the ruby of kishmoor-第6部分

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lineaments　first　of　one　and　then　of　the　other。　　He　looked　at　them
very　carefully　for　a　long　while；　with　the　closest　and　most　intent
scrutiny；　and　in　perfect　silence。　　〃They　are　both　as　dead；〃　says
he；　〃as　Davy　Jones；　and；　whoever　you　be；　I　protest　that　you　have
done　your　business　the　most　completest　that　I　ever　saw　in　all　of
my　life。〃

Indeed；〃　cried　Jonathan；　in　the　same　shrill　and　panting　voice；
〃it　was　themselves　who　did　it。　　First　one　of　them　attacked　me　and
then　the　other；　and　I　did　but　try　to　keep　them　from　murdering　me。
This　one　fell　on　his　knife；　and　that　one　shot　himself　in　his
efforts　to　destroy　me。〃

〃That；〃　says　the　seaman；　〃you　may　very　well　tell　to　a　dry…lander；
and　maybe　he　will　believe　you；　but　you　cannot　so　easily　pull　the
wool　over　the　eyes　of　Captain　Benny　Willitts。　　And　what；　if　I　may
be　so　bold　as　for　to　ask　you；　was　the　reason　for　their　attacking
so　harmless　a　man　as　you　proclaim　yourself　to　be？〃

〃That　I　know　not；〃　cried　Jonathan；　〃but　I　am　entirely　willing　to
tell　thee　all　the　circumstances。　　Thou　must　know　that　I　am　a
member　of　the　Society　of　Friends。　　This　day　I　landed　here　in
Kingston；　and　met　a　young　woman　of　very　comely　appearance；　who
intrusted　me　with　this　little　ivory　ball；　which　she　requested　me
to　keep　for　her　a　few　days。　　The　sight　of　this　ballin　which　I
can　detect　nothing　that　could　be　likely　to　arouse　any　feelings　of
violenceappears　to　have　driven　these　two　men　entirely　mad；　so
that　they　instantly　made　the　most　ferocious　and　murderous　assault
upon　me。　　See！　wouldst　thou　have　believed　that　so　small　a　thing　as
this　would　have　caused　so　much　trouble？〃　　And　as　he　spoke　he　held
up　to　the　gaze　of　the　other　the　cause　of　the　double　tragedy　that
had　befallen。　　But　no　sooner　had　Captain　Willitts's　eyes　lighted
upon　the　ball　than　the　most　singular　change　passed　over　his
countenance。　　The　color　appeared　to　grow　dull　and　yellow　in　his
ruddy　cheeks；　his　fat　lips　dropped　apart；　and　his　eyes　stared
with　a　fixed　and　glassy　glare。　　He　arose　to　his　feet　and；　still
with　the　expression　of　astonishment　and　wonder　upon　his　face；
gazed　first　at　our　hero　and　then　at　the　ivory　ball　in　his　hands；
as　though　he　were　deprived　both　of　reason　and　of　speech。　　At　last；
as　our　hero　slipped　the　trifle　back　in　his　pocket　again；　the
mariner　slowly　recovered　himself；　though　with　a　prodigious
effort；　and　drew　a　deep　and　profound　breath　as　to　the　very　bottom
of　his　lungs。　　He　wiped；　with　the　corner　of　his　black　silk　cravat；
his　brow；　upon　which　the　sweat　appeared　to　have　gathered。　　〃Well；
messmate；〃　says　he；　at　last；　with　a　sudden　change　of　voice；　〃you
have；　indeed；　had　a　most　wonderful　adventure。〃　　Then　with　another
deep　breath：　〃Well；　by　the　blood！　　I　may　tell　you　plainly　that　I
am　no　poor　hand　at　the　reading　of　faces。　　Well；　I　think　you　to　be
honest；　and　I　am　inclined　to　believe　every　word　you　tell　me。　　By
the　blood！　　I　am　prodigiously　sorry　for　you；　and　am　inclined　to
help　you　out　of　your　scrape。

〃The　first　thing　to　do；〃　he　continued；　〃is　to　get　rid　of　these
two　dead　men；　and　that　is　an　affair　I　believe　we　shall　have　no
trouble　in　handling。　　One　of　them　we　will　wrap　up　in　the　carpet
here；　and　t'other　we　can　roll　into　yonder　bed…curtain。　　You　shall
carry　the　one　and　I　the　other；　and；　the　harbor　being　at　no　great
distance；　we　can　easily　bring　them　thither　and　tumble　them
overboard；　and　no　one　will　be　the　wiser　of　what　has　happened。　　For
your　own　safety；　as　you　may　easily　see；　you　can　hardly　go　away
and　leave　these　objects　here　to　be　found　by　the　first…comer；　and
to　arise　up　in　evidence　against　you。〃

This　reasoning；　in　our　hero's　present　bewildered　state；　appeared
to　him　to　be　so　extremely　just　that　he　raised　not　the　least
objection　to　it。　　Accordingly；　each　of　the　two　silent；　voiceless
victims　of　the　evening's　occurrences　were　wrapped　into　a　bundle
that　from　without　appeared　to　be　neither　portentous　nor　terrible
in　appearance。

Thereupon；　Jonathan　shouldering　the　rug　containing　the　little
gentleman　in　black；　and　the　sea…captain　doing　the　like　for　the
other；　they　presently　made　their　way　down　the　stairs　through　the
darkness；　and　so　out　into　the　street。　　Here　the　sea…captain　became
the　conductor　of　the　expedition；　and　leading　the　way　down　several
alleys　and　along　certain　by…streetsnow　and　then　stopping　to
rest；　for　the　burdens　were　both　heavy　and　clumsy　to　carrythey
both　came　out　at　last　to　the　harbor　front；　without　any　one　having
questioned　them　or　having　appeared　to　suspect　them　of　anything
wrong。　　At　the　water…side　was　an　open　wharf　extending　a　pretty
good　distance　out　into　the　harbor。　　Thither　the　captain　led　the
way　and　Jonathan　followed。　　So　they　made　their　way　out　along　the
wharf　or　pier；　stumbling　now　and　then　over　loose　boards；　until
they　came　at　last　to　where　the　water　was　of　a　sufficient　depth
for　their　purpose。　　Here　the　captain；　bending　his　shoulders；　shot
his　burden　out　into　the　dark；　mysterious　waters；　and　Jonathan；
following　his　example；　did　the　same。　　Each　body　sank　with　a　sullen
and　leaden　splash　into　the　element　where；　the　casings　which
swathed　them　becoming　loosened；　the　rug　and　the　curtain　rose　to
the　surface　and　drifted　slowly　away　with　the　tide。

As　Jonathan　stood　gazing　dully　at　the　disappearance　of　these　last
evidences　of　his　two　inadvertent　murders；　he　was　suddenly　and
vehemently　aroused　by　feeling　a　pair　of　arms　of　enormous　strength
flung　about　him　from　behind。　　In　their　embrace　his　elbows　were
instantly　pinned　tight　to　his　side；　and　he　stood　for　a　moment
helpless　and　astounded；　while　the　voice　of　the　sea…captain；
rumbling　in　his　very　ear；　exclaimed：　〃Ye　bloody；　murthering
Quaker；　I'll　have　that　ivory　ball；　or　I'll　have　your　life！〃

These　words　produced　the　same　effect　upon　Jonathan　as　though　a
douche　of　cold　water　had　suddenly　been　flung　over　him。　　He　began
instantly　to　struggle　to　free　himself；　and　that　with　a　frantic
and　vehement　violence　begotten　at　once　of　terror　and　despair。　　So
prodigious　were　his　efforts　that　more　than　once　he　had　nearly
torn　himself　free；　but　still　the　powerful　arms　of　his　captor　held
him　as　in　a　vise　of　iron。　　Meantime；　our　hero's　assailant　made
frequent　though　ineffectual　attempts　to　thrust　a　hand　into　the
breeches…pocket　where　the　ivory　ball　was　hidden；　swearing　the
while　under　his　breath　with　a　terrifying　and　monstrous　string　of
oaths。　　At　last；　finding　himself　foiled　in　every　such　attempt；　and
losing　all　patience　at　the　struggles　of　his　victim；　he　endeavored
to　lift　Jonathan　off　of　his　feet；　as　though　to　dash　him　bodily
upon　the　ground。　　In　this　he　would　doubtless　have　succeeded　had　he
not　caught　his　heel　in　the　crack　of　a　loose　board　of　the　wharf。
Instantly　they　both　fell；　violently　prostrate；　the　captain
beneath　and　Jonathan　above　him；　though　still　encircled　in　his
iron　embrace。　　Our　hero　felt　the　back　of　his　head　strike　violently
upon　the　flat　face　of　the　other；　and　he　heard　the　captain's　skull
sound　with　a　terrific　crack　like　that　of　a　breaking　egg　upon　some
post　or　billet　of　wood；　against　which　he　must　have　struck。　　In
their　frantic　struggles　they　had　approached　extremely　near　the
edge　of　the　wharf；　so　that　the　next　instant；　with　an　enormous　and
thunderous　splash；　Jonathan　found　himself　plunged　into　the　waters
of　the　harbor；　and　the　arms　of　his　assailant　loosened　from　about
his　body。

The　shock　of　the　water　brought　him　instantly　to　his　senses；　and；
being　a　fairly　good　swimmer；　he　had　not　the　least　difficulty　in
reaching　and　clutching　the　cross…piece　of　a　wooden　ladder　that；
coated　with　slimy　sea…moss；　led　from　the　water…level　to　the　wharf
above。

After　reaching　the　safety　of　the　dry　land　once　more；　Jonathan
gazed　about　him　as　though　to　discern　whence　the　next　attack　might
be　delivered　upon　him。　　But　he　stood　entirely　alone　upon　the
docknot　another　living　soul　was　in　sight。　　The　surface　of　the
water　exhibited　some　commotion；　as　though　disturbed　by　something
struggling　beneath；　but　the　sea…captain；　who　had　doubtless　been
stunned　by　the　tremendous　crack　upon　his　head；　never　arose　again
out　of　the　element　that　had　engulfed　him。

The　moonlight　shone　with　a　peaceful　and　resplendent　illumination；
and；　excepting　certain　remote　noises　from　the　distant　town　not　a
sound　broke　the　silence　and　the　peacefulness　of　the　balmy；
tropical　night。　　The　limpid　water；　illuminated　by　the　resplendent
moonlight；　lapped　against　the　wharf。　　All　the　world　was　calm；
serene；　and　enveloped　in　a　profound　and　entire　repose。

Jonathan　looked　up　at　the　round　and　brilliant　globe　of　light
floating　in　the　sky　above　his　head；　and　wondered　whether　it　were；
indeed；　possible　that　all　that　had　befallen　him　was　a　reality　and
not　some　tremendous　hallucination。　　Then　suddenly　arousing　himself
to　a　renewed　realization　of　that　which　had　occurred；　he　turned
and　ran　like　one　possessed；　up　along　the　wharf；　and　so　into　the
moonlit　town　once　more。




VI。　The　Conclusion　of　the　Adventure　with　the　Lady　with　the　Silver
Veil



Nor　did　he　check　his　precipitous　flight　until　suddenly；　being　led
perhaps　by　some　strange　influence　of　which　he　was　not　at　all　the
master；　he　discovered　himself　to　be　standing　before　the
garden…gate　where　not　more　than　an　hour　before　he　had　first
entered　upon　the　series　of　monstrous　adventures　that　had　led　to
such　tremendous　conclusions。

People　were　still　passing　and　repassing；　and　one　of　these
groupsa　party　of　young　ladies　and　gentlemenpaused　upon　the
opposite　side　of　the　street　to　observe；　with　no　small　curiosity
and　amusement；　his　dripping　and　bedraggled　aspect。　　But　only　one
thought　and　one　intention　possessed　our　heroto　relieve　himself
as　quickly　as　possible　of　that　trust　which　he　had　taken　up　so
thoughtlessly；　and　with　such　monstrous　results　to　himself　and　to
his　victims。　　He　ran　to　the　gate　of　the　garden　and　began　beating
and　kicking　upon　it　with　a　vehemence　that　he　could　neither　master
nor　control。　　He　was　aware　that　the　entire　neighborhood　was
becoming　aroused；　for　he　beheld　lights　moving　and　loud　voices　of
inquiry；　yet　he　gave　not　the　least　thought　to　the　disturbance　he
was　creating；　but　continued　without　intermission　his　uproarious
pounding　upon　the　gate。

At　length；　in　answer　to　the　sound　of　his　vehement　blows；　the
lit