05-the black thief-第2节

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on　him　in　the　stable；　with　sixty　bells　fixed　to　it；　and　whenever　you

approach　the　place　he　quickly　observes　it　and　shakes　himself；

which；　by　the　sound　of　the　bells；　not　only　alarms　the　prince　and　his

guards；　but　the　whole　country　round；　so　that　it　is　impossible　ever

to　get　him；　and　those　that　are　so　unfortunate　as　to　be　taken　by　the

Knight　of　the　Glen　are　boiled　in　a　red…hot　fiery　furnace。'



‘Bless　me；'　says　the　young　prince；　‘what　will　we　do？　If　we

return　without　the　steed　we　will　lose　our　heads；　so　I　see　we　are　ill

fixed　on　both　sides。'



‘Well；'　says　the　Thief　of　Sloan；　‘if　it　were　my　case　I　would

rather　die　by　the　Knight　than　by　the　wicked　Queen；　besides；　I　will

go　with　you　myself　and　show　you　the　road；　and　whatever　fortune

you　will　have；　I　will　take　chance　of　the　same。'



They　returned　him　sincere　thanks　for　his　kindness；　and　he；

being　well　acquainted　with　the　road；　in　a　short　time　brought　them

within　view　of　the　knight's　castle。



‘Now；'　says　he；　‘we　must　stay　here　till　night　comes；　for　I　know

all　the　ways　of　the　place；　and　if　there　be　any　chance　for　it；　it　is

when　they　are　all　at　rest；　for　the　steed　is　all　the　watch　the　knight

keeps　there。'



Accordingly；　in　the　dead　hour　of　the　night；　the　King's　three　sons

and　the　Thief　of　Sloan　attempted　the　Steed　of　Bells　in　order　to

carry　him　away；　but　before　they　could　reach　the　stables　the　steed

neighed　most　terribly　and　shook　himself　so；　and　the　bells　rung　with

such　noise；　that　the　knight　and　all　his　men　were　up　in　a　moment。



The　Black　Thief　and　the　King's　sons　thought　to　make　their

escape；　but　they　were　suddenly　surrounded　by　the　knight's　guards

and　taken　prisoners；　where　they　were　brought　into　that　dismal

part　of　the　palace　where　the　knight　kept　a　furnace　always　boiling；

in　which　he　threw　all　offenders　that　ever　came　in　his　way；　which

in　a　few　moments　would　entirely　consume　them。



‘Audacious　villains！'　says　the　Knight　of　the　Glen；　‘how　dare

you　attempt　so　bold　an　action　as　to　steal　my　steed？　See；　now；　the

reward　of　your　folly；　for　your　greater　punishment　I　will　not　boil

you　all　together；　but　one　after　the　other；　so　that　he　that　survives

may　witness　the　dire　afflictions　of　his　unfortunate　companions。'



So　saying　he　ordered　his　servants　to　stir　up　the　fire：　‘We　will

boil　the　eldest…looking　of　these　young　men　first；'　said　he；　‘and　so　on

to　the　last；　which　will　be　this　old　champion　with　the　black　cap。　He

seems　to　be　the　captain；　and　looks　as　if　he　had　come　through　many

toils。'



‘I　was　as　near　death　once　as　the　prince　is　yet；'　says　the　Black

Thief；　‘and　escaped；　and　so　will　he　too。'



‘No；　you　never　were；'　said　the　knight；　‘for　he　is　within　two　or

three　minutes　of　his　latter　end。'



‘But；'　says　the　Black　Thief；　‘I　was　within　one　moment　of　my

death；　and　I　am　here　yet。'



‘How　was　that？'　says　the　knight；　‘I　would　be　glad　to　hear　it；

for　it　seems　impossible。'



‘If　you　think；　sir　knight；'　says　the　Black　Thief；　‘that　the　danger

I　was　in　surpasses　that　of　this　young　man；　will　you　pardon　him　his

crime？'



‘I　will；'　says　the　knight；　‘so　go　on　with　your　story。'



‘I　was；　sir；'　says　he；　‘a　very　wild　boy　in　my　youth；　and　came

through　many　distresses；　once　in　particular；　as　I　was　on　my

rambling；　I　was　benighted　and　could　find　no　lodging。　At　length　I

came　to　an　old　kiln；　and　being　much　fatigued　I　went　up　and　lay　on

the　ribs。　I　had　not　been　long　there　when　I　saw　three　witches

coming　in　with　three　bags　of　gold。　Each　put　their　bags　of　gold

under　their　heads；　as　if　to　sleep。　I　heard　one　of　them　say　to　the

other　that　if　the　Black　Thief　came　on　them　while　they　slept；　he

would　not　leave　them　a　penny。　I　found　by　their　discourse　that

everybody　had　got　my　name　into　their　mouth；　though　I　kept　silent

as　death　during　their　discourse。　At　length　they　fell　fast　asleep；　and

then　I　stole　softly　down；　and　seeing　some　turf　convenient；

I　placed　one　under　each　of　their　heads；　and　off　I　went；　with　their　gold；

as　fast　as　I　could。



‘I　had　not　gone　far；'　continued　the　Thief　of　Sloan；　‘until　I　saw　a　grey…

hound；　a　hare；　and　a　hawk　in　pursuit　of　me；　and　began　to　think　it　must　be　the

witches　that　had　taken　the　shapes　in　order　that　I　might　not　escape　them

unseen　either　by　land　or　water。　Seeing　they　did　not　appear　in　any　formidable

shape；　I　was　more　than　once　resolved　to　attack　them；　thinking　that　with

my　broad　sword　I　could　easily　destroy　them。　But　considering　again

that　it　was　perhaps　still　in　their　power　to　become　alive　again；　I

gave　over　the　attempt　and　climbed　with　difficulty　up　a　tree；　bringing

my　sword　in　my　hand　and　all　the　gold　along　with　me。　However；

when　they　came　to　the　tree　they　found　what　I　had　done；　and　making

further　use　of　their　hellish　art；　one　of　them　was　changed　into　a

smith's　anvil　and　another　into　a　piece　of　iron；　of　which　the　third

soon　made　a　hatchet。　Having　the　hatchet　made；　she　fell　to　cutting

down　the　tree；　and　in　the　course　of　an　hour　it　began　to　shake

with　me。　At　length　it　began　to　bend；　and　I　found　that　one　or

two　blows　at　the　most　would　put　it　down。　I　then　began　to　think

that　my　death　was　inevitable；　considering　that　those　who　were

capable　of　doing　so　much　would　soon　end　my　life；　but　just

as　she　had　the　stroke　drawn　that　would　terminate　my　fate；　the

cock　crew；　and　the　witches　disappeared；　having　resumed　their

natural　shapes　for　fear　of　being　known；　and　I　got　safe　off　with　my

bags　of　gold。



‘Now；　sir；'　says　he　to　the　Knight　of　the　Glen；　‘if　that　be　not　as

great　an　adventure　as　ever　you　heard；　to　be　within　one　blow　of　a

hatchet　of　my　end；　and　that　blow　even　drawn；　and　after　all　to

escape；　I　leave　it　to　yourself。'



‘Well；　I　cannot　say　but　it　is　very　extraordinary；'　says　the　Knight

of　the　Glen；　‘and　on　that　account　pardon　this　young　man　his　crime；

so　stir　up　the　fire；　till　I　boil　this　second　one。'



‘Indeed；'　says　the　Black　Thief；　‘I　would　fain　think　he　would　not

die　this　time　either。'



‘How　so？'　says　the　knight；　‘it　is　impossible　for　him　to　escape。'



‘I　escaped　death　more　wonderfully　myself；'　says　the　Thief　of

Sloan；　‘than　if　you　had　him　ready　to　throw　into　the　furnace；　and　I

hope　it　will　be　the　case　with　him　likewise。'



‘Why；　have　you　been　in　another　great　danger？'　says　the　knight。

‘I　would　be　glad　to　hear　the　story　too；　and　if　it　be　as　wonderful　as

the　last；　I　will　pardon　this　young　man　as　I　did　the　other。'



‘My　way　of　living；　sir；'　says　the　Black　Thief；　‘was　not　good；

as　I　told　you　before；　and　being　at　a　certain　time　fairly　run　out　of

cash；　and　meeting　with　no　enterprise　worthy　of　notice；　I　was　reduced

to　great　straits。　At　length　a　rich　bishop　died　in　the　neighbourhood　I

was　then　in；　and　I　heard　he　was　interred　with　a　great　deal　of　jewels

and　rich　robes　upon　him；　all　which　I　intended　in　a　short　time

to　be　master　of。　Accordingly　that　very　night　I　set　about　it；　and

coming　to　the　place；　I　understood　he　was　placed　at　the　further　end

of　a　long　dark　vault；　which　I　slowly　entered。　I　had　not　gone　in

far　until　I　heard　a　foot　coming　towards　me　with　a　quick　pace；　and

although　naturally　bold　and　daring；　yet；　thinking　of　the　deceased

bishop　and　the　crime　I　was　engaged　in；　I　lost　courage；　and　ran

towards　the　entrance　of　the　vault。　I　had　retreated　but　a　few　paces

when　I　observed；　between　me　and　the　light；　the　figure　of　a　tall

black　man　standing　in　the　entrance。　Being　in　great　fear　and　not

knowing　how　to　pass；　I　fired　a　pistol　at　him；　and　he　immediately

fell　across　the　entrance。　Perceiving　he　still　retained　the　figure　of

a　mortal　man；　I　began　to　imagine　that　it　could　not　be　the　bishop's

ghost；　recovering　myself　therefore　from　the　fear　I　was　in；　I

ventured　to　the　upper　end　of　the　vault；　where　I　found　a　large

bundle；　and　upon　further　examination　I　found　that　the　corpse　was

already　rifled；　and　that　which　I　had　taken　to　be　a　ghost　was　no

more　than　one　of　his　own　clergy。　I　was　then　very　sorry　that　I　had

the　misfortune　to　kill　him；　but　it　then　could　not　be　helped。　I　took

up　the　bundle　that　contained　everything　belonging　to　the　corpse

that　was　valuable；　intending　to　take　my　departure　from　this

melancholy　abode；　but　just　as　I　came　to　the　mouth　of　the　entrance

I　saw　the　guards　of　the　place　coming　towards　me；　and　distinctly

heard　them　saying　that　they　would　look　in　the　vault；　for　that　the

Black　Thief　would　think　little　of　robbing　the　corpse　if　he　was

anywhere　in　the　place。　I　did　not　then　know　in　what　manner　to　act；

for　if　I　was　seen　I　would　surely　lose　my　life；　as　everybody　had　a

look…out　at　that　time；　and　because　there　was　no　person　bold　enough

to　come　in　on　me。　I　knew　very　well　on　the　first　sight　of　me　that

could　be　got；　I　would　be　shot　like　a　dog。　However；　I　had　not　time　to

lose。　I　took　and　raised　up　the　man　which　I　had　killed；　as　if　he　was

standing　on　his　feet；　and　I；　crouching　behind　him；　bore　him　up　as

well　as　I　could；　so　that　the　guards　readily　saw　him　as　they　came　up

to　the　vault。　Seeing　the　man　in　black；　one　of　the　men　cried　that

was　the　Bl