PART I The Old Buccaneer02（第2页）

"now，激m，"shesaid，"thatkey."

ifeltinhispockets，oneafteranother.afewsmallcoins，athimble，andsomethreadandbigneedles，obittenawayattheend，hisgullywiththecrookedhandle，apocketpass，andatinderboxwereallthattheycontained，andibegantodespair.

"perhapsitsroundhisneck，"estedmyther.

overingastrongrepugnance，itoreopenhisshirtattheneck，andthere，sureenough，hangingtoabitoftarrystring，whichicutwithhisowngully，wefoundthekey.atthistriumphwewerefilledwithhopeandhurriedupstairswithoutdelaytothelittleroomwherehehadsleptsolongandwherehisboxhadstoodsincethedayofhisarrival.

itwaslikeanyotherseamanschestontheoutside，theinitial"b"burnedonthetopofitwithahotiron，andthecornerssomewhatsmashedandbrokenasbylong，roughusage.

"givemethekey，"saidmyther;andthoughthelockwasverystiff，shehadturneditandthrownbackthelidinatwinkling.

oandtarrosefromtheinterior，butnothingwastobeseenonthetopexceptasuitofverygoodclothes，carefullybrushedandfolded.theyhadneverbeenworn，mythersaid.underthat，themiscellanybegan—aquadrant，atincanikin，o，twobraceofveryhandsomepistols，apieceofbarsilver，anoldspanishwatchandsomeothertrinketsoflittleva露eandstlyofforeignmake，apairofpassesuntedwithbrass，andfiveorsixcuriouswestindianshells.ihaveoftenwonderedsincewhyheshouldhavecarriedabouttheseshellswithhiminhiswandering，guilty，and混tedlife.

inthemeantime，wehadfoundnothingofanyva露ebutthesilverandthetrinkets，andneitherofthesewereinourway.underneaththerewasanoldboatcloak，whitenedwithsea-saltonmanyaharbour-bar.mytherpulleditupwithimpatience，andtherelaybeforeus，thelastthingsinthechest，abundletiedupinoilcloth，andlookinglikepapers，andacanvasbagthatgaveforth，atatouch，the激ngleofgold.

"illshowtheseroguesthatimanhonestwoman，"saidmyther."illhavemydues，andnotafarthingover.holdmrs.crossleysbag."andshebegantocountovertheauntofthecaptainsscorefromthesailorsbagintotheohatiwasholding.

itwasalong，difficultbusiness，forthecoinswereofallcountriesandsizes—doubloons，andlouisdors，andguineas，andpiecesofeight，andiknownotwhatbesides，allshakentogetheratrandotheguineas，too，wereaboutthescarcest，anditwaswiththeseonlythatmytherknewhowtomakehercount.

whenwewereabouthalf-waythrough，isuddenlyputmyhanduponherarm，forihadheardinthesilentfrostyairasoundthatbroughtmyheartintomyuth—thetap-tappingoftheblindmansstickuponthefrozenroad.itdrewnearerandnearer，whilewesatholdingourbreath.thenitstrucksharpontheinndoor，andthenwecouldhearthehandlebeingturnedandtheboltrattlingasthewretchedbeingtriedtoenter;andthentherewasalongtimeofsilencebothwithinandwithout.atlastthetappingremenced，and，toourindescribablejoyandgratitude，diedslowlyawayagainuntilitceasedtobeheard.

"ther，"saidi，"takethewholeandletsbegoing，"foriwassurethebolteddoormusthaveseemedsuspiciousandwouldbringthewholehorsnestaboutourears，thoughhowthankfuliwasthatihadboltedit，nonecouldtellwhohadnevermetthatterribleblindman.

butmyther，frightenedasshewas，wouldnotconsenttotakeafractionrethanwasduetoherandwasobstinatel玉nwillingtobecontentwithless.itwasnotyetseven，shesaid，byalongway;sheknewherrightsandshewouldhavethem;andshewasstillarguingwithmewhenalittlelowwhistlesoundedagoodwayoffuponthehill.thatwasenough，andrethanenough，forbothofus.

"illtakewhatihave，"shesaid，jumpingtoherfeet.

"andilltakethistosquarethecount，"saidi，pickinguptheoilskinpacket.

nextmentwewerebothgropingdownstairs，leavingthecandlebytheemptychest;andthenextwehadopenedthedoorandwereinfullretreat.wehadnotstartedamenttoosoon.thefogwasrapidlydispersing;alreadytheonshonequiteclearonthehighgroundoneitherside;anditwasonlyintheexactbottofthedellandroundthetaverndoorthatathinveilstill混gunbrokentoconcealthefirststepsofourescape.farlessthanhalf-waytothehamlet，verylittlebeyondthebottofthehill，wemusteforthintotheonlight.norwasthisall，forthesoundofseveralfootstepsrunningcamealreadytoourears，andaswelookedbackintheirdirection，alighttossingtoandfroandstillrapidlyadvancingshowedthatoneofthenewerscarriedalantern.

"mydear，"saidmythersuddenly，"taketheneyandrunon.iamgoingtofaint."

thiswascertainlytheendforbothofus，ithought.howicursedthecowardiceoftheneighbours;howiblamedmypoortherforherhonestyandhergreed，forherpastfoolhardinessandpresentweakness!wewerejustatthelittlebridge，bygoodfortune;andihelpedher，totteringasshewas，totheedgeofthebank，where，sureenough，shegaveasighandfellonmyshoulder.idonotknowhowifoundthestrengthtodoitatall，andiamafraiditwasroughlydone，butimanagedtodragherdownthebankandalittlewa玉nderthearch.farthericouldnotveher，forthebridgewastoolowtoletmedorethancrawlbelowit.sotherewehadtostay—mytheralstentirelyexposedandbothofuswithinearshotoftheinn.

chapter5thelastoftheblindman

ycuriosity，inasense，wasstrongerthanmyfear，foricouldnotremainwhereiwas，butcreptbacktothebankagain，whence，shelteringmyheadbehindabushofbroom，imightmandtheroadbeforeourdoor.iwasscarcelyinpositioneremyenemiesbegantoarrive，sevenoreightofthem，runninghard，theirfeetbeaoutoftimealongtheroadandthemanwiththelanternsomepacesinfront.threemenrantogether，handinhand;andimadeout，eventhroughthemist，ar.thenextmenthisvoiceshowedmethatiwasright.

"downwiththedoor!"hecried.

"aye，aye，sir!"answeredtwoorthree;andarushwasmadeupontheadmiralbenbow，thelanternbearerfollowing;andthenicouldseethempause，andhearspeechespassedinalowerkey，asiftheyweresurprisedtofindthedooropen.butthepausewasbrief，fortheblindmanagainissuedhismands.hisvoicesoundedlouderandhigher，asifhewereafirewitheagernessandrage.

"in，in，in!"heshouted，andcursedthemfortheirdelay.

fourorfiveofthebeyedatonce，ar.therewasapause，thenacryofsurprise，andthenavoiceshoufromthehouse，"billsdead."

buttheblindmansworeatthemagainfortheirdelay.

"searchhim，someofyoushirking露bbers，andtherestofyoualoftandgetthechest，"hecried.

icouldheartheirfeetrattlingupouroldstairs，sothatthehousemusthaveshookwithit.promptlyafterwards，freshsoundsofastonishmentarose;thewindowofthecaptainsroomwasthrownopenwithaslamanda激ngleofbrokenglass，andamanleanedoutintotheonlight，headandshoulders，arontheroadbelowhi

"pew，"hecried，"theyvebeenbeforeus.someonesturnedthechestoutalowandaloft."

"isitthere?"roaredpew.

"theneysthere."

theblindmancursedtheney.