my lady caprice(我的无常夫人)-第20部分
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hideous clothes； stained with mud and the green slime of his hiding…places；
hung upon him in tatters； and his eyes； deep…sunken in his pallid face；
gleamed with an unnatural brightness as he glanced swiftly about him … a
miserable； hunted creature； worn by fatigue； and pinched with want and
suffering。
〃Did ye get 'em； sonny？〃 he inquired； in a hoarse； rasping voice。
〃Aye； aye； comrade；〃 returned the Imp； 〃all's well！〃
〃Bless ye for that； sonny ！〃 he exclaimed； and with the words he fell to
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upon the food devouring each morsel as it was handed to him with a
frightful voracity； while his burning； restless eyes glared about him； never
still for a moment。
Now as I noticed his wasted form and shaking limbs； I knew that I
could master him with one hand。 My weapon slipped from my slackened
grasp； but at the sound； slight though it was； he turned and began to run。
He had not gone five yards； however； when he tripped and fell； and before
he could rise I was standing over him。 He lay there at my feet； perfectly
still； blinking up at me with red…rimmed eyes。
〃All right； master；〃 he said at last； 〃you've got me！〃 But with the
words he suddenly rolled himself towards the river； yet as he struggled to
his knees I pinned him down again。
〃Oh； sir！ you won't go for to give me up to them？〃 he panted。 〃I've
never done you no wrong。 For God's sake don't send me back to it again；
sir。〃
〃'Course not；〃 cried the Imp； laying his hand upon my arm； 〃this is
only Uncle Dick。 He won't hurt you； will you； Uncle Dick？〃
〃That depends；〃 I answered； keeping tight hold of the tattered coat
collar。 〃Tell me； what brings you hanging round here？〃
〃Used to live up in these parts once； master。〃
〃Who are you？〃
〃Convict 49； as broke jail over a week ago an' would ha' died but for
the little 'un there；〃 and he nodded towards the Imp。
The convict； as I say； was a tall； thin fellow； with a cadaverous face
lined with suffering； while the hair at his temples was prematurely white。
And as I looked at him； it occurred to me that the suffering which had set
its mark so deeply upon him was not altogether the grosser anguish of the
body。 Now for our criminal who can still feel morally there is surely
hope。 I think so； anyhow！ For a long moment there was silence； while I
stared into the haggard face below； and the Imp looked from one to the
other of us； utterly at a loss。
〃I wonder if you ever heard tell of 'the bye Jarge；'〃 I said suddenly。
The convict started so violently that the jacket tore in my grasp。
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〃How … how did ye know … ？〃 he gasped； and stared at me with
dropped jaw。
〃I think I know your father。〃
〃My feyther；〃 he muttered； 〃old Jasper … 'e ain't dead； then？〃
〃Not yet；〃 I answered； 〃come； get up and I'll tell you more while you
eat。〃 Mechanically he obeyed； sitting with his glowing eyes fixed upon
my face the while I told him of old Jasper's lapse of memory and present
illness。
〃Then 'e don't remember as I'm a thief an' convict 49； master？〃
〃No； he thinks and speaks of you always as a boy and a pattern son。〃
The man uttered a strange cry； and flinging himself upon his knees
buried his face in his hands。
〃Come；〃 I said； tapping him on the shoulder； 〃take off those things；〃
and nodding to the Imp； he immediately began unwrapping Peter's
garments。
〃What； master；〃 cried the convict； starting up； 〃are you goin' to let me
see 'im afore you give me up？〃
〃Yes I nodded； 〃only be quick？ In less than live minutes the tattered
prison dress was lying in the bed of the river； and we were making our
way along the path towards old Jasper's cottage。
The convict spoke but once； and that as we reached the cottage gate：
〃is he very ill； sir？〃
〃Very ill；〃 I said。 He stood for a moment； inhaling the fragrance of
the roses in great breaths； and staring about him； then with an abrupt
gesture he opened the little gate； and gliding up the path with his furtive；
stealthy footstep knocked at the door。 For some half hour the Imp and I
strolled to and fro in the moonlight； during which he related to me much
about his outlaw and the many 〃ruses he had employed to get him
provision。〃 How upon one occasion； to escape the watchful eyes of
Auntie Lisbeth； he had been compelled to hide a slice of jam…tart in the
trousers…pockets； to the detriment of each； how Dorothy had watched him
everywhere in the momentary expectation of 〃something happening；〃 how
Jane and Peter and cook would stand and stare and shake their heads at
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him because he ate such a lot； 〃an' the worst of it was I was aw full'
hungry all the time； you know； Uncle Dick！〃 This and much more he
told me as we waited there in the moonlight。
At last the cottage door opened and the convict came out。 He did not
join us at once； but remained staring away towards the river； though I saw
him jerk his sleeve across his eyes more than once in his furtive； stealthy
fashion； but when at last he came up to us his face was firm and resolute。
〃Did you see old Jasper？〃 I asked。
〃Yes； sir； I saw him。〃
〃Is he any better？〃
〃Much better … he died in my arms； sir。 An' now I'm ready to go back；
there's a police…station in the village。〃 He stopped suddenly and turned
to stare back at the lighted windows of the cottage； and when he spoke
again his voice sounded hoarser than ever。
〃Thought I'd come back from furrin parts； 'e did； wi' my pockets
stuffed full o' gold an' bank…notes。 Called me 'is bye Jarge； 'e did！〃 and
again he brushed his cuff across his eyes。
〃Masters I don't know who ye may be； but I'm grateful to ye an' more
than grateful； sir。 An' now I'm ready to go back an' finish my time。〃
〃How much longer is that？〃
〃Three years； sir。〃
〃And when you come out； what shall you do then？〃
〃Start all over again； sir； try to get some honest work an' live straight。〃
〃Do you think you can？〃
〃I know I can； sir。 Ye see； he died in my arms； called me 'is bye Jarge；
said 'e were proud of me； 'e did！ A man can begin again an' live straight
an' square wi' a memory the like o' that to 'elp 'im。〃
〃Then why not begin to…night？〃
He passed a tremulous hand through his silver hair； and stared at me
with incredulous eyes。
〃Begin…to…night！〃 he half whispered。
〃I have an old house among the Kentish hop…gardens；〃 I went on； 〃no
one lives there at present except a care…taker； but it is within the bounds of
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probability that I may go to stay there … some day。 Now the gardens need
trimming； and I'm very fond of flowers； do you suppose you could make
the place look decent in … say； a month ？〃
〃Sir；〃 he said in a strange； broken voice； 〃you ain't jokin' with me； are
you？〃
〃I could pay you a pound a week； what do you say？〃
He tried to speak； but his lips quivered； and he turned his back upon us
very suddenly。 I tore a page from my pocket…book and scrawled a hasty
note to my care…taker。
〃Here is the address；〃 I said； tapping him on the shoulder。 〃You will
find no difficulty。 I will write again to…night。 You must of course have
money to get there and may need to buy a few necessaries besides； here is
your first week's wages in advance；〃 and I thrust a sovereign into his hand。
He stared down at it with blinking eyes； shuffling awkwardly with his feet；
and at that moment his face seemed very worn； and lined； and his hair very
grey； yet I had a feeling that I should not regret my quixotic action in the
end。
〃Sir；〃 he faltered； 〃sir； do ye mean … ？〃 and stopped。
〃I mean that to…night 'the bye Jarge' has a chance to make a new
beginning； a chance to become the man his father always thought he
would be。 Of course I may be a fool to trust you。 That only time will
show； but you see I had a great respect for old Jasper。 And now that you
have the address you'd better go； stay； though； you must have a hat； folks
might wonder … take this；〃 and I handed him my cap。
〃Sir； I can't thank ye now； I never can。 It … it won't come； but … 〃 with a
nervous； awkward gesture he caught my hand suddenly pressed it to his
lips； and was gone down the lane。
Thus it was that old Jasper's 〃bye Jarge〃 went out to make a trial of life
a second time； and as I watched him striding through the moonlight； his
head erect； very different to the shambling creature he had been； it seemed
to me that the felon was already ousted by the man。
〃I 'specks he forgot all 'bout me ！〃 said the Imp disconso
