32. The Treasure-hunt—The Voice Among the Trees
Before us, over the tree-tops, we beheld the Cape of the Woods; behind, we not only looked down upon the anchorage and Skeleton Island, but saw a great field of open sea upon the east.
“There are three ‘tall trees’ ” said Silver, “about in the right line from Skeleton Island. ‘Spy-glass shoulder,’ I think, means that. It’s child’s play to find the stuff now. But let’s have dinner first.”
“As soon as I think of Flint, I lose my appetite,” said Morgan.
“Ah, well, my son, he’s dead,” said Silver.
Since they found the skeleton, they spoke lower and lower. Suddenly, out of the middle of the trees in front of us, a thin, high, trembling voice began to sing:
“Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest—
Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!”
I never have seen men more dreadfully affected than the pirates. The colour went from their six faces; some leaped to their feet.
“It’s Flint!” cried Merry.
The song stopped as suddenly as it began.
“Come,” said Silver, “this won’t do. I can’t name the voice, but the singer is alive and not dead.”
The voice cried again, “Darby McGraw , Darby McGraw! Darby McGraw!” again and again and again; and then rising a little higher, “Bring the rum, Darby!”
The pirates remained rooted to the ground.
“These were his last words,” moaned Morgan, “his last words before death.”
Dick began to pray. But Silver did not surrender.
“I’m here to get the treasure,” he cried, “and nobody will stop me! I was never feared of Flint in his life, and I’ll face him dead. There’s seven hundred thousand pound not a quarter of a mile from here. It was like Flint’s voice, but it was like somebody else’s voice as well – Ben Gunn!” roared Silver.
Our way lay a little downhill. The pines, great and small, grew wide apart. The thought of the money, as the pirates came nearer, swallowed up their previous terrors.
And suddenly, not ten yards further, we stopped. A low cry arose. Before us was a great excavation. All was clear: someone got the treasure before us; the seven hundred thousand pounds were gone!
33. The Fall of a Chieftain
Each of these six men was struck. But Silver found his temper very fast, and changed his plan before the others had time to realize the disappointment.
“Jim,” he whispered, “take that.”
And he passed me a double-barrelled pistol.
At the same time, he began quietly to move northward, and in a few steps hollow was between us two and the other five. The pirates, with oaths and cries, began to leap, one after another, into the pit and to dig with their fingers. Morgan found a piece of gold. It was a two-guinea piece, and it went from hand to hand among them for a quarter of a minute.
“Two guineas!” roared Merry. “That’s your seven hundred thousand pounds, is it?”
“Dig away, boys,” said Silver with the coolest insolence, “you’ll find some pignuts.”
“Pignuts!” repeated Merry, in a scream. “Do you hear that?”
Silver did not move; he watched them, and looked as cool as ever I saw him. He was brave.
At last Merry said, “Look: there are only two of them here. One is the old cripple that brought us all here and for nothing; the other is that boy whom I’m going to kill. Now, mates —”
He was raising his arm and his voice, but just then – crack! crack! crack! – three musket-shots flashed out of the wood. Merry fell down into the excavation; the man with the bandage fell nearby, where he lay dead; and the other three turned and ran away.
At the same moment, the doctor, Gray, and Ben Gunn joined us, with smoking muskets.
“Thank you kindly, doctor,” said Silver. “You came in the right time. And so it’s you, Ben Gunn!” he added. “Well, you’re a nice one .”
Ben, in his long, lonely wanderings about the island, found the skeleton; then he found the treasure. He took it, he carried it on his back, in many journeys, to a cave he had on the two-pointed hill at the north-east angle of the island. And there it was stored in safety since two months before the arrival of the Hispaniola.
As we passed the two-pointed hill, we could see the black mouth of Ben Gunn’s cave and a figure standing by it. It was the squire, and we waved a handkerchief and gave him three cheers.
Three miles farther, just inside the mouth of North Inlet, we met the Hispaniola. The last flood lifted her.
And then we all entered the cave. It was a large, airy place. The floor was sand. Before a big fire lay Captain Smollett; and in a far corner I saw great heaps of coin and bars of gold. That was Flint’s treasure that cost already the lives of seventeen men from the Hispaniola.
“Come in, Jim,” said the captain. “You’re a good boy, Jim, but I don’t think you and me well go to sea again. Is that you, John Silver? What brings you here, man?”
“Come back to my duty, sir,” returned Silver.
“Ah!” said the captain, and that was all he said.
What a supper I had that night, what a meal it was, with Ben Gunn’s salted goat and some delicacies and a bottle of old wine from the Hispaniola. Never, I am sure, were people happier.
34. And Last
The next morning we began to work, for the transportation of this great mass of gold near a mile by land to the beach, and thence three miles by boat to the Hispaniola, was a considerable task for us. The three pirates did greatly trouble us.
It was a strange collection. English, French, Spanish, Portuguese coins, the pictures of all the kings of Europe for the last hundred years, strange Oriental pieces, round pieces and square pieces. Day after day this work went on.
We have never heard about the three pirates. We left them powder and shot, the bulk of the salt goat, a few medicines, and some other necessaries, tools, clothing, a spare sail, ropes, and tobacco.
At last we lifted anchor and began our voyage back. A few days later we reached one of the many beautiful coves along South America’s northern coast. It was just at sundown when we cast anchor. Silver was gone. But the sea-cook did not gone empty-handed. He stole three or four hundred guineas.
Well, to make a long story short , we got some sailors on board, made a good cruise home, and the Hispaniola reached Bristol. Five men only of those who sailed returned with it.
All of us received a good part of the treasure and used it wisely or foolishly, according to our natures. Captain Smollett is now retired from the sea. Gray not only saved his money, but also studied his profession, and he is now part owner of a fine ship, married besides, and the father of a family. As for Ben Gunn, he got a thousand pounds, which he spent or lost in three weeks, or to be more exact, in nineteen days, for he was back begging on the twentieth.
Of Silver we have heard no more. That formidable seaman with one leg has at last gone clean out of my life . Nothing would not bring me back again to that accursed island; and the worst dreams that ever I have are when I hear the sharp voice of Captain Flint that is still ringing in my ears: “Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!”
Упражнения
1. Выберите правильный вариант:
1. John Benbow was a president.
2. John Benbow was a doctor.
3. John Benbow was an English officer.
4. John Benbow was the real name of Captain Flint.
2. What is the Jolly Roger?
1. The flag of piracy.
2. The famous writer.
3. The main character of the story.
4. The Dr. Livesey’s brother.
3. Who receives the black spot?
1. Everybody.
2. The pirates that are guilty.
3. The sportsmen that won the prize.
4. He who applied for a scholarship.
4. How do the pirates call John Silver?
1. Monster.
2. Pork.
3. Barbecue.
4. Swine.
5. Закончите предложение:
Jim takes Ben Gunn’s coracle and approaches the ______________ under cover of darkness.
1. Treasure Island
2. Bristol
3. Hispaniola
4. Inn
6. What colour is the flag of truce?
7. Выберите нужное слово:
He had the look of a man who sees a ghost, or __________________ worse.
1. something
2. nothing
3. nowhere
4. anything
8. Why is the treasure gone?
9. What is a sea-dog?
1. a dog that lives near the sea
2. a walrus
3. a toy
4. an experienced seaman
10. От лица кого ведётся повествование?
1. от лица Джима
2. от лица Джима и доктора
3. от лица Джима, доктора и Сильвера
4. от лица Джима и Сильвера
11. What is the famous sea-song?
1. Jingle Bells
2. Dead Man’s Chest
3. God Save the Queen
4. Abracadabra
12. Выберите нужный предлог:
for – in – to – under
1. Black Dog is sitting _______________ the tavern.
2. Ben Gunn has lived on the island ______ _________ three years.
3. Silver approaches _______________ a flag of truce.
4. Jim returns _______________ the stockade under cover of night.
13. Заполните таблицу:
Ответы:
1. John Benbow was an English officer.
2. The flag of piracy.
3. The pirates that are guilty.
4. Barbecue.
5. Jim takes Ben Gunn’s coracle and approaches the Hispaniola under cover of darkness.
6. The flag of truce is white.
7. something; He had the look of a man who sees a ghost, or something worse.
8. Ben Gunn got it.
9. an experienced seaman
10. от лица Джима и доктора
11. Dead Man’s Chest
12. Black Dog is sitting in the tavern. Ben Gunn has lived on the island for three years. Silver approaches under a flag of truce. Jim returns to the stockade under cover of night.
13.
