aaron trow-第4节

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Come；　give　me　the　money。〃　　And　he　put　his　hands　up；　beseeching　her；
and　looked　into　her　face　with　imploring　eyes。

〃On　the　word　of　a　Christian　woman　I　have　not　got　money　to　give　you；〃
she　replied。

〃Nonsense？〃　　And　as　he　spoke　he　took　her　by　the　arm　and　shook　her。
He　shook　her　violently　so　that　he　hurt　her；　and　her　breath　for　a
moment　was　all　but　gone　from　her。　　〃I　tell　you　you　must　make　dollars
before　I　leave　you；　or　I　will　so　handle　you　that　it　would　have　been
better　for　you　to　coin　your　very　blood。〃

〃May　God　help　me　at　my　need；〃　she　said；　〃as　I　have　not　above　a　few
penny　pieces　in　the　house。〃

〃And　you　expect　me　to　believe　that！　　Look　here！　　I　will　shake　the
teeth　out　of　your　head；　but　I　will　have　it　from　you。〃　　And　he　did
shake　her　again；　using　both　his　hands　and　striking　her　against　the
wall。

〃Would　youmurder　me？〃　she　said；　hardly　able　now　to　utter　the
words。

〃Murder　you；　yes；　why　not？　　I　cannot　be　worse　than　I　am；　were　I　to
murder　you　ten　times　over。　　But　with　money　I　may　possibly　be
better。〃

〃I　have　it　not。〃

〃Then　I　will　do　worse　than　murder　you。　　I　will　make　you　such　an
object　that　all　the　world　shall　loathe　to　look　on　you。〃　　And　so
saying　he　took　her　by　the　arm　and　dragged　her　forth　from　the　wall
against　which　she　had　stood。

Then　there　came　from　her　a　shriek　that　was　heard　far　down　the　shore
of　that　silent　sea；　and　away　across　to　the　solitary　houses　of　those
living　on　the　other　side；a　shriek；　very　sad；　sharp；　and
prolonged；which　told　plainly　to　those　who　heard　it　of　woman's　woe
when　in　her　extremest　peril。　　That　sound　was　spoken　of　in　Bermuda
for　many　a　day　after　that；　as　something　which　had　been　terrible　to
hear。　　But　then；　at　that　moment；　as　it　came　wailing　through　the
dark；　it　sounded　as　though　it　were　not　human。　　Of　those　who　heard
it；　not　one　guessed　from　whence　it　came；　nor　was　the　hand　of　any
brother　put　forward　to　help　that　woman　at　her　need。

〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　said　the　young　wife　to　her　husband；　from　the
far　side　of　the　arm　of　the　sea。

〃Hear　it！　　Oh　Heaven；　yes！　　Whence　did　it　come？〃　　The　young　wife
could　not　say　from　whence　it　came；　but　clung　close　to　her　husband's
breast；　comforting　herself　with　the　knowledge　that　that　terrible
sorrow　was　not　hers。

But　aid　did　come　at　last；　or　rather　that　which　seemed　as　aid。　　Long
and　terrible　was　the　fight　between　that　human　beast　of　prey　and　the
poor　victim　which　had　fallen　into　his　talons。　　Anastasia　Bergen　was
a　strong；　well…built　woman；　and　now　that　the　time　had　come　to　her
when　a　struggle　was　necessary；　a　struggle　for　life；　for　honour；　for
the　happiness　of　him　who　was　more　to　her　than　herself；　she　fought
like　a　tigress　attacked　in　her　own　lair。　　At　such　a　moment　as　this
she　also　could　become　wild　and　savage　as　the　beast　of　the　forest。
When　he　pinioned　her　arms　with　one　of　his；　as　he　pressed　her　down
upon　the　floor；　she　caught　the　first　joint　of　the　forefinger　of　his
other　hand　between　her　teeth　till　he　yelled　in　agony；　and　another
sound　was　heard　across　the　silent　water。　　And　then；　when　one　hand
was　loosed　in　the　struggle；　she　twisted　it　through　his　long　hair；
and　dragged　back　his　head　till　his　eyes　were　nearly　starting　from
their　sockets。　　Anastasia　Bergen　had　hitherto　been　a　sheer　woman；
all　feminine　in　her　nature。　　But　now　the　foam　came　to　her　mouth；　and
fire　sprang　from　her　eyes；　and　the　muscles　of　her　body　worked　as
though　she　had　been　trained　to　deeds　of　violence。　　Of　violence；
Aaron　Trow　had　known　much　in　his　rough　life；　but　never　had　he
combated　with　harder　antagonist　than　her　whom　he　now　held　beneath
his　breast。

〃ByI　will　put　an　end　to　you；〃　he　exclaimed；　in　his　wrath；　as　he
struck　her　violently　across　the　face　with　his　elbow。　　His　hand　was
occupied；　and　he　could　not　use　it　for　a　blow；　but；　nevertheless；　the
violence　was　so　great　that　the　blood　gushed　from　her　nostrils；　while
the　back　of　her　head　was　driven　with　violence　against　the　floor。
But　she　did　not　lose　her　hold　of　him。　　Her　hand　was　still　twined
closely　through　his　thick　hair；　and　in　every　move　he　made　she　clung
to　him　with　all　her　might。　　〃Leave　go　my　hair；〃　he　shouted　at　her；
but　she　still　kept　her　hold；　though　he　again　dashed　her　head　against
the　floor。

There　was　still　light　in　the　room；　for　when　he　first　grasped　her
with　both　his　hands；　he　had　put　the　lamp　down　on　a　small　table。　　Now
they　were　rolling　on　the　floor　together；　and　twice　he　had　essayed　to
kneel　on　her　that　he　might　thus　crush　the　breath　from　her　body；　and
deprive　her　altogether　of　her　strength；　but　she　had　been　too　active
for　him；　moving　herself　along　the　ground；　though　in　doing　so　she
dragged　him　with　her。　　But　by　degrees　he　got　one　hand　at　liberty；
and　with　that　he　pulled　a　clasp　knife　out　of　his　pocket　and　opened
it。　　〃I　will　cut　your　head　off　if　you　do　not　let　go　my　hair；〃　he
said。　　But　still　she　held　fast　by　him。　　He　then　stabbed　at　her　arm；
using　his　left　hand　and　making　short；　ineffectual　blows。　　Her　dress
partly　saved　her；　and　partly　also　the　continual　movement　of　all　her
limbs；　but；　nevertheless；　the　knife　wounded　her。　　It　wounded　her　in
several　places　about　the　arm；　covering　them　both　with　blood；but
still　she　hung　on。　　So　close　was　her　grasp　in　her　agony；　that；　as
she　afterwards　found；　she　cut　the　skin　of　her　own　hands　with　her　own
nails。　　Had　the　man's　hair　been　less　thick　or　strong；　or　her　own
tenacity　less　steadfast；　he　would　have　murdered　her　before　any
interruption　could　have　saved　her。

And　yet　he　had　not　purposed　to　murder　her；　or　even；　in　the　first
instance；　to　inflict　on　her　any　bodily　harm。　　But　he　had　been
determined　to　get　money。　　With　such　a　sum　of　money　as　he　had　named；
it　might；　he　thought；　be　possible　for　him　to　win　his　way　across　to
America。　　He　might　bribe　men　to　hide　him　in　the　hold　of　a　ship；　and
thus　there　might　be　for　him；　at　any　rate；　a　possibility　of　escape。
That　there　must　be　money　in　the　house　he　had　still　thought　when
first　he　laid　hands　on　the　poor　woman；　and　then；　when　the　struggle
had　once　begun；　when　he　had　felt　her　muscles　contending　with　his；
the　passion　of　the　beast　was　aroused　within　him；　and　he　strove
against　her　as　he　would　have　striven　against　a　dog。　　But　yet；　when
the　knife　was　in　his　hand；　he　had　not　driven　it　against　her　heart。

Then　suddenly；　while　they　were　yet　rolling　on　the　floor；　there　was　a
sound　of　footsteps　in　the　passage。　　Aaron　Trow　instantly　leaped　to
his　feet；　leaving　his　victim　on　the　ground；　with　huge　lumps　of　his
thick　clotted　hair　in　her　hand。　　Thus；　and　thus　only；　could　he　have
liberated　himself　from　her　grasp。　　He　rushed　at　the　door；　and　there
he　came　against　the　two　negro　servant…girls　who　had　returned　down　to
their　kitchen　from　the　road　on　which　they　had　been　straying。　　Trow；
as　he　half　saw　them　in　the　dark；　not　knowing　how　many　there　might
be；　or　whether　there　was　a　man　among　them；　rushed　through　them；
upsetting　one　scared　girl　in　his　passage。　　With　the　instinct　and
with　the　timidity　of　a　beast；　his　impulse　now　was　to　escape；　and　he
hurried　away　back　to　the　road　and　to　his　lair；　leaving　the　three
women　together　in　the　cottage。　　Poor　wretch！　　As　he　crossed　the
road；　not　skulking　in　his　impotent　haste；　but　running　at　his　best；
another　pair　of　eyes　saw　him；　and　when　the　search　became　hot　after
him；　it　was　known　that　his　hiding…place　was　not　distant。

It　was　some　time　before　any　of　the　women　were　able　to　act；　and　when
some　step　was　taken；　Anastasia　was　the　first　to　take　it。　　She　had
not　absolutely　swooned；　but　the　reaction；　after　the　violence　of　her
efforts；　was　so　great；　that　for　some　minutes　she　had　been　unable　to
speak。　　She　had　risen　from　the　floor　when　Trow　left　her；　and　had
even　followed　him　to　the　door；　but　since　that　she　had　fallen　back
into　her　father's　old　arm…chair；　and　there　sat　gasping　not　only　for
words；　but　for　breath　also。

At　last　she　bade　one　of　the　girls　to　run　into　St。　George；　and　beg
Mr。　Morton　to　come　to　her　aid。　　The　girl　would　not　stir　without　her
companion；　and　even　then；　Anastasia；　covered　as　she　was　with　blood；
with　dishevelled　hair；　and　her　clothes　half　torn　from　her　body；
accompanied　them　as　far　as　the　road。　　There　they　found　a　negro　lad
still　hanging　about　the　place；　and　he　told　them　that　he　had　seen　the
man　cross　the　road；　and　run　down　over　the　open　ground　towards　the
rocks　of　the　sea…coast。　　〃He　must　be　there；〃　said　the　lad；　pointing
in　the　direction　of　a　corner　of　the　rocks；　〃unless　he　swim　across
the　mouth　of　the　ferry。〃　　But　the　mouth　of　that　ferry　is　an　arm　of
the　sea；　and　it　was　not　probable　that　a　man　would　do　that　when　he
might　have　taken　the　narrow　water　by　keeping　on　the　other　side　of
the　road。

At　about　one　that　night　Caleb　Morton　reached　the　cottage　breathless
with　running；　and　before　a　word　was　spoken　between　them；　Anastasia
had　fallen　on　his　shoulder　and　had　fainted。　　As　soon　as　she　was　in
the　arms　of　her　lover；　all　her　power　had　gone　from　her。　　The　spirit
and　passion　of　the　tiger　had　gone；　and　she　was　again　a　weak　woman
shuddering　at　the　thought　of　what　she　had　suffered。　　She　remembered
that　she　had　had　the　man's　hand　between　her　teeth；　and　by　degrees
she　found　his　hair　still　clinging　to　her　fingers；　but　even　then　she
could　hardly　call　to　mind　the　nature　of