hard cash-第58章

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ceremony：　〃Voici　votre　cafe；　Monsieur！〃　making　believe　he　had　ordered　it。

〃Merci；　Madame！〃　replied　he；　for　his　wife　had　taught　him　a　little　French。

〃One　may　sleep　_mal　a　propos；_〃　muttered　the　woman　in　his　ear。　〃My　man　is　at　the　fair；　and　there　are　people　here　who　are　not　worth　any　great　things。〃

Dodd　rubbed　his　eyes　and　saw　those　two　foul　faces　at　the　end　of　the　kitchen：　for　such　it　was；　though　called　_salle　a　manger。_　〃Humph！〃　said　he；　and　instinctively　buttoned　his　coat

At　that　Thibout　touched　Moinard's　knee　under　the　table。

Fullalove　came　in　soon　after　to　say　he　had　got　two　horses；　and　they　would　be　here　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。

〃Well；　but　Vespasian？　how　is　he　to　go？〃　inquired　Dodd。

〃Oh；　we'll　send　him　on　ahead；　and　then　ride　and　tie。〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Dodd；　〃I'll　go　ahead。　That　will　shake　me　up。　I　think　I　should　tumble　off　a　horse；　I'm　so　dead　sleepy。〃

Accordingly　he　started　to　walk　on　the　road　to　Boulogne。


He　had　not　been　gone　three　minutes　when　Moinard　sauntered　out。

Moinard　had　not　been　gone　two　minutes　when　Thibout　strolled　out。

Moinard　kept　Dodd　in　sight　and　Thibout　kept　Moinard。


The　horses　were　brought　soon　after；　but　unfortunately　the　pair　did　not　start　immediately；　though；　had　they　known　it；　every　moment　was　precious。　They　wasted　time　in　argument。　Vespasian　had　come　down　with　a　diamond　ring　in　one　ear；　and　a　ruby　in　the　other。　Fullalove　saw　this　retrograde　step；　and　said　grimly；　〃Have　you　washed　but　half　your　face；　or　is　this　a　return　to　savagery？〃

Vespasian　wore　an　air　of　offended　dignity。　〃No；　sar；　these　yar　decorations　come　off　a　lady　ob　i　cibilisation：　Missy　Beresford　donated　'em　me。　Says　she；　'Massah　Black'yah！　yah！　She　always　nick…nominates　dis　child　Massa　Black　'while　I　was　praying　Goramighty　for　self　and　pickaninny；　I　seen　you　out　of　one　corner　of　my　eye　admirationing　my　rings；　den　just　you　take　'em；'　says　dat　ar　aristocracy：　'for　I　don't　admirationise　'em　none：　I've　been　shipwrecked。'　So　I　took　'em　wid　incredible　condescension；　and　dat　ar　beautiful　lady　says　to　me；　'Oh；　get　along　wid　your　nonsense　about　coloured　skins！　I　have　inspectionated　your　conduct；　Massa　Black；　and　likewise　your　performances　on　the　slack　rope；'　says　she；　'in　time　of　shipwreck：　and　darn　me；'　says　she；　'but　you　are　a　man；　you　are。'　'No；　Missy；'　says　I　superciliously；　'dis　child　am　not　a　man；　if　you　please；　but　a　coloured　gemman。'〃　He　added；　he　had　put　them　in　his　ears　because　the　biggest　would　not　go　on　his　little　finger。

Fullalove　groaned。　〃And　of　course；　the　next　thing；　you'll　ring　your　snout　like　a　pig　or　a　Patagonian。　There；　come　along；　ye　darn'dAnomaly。〃

He　was　going　to　say　〃Cuss；〃　but　remembering　his　pupil's　late　heroic　conduct；　softened　it　down　to　Anomaly。

But　Vespasian　always　measured　the　force　of　words　by　their　length　or　obscurity。　〃Anomaly〃　cut　him　to　the　heart：　he　rode　off　in　moody　silence　and　dejection；　asking　himself　sorrowfully　what　he　had　done　that　such　a　mountain　of　vituperation　should　fall　on　him。　〃Anomaly！！〃

They　cantered　along　in　silence；　for　Fullalove　was　digesting　this　new　trait　in　his　pupil；　and　asking　himself　could　he　train　it　out；　or　must　he　cross　it　out。　Just　outside　the　town　they　met　Captain　Robarts　walking　in；　he　had　landed　three　miles　off　down　the　coast。　〃Hallo！〃　said　Fullalove。

〃I　suppose　you　thought　I　was　drowned？〃　said　Robarts　spitefully；　〃but　you　see　I'm　alive　still。〃

Fullalove　replied；　〃Well；　captain；　that　is　only　one　mistake　more　you've　made；　I　reckon。〃

About　two　English　miles　from　the　town　they　came　to　a　long　straight　slope　up　and　down；　where　they　could　see　a　league　before　them；　and　there　they　caught　sight　of　David　Dodd's　tall　figure　mounting　the　opposite　rise。

Behind　him　at　some　little　distance　were　two　men　going　the　same　way；　but　on　the　grass　by　the　roadside；　whereas　David　was　on　the　middle　of　the　road。

〃He　walks　well　for　Jacky　Tar；〃　said　Fullalove。

〃Iss；　sar；〃　said　Vespasian　sulkily；　〃but　dis　'Analogy'　tink　he　not　walk　so　fast　as　those　two　behind　him；　cos　they　catch　him　up。〃

Now　Vespasian　had　hardly　uttered　these　words　when　a　thing　occurred；　so　sudden　and　alarming；　that　the　speaker's　eyes　protruded；　and　he　was　dumfounded　a　moment；　the　next　a　loud　cry　burst　from　both　him　and　his　companion　at　once；　and　they　lashed　their　horses　to　the　gallop　and　went　tearing　down　the　hill　in　a　fury　of　rage　and　apprehension。


Mr。　Fullalove　was　right；　I　think：　a　sailor　is　seldom　a　smart　walker；　but　Dodd　was　a　cricketer；　you　know；　as　well。　He　swung　along　at　a　good　pace　and　in　high　spirits。　He　had　lost　nothing　but　a　few　clothes；　and　a　quadrant；　and　a　chronometer；　it　was　a　cheap　wreck　to　him；　and　a　joyful　one：　for　peril　past　is　present　delight。　He　had　saved　his　life；　and　what　he　valued　more；　his　children's　money。　Never　was　that　dear　companion　of　his　perils　so　precious　to　him　as　now。　One　might　almost　fancy　that；　by　some　strange　sympathy；　he　felt　the　immediate　happiness　of　his　daughter　depended　on　it。　Many　in　my　day　believe　that　human　minds　can　thus　communicate；　overleaping　material　distances。　Not　knowing；　I　can't　say。　However；　no　such　solution　is　really　needed　here。　All　the　members　of　a　united　and　loving　family　feel　together　and　work　togetherwithout　specific　concertthough　hemispheres　lie　between：　it　is　one　of　the　beautiful　traits　of　true　family　affection。　Now　the　Dodds；　father；　mother；　sister；　brother；　were　more　one　in　heart　and　love　than　any　other　family　I　ever　saw：　woe　to　them　if　they　had　not。

David；　then；　walked　towards　Boulogne　that　afternoon　a　happy　man。　Already　he　tasted　by　anticipation　the　warm　caresses　of　his　wife　and　children；　and　saw　himself　seated　at　the　hearth；　with　those　beloved　ones　clustering　close　round　him。　How　would　he　tell　them　Its　adventuresIts　dangers　from　piratesIts　loss　at　seaIts　recoveryIts　wreckIts　coming　ashore　dry　as　a　bone；　and　conclude　by　taking　It　out　of　his　bosom　and　dropping　It　in　his　wife's　lap　with　〃Cheer；　boys；　cheer！〃

Trudging　on　in　this　delightful　reverie；　his　ear　detected　a　pitpat　at　some　distance　behind　him：　he　looked　round　with　very　slight　curiosity　and　saw　two　men　coming　up。　Even　in　that　hasty　glance　he　recognised　the　foulface　of　Andre　Tiribout；　a　face　not　to　be　forgotten　in　a　day。　I　don't　know　how　it　was；　but　he　saw　in　a　moment　that　face　was　after　him　to　rob　him；　and　he　naturally　enough　concluded　It　was　their　object。

And　he　was　without　a　weapon；　and　they　were　doubtless　armed。　Indeed；　Thibout　was　swinging　a　heavy　cudgel。

Poor　Dodd's　mind　went　into　a　whirl　and　his　body　into　a　cold　sweat。　In　such　moments　men　live　a　year。　To　gain　a　little　time　he　walked　swiftly　on；　pretending　not　to　have　noticed　them：　but　oh！　his　eyes　roved　wildly　to　each　side　of　the　road　for　a　chance　of　escape。　He　saw　none。　To　his　right　was　a　precipitous　rock；　to　his　left　a　profound　ravine　with　a　torrent　below；　and　the　sides　scantily　clothed　with　fir…trees　and　bushes：　he　was；　in　fact；　near　the　top　of　a　long　rising　ground　called　_〃La　Mauvaise　Cote；_〃　on　account　of　a　murder　committed　there　two　hundred　years　ago。

Presently　he　heard　the　men　close　behind　him。　At　the　same　moment　he　saw　at　the　side　of　the　ravine　a　flint　stone　about　the　size　of　two　fists：　he　made　but　three　swift　strides；　snatched　it　up；　and　turned　to　meet　the　robbers；　drawing　himself　up　high；　and　showing　fight　in　every　inch。

The　men　were　upon　him。　His　change　of　attitude　was　so　sudden　and　fiery　that　they　recoiled　a　step。　But　it　was　only　for　a　moment：　they　had　gone　too　far　to　retreat；　they　divided；　and　Thibout　attacked　him　on　his　left　with　uplifted　cudgel；　and　Moinard　on　his　right　with　a　long　glittering　knife。　The　latter；　to　guard　his　head　from　the　stone；　whipped　off　his　hat　and　held　it　before　his　head：　but　Dodd　was　what　is　called　〃left　handed：〃　〃ambidexter〃　would　be　nearer　the　mark　（he　carved　and　wrote　with　his　right　hand；　heaved　weights　and　flung　cricket…balls　with　his　left）。　He　stepped　forward；　flung　the　stone　in　Thibout's　face　with　perfect　precision；　and　that　bitter　impetus　a　good　thrower　lends　at　the　moment　of　delivery；　and　almost　at　the　same　moment　shot　out　his　right　hand　and　caught　Moinard　by　the　throat。　Sharper　and　fiercer　collision　was　never　seen　than　of　these　three。

Thibout's　face　crashed；　his　blood　squirted　all　round　the　stone；　and　eight　yards　off　lay　that　a