the queen of hearts-第15节

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there　came　another　shout：

〃Let　us　in；　or　we'll　burn　the　place　down　over　your　head！〃

Burn　it？　Burn　what？　There　was　nothing　easily　combustible　but　the
thatch　on　the　roof；　and　that　had　been　well　soaked　by　the　heavy
rain　which　had　now　fallen　incessantly　for　more　than　six　hours。
Burn　the　place　over　my　head？　How？

While　I　was　still　casting　about　wildly　in　my　mind　to　discover
what　possible　danger　there　could　be　of　fire；　one　of　the　heavy
stones　placed　on　the　thatch　to　keep　it　from　being　torn　up　by　high
winds　came　thundering　down　the　chimney。　It　scattered　the　live
embers　on　the　hearth　all　over　the　room。　A　richly…furnished　place；
with　knickknacks　and　fine　muslin　about　it；　would　have　been　set　on
fire　immediately。　Even　our　bare　floor　and　rough　furniture　gave
out　a　smell　of　burning　at　the　first　shower　of　embers　which　the
first　stone　scattered。

For　an　instant　I　stood　quite　horror…struck　before　this　new　proof
of　the　devilish　ingenuity　of　the　villains　outside。　But　the
dreadful　danger　I　was　now　in　recalled　me　to　my　senses
immediately。　There　was　a　large　canful　of　water　in　my　bedroom；　and
I　ran　in　at　once　to　fetch　it。　Before　I　could　get　back　to　the
kitchen　a　second　stone　had　been　thrown　down　the　chimney；　and　the
floor　was　smoldering　in　several　places。

I　had　wit　enough　to　let　the　smoldering　go　on　for　a　moment　or　two
more；　and　to　pour　the　whole　of　my　canful　of　water　over　the　fire
before　the　third　stone　came　down　the　chimney。　The　live　embers　on
the　floor　I　easily　disposed　of　after　that。　The　man　on　the　roof
must　have　heard　the　hissing　of　the　fire　as　I　put　it　out；　and　have
felt　the　change　produced　in　the　air　at　the　mouth　of　the　chimney；
for　after　the　third　stone　had　descended　no　more　followed　it。　As
for　either　of　the　ruffians　themselves　dropping　down　by　the　same
road　along　which　the　stones　had　come；　that　was　not　to　be　dreaded。
The　chimney；　as　I　well　knew　by　our　experience　in　cleaning　it；　was
too　narrow　to　give　passage　to　any　one　above　the　size　of　a　small
boy。

I　looked　upward　as　that　comforting　reflection　crossed　my　mindI
looked　up；　and　saw；　as　plainly　as　I　see　the　paper　I　am　now
writing　on；　the　point　of　a　knife　coming　through　the　inside　of　the
roof　just　over　my　head。　Our　cottage　had　no　upper　story；　and　our
rooms　had　no　ceilings。　Slowly　and　wickedly　the　knife　wriggled　its
way　through　the　dry　inside　thatch　between　the　rafters。　It　stopped
for　a　while；　and　there　came　a　sound　of　tearing。　That；　in　its
turn；　stopped　too；　there　was　a　great　fall　of　dry　thatch　on　the
floor；　and　I　saw　the　heavy；　hairy　hand　of　Shifty　Dick；　armed　with
the　knife；　come　through　after　the　fallen　fragments。　He　tapped　at
the　rafters　with　the　back　of　the　knife；　as　if　to　test　their
strength。　Thank　God；　they　were　substantial　and　close　together！
Nothing　lighter　than　a　hatchet　would　have　sufficed　to　remove　any
part　of　them。

The　murderous　hand　was　still　tapping　with　the　knife　when　I　heard
a　shout　from　the　man　Jerry；　coming　from　the　neighborhood　of　my
father's　stone…shed　in　the　back　yard。　The　hand　and　knife
disappeared　instantly。　I　went　to　the　back　door　and　put　my　ear　to
it；　and　listened。

Both　men　were　now　in　the　shed。　I　made　the　most　desperate　efforts
to　call　to　mind　what　tools　and　other　things　were　left　in　it　which
might　be　used　against　me。　But　my　agitation　confused　me。　I　could
remember　nothing　except　my　father's　big　stone…saw；　which　was　far
too　heavy　and　unwieldy　to　be　used　on　the　roof　of　the　cottage。　I
was　still　puzzling　my　brains；　and　making　my　head　swim　to　no
purpose；　when　I　heard　the　men　dragging　something　out　of　the　shed。
At　the　same　instant　that　the　noise　caught　my　ear；　the　remembrance
flashed　across　me　like　lightning　of　some　beams　of　wood　which　had
lain　in　the　shed　for　years　past。　I　had　hardly　time　to　feel
certain　that　they　were　removing　one　of　these　beams　before　I　heard
Shifty　Dick　say　to　Jerry。

〃Which　door？〃

〃The　front；〃　was　the　answer。　〃We've　cracked　it　already；　we'll
have　it　down　now　in　no　time。〃

Senses　less　sharpened　by　danger　than　mine　would　have　understood
but　too　easily；　from　these　words；　that　they　were　about　to　use　the
beam　as　a　battering…ram　against　the　door。　When　that　conviction
overcame　me；　I　lost　courage　at　last。　I　felt　that　the　door　must
come　down。　No　such　barricade　as　I　had　constructed　could　support
it　for　more　than　a　few　minutes　against　such　shocks　as　it　was　now
to　receive。

〃I　can　do　no　more　to　keep　the　house　against　them；〃　I　said　to
myself；　with　my　knees　knocking　together；　and　the　tears　at　last
beginning　to　wet　my　cheeks。　〃I　must　trust　to　the　night　and　the
thick　darkness；　and　save　my　life　by　running　for　it　while　there　is
yet　time。〃

I　huddled　on　my　cloak　and　hood；　and　had　my　hand　on　the　bar　of　the
back　door；　when　a　piteous　mew　from　the　bedroom　reminded　me　of　the
existence　of　poor　Pussy。　I　ran　in；　and　huddled　the　creature　up　in
my　apron。　Before　I　was　out　in　the　passage　again；　the　first　shock
from　the　beam　fell　on　the　door。

The　upper　hinge　gave　way。　The　chairs　and　coal…scuttle；　forming
the　top　of　my　barricade；　were　hurled；　rattling；　on　to　the　floor；
but　the　lower　hinge　of　the　door；　and　the　chest　of　drawers　and　the
tool…chest　still　kept　their　places。

〃One　more！〃　I　heard　the　villains　cry〃one　more　run　with　the
beam；　and　down　it　comes！〃

Just　as　they　must　have　been　starting　for　that　〃one　more　run；〃　I
opened　the　back　door　and　fled　into　the　night；　with　the　bookful　of
banknotes　in　my　bosom；　the　silver　spoons　in　my　pocket；　and　the
cat　in　my　arms。　I　threaded　my　way　easily　enough　through　the
familiar　obstacles　in　the　backyard；　and　was　out　in　the　pitch
darkness　of　the　moor　before　I　heard　the　second　shock；　and　the
crash　which　told　me　that　the　whole　door　had　given　way。

In　a　few　minutes　they　must　have　discovered　the　fact　of　my　flight
with　the　pocketbook；　for　I　heard　shouts　in　the　distance　as　if
they　were　running　out　to　pursue　me。　I　kept　on　at　the　top　of　my
speed；　and　the　noise　soon　died　away。　It　was　so　dark　that　twenty
thieves　instead　of　two　would　have　found　it　useless　to　follow　me。

How　long　it　was　before　I　reached　the　farmhousethe　nearest　place
to　which　I　could　fly　for　refugeI　cannot　tell　you。　I　remember
that　I　had　just　sense　enough　to　keep　the　wind　at　my　back　（having
observed　in　the　beginning　of　the　evening　that　it　blew　toward　Moor
Farm）；　and　to　go　on　resolutely　through　the　darkness。　In　all　other
respects　I　was　by　this　time　half　crazed　by　what　I　had　gone
through。　If　it　had　so　happened　that　the　wind　had　changed　after　I
had　observed　its　direction　early　in　the　evening；　I　should　have
gone　astray；　and　have　probably　perished　of　fatigue　and　exposure
on　the　moor。　Providentially；　it　still　blew　steadily　as　it　had
blown　for　hours　past；　and　I　reached　the　farmhouse　with　my　clothes
wet　through；　and　my　brain　in　a　high　fever。　When　I　made　my　alarm
at　the　door；　they　had　all　gone　to　bed　but　the　farmer's　eldest
son；　who　was　sitting　up　late　over　his　pipe　and　newspaper。　I　just
mustered　strength　enough　to　gasp　out　a　few　words；　telling　him
what　was　the　matter；　and　then　fell　down　at　his　feet；　for　the
first　time　in　my　life　in　a　dead　swoon。

That　swoon　was　followed　by　a　severe　illness。　When　I　got　strong
enough　to　look　about　me　again；　I　found　myself　in　one　of　the
farmhouse　bedsmy　father；　Mrs。　Knifton；　and　the　doctor　were　all
in　the　roommy　cat　was　asleep　at　my　feet；　and　the　pocketbook
that　I　had　saved　lay　on　the　table　by　my　side。

There　was　plenty　of　news　for　me　to　hear　as　soon　as　I　was　fit　to
listen　to　it。　Shifty　Dick　and　the　other　rascal　had　been　caught；
and　were　in　prison；　waiting　their　trial　at　the　next　assizes。　Mr。
and　Mrs。　Knifton　had　been　so　shocked　at　the　danger　I　had　runfor
which　they　blamed　their　own　want　of　thoughtfulness　in　leaving　the
pocketbook　in　my　carethat　they　had　insisted　on　my　father's
removing　from　our　lonely　home　to　a　cottage　on　their　land；　which
we　were　to　inhabit　rent　free。　The　bank…notes　that　I　had　saved
were　given　to　me　to　buy　furniture　with；　in　place　of　the　things
that　the　thieves　had　broken。　These　pleasant　tidings　assisted　so
greatly　in　promoting　my　recovery；　that　I　was　soon　able　to　relate
to　my　friends　at　the　farmhouse　the　particulars　that　I　have
written　here。　They　were　all　surprised　and　interested；　but　no　one；
as　I　thought；　listened　to　me　with　such　breathless　attention　as
the　farmer's　eldest　son。　Mrs。　Knifton　noticed　this　too；　and　began
to　make　jokes　about　it；　in　her　light…hearted　way；　as　soon　as　we
were　alone。　I　thought　little　of　her　jesting　at　the　time；　but　when
I　got　well；　and　we　went　to　live　at　our　new　home；　〃the　young
farmer；〃　as　he　was　called　in　our　parts；　constantly　came　to　see
us；　and　constantly　managed　to　meet　me　out　of　doors。　I　had　my
share　of　vanity；　like　other　young　women；　and　I　began　to　think　of
Mrs。　Knifton's　jokes　with　some　attention。　To　be　brief；　the　young
farmer　managed　one　SundayI　never　could　tell　howto　lose　his
way　with　me　in　returning　from　church；　and　before　we　found　out　the
right　road　home　again　he　had　asked　me　to　be　his　wife。

His　relations　did　all　they　could　to　keep　us　asunder　and　break　off
the　match；　thinking　a　poor　stonemason's　daughter　no　fit　wife　for
a　prosperous　yeoman。　But　the　farmer　was　too　obstinate　for　them。
He　had　one　form　of　answer　to　all　their　objections。　〃A　man；　if　he