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第35章

st. ives-第35章

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offered no opposition to my design。  The position of my adversary 

was now thoroughly bad。  He had lost my two companions。  He was on 

the point of losing me also。  There was plainly no hope of arousing 

the company to help; and watching him with a corner of my eye; I 

saw him hesitate for a moment。  The next; he had taken down his hat 

and his wig; which was of black horsehair; and I saw him draw from 

behind the settle a vast hooded great…coat and a small valise。  

'The devil!' thought I: 'is the rascal going to follow me?'



I was scarce clear of the inn before the limb of the law was at my 

heels。  I saw his face plain in the moonlight; and the most 

resolute purpose showed in it; along with an unmoved composure。  A 

chill went over me。  'This is no common adventure;' thinks I to 

myself。  'You have got hold of a man of character; St。 Ives!  A 

bite…hard; a bull…dog; a weasel is on your trail; and how are you 

to throw him off?'  Who was he?  By some of his expressions I 

judged he was a hanger…on of courts。  But in what character had he 

followed the assizes?  As a simple spectator; as a lawyer's clerk; 

as a criminal himself; or … last and worst supposition … as a Bow…

street 'runner'?



The cart would wait for me; perhaps; half a mile down our onward 

road; which I was already following。  And I told myself that in a 

few minutes' walking; Bow…street runner or not; I should have him 

at my mercy。  And then reflection came to me in time。  Of all 

things; one was out of the question。  Upon no account must this 

obtrusive fellow see the cart。  Until I had killed or shook him 

off; I was quite divorced from my companions … alone; in the midst 

of England; on a frosty by…way leading whither I knew not; with a 

sleuth…hound at my heels; and never a friend but the holly…stick!



We came at the same time to a crossing of lanes。  The branch to the 

left was overhung with trees; deeply sunken and dark。  Not a ray of 

moonlight penetrated its recesses; and I took it at a venture。  The 

wretch followed my example in silence; and for some time we 

crunched together over frozen pools without a word。  Then he found 

his voice; with a chuckle。



'This is not the way to Mr。 Merton's;' said he。



'No?' said I。 'It is mine; however。'



'And therefore mine;' said he。



Again we fell silent; and we may thus have covered half a mile 

before the lane; taking a sudden turn; brought us forth again into 

the moonshine。  With his hooded great…coat on his back; his valise 

in his hand; his black wig adjusted; and footing it on the ice with 

a sort of sober doggedness of manner; my enemy was changed almost 

beyond recognition: changed in everything but a certain dry; 

polemical; pedantic air; that spoke of a sedentary occupation and 

high stools。  I observed; too; that his valise was heavy; and; 

putting this and that together; hit upon a plan。



'A seasonable night; sir;' said I。  'What do you say to a bit of 

running?  The frost has me by the toes。'



'With all the pleasure in life;' says he。



His voice seemed well assured; which pleased me little。  However; 

there was nothing else to try; except violence; for which it would 

always be too soon。  I took to my heels accordingly; he after me; 

and for some time the slapping of our feet on the hard road might 

have been heard a mile away。  He had started a pace behind me; and 

he finished in the same position。  For all his extra years and the 

weight of his valise; he had not lost a hair's breadth。  The devil 

might race him for me … I had enough of it!



And; besides; to run so fast was contrary to my interests。  We 

could not run long without arriving somewhere。  At any moment we 

might turn a corner and find ourselves at the lodge…gate of some 

Squire Merton; in the midst of a village whose constable was sober; 

or in the hands of a patrol。  There was no help for it … I must 

finish with him on the spot; as long as it was possible。  I looked 

about me; and the place seemed suitable; never a light; never a 

house … nothing but stubble…fields; fallows; and a few stunted 

trees。  I stopped and eyed him in the moonlight with an angry 

stare。



'Enough of this foolery!' said I。



He had tamed; and now faced me full; very pale; but with no sign of 

shrinking。



'I am quite of your opinion;' said he。  'You have tried me at the 

running; you can try me next at the high jump。  It will be all the 

same。  It must end the one way。'



I made my holly whistle about my head。



'I believe you know what way!' said I。  'We are alone; it is night; 

and I am wholly resolved。  Are you not frightened?'



'No;' he said; 'not in the smallest。  I do not box; sir; but I am 

not a coward; as you may have supposed。  Perhaps it will simplify 

our relations if I tell you at the outset that I walk armed。'



Quick as lightning I made a feint at his head; as quickly he gave 

ground; and at the same time I saw a pistol glitter in his hand。



'No more of that; Mr。 French…Prisoner!' he said。  'It will do me no 

good to have your death at my door。'



'Faith; nor me either!' said I; and I lowered my stick and 

considered the man; not without a twinkle of admiration。  'You 

see;' I said; 'there is one consideration that you appear to 

overlook: there are a great many chances that your pistol may miss 

fire。'



'I have a pair;' he returned。  'Never travel without a brace of 

barkers。'



'I make you my compliment;' said I。  'You are able to take care of 

yourself; and that is a good trait。  But; my good man! let us look 

at this matter dispassionately。  You are not a coward; and no more 

am I; we are both men of excellent sense; I have good reason; 

whatever it may be; to keep my concerns to myself and to walk 

alone。  Now I put it to you pointedly; am I likely to stand it?  Am 

I likely to put up with your continued and … excuse me … highly 

impudent INGERENCE into my private affairs?'



'Another French word;' says he composedly。



'Oh! damn your French words!' cried I。  'You seem to be a Frenchman 

yourself!'



'I have had many opportunities by which I have profited;' he 

explained。  'Few men are better acquainted with the similarities 

and differences; whether of idiom or accent; of the two languages。'



'You are a pompous fellow; too!' said I。



'Oh; I can make distinctions; sir;' says he。  'I can talk with 

Bedfordshire peasants; and I can express myself becomingly; I hope; 

in the company of a gentleman of education like yourself。'



'If you set up to be a gentleman … ' I began。



'Pardon me;' he interrupted: 'I make no such claim。  I only see the 

nobility and gentry in the way of business。  I am quite a plain 

person。'



'For the Lord's sake;' I exclaimed; 'set my mind at rest upon one 

point。  In the name of mystery; who and what are you?'



'I have no cause to be ashamed of my name; sir;' said he; 'nor yet 

my trade。  I am Thomas Dudgeon; at your service; clerk to Mr。 

Daniel Romaine; solicitor of London; High Holborn is our address; 

sir。'



It was only by the ecstasy of the relief that I knew how horribly I 

had been frightened。  I flung my stick on the road。



'Romaine?' I cried。  'Daniel Romaine?  An old hunks with a red face 

and a big head; and got up like a Quaker?  My dear friend; to my 

arms!'



'Keep back; I say!' said Dudgeon weakly。



I would not listen to him。  With the end of my own alarm; I felt as 

if I must infallibly be at the end of all dangers likewise; as if 

the pistol that he held in one hand were no more to be feared than 

the valise that he carried with the other; and now put up like a 

barrier against my advance。



'Keep back; or I declare I will fire;' he was crying。  'Have a 

care; for God's sake!  My pistol … '



He might scream as be pleased。  Willy nilly; I folded him to my 

breast; I pressed him there; I kissed his ugly mug as it had never 

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