treasure island chapter11英2

孙祎卓

`Gentlemen of fortune,' returned the cook, `usually trusts little among themselves, and right they are, you may lay to it. But I have a way with me, I have. When a mate brings a slip on his cable - one as knows me, I mean - it won't be in the same world with old John. There was some that was feared of Pew, and some that was feared of Flint; but Flint his own self was feared of me. Feared he was, and proud. They was the roughest crew afloat, was Flint's; the devil himself would have been feared to go to sea with them. Well, now, I tell you, I'm not a boasting man, and you seen yourself how easy I keep company; but when I was quartermaster, lambs wasn't the word for Flint's old buccaneers. Ah, you may be sure of yourself in old John's ship.'

`Well, I tell you now,' replied the lad, `I didn't half a quarter like the job till I had this talk with you, John; but there's my hand on it now.'

`And a brave lad you were, and smart, too,' answered Silver, shaking hands so heartily that all the barrel shook, `and a finer figure-head for a gentleman of fortune I never clapped my eyes on.'

By this time I had begun to understand the meaning of their terms. By a `gentleman of fortune' they plainly meant neither more nor less than a common pirate, and the little scene that I had overheard was the last act in the corruption of one of the honest hands - perhaps of the last one left aboard. But on this point I was soon to be relieved for Silver giving a little whistle, a third man strolled up and sat down by the party.

`Dick's square,' said Silver.

`Oh, I know'd Dick was square,' returned the voice of the coxswain, Israel Hands. `He's no fool, is Dick.' And he turned his quid and spat. `But, look here,' he went on, here's what I want to know, Barbecue: how long are we a-going to stand off and on like a blessed bumboat? I've had a' most enough o Cap'n Smollett; he's hazed me long enough, by thunder! I want to go into that cabin, I do. I want their pickles and wines, and that.'

`Israel,' said Silver, `your head aint much account, nor ever was. But you're able to hear, I reckon; leastways, your ears is big enough. Now, here's what I say: you'll berth forward, and you'll live hard, and you'll speak soft, and you'll keep sober, till I give the word; and you may lay to that, my son.'

`Well, I don't say no, do I?' growled the coxswain. `What I say is, when? That's what I say.'

`When! by the powers!' cried Silver. `Well, now, if you want to know, I'll tell you when. The last moment I can manage; and that's when. Here's a first-rate seaman, Cap'n Smollett, sails the blessed ship for us. Here's this squire and doctor with a map and such - I don't know where it is, do I? No more do you, says you. Well, then, I mean this squire and doctor shall find the stuff, and help us to get it aboard, by the powers. Then we'll see. If was sure of you all, sons of double Dutchmen, I'd have Cap'n Smollett navigate us half-way back again before struck.'

`Why, we're all seamen aboard here, I should think,' said the lad Dick.

`We're all foc's'le hands, you mean,' snapped Silver `We can steer a course, but who's to set one? That's what all you gentlemen split on, first and last. If I had my way I'd have Cap'n Smollett work us back into the trades a' least; then we'd have no blessed miscalculations and a spoonful of water a day. But I know the sort you are. I'll finish with 'em at the island, as soon's the blunt's on board and a pity it is. But you're never happy till you're drunk Split my sides, I've a sick heart to sail with the likes of you!

`Easy all, Long John,' cried Israel. `Who's a-crossing of you?'

`Why, how many tall ships, think ye, now, have I seen laid aboard? and how many brisk lads drying in the sun at Execution Dock?' cried Silver, `and all for this same hurry and hurry and hurry. You hear me? I seen a thing or two at sea, I have. If you would on'y lay your course and a p'int to windward, you would ride in carriages, you would. But not you! I know you. You'll have your mouthful of rum to- morrow, and go hang.'

`Everybody know'd you was a kind of a chapling, John; but there's others as could hand and steer as well as you,' said Israel. `They liked a bit o' fun, they did. They wasn't so high. and dry, nohow, but took their fling, like jolly companions every one.'

`So?' says Silver. `Well, and where are they now? Pew was that sort, and he died a beggar-man. Flint was, and he died of rum at Savannah. Ah, they was a sweet crew they was! on'y, where are they?'

`But,' asked Dick, `when we do lay 'em athwart, what are we to do with 'em, anyhow?'

`There's the man for me!' cried the cook, admiringly. `That's what I call business. Well, what would you think? Put 'em ashore like maroons? That would have been England's way. Or cut 'em down like that much pork? That would have been Flint's or Billy Bones's.'

`Billy was the man for that,' said Israel. ```Dead men don't bite,'' says he. Well, he's dead now himself; he knows the long and short on it now; and if ever a rough hand come to port, it was Billy.'

`Right you are,' said Silver, `rough and ready. But mark you here: I'm an easy man - I'm quite the gentleman, says you; but this time it's serious. Dooty is dooty, mates. I give my vote - death. When I'm in Parlyment, and riding in my coach, I don't want none of these sea - lawyers in the cabin a-coming home, unlooked for, like the devil at prayers. Wait is what I say; but when the time comes, why let her rip!'

`John,' cries the coxswain, `you're a man!'

`You'll say so, Israel, when you see,' said Silver. `Only one thing I claim - I claim Trelawney. I'll wring his calf's head off his body with these hands. Dick!' he added, breaking off, `you just jump up, like a sweet lad, and get me an apple, to wet my pipe like.'

You may fancy the terror I was in! I should have leaped out and run for it, if I had found the strength; but my limbs and heart alike misgave me. I heard Dick begin to rise, and then someone seemingly stopped him, and the voice of Hands exclaimed:--

`Oh, stow that! Don't you get sucking of that bilge, John. Let's have a go of the rum.'

`Dick,' said Silver, `I trust you. I've a gauge on the keg, mind. There's the key; you fill a pannikin and bring it up.'

Terrified as I was, I could not help thinking to myself that this must have been how Mr Arrow got the strong waters that destroyed him.

Dick was gone but a little while, and during his absence Israel spoke straight on in the cook's ear. It was but a word or two that I could catch, and yet I gathered some important news; for, besides other scraps that tended to the sam purpose, this whole clause was audible: `Not another man of them'll jine.' Hence there were still faithful men on board When Dick returned, one after another of the trio took the pannikin and drank - one `To luck'; another with a `Here's to old Flint'; and Silver himself saying, in a kind of song `Here's to ourselves, and hold your luff, plenty of prizes and plenty of duff.'

Just then a sort of brightness fell upon me in the barrel and looking up, I found the moon had risen, and was silvering, the mizzen-top and shining white on the luff of the fore-sail and almost at the same time the voice of the look-out shouted `Land ho!'