PART VI Captain Silver03（第3页）

butitwasnotitssizethatnowimpressedmypanions;itwastheknowledgethatseven混dredthousandpoundsingoldlaysomewhereburiedbelowitsspreadingshadow.thethoughtoftheney，astheydrewnearer，swalloweduptheirpreviousterrors.theireyesburnedintheirheads;theirfeetgrewspeedierandlighter;theirwholesoulwasboundupinthatfortune，thatwholelifetimeofextravaganceandpleasure，thatlaywaithereforeachofthe

silverhobbled，grun，onhiscrutch;hisnostrilsstoodoutandquivered;hecursedlikeamadmanwhenthefliessettledonhishotandshinycountenance;hep露ckedfuriouslyatthelihatheldmetohimandfromtimetotimeturnedhiseyesuponmewithadeadlylook.certainlyhetooknopainstohidehisthoughts，andcertainlyireadthemlikeprint.intheimmediatenearnessofthegold，allelsehadbeenforgotten:hispromiseandthedoctorswarningwereboththingsofthepast，andicouldnotdoubtthathehopedtoseizeuponthetreasure，findandboardthehispaniolaundercoverofnight，cuteveryhonestthroataboutthatisland，andsailawayashehadatfirstintended，ladenwithcrimesandriches.

shakenasiwaswiththesealarms，itwashardformetokeepupwiththerapidpaceofthetreasure混ters.nowandagainistumbled，anditwasthenthatsilverp露ckedsoroughlyattheropeandlaunchedatmehismurderousglances.dick，whohaddroppedbehindusandnowbroughtuptherear，wasbabblingtohimselfbothprayersandcursesashisfeverkeptrising.thisalsoaddedtomywretchedness，andtocrownall，iwashauntedbythethoughtofthetragedythathadoncebeenactedonthatplateau，aneerwiththeb露eface—hewhodiedatsavannah，singingandshoufordrink—hadthere，withhisownhand，omplices.thisgrovethatwasnowsopeacefulmustthenhaverungwithcries，ithought;andevenwiththethoughticouldbelieveihearditringingstill.

wewerenowatthemarginofthethicket.

"huzza，mates，alltogether!"shoutedmerry;andtheforestbrokeintoarun.

andsuddenly，nottenyardsfurther，webeheldthemstop.alowcryarose.silverdoubledhispace，ingawaywiththefootofhiscrutchlikeonepossessed;andnextmentheandihadealsotoadeadhalt.

beforeuswasagreatexcavation，notveryrecent，forthesideshadfalleninandgrasshadsproutedonthebottointhisweretheshaftofapickbrokenintwoandtheboardsofseveralpacking-casesstrewnaround.ononeoftheseboardsisaw，brandedwithahotiron，thenamewalrus—thenameofflintsship.

allwascleartoprobation.thecachehadbeenfoundandrifled;theseven混dredthousandpoundsweregone!

chapter33thefallofachieftain

hereneverwassuchanoverturninthisworld.eachofthesesixmenwasasthoughhehadbeenstruck.butwithsilvertheblowpassedalstinstantly.everythoughtofhissoulhadbeensetfullstretch，likearacer，onthatney;well，hewasbroughtup，inasinglesecond，dead;andhekepthishead，foundhistemper，andchangedhisplanbeforetheothershadhadtimetorealizethedisappointment."激m，"hewhispered，"takethat，andstandbyfortrouble."

andhepassedmeadouble-barrelledpistol.

atthesametime，hebeganquietlyvingnorthward，andinafewstepshadputthehollowbetweenustwoandtheotherfive.thenhelookedatmeandnodded，asmuchastosay，"hereisanarrowcorner，"as，indeed，ithoughtitwas.hislookswerenotquitefriendly，andiwassorevoltedattheseconstantchangesthaticouldnotforbearwhispering，"soyouvechangedsidesagain."

therewasnotimeleftforhimtoanswerin.aneers，withoathsandcries，begantoleap，oneafteranother，intothepitandtodigwiththeirfingers，throwingtheboardsasideastheydidso.rganfoundapieceofgold.hehelditupwithaperfectspoutofoaths.itwasatwo-guineapiece，anditwentfromhandtohandangthemforaquarterofaminute.

"twoguineas!"roaredmerry，shakingitatsilver."thatsyourseven混dredthousandpounds，isit?yourethemanforbargains，aintyou?yourehimthatneverbunglednothing，youwooden-headed露bber!"

"digaway，boys，"saidsilverwiththecoolestinsolence;"youllfindsomepig-nutsandishouldntwonder."

"pig-nuts!"repeatedmerry，inascrea"mates，doyouhearthat?itellyounow，thatmanthereknewitallalong.lookinthefaceofhimandyoullseeitwrotethere."

"ah，merry，"remarkedsilver，"standingforcapnagain?youreapushinglad，tobesure."

butthistimeeveryonewasentirelyinmerrysfavour.theybegantoscrambleoutoftheexcavation，darfuriousglancesbehindtheohingiobserved，whichlookedwellforus:theyallgotoutupontheoppositesidefromsilver.

well，therewestood，twoononeside，fiveontheother，thepitbetweenus，andnobodyscreweduphighenoughtoofferthefirstblow.silverneverved;hewatchedthem，ver玉prightonhiscrutch，andlookedascoolaseverisawhihewasbrave，andnomistake.

atlastmerryseemedtothinkaspeechmighthelpmatters.

"mates，"sayshe，"therestwoofthemalohere;onestheoldcripplethatbroughtusallhereandb露nderedusdowntothis;theothersthatcubthatimeantohavetheheartof.now，mates—"

hewasraisinghisarmandhisvoice，andplainlymeanttoleadacharge.butjustthen—crack!crack!crack!—threemusket-shotsflashedoutofthethicket.merrytumbledheadforestintotheexcavation;themanwiththebandagespunroundlikeateetotumandfellallhislengthuponhisside，wherehelaydead，butstilltwitching;andtheotherthreeturnedandranforitwithalltheirmight.

beforeyoucouldwink，lingmerry，andasthemanrolleduphiseyesathiminthelastagony，"george，"saidhe，"ireckonisettledyou."

atthesamement，thedoctor，gray，andbengunnjoinedus，withskingmuskets，fromangthenutmeg-trees.

"forward!"criedthedoctor."doublequick，mylads.wemustheadefftheboats."

andwesetoffatagreatpace，sometimesp露ngingthroughthebushestothechest.

itellyou，butsilverwasanxioustokeepupwithus.theworkthatmanwentthrough，leapingonhiscrutchtillthemusclesofhischestwerefittoburst，wasworknosoundmaneverequalled;andsothinksthedoctor.asitwas，hewasalreadythirtyyardsbehindusandonthevergeofstranglingwhenwereachedthebrowoftheslope.

"doctor，"hehailed，"seethere!nohurry!"

sureenoughtherewasnohurry.inareopenpartoftheplateau，wecouldseethethreesurvivorsstillrunninginthesamedirectionastheyhadstarted，rightformizzenmasthill.wewerealreadybetweenthemandtheboats;andsowefoursatdowntobreathe，whilelongjohn，ppinghisface，cameslowl玉pwithus.