Reading Help Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson Ch.I-III
minded people less and seemed shut up in his own `
` thoughts and rather wandering. Once, for instance, to `
` our extreme wonder, he piped up to a different air, a `
` king of country love-song that he must have learned in `
` his youth before he had begun to follow the sea. `
` `
` So things passed until, the day after the funeral, and `
` about three o'clock of a bitter, foggy, frosty `
` afternoon, I was standing at the door for a moment, `
` full of sad thoughts about my father, when I saw `
` someone drawing slowly near along the road. He was `
` plainly blind, for he tapped before him with a stick `
` and wore a great green shade over his eyes and nose; `
` and he was hunched, as if with age or weakness, and wore `
` a huge old tattered sea-cloak with a hood that made him `
` appear positively deformed. I never saw in my life a `
` more dreadful-looking figure. He stopped a little from `
` the inn, and raising his voice in an odd sing-song, `
` addressed the air in front of him, "Will any kind friend `
` inform a poor blind man, who has lost the precious sight `
` of his eyes in the gracious defence of his native country, `
` England--and God bless King George!--where or in what part `
` of this country he may now be?" `
` `
` "You are at the Admiral Benbow, Black Hill Cove, my `
` good man," said I. `
` `
` "I hear a voice," said he, "a young voice. Will you give `
` me your hand, my kind young friend, and lead me in?" `
` `
` I held out my hand, and the horrible, soft-spoken, `
` eyeless creature gripped it in a moment like a vise. I `
` was so much startled that I struggled to withdraw, but `
` the blind man pulled me close up to him with a single `
` action of his arm. `
` `
` "Now, boy," he said, "take me in to the captain." `
` `
` "Sir," said I, "upon my word I dare not." `
` `
` "Oh," he sneered, "that's it! Take me in straight or `
` I'll break your arm." `
` `
` And he gave it, as he spoke, a wrench that made me cry out. `
` `
` "Sir," said I, "it is for yourself I mean. The captain `
` is not what he used to be. He sits with a drawn `
` cutlass. Another gentleman--" `
` `
` "Come, now, march," interrupted he; and I never heard a `
` voice so cruel, and cold, and ugly as that blind man's. `
` It cowed me more than the pain, and I began to obey him `
` at once, walking straight in at the door and towards `
` the parlour, where our sick old buccaneer was sitting, `
` dazed with rum. The blind man clung close to me, `
` holding me in one iron fist and leaning almost more of `
` his weight on me than I could carry. "Lead me straight `
` up to him, and when I'm in view, cry out, 'Here's a `
` friend for you, Bill.' If you don't, I'll do this," `
` and with that he gave me a twitch that I thought would `
` have made me faint. Between this and that, I was so `
` utterly terrified of the blind beggar that I forgot my `
` terror of the captain, and as I opened the parlour door, `
` cried out the words he had ordered in a trembling voice. `
` `
` The poor captain raised his eyes, and at one look the `
` rum went out of him and left him staring sober. The `
` expression of his face was not so much of terror as of `
` mortal sickness. He made a movement to rise, but I do `
` not believe he had enough force left in his body. `
` `
` "Now, Bill, sit where you are," said the beggar. "If I `
` can't see, I can hear a finger stirring. Business is `
` business. Hold out your left hand. Boy, take his left `
` hand by the wrist and bring it near to my right." `
` `
` We both obeyed him to the letter, and I saw him pass `
` something from the hollow of the hand that held his `
` stick into the palm of the captain's, which closed upon `
` it instantly. `
` `
` "And now that's done," said the blind man; and at the words `
` he suddenly left hold of me, and with incredible accuracy `
` and nimbleness, skipped out of the parlour and into the road, `
` where, as I still stood motionless, I could hear his stick `
` go tap-tap-tapping into the distance. `
` `
` It was some time before either I or the captain seemed `
` to gather our senses, but at length, and about at the `
` same moment, I released his wrist, which I was still `
` holding, and he drew in his hand and looked sharply `
` into the palm. `
` `
` "Ten o'clock!" he cried. "Six hours. We'll do them `
` yet," and he sprang to his feet. `
` `
` Even as he did so, he reeled, put his hand to his `
` throat, stood swaying for a moment, and then, with a `
` peculiar sound, fell from his whole height face `
` foremost to the floor. `
` `
` I ran to him at once, calling to my mother. But haste `
` was all in vain. The captain had been struck dead by `
` thundering apoplexy. It is a curious thing to `
` understand, for I had certainly never liked the man, `
` though of late I had begun to pity him, but as soon as `
` I saw that he was dead, I burst into a flood of tears. `
` It was the second death I had known, and the sorrow of `
` the first was still fresh in my heart. `
` `
` `
` `
` 4 `
` `
` The Sea-chest `
` `
` I LOST no time, of course, in telling my mother all `
` that I knew, and perhaps should have told her long `
` before, and we saw ourselves at once in a difficult and `
` dangerous position. Some of the man's money--if he had `
` any--was certainly due to us, but it was not likely `
` that our captain's shipmates, above all the two `
` specimens seen by me, Black Dog and the blind beggar, `
` would be inclined to give up their booty in payment of `
` the dead man's debts. The captain's order to mount at `
` once and ride for Doctor Livesey would have left my `
` mother alone and unprotected, which was not to be `
` thought of. Indeed, it seemed impossible for either of `
` us to remain much longer in the house; the fall of `
` coals in the kitchen grate, the very ticking of the `
` clock, filled us with alarms. The neighbourhood, to `
` our ears, seemed haunted by approaching footsteps; and `
` what between the dead body of the captain on the `
` parlour floor and the thought of that detestable blind `
` beggar hovering near at hand and ready to return, there `
` were moments when, as the saying goes, I jumped in my `
` skin for terror. Something must speedily be resolved `
` upon, and it occurred to us at last to go forth `
` together and seek help in the neighbouring hamlet. No `
` sooner said than done. Bare-headed as we were, we ran `
` out at once in the gathering evening and the frosty fog. `
` `
` The hamlet lay not many hundred yards away, though out `
` of view, on the other side of the next cove; and what `
` greatly encouraged me, it was in an opposite direction `
` from that whence the blind man had made his appearance `
` and whither he had presumably returned. We were not `
` many minutes on the road, though we sometimes stopped `
` to lay hold of each other and hearken. But there was `
` no unusual sound--nothing but the low wash of the `
` ripple and the croaking of the inmates of the wood. `
` `
` It was already candle-light when we reached the hamlet, `
` and I shall never forget how much I was cheered to see `
` the yellow shine in doors and windows; but that, as it `
` proved, was the best of the help we were likely to get `
` in that quarter. For--you would have thought men would `
` have been ashamed of themselves--no soul would consent `
` to return with us to the Admiral Benbow. The more we `
` told of our troubles, the more--man, woman, and child-- `
` they clung to the shelter of their houses. The name of `
` Captain Flint, though it was strange to me, was well `
` enough known to some there and carried a great weight `
` of terror. Some of the men who had been to field-work `
` on the far side of the Admiral Benbow remembered, `
` besides, to have seen several strangers on the road, `
` and taking them to be smugglers, to have bolted away; `
` and one at least had seen a little lugger in what we `
` called Kitt's Hole. For that matter, anyone who was a `
` comrade of the captain's was enough to frighten them to `
` death. And the short and the long of the matter was, `
` that while we could get several who were willing enough `
` to ride to Dr. Livesey's, which lay in another `
` direction, not one would help us to defend the inn. `
` `
` They say cowardice is infectious; but then argument is, `
` on the other hand, a great emboldener; and so when each `
` had said his say, my mother made them a speech. She `
` would not, she declared, lose money that belonged to `
` her fatherless boy; "If none of the rest of you dare," `
` she said, "Jim and I dare. Back we will go, the way we `
` came, and small thanks to you big, hulking, chicken- `
` hearted men. We'll have that chest open, if we die for `
` it. And I'll thank you for that bag, Mrs. Crossley, to `
` bring back our lawful money in." `
` `
` Of course I said I would go with my mother, and of course `
` they all cried out at our foolhardiness, but even then `
` not a man would go along with us. All they would do was `
` to give me a loaded pistol lest we were attacked, and to `
` promise to have horses ready saddled in case we were `
` pursued on our return, while one lad was to ride forward `
` to the doctor's in search of armed assistance. `
` `
` My heart was beating finely when we two set forth in `
` the cold night upon this dangerous venture. A full `
` moon was beginning to rise and peered redly through the `
` upper edges of the fog, and this increased our haste, `
` for it was plain, before we came forth again, that all `
` would be as bright as day, and our departure exposed to `
` the eyes of any watchers. We slipped along the hedges, `
`
` thoughts and rather wandering. Once, for instance, to `
` our extreme wonder, he piped up to a different air, a `
` king of country love-song that he must have learned in `
` his youth before he had begun to follow the sea. `
` `
` So things passed until, the day after the funeral, and `
` about three o'clock of a bitter, foggy, frosty `
` afternoon, I was standing at the door for a moment, `
` full of sad thoughts about my father, when I saw `
` someone drawing slowly near along the road. He was `
` plainly blind, for he tapped before him with a stick `
` and wore a great green shade over his eyes and nose; `
` and he was hunched, as if with age or weakness, and wore `
` a huge old tattered sea-cloak with a hood that made him `
` appear positively deformed. I never saw in my life a `
` more dreadful-looking figure. He stopped a little from `
` the inn, and raising his voice in an odd sing-song, `
` addressed the air in front of him, "Will any kind friend `
` inform a poor blind man, who has lost the precious sight `
` of his eyes in the gracious defence of his native country, `
` England--and God bless King George!--where or in what part `
` of this country he may now be?" `
` `
` "You are at the Admiral Benbow, Black Hill Cove, my `
` good man," said I. `
` `
` "I hear a voice," said he, "a young voice. Will you give `
` me your hand, my kind young friend, and lead me in?" `
` `
` I held out my hand, and the horrible, soft-spoken, `
` eyeless creature gripped it in a moment like a vise. I `
` was so much startled that I struggled to withdraw, but `
` the blind man pulled me close up to him with a single `
` action of his arm. `
` `
` "Now, boy," he said, "take me in to the captain." `
` `
` "Sir," said I, "upon my word I dare not." `
` `
` "Oh," he sneered, "that's it! Take me in straight or `
` I'll break your arm." `
` `
` And he gave it, as he spoke, a wrench that made me cry out. `
` `
` "Sir," said I, "it is for yourself I mean. The captain `
` is not what he used to be. He sits with a drawn `
` cutlass. Another gentleman--" `
` `
` "Come, now, march," interrupted he; and I never heard a `
` voice so cruel, and cold, and ugly as that blind man's. `
` It cowed me more than the pain, and I began to obey him `
` at once, walking straight in at the door and towards `
` the parlour, where our sick old buccaneer was sitting, `
` dazed with rum. The blind man clung close to me, `
` holding me in one iron fist and leaning almost more of `
` his weight on me than I could carry. "Lead me straight `
` up to him, and when I'm in view, cry out, 'Here's a `
` friend for you, Bill.' If you don't, I'll do this," `
` and with that he gave me a twitch that I thought would `
` have made me faint. Between this and that, I was so `
` utterly terrified of the blind beggar that I forgot my `
` terror of the captain, and as I opened the parlour door, `
` cried out the words he had ordered in a trembling voice. `
` `
` The poor captain raised his eyes, and at one look the `
` rum went out of him and left him staring sober. The `
` expression of his face was not so much of terror as of `
` mortal sickness. He made a movement to rise, but I do `
` not believe he had enough force left in his body. `
` `
` "Now, Bill, sit where you are," said the beggar. "If I `
` can't see, I can hear a finger stirring. Business is `
` business. Hold out your left hand. Boy, take his left `
` hand by the wrist and bring it near to my right." `
` `
` We both obeyed him to the letter, and I saw him pass `
` something from the hollow of the hand that held his `
` stick into the palm of the captain's, which closed upon `
` it instantly. `
` `
` "And now that's done," said the blind man; and at the words `
` he suddenly left hold of me, and with incredible accuracy `
` and nimbleness, skipped out of the parlour and into the road, `
` where, as I still stood motionless, I could hear his stick `
` go tap-tap-tapping into the distance. `
` `
` It was some time before either I or the captain seemed `
` to gather our senses, but at length, and about at the `
` same moment, I released his wrist, which I was still `
` holding, and he drew in his hand and looked sharply `
` into the palm. `
` `
` "Ten o'clock!" he cried. "Six hours. We'll do them `
` yet," and he sprang to his feet. `
` `
` Even as he did so, he reeled, put his hand to his `
` throat, stood swaying for a moment, and then, with a `
` peculiar sound, fell from his whole height face `
` foremost to the floor. `
` `
` I ran to him at once, calling to my mother. But haste `
` was all in vain. The captain had been struck dead by `
` thundering apoplexy. It is a curious thing to `
` understand, for I had certainly never liked the man, `
` though of late I had begun to pity him, but as soon as `
` I saw that he was dead, I burst into a flood of tears. `
` It was the second death I had known, and the sorrow of `
` the first was still fresh in my heart. `
` `
` `
` `
` 4 `
` `
` The Sea-chest `
` `
` I LOST no time, of course, in telling my mother all `
` that I knew, and perhaps should have told her long `
` before, and we saw ourselves at once in a difficult and `
` dangerous position. Some of the man's money--if he had `
` any--was certainly due to us, but it was not likely `
` that our captain's shipmates, above all the two `
` specimens seen by me, Black Dog and the blind beggar, `
` would be inclined to give up their booty in payment of `
` the dead man's debts. The captain's order to mount at `
` once and ride for Doctor Livesey would have left my `
` mother alone and unprotected, which was not to be `
` thought of. Indeed, it seemed impossible for either of `
` us to remain much longer in the house; the fall of `
` coals in the kitchen grate, the very ticking of the `
` clock, filled us with alarms. The neighbourhood, to `
` our ears, seemed haunted by approaching footsteps; and `
` what between the dead body of the captain on the `
` parlour floor and the thought of that detestable blind `
` beggar hovering near at hand and ready to return, there `
` were moments when, as the saying goes, I jumped in my `
` skin for terror. Something must speedily be resolved `
` upon, and it occurred to us at last to go forth `
` together and seek help in the neighbouring hamlet. No `
` sooner said than done. Bare-headed as we were, we ran `
` out at once in the gathering evening and the frosty fog. `
` `
` The hamlet lay not many hundred yards away, though out `
` of view, on the other side of the next cove; and what `
` greatly encouraged me, it was in an opposite direction `
` from that whence the blind man had made his appearance `
` and whither he had presumably returned. We were not `
` many minutes on the road, though we sometimes stopped `
` to lay hold of each other and hearken. But there was `
` no unusual sound--nothing but the low wash of the `
` ripple and the croaking of the inmates of the wood. `
` `
` It was already candle-light when we reached the hamlet, `
` and I shall never forget how much I was cheered to see `
` the yellow shine in doors and windows; but that, as it `
` proved, was the best of the help we were likely to get `
` in that quarter. For--you would have thought men would `
` have been ashamed of themselves--no soul would consent `
` to return with us to the Admiral Benbow. The more we `
` told of our troubles, the more--man, woman, and child-- `
` they clung to the shelter of their houses. The name of `
` Captain Flint, though it was strange to me, was well `
` enough known to some there and carried a great weight `
` of terror. Some of the men who had been to field-work `
` on the far side of the Admiral Benbow remembered, `
` besides, to have seen several strangers on the road, `
` and taking them to be smugglers, to have bolted away; `
` and one at least had seen a little lugger in what we `
` called Kitt's Hole. For that matter, anyone who was a `
` comrade of the captain's was enough to frighten them to `
` death. And the short and the long of the matter was, `
` that while we could get several who were willing enough `
` to ride to Dr. Livesey's, which lay in another `
` direction, not one would help us to defend the inn. `
` `
` They say cowardice is infectious; but then argument is, `
` on the other hand, a great emboldener; and so when each `
` had said his say, my mother made them a speech. She `
` would not, she declared, lose money that belonged to `
` her fatherless boy; "If none of the rest of you dare," `
` she said, "Jim and I dare. Back we will go, the way we `
` came, and small thanks to you big, hulking, chicken- `
` hearted men. We'll have that chest open, if we die for `
` it. And I'll thank you for that bag, Mrs. Crossley, to `
` bring back our lawful money in." `
` `
` Of course I said I would go with my mother, and of course `
` they all cried out at our foolhardiness, but even then `
` not a man would go along with us. All they would do was `
` to give me a loaded pistol lest we were attacked, and to `
` promise to have horses ready saddled in case we were `
` pursued on our return, while one lad was to ride forward `
` to the doctor's in search of armed assistance. `
` `
` My heart was beating finely when we two set forth in `
` the cold night upon this dangerous venture. A full `
` moon was beginning to rise and peered redly through the `
` upper edges of the fog, and this increased our haste, `
` for it was plain, before we came forth again, that all `
` would be as bright as day, and our departure exposed to `
` the eyes of any watchers. We slipped along the hedges, `
`