put yourself in his place-第12部分

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He　lighted　a　candle；　and　examined　all　the　premises。　　Nothing。

But；　when　he　brought　his　candle　to　the　window；　he　made　a　discovery：　the　window　had　two　vertical　iron　uprights；　about　three…quarters　of　an　inch　in　circumference：　and　one　of　these　revealed　to　his　quick　eye　a　bright　horizontal　line。　　It　had　been　sawed　with　a　fine　saw。

Apparently　an　attempt　had　been　made　to　enter　his　room　from　outside。

The　next　question　was；　had　that　attempt　succeeded。

He　tried　the　bar；　it　was　not　quite　cut　through。

He　locked　the　forge　up　directly；　and　went　to　his　handling　room。　There　he　remained　till　Mr。　Cheetham　entered　the　works；　then　he　went　to　him；　and　begged　him　to　visit　his　forge。

Mr。　Cheetham　came　directly；　and　examined　the　place　carefully。

He　negatived；　at　once；　the　notion　that　any　Hillsborough　hand　had　been　unable　to　saw　through　a　bar　of　that　moderate　thickness。　　〃No；〃　said　he；　〃they　were　disturbed；　or　else　some　other　idea　struck　them　all　of　a　sudden；　or　else　they　hadn't　given　themselves　time；　and　are　coming　again　to…morrow。　　I　hope　they　are。　　By　six　o'clock　to…night；　I'll　have　a　common　wooden　shutter　hung　with　six　good　hinges　on　each　side；　easy　to　open　at　the　center；　only；　across　the　center；　I'll　fix　a　Waterloo　cracker　inside。〃

〃A　Waterloo　cracker！〃

〃Ay；　but　such　a　one　as　you　never　saw。　　I　shall　make　it　myself。　　It　shall　be　only　four　inches　long；　but　as　broad　as　my　hand；　and　enough　detonating　powder　in　it　to　blow　the　shutter　fifty　feet　into　the　air：　and　if　there　should　be　one　of　Jobson's　lads　behind　the　shutter　at　the　time；　why　he'll　learn　flying；　and　naught　to　pay　for　wings。〃

〃Why；　sir；　you　are　planning　the　man's　death！〃

〃And　what　is　HE　planning？　　Light　your　forge；　and　leave　the　job　to　me。　　I'm　Hillsborough　too；　and　they've　put　my　blood　up　at　last。〃

While　Henry　lighted　his　forge；　Mr。　Cheetham　whipped　out　a　rule；　and　measured　the　window　exactly。　　This　done；　he　went　down　the　stairs；　and　crossed　the　yard　to　go　to　his　office。

But；　before　he　could　enter　it；　a　horrible　thing　occurred　in　the　room　he　had　just　left；　so　horrible；　it　made　him；　brave　as　he　was；　turn　and　scream　like　a　woman。

Some　miscreant；　by　a　simple　but　ingenious　means；　which　afterward　transpired；　had　mixed　a　quantity　of　gunpowder　with　the　smithy…slack　or　fine　cinders　of　Henry's　forge。　　The　moment　the　forge　was　hot；　the　powder　ignited　with　a　tremendous　thud；　a　huge　mass　of　flame　rushed　out；　driving　the　coals　with　it；　like　shot　from　a　gun；　Henry；　scorched；　blackened；　and　blinded；　was　swept；　as　by　a　flaming　wind；　against　the　opposite　wall；　then；　yelling；　and　stark　mad　with　fright　（for　nothing　drives　men　out　of　their　wits　like　an　explosion　in　a　narrow　space）；　he　sprang　at　the　window；　head　foremost；　and　with　such　velocity　that　the　sawed　iron　snapped　like　a　stick　of　barley…sugar；　and　out　he　went　head　foremost；　and　this　it　was　made　Cheetham　scream；　to　see　him　head　downward；　and　the　paving…stones　below。

But　the　aperture　was　narrow：　his　body　flew　through；　but　his　tight　arm　went　round　the　unbroken　upright；　and　caught　it　in　the　bend　of　the　elbow。

Then　Cheetham　roared；　〃Hold　on；　Little！　　Hold　on；　I　tell　you！〃

The　scared　brain　of　a　man　accustomed　to　obey　received　the　command　almost　without　the　mind；　and　the　grinders　and　forgers；　running　wildly　into　the　yard；　saw　the　obnoxious　workman；　black　as　a　cinder　from　head　to　foot；　bleeding　at　the　face　from　broken　glass；　hanging　up　there　by　one　hand；　moaning　with　terror；　and　looking　down　with　dilating　eye；　while　thick　white　smoke　rushed　curling　out；　as　if　his　body　was　burning。　　Death　by　suffocation　was　at　his　back；　and　broken　bones　awaited　him　below。


CHAPTER　VI。


At　sight　of　this　human　cinder；　hanging　by　one　hand　between　two　deaths；　every　sentiment　but　humanity　vanished　from　the　ruggedest　bosom；　and　the　skilled　workmen　set　themselves　to　save　their　unpopular　comrade　with　admirable　quickness　and　judgment：　two　new　wheel…bands；　that　had　just　come　into　the　works；　were　caught　up　in　a　moment；　and　four　workmen　ran　with　them　and　got　below　the　suspended　figure：　they　then　turned　back　to　back；　and；　getting　the　bands　over　their　shoulders；　pulled　hard　against　each　other。　　This　was　necessary　to　straighten　the　bands：　they　weighed　half　a　hundred　weight　each。　Others　stood　at　the　center　of　the　bands；　and　directed　Little　where　to　drop；　and　stood　ready　to　catch　him　should　he　bound　off　them。

But　now　matters　took　an　unexpected　turn。　　Little；　to　all　appearance；　was　blind　and　deaf。　　He　hung　there；　moaning；　and　glaring；　and　his　one　sinewy　arm　supported　his　muscular　but　light　frame　almost　incredibly。　　He　was　out　of　his　senses；　or　nearly。

〃Let　thyself　come；　lad；〃　cried　a　workman；　〃we　are　all　right　to　catch　thee。〃

He　made　no　answer；　but　hung　there　glaring　and　moaning。

〃The　man　will　drop　noane；　till　he　swouns；〃　said　another；　watching　him　keenly。

〃Then　get　you　closer　to　the　wall；　men；〃　cried　Cheetham；　in　great　anxiety。　　〃He'll　come　like　a　stone；　when　he　does　come。〃　　This　injunction　was　given　none　too　soon；　the　men　had　hardly　shifted　their　positions；　when　Little's　hand　opened；　and　he　came　down　like　lead；　with　his　hands　all　abroad；　and　his　body　straight；　but　his　knees　were　slightly　bent；　and　he　caught　the　bands　just　below　the　knee；　and　bounded　off　them　into　the　air；　like　a　cricket…ball。　　But　many　hands　grabbed　at　him；　and　the　grinder　Reynolds　caught　him　by　the　shoulder；　and　they　rolled　on　the　ground　together；　very　little　the　worse　for　that　tumble。　　〃Well　done！　well　done！〃　cried　Cheetham。　　〃Let　him　lie；　lads；　he　is　best　there　for　a　while；　and　run　for　a　doctor；　one　of　you。〃

〃Ay；　run　for　Jack　Doubleface；〃　cried　several　voices　at　once。

〃Now；　make　a　circle；　and　give　him　air；　men。〃　　Then　they　all　stood　in　a　circle；　and　eyed　the　blackened　and　quivering　figure　with　pity　and　sympathy；　while　the　canopy　of　white　smoke　bellied　overhead。　　Nor　were　those　humane　sentiments　silent；　and　the　rough　seemed　to　be　even　more　overcome　than　the　others：　no　brains　were　required　to　pity　this　poor　fellow　now；　and　so　strong　an　appeal　to　their　hearts；　through　their　senses；　roused　their　good　impulses　and　rare　sensibilities。　Oh；　it　was　strange　to　hear　good　and　kindly　sentiments　come　out　in　the　Dash　dialect。

〃It's　a　　shame！〃

〃There　lies　a　good　workman　done　for　by　some　　thief；　that　wasn't　fit　to　blow　his　bellows；　　him！〃

〃Say　he　WAS　a　cockney；　he　was　always　　civil。〃

〃And　life's　as　sweet　to　him　as　to　any　man　in　Hillsborough。〃

〃Hold　your　　tongue；　he's　coming　to。〃

Henry　did　recover　his　wits　enough　to　speak；　and　what　do　you　think　was　his　first　word？

He　clasped　his　hands　together；　and　said；〃MY　MOTHER！　OH；　DON'T　LET　HER　KNOW！〃

This　simple　cry　went　through　many　a　rough　heart；　a　loud　gulp　or　two　were　heard　soon　after；　and　more　than　one　hard　and　coaly　cheek　was　channeled　by　sudden　tears。　　But　now　a　burly　figure　came　rolling　in；　they　drew　back　and　silenced　each　other。〃The　Doctor！〃　　This　was　the　remarkable　person　they　called　Jack　Doubleface。　　Nature　had　stuck　a　philosophic　head；　with　finely…cut　features；　and　a　mouth　brimful　of　finesse；　on　to　a　corpulent　and　ungraceful　body；　that　yawed　from　side　to　side　as　he　walked。

The　man　of　art　opened　with　two　words。　　He　looked　up　at　the　white　cloud；　which　was　now　floating　away；　sniffed　the　air；　and　said；　〃Gunpowder！〃　　Then　he　looked　down　at　Little；　and　said；　〃Ah！〃　half　dryly；　half　sadly。　　Indeed　several　sentences　of　meaning　condensed　themselves　into　that　simple　interjection。　　At　this　moment；　some　men；　whom　curiosity　had　drawn　to　Henry's　forge；　came　back　to　say　the　forge　had　been　blown　up；　and　〃the　bellows　torn　limb　from　jacket；　and　the　room　strewed　with　ashes。〃

The　doctor　laid　a　podgy　hand　on　the　prisoner's　wrist：　the　touch　was　light；　though　the　fingers　were　thick　and　heavy。　　The　pulse；　which　had　been　very　low；　was　now　galloping　and　bounding　frightfully。　〃Fetch　him　a　glass　of　brandy…and…water；〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne。　　（There　were　still　doctors　in　Hillsborough；　though　not　in　London；　who　would　have　had　him　bled　on　the　spot。）

〃Now；　then；　a　surgeon！　　Which　of　you　lads　operates　on　the　eye；　in　these　works？〃

A　lanky　file…cutter　took　a　step　forward。　　〃I　am　the　one　that　takes　the　motes　out　of　their　eyes。〃

〃Then　be　good　enough　to　show　me　his　eye。〃

The　file…cutter　put　out　a　hand　with　fingers　prodigiously　long　and　thin；　and　deftly　parted　both　Little's　eyelids　with　his　finger　and　thumb；　so　as　to　show　the　whole　eye。

〃Hum！〃　said　the　doctor；　and　shook　his　head。

He　then　patted　the　sufferer　all　over；　and　the　result　of　that　examination　was　satisfactory。　　Then　came　the　brandy…and…water；　and　while　Henry's　teeth　were　clattering　at　the　glass　and　he　was　trying　to　sip　the　liquid；　Dr。　Amboyne　suddenly　lifted　his　head；　and　took　a　keen　survey　of　the　countenances　round　him。　　He　saw　the　general　expression　of　pity　on　the　rugged　faces。　　He　also　observed　one　rough　fellow　who　wore　a　strange　wild　look：　the　man　seemed　puzzled；　scared；　confused　like　one　half　awakened　from　some　hideous　dream。　　This　was　the　grinder　who　had　come　into　the　works　in　place　of　the　hand　Cheetham　had　discharged　for　refusing　to　grind　cockney　blades。

〃Hum！〃　said　Dr。　Amboyne；　and　appeared　to　be　going　into　a　brown　study。

But　he　shook　that　off；　and　said　briskly；　〃Now；　then；　what　was　his　crime？　　Did　he　owe　some　mutual　aid　society　six…and…four…pence？〃

〃That's　right；〃　said　Reynolds；　sullenly；　〃throw　every　thing　on　the　Union。　　If　we　knew　who　it　was；　he'd　lie　by　the　side　of　this　one　in　less　than　a　minute；　and；　happen；　not　get　up　again　so　soon。〃　　A　growl　of　assent　confirmed　the　speaker's　words。　　Cheetham　interposed　and　drew　Amboyne　aside；　and　began　to　tell　him　who　the　man　was　and　what　the　dispute；　but　Amboyne　cut　the　latter　explanation　short。　　〃What；〃　said　he；　〃is　this　the　carver　whose　work　I　saw　up　at　Mr。　Carden's？〃

〃This　is　the　very　man；　no　doubt。〃

〃Why；　he's　a　sculptor：　Praxiteles　in　wood。　　A　fine　choice　they　have　made　for　their　gunpowder；　a　workman　that　did　honor　to　the　town。〃

A　faint　flush　of　gratified　pride　colored　the　ghastly　cheek　a　moment。

〃Doctor；　shall　I　live　to　finish　the　bust？〃　said　Henry；　piteously。

〃That　and　hundreds　more；　if　you　obey　me。　　The　fact　is；　Mr。　Cheetham；　this　young　man　is　not　hurt；　but　his　nerves　have　received　a　severe　shock；　and　the　sooner　he　is　out　of　this　place　the　better。　　Ah；　there　is　my　brougham　at　the　gate。