aaron trow-第6部分

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ever　been　your　lot　to　sit　by　on　horseback；　and　watch　the　digging　out
of　a　fox？　　The　operation　is　not　an　uncommon　one；　and　in　some
countries　it　is　held　to　be　in　accordance　with　the　rules　of　fair
sport。　　For　myself；　I　think　that　when　the　brute　has　so　far　saved
himself；　he　should　be　entitled　to　the　benefit　of　his　cunning；　but　I
will　not　now　discuss　the　propriety　or　impropriety　of　that　practice
in　venery。　　I　can　never；　however；　watch　the　doing　of　that　work
without　thinking　much　of　the　agonising　struggles　of　the　poor　beast
whose　last　refuge　is　being　torn　from　over　his　head。　　There　he　lies
within　a　few　yards　of　his　arch　enemy；　the　huntsman。　　The　thick
breath　of　the　hounds　make　hot　the　air　within　his　hole。　　The　sound　of
their　voices　is　close　upon　his　ears。　　His　breast　is　nearly　bursting
with　the　violence　of　that　effort　which　at　last　has　brought　him　to
his　retreat。　　And　then　pickaxe　and　mattock　are　plied　above　his　head；
and　nearer　and　more　near　to　him　press　his　foes；his　double　foes；
human　and　canine；till　at　last　a　huge　hand　grasps　him；　and　he　is
dragged　forth　among　his　enemies。　　Almost　as　soon　as　his　eyes　have
seen　the　light　the　eager　noses　of　a　dozen　hounds　have　moistened
themselves　in　his　entrails。　　Ah　me！　　I　know　that　he　is　vermin；　the
vermin　after　whom　I　have　been　risking　my　neck；　with　a　bold　ambition
that　I　might　ultimately　witness　his　death…struggles；　but；
nevertheless；　I　would　fain　have　saved　him　that　last　half　hour　of
gradually　diminished　hope。

And　Aaron　Trow　was　now　like　a　hunted　fox；　doomed　to　be　dug　out　from
his　last　refuge；　with　this　addition　to　his　misery；　that　these　hounds
when　they　caught　their　prey；　would　not　put　him　at　once　out　of　his
misery。　　When　first　he　saw　that　throng　of　men　coming　down　from　the
hill　top　and　resting　on　the　platform；　he　knew　that　his　fate　was
come。　　When　they　called　to　him　to　surrender　himself　he　was　silent；
but　he　knew　that　his　silence　was　of　no　avail。　　To　them　who　were　so
eager　to　be　his　captors　the　matter　seemed　to　be　still　one　of
considerable　difficulty；　but；　to　his　thinking；　there　was　no
difficulty。　　There　were　there　some　score　of　men；　fully　armed；　within
twenty　yards　of　him。　　If　he　but　showed　a　trace　of　his　limbs　he　would
become　a　mark　for　their　bullets。　　And　then　if　he　were　wounded；　and
no　one　would　come　to　him！　　If　they　allowed　him　to　lie　there　without
food　till　he　perished！　　Would　it　not　be　well　for　him　to　yield
himself？　　Then　they　called　again　and　he　was　still　silent。　　That　idea
of　yielding　is　very　terrible　to　the　heart　of　a　man。　　And　when　the
worst　had　come　to　the　worst；　did　not　the　ocean　run　deep　beneath　his
cavern's　month？

But　as　they　yelled　at　him　and　hallooed；　making　their　preparations
for　his　death；　his　presence　of　mind　deserted　the　poor　wretch。　　He
had　stolen　an　old　pistol　on　one　of　his　marauding　expeditions；　of
which　one　barrel　had　been　loaded。　　That　in　his　mad　despair　he　had
fired；　and　now；　as　he　lay　near　the　mouth　of　the　cavern；　under　the
cover　of　the　projecting　stone；　he　had　no　weapon　with　him　but　his
hands。　　He　had　had　a　knife；　but　that　had　dropped　from　him　during　the
struggle　on　the　floor　of　the　cottage。　　He　had　now　nothing　but　his
hands；　and　was　considering　how　he　might　best　use　them　in　ridding
himself　of　the　first　of　his　pursuers。　　The　man　was　near　him；　armed；
with　all　the　power　and　majesty　of　right　on　his　side；　whereas　on　his
side；　Aaron　Trow　had　nothing；not　a　hope。　　He　raised　his　head　that
he　might　look　forth；　and　a　dozen　voices　shouted　as　his　face　appeared
above　the　aperture。　　A　dozen　weapons　were　levelled　at　him；　and　he
could　see　the　gleaming　of　the　muzzles　of　the　guns。　　And　then　the
foot　of　his　pursuer　was　already　on　the　corner　stone　at　the　cavern's
mouth。　　〃Now；　Caleb；　on　him　at　once！〃　shouted　a　voice。　　Ah　me！　it
was　a　moment　in　which　to　pity　even　such　a　man　as　Aaron　Trow。

〃Now；　Caleb；　at　him　at　once！〃　shouted　the　voice。　　No；　by　heavens；
not　so；　even　yet！　　The　sound　of　triumph　in　those　words　raised　the
last　burst　of　energy　in　the　breast　of　that　wretched　man；　and　he
sprang　forth；　head　foremost；　from　his　prison　house。　　Forth　he　came；
manifest　enough　before　the　eyes　of　them　all；　and　with　head　well
down；　and　hands　outstretched；　but　with　his　wide　glaring　eyes　still
turned　towards　his　pursuers　as　he　fell；　he　plunged　down　into　the
waves　beneath　him。　　Two　of　those　who　stood　by；　almost　unconscious　of
what　they　did；　fired　at　his　body　as　it　made　its　rapid　way　to　the
water；　but；　as　they　afterwards　found；　neither　of　the　bullets　struck
him。　　Morton；　when　his　prey　thus　leaped　forth；　escaping　him　for
awhile；　was　already　on　the　verge　of　the　cavern；had　even　then
prepared　his　foot　for　that　onward　spring　which　should　bring　him　to
the　throat　of　his　foe。　　But　he　arrested　himself；　and　for　a　moment
stood　there　watching　the　body　as　it　struck　the　water；　and　hid　itself
at　once　beneath　the　ripple。　　He　stood　there　for　a　moment　watching
the　deed　and　its　effect；　and　then　leaving　his　hold　upon　the　rock；　he
once　again　followed　his　quarry。　　Down　he　went；　head　foremost；　right
on　to　the　track　in　the　waves　which　the　other　had　made；　and　when　the
two　rose　to　the　surface　together；　each　was　struggling　in　the　grasp
of　the　other。

It　was　a　foolish；　nay；　a　mad　deed　to　do。　　The　poor　wretch　who　had
first　fallen　could　not　have　escaped。　　He　could　not　even　swim；　and
had　therefore　flung　himself　to　certain　destruction　when　he　took　that
leap　from　out　of　the　cavern's　mouth。　　It　would　have　been　sad　to　see
him　perish　beneath　the　waves；to　watch　him　as　he　rose；　gasping　for
breath；　and　then　to　see　to　him　sinking　again；　to　rise　again；　and
then　to　go　for　ever。　　But　his　life　had　been　fairly　forfeit；and　why
should　one　so　much　more　precious　have　been　flung　after　it？　　It　was
surely　with　no　view　of　saving　that　pitiful　life　that　Caleb　Morton
had　leaped　after　his　enemy。　　But　the　hound；　hot　with　the　chase；　will
follow　the　stag　over　the　precipice　and　dash　himself　to　pieces
against　the　rocks。　　The　beast　thirsting　for　blood　will　rush　in　even
among　the　weapons　of　men。　　Morton　in　his　fury　had　felt　but　one
desire；　burned　with　but　one　passion。　　If　the　Fates　would　but　grant
him　to　fix　his　clutches　in　the　throat　of　the　man　who　had　ill…used
his　love；　for　the　rest　it　might　all　go　as　it　would。

In　the　earlier　part　of　the　morning；　while　they　were　all　searching
for　their　victim；　they　had　brought　a　boat　up　into　this　very　inlet
among　the　rocks；　and　the　same　boat　had　been　at　hand　during　the　whole
day。　　Unluckily；　before　they　had　come　hither；　it　had　been　taken
round　the　headland　to　a　place　among　the　rocks　at　which　a　government
skiff　is　always　moored。　　The　sea　was　still　so　quiet　that　there　was
hardly　a　ripple　on　it；　and　the　boat　had　been　again　sent　for　when
first　it　was　supposed　that　they　had　at　last　traced　Aaron　Trow　to　his
hiding…place。　　Anxiously　now　were　all　eyes　turned　to　the　headland；
but　as　yet　no　boat　was　there。

The　two　men　rose　to　the　surface；　each　struggling　in　the　arms　of　the
other。　　Trow；　though　he　was　in　an　element　to　which　he　was　not　used；
though　he　had　sprung　thither　as　another　suicide　might　spring　to
certain　death　beneath　a　railway　engine；　did　not　altogether　lose　his
presence　of　mind。　　Prompted　by　a　double　instinct；　he　had　clutched
hold　of　Morton's　body　when　he　encountered　it　beneath　the　waters。　　He
held　on　to　it；　as　to　his　only　protection；　and　he　held　on　to　him　also
as　to　his　only　enemy。　　If　there　was　a　chance　for　a　life　struggle；
they　would　share　that　chance　together；　and　if　not；　then　together
would　they　meet　that　other　fate。

Caleb　Morton　was　a　very　strong　man；　and　though　one　of　his　arms　was
altogether　encumbered　by　his　antagonist；　his　other　arm　and　his　legs
were　free。　　With　these　he　seemed　to　succeed　in　keeping　his　head
above　the　water；　weighted　as　he　was　with　the　body　of　his　foe。　　But
Trow's　efforts　were　also　used　with　the　view　of　keeping　himself　above
the　water。　　Though　he　had　purposed　to　destroy　himself　in　taking　that
leap；　and　now　hoped　for　nothing　better　than　that　they　might　both
perish　together；　he　yet　struggled　to　keep　his　head　above　the　waves。
Bodily　power　he　had　none　left　to　him；　except　that　of　holding　on　to
Morton's　arm　and　plunging　with　his　legs；　but　he　did　hold　on；　and
thus　both　their　heads　remained　above　the　surface。

But　this　could　not　last　long。　　It　was　easy　to　see　that　Trow's
strength　was　nearly　spent；　and　that　when　he　went　down　Morton　must　go
with　him。　　If　indeed　they　could　be　separated；if　Morton　could　once
make　himself　free　from　that　embrace　into　which　he　had　been　so
anxious　to　leap；then　indeed　there　might　be　a　hope。　　All　round　that
little　inlet　the　rock　fell　sheer　down　into　the　deep　sea；　so　that
there　was　no　resting…place　for　a　foot；　it　but　round　the　headlands　on
either　side；　even　within　forty　or　fifty　yards　of　that　spot；　Morton
might　rest　on　the　rocks；　till　a　boat　should　come　to　his　assistance。
To　him　that　distance　would　have　been　nothing；　if　only　his　limbs　had
been　at　liberty。

Upon　the　platform　of　rocks　they　were　all　at　their　wits'　ends。　　Many
were　anxious　to　fire　at　Trow；　but　even　if　they　hit　him；　would
Morton's　position　have　been　better？　　Would　not　the　wounded　man　have
still　clung　to　him　who　was　not　wounded？　　And　then　there　could　be　no
certainty　that　any　one　of　them　would　hit　the　right　man。　　The　ripple
of　the　waves；　though　it　was　very　slight；　nevertheless　sufficed　to
keep　the　bodies　in　motion；　and　then；　too；　there　was　not　among　them
any　marksman　peculiar　for　his　skill。

Morton's　efforts　in　the　water　were　too　severe　to　admit　of　his
speaking；　but　he　could　hear　and　understand　the　words　which　were
addressed　to　him。　　〃Shake　him　off；　Caleb。〃　　〃Strike　him　from　you
with　your　foot。〃　　〃Swim　to　the　right　shore；　swim　for　it；　even　if　you
take　him　with　you。〃　　Yes；　he　could　hear　them　all；　but　hearing　and
obeying　were　very　different。　　It　was　not　easy　to　shake　off　that
dying　man；　and　as　for　swimming　with　him；　that　was　clearly
impossible。　　It　was　as　much　as　he　could　do　to　keep　his　head　above
water；　let　alone　any　attempt　to　move　in　one　settled　direction。

For　some　four　or　five　minutes　they　lay　thus　battling　on　the　waves
before　the　head　of　either　of　them　went　down。　　Trow　had　been　twice
below　the　surface；　but　it　was　before　he　had　succeeded　in　supporting
himself　by　Morton's　ar