诱拐.docx
- 文档编号:2406822
- 上传时间:2023-05-03
- 格式:DOCX
- 页数:35
- 大小:44.21KB
诱拐.docx
《诱拐.docx》由会员分享,可在线阅读,更多相关《诱拐.docx(35页珍藏版)》请在冰点文库上搜索。
诱拐
1Davidmeetshisuncle
ItwasearlyinthemonthofJune,1751,whenIshutthedoorofourhousebehindmeforthelasttime.AllmylifeIhadlivedinthequietlittlevillageofEssendean,intheLowlandsofScotland,wheremyfatherhadbeenthedominie,orschoolteacher.Butnowthatheandmymotherwerebothdead,Ihadtoleavethehouse.Thenewdominiewouldsoonarrive,andhewouldteachattheschoolandliveinthedominie'shouse.So,althoughIwasonlyseventeen,therewasnowhereformetolive,andnoreasonformetostayinEssendean.
ButmyheartwasbeatingwithexcitementasIwalkeddowntheroad,becauseinmyhandIcarriedtheletterthatmyfatherhadgivenmejustbeforehedied.‘Davie,’hehadsaid,‘whenIamdead,takethistothehouseofShaws,nearCramond.That'swhereIcamefrom,andthat'swhereyoumustgo.PutthisletterintothehandsofEbenezerBalfour.’
Balfour!
Thesamenameasmyown!
ItwasthefirsttimeIhadheardofanyofourfamilyoutsideEssendean.
SoIdecidedtowalktoCramond,hopingthatperhapsthisMrBalfour,inhisfinebighouse,wouldreceivemekindly,andhelpmetobecomearichmanoneday.Withmyplaidovermyshoulder,Iwalkedfastupthehillawayfromthevillage.Whatanadventure,toleavethatsleepyplace,wherenothingeverhappened,andgotoagreat,busyhouse,tobewithrichandimportantpeopleofmyownnameandblood!
ButwhenIreachedthetopofthehill,Iturnedalittlesadly,totakemylastlookatthedominie'shouse,andEssendeanchurchyard,wheremyfatherandmotherlay.
Myjourneynorthwardstookalmosttwodays.BymiddayontheseconddayIcouldseethesmokingchimneysofEdinburghinfrontofme,andsoonIarrivedinCramond.
NowIbegantoaskpeopleontheroadforthehouseofShaws.Theiranswersworriedmealittle.Somepeopleseemedsurprised,someafraid,andsomeangry,whenIspokethenameofEbenezerBalfour.Icouldnotunderstandthis,butitwastoofartogobacktoEssendeanthatday,andIwantedtofindtherestoftheBalfourfamilyverymuchSoIcontinuedonmyway,andwhenImetadark,wild-lookingwomancomingtowardsme,IaskedherwherethehouseofShawswasShetookmetothetopofthenexthill,andshowedmealargebuildingstandingaloneinthebottomofthenextvalley.Althoughthefieldsaroundweregreen,andthefarmlandwasexcellent,thehouseitselflookedunfinishedandempty.Partofitsroofwasmissing.Therewasnoroadtoit,andnosmokecomingfromanyofitschimneys,norwasthereanygarden.‘That!
’Icried.‘No,itcan'tbe!
’‘Itis!
’criedthewomanangrily.‘ThatisthehouseofShaws!
Bloodbuiltit,bloodstoppedthebuildingofif,andbloodshallbringitdown!
BlackistheheartofEbenezerBalfour!
YecantellhimfrommethatIhopetoseehimdie,andhishousefalldownaroundhim!
’Thewomanturnedanddisappeared.Istoodwheresheleftme,shakinglikealeaf,andlookingdownatthehouseforalongtime.Butwhenitbegantogetdark,Inoticedsomesmokecomingoutofthechimney,andfeltalittlemorehopeful.‘Theremustbeafire,andcooking,andpeopleinthehouse,’Ithought.SoIwalkeduptothefrontdoor.Thehouseseemedlockedupandunwelcoming,buttherewasfirelightshiningthroughthekitchenwindow,andIcouldhearsomeonetalkingquietlytohimself.Bravely,Iliftedmyhandandknockedloudlyonthestrongwoodendoor.Thehousewassuddenlysilent,andtherewasnoreply.Iknockedandknocked,andshoutedasloudlyasIcould.Finally,thewindowopened,andamanholdingagunputhisheadout.
‘Whatdoyewant?
’heasked.
‘I'vecomeherewithaletterforMrEbenezerBalfourofShaws.Ishehere?
’
‘Whoisitfrom?
’askedthemanwiththegun.
‘That'snoneofyourbusiness,’Ireplied,gettingangry.
‘Well,puttheletterdownbythedoor,andleave.’
‘Iwillnot!
’Iansweredsharply.‘I'mgoingtogiveittoMrBalfourhimself.Theletterintroducesmetohim.’
‘Whoareyethen?
’wasthenextquestion.
‘I'mnotashamedofmyname.It'sDavidBalfour.’
Themanalmostdroppedhisgun.Afteralongwhile,heaskedinachangedvoice,‘Isyourfatherdead?
’Iwastoosurprisedtoanswer,buthecontinued,‘Aye,hemustbedead,andthat'swhyyehavecome.Well,man,I'llletyein,’andhedisappearedfromthewindow.
Nowthedoorwasunlocked,andavoicefromthedarknesssaid,‘Gointothekitchenandtouchnothing.’Iobeyed,whilethemanlockedtheheavydoorcarefullyagain.IfoundmyselfintheemptiestkitchenthatIhadeverseen.Therewasafire,butnootherlight.Onthetablewasabowlofporridgeandaglassofwater,infrontoftheonlychair.Aroundthewallswereseverallockedchests.Therewasnootherfurniture.Themanwhonowappearedinthekitchenwassmall,mean-lookingandwhite-faced,betweenfiftyandseventyyearsold,andwearingadirtyoldnightshirt.Theworstthingabouthimwasthathecouldneithertakehiseyesawayfromme,norlookstraightintomyface.
‘Ifye'rehungry,’hesaid,‘yecaneatthatporridge.It'sgrandfood,porridge!
Letmeseetheletter!
’
‘It'sforMrBalfour,notyou,’Ireplied.
‘AndwhodoyethinkIam?
GivemeAlexander'sletter!
Yemaynotlikemeormyhouseormyporridge,butI'myourbornuncle,Davie,myman!
’
Thiswastheendofallmyhopes.Iwastootiredandmiserabletospeak,soIsilentlygavehimtheletter,andsatdowntoeattheporridge.
‘Yourfather'sbeendeadalongtime?
’heasked,givingmeaquicklookfromhissharpeyes.
‘Threeweeks,sir,’Isaid.
‘Hewasasecretiveman,Alexanderwas.Perhapshedidn'ttalkmuchaboutme?
OraboutthehouseofShaws?
’
‘Ineverknewhehadabrother,sir,oreverheardthenameofShaws.’
‘Tothinkofthat!
’hereplied.‘Astrangeman!
’Butheseemedverypleased,andbegantolookatmewithmoreinterest.Soonhejumpedupandsaid,‘We'regoingtogetonwell,Davie!
What'smineisyours,man,andwhat'syoursismine.Blood'sthickerthanwater,andthere'sonlyyeandmeofthenameofBalfour.NowI'llshowyetoyourbed.’
Hetookmeupsomedarkstairsandshowedmeintoaroom.Icouldnotseeanything.‘CanIhavealight,sir?
’Iasked.‘No,yecan't.Nolightsinthishouse!
I'mafraidoffires,yesee.Goodnighttoye,Davie,myman.’AndbeforeIhadtimetoreply,hepulledthedoorshutandlockeditfromtheoutside.Theroomwasverycold,butluckilyIhadmyplaidwithme,soIcoveredmyselfwithitlikeablanket,andsoonfellasleep.
ThenextdaymyuncleandIhadasmallbowlofporridgeandaglassofwaterforbreakfast,lunchandsupper.Hedidnotspeakmuchtome,butwasclearlythinkinghard.Ioftennoticedhimlookingatme,whilepretendingtodosomethingdifferent,andheneverleftmealoneinthekitchenwiththelockedchests,inwhich,Isupposed,hekepthismoney.Ididnotlikethewayhelookedatme,andbegantowonderifhewasalittlecrazy,andperhapsdangerous.
Aftersupperhesaidsuddenly,‘Davie,I'vebeenthinking.Ipromisedyourfatherabitofmoneyforyebeforeyewereborn.Apromiseisapromise—andsoI'mgoingtogiveye…fortypounds!
’Theselastwordsseemedverypainfultohim.Headded,inakindofscream,‘Scots!
’
AScottishpoundwasthesameasanEnglishshilling.Icouldseethathisstorywasalie,soIlaughedathim,saying,‘Oh,thinkagain,sir!
Englishpounds,surely!
’
‘That'swhatIsaid,'repliedmyunclequickly.‘Gooutsideforamoment,andI'llgetthemoneyforye.’
IwassmilingasIwentout,surethathewouldgivemenothingatall.Itwasadarknight,andIcouldhearwindinthehills.‘Theremaybethunderlater,’Ithought,notknowinghowimportanttheweatherwouldbetomethatnight.
Butwhenmyunclecalledmeinagain,hecountedthirtyeightEnglishpoundsingoldintomyhands.Itclearlyhurthimtodoit,andhekeptbackthelasttwopounds,butIdidnotmindthat.Surprisedandpleased,Ithankedhimwarmly.
‘Now,’hesaid,lookingcleverlyatme,‘yecangivemesomething,Davie.I'mgettingoldnow,andIneedhelp.’
‘Ofcourse,sir,’Ianswered.‘WhatcanIdo?
’
‘Well,gooutsideandclimbthestairsattheotherendofthehouse,wherethebuildingisn'tfinishedyet.Gouptotheroomatthetop,andbringdownthechestthatye'llfindthere.It'sgotvaluablepapersinit.’
‘CanIhavealight,sir?
’Iasked.
‘No,’hesaidsharply.‘Nolightsinmyhouse!
’‘Verywell,sir.Arethestairsgood?
’
‘They'regrand,’saidhe.‘Thestairsaregrand.OutIwentintothenight.AsIwasfeelingmywayalongtheoutsidewall,therewasasuddenflashoflightning,thendarknessagain.Ifoundthestairsandstartedclimbing.Iwasaboutfifteenmetresabovetheground,whentherewasanotherflashoflightning.Thatwasluckyforme,becauseitshowedmethatthestepswereuneven,andthatIcouldeasilyfalltomydeath.‘Thesearethegrandstairs!
’Ithought.‘Perhapsmyunclewantsmetodie!
’NowIwasverycareful,andIfelteachstepwithmyhandsbeforeIputmyfootonit.Afewstepslatermyhandfeltcoldstone,andthennothingmore.Thestairsendedthere,twentymetresabovetheground.Ifeltcoldwithfear,whenIthoughtofthedangerthatIhadbeenin.Sendingastrangerupthosestairsinthedarkwassendinghimstraighttohisdeath.
Angrily,Iturnedandfeltmywaydown.Therewasacrashofthunder,andsuddenlytheraincamedown.AtthebottomofthestairsIlookedtowardsthekitchen,andcouldsee,inthenextflashoflightning,afigurestandingstillinthedoorway,listening.Whenthethundersoundedagain,louderthanbefore,heranbackinside,andIfollowedassoftlyasIcould.Ifoundhimsittinginthekitchen,drinkingwhiskystraightfromthebottle,andshakingwithfear.QuietlyIcameupbehindhim,and,puttingmyhandssuddenlyonhisshoulders,cried,‘Ah!
’
Myunclegaveakindofbrokencry,andfelltothefloorlikeadeadman.Hisfacewasastrangebluecolour,andIbegantothinkthathereallywasdead.Atlasthiseyesopened,andhelooked
- 配套讲稿:
如PPT文件的首页显示word图标,表示该PPT已包含配套word讲稿。双击word图标可打开word文档。
- 特殊限制:
部分文档作品中含有的国旗、国徽等图片,仅作为作品整体效果示例展示,禁止商用。设计者仅对作品中独创性部分享有著作权。
- 关 键 词:
- 诱拐
![提示](https://static.bingdoc.com/images/bang_tan.gif)