第45章 姨妈历险记〔3〕

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chillwasbuttransient.Myaunt,whowasalmostasresoluteaersonageasyouruncle,sir,(turningtotheoldstoryteller),becameinstantlycalmandcollected.Shewentonadjustingherdress.Sheevenhummedanair,anddidnotmakeevenasinglefalsenote.Shecasuallyoverturnedadressingbox;tookacandleandickeduthearticlesonebyonefromthefloor;ursuedaroilingincushionthatwasmakingthebestofitswayunderthebed;thenoenedthedoor;lookedforaninstantintothecorridor,asifindoubtwhethertogo;andthenwalkedquietlyout.

Shehasteneddownstairs,orderedtheservantstoarmthemselveswiththeweaonsfirstathand,lacedherselfattheirhead,andreturnedalmostimmediately.

Herhastilyleviedarmyresentedaformidableforce.Thestewardhadarustyblunderbuss,thecoachmanaloadedwhi,thefootmanaairofhorseistols,thecookahugechoingknife,andthebutlerabottleineachhand.Myauntledthevanwithared-hotoker,andinmyoinionshewasthemostformidableofthearty.Thewaitingmaid,whodreadedtostayaloneintheservants'hall,broughtutherear,smellingtoabrokenbottleofvolatilesalts,andexressingherterrorofthe

"ghostesses

".

"Ghosts!

"saidmyauntresolutely.

"I'llsingetheirwhiskersforthem!

"

Theyenteredthechamber.Allwasstillandundisturbedaswhenshehadleftit.Theyaroachedtheortraitofmyuncle.

"Pulldownthaticture!

"criedmyaunt.Aheavygroan,andasoundlikethechatteringofteeth,issuedfromtheortrait.Theservantsshrunkback;themaidutteredafaintshriek,andclungtothefootmanforsuort.

"Instantly!

"addedmyaunt,withastamofthefoot.Theicturewasulleddown,andfromarecessbehindit,inwhichhadformerlystoodaclock,theyhauledfortharound-shouldered,black-beardedvarlet,withaknifeaslongasmyarm,buttremblingalloverlikeanasenleaf.

"Well,andwhowashe?Noghost,Isuose,

"saidtheinquisitivegentleman.

"Aknightoftheost,

"reliedthenarrator,

"whohadbeensmittenwiththeworthofthewealthywidow;orrather,amaraudingTarquin,whohadstolenintoherchambertoviolateherurse,andrifleherstrongbox,whenallthehouseshouldbeaslee.Inlainterms,

"continuedhe,

"thevagabondwasaloose,idlefellowoftheneighborhood,whohadoncebeenaservantinthehouse,andhadbeenemloyedtoassistinarrangingitfortherecetionofitsmistress.Heconfessedthathehadcontrivedthishidinglaceforhisnefariousurose,andhadborrowedaneyefromtheortraitbywayofareconnoiteringhole.

"

"Andwhatdidtheydowithhim?Didtheyhanghim?

"resumedthequestioner.

"Hanghim?Howcouldthey?

"exclaimedabeetle-browedbarristerwithahawk'snose.

"Theoffensewasnotcaital.Norobbery,noassaulthadbeencommitted.Noforcibleentryorbreakingintotheremises.

"

"Myaunt,

"saidthenarrator,

"wasawomanofsirit,andattotakethelawinherownhands.Shehadherownnotionsofcleanlinessalso.Sheorderedthefellowtobedrawnthroughthehorseond,tocleanseawayalloffenses,andthentobewellrubbeddownwithanoakentowel.

"

"Andwhatbecameofhimafterwards?

"saidtheinquisitivegentleman.

"Idonotexactlyknow.IbelievehewassentonavoyageofimrovementtoBotanyBay.

"

"Andyouraunt?

"saidtheinquisitivegentleman.

"I'llwarrantshetookcaretomakehermaidsleeintheroomwithherafterthat.

"

"No,sir,shedidbetter;shegaveherhandshortlyaftertotheroisteringsquire;forsheusedtoobservethatitwasadismalthingforawomantosleealoneinthecountry.

"

"Shewasright,

"observedtheinquisitivegentleman,noddingsagaciously;

"butIamsorrytheydidnothangthatfellow.

"

Itwasagreedonallhandsthatthelastnarratorhadbroughthistaletothemostsatisfactoryconclusion,thoughacountryclergymanresentregrettedthattheuncleandaunt,whofiguredinthedifferentstories,hadnotbeenmarriedtogether;theycertainlywouldhavebeenwellmatched.