aaron trow-第6节

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driven　to　despair；　hopeless　of　life；　armed；　as　they　knew；　at　any
rate；　with　a　knife！　　If　the　first　adventurous　spirit　should　succeed
in　crawling　round　that　ledge；　what　would　be　the　reception　which　he
might　expect　in　the　terrible　depth　of　that　cavern？

They　called　to　their　prisoner；　bidding　him　come　out；　and　telling　him
that　they　would　fire　in　upon　him　if　he　did　not　show　himself；　but　not
a　sound　was　heard。　　It　was　indeed　possible　that　they　should　send
their　bullets　to；　perhaps；　every　corner　of　the　cavern；　and　if　so；　in
that　way　they　might　slaughter　him；　but　even　of　this　they　were　not
sure。　　Who　could　tell　that　there　might　not　be　some　protected　nook　in
which　he　could　lay　secure？　　And　who　could　tell　when　the　man　was
struck；　or　whether　he　were　wounded？

〃I　will　get　to　him；〃　said　Morton；　speaking　with　a　low　dogged　voice；
and　so　saying　he　clambered　up　to　the　rock　to　which　Danny　Lund　had
pointed。　　Many　voices　at　once　attempted　to　restrain　him；　and　one　or
two　put　their　hands　upon　him　to　keep　him　back；　but　he　was　too　quick
for　them；　and　now　stood　upon　the　ledge　of　rock。　　〃Can　you　see　him？〃
they　asked　below。

〃I　can　see　nothing　within　the　cavern；〃　said　Morton。

〃Look　down　very　hard；　Massa；〃　said　Danny；　〃very　hard　indeed；　down　in
deep　dark　hole；　and　then　see　him　big　eyes　moving！〃

Morton　now　crept　along　the　ledge；　or　rather　he　was　beginning　to　do
so；　having　put　forward　his　shoulders　and　arms　to　make　a　first　step
in　advance　from　the　spot　on　which　he　was　resting；　when　a　hand　was
put　forth　from　one　corner　of　the　cavern's　mouth；a　hand　armed　with
a　pistol；and　a　shot　was　fired。　　There　could　be　no　doubt　now　but
that　Danny　Lund　was　right；　and　no　doubt　now　as　to　the　whereabouts　of
Aaron　Trow。

A　hand　was　put　forth；　a　pistol　was　fired；　and　Caleb　Morton　still
clinging　to　a　corner　of　the　rock　with　both　his　arms　was　seen　to
falter。　　〃He　is　wounded；〃　said　one　of　the　voices　from　below；　and
then　they　all　expected　to　see　him　fall　into　the　sea。　　But　he　did　not
fall；　and　after　a　moment　or　two；　he　proceeded　carefully　to　pick　his
steps　along　the　ledge。　　The　ball　had　touched　him；　grazing　his　cheek；
and　cutting　through　the　light　whiskers　that　he　wore；　but　he　had　not
felt　it；　though　the　blow　had　nearly　knocked　him　from　his　perch。　　And
then　four　or　five　shots　were　fired　from　the　rocks　into　the　mouth　of
the　cavern。　　The　man's　arm　had　been　seen；　and　indeed　one　or　two
declared　that　they　had　traced　the　dim　outline　of　his　figure。　　But　no
sound　was　heard　to　come　from　the　cavern；　except　the　sharp　crack　of
the　bullets　against　the　rock；　and　the　echo　of　the　gunpowder。　　There
had　been　no　groan　as　of　a　man　wounded；　no　sound　of　a　body　falling；
no　voice　wailing　in　despair。　　For　a　few　seconds　all　was　dark　with
the　smoke　of　the　gunpowder；　and　then　the　empty　mouth　of　the　cave　was
again　yawning　before　their　eyes。　　Morton　was　now　near　it；　still
cautiously　creeping。　　The　first　danger　to　which　he　was　exposed　was
this；　that　his　enemy　within　the　recess　might　push　him　down　from　the
rocks　with　a　touch。　　But　on　the　other　hand；　there　were　three　or　four
men　ready　to　fire；　the　moment　that　a　hand　should　be　put　forth；　and
then　Morton　could　swim；was　known　to　be　a　strong　swimmer；whereas
of　Aaron　Trow　it　was　already　declared　by　the　prison　gaolers　that　he
could　not　swim。　　Two　of　the　warders　had　now　followed　Morton　on　the
rocks；　so　that　in　the　event　of　his　making　good　his　entrance　into　the
cavern；　and　holding　his　enemy　at　bay　for　a　minute；　he　would　be
joined　by　aid。

It　was　strange　to　see　how　those　different　men　conducted　themselves
as　they　stood　on　the　opposite　platform　watching　the　attack。　　The
officers　from　the　prison　had　no　other　thought　but　of　their　prisoner；
and　were　intent　on　taking　him　alive　or　dead。　　To　them　it　was　little
or　nothing　what　became　of　Morton。　　It　was　their　business　to
encounter　peril；　and　they　were　ready　to　do　so；feeling；　however；　by
no　means　sorry　to　have　such　a　man　as　Morton　in　advance　of　them。
Very　little　was　said　by　them。　　They　had　their　wits　about　them；　and
remembered　that　every　word　spoken　for　the　guidance　of　their　ally
would　be　heard　also　by　the　escaped　convict。　　Their　prey　was　sure；
sooner　or　later；　and　had　not　Morton　been　so　eager　in　his　pursuit；
they　would　have　waited　till　some　plan　had　been　devised　of　trapping
him　without　danger。　　But　the　townsmen　from　St。　George；　of　whom　some
dozen　were　now　standing　there；　were　quick　and　eager　and　loud　in
their　counsels。　　〃Stay　where　you　are；　Mr。　Morton；stay　awhile　for
the　love　of　Godor　he'll　have　you　down。〃　　〃Now's　your　time；　Caleb；
in　on　him　now；　and　you'll　have　him。〃　　〃Close　with　him；　Morton；　close
with　him　at　once；　it's　your　only　chance。〃　　〃There's　four　of　us　here；
we'll　fire　on　him　if　he　as　much　as　shows　a　limb。〃　　All　of　which
words　as　they　were　heard　by　that　poor　wretch　within；　must　have
sounded　to　him　as　the　barking　of　a　pack　of　hounds　thirsting　for　his
blood。　　For　him　at　any　rate　there　was　no　longer　any　hope　in　this
world。

My　reader；　when　chance　has　taken　you　into　the　hunting…field；　has　it
ever　been　your　lot　to　sit　by　on　horseback；　and　watch　the　digging　out
of　a　fox？　　The　operation　is　not　an　uncommon　one；　and　in　some
countries　it　is　held　to　be　in　accordance　with　the　rules　of　fair
sport。　　For　myself；　I　think　that　when　the　brute　has　so　far　saved
himself；　he　should　be　entitled　to　the　benefit　of　his　cunning；　but　I
will　not　now　discuss　the　propriety　or　impropriety　of　that　practice
in　venery。　　I　can　never；　however；　watch　the　doing　of　that　work
without　thinking　much　of　the　agonising　struggles　of　the　poor　beast
whose　last　refuge　is　being　torn　from　over　his　head。　　There　he　lies
within　a　few　yards　of　his　arch　enemy；　the　huntsman。　　The　thick
breath　of　the　hounds　make　hot　the　air　within　his　hole。　　The　sound　of
their　voices　is　close　upon　his　ears。　　His　breast　is　nearly　bursting
with　the　violence　of　that　effort　which　at　last　has　brought　him　to
his　retreat。　　And　then　pickaxe　and　mattock　are　plied　above　his　head；
and　nearer　and　more　near　to　him　press　his　foes；his　double　foes；
human　and　canine；till　at　last　a　huge　hand　grasps　him；　and　he　is
dragged　forth　among　his　enemies。　　Almost　as　soon　as　his　eyes　have
seen　the　light　the　eager　noses　of　a　dozen　hounds　have　moistened
themselves　in　his　entrails。　　Ah　me！　　I　know　that　he　is　vermin；　the
vermin　after　whom　I　have　been　risking　my　neck；　with　a　bold　ambition
that　I　might　ultimately　witness　his　death…struggles；　but；
nevertheless；　I　would　fain　have　saved　him　that　last　half　hour　of
gradually　diminished　hope。

And　Aaron　Trow　was　now　like　a　hunted　fox；　doomed　to　be　dug　out　from
his　last　refuge；　with　this　addition　to　his　misery；　that　these　hounds
when　they　caught　their　prey；　would　not　put　him　at　once　out　of　his
misery。　　When　first　he　saw　that　throng　of　men　coming　down　from　the
hill　top　and　resting　on　the　platform；　he　knew　that　his　fate　was
come。　　When　they　called　to　him　to　surrender　himself　he　was　silent；
but　he　knew　that　his　silence　was　of　no　avail。　　To　them　who　were　so
eager　to　be　his　captors　the　matter　seemed　to　be　still　one　of
considerable　difficulty；　but；　to　his　thinking；　there　was　no
difficulty。　　There　were　there　some　score　of　men；　fully　armed；　within
twenty　yards　of　him。　　If　he　but　showed　a　trace　of　his　limbs　he　would
become　a　mark　for　their　bullets。　　And　then　if　he　were　wounded；　and
no　one　would　come　to　him！　　If　they　allowed　him　to　lie　there　without
food　till　he　perished！　　Would　it　not　be　well　for　him　to　yield
himself？　　Then　they　called　again　and　he　was　still　silent。　　That　idea
of　yielding　is　very　terrible　to　the　heart　of　a　man。　　And　when　the
worst　had　come　to　the　worst；　did　not　the　ocean　run　deep　beneath　his
cavern's　month？

But　as　they　yelled　at　him　and　hallooed；　making　their　preparations
for　his　death；　his　presence　of　mind　deserted　the　poor　wretch。　　He
had　stolen　an　old　pistol　on　one　of　his　marauding　expeditions；　of
which　one　barrel　had　been　loaded。　　That　in　his　mad　despair　he　had
fired；　and　now；　as　he　lay　near　the　mouth　of　the　cavern；　under　the
cover　of　the　projecting　stone；　he　had　no　weapon　with　him　but　his
hands。　　He　had　had　a　knife；　but　that　had　dropped　from　him　during　the
struggle　on　the　floor　of　the　cottage。　　He　had　now　nothing　but　his
hands；　and　was　considering　how　he　might　best　use　them　in　ridding
himself　of　the　first　of　his　pursuers。　　The　man　was　near　him；　armed；
with　all　the　power　and　majesty　of　right　on　his　side；　whereas　on　his
side；　Aaron　Trow　had　nothing；not　a　hope。　　He　raised　his　head　that
he　might　look　forth；　and　a　dozen　voices　shouted　as　his　face　appeared
above　the　aperture。　　A　dozen　weapons　were　levelled　at　him；　and　he
could　see　the　gleaming　of　the　muzzles　of　the　guns。　　And　then　the
foot　of　his　pursuer　was　already　on　the　corner　stone　at　the　cavern's
mouth。　　〃Now；　Caleb；　on　him　at　once！〃　shouted　a　voice。　　Ah　me！　it
was　a　moment　in　which　to　pity　even　such　a　man　as　Aaron　Trow。

〃Now；　Caleb；　at　him　at　once！〃　shouted　the　voice。　　No；　by　heavens；
not　so；　even　yet！　　The　sound　of　triumph　in　those　words　raised　the
last　burst　of　energy　in　the　breast　of　that　wretched　man；　and　he
sprang　forth；　head　foremost；　from　his　prison　house。　　Forth　he　came；
manifest　enough　before　the　eyes　of　them　all；　and　with　head　well
down；　and　hands　outstretched；　but　with　h