the fatal boots-第7章

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perhaps　it　will　quiet　him。〃



What　do　you　think　〃THIS〃　was？　　I'm　blest　if　it　was　not　the　STEAK！



She　pushed　us　out；　patted　and　hushed　the　dog；　and　was　in　again　in　a

minute。　　The　moon　was　shining　on　the　court；　and　on　the　slaughter…

house；　where　there　hung　the　white　ghastly…looking　carcasses　of　a

couple　of　sheep；　a　great　gutter　ran　down　the　courta　gutter　of

BLOOD！　　The　dog　was　devouring　his　beefsteak　（OUR　beefsteak）　in

silence；　and　we　could　see　through　the　little　window　the　girls

hustling　about　to　pack　up　the　supper…things；　and　presently　the

shop…door　being　opened；　old　Brisket　entering；　staggering；　angry；

and　drunk。　　What's　more；　we　could　see；　perched　on　a　high　stool；　and

nodding　politely；　as　if　to　salute　old　Brisket；　the　FEATHER　OF

DOBBLE'S　COCKED　HAT！　　When　Dobble　saw　it；　he　turned　white；　and

deadly　sick；　and　the　poor　fellow；　in　an　agony　of　fright；　sunk

shivering　down　upon　one　of　the　butcher's　cutting…blocks；　which　was

in　the　yard。



We　saw　old　Brisket　look　steadily　（as　steadily　as　he　could）　at　the

confounded；　impudent；　pert；　waggling　feather；　and　then　an　idea

began　to　dawn　upon　his　mind；　that　there　was　a　head　to　the　hat；　and

then　he　slowly　rose　uphe　was　a　man　of　six　feet；　and　fifteen

stonehe　rose　up；　put　on　his　apron　and　sleeves；　and　TOOK　DOWN　HIS

CLEAVER。



〃Betsy；〃　says　he；　〃open　the　yard　door。〃　　But　the　poor　girls

screamed；　and　flung　on　their　knees；　and　begged；　and　wept；　and　did

their　very　best　to　prevent　him。　　〃OPEN　THE　YARD　DOOR！〃　says　he；

with　a　thundering　loud　voice；　and　the　great　bull…dog；　hearing　it；

started　up　and　uttered　a　yell　which　sent　me　flying　to　the　other　end

of　the　court。Dobble　couldn't　move；　he　was　sitting　on　the　block；

blubbering　like　a　baby。



The　door　opened；　and　out　Mr。　Brisket　came。



〃TO　HIM；　JOWLER！〃　says　he。　　〃KEEP　HIM；　JOWLER！〃and　the　horrid　dog

flew　at　me；　and　I　flew　back　into　the　corner；　and　drew　my　sword；

determining　to　sell　my　life　dearly。



〃That's　it；〃　says　Brisket。　　〃Keep　him　there；good　dog；good　dog！

And　now；　sir；〃　says　he；　turning　round　to　Dobble；　〃is　this　your

hat？〃



〃Yes；〃　says　Dobble；　fit　to　choke　with　fright。



〃Well；　then；〃　says　Brisket；　〃it's　my（hic）my　painful　duty　to

（hic）to　tell　you；　that　as　I've　got　your　hat；　I　must　have　your

head；it's　painful；　but　it　must　be　done。　　You'd　better（hic）

settle　yourself　comcomfumarably　against　that（hic）that　block；

and　I'll　chop　it　off　before　you　can　say　Jack（hic）no；　I　mean

Jack　Robinson。〃



Dobble　went　down　on　his　knees　and　shrieked　out；　〃I'm　an　only　son；

Mr。　Brisket！　　I'll　marry　her；　sir；　I　will；　upon　my　honor；　sir。

Consider　my　mother；　sir；　consider　my　mother。〃



〃That's　it；　sir；〃　says　Brisket　that's　a　good（hic）a　good　boy；

just　put　your　head　down　quietlyand　I'll　have　it　offyes；　offas

if　you　were　Louis　the　Sixthe　Sixtixthe　Siktickleteenth。I'll

chop　the　other　CHAP　AFTERWARDS。〃



When　I　heard　this；　I　made　a　sudden　bound　back；　and　gave　such　a　cry

as　any　man　might　who　was　in　such　a　way。　　The　ferocious　Jowler；

thinking　I　was　going　to　escape；　flew　at　my　throat；　screaming

furious；　I　flung　out　my　arms　in　a　kind　of　desperation；and；　to　my

wonder；　down　fell　the　dog；　dead；　and　run　through　the　body！



　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　。



At　this　moment　a　posse　of　people　rushed　in　upon　old　Brisket；one

of　his　daughters　had　had　the　sense　to　summon　them；and　Dobble's

head　was　saved。　　And　when　they　saw　the　dog　lying　dead　at　my　feet；

my　ghastly　look；　my　bloody　sword；　they　gave　me　no　small　credit　for

my　bravery。　　〃A　terrible　fellow　that　Stubbs；〃　said　they；　and　so　the

mess　said；　the　next　day。



I　didn't　tell　them　that　the　dog　had　committed　SUICIDEwhy　should

I？　　And　I　didn't　say　a　word　about　Dobble's　cowardice。　　I　said　he

was　a　brave　fellow；　and　fought　like　a　tiger；　and　this　prevented　HIM

from　telling　tales。　　I　had　the　dogskin　made　into　a　pair　of　pistol…

holsters；　and　looked　so　fierce；　and　got　such　a　name　for　courage　in

our　regiment；　that　when　we　had　to　meet　the　regulars；　Bob　Stubbs　was

always　the　man　put　forward　to　support　the　honor　of　the　corps。　　The

women；　you　know；　adore　courage；　and　such　was　my　reputation　at　this

time；　that　I　might　have　had　my　pick　out　of　half　a　dozen；　with

three；　four；　or　five　thousand　pounds　apiece；　who　were　dying　for

love　of　me　and　my　red　coat。　　But　I　wasn't　such　a　fool。　　I　had　been

twice　on　the　point　of　marriage；　and　twice　disappointed；　and　I　vowed

by　all　the　Saints　to　have　a　wife；　and　a　rich　one。　　Depend　upon

this；　as　an　infallible　maxim　to　guide　you　through　life：　　IT'S　AS

EASY　TO　GET　A　RICH　WIFE　AS　A　POOR　ONE；the　same　bait　that　will

hook　a　fly　will　hook　a　salmon。





JULY。SUMMARY　PROCEEDINGS。





Dobble's　reputation　for　courage　was　not　increased　by　the　butcher's…

dog　adventure；　but　mine　stood　very　high：　little　Stubbs　was　voted

the　boldest　chap　of　all　the　bold　North　Bungays。　　And　though　I　must

confess；　what　was　proved　by　subsequent　circumstances；　that　nature

has　NOT　endowed　me　with　a　large；　or　even；　I　may　say；　an　average

share　of　bravery；　yet　a　man　is　very　willing　to　flatter　himself　to

the　contrary；　and；　after　a　little　time；　I　got　to　believe　that　my

killing　the　dog　was　an　action　of　undaunted　courage；　and　that　I　was

as　gallant　as　any　of　the　one　hundred　thousand　heroes　of　our　army。

I　always　had　a　military　tasteit's　only　the　brutal　part　of　the

profession；　the　horrid　fighting　and　blood；　that　I　don't　like。



I　suppose　the　regiment　was　not　very　brave　itselfbeing　only

militia；　but　certain　it　was；　that　Stubbs　was　considered　a　most

terrible　fellow；　and　I　swore　so　much；　and　looked　so　fierce；　that

you　would　have　fancied　I　had　made　half　a　hundred　campaigns。　　I　was

second　in　several　duels；　the　umpire　in　all　disputes；　and　such　a

crack…shot　myself；　that　fellows　were　shy　of　insulting　me。　　As　for

Dobble；　I　took　him　under　my　protection；　and　he　became　so　attached

to　me；　that　we　ate；　drank；　and　rode　together　every　day；　his　father

didn't　care　for　money；　so　long　as　his　son　was　in　good　companyand

what　so　good　as　that　of　the　celebrated　Stubbs？　　Heigho！　　I　WAS　good

company　in　those　days；　and　a　brave　fellow　too；　as　I　should　have

remained；　but　forwhat　I　shall　tell　the　public　immediately。



It　happened；　in　the　fatal　year　ninety…six；　that　the　brave　North

Bungays　were　quartered　at　Portsmouth；　a　maritime　place；　which　I

need　not　describe；　and　which　I　wish　I　had　never　seen。　　I　might　have

been　a　General　now；　or；　at　least；　a　rich　man。



The　red…coats　carried　everything　before　them　in　those　days；　and　I；

such　a　crack　character　as　I　was　in　my　regiment；　was　very　well

received　by　the　townspeople：　many　dinners　I　had；　many　tea…parties；

many　lovely　young　ladies　did　I　lead　down　the　pleasant　country…

dances。



Well；　although　I　had　had　the　two　former　rebuffs　in　love　which　I

have　described；　my　heart　was　still　young；　and　the　fact　was；　knowing

that　a　girl　with　a　fortune　was　my　only　chance；　I　made　love　here　as

furiously　as　ever。　　I　shan't　describe　the　lovely　creatures　on　whom

I　fixed；　whilst　at　Portsmouth。　　I　tried　more　thanseveraland　it

is　a　singular　fact；　which　I　never　have　been　able　to　account　for；

that；　successful　as　I　was　with　ladies　of　maturer　age；　by　the　young

ones　I　was　refused　regular。



But　〃faint　heart　never　won　fair　lady；〃　and　so　I　went　on；　and　on；

until　I　had　got　a　Miss　Clopper；　a　tolerable　rich　navy…contractor's

daughter；　into　such　a　way；　that　I　really　don't　think　she　could　have

refused　me。　　Her　brother；　Captain　Clopper；　was　in　a　line　regiment；

and　helped　me　as　much　as　ever　he　could：　he　swore　I　was　such　a　brave

fellow。



As　I　had　received　a　number　of　attentions　from　Clopper；　I　determined

to　invite　him　to　dinner；　which　I　could　do　without　any　sacrifice　of

my　principle　upon　this　point：　for　the　fact　is；　Dobble　lived　at　an

inn；　and　as　he　sent　all　his　bills　to　his　father；　I　made　no　scruple

to　use　his　table。　　We　dined　in　the　coffee…room；　Dobble　bringing　HIS

friend；　and　so　we　made　a　party　CARRY；　as　the　French　say。　　Some

naval　officers　were　o