aaron trow-第7节

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manifest　enough　before　the　eyes　of　them　all；　and　with　head　well
down；　and　hands　outstretched；　but　with　his　wide　glaring　eyes　still
turned　towards　his　pursuers　as　he　fell；　he　plunged　down　into　the
waves　beneath　him。　　Two　of　those　who　stood　by；　almost　unconscious　of
what　they　did；　fired　at　his　body　as　it　made　its　rapid　way　to　the
water；　but；　as　they　afterwards　found；　neither　of　the　bullets　struck
him。　　Morton；　when　his　prey　thus　leaped　forth；　escaping　him　for
awhile；　was　already　on　the　verge　of　the　cavern；had　even　then
prepared　his　foot　for　that　onward　spring　which　should　bring　him　to
the　throat　of　his　foe。　　But　he　arrested　himself；　and　for　a　moment
stood　there　watching　the　body　as　it　struck　the　water；　and　hid　itself
at　once　beneath　the　ripple。　　He　stood　there　for　a　moment　watching
the　deed　and　its　effect；　and　then　leaving　his　hold　upon　the　rock；　he
once　again　followed　his　quarry。　　Down　he　went；　head　foremost；　right
on　to　the　track　in　the　waves　which　the　other　had　made；　and　when　the
two　rose　to　the　surface　together；　each　was　struggling　in　the　grasp
of　the　other。

It　was　a　foolish；　nay；　a　mad　deed　to　do。　　The　poor　wretch　who　had
first　fallen　could　not　have　escaped。　　He　could　not　even　swim；　and
had　therefore　flung　himself　to　certain　destruction　when　he　took　that
leap　from　out　of　the　cavern's　mouth。　　It　would　have　been　sad　to　see
him　perish　beneath　the　waves；to　watch　him　as　he　rose；　gasping　for
breath；　and　then　to　see　to　him　sinking　again；　to　rise　again；　and
then　to　go　for　ever。　　But　his　life　had　been　fairly　forfeit；and　why
should　one　so　much　more　precious　have　been　flung　after　it？　　It　was
surely　with　no　view　of　saving　that　pitiful　life　that　Caleb　Morton
had　leaped　after　his　enemy。　　But　the　hound；　hot　with　the　chase；　will
follow　the　stag　over　the　precipice　and　dash　himself　to　pieces
against　the　rocks。　　The　beast　thirsting　for　blood　will　rush　in　even
among　the　weapons　of　men。　　Morton　in　his　fury　had　felt　but　one
desire；　burned　with　but　one　passion。　　If　the　Fates　would　but　grant
him　to　fix　his　clutches　in　the　throat　of　the　man　who　had　ill…used
his　love；　for　the　rest　it　might　all　go　as　it　would。

In　the　earlier　part　of　the　morning；　while　they　were　all　searching
for　their　victim；　they　had　brought　a　boat　up　into　this　very　inlet
among　the　rocks；　and　the　same　boat　had　been　at　hand　during　the　whole
day。　　Unluckily；　before　they　had　come　hither；　it　had　been　taken
round　the　headland　to　a　place　among　the　rocks　at　which　a　government
skiff　is　always　moored。　　The　sea　was　still　so　quiet　that　there　was
hardly　a　ripple　on　it；　and　the　boat　had　been　again　sent　for　when
first　it　was　supposed　that　they　had　at　last　traced　Aaron　Trow　to　his
hiding…place。　　Anxiously　now　were　all　eyes　turned　to　the　headland；
but　as　yet　no　boat　was　there。

The　two　men　rose　to　the　surface；　each　struggling　in　the　arms　of　the
other。　　Trow；　though　he　was　in　an　element　to　which　he　was　not　used；
though　he　had　sprung　thither　as　another　suicide　might　spring　to
certain　death　beneath　a　railway　engine；　did　not　altogether　lose　his
presence　of　mind。　　Prompted　by　a　double　instinct；　he　had　clutched
hold　of　Morton's　body　when　he　encountered　it　beneath　the　waters。　　He
held　on　to　it；　as　to　his　only　protection；　and　he　held　on　to　him　also
as　to　his　only　enemy。　　If　there　was　a　chance　for　a　life　struggle；
they　would　share　that　chance　together；　and　if　not；　then　together
would　they　meet　that　other　fate。

Caleb　Morton　was　a　very　strong　man；　and　though　one　of　his　arms　was
altogether　encumbered　by　his　antagonist；　his　other　arm　and　his　legs
were　free。　　With　these　he　seemed　to　succeed　in　keeping　his　head
above　the　water；　weighted　as　he　was　with　the　body　of　his　foe。　　But
Trow's　efforts　were　also　used　with　the　view　of　keeping　himself　above
the　water。　　Though　he　had　purposed　to　destroy　himself　in　taking　that
leap；　and　now　hoped　for　nothing　better　than　that　they　might　both
perish　together；　he　yet　struggled　to　keep　his　head　above　the　waves。
Bodily　power　he　had　none　left　to　him；　except　that　of　holding　on　to
Morton's　arm　and　plunging　with　his　legs；　but　he　did　hold　on；　and
thus　both　their　heads　remained　above　the　surface。

But　this　could　not　last　long。　　It　was　easy　to　see　that　Trow's
strength　was　nearly　spent；　and　that　when　he　went　down　Morton　must　go
with　him。　　If　indeed　they　could　be　separated；if　Morton　could　once
make　himself　free　from　that　embrace　into　which　he　had　been　so
anxious　to　leap；then　indeed　there　might　be　a　hope。　　All　round　that
little　inlet　the　rock　fell　sheer　down　into　the　deep　sea；　so　that
there　was　no　resting…place　for　a　foot；　it　but　round　the　headlands　on
either　side；　even　within　forty　or　fifty　yards　of　that　spot；　Morton
might　rest　on　the　rocks；　till　a　boat　should　come　to　his　assistance。
To　him　that　distance　would　have　been　nothing；　if　only　his　limbs　had
been　at　liberty。

Upon　the　platform　of　rocks　they　were　all　at　their　wits'　ends。　　Many
were　anxious　to　fire　at　Trow；　but　even　if　they　hit　him；　would
Morton's　position　have　been　better？　　Would　not　the　wounded　man　have
still　clung　to　him　who　was　not　wounded？　　And　then　there　could　be　no
certainty　that　any　one　of　them　would　hit　the　right　man。　　The　ripple
of　the　waves；　though　it　was　very　slight；　nevertheless　sufficed　to
keep　the　bodies　in　motion；　and　then；　too；　there　was　not　among　them
any　marksman　peculiar　for　his　skill。

Morton's　efforts　in　the　water　were　too　severe　to　admit　of　his
speaking；　but　he　could　hear　and　understand　the　words　which　were
addressed　to　him。　　〃Shake　him　off；　Caleb。〃　　〃Strike　him　from　you
with　your　foot。〃　　〃Swim　to　the　right　shore；　swim　for　it；　even　if　you
take　him　with　you。〃　　Yes；　he　could　hear　them　all；　but　hearing　and
obeying　were　very　different。　　It　was　not　easy　to　shake　off　that
dying　man；　and　as　for　swimming　with　him；　that　was　clearly
impossible。　　It　was　as　much　as　he　could　do　to　keep　his　head　above
water；　let　alone　any　attempt　to　move　in　one　settled　direction。

For　some　four　or　five　minutes　they　lay　thus　battling　on　the　waves
before　the　head　of　either　of　them　went　down。　　Trow　had　been　twice
below　the　surface；　but　it　was　before　he　had　succeeded　in　supporting
himself　by　Morton's　arm。　　Now　it　seemed　as　though　he　must　sink
again；as　though　both　must　sink。　　His　mouth　was　barely　kept　above
the　water；　and　as　Morton　shook　him　with　his　arm；　the　tide　would　pass
over　him。　　It　was　horrid　to　watch　from　the　shore　the　glaring
upturned　eyes　of　the　dying　wretch；　as　his　long　streaming　hair　lay
back　upon　the　wave。　　〃Now；　Caleb；　hold　him　down。　　Hold　him　under；〃
was　shouted　in　the　voice　of　some　eager　friend。　　Rising　up　on　the
water；　Morton　made　a　last　effort　to　do　as　he　was　bid。　　He　did　press
the　man's　head　down；well　down　below　the　surface；but　still　the
hand　clung　to　him；　and　as　he　struck　out　against　the　water；　he　was
powerless　against　that　grasp。

Then　there　came　a　loud　shout　along　the　shore；　and　all　those　on　the
platform；　whose　eyes　had　been　fixed　so　closely　on　that　terrible
struggle　beneath　them；　rushed　towards　the　rocks　on　the　other　coast。
The　sound　of　oars　was　heard　close　to　them；an　eager　pressing
stroke；　as　of　men　who　knew　well　that　they　were　rowing　for　the
salvation　of　a　life。　　On　they　came；　close　under　the　rocks；　obeying
with　every　muscle　of　their　bodies　the　behests　of　those　who　called　to
them　from　the　shore。　　The　boat　came　with　such　rapidity；was　so
recklessly　urged；　that　it　was　driven　somewhat　beyond　the　inlet；　but
in　passing；　a　blow　was　struck　which　made　Caleb　Morton　once　more　the
master　of　his　own　life。　　The　two　men　had　been　carried　out　in　their
struggle　towards　the　open　sea；　and　as　the　boat　curved　in；　so　as　to
be　as　close　as　the　rocks　would　allow；　the　bodies　of　the　men　were
brought　within　the　sweep　of　the　oars。　　He　in　the　bowfor　there　were
four　pulling　in　the　boathad　raised　his　oar　as　he　neared　the
rocks；had　raised　it　high　above　the　water；　and　now；　as　they　passed
close　by　the　struggling　men；　he　let　it　fall　with　all　its　force　on
the　upturned　face　of　the　wretched　convict。　　It　was　a　terrible；
frightful　thing　to　do；thus　striking　one　who　was　so　stricken；　but
who　shall　say　that　the　blow　was　not　good　and　just？　　Methinks；
however；　that　the　eyes　and　face　of　that　dying　man　will　haunt　for
ever　the　dreams　of　him　who　carried　that　oar！

Trow　never　rose　again　to　the　surface。　　Three　days　afterwards　his
body　was　found　at　the　ferry；　and　then　they　carried　him　to　the
convict　island　and　buried　him。　　Morton　was　picked　up　and　taken　into
the　boat。　　His　life　was　saved；　but　it　may　be　a　question　how　the
battle　might　have　gone　had　not　that　friendly　oar　been　raised　in　his
behalf。　　As　it　was；　he　lay　at　the　cottage　for　days　before　he　was
able　to　be　moved；　so　as　to　receive　the　congratulations　of　those　who
had　watched　that　terrible　conflict　from　the　shore。　　Nor　did　he　feel
that　there　had　been　anything　in　that　day's　work　of　which　he　could　be
proud；much　rather　of　which　it　behoved　him　to　be　thoroughly
ashamed。　　Some　six　months　after　that　he　obtained　the　hand　of
Anastasia　Bergen；　but　they　did　not　remain　long　in　Bermuda。　　〃He　went
away；　back　to　his　own　country；〃　my　informant　told　me；　〃because　he
could　not　endure　to　meet　the　ghost　of　Aaron　Trow；　at　that　point　of
the　road　which　passes　near　the　cottage。〃　　That　the　ghost　of　Aaron
Tr