04-02-05-金银岛 [2]
’he asked.
‘There's no Black Dog here,’ said the doctor, ‘Get on your feet and I'll help you to your bed.’
■ 2 黑狗
1月的一个清晨，老船长很早就起来走到海边。那是一个严寒的冬日，太阳还没有升高。我母亲正在楼上照顾病重的父亲。那一年的冬天又漫长又寒冷，我们都知道父亲大概难以活到来年的春天了。
我正在准备老船长的早餐。忽然，客店的门被推开，一个陌生人闯了进来。我以前从未见过他。他腰间佩着一把水手的短剑，我注意到他左手只有3个手指。
我问他要点什么，他说：“我要一杯朗姆酒。”我正要去取酒，他把我叫过去。“桌上的早餐是不是为我的老朋友比尔准备的？”他狞笑着问道。
我告诉他我不知道他的朋友比尔是谁，早餐是为住在店里的一位客人准备的。“我们都管他叫老船长，”我说。
“他脸上有一道剑伤吗？”他问。
“是的，”我说。
“他就是比尔，”他说。“他在这儿吗？”
我告诉他老船长出去散步了，然后他就等着，像猫在等老鼠一样。我不喜欢这个陌生人的表情，我相信老船长一定不喜欢他。
老船长回来了，陌生人把我拉过去躲在门后。老船长推开门走进屋来。
“比尔，”陌生人叫道。
老船长转过身来看见了我们，脸上顿时变了颜色，一眨眼工夫变得衰老而虚弱。“黑狗！”老船长喊道。他盯着陌生人。“你要怎么样？”
“我想要一杯朗姆酒，”黑狗说。“然后我们坐下来像老朋友那样聊聊天。”
我把朗姆酒取来，他们让我离开。我离开房间，他们说话的嗓门越来越高。
“不，不，不，事情到此为止！”我听见老船长嚷着。“如果一个人被抓住，我们就会全都被抓住！”
喊声越来越大，还有桌子被掀翻的响声。接着，我听见刀剑的响声，旋即我看见黑狗肩上淌着血没命地往外跑。他跑出客店，上了那条小路，不一会儿就没了踪影。
老船长看见他跑了，就对我说：“吉姆，快拿朗姆酒来！”
他要转身回到客店，但无法挪动脚步。我意识到他病了，赶紧跑去拿酒。我听见响声马上跑回来，看见老船长躺在地上。
我母亲被响声惊动，下楼来帮忙。我们把老船长扶起来，他紧闭着双眼，脸色十分可怕。
正在这时李甫西大夫来看我父亲，他看了看老船长后对我母亲说：“他的心脏受不了这个。我早就警告过他不能喝这么多酒，现在正是酒害了他。”
老船长睁开眼，试着坐起来。“黑狗在哪儿？”他问。
“这里没有黑狗，”大夫说。“站起来吧，我扶你到床上去。”
■ 3 The black spot
Later that day, I took the captain a cool drink.
‘Jim, ’he said,‘you're the only person here worth anything .You'll bring me some rum ,won't you, boy
’
‘The doctor said—’I began.
He swore about the doctor.‘Look, Jim, one glass is all I ask. I'll pay you for it.’
‘The only money I want, ’I said,‘is the money you owe my father .But I'll get you one glass of rum ,no more.’
He was grateful and drank it quickly.‘Did the doctor say how long I must lie in my bed
’he asked.
‘A week,’I told him.
‘A week!’he cried.‘I can't do that .They'll have the black spot on me by then. They'll come for me.’
‘Who will
Black Dog
’I said.
‘Yes, but there's worse than him. It's my old sea－chest they want, but I'll show them! Jim, if I get the black spot, you go to that doctor. Tell him to bring a crowd of law officers and a local judge to the inn. They can catch Flint's crew-all that are left-at the Admiral Benbow .I was Flint's first ship's officer, and I'm the only one who knows the place. He told me when he was dying. But don't call the law unless they give me the black spot, or if you see the seaman with one leg-he's worse than any of them.’
‘But what is the black spot, captain
’I asked.
‘That's a message, boy. I'll tell you if they give me that. Keep your eyes open, Jim, and I'll give you half of everything I have.’He talked for a little longer then fell into a heavy sleep ,and I left him.
That night, my father died. This put all other thoughts to one side and I had no time to worry about the captain.
The next morning, the captain came downstairs. He didn't eat much food but he drank more rum than usual. He helped himself and we were too busy to stop him. There were visits from neighbours, and my father's burial to arrange.
The day after the burial was cold and foggy .At about three o’clock in the afternoon, I was standing at the door of the inn when I saw a blind man coming along the road. He was feeling his way with a stick.
‘Will any kind friend tell a poor blind man where he is
’he said.
‘You're at the Admiral Benbow inn, Black Hill Cove, my good man,’I said.
‘I hear a young voice,’ he said. Will you give me your hand, my kind young friend ,and take me inside
’
I held out my hand, and the terrible, soft-speaking ,eyeless man took hold of it like a dog biting a bone .He pulled me vio－lently towards him.
‘Now ,boy,’he said,‘take me to the captain or I'll break your arm! ’And I had never heard a voice so cruel and cold.
I was so frightened by the blind man's violence that I obeyed him without question, and took, him into the room where the sick captain was sitting. He saw the blind man and a look of fear passed across his face.
‘Sit where you are, Bill,’ said the blind man.‘I can't see, but I can hear a finger move .Hold out your right hand.’
I watched him put something in the captain's hand.‘And now that's done, ’said the blind man, and he quickly went out of the inn. I heard his stick tap