armadale-第24节

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better　he　liked　his　after…dinner　amusement。　He　was　in　high
good…humor　that　day；　and　he　hit　me　so　hard　that　he　toppled　over；
in　his　drunken　state；　with　the　force　of　his　own　blow。　He　fell
with　his　face　in　a　puddle；　and　lay　there　without　moving。　I　and
the　dogs　stood　at　a　distance；　and　looked　at　him：　we　thought　he
was　feigning；　to　get　us　near　and　have　another　stroke　at　us。　He
feigned　so　long　that　we　ventured　up　to　him　at　last。　It　took　me
some　time　to　pull　him　over；　he　was　a　heavy　man。　When　I　did　get
him　on　his　back；　he　was　dead。　We　made　all　the　outcry　we　could；
but　the　dogs　were　little；　and　I　was　little；　and　the　place　was
lonely；　and　no　help　came　to　us。　I　took　his　fiddle　and　his　stick；
I　said　to　my　two　brothers；　'Come　along；　we　must　get　our　own
living　now；'　and　we　went　away　heavy…hearted；　and　left　him　on　the
moor。　Unnatural　as　it　may　seem　to　you；　I　was　sorry　for　him。　I
kept　his　ugly　name　through　all　my　after…wanderings；　and　I　have
enough　of　the　old　leaven　left　in　me　to　like　the　sound　of　it
still。　Midwinter　or　Armadale；　never　mind　my　name　now；　we　will
talk　of　that　afterward；　you　must　know　the　worst　of　me　first。〃

〃Why　not　the　best　of　you？〃　said　Mr。　Brock；　gently。

〃Thank　you；　sir；　but　I　am　here　to　tell　the　truth。　We　will　get　on；
if　you　please；　to　the　next　chapter　in　my　story。　The　dogs　and　I
did　badly；　after　our　master's　death；　our　luck　was　against　us。　I
lost　one　of　my　little　brothersthe　best　performer　of　the　two；　he
was　stolen；　and　I　never　recovered　him。　My　fiddle　and　my　stilts
were　taken　from　me　next；　by　main　force；　by　a　tramp　who　was
stronger　than　I。　These　misfortunes　drew　Tommy　and　meI　beg　your
pardon；　sir；　I　mean　the　dogcloser　together　than　ever。

I　think　we　had　some　kind　of　dim　foreboding　on　both　sides　that　we
had　not　done　with　our　misfortunes　yet；　anyhow；　it　was　not　very
long　before　we　were　parted　forever。　We　were　neither　of　us　thieves
（our　master　had　been　satisfied　with　teaching　us　to　dance）；　but　we
both　committed　an　invasion　of　the　rights　of　property；　for　all
that。　Young　creatures；　even　when　they　are　half　starved；　cannot
resist　taking　a　run　sometimes　on　a　fine　morning。　Tommy　and　I
could　not　resist　taking　a　run　into　a　gentleman's　plantation；　the
gentleman　preserved　his　game；　and　the　gentleman's　keeper　knew　his
business。　I　heard　a　gun　go　off；　you　can　guess　the　rest。　God
preserve　me　from　ever　feeling　such　misery　again　as　I　felt　when　I
lay　down　by　Tommy；　and　took　him；　dead　and　bloody；　in　my　arms！　The
keeper　attempted　to　part　us；　I　bit　him；　like　the　wild　animal　I
was。　He　tried　the　stick　on　me　next；　he　might　as　well　have　tried
it　on　one　of　the　trees。　The　noise　reached　the　ears　of　two　young
ladies　riding　near　the　placedaughters　of　the　gentleman　on　whose
property　I　was　a　trespasser。　They　were　too　well　brought　up　to
lift　their　voices　against　the　sacred　right　of　preserving　game；
but　they　were　kind…hearted　girls；　and　they　pitied　me；　and　took　me
home　with　them。　I　remember　the　gentlemen　of　the　house　（keen
sportsmen　all　of　them）　roaring　with　laughter　as　I　went　by　the
windows；　crying；　with　my　little　dead　dog　in　my　arms。　Don't
suppose　I　complain　of　their　laughter；　it　did　me　good　service；　it
roused　the　indignation　of　the　two　ladies。　One　of　them　took　me
into　her　own　garden；　and　showed　me　a　place　where　I　might　bury　my
dog　under　the　flowers；　and　be　sure　that　no　other　hands　should
ever　disturb　him　again。　The　other　went　to　her　father；　and
persuaded　him　to　give　the　forlorn　little　vagabond　a　chance　in　the
house；　under　one　of　the　upper　servants。　Yes！　you　have　been
cruising　in　company　with　a　man　who　was　once　a　foot…boy。　I　saw　you
look　at　me；　when　I　amused　Mr。　Armadale　by　laying　the　cloth　on
board　the　yacht。　Now　you　know　why　I　laid　it　so　neatly；　and　forgot
nothing。　It　has　been　my　good　fortune　to　see　something　of　society；
I　have　helped　to　fill　its　stomach　and　black　its　boots。　My
experience　of　the　servants'　hall　was　not　a　long　one。　Before　I　had
worn　out　my　first　suit　of　livery；　there　was　a　scandal　in　the
house。　It　was　the　old　story；　there　is　no　need　to　tell　it　over
again　for　the　thousandth　time。　Loose　money　left　on　a　table；　and
not　found　there　again；　all　the　servants　with　characters　to　appeal
to　except　the　foot…boy；　who　had　been　rashly　taken　on　trial。　Well！
well！　I　was　lucky　in　that　house　to　the　last；　I　was　not　prosecuted
for　taking　what　I　had　not　only　never　touched；　but　never　even
seen：　I　was　only　turned　out。　One　morning　I　went　in　m　y　old
clothes　to　the　grave　where　I　had　buried　Tommy。　I　gave　the　place　a
kiss；　I　said　good…by　to　my　little　dead　dog；　and　there　I　was；　out
in　the　world　again；　at　the　ripe　age　of　thirteen　years！〃

〃In　that　friendless　state；　and　at　that　tender　age；〃　said　Mr。
Brock；　〃did　no　thought　cross　your　mind　of　going　home　again？〃

〃I　went　home　again；　sir；　that　very　nightI　slept　on　the
hill…side。　What　other　home　had　I？　In　a　day　or　two's　time　I
drifted　back　to　the　large　towns　and　the　bad　company；　the　great
open　country　was　so　lonely　to　me；　now　I　had　lost　the　dogs！　Two
sailors　picked　me　up　next。　I　was　a　handy　lad；　and　I　got　a
cabin…boy's　berth　on　board　a　coasting…　vessel。　A　cabin…boy's
berth　means　dirt　to　live　in；　offal　to　eat；　a　man's　work　on　a
boy's　shoulders；　and　the　rope's…end　at　regular　intervals。　The
vessel　touched　at　a　port　in　the　Hebrides。　I　was　as　ungrateful　as
usual　to　my　best　benefactors；　I　ran　away　again。　Some　women　found
me；　half　dead　of　starvation；　in　the　northern　wilds　of　the　Isle　of
Skye。　It　was　near　the　coast　and　I　took　a　turn　with　the　fishermen
next。　There　was　less　of　the　rope's…end　among　my　new　masters；　but
plenty　of　exposure　to　wind　and　weather；　and　hard　work　enough　to
have　killed　a　boy　who　was　not　a　seasoned　tramp　like　me。　I　fought
through　it　till　the　winter　came；　and　then　the　fishermen　turned　me
adrift　again。　I　don't　blame　them；　food　was　scarce；　and　mouths
were　many。　With　famine　staring　the　whole　community　in　the　face；
why　should　they　keep　a　boy　who　didn't　belong　to　them？　A　great
city　was　my　only　chance　in　the　winter…time；　so　I　went　to　Glasgow；
and　all　but　stepped　into　the　lion's　mouth　as　soon　as　I　got　there。
I　was　minding　an　empty　cart　on　the　Broomielaw；　when　I　heard　my
stepfather's　voice　on　the　pavement　side　of　the　horse　by　which　I
was　standing。　He　had　met　some　person　whom　he　knew；　and；　to　my
terror　and　surprise；　they　were　talking　about　me。　Hidden　behind
the　horse；　I　heard　enough　of　their　conversation　to　know　that　I
had　narrowly　escaped　discovery　before　I　went　on　board　the
coasting…vessel。　I　had　met　at　that　time　with　another　vagabond　boy
of　my　own　age；　we　had　quarreled　and　parted。　The　day　after；　my
stepfather's　inquiries　were　made　in　that　very　district；　and　it
became　a　question　with　him　（a　good　personal　description　being
unattainable　in　either　case）　which　of　the　two　boys　he　should
follow。　One　of　them；　he　was　informed；　was　known　as　〃Brown；〃　and
the　other　as　〃Midwinter。〃　Brown　was　just　the　common　name　which　a
cunning　runaway　boy　would　be　most　likely　to　assume；　Midwinter；
just　the　remarkable　name　which　he　would　be　most　likely　to　avoid。
The　pursuit　had　accordingly　followed　Brown；　and　had　allowed　me　to
escape。　I　leave　you　to　imagine　whether　I　was　not　doubly　and
trebly　determined　to　keep　my　gypsy　master's　name　after　that。　But
my　resolution　did　not　stop　here。　I　made　up　my　mind　to　leave　the
country　altogether。　After　a　day　or　two's　lurking　about　the
outward…bound　vessels　in　port；　I　found　out　which　sailed　first；
and　hid　myself　on　board。　Hunger　tried　hard　to　force　me　out　before
the　pilot　had　left；　but　hunger　was　not　new　to　me；　and　I　kept　my
place。　The　pilot　was　out　of　the　vessel　when　I　made　my　appearance
on　deck；　and　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　keep　me　or　throw　me
overboard。　The　captain　said　（I　have　no　doubt　quite　truly）　that　he
would　have　preferred　throwing　me　overboard；　but　the　majesty　of
the　law　does　sometimes　stand　the　friend　even　of　a　vagabond　like
me。　In　that　way　I　came　back　to　a　sea…life。　In　that　way　I　learned
enough　to　make　me　handy　and　useful　（as　I　saw　you　noticed）　on
board　Mr。　Armadale's　yacht。　I　sailed　more　than　one　voyage；　in
more　than　one　vessel；　to　more　than　one　part　of　the　world；　and　I
might　have　followed　the　sea　for　life；　if　I　could　only　have　kept
my　temper　under　every　provocation　that　could　be　laid　on　it。　I　had
learned　a　great　deal；　but；　not　having　learned　that；　I　made　the
last　part　of　my　last　voyage　home　to　the　port　of　Bristol　in　irons；
and　I　saw　the　inside　of　a　prison　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；
on　a　charge　of　mutinous　conduct　to　one　of　my　officers。　You　have
heard　me　with　extraordinary　patience；　sir；　and　I　am　glad　to　tell
you；　in　return；　that　we　are　not　far　now　from　the　end　of　my　story。
You　found　some　books；　if　I　remember　right；　when　you　searched　my
luggage　at　the　Somersetshire　inn？〃

Mr。　Brock　answered　in　the　affirmative。

〃Those　books　mark　the　next　change　in　my　lifeand　the　last；
before　I　took　the　usher's　place　at　the　school。　My　term　of
imprisonment　was　not　a　long　one。　Perhaps　my　youth　pleaded　for　me；
perhaps　the　Bristol　magistrates　took　into　consideration　the　time
I　had　passed　in　irons　on　board　ship。　Anyhow；　I　was　just　turned
seventeen　when　I　found　myself　out　on　the　world　again。　I　had　no
friends　to　receive　me；　I　had　no　place　to　go　to。　A　sailor's　life；
after　what