perils of certain english prisoners-第14章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



a　nobler　nature　than　youtook　such　gifts　from　ladies；　and　did　all

their　good　actions　for　the　givers'　sakes。　　If　you　will　do　yours　for

mine；　I　shall　think　with　pride　that　I　continue　to　have　some　share　in

the　life　of　a　gallant　and　generous　man。〃



For　the　second　time　in　my　life　she　kissed　my　hand。　　I　made　so　bold；

for　the　first　time；　as　to　kiss　hers；　and　I　tied　the　ring　at　my

breast；　and　I　fell　back　to　my　place。



Then；　the　horse…litter　went　out　at　the　gate　with　Sergeant　Drooce　in

it；　and　the　horse…litter　went　out　at　the　gate　with　Mrs。　Belltott　in

it；　and　Lieutenant　Linderwood　gave　the　word　of　command；　〃Quick

march！〃　and；　cheered　and　cried　for；　we　went　out　of　the　gate　too；

marching　along　the　level　plain　towards　the　serene　blue　sky；　as　if　we

were　marching　straight　to　Heaven。



When　I　have　added　here　that　the　Pirate　scheme　was　blown　to　shivers；

by　the　Pirate…ship　which　had　the　Treasure　on　board　being　so

vigorously　attacked　by　one　of　His　Majesty's　cruisers；　among　the　West

India　Keys；　and　being　so　swiftly　boarded　and　carried；　that　nobody

suspected　anything　about　the　scheme　until　three…fourths　of　the

Pirates　were　killed；　and　the　other　fourth　were　in　irons；　and　the

Treasure　was　recovered；　I　come　to　the　last　singular　confession　I

have　got　to　make。



It　is　this。　　I　well　knew　what　an　immense　and　hopeless　distance　there

was　between　me　and　Miss　Maryon；　I　well　knew　that　I　was　no　fitter

company　for　her　than　I　was　for　the　angels；　I　well　knew；　that　she　was

as　high　above　my　reach　as　the　sky　over　my　head；　and　yet　I　loved　her。

What　put　it　in　my　low　heart　to　be　so　daring；　or　whether　such　a　thing

ever　happened　before　or　since；　as　that　a　man　so　uninstructed　and

obscure　as　myself　got　his　unhappy　thoughts　lifted　up　to　such　a

height；　while　knowing　very　well　how　presumptuous　and　impossible　to

be　realised　they　were；　I　am　unable　to　say；　still；　the　suffering　to

me　was　just　as　great　as　if　I　had　been　a　gentleman。　　I　suffered

agonyagony。　　I　suffered　hard；　and　I　suffered　long。　　I　thought　of

her　last　words　to　me；　however；　and　I　never　disgraced　them。　　If　it

had　not　been　for　those　dear　words；　I　think　I　should　have　lost　myself

in　despair　and　recklessness。



The　ring　will　be　found　lying　on　my　heart；　of　course；　and　will　be

laid　with　me　wherever　I　am　laid。　　I　am　getting　on　in　years　now；

though　I　am　able　and　hearty。　　I　was　recommended　for　promotion；　and

everything　was　done　to　reward　me　that　could　be　done；　but　my　total

want　of　all　learning　stood　in　my　way；　and　I　found　myself　so

completely　out　of　the　road　to　it　that　I　could　not　conquer　any

learning；　though　I　tried。　　I　was　long　in　the　service；　and　I

respected　it；　and　was　respected　in　it；　and　the　service　is　dear　to　me

at　this　present　hour。



At　this　present　hour；　when　I　give　this　out　to　my　Lady　to　be　written

down；　all　my　old　pain　has　softened　away；　and　I　am　as　happy　as　a　man

can　be；　at　this　present　fine　old　country…house　of　Admiral　Sir　George

Carton；　Baronet。　　It　was　my　Lady　Carton　who　herself　sought　me　out；

over　a　great　many　miles　of　the　wide　world；　and　found　me　in　Hospital

wounded；　and　brought　me　here。　　It　is　my　Lady　Carton　who　writes　down

my　words。　　My　Lady　was　Miss　Maryon。　　And　now；　that　I　conclude　what　I

had　to　tell；　I　see　my　Lady's　honoured　gray　hair　droop　over　her　face；

as　she　leans　a　little　lower　at　her　desk；　and　I　fervently　thank　her

for　being　so　tender　as　I　see　she　is；　towards　the　past　pain　and

trouble　of　her　poor；　old；　faithful；　humble　soldier。







Footnotes：



｛1｝　　　Dicken's　didn't　write　the　second　chapter　and　it　is　omitted　in

this　edition。　　In　it　the　prisoners　are　firstly　made　a　ransom　of　for

the　treasure　left　on　the　Island　and　then　manage　to　escape　from　the

Pirates。











End