05-the black thief-第3章

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of　a　long　dark　vault；　which　I　slowly　entered。　I　had　not　gone　in

far　until　I　heard　a　foot　coming　towards　me　with　a　quick　pace；　and

although　naturally　bold　and　daring；　yet；　thinking　of　the　deceased

bishop　and　the　crime　I　was　engaged　in；　I　lost　courage；　and　ran

towards　the　entrance　of　the　vault。　I　had　retreated　but　a　few　paces

when　I　observed；　between　me　and　the　light；　the　figure　of　a　tall

black　man　standing　in　the　entrance。　Being　in　great　fear　and　not

knowing　how　to　pass；　I　fired　a　pistol　at　him；　and　he　immediately

fell　across　the　entrance。　Perceiving　he　still　retained　the　figure　of

a　mortal　man；　I　began　to　imagine　that　it　could　not　be　the　bishop's

ghost；　recovering　myself　therefore　from　the　fear　I　was　in；　I

ventured　to　the　upper　end　of　the　vault；　where　I　found　a　large

bundle；　and　upon　further　examination　I　found　that　the　corpse　was

already　rifled；　and　that　which　I　had　taken　to　be　a　ghost　was　no

more　than　one　of　his　own　clergy。　I　was　then　very　sorry　that　I　had

the　misfortune　to　kill　him；　but　it　then　could　not　be　helped。　I　took

up　the　bundle　that　contained　everything　belonging　to　the　corpse

that　was　valuable；　intending　to　take　my　departure　from　this

melancholy　abode；　but　just　as　I　came　to　the　mouth　of　the　entrance

I　saw　the　guards　of　the　place　coming　towards　me；　and　distinctly

heard　them　saying　that　they　would　look　in　the　vault；　for　that　the

Black　Thief　would　think　little　of　robbing　the　corpse　if　he　was

anywhere　in　the　place。　I　did　not　then　know　in　what　manner　to　act；

for　if　I　was　seen　I　would　surely　lose　my　life；　as　everybody　had　a

look…out　at　that　time；　and　because　there　was　no　person　bold　enough

to　come　in　on　me。　I　knew　very　well　on　the　first　sight　of　me　that

could　be　got；　I　would　be　shot　like　a　dog。　However；　I　had　not　time　to

lose。　I　took　and　raised　up　the　man　which　I　had　killed；　as　if　he　was

standing　on　his　feet；　and　I；　crouching　behind　him；　bore　him　up　as

well　as　I　could；　so　that　the　guards　readily　saw　him　as　they　came　up

to　the　vault。　Seeing　the　man　in　black；　one　of　the　men　cried　that

was　the　Black　Thief；　and；　presenting　his　piece；　fired　at　the　man；　at

which　I　let　him　fall；　and　crept　into　a　little　dark　corner　myself；　that

was　at　the　entrance　of　the　place。　When　they　saw　the　man　fall；

they　ran　all　into　the　vault；　and　never　stopped　until　they　were　at　the

end　of　it；　for　fear；　as　I　thought；　that　there　might　be　some　others

along　with　him　that　was　killed。　But　while　they　were　busy

inspecting　the　corpse　and　the　vault　to　see　what　they　could　miss；　I

slipped　out；　and；　once　away；　and　still　away；　but　they　never　had　the

Black　Thief　in　their　power　since。'



‘Well；　my　brave　fellow；'　says　the　Knight　of　the　Glen；　‘I　see　you

have　come　through　many　dangers：　you　have　freed　these　two　princes

by　your　stories；　but　I　am　sorry　myself　that　this　young　prince　has

to　suffer　for　all。　Now；　if　you　could　tell　me　something　as　wonderful

as　you　have　told　already；　I　would　pardon　him　likewise；　I　pity　this

youth　and　do　not　want　to　put　him　to　death　if　I　could　help　it。'



‘That　happens　well；'　says　the　Thief　of　Sloan；　‘for　I　like　him

best　myself；　and　have　reserved　the　most　curious　passage　for　the　last

on　his　account。'



‘Well；　then；'　says　the　knight；　‘let　us　hear　it。'



‘I　was　one　day　on　my　travels；'　says　the　Black　Thief；　‘and　I

came　into　a　large　forest；　where　I　wandered　a　long　time；　and　could

not　get　out　of　it。　At　length　I　came　to　a　large　castle；　and　fatigue

obliged　me　to　call　in　the　same；　where　I　found　a　young　woman　and

a　child　sitting　on　her　knee；　and　she　crying。　I　asked　her　what

made　her　cry；　and　where　the　lord　of　the　castle　was；　for　I　wondered

greatly　that　I　saw　no　stir　of　servants　or　any　person　about　the

place。



‘　‘‘It　is　well　for　you；''　says　the　young　woman；　‘‘that　the　lord　of

this　castle　is　not　at　home　at　present；　for　he　is　a　monstrous　giant；

with　but　one　eye　on　his　forehead；　who　lives　on　human　flesh。　He

brought　me　this　child；''　says　she；　‘‘I　do　not　know　where　he　got　it；

and　ordered　me　to　make　it　into　a　pie；　and　I　cannot　help　crying　at

the　command。''



‘I　told　her　that　if　she　knew　of　any　place　convenient　that　I

could　leave　the　child　safely　I　would　do　it；　rather　than　it　should　be

killed　by　such　a　monster。



‘She　told　me　of　a　house　a　distance　off　where　I　would　get　a

woman　who　would　take　care　of　it。　‘‘But　what　will　I　do　in　regard

of　the　pie？''



‘　‘‘Cut　a　finger　off　it；''　said　I；　‘‘and　I　will　bring　you　in　a　young

wild　pig　out　of　the　forest；　which　you　may　dress　as　if　it　was　the

child；　and　put　the　finger　in　a　certain　place；　that　if　the　giant　doubts

anything　about　it　you　may　know　where　to　turn　it　over　at　the　first；

and　when　he　sees　it　he　will　be　fully　satisfied　that　the　pie　is　made　of

the　child。''



‘She　agreed　to　the　scheme　I　proposed；　and；　cutting　off　the　child's

finger；　by　her　direction　I　soon　had　it　at　the　house　she　told　me　of；

and　brought　her　the　little　pig　in　the　place　of　it。　She　then　made

ready　the　pie；　and　after　eating　and　drinking　heartily　myself；　I　was

just　taking　my　leave　of　the　young　woman　when　we　observed　the　giant

coming　through　the　castle　gates。



‘　‘‘Bless　me；''　said　she；　‘‘what　will　you　do　now？　Run　away　and

lie　down　among　the　dead　bodies　that　he　has　in　the　room　（showing

me　the　place）；　and　strip　off　your　clothes　that　he　may　not　know　you

from　the　rest　if　he　has　occasion　to　go　that　way。''



‘I　took　her　advice；　and　laid　myself　down　among　the　rest；　as　if

dead；　to　see　how　he　would　behave。　The　first　thing　I　heard　was

him　calling　for　his　pie。　When　she　set　it　down　before　him　he　swore

it　smelled　like　swine's　flesh；　but　knowing　where　to　find　the　finger；

she　immediately　turned　it　up；　which　fairly　convinced　him　of　the

contrary。　The　pie　only　served　to　sharpen　his　appetite；　and　I　heard

him　sharpening　his　knife　and　saying　he　must　have　a　collop　or　two；　for

he　was　not　near　satisfied。　But　what　was　my　terror　when　I　heard

the　giant　groping　among　the　bodies；　and；　fancying　myself；　cut　the

half　of　my　hip　off；　and　took　it　with　him　to　be　roasted。　You　may　be

certain　I　was　in　great　pain；　but　the　fear　of　being　killed　prevented

me　from　making　any　complaint。　However；　when　he　had　eaten　all

he　began　to　drink　hot　liquors　in　great　abundance；　so　that　in　a　short

time　he　could　not　hold　up　his　head；　but　threw　himself　on　a　large　creel

he　had　made　for　the　purpose；　and　fell　fast　asleep。　When　I　heard

him　snoring；　as　I　was　I　went　up　and　caused　the　woman　to　bind　my

wound　with　a　handkerchief；　and；　taking　the　giant's　spit；　reddened　it

in　the　fire；　and　ran　it　through　the　eye；　but　was　not　able　to　kill　him。



‘However；　I　left　the　spit　sticking　in　his　head；　and　took　to　my

heels；　but　I　soon　found　he　was　in　pursuit　of　me；　although　blind；

and　having　an　enchanted　ring　he　threw　it　at　me；　and　it　fell　on　my

big　toe　and　remained　fastened　to　it。



‘The　giant　then　called　to　the　ring；　where　it　was；　and　to　my　great

surprise　it　made　him　answer　on　my　foot；　and　he；　guided　by　the

same；　made　a　leap　at　me　which　I　had　the　good　luck　to　observe；　and

fortunately　escaped　the　danger。　However；　I　found　running　was　of

no　use　in　saving　me；　as　long　as　I　had　the　ring　on　my　foot；　so　I

took　my　sword　and　cut　off　the　toe　it　was　fastened　on；　and　threw

both　into　a　large　fish…pond　that　was　convenient。　The　giant　called

again　to　the　ring；　which　by　the　power　of　enchantment　always　made

him　answer；　but　he；　not　knowing　what　I　had　done；　imagined　it　was

still　on　some　part　of　me；　and　made　a　violent　leap　to　seize　me；　when

he　went　into　the　pond；　over　head　and　ears；　and　was　drowned。　Now；

sir　knight；'　says　the　Thief　of　Sloan；　‘you　see　what　dangers　I　came

through　and　always　escaped；　but；　indeed；　I　am　lame　for　the　want

of　my　toe　ever　since。'



‘My　lord　and　master；'　says　an　old　woman　that　was　listening　all

the　time；　‘that　story　is　but　too　true；　as　I　well　know；　for　I　am　the

very　woman　that　was　in　the　giant's　castle；　and　you；　my　lord；　the

child　that　I　was　to　make　into　a　pie；　and　this　is　the　very　man　that

saved　your　life；　which　you　may　know　by　the　want　of　you