按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the lantern together。
‘You have found that out at last； have you？’ rejoined the old
man。 ‘My eyes have seen more light than yours； but I wouldn’t
change with you。’
‘What do you mean？’
‘Mean！ I could have told you he wasn’t hurt； five minutes ago。
Give me the light； friend； ride forward at a gentler pace； and good
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 38…
Barnaby Rudge 39
night。’
In handing up the lantern； the man necessarily cast its rays full
on the speaker’s face。 Their eyes met at the instant。 He suddenly
dropped it and crushed it with his foot。
‘Did you never see a locksmith before； that you start as if you
had come upon a ghost？’ cried the old man in the chaise； ‘or is
this；’ he added hastily； thrusting his hand into the tool basket and
drawing out a hammer； ‘a scheme for robbing me？ I know these
roads； friend。 When I travel them； I carry nothing but a few
shillings； and not a crown’s worth of them。 I tell you plainly； to
save us both trouble； that there’s nothing to be got from me but a
pretty stout arm considering my years； and this tool； which；
mayhap from long acquaintance with； I can use pretty briskly。 You
shall not have it all your own way； I promise you； if you play at that
game。 With these words he stood upon the defensive。
‘I am not what you take me for； Gabriel Varden；’ replied the
other。
‘Then what and who are you？’ returned the locksmith。 ‘You
know my name； it seems。 Let me know yours。’
‘I have not gained the information from any confidence of
yours； but from the inscription on your cart which tells it to all the
town；’ replied the traveller。
‘You have better eyes for that than you had for your horse；
then；’ said Varden； descending nimbly from his chaise； ‘who are
you？ Let me see your face。’
While the locksmith alighted； the traveller had regained his
saddle； from which he now confronted the old man； who； moving
as the horse moved in chafing under the tightened rein； kept close
beside him。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 39…
Barnaby Rudge 40
‘Let me see your face； I say。’
‘Stand off！’
‘No masquerading tricks；’ said the locksmith； ‘and tales at the
club to…morrow； how Gabriel Varden was frightened by a surly
voice and a dark night。 Stand—let me see your face。’
Finding that further resistance would only involve him in a
personal struggle with an antagonist by no means to be despised；
the traveller threw back his coat； and stooping down looked
steadily at the locksmith。
Perhaps two men more powerfully contrasted； never opposed
each other face to face。 The ruddy features of the locksmith so set
off and heightened the excessive paleness of the man on
horseback； that he looked like a bloodless ghost； while the
moisture； which hard riding had brought out upon his skin； hung
there in dark and heavy drops； like dews of agony and death。 The
countenance of the old locksmith lighted up with the smile of one
expecting to detect in this unpromising stranger some latent
roguery of eye or lip； which should reveal a familiar person in that
arch disguise； and spoil his jest。 The face of the other； sullen and
fierce； but shrinking too； was that of a man who stood at bay； while
his firmly closed jaws； his puckered mouth； and more than all a
certain stealthy motion of the hand within his breast； seemed to
announce a desperate purpose very foreign to acting； or child’s
play。
Thus they regarded each other for some time； in silence。
‘Humph！’ he said when he had scanned his features； ‘I don’t
know you。’
‘Don’t desire to？’—returned the other； muffling himself as
before。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 40…
Barnaby Rudge 41
‘I don’t；’ said Gabriel； ‘to be plain with you； friend； you don’t
carry in your countenance a letter of recommendation。’
‘It’s not my wish；’ said the traveller。 ‘My humour is to be
avoided。’
‘Well；’ said the locksmith bluntly； ‘I think you’ll have your
humour。’
‘I will； at any cost；’ rejoined the traveller。 ‘In proof of it； lay this
to heart—that you were never in such peril of your life as you have
been within these few moments； when you are within five minutes
of breathing your last； you will not be nearer death than you have
been to…night！’
‘Aye！’ said the sturdy locksmith。
‘Aye！ and a violent death。’
‘From whose hand？’
‘From mine；’ replied the traveller。
With that he put spurs to his horse； and rode away； at first
plashing heavily through the mire at a smart trot； but gradually
increasing in speed until the last sound of his horse’s hoofs died
away upon the wind； when he was again hurrying on at the same
furious gallop； which had been his pace when the locksmith first
encountered him。
Gabriel Varden remained standing in the road with the broken
lantern in his hand； listening in stupefied silence until no sound
reached his ear but the moaning of the wind； and the fast…falling
rain； when he struck himself one or two smart blows in the breast
by way of rousing himself； and broke into an exclamation of
surprise。
‘What in the name of wonder can this fellow be！ a madman？ a
highwayman？ a cut…throat？ If he had not scoured off so fast； we’d
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 41…
Barnaby Rudge 42
have seen who was in most danger； he or I。 I never nearer death
than I have been to…night！ I hope I may be no nearer to it for a
score of years to come—if so； I’ll be content to be no farther from
it。 My stars！