the queen of hearts-第13部分

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up　from　the　ground　outside。　Jerry　sang　at　his　wicked　work；　and
Shifty　Dick　swore。　As　I　left　the　bedroom　after　putting　the　cat
under　cover；　I　heard　the　lower　panel　of　the　door　begin　to　crack。

I　ran　into　the　kitchen　and　huddled　our　four　silver　spoons　into　my
pocket；　then　took　the　unlucky　book　with　the　bank…notes　and　put　it
in　the　bosom　of　my　dress。　I　was　determined　to　defend　the　property
confided　to　my　care　with　my　life。　Just　as　I　had　secured　the
pocketbook　I　heard　the　door　splintering；　and　rushed　into　the
passage　again　with　my　heavy　kitchen　poker　lifted　in　both　hands。

I　was　in　time　to　see　the　bald　head　of　Jerry；　with　the
ugly…looking　knobs　on　it；　pushed　into　the　passage　through　a　great
rent　in　one　of　the　lower　panels　of　the　door。

〃Get　out；　you　villain；　or　I'll　brain　you　on　the　spot！〃　I
screeched；　threatening　him　with　the　poker。

Mr。　Jerry　took　his　head　out　again　much　faster　than　he　put　it　in。

The　next　thing　that　came　through　the　rent　was　a　long　pitchfork；
which　they　darted　at　me　from　the　outside；　to　move　me　from　the
door。　I　struck　at　it　with　all　my　might；　and　the　blow　must　have
jarred　the　hand　of　Shifty　Dick　up　to　his　very　shoulder；　for　I
heard　him　give　a　roar　of　rage　and　pain。　Before　he　could　catch　at
the　fork　with　his　other　hand　I　had　drawn　it　inside。　By　this　time
even　Jerry　lost　his　temper　and　swore　more　awfully　than　Dick
himself。

Then　there　came　another　minute　of　respite。　I　suspected　they　had
gone　to　get　bigger　stones；　and　I　dreaded　the　giving　way　of　the
whole　door。

Running　into　the　bedroom　as　this　fear　beset　me；　I　laid　hold　of　my
chest　of　drawers；　dragged　it　into　the　passage；　and　threw　it　down
against　the　door。　On　the　top　of　that　I　heaped　my　father's　big
tool　chest；　three　chairs；　and　a　scuttleful　of　coals；　and　last；　I
dragged　out　the　kitchen　table　and　rammed　it　as　hard　as　I　could
against　the　whole　barricade。　They　heard　me　as　they　were　coming　up
to　the　door　with　fresh　stones。　Jerry　said：　〃Stop　a　bit！〃　and　t
hen　the　two　consulted　together　in　whispers。　I　listened　eagerly；
and　just　caught　these　words：

〃Let's　try　it　the　other　way。〃

Nothing　more　was　said；　but　I　heard　their　footsteps　retreating
from　the　door。

Were　they　going　to　besiege　the　back　door　now？

I　had　hardly　asked　myself　that　question　when　I　heard　their　voices
at　the　other　side　of　the　house。　The　back　door　was　smaller　than
the　front；　but　it　had　this　advantage　in　the　way　of　strengthit
was　made　of　two　solid　oak　boards　joined　lengthwise；　and
strengthened　inside　by　heavy　cross　pieces。　It　had　no　bolts　like
the　front　door；　but　was　fastened　by　a　bar　of　iron　running　across
it　in　a　slanting　direction；　and　fitting　at　either　end　into　the
wall。

〃They　must　have　the　whole　cottage　down　before　they　can　break　in
at　that　door！〃　I　thought　to　myself。　And　they　soon　found　out　as
much　for　themselves。　After　five　minutes　of　banging　at　the　back
door　they　gave　up　any　further　attack　in　that　direction　and　cast
their　heavy　stones　down　with　curses　of　fury　awful　to　hear。

I　went　into　the　kitchen　and　dropped　on　the　window…seat　to　rest
for　a　moment。　Suspense　and　excitement　together　were　beginning　to
tell　upon　me。　The　perspiration　broke　out　thick　on　my　forehead；
and　I　began　to　feel　the　bruises　I　had　inflicted　on　my　hands　in
making　the　barricade　against　the　front　door。　I　had　not　lost　a
particle　of　my　resolution；　but　I　was　beginning　to　lose　strength。
There　was　a　bottle　of　rum　in　the　cupboard；　which　my　brother　the
sailor　had　left　with　us　the　last　time　he　was　ashore。　I　drank　a
drop　of　it。　Never　before　or　since　have　I　put　anything　down　my
throat　that　did　me　half　so　much　good　as　that　precious　mouthful　of
rum！

I　was　still　sitting　in　the　window…seat　drying　my　face；　when　I
suddenly　heard　their　voices　close　behind　me。

They　were　feeling　the　outside　of　the　window　against　which　I　was
sitting。　It　was　protected；　like　all　the　other　windows　in　the
cottage；　by　iron　bars。　I　listened　in　dreadful　suspense　for　the
sound　of　filing；　but　nothing　of　the　sort　was　audible。　They　had
evidently　reckoned　on　frightening　me　easily　into　letting　them　in；
and　had　come　unprovided　with　house…breaking　tools　of　any　kind。　A
fresh　burst　of　oaths　informed　me　that　they　had　recognized　the
obstacle　of　the　iron　bars。　I　listened　breathlessly　for　some
warning　of　what　they　were　going　to　do　next；　but　their　voices
seemed　to　die　away　in　the　distance。　They　were　retreating　from　the
window。　Were　they　also　retreating　from　the　house　altogether？　Had
they　given　up　the　idea　of　effecting　an　entrance　in　despair？

A　long　silence　followeda　silence　which　tried　my　courage　even
more　severely　than　the　tumult　of　their　first　attack　on　the
cottage。

Dreadful　suspicions　now　beset　me　of　their　being　able　to
accomplish　by　treachery　what　they　had　failed　to　effect　by　force。
Well　as　I　knew　the　cottage；　I　began　to　doubt　whether　there　might
not　be　ways　of　cunningly　and　silently　entering　it　against　which　I
was　not　provided。　The　ticking　of　the　clock　annoyed　me；　the
crackling　of　the　fire　startled　me。　I　looked　out　twenty　times　in　a
minute　into　the　dark　corners　of　the　passage；　straining　my　eyes；
holding　my　breath；　anticipating　the　most　unlikely　events；　the
most　impossible　dangers。　Had　they　really　gone；　or　were　they　still
prowling　about　the　house？　Oh；　what　a　sum　of　money　I　would　have
given　only　to　have　known　what　they　were　about　in　that　interval　of
silence！

I　was　startled　at　last　out　of　my　suspense　in　the　most　awful
manner。　A　shout　from　one　of　them　reached　my　ears　on　a　sudden　down
the　kitchen　chimney。　It　was　so　unexpected　and　so　horrible　in　the
stillness　that　I　screamed　for　the　first　time　since　the　attack　on
the　house。　My　worst　forebodings　had　never　suggested　to　me　that
the　two　villains　might　mount　upon　the　roof。

〃Let　us　in；　you　she…devil！〃　roared　a　voice　down　the　chimney。

There　was　another　pause。　The　smoke　from　the　wood　fire；　thin　and
light　as　it　was　in　the　red　state　of　the　embers　at　that　moment；
had　evidently　obliged　the　man　to　take　his　face　from　the　mouth　of
the　chimney。　I　counted　the　seconds　while　he　was；　as　I
conjectured；　getting　his　breath　again。　In　less　than　half　a　minute
there　came　another　shout：

〃Let　us　in；　or　we'll　burn　the　place　down　over　your　head！〃

Burn　it？　Burn　what？　There　was　nothing　easily　combustible　but　the
thatch　on　the　roof；　and　that　had　been　well　soaked　by　the　heavy
rain　which　had　now　fallen　incessantly　for　more　than　six　hours。
Burn　the　place　over　my　head？　How？

While　I　was　still　casting　about　wildly　in　my　mind　to　discover
what　possible　danger　there　could　be　of　fire；　one　of　the　heavy
stones　placed　on　the　thatch　to　keep　it　from　being　torn　up　by　high
winds　came　thundering　down　the　chimney。　It　scattered　the　live
embers　on　the　hearth　all　over　the　room。　A　richly…furnished　place；
with　knickknacks　and　fine　muslin　about　it；　would　have　been　set　on
fire　immediately。　Even　our　bare　floor　and　rough　furniture　gave
out　a　smell　of　burning　at　the　first　shower　of　embers　which　the
first　stone　scattered。

For　an　instant　I　stood　quite　horror…struck　before　this　new　proof
of　the　devilish　ingenuity　of　the　villains　outside。　But　the
dreadful　danger　I　was　now　in　recalled　me　to　my　senses
immediately。　There　was　a　large　canful　of　water　in　my　bedroom；　and
I　ran　in　at　once　to　fetch　it。　Before　I　could　get　back　to　the
kitchen　a　second　stone　had　been　thrown　down　the　chimney；　and　the
floor　was　smoldering　in　several　places。

I　had　wit　enough　to　let　the　smoldering　go　on　for　a　moment　or　two
more；　and　to　pour　the　whole　of　my　canful　of　water　over　the　fire
before　the　third　stone　came　down　the　chimney。　The　live　embers　on
the　floor　I　easily　disposed　of　after　that。　The　man　on　the　roof
must　have　heard　the　hissing　of　the　fire　as　I　put　it　out；　and　have
felt　the　change　produced　in　the　air　at　the　mouth　of　the　chimney；
for　after　the　third　stone　had　descended　no　more　followed　it。　As
for　either　of　the　ruffians　themselves　dropping　down　by　the　same
road　along　which　the　stones　had　come；　that　was　not　to　be　dreaded。
The　chimney；　as　I　well　knew　by　our　experience　in　cleaning　it；　was
too　narrow　to　give　passage　to　any　one　above　the　size　of　a　small
boy。

I　looked　upward　as　that　comforting　reflection　crossed　my　mindI
looked　up；　and　saw；　as　plainly　as　I　see　the　paper　I　am　now
writing　on；　the　point　of　a　knife　coming　through　the　inside　of　the
roof　just　over　my　head。　Our　cottage　had　no　upper　story；　and　our
rooms　had　no　ceilings。　Slowly　and　wickedly　the　knife　wriggled　its
way　through　the　dry　inside　thatch　between　the　rafters。　It　stopped
for　a　while；　and　there　came　a　sound　of　tearing。　That；　in　its
turn；　stopped　too；　there　was　a　great　fall　of　dry　thatch　on　the
floor；　and　I　saw　the　heavy；　hairy　hand　of　Shifty　Dick；　armed　with
the　knife；　come　through　after　the　fallen　fragments。　He　tapped　at
the　rafters　with　the　back　of　the　knife；　as　if　to　test　their
strength。　Thank　God；　they　were　substantial　and　close　together！
Nothing　lighter　than　a　hatchet　would　have　sufficed　to　remove　any
part　of　them。

The　murderous　hand　was　still　tapping　with　the　knife　when　I　heard
a　shout　from　the　man　Jerry；　coming　from　the　neighborhood　of　my
father's　stone…shed　in　the　back　yard。　The　hand　and　knife
disappeared　instantly。　I　went　to　the　back　door　and　put　my　ear　to
it；　and　listened。

Both　men　were　now　in　the　shed。　I　made　the　most　desperate　efforts
to　call　to　mind　what　tools　and　other　things　were　left　in　it　which
might　be　used　against　me。　But　my　agitation　confused　me。　I　could
remember　nothing　except　my　father's　big　stone…saw；　which　was　far
too　heavy　and　unwieldy　to　be　used　on　the　roof　of　the　cottage。　I
was　still　puzzling　my　brains；　and　making　my　head　swim　to　no
purpose；　when　I　heard　the　men　dragging　something　out　of　the　shed。
At　the　same　instant　that　the　noise　caught　my　ear；　the　remembrance
flashed　across　me　like　lightning　of　some　beams　of　wood　which　had
lain　in　the　shed　for　years　past。　I　had　hardly　time　to　feel
certain　that　they　were　removing　one　of　these　beams　before　I　heard
Shifty　Dick　say　to　Jerry。

〃Which　door？〃

〃The　front；〃　was　the　answer。　〃We've　cracked　it　already；　we'll
have　it　down　now　in　no　time。〃

Senses　less　sharpened　by　danger　than　mine　would　have　understood
but　too　easily；　from　these　words；　that　they　were　about　to　use　the
beam　as　a　battering…ram　against　the