Reading Help Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Ch.I-III
making by the coast road for Bristol) he would look in `
` at him through the curtained door before he entered the `
` parlour; and he was always sure to be as silent as a `
` mouse when any such was present. For me, at least, `
` there was no secret about the matter, for I was, in a `
` way, a sharer in his alarms. He had taken me aside one `
` day and promised me a silver fourpenny on the first of `
` every month if I would only keep my "weather-eye open `
` for a seafaring man with one leg" and let him know the `
` moment he appeared. Often enough when the first of the `
` month came round and I applied to him for my wage, he `
` would only blow through his nose at me and stare me down, `
` but before the week was out he was sure to think better `
` of it, bring me my four-penny piece, and repeat his orders `
` to look out for "the seafaring man with one leg." `
` `
` How that personage haunted my dreams, I need scarcely `
` tell you. On stormy nights, when the wind shook the `
` four corners of the house and the surf roared along the `
` cove and up the cliffs, I would see him in a thousand `
` forms, and with a thousand diabolical expressions. Now `
` the leg would be cut off at the knee, now at the hip; `
` now he was a monstrous kind of a creature who had never `
` had but the one leg, and that in the middle of his `
` body. To see him leap and run and pursue me over hedge `
` and ditch was the worst of nightmares. And altogether `
` I paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece, in `
` the shape of these abominable fancies. `
` `
` But though I was so terrified by the idea of the `
` seafaring man with one leg, I was far less afraid of `
` the captain himself than anybody else who knew him. `
` There were nights when he took a deal more rum and `
` water than his head would carry; and then he would `
` sometimes sit and sing his wicked, old, wild sea-songs, `
` minding nobody; but sometimes he would call for glasses `
` round and force all the trembling company to listen to `
` his stories or bear a chorus to his singing. Often I `
` have heard the house shaking with "Yo-ho-ho, and a `
` bottle of rum," all the neighbours joining in for dear `
` life, with the fear of death upon them, and each `
` singing louder than the other to avoid remark. For in `
` these fits he was the most overriding companion ever `
` known; he would slap his hand on the table for silence `
` all round; he would fly up in a passion of anger at a `
` question, or sometimes because none was put, and so he `
` judged the company was not following his story. Nor `
` would he allow anyone to leave the inn till he had `
` drunk himself sleepy and reeled off to bed. `
` `
` His stories were what frightened people worst of all. `
` Dreadful stories they were--about hanging, and walking `
` the plank, and storms at sea, and the Dry Tortugas, and `
` wild deeds and places on the Spanish Main. By his own `
` account he must have lived his life among some of the `
` wickedest men that God ever allowed upon the sea, and `
` the language in which he told these stories shocked our `
` plain country people almost as much as the crimes that `
` he described. My father was always saying the inn `
` would be ruined, for people would soon cease coming `
` there to be tyrannized over and put down, and sent `
` shivering to their beds; but I really believe his `
` presence did us good. People were frightened at the `
` time, but on looking back they rather liked it; it was `
` a fine excitement in a quiet country life, and there `
` was even a party of the younger men who pretended to `
` admire him, calling him a "true sea-dog" and a "real `
` old salt" and such like names, and saying there was the `
` sort of man that made England terrible at sea. `
` `
` In one way, indeed, he bade fair to ruin us, for he kept `
` on staying week after week, and at last month after month, `
` so that all the money had been long exhausted, and still `
` my father never plucked up the heart to insist on having `
` more. If ever he mentioned it, the captain blew through `
` his nose so loudly that you might say he roared, and stared `
` my poor father out of the room. I have seen him wringing `
` his hands after such a rebuff, and I am sure the annoyance `
` and the terror he lived in must have greatly hastened his `
` early and unhappy death. `
` `
` All the time he lived with us the captain made no change `
` whatever in his dress but to buy some stockings from a `
` hawker. One of the cocks of his hat having fallen down, `
` he let it hang from that day forth, though it was a great `
` annoyance when it blew. I remember the appearance of his `
` coat, which he patched himself upstairs in his room, and `
` which, before the end, was nothing but patches. He never `
` wrote or received a letter, and he never spoke with any `
` but the neighbours, and with these, for the most part, `
` only when drunk on rum. The great sea-chest none of us `
` had ever seen open. `
` `
` He was only once crossed, and that was towards the end, `
` when my poor father was far gone in a decline that took `
` him off. Dr. Livesey came late one afternoon to see `
` the patient, took a bit of dinner from my mother, and `
` went into the parlour to smoke a pipe until his horse `
` should come down from the hamlet, for we had no `
` stabling at the old Benbow. I followed him in, and I `
` remember observing the contrast the neat, bright `
` doctor, with his powder as white as snow and his bright, `
` black eyes and pleasant manners, made with the coltish `
` country folk, and above all, with that filthy, heavy, `
` bleared scarecrow of a pirate of ours, sitting, far gone `
` in rum, with his arms on the table. Suddenly he--the `
` captain, that is--began to pipe up his eternal song: `
` `
` "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest-- `
` Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! `
` Drink and the devil had done for the rest-- `
` Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!" `
` `
` At first I had supposed "the dead man's chest" to be `
` that identical big box of his upstairs in the front `
` room, and the thought had been mingled in my nightmares `
` with that of the one-legged seafaring man. But by this `
` time we had all long ceased to pay any particular `
` notice to the song; it was new, that night, to nobody `
` but Dr. Livesey, and on him I observed it did not `
` produce an agreeable effect, for he looked up for a `
` moment quite angrily before he went on with his talk to `
` old Taylor, the gardener, on a new cure for the `
` rheumatics. In the meantime, the captain gradually `
` brightened up at his own music, and at last flapped his `
` hand upon the table before him in a way we all knew to `
` mean silence. The voices stopped at once, all but Dr. `
` Livesey's; he went on as before speaking clear and kind `
` and drawing briskly at his pipe between every word or `
` two. The captain glared at him for a while, flapped `
` his hand again, glared still harder, and at last broke `
` out with a villainous, low oath, "Silence, there, `
` between decks!" `
` `
` "Were you addressing me, sir?" says the doctor; and `
` when the ruffian had told him, with another oath, that `
` this was so, "I have only one thing to say to you, sir," `
` replies the doctor, "that if you keep on drinking rum, `
` the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel!" `
` `
` The old fellow's fury was awful. He sprang to his `
` feet, drew and opened a sailor's clasp-knife, and `
` balancing it open on the palm of his hand, threatened `
` to pin the doctor to the wall. `
` `
` The doctor never so much as moved. He spoke to him as `
` before, over his shoulder and in the same tone of `
` voice, rather high, so that all the room might hear, `
` but perfectly calm and steady: "If you do not put that `
` knife this instant in your pocket, I promise, upon my `
` honour, you shall hang at the next assizes." `
` `
` Then followed a battle of looks between them, but the `
` captain soon knuckled under, put up his weapon, and `
` resumed his seat, grumbling like a beaten dog. `
` `
` "And now, sir," continued the doctor, "since I now know `
` there's such a fellow in my district, you may count I'll `
` have an eye upon you day and night. I'm not a doctor only; `
` I'm a magistrate; and if I catch a breath of complaint `
` against you, if it's only for a piece of incivility like `
` tonight's, I'll take effectual means to have you hunted `
` down and routed out of this. Let that suffice." `
` `
` Soon after, Dr. Livesey's horse came to the door and he `
` rode away, but the captain held his peace that evening, `
` and for many evenings to come. `
` `
` `
` `
` 2 `
` `
` Black Dog Appears and Disappears `
` `
` `
` IT was not very long after this that there occurred the `
` first of the mysterious events that rid us at last of `
` the captain, though not, as you will see, of his `
` affairs. It was a bitter cold winter, with long, hard `
` frosts and heavy gales; and it was plain from the first `
` that my poor father was little likely to see the `
` spring. He sank daily, and my mother and I had all the `
` inn upon our hands, and were kept busy enough without `
` paying much regard to our unpleasant guest. `
` `
` It was one January morning, very early--a pinching, `
` frosty morning--the cove all grey with hoar-frost, the `
` ripple lapping softly on the stones, the sun still low `
` and only touching the hilltops and shining far to `
` seaward. The captain had risen earlier than usual and `
` set out down the beach, his cutlass swinging under the `
` broad skirts of the old blue coat, his brass telescope `
` under his arm, his hat tilted back upon his head. I `
` remember his breath hanging like smoke in his wake as `
` he strode off, and the last sound I heard of him as he `
` turned the big rock was a loud snort of indignation, as `
` though his mind was still running upon Dr. Livesey. `
` `
` Well, mother was upstairs with father and I was laying `
` the breakfast-table against the captain's return when `
` the parlour door opened and a man stepped in on whom I `
`
` at him through the curtained door before he entered the `
` parlour; and he was always sure to be as silent as a `
` mouse when any such was present. For me, at least, `
` there was no secret about the matter, for I was, in a `
` way, a sharer in his alarms. He had taken me aside one `
` day and promised me a silver fourpenny on the first of `
` every month if I would only keep my "weather-eye open `
` for a seafaring man with one leg" and let him know the `
` moment he appeared. Often enough when the first of the `
` month came round and I applied to him for my wage, he `
` would only blow through his nose at me and stare me down, `
` but before the week was out he was sure to think better `
` of it, bring me my four-penny piece, and repeat his orders `
` to look out for "the seafaring man with one leg." `
` `
` How that personage haunted my dreams, I need scarcely `
` tell you. On stormy nights, when the wind shook the `
` four corners of the house and the surf roared along the `
` cove and up the cliffs, I would see him in a thousand `
` forms, and with a thousand diabolical expressions. Now `
` the leg would be cut off at the knee, now at the hip; `
` now he was a monstrous kind of a creature who had never `
` had but the one leg, and that in the middle of his `
` body. To see him leap and run and pursue me over hedge `
` and ditch was the worst of nightmares. And altogether `
` I paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece, in `
` the shape of these abominable fancies. `
` `
` But though I was so terrified by the idea of the `
` seafaring man with one leg, I was far less afraid of `
` the captain himself than anybody else who knew him. `
` There were nights when he took a deal more rum and `
` water than his head would carry; and then he would `
` sometimes sit and sing his wicked, old, wild sea-songs, `
` minding nobody; but sometimes he would call for glasses `
` round and force all the trembling company to listen to `
` his stories or bear a chorus to his singing. Often I `
` have heard the house shaking with "Yo-ho-ho, and a `
` bottle of rum," all the neighbours joining in for dear `
` life, with the fear of death upon them, and each `
` singing louder than the other to avoid remark. For in `
` these fits he was the most overriding companion ever `
` known; he would slap his hand on the table for silence `
` all round; he would fly up in a passion of anger at a `
` question, or sometimes because none was put, and so he `
` judged the company was not following his story. Nor `
` would he allow anyone to leave the inn till he had `
` drunk himself sleepy and reeled off to bed. `
` `
` His stories were what frightened people worst of all. `
` Dreadful stories they were--about hanging, and walking `
` the plank, and storms at sea, and the Dry Tortugas, and `
` wild deeds and places on the Spanish Main. By his own `
` account he must have lived his life among some of the `
` wickedest men that God ever allowed upon the sea, and `
` the language in which he told these stories shocked our `
` plain country people almost as much as the crimes that `
` he described. My father was always saying the inn `
` would be ruined, for people would soon cease coming `
` there to be tyrannized over and put down, and sent `
` shivering to their beds; but I really believe his `
` presence did us good. People were frightened at the `
` time, but on looking back they rather liked it; it was `
` a fine excitement in a quiet country life, and there `
` was even a party of the younger men who pretended to `
` admire him, calling him a "true sea-dog" and a "real `
` old salt" and such like names, and saying there was the `
` sort of man that made England terrible at sea. `
` `
` In one way, indeed, he bade fair to ruin us, for he kept `
` on staying week after week, and at last month after month, `
` so that all the money had been long exhausted, and still `
` my father never plucked up the heart to insist on having `
` more. If ever he mentioned it, the captain blew through `
` his nose so loudly that you might say he roared, and stared `
` my poor father out of the room. I have seen him wringing `
` his hands after such a rebuff, and I am sure the annoyance `
` and the terror he lived in must have greatly hastened his `
` early and unhappy death. `
` `
` All the time he lived with us the captain made no change `
` whatever in his dress but to buy some stockings from a `
` hawker. One of the cocks of his hat having fallen down, `
` he let it hang from that day forth, though it was a great `
` annoyance when it blew. I remember the appearance of his `
` coat, which he patched himself upstairs in his room, and `
` which, before the end, was nothing but patches. He never `
` wrote or received a letter, and he never spoke with any `
` but the neighbours, and with these, for the most part, `
` only when drunk on rum. The great sea-chest none of us `
` had ever seen open. `
` `
` He was only once crossed, and that was towards the end, `
` when my poor father was far gone in a decline that took `
` him off. Dr. Livesey came late one afternoon to see `
` the patient, took a bit of dinner from my mother, and `
` went into the parlour to smoke a pipe until his horse `
` should come down from the hamlet, for we had no `
` stabling at the old Benbow. I followed him in, and I `
` remember observing the contrast the neat, bright `
` doctor, with his powder as white as snow and his bright, `
` black eyes and pleasant manners, made with the coltish `
` country folk, and above all, with that filthy, heavy, `
` bleared scarecrow of a pirate of ours, sitting, far gone `
` in rum, with his arms on the table. Suddenly he--the `
` captain, that is--began to pipe up his eternal song: `
` `
` "Fifteen men on the dead man's chest-- `
` Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum! `
` Drink and the devil had done for the rest-- `
` Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!" `
` `
` At first I had supposed "the dead man's chest" to be `
` that identical big box of his upstairs in the front `
` room, and the thought had been mingled in my nightmares `
` with that of the one-legged seafaring man. But by this `
` time we had all long ceased to pay any particular `
` notice to the song; it was new, that night, to nobody `
` but Dr. Livesey, and on him I observed it did not `
` produce an agreeable effect, for he looked up for a `
` moment quite angrily before he went on with his talk to `
` old Taylor, the gardener, on a new cure for the `
` rheumatics. In the meantime, the captain gradually `
` brightened up at his own music, and at last flapped his `
` hand upon the table before him in a way we all knew to `
` mean silence. The voices stopped at once, all but Dr. `
` Livesey's; he went on as before speaking clear and kind `
` and drawing briskly at his pipe between every word or `
` two. The captain glared at him for a while, flapped `
` his hand again, glared still harder, and at last broke `
` out with a villainous, low oath, "Silence, there, `
` between decks!" `
` `
` "Were you addressing me, sir?" says the doctor; and `
` when the ruffian had told him, with another oath, that `
` this was so, "I have only one thing to say to you, sir," `
` replies the doctor, "that if you keep on drinking rum, `
` the world will soon be quit of a very dirty scoundrel!" `
` `
` The old fellow's fury was awful. He sprang to his `
` feet, drew and opened a sailor's clasp-knife, and `
` balancing it open on the palm of his hand, threatened `
` to pin the doctor to the wall. `
` `
` The doctor never so much as moved. He spoke to him as `
` before, over his shoulder and in the same tone of `
` voice, rather high, so that all the room might hear, `
` but perfectly calm and steady: "If you do not put that `
` knife this instant in your pocket, I promise, upon my `
` honour, you shall hang at the next assizes." `
` `
` Then followed a battle of looks between them, but the `
` captain soon knuckled under, put up his weapon, and `
` resumed his seat, grumbling like a beaten dog. `
` `
` "And now, sir," continued the doctor, "since I now know `
` there's such a fellow in my district, you may count I'll `
` have an eye upon you day and night. I'm not a doctor only; `
` I'm a magistrate; and if I catch a breath of complaint `
` against you, if it's only for a piece of incivility like `
` tonight's, I'll take effectual means to have you hunted `
` down and routed out of this. Let that suffice." `
` `
` Soon after, Dr. Livesey's horse came to the door and he `
` rode away, but the captain held his peace that evening, `
` and for many evenings to come. `
` `
` `
` `
` 2 `
` `
` Black Dog Appears and Disappears `
` `
` `
` IT was not very long after this that there occurred the `
` first of the mysterious events that rid us at last of `
` the captain, though not, as you will see, of his `
` affairs. It was a bitter cold winter, with long, hard `
` frosts and heavy gales; and it was plain from the first `
` that my poor father was little likely to see the `
` spring. He sank daily, and my mother and I had all the `
` inn upon our hands, and were kept busy enough without `
` paying much regard to our unpleasant guest. `
` `
` It was one January morning, very early--a pinching, `
` frosty morning--the cove all grey with hoar-frost, the `
` ripple lapping softly on the stones, the sun still low `
` and only touching the hilltops and shining far to `
` seaward. The captain had risen earlier than usual and `
` set out down the beach, his cutlass swinging under the `
` broad skirts of the old blue coat, his brass telescope `
` under his arm, his hat tilted back upon his head. I `
` remember his breath hanging like smoke in his wake as `
` he strode off, and the last sound I heard of him as he `
` turned the big rock was a loud snort of indignation, as `
` though his mind was still running upon Dr. Livesey. `
` `
` Well, mother was upstairs with father and I was laying `
` the breakfast-table against the captain's return when `
` the parlour door opened and a man stepped in on whom I `
`