes　she　made　up　her　mind
to　make　such　an　attempt；　feeling　that　it　would　be　better　to　leave
him　in　possession　of　the　house；　and　make　sure；　if　possible；　of　her
own　life。　　There　was　no　money　there；　not　a　dollar！　　What　money　her
father　kept　in　his　possession　was　locked　up　in　his　safe　at　Hamilton。
And　might　he　not　keep　to　his　threat；　and　murder　her；　when　he　found
that　she　could　give　him　nothing？　　She　did　not　tremble　outwardly；　as
she　stood　there　watching　him　as　he　ate；　but　she　thought　how　probable
it　might　be　that　her　last　moments　were　very　near。　　And　yet　she　could
scrutinise　his　features；　form；　and　garments；　so　as　to　carry　away　in
her　mind　a　perfect　picture　of　them。　　Aaron　Trowfor　of　course　it
was　the　escaped　convictwas　not　a　man　of　frightful；　hideous　aspect。
Had　the　world　used　him　well；　giving　him　when　he　was　young　ample
wages　and　separating　him　from　turbulent　spirits；　he　also　might　have
used　the　world　well；　and　then　women　would　have　praised　the
brightness　of　his　eye　and　the　manly　vigour　of　his　brow。　　But　things
had　not　gone　well　with　him。　　He　had　been　separated　from　the　wife　he
had　loved；　and　the　children　who　had　been　raised　at　his　knee；
separated　by　his　own　violence；　and　now；　as　he　had　said　of　himself；
he　was　a　wolf　rather　than　a　man。　　As　he　stood　there　satisfying　the
craving　of　his　appetite；　breaking　up　the　large　morsels　of　food；　he
was　an　object　very　sad　to　be　seen。　　Hunger　had　made　him　gaunt　and
yellow；　he　was　squalid　with　the　dirt　of　his　hidden　lair；　and　he　had
the　look　of　a　beast；that　look　to　which　men　fall　when　they　live
like　the　brutes　of　prey；　as　outcasts　from　their　brethren。　　But　still
there　was　that　about　his　brow　which　might　have　redeemed　him；which
might　have　turned　her　horror　into　pity；　had　he　been　willing　that　it
should　be　so。

〃And　now　give　me　some　brandy；〃　he　said。

There　was　brandy　in　the　house；in　the　sitting…room　which　was　close
at　their　hand；　and　the　key　of　the　little　press　which　held　it　was　in
her　pocket。　　It　was　useless；　she　thought；　to　refuse　him；　and　so　she
told　him　that　there　was　a　bottle　partly　full；　but　that　she　must　go
to　the　next　room　to　fetch　it　him。

〃We'll　go　together；　my　darling；〃　he　said。　　〃There's　nothing　like
good　company。〃　　And　he　again　put　his　hand　upon　her　arm　as　they
passed　into　the　family　sitting…room。

〃I　must　take　the　light；〃　she　said。　　But　he　unhooked　it　himself；　and
carried　it　in　his　own　hand。

Again　she　went　to　work　without　trembling。　　She　found　the　key　of　the
side　cupboard；　and　unlocking　the　door；　handed　him　a　bottle　which
might　contain　about　half…a…pint　of　spirits。　　〃And　is　that　all？〃　he
said。

〃There　is　a　full　bottle　here；〃　she　answered；　handing　him　another；
〃but　if　you　drink　it；　you　will　be　drunk；　and　they　will　catch　you。〃

〃By　Heavens；　yes；　and　you　would　be　the　first　to　help　them；　would　you
not？〃

〃Look　here；〃　she　answered。　　〃If　you　will　go　now；　I　will　not　say　a
word　to　any　one　of　your　coming；　nor　set　them　on　your　track　to　follow
you。　　There；　take　the　full　bottle　with　you。　　If　you　will　go；　you
shall　be　safe　from　me。〃

〃What；　and　go　without　money！〃

〃I　have　none　to　give　you。　　You　may　believe　me　when　I　say　so。　　I　have
not　a　dollar　in　the　house。〃

Before　he　spoke　again　he　raised　the　half　empty　bottle　to　his　mouth；
and　drank　as　long　as　there　was　a　drop　to　drink。　　〃There；〃　said　he；
putting　the　bottle　down；　〃I　am　better　after　that。　　As　to　the　other；
you　are　right；　and　I　will　take　it　with　me。　　And　now；　young　woman；
about　the　money？〃

〃I　tell　you　that　I　have　not　a　dollar。〃

〃Look　here；〃　said　he；　and　he　spoke　now　in　a　softer　voice；　as　though
he　would　be　on　friendly　terms　with　her。　　〃Give　me　ten　sovereigns；
and　I　will　go。　　I　know　you　have　it；　and　with　ten　sovereigns　it　is
possible　that　I　may　save　my　life。　　You　are　good；　and　would　not　wish
that　a　man　should　die　so　horrid　a　death。　　I　know　you　are　good。
Come；　give　me　the　money。〃　　And　he　put　his　hands　up；　beseeching　her；
and　looked　into　her　face　with　imploring　eyes。