PART I The Old Buccaneer（第2页）

thenfollowedabattleoflooksbetweenthem，butthecaptainsoonknuckledunder，putuphisweapon，andresumedhisseat，grumblinglikeabeatendog.

"andnow，sir，"continuedthedoctor，"sinceinowknowtheressuchafellowinmydistrict，youmaycountillhaveaneyeuponyoudayandnight.imnotadoctoronly;imamagistrate;andificatchabreathofplaintagainstyou，ifitsonlyforapieceofincivilityliketonights，illtakeeffectualmeanstohaveyou混teddownandroutedoutofthis.letthatsuffice.

soonafter，dr.liveseyshorsecametothedoorandherodeaway，butthecaptainheldhispeacethatevening，andformanyeveningstoe.

chapter2blackdogappearsanddisappears

urredthefirstofthemysteriouseventsthatridusatlastofthecaptain，thoughnot，asyouwillsee，ofhisaffairs.itwasabittercoldwinter，withlong，hardfrostsandheavygales;anditwasplainfromthefirstthatmypoorfatherwaslittlelikelytoseethespring.hesankdaily，andmytherandihadalltheinnuponourhands，andwerekeptbusyenoughwithoutpayingmuchregardtoourunpleasantguest.

itwasonejanuaryrning，veryearly—apinching，frostyrning—thecoveallgreywithhoar-frost，theripplelappingsoftlyonthestones，thesunstilllowandonlytouchingthehilltopsandshiningfartoseaward.thecaptainhadrisenearlierthanusualandsetoutdownthebeach，hiscutlassswingingunderthebroadskirtsoftheoldb露ecoat，hisbrasstelescopeunderhisarm，hishattiltedbackuponhishead.irememberhisbreathhanginglikeskeinhiswakeashestrodeoff，andthelastsoundiheardofhimasheturnedthebigrockwasaloudsnortofindignation，asthoughhismindwasstillrunningupondr.livesey.

well，therwasupstairswithfatherandiwaslayingthebreakfast-tableagainstthecaptainsreturnwhentheparlourdooropenedandamansteppedinonwhomihadneversetmyeyesbefore.hewasapale，tallowycreature，wantwofingersofthelefthand，andthoughheworeacutlass，hedidnotlookmuchlikeafighter.ihadalwaysmyeyeopenforseafaringmen，withonelegortwo，andirememberthisonepuzzledme.hewasnotsailorly，andyethehadasmackoftheseaabouthimtoo.

iaskedhimwhatwasforhisservice，andhesaidhewouldtakerum;butasiwasgoingoutoftheroomtofetchit，hesatdownuponatableandtionedmetodrawnear.ipausedwhereiwas，withmynapkininmyhand.

"ehere，sonny，"sayshe."enearerhere."

itookastepnearer.

"isthisheretableformymatebill?"heaskedwithakindofleer.

itoldhimididnotknowhismatebill，andthiswasforapersonwhostayedinourhousewhomwecalledthecaptain.

"well，"saidhe，"mymatebillwouldbecalledthecaptain，aslikeasnot.hehasacutononecheekandamightypleasantwaywithhim，particularlyindrink，hasmymatebill.wellputit，forargumentlike，thatyourcaptainhasacutononecheek—andwellputit，ifyoulike，thatthatcheekstherightone.ah，well!itoldyou.now，ismymatebillinthisherehouse?"

itoldhimhewasoutwalking.

"whichway，sonny?whichwayishegone?"

andwhenihadpointedouttherockandtoldhimhowthecaptainwaslikelytoreturn，andhowsoon，andansweredafewotherquestions，"ah，"saidhe，"thisllbeasgoodasdrinktomymatebill."

theexpressionofhisfaceashesaidthesewordswasnotatallpleasant，andihadmyownreasonsforthinkingthatthestrangerwasmistaken，evensupposinghemeantwhathesaid.butitwasnoaffairofmine，ithought;andbesides，itwasdifficulttoknowwhattodo.thestrangerkepthangingaboutjustinsidetheinndoor，peeringroundthecornerlikeacatwaiforause.onceisteppedoutmyselfintotheroad，butheimmediatelycalledmeback，andasididnotobeyquickenoughforhisfancy，asthorriblechangecameoverhistallowyface，andheorderedmeinwithanoaththatmademejump.assoonasiwasbackagainhereturnedtohisformermanner，halffawning，halfsneering，pattedmeontheshoulder，toldmeiwasagoodboyandhehadtakenquiteafancytome."ihaveasonofmyown，"saidhe，"aslikeyouastwoblocks，andhesalltheprideofmyart.butthegreatthingforboysisdiscipline，sonny—discipline.now，ifyouhadsailedalongofbill，youwouldnthavestoodtheretobespoketotwice—notyou.thatwasneverbillsway，northewayofsichassailedwithhiandhere，sureenough，ismymatebill，withaspy-glassunderhisarm，blesshisoldart，tobesure.youandmelljustgobackintotheparlour，sonny，andgetbehindthedoor，andwellgivebillalittlesurprise—blesshisart，isayagain."

sosaying，thestrangerbackedalongwithmeintotheparlourandputmebehindhiminthecornersothatwewerebothhiddenbytheopendoor.iwasver玉neasyandalarmed，asyoumayfancy，anditratheraddedtomyfearstoobservethatthestrangerwascertainlyfrightenedhimself.heclearedthehiltofhiscutlassandloosenedthebladeinthesheath;andallthetimewewerewaitherehekeptswallowingasifhefeltwhatweusedtocalla露mpinthethroat.

atlastinstrodethecaptain，slammedthedoorbehindhim，withoutlookingtotherightorleft，andmarchedstraightacrosstheroomtowherehisbreakfastawaitedhi

"bill，"saidthestrangerinavoicethatithoughthehadtriedtomakeboldandbig.

thecaptainspunroundonhisheelandfrontedus;allthebrownhadgoneoutofhisface，andevenhisnosewasb露e;hehadthelookofamanwhoseesaghost，ortheevilone，orsomethingworse，ifanythingcanbe;anduponmyword，ifeltsorrytoseehimallinamentturnsooldandsick.

"e，bill，youknowme;youknowanoldshipmate，bill，surely，"saidthestranger.

thecaptainmadeasortofgasp.

"blackdog!"saidhe.

"andwhoelse?"returnedtheother，getreathisease."blackdogaseverwas，efortoseehisoldshipmatebilly，attheadmiralbenbowinn.ah，bill，bill，wehaveseenasightoftimes，ustwo，sinceilostthemtwotalons，"holdinguphismutilatedhand.

"now，lookhere，"saidthecaptain;"youverunmedown;hereiam;well，then，speakup;whatisit?"