the ruby of kishmoor-第3节

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————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ends；　would　gladly　sacrifice　my　life　itself　to　their　purposes。　　At
no　time　am　I　safe　from　their　machinations；　nor　have　I　any　one；〃
cried　she；　exhibiting　a　great　emotion；　〃to　whom　I　may　turn　in　my
need。　　It　was　this　that　led　me　to　hope　to　find　in　you　a　friend　in
my　perils；　for；　having　observed　through　my　agents　that　you　are
not　only　honest　in　disposition　and　strong　in　person；　but　that　you
are　possessed　of　a　considerable　degree　of　energy　and
determination；　I　am　most　desirous　of　imposing　upon　your
good…nature　a　trust　of　which　you　cannot　for　a　moment　suspect　the
magnitude。　　Tell　me；　are　you　willing　to　assist　a　poor；　defenceless
female　in　her　hour　of　trial？〃

〃Indeed；　friend；〃　quoth　Jonathan；　with　more　vivacity　than　he
usually　exhibited；　with　a　lenity　to　which　he　had　heretofore　in
his　lifetime　been　a　strangerbeing　warmed　into　such　a　spirit；
doubtless；　by　the　generous　wines　of　which　he　had
partaken〃indeed；　friend；　if　I　could　but　see　thy　face　it　would
doubtless　make　my　decision　in　such　a　matter　the　more　favorable；
since　I　am　inclined　to　think　from　the　little　I　can　behold　of　it；
that　thy　appearance　must　be　extremely　comely　to　the　eye。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　the　lady；　exhibiting　some　amusement　at　this
unexpected　sally；　〃I　am；　you　must　know；　as　God　made　me。　　Sometime；
perhaps；　I　may　be　very　glad　to　satisfy　your　curiosity；　and
exhibit　to　you　my　poor　countenance　such　as　it　is。　　But　now〃and
here　she　reverted　to　her　more　serious　mood〃I　must　again　put　it
to　you：　are　you　willing　to　help　an　unprotected　woman　in　a　period
of　very　great　danger　to　herself？　　Should　you　decline　the
assistance　which　I　solicit；　my　slaves　shall　conduct　you　to　the
gate　through　which　you　entered；　and　suffer　you　to　depart　in
peace。　　Should　you；　upon　the　other　hand；　accept　the　trust；　you　are
to　receive　no　reward　therefor；　except　the　gratitude　of　one　who
thus　appeals　to　you　in　her　helplessness。〃

For　a　few　moments　Jonathan　fell　silent；　for　here；　indeed；　was　he
entering　into　an　adventure　which　infinitely　surpassed　any
anticipation　that　he　could　have　formed。　　He　was；　besides；　of　a
cautious　nature；　and　was　entirely　disinclined　to　embark　into　any
affair　so　obscure　and　tangled　as　that　in　which　he　now　found
himself　becoming　involved。

〃Friend；〃　said　he；　at　last；　〃I　may　tell　thee　that　thy　story　has
so　far　moved　me　as　to　give　me　every　inclination　to　help　thee　in
thy　difficulties；　but　I　must　also　inform　thee　that　I　am　a　man　of
caution；　having　never　before　entered　into　any　business　of　this
sort。　　Therefore；　before　giving　any　promise　that　may　bind　my
future　actions；　I　must；　in　common　wisdom；　demand　to　know　what　are
the　conditions　that　thou　hast　in　mind　to　impose　upon　me。〃

〃Indeed；　sir；〃　cried　the　lady；　with　great　vivacity　and　with　more
cheerful　accentsas　though　her　mind　had　been　relieved　of　a
burden　of　fear　that　her　companion　might　at　once　have　declined
even　a　consideration　of　her　request〃indeed；　sir；　you　will　find
that　the　trust　which　I　would　impose　upon　you　is　in　appearance　no
such　great　matter　as　my　words　may　have　led　you　to　suppose。

〃You　must　know　that　I　am　possessed　of　a　little　trinket　which；　in
the　hands　of　any　one　who；　like　yourself；　is　a　stranger　in　these
parts；　would　possess　no　significance；　but　which　while　in　my
keeping　is　fraught　with　infinite　menace　to　me。〃

Hereupon；　and　having　so　spoken；　she　clapped　her　hands；　and　an
attendant　immediately　entered；　disclosing　the　person　of　the　same
negress　who　had　first　introduced　Jonathan　into　the　strange
adventure　in　which　he　now　found　himself　involved。　　This　creature；
who　appeared　still　more　deformed　and　repulsive　in　the　brilliantly
lighted　room　than　she　had　in　the　moonlight；　carried　in　her　hands
a　white　napkin；　which　she　handed　to　her　mistress。　　This　being
opened；　disclosed　a　small　ivory　ball　of　about　the　bigness　of　a
lime。　　Nodding　to　the　negress　to　withdraw；　the　lady　handed　him　the
ivory　ball；　and　Jonathan　took　it　with　no　small　degree　of
curiosity　and　examined　it　carefully。　　It　appeared　to　be　of　an
exceeding　antiquity；　and　of　so　deep　a　yellow　as　to　be　almost
brown　in　color。　　It　was　covered　over　with　strange　figures　and
characters　of　an　Oriental　sort；　which　appeared　to　our　hero　to　be
of　Chinese　workmanship。

〃I　must　tell　you；　sir；〃　said　the　lady；　after　she　had　permitted
her　guest　to　examine　this　for　a　while　in　silence；　〃that　though
this　appears　to　you　to　be　of　little　worth；　it　is　yet　of　extreme
value。　　After　all；　however；　it　is　nothing　but　a　curiosity　that　any
one　who　is　interested　in　such　matters　might　possess。　　What　I　have
to　ask　you　is　this：　Will　you　be　willing　to　take　this　into　your
charge；　to　guard　it　with　the　utmost　care　and　fidelityyes；　even
as　the　apple　of　your　eyeduring　your　continuance　in　these　parts；
and　to　return　it　to　me　in　safety　the　day　before　your　departure。
By　so　doing　you　will　render　me　a　service　which　you　may　neither
understand　nor　comprehend；　but　which　shall　make　me　your　debtor
for　my　entire　life。〃

By　this　time　Jonathan　had　pretty　well　composed　his　mind　for　a
reply。

〃Friend；〃　said　he；　〃such　a　matter　as　this　is　entirely　out　of　my
knowledge　of　business；　which　is；　indeed；　that　of　a　clerk　in　the
mercantile　profession。　　Nevertheless；　I　have　every　inclination　to
help　thee；　though　I　trust　thou　mayest　have　magnified　the　dangers
that　beset　thee。　　This　appears　to　me　to　be　a　little　trifle　for
such　an　ado；　nevertheless；　I　will　do　as　thou　dost　request。　　I　will
keep　it　in　safety　and　will　return　it　to　thee　upon　this　day　a　week
hence；　by　which　time　I　hope　to　have　discharged　my　cargo　and　be
ready　to　continue　my　voyage　to　Demerara。〃

At　these　words　the　lady；　who　had　been　watching　him　all　the　time
with　a　most　unaccountable　eagerness；　burst　forth　into　words　of
such　heart…felt　gratitude　as　to　entirely　overwhelm　our　hero。　　When
her　transports　had　been　somewhat　assuaged　she　permitted　him　to
depart；　and　the　negress　conducted　him　back　through　the　garden；
whence　she　presently　showed　him　through　the　gate　whither　he　had
entered　and　out　into　the　street。




III。　The　Terrific　Encounter　with　the　One…eyed　Little　Gentleman　in
Black



Finding　himself　once　more　in　the　open　street；　Jonathan　Rugg　stood
for　a　while　in　the　moonlight；　endeavoring　to　compose　his　mind
into　somewhat　of　that　sobriety　that　was　habitual　with　him；　for；
indeed；　he　was　not　a　little　excited　by　the　unexpected　incidents
that　had　just　befallen　him。　　From　this　effort　at　composure　he　was
aroused　by　observing　that　a　little　gentleman　clad　all　in　black
had　stopped　at　a　little　distance　away　and　was　looking　very
intently　at　him。　　In　the　brightness　of　the　moonlight　our　hero
could　see　that　the　little　gentleman　possessed　but　a　single　eye；
and　that　he　carried　a　gold…headed　cane　in　his　hand。　　He　had　hardly
time　to　observe　these　particulars；　when　the　other　approached　him
with　every　appearance　of　politeness　and　cordiality。

〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃surely　I　am　not　mistaken　in　recognizing　in　you
the　supercargo　of　the　ship　SUSANNA　HAYES；　which　arrived　this
afternoon　at　this　port？〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Jonathan；　〃thou　art　right；　friend。　　That　is　my
occupation；　and　that　is　whence　I　came。〃

〃To　be　sure！〃　　said　the　little　gentleman。　　〃To　be　sure！　　To　be　sure！
The　SUSANNA　HAYES；　with　a　cargo　of　Indian…corn　meal；　and　from
dear　good　friend　Jeremiah　Doolittle；　of　Philadelphia。　　I　know　your
good　master　very　wellvery　well　indeed。　　And　have　you　never　heard
him　speak　of　his　friend　Mr。　Abner　Greenway；　of　Kingston；
Jamaica？〃

〃Why；　no；〃　replied　Jonathan；　〃I　have　no　such　recollection　of　the
name　nor　do　I　know　that　any　such　name　hath　ever　appeared　upon　our
books。〃

〃To　be　sure！　　To　be　sure！〃　　repeated　the　little　gentleman；　briskly；
and　with　exceeding　good…nature。　　〃Indeed；　my　name　is　not　likely　to
have　ever　appeared　upon　his　books；　for　I　am　not　a　business
correspondent；　but　one　who；　in　times　past；　was　his　extremely
intimate　friend。　　There　is　much　I　would　like　to　ask　about　him；
and；　indeed；　I　was　in　hopes　that　you　would　have　been　the　bearer
of　a　letter　from　him。　　But　I　have　lodgings　at　a　little　distance
from　here；　so　that　if　it　is　not　requesting　too　much　of　you　maybe
you　will　accompany　me　thither；　so　that　we　may　talk　at　our
leisure。　　I　would　gladly　accompany　you　to　your　ship　instead　of
urging　you　to　come　to　my　apartments；　but　I　must　tell　you　I　am
possessed　of　a　devil　of　a　fever；　so　that　my　physician　hath
forbidden　me　to　be　out　of　nights。〃

〃Indeed；〃　said　Jonathan；　whom；　you　may　have　observed；　was　of　a
very　easy　disposition〃indeed；　I　shall　be　very　glad　to　accompany
thee　to　thy　lodgings。　　There　is　nothing　I　would　like　better　than
to　serve　any　friend　of　good　Jeremiah　Doolittle's。〃

And　thereupon；　and　with　great　amity；　the　two　walked　off　together；
the　little　one…eyed　gentleman　in　black　linking　his　arm
confidingly　into　that　of　Jonathan's；　and　tapping　the　pavement
continually　with　his　cane　as　he　trotted　on　at　a　great　pace。　　He
was　very　well　acquainted　with　the　town　（of　which　he　was　a
citizen）；　and　so　interesting　was　his　discourse　that　they　had　gone
a　considerable　distance　before　Jonathan　observed　they　were
entering　into　a　quarter　darker　and　less　frequented　than　that
which　they　had　quitted。　　Tall　brick　houses　stood　upon　either　side；
between　which　stretched　a　narrow；　crooked　r