aaron trow-第5部分

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lies　between　the　road　and　the　sea　on　the　side　towards　the　ferry；　and
presently　a　boy　came　running　down　to　them　full　of　news。　　〃Danny　Lund
has　seen　him；〃　said　the　boy；　〃he　has　seen　him　plainly　in　among　the
rocks。〃　　And　then　came　Danny　Lund　himself；　a　small　negro　lad　about
fourteen　years　of　age；　who　was　known　in　those　parts　as　the　idlest；
most　dishonest；　and　most　useless　of　his　race。　　On　this　occasion；
however；　Danny　Lund　became　important；　and　every　one　listened　to　him。
He　had　seen；　he　said；　a　pair　of　eyes　moving　down　in　a　cave　of　the
rocks　which　he　well　knew。　　He　had　been　in　the　cave　often；　he　said；
and　could　get　there　again。　　But　not　now；　not　while　that　pair　of　eyes
was　moving　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　And　so　they　all　went　up　over　the
hill；　Morton　leading　the　way　with　hot　haste。　　In　his　waist…band　he
held　a　pistol；　and　his　hand　grasped　a　short　iron　bar　with　which　he
had　armed　himself。　　They　ascended　the　top　of　the　hill；　and　when
there；　the　open　sea　was　before　them　on　two　sides；　and　on　the　third
was　the　narrow　creek　over　which　the　ferry　passed。　　Immediately
beneath　their　feet　were　the　broken　rocks；　for　on　that　side；　towards
the　sea；　the　earth　and　grass　of　the　hill　descended　but　a　little　way
towards　the　water。　　Down　among　the　rocks　they　all　went；　silently；
Caleb　Morton　leading　the　way；　and　Danny　Lund　directing　him　from
behind。

〃Mr。　Morton；〃　said　an　elderly　man　from　St。　George；　〃had　you　not
better　let　the　warders　of　the　gaol　go　first；　he　is　a　desperate　man；
and　they　will　best　understand　his　ways？〃

In　answer　to　this　Morton　said　nothing；　but　he　would　let　no　one　put　a
foot　before　him。　　He　still　pressed　forward　among　the　rocks；　and　at
last　came　to　a　spot　from　whence　he　might　have　sprung　at　one　leap
into　the　ocean。　　It　was　a　broken　cranny　on　the　sea…shore　into　which
the　sea　beat；　and　surrounded　on　every　side　but　the　one　by　huge
broken　fragments　of　stone；　which　at　first　sight　seemed　as　though
they　would　have　admitted　of　a　path　down　among　them　to　the　water's
edge；　but　which；　when　scanned　more　closely；　were　seen　to　be　so　large
in　size；　that　no　man　could　climb　from　one　to　another。　　It　was　a
singularly　romantic　spot；　but　now　well　known　to　them　all　there；　for
they　had　visited　it　over　and　over　again　that　morning。

〃In　there；〃　said　Danny　Lund；　keeping　well　behind　Morton's　body；　and
pointing　at　the　same　time　to　a　cavern　high　up　among　the　rocks；　but
quite　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　little　inlet　of　the　sea。　　The
mouth　of　the　cavern　was　not　twenty　yards　from　where　they　stood；　but
at　the　first　sight　it　seemed　as　though　it　must　be　impossible　to
reach　it。　　The　precipice　on　the　brink　of　which　they　all　now　stood；
ran　down　sheer　into　the　sea；　and　the　fall　from　the　mouth　of　the
cavern　on　the　other　side　was　as　steep。　　But　Danny　solved　the　mystery
by　pointing　upwards；　and　showing　them　how　he　had　been　used　to　climb
to　a　projecting　rock　over　their　heads；　and　from　thence　creep　round
by　certain　vantages　of　the　stone　till　he　was　able　to　let　himself
down　into　the　aperture。　　But　now；　at　the　present　moment；　he　was
unwilling　to　make　essay　of　his　prowess　as　a　cragsman。　　He　had；　he
said；　been　up　on　that　projecting　rock　thrice；　and　there　had　seen　the
eyes　moving　in　the　cavern。　　He　was　quite　sure　of　that　fact　of　the
pair　of　eyes；　and　declined　to　ascend　the　rock　again。

Traces　soon　became　visible　to　them　by　which　they　knew　that　some　one
had　passed　in　and　out　of　the　cavern　recently。　　The　stone；　when
examined；　bore　those　marks　of　friction　which　passage　and　repassage
over　it　will　always　give。　　At　the　spot　from　whence　the　climber　left
the　platform　and　commenced　his　ascent；　the　side　of　the　stone　had
been　rubbed　by　the　close　friction　of　a　man's　body。　　A　light　boy　like
Danny　Lund　might　find　his　way　in　and　out　without　leaving　such　marks
behind　him；　but　no　heavy　man　could　do　so。　　Thus　before　long　they　all
were　satisfied　that　Aaron　Trow　was　in　the　cavern　before　them。

Then　there　was　a　long　consultation　as　to　what　they　would　do　to　carry
on　the　hunt；　and　how　they　would　drive　the　tiger　from　his　lair。　　That
he　should　not　again　come　out；　except　to　fall　into　their　hands；　was
to　all　of　them　a　matter　of　course。　　They　would　keep　watch　and　ward
there；　though　it　might　be　for　days　and　nights。　　But　that　was　a
process　which　did　not　satisfy　Morton；　and　did　not　indeed　well
satisfy　any　of　them。　　It　was　not　only　that　they　desired　to　inflict
punishment　on　the　miscreant　in　accordance　with　the　law；　but　also
that　they　did　not　desire　that　the　miserable　man　should　die　in　a　hole
like　a　starved　dog；　and　that　then　they　should　go　after　him　to　take
out　his　wretched　skeleton。　　There　was　something　in　that　idea　so
horrid　in　every　way；　that　all　agreed　that　active　steps　must　be
taken。　　The　warders　of　the　prison　felt　that　they　would　all　be
disgraced　if　they　could　not　take　their　prisoner　alive。　　Yet　who
would　get　round　that　perilous　ledge　in　the　face　of　such　an
adversary？　　A　touch　to　any　man　while　climbing　there　would　send　him
headlong　down　among　the　wave！　　And　then　his　fancy　told　to　each　what
might　be　the　nature　of　an　embrace　with　such　an　animal　as　that；
driven　to　despair；　hopeless　of　life；　armed；　as　they　knew；　at　any
rate；　with　a　knife！　　If　the　first　adventurous　spirit　should　succeed
in　crawling　round　that　ledge；　what　would　be　the　reception　which　he
might　expect　in　the　terrible　depth　of　that　cavern？

They　called　to　their　prisoner；　bidding　him　come　out；　and　telling　him
that　they　would　fire　in　upon　him　if　he　did　not　show　himself；　but　not
a　sound　was　heard。　　It　was　indeed　possible　that　they　should　send
their　bullets　to；　perhaps；　every　corner　of　the　cavern；　and　if　so；　in
that　way　they　might　slaughter　him；　but　even　of　this　they　were　not
sure。　　Who　could　tell　that　there　might　not　be　some　protected　nook　in
which　he　could　lay　secure？　　And　who　could　tell　when　the　man　was
struck；　or　whether　he　were　wounded？

〃I　will　get　to　him；〃　said　Morton；　speaking　with　a　low　dogged　voice；
and　so　saying　he　clambered　up　to　the　rock　to　which　Danny　Lund　had
pointed。　　Many　voices　at　once　attempted　to　restrain　him；　and　one　or
two　put　their　hands　upon　him　to　keep　him　back；　but　he　was　too　quick
for　them；　and　now　stood　upon　the　ledge　of　rock。　　〃Can　you　see　him？〃
they　asked　below。

〃I　can　see　nothing　within　the　cavern；〃　said　Morton。

〃Look　down　very　hard；　Massa；〃　said　Danny；　〃very　hard　indeed；　down　in
deep　dark　hole；　and　then　see　him　big　eyes　moving！〃

Morton　now　crept　along　the　ledge；　or　rather　he　was　beginning　to　do
so；　having　put　forward　his　shoulders　and　arms　to　make　a　first　step
in　advance　from　the　spot　on　which　he　was　resting；　when　a　hand　was
put　forth　from　one　corner　of　the　cavern's　mouth；a　hand　armed　with
a　pistol；and　a　shot　was　fired。　　There　could　be　no　doubt　now　but
that　Danny　Lund　was　right；　and　no　doubt　now　as　to　the　whereabouts　of
Aaron　Trow。

A　hand　was　put　forth；　a　pistol　was　fired；　and　Caleb　Morton　still
clinging　to　a　corner　of　the　rock　with　both　his　arms　was　seen　to
falter。　　〃He　is　wounded；〃　said　one　of　the　voices　from　below；　and
then　they　all　expected　to　see　him　fall　into　the　sea。　　But　he　did　not
fall；　and　after　a　moment　or　two；　he　proceeded　carefully　to　pick　his
steps　along　the　ledge。　　The　ball　had　touched　him；　grazing　his　cheek；
and　cutting　through　the　light　whiskers　that　he　wore；　but　he　had　not
felt　it；　though　the　blow　had　nearly　knocked　him　from　his　perch。　　And
then　four　or　five　shots　were　fired　from　the　rocks　into　the　mouth　of
the　cavern。　　The　man's　arm　had　been　seen；　and　indeed　one　or　two
declared　that　they　had　traced　the　dim　outline　of　his　figure。　　But　no
sound　was　heard　to　come　from　the　cavern；　except　the　sharp　crack　of
the　bullets　against　the　rock；　and　the　echo　of　the　gunpowder。　　There
had　been　no　groan　as　of　a　man　wounded；　no　sound　of　a　body　falling；
no　voice　wailing　in　despair。　　For　a　few　seconds　all　was　dark　with
the　smoke　of　the　gunpowder；　and　then　the　empty　mouth　of　the　cave　was
again　yawning　before　their　eyes。　　Morton　was　now　near　it；　still
cautiously　creeping。　　The　first　danger　to　which　he　was　exposed　was
this；　that　his　enemy　within　the　recess　might　push　him　down　from　the
rocks　with　a　touch。　　But　on　the　other　hand；　there　were　three　or　four
men　ready　to　fire；　the　moment　that　a　hand　should　be　put　forth；　and
then　Morton　could　swim；was　known　to　be　a　strong　swimmer；whereas
of　Aaron　Trow　it　was　already　declared　by　the　prison　gaolers　that　he
could　not　swim。　　Two　of　the　warders　had　now　followed　Morton　on　the
rocks；　so　that　in　the　event　of　his　making　good　his　entrance　into　the
cavern；　and　holding　his　enemy　at　bay　for　a　minute；　he　would　be
joined　by　aid。

It　was　strange　to　see　how　those　different　men　conducted　themselves
as　they　stood　on　the　opposite　platform　watching　the　attack。　　The
officers　from　the　prison　had　no　other　thought　but　of　their　prisoner；
and　were　intent　on　taking　him　alive　or　dead。　　To　them　it　was　little
or　nothing　what　became　of　Morton。　　It　was　their　business　to
encounter　peril；　and　they　were　ready　to　do　so；feeling；　however；　by
no　means　sorry　to　have　such　a　man　as　Morton　in　advance　of　them。
Very　little　was　said　by　them。　　They　had　their　wits　about　them；　and
remembered　that　every　word　spoken　for　the　guidance　of　their　ally
would　be　heard　also　by　the　escaped　convict。　　Their　prey　was　sure；
sooner　or　later；　and　had　not　Morton　been　so　eager　in　his　pursuit；
they　would　have　waited　till　some　plan　had　been　devised　of　trapping
him　without　danger。　　But　the　townsmen　from　St。　George；　of　whom　some
dozen　were　now　standing　there；　were　quick　and　eager　and　loud　in
their　counsels。　　〃Stay　where　you　are；　Mr。　Morton；stay　awhile　for
the　love　of　Godor　he'll　have　you　down。〃　　〃Now's　your　time；　Caleb；
in　on　him　now；　and　you'll　have　him。〃　　〃Close　with　him；　Morton；　close
with　him　at　once；　it's　your　only　chance。〃　　〃There's　four　of　us　here；
we'll　fire　on　him　if　he　as　much　as　shows　a　limb。〃　　All　of　which
words　as　they　were　heard　by　that　poor　wretch　within；　must　have
sounded　to　him　as　the　barking　of　a　pack　of　hounds　thirsting　for　his
blood。　　For　him　at　any　rate　there　was　no　longer　any　hope　in　this
world。

My　reader；　when　chance　has　taken　you　into　the　hunting…field；　has　it
ever　been　your　lot　to　sit　by　on　horseback；　and　watch　the　digging　out
of　a　fox？　　The　operation　is　not　an　uncommon　one；　a