the queen of hearts-第14节

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silence　I　hardly　knew　for　what；　doubtful　at　first　whether　I　had
dreamed　about　the　bang　at　the　door；　or　whether　the　blow　had
really　been　struck　on　it。

In　a　minute　or　less　there　came　a　second　bang；　louder　than　the
first。　I　ran　out　into　the　passage。

〃Who's　there？〃

〃Let　us　in；〃　answered　a　voice；　which　I　recognised　immediately　as
the　voice　of　Shifty　Dick。

〃Wait　a　bit；　my　dear；　and　let　me　explain；〃　said　a　second　voice；
in　the　low；　oily；　jeering　tones　of　Dick's　companionthe　wickedly
clever　little　man　whom　he　called　Jerry。　〃You　are　alone　in　the
house；　my　pretty　little　dear。　You　may　crack　your　sweet　voice　with
screeching；　and　there's　nobody　near　to　hear　you。　Listen　to
reason；　my　love；　and　let　us　in。　We　don't　want　cider　this　timewe
only　want　a　very　neat…looking　pocketbook　which　you　happen　to
have；　and　your　late　excellent　mother's　four　silver　teaspoons；
which　you　keep　so　nice　and　clean　on　the　chimney…piece。　If　you　let
us　in　we　won't　hurt　a　hair　of　your　head；　my　cherub；　and　we
promise　to　go　away　the　moment　we　have　got　what　we　want；　unless
you　particularly　wish　us　to　stop　to　tea。　If　you　keep　us　out；　we
shall　be　obliged　to　break　into　the　house　and　then〃

〃And　then；〃　burst　in　Shifty　Dick；　〃we'll　_mash_　you！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jerry；　〃we'll　mash　you；　my　beauty。　But　you　won't
drive　us　to　doing　that；　will　you？　You　will　let　us　in？〃

This　long　parley　gave　me　time　to　recover　from　the　effect　which
the　first　bang　at　the　door　had　produced　on　my　nerves。　The　threats
of　the　two　villains　would　have　terrified　some　women　out　of　their
senses；　but　the　only　result　they　produced　on　_me_　was　violent
indignation。　I　had；　thank　God；　a　strong　spirit　of　my　own；　and　the
cool；　contemptuous　insolence　of　the　man　Jerry　effectually　roused
it。

〃You　cowardly　villains！〃　I　screamed　at　them　through　the　door。
〃You　think　you　can　frighten　me　because　I　am　only　a　poor　girl　left
alone　in　the　house。　You　ragamuffin　thieves；　I　defy　you　both！　Our
bolts　are　strong；　our　shutters　are　thick。　I　am　here　to　keep　my
father's　house　safe；　and　keep　it　I　will　against　an　army　of　you！〃

You　may　imagine　what　a　passion　I　was　in　when　I　vapored　and
blustered　in　that　way。　I　heard　Jerry　laugh　and　Shifty　Dick　swear
a　whole　mouthful　of　oaths。　Then　there　was　a　dead　silence　for　a
minute　or　two；　and　then　the　two　ruffians　attacked　the　door。

I　rushed　into　the　kitchen　and　seized　the　poker；　and　then　heaped
wood　on　the　fire；　and　lighted　all　the　candles　I　could　find；　for　I
felt　as　though　I　could　keep　up　my　courage　better　if　I　had　plenty
of　light。　Strange　and　improbable　as　it　may　appear；　the　next　thing
that　attracted　my　attention　was　my　poor　pussy；　crouched　up；
panic…stricken；　in　a　corner。　I　was　so　fond　of　the　little　creature
that　I　took　her　up　in　my　arms　and　carried　her　into　my　bedroom　and
put　her　inside　my　bed。　A　comical　thing　to　do　in　a　situation　of
deadly　peril；　was　it　not？　But　it　seemed　quite　natural　and　proper
at　the　time。

All　this　while　the　blows　were　falling　faster　and　faster　on　the
door。　They　were　dealt；　as　I　conjectured；　with　heavy　stones　picked
up　from　the　ground　outside。　Jerry　sang　at　his　wicked　work；　and
Shifty　Dick　swore。　As　I　left　the　bedroom　after　putting　the　cat
under　cover；　I　heard　the　lower　panel　of　the　door　begin　to　crack。

I　ran　into　the　kitchen　and　huddled　our　four　silver　spoons　into　my
pocket；　then　took　the　unlucky　book　with　the　bank…notes　and　put　it
in　the　bosom　of　my　dress。　I　was　determined　to　defend　the　property
confided　to　my　care　with　my　life。　Just　as　I　had　secured　the
pocketbook　I　heard　the　door　splintering；　and　rushed　into　the
passage　again　with　my　heavy　kitchen　poker　lifted　in　both　hands。

I　was　in　time　to　see　the　bald　head　of　Jerry；　with　the
ugly…looking　knobs　on　it；　pushed　into　the　passage　through　a　great
rent　in　one　of　the　lower　panels　of　the　door。

〃Get　out；　you　villain；　or　I'll　brain　you　on　the　spot！〃　I
screeched；　threatening　him　with　the　poker。

Mr。　Jerry　took　his　head　out　again　much　faster　than　he　put　it　in。

The　next　thing　that　came　through　the　rent　was　a　long　pitchfork；
which　they　darted　at　me　from　the　outside；　to　move　me　from　the
door。　I　struck　at　it　with　all　my　might；　and　the　blow　must　have
jarred　the　hand　of　Shifty　Dick　up　to　his　very　shoulder；　for　I
heard　him　give　a　roar　of　rage　and　pain。　Before　he　could　catch　at
the　fork　with　his　other　hand　I　had　drawn　it　inside。　By　this　time
even　Jerry　lost　his　temper　and　swore　more　awfully　than　Dick
himself。

Then　there　came　another　minute　of　respite。　I　suspected　they　had
gone　to　get　bigger　stones；　and　I　dreaded　the　giving　way　of　the
whole　door。

Running　into　the　bedroom　as　this　fear　beset　me；　I　laid　hold　of　my
chest　of　drawers；　dragged　it　into　the　passage；　and　threw　it　down
against　the　door。　On　the　top　of　that　I　heaped　my　father's　big
tool　chest；　three　chairs；　and　a　scuttleful　of　coals；　and　last；　I
dragged　out　the　kitchen　table　and　rammed　it　as　hard　as　I　could
against　the　whole　barricade。　They　heard　me　as　they　were　coming　up
to　the　door　with　fresh　stones。　Jerry　said：　〃Stop　a　bit！〃　and　t
hen　the　two　consulted　together　in　whispers。　I　listened　eagerly；
and　just　caught　these　words：

〃Let's　try　it　the　other　way。〃

Nothing　more　was　said；　but　I　heard　their　footsteps　retreating
from　the　door。

Were　they　going　to　besiege　the　back　door　now？

I　had　hardly　asked　myself　that　question　when　I　heard　their　voices
at　the　other　side　of　the　house。　The　back　door　was　smaller　than
the　front；　but　it　had　this　advantage　in　the　way　of　strengthit
was　made　of　two　solid　oak　boards　joined　lengthwise；　and
strengthened　inside　by　heavy　cross　pieces。　It　had　no　bolts　like
the　front　door；　but　was　fastened　by　a　bar　of　iron　running　across
it　in　a　slanting　direction；　and　fitting　at　either　end　into　the
wall。

〃They　must　have　the　whole　cottage　down　before　they　can　break　in
at　that　door！〃　I　thought　to　myself。　And　they　soon　found　out　as
much　for　themselves。　After　five　minutes　of　banging　at　the　back
door　they　gave　up　any　further　attack　in　that　direction　and　cast
their　heavy　stones　down　with　curses　of　fury　awful　to　hear。

I　went　into　the　kitchen　and　dropped　on　the　window…seat　to　rest
for　a　moment。　Suspense　and　excitement　together　were　beginning　to
tell　upon　me。　The　perspiration　broke　out　thick　on　my　forehead；
and　I　began　to　feel　the　bruises　I　had　inflicted　on　my　hands　in
making　the　barricade　against　the　front　door。　I　had　not　lost　a
particle　of　my　resolution；　but　I　was　beginning　to　lose　strength。
There　was　a　bottle　of　rum　in　the　cupboard；　which　my　brother　the
sailor　had　left　with　us　the　last　time　he　was　ashore。　I　drank　a
drop　of　it。　Never　before　or　since　have　I　put　anything　down　my
throat　that　did　me　half　so　much　good　as　that　precious　mouthful　of
rum！

I　was　still　sitting　in　the　window…seat　drying　my　face；　when　I
suddenly　heard　their　voices　close　behind　me。

They　were　feeling　the　outside　of　the　window　against　which　I　was
sitting。　It　was　protected；　like　all　the　other　windows　in　the
cottage；　by　iron　bars。　I　listened　in　dreadful　suspense　for　the
sound　of　filing；　but　nothing　of　the　sort　was　audible。　They　had
evidently　reckoned　on　frightening　me　easily　into　letting　them　in；
and　had　come　unprovided　with　house…breaking　tools　of　any　kind。　A
fresh　burst　of　oaths　informed　me　that　they　had　recognized　the
obstacle　of　the　iron　bars。　I　listened　breathlessly　for　some
warning　of　what　they　were　going　to　do　next；　but　their　voices
seemed　to　die　away　in　the　distance。　They　were　retreating　from　the
window。　Were　they　also　retreating　from　the　house　altogether？　Had
they　given　up　the　idea　of　effecting　an　entrance　in　despair？

A　long　silence　followeda　silence　which　tried　my　courage　even
more　severely　than　the　tumult　of　their　first　attack　on　the
cottage。

Dreadful　suspicions　now　beset　me　of　their　being　able　to
accomplish　by　treachery　what　they　had　failed　to　effect　by　force。
Well　as　I　knew　the　cottage；　I　began　to　doubt　whether　there　might
not　be　ways　of　cunningly　and　silently　entering　it　against　which　I
was　not　provided。　The　ticking　of　the　clock　annoyed　me；　the
crackling　of　the　fire　startled　me。　I　looked　out　twenty　times　in　a
minute　into　the　dark　corners　of　the　passage；　straining　my　eyes；
holding　my　breath；　anticipating　the　most　unlikely　events；　the
most　impossible　dangers。　Had　they　really　gone；　or　were　they　still
prowling　about　the　house？　Oh；　what　a　sum　of　money　I　would　have
given　only　to　have　known　what　they　were　about　in　that　interval　of
silence！

I　was　startled　at　last　out　of　my　suspense　in　the　most　awful
manner。　A　shout　from　one　of　them　reached　my　ears　on　a　sudden　down
the　kitchen　chimney。　It　was　so　unexpected　and　so　horrible　in　the
stillness　that　I　screamed　for　the　first　time　since　the　attack　on
the　house。　My　worst　forebodings　had　never　suggested　to　me　that
the　two　villains　might　mount　upon　the　roof。

〃Let　us　in；　you　she…devil！〃　roared　a　voice　down　the　chimney。

There　was　another　pause。　The　smoke　from　the　wood　fire；　thin　and
light　as　it　was　in　the　red　state　of　the　embers　at　that　moment；
had　evidently　obliged　the　man　to　take　his　face　from　the　mouth　of
the　chimney。　I　counted　the　seconds　while　he　was；　as　I
conjectured；　getting　his　breath　again。　In　less　than　half　a　minute
there　came　another　shout：

〃Let　us　in；　or　we'll　burn　the　place