THE red glare of the torch, lighting up the interior of the block-house, showed me the worst of my apprehensions realised. The pirates were in possession of the house and stores: there was the cask of cognac, there were the pork and bread, as before; and, what tenfold increased my horror, not a sign of any prisoner. I could only judge that all had perished, and my heart smote me sorely that I had not been there to perish with them.

There were six of the buccaneers, all told; not another man was left alive. Five of them were on their feet, flushed and swollen, suddenly called out of the first sleep of drunkenness. The sixth had only risen upon his elbow: he was deadly pale, and the blood-stained bandage round his head told that he had recently been wounded, and still more recently dressed. I remembered the man who had been shot and had run back among the woods in the great attack, and doubted not that this was he.

The parrot sat, preening her plumage, on Long John's shoulder. He himself, I thought, looked somewhat paler and more stern than I was used to. He still wore the fine broadcloth suit in which he had fulfilled his mission, but it was bitterly the worse for wear, daubed with clay and torn with the sharp briers of the wood.

`So,' said he, `here's Jim Hawkins, shiver my timbers! dropped in, like, eh? Well, come, I take that friendly.'

And thereupon he sat down across the brandy cask, and began to fill a pipe.

`Give me a loan of the link, Dick,' said he; and then, when he had a good light, `that'll do, lad,' he added; `stick the glim in the wood heap; and you, gentlemen, bring yourselves to! - you needn't stand up for Mr Hawkins; he'll excuse you, you may lay to that. And so, Jim' - stopping the tobacco - `here you were, and quite a pleasant surprise for poor old John I see you were smart when first I set my eyes on you; but this here gets away from me clean, it do.'

To all this, as may be well supposed, I made no answer. They had set me with my back against the wall; and I stood there, looking Silver in the face, pluckily enough, I hope, to all outward appearance, but with black despair in my heart

Silver took a whiff or two of his pipe with great composure, and then ran on again.

`Now, you see, Jim, so be as you are here,' says he, `I'll give you a piece of my mind. I've always liked you, I have, for a lad of spirit, and the picter of my own self when I was young and handsome. I always wanted you to jine and take your share, and die a gentleman, and now, my cock, you've got to. Cap'n Smollett's a fine seaman, as I'll own up to any day, but stiff on discipline. "Dooty is dooty," says he, and right he is. Just you keep clear of the cap'n. The doctor himself is gone dead again you - "ungrateful scamp" was what he said; and the short and the long of the whole story is about here: you can't go back to your own lot, for they won't have you; and, without you start a third ship's company all by yourself, which mighty be lonely, you'll have to jine with Cap'n Silver.'

So far so good. My friends, then, were still alive, and though I partly believed the truth of Silver's statement, that the cabin party were incensed at me for my desertion, I was more relieved than distressed by what I heard.

`I don't say nothing as to your being in our hands,' continued Silver, `though there you are, and you may lay to it. I'm all for argyment; I never seen good come out o' threatening. If you like the service, well, you'll jine; and if you don't, Jim, why, you're free to answer no - free and welcome, shipmate; and if fairer can be said by mortal seaman, shiver my sides!'

`Am I to answer, then?' I asked, with a very tremulous voice. Through all this sneering talk, I was made to feel the threat of death that overhung me, and my cheeks burned and my heart beat painfully in my breast.

`Lad,' said Silver, `no one's a-pressing of you. Take your bearings. None of us won't hurry you, mate; time goes so pleasant in your company, you see.'

`Well,' says I, growing a bit bolder, `if I'm to choose, I declare I have a right to know what's what, and why you're here, and where my friends are.'

`Wot's wot?' repeated one of the buccaneers, in a deep growl. `Ah, he'd be a lucky one as knowed that!'

`You'll, perhaps, batten down your hatches till you're spoke to, my friend,' cried Silver truculently to this speaker. And then, in his first gracious tones, he replied to me: `Yesterday morning, Mr Hawkins,' said he, `in the dog-watch, down came Doctor Livesey with a flag of truce. Says he, "Cap'n Silver, you're sold out. Ship's gone." Well, maybe we'd been taking a glass, and a song to help it round. I won't say no. Leastways, none of us had looked out. We looked out, and, by thunder! the old ship was gone. I never seen a pack o' fools look fishier; and you may lay to that, if I tells you that looked the fishiest. "Well," says the doctor, "let's bargain." We bargained, him and I, and here we are: stores, brandy, block-house, the firewood you was thoughtful enough to cut, and, in a manner of speaking, the whole blessed boat, from cross-trees to kelson. As for them, they've tramped; I don't know where's they are.'

He drew again quietly at his pipe.

`And lest you should take it into that head of yours,' he went on, `that you was included in the treaty, here's the last word that was said: "How many are you," says I, "to leave?" "Four," says he - "four, and one of us wounded. As for that boy, I don't know where he is, confound him," says he, "nor I don't much care. We're about sick of him." These was his words.'

`Is that all?' I asked.

`Well, it's all that you're to hear, my son,' returned Silver.

`And now I am to choose?'

`And now you are to choose, and you may lay to that,' said Silver.

`Well,' said I, `I am not such a fool but I know pretty well what I have to look for. Let the worst come to the worst, it's little I care. I've seen too many die since I fell in with you. But there's a thing or two I have to tell you,' I said, and by this time I was quite excited; `and the first is this: here you are, in a bad way: ship lost, treasure lost, men lost; your whole business gone to wreck; and if you want to know who did it - it was I! I was in the apple barrel the night we sighted land, and I heard you, John, and you, Dick Johnson, and Hands, who is now at the bottom of the sea, and told every word you said before the hour was out. And as for the schooner, it was I who cut her cable, and it was I that killed the men you ha aboard of her, and it was I who brought her where you'll never see her more, not one of you. The laugh's on my side; I've had the top of this business from the first; I no more fear you than I fear a fly. Kill me, if you please, or spare me. But one thing I'll say, and no more; if you spare me, bygones are bygones, and when you fellows are in court for piracy, I'll save you all I can. It is for you to choose. Kill another and do yourselves no good, or spare me and keep a witness to save you from the gallows.'

I stopped, for, I tell you, I was out of breath, and, to my wonder, not a man of them moved, but all sat staring at me like as many sheep. And while they were still staring, I broke out again:--

`And now, Mr Silver,' I said, `I believe you're the best man here, and if things go to the worst, I'll take it kind of you to let the doctor know the way I took it.'

`I'll bear it in mind,' said Silver, with an accent so curious that I could not, for the life of me, decide whether he were laughing at my request, or had been favourably affected by my courage.

`I'll put one to that,' cried the old mahogany-faced seaman - Morgan by name - whom I had seen in Long John's public house upon the quays of Bristol. `It was him that knowed Black Dog.'

`Well, and see here,' added the sea-cook. `I'll put another again to that, by thunder! for it was this same boy that faked the chart from Billy Bones. First and last, we've split upon Jim Hawkins!'

`Then here goes!' said Morgan, with an oath.

And he sprang up, drawing his knife as if he had been twenty.

`Avast, there!' cried Silver. `Who are you, Tom Morgan? Maybe you thought you was cap'n here, perhaps. By the powers, but I'll teach you better! Cross me, and you'll go where many a good man's gone before you, first and last, these thirty year back - some to the yard-arm, shiver my timbers! and some by the board, and all to feed the fishes. There's never a man looked me between the eyes and seen `a good day afterwards, Tom Morgan, you may lay to that.

Morgan paused; but a hoarse murmur rose from the others. `Tom's right,' said one.

`I stood hazing long enough from one,' added another. `I'll be hanged if I'll be hazed by you, John Silver.'

`Did any of you gentlemen want to have it out with me?' roared Silver, bending far forward from his position on the keg, with his pipe still glowing in his right hand. `Put a name on what you're at; you aint dumb, I reckon. Him that wants shall get it. Have I lived this many years, and a son of a rum puncheon cock his hat athwart my hawse at the latter end of it? You know the way; you're all gentlemen o' fortune, by your account. Well, I'm ready. Take a cutlass, him that dares, and I'll see the colour of his inside, crutch and all, before that pipe's empty.'

Not a man stirred; not a man answered.

`That's your sort, is it?' he added, returning his pipe to his mouth. `Well, you're a gay lot to look at, anyway. Not much worth to fight, you aint. P'r'aps you can understand King George's English. I'm cap'n here by `lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm the best man by a long sea-mile. You won't fight, as gentlemen o' fortune should; then, by thunder, you'll obey, and you may lay to it! I like that boy, now; I never seen a better boy than that. He's more a man than any pair of rats of you in this here house, and what I say is this: let me see him that'll lay a hand on him - that's what I say, and you may lay to it.'

There was a long pause after this. I stood straight up against the wall, my heart still going like a sledge- hammer, but with a ray of hope now shining in my bosom. Silver leant back against the wall, his arms crossed, his pipe in the corner of his mouth, as calm as though he had been in church; yet his eye kept wandering furtively, and he kept the tail of it on his unruly followers. They, on their part, drew gradually together towards the far end of the block-house, and the low hiss of their whispering sounded in my ear continuously, like a stream. One after another, they would look up, and the red light of the torch would fall for a second on their nervous faces; but it was not towards me, it was towards Silver that they turned their eyes.

`You seem to have a lot to say,' remarked Silver, spitting far into the air. `Pipe up and let me hear it, or lay to.'

`Ax your pardon, sir,' returned one of the men, `you're pretty free with some of the rules; maybe you'll kindly keep an eye upon the rest. This crew's dissatisfied; this crew don't vally bullying a marlin-spike; this crew has its rights like other crews, I'll make so free as that; and by your own rules, I take it we can talk together. I ax your pardon, sir, acknowledging you for to be capting at this present; but I claim my right, and steps outside for a council.'

And with an elaborate sea-salute, this fellow, a long, ill-looking, yellow-eyed man of five-and-thirty, stepped coolly towards the door and disappeared out of the house. One after another, the rest followed his example; each making a salute as he passed; each adding some apology. `According to rules,' said one. `Fo'c's'le council,' said Morgan. And so with one remark or another, all marched out, and left Silver and me alone with the torch.

The sea-cook instantly removed his pipe.

`Now, look you here, Jim Hawkins,' he said, in a steady whisper, that was no more than audible, `you're within half a plank of death, and, what's a long sight worse, of torture. They're going to throw me off. But, you mark, I stand by you through thick and thin. I didn't mean to; no, not till you spoke up. I was about desperate to lose that much blunt, and be hanged into the bargain. But I see you was the right sort. I says to myself: You stand by Hawkins, John, and Hawkins `Il stand by you. You're his last card, and, by the living thunder, John, he's yours! Back to back, says I. You save your witness, and he'll save your neck!'

I began dimly to understand.

`You mean all's lost?' I asked.

`Ay, by gum, I do!' he answered. `Ship gone, neck gone - that's the size of it. Once I looked into that bay, Jim Hawkins, and seen no schooner - well, I'm tough, but I gave out. As for that lot and their council, mark me, they're outright fools and cowards. I'll save your life - if so be as I can - from them. But, see here, Jim - tit for tat - you save Long John from swinging.'

I was bewildered; it seemed a thing so hopeless he was asking - he, the old buccaneer, the ringleader throughout.

`What I can do, that I'll do,' I said.

`It's a bargain!' cried Long John. `You speak up plucky, and, by thunder! I've a chance.'

He hobbled to the torch, where it stood propped among the firewood, and took a fresh light to his pipe.

`Understand me, Jim,' he said, returning. `I've a head on my shoulders, I have. I'm on squire's side now. I know you've got that ship safe somewheres. How you done it, I don't know, but safe it is. I guess Hands and O'Brien turned soft. I never much believed in neither of them. Now you mark me. I ask no questions, nor I won't let others. I know when a game's up, I do; and I know a lad that's staunch. Ah, you that's young - you and me might have done a power of good together!'

He drew some cognac from the cask into a tin cannikin.

`Will you taste, messmate?' he asked; and when I had refused: `Well, I'll take a drain myself, Jim,' said he. `I need a caulker, for there's trouble on hand. And, talking o' trouble, why did that doctor give me the chart, Jim?'

My face expressed a wonder so unaffected that he saw the needlessness of further questions.

`Ah, well, he did, though,' said he. `And there's something under that, no doubt - something, surely, under that, Jim - bad or good.'

And he took another swallow of the brandy, shaking his great fair head like a man who looks forward to the worst

火把的红光照亮了木屋的内部，我所料想的最坏的局面呈现出来。海盗们已占领木屋和补给品，一桶白兰地、猪肉和干面包都放在老地方，但使我万分恐惧的是没见到一名俘虏，我只能假定他们已全部遇害。我为自己没有能与他们同甘共苦而遭到良心的强烈谴责。

屋中一共只有六名海盗，此外活着的那个也死了。其中五个突然从醉梦中跳起来，满脸通红，杀气腾腾。第六个刚刚用胳膊撑起身子，面色死灰，缠在头上的绷带渗出血迹来，说明他是新近受伤的，而包扎伤口的时间则更近一些。我记得昨天枪战中被击中后逃回树林里去的那名海盗肯定就是这个人。

鹦鹉蹲在高个儿约翰肩上用嘴整理着身上的羽毛。西尔弗本人看起来面色更加苍白，脸部肌肉绷得比平时更紧。他还穿着跟我们谈判时穿的那套漂亮的绒面礼服，但衣服上蹭了不少泥，还被带刺的灌木扯破了好几处，远不如那时气派。

“哦，”他说，“原来是吉姆·霍金斯呀，好哇！上这儿来做客啦？来的好，欢迎欢迎！”

他在白兰地桶上坐下来，开始装一斗烟。

“让我借个火，狄克，”他说。在点着了烟斗后，他又加了一句：“行了，伙计，把火把插在柴堆上吧。诸位，你们可以随便些！不必站在那儿，霍金斯先生不会介意的，你们可以相信我。我说，吉姆，”他吸了一口烟，“你来这里真使我可怜的老约翰喜出望外。我第一次见到你就看出你是个机灵的小家伙，但这会儿你来，我却实在弄不明白为什么。”

我想对于这些话我还是一言不发为妙。他们把我按在墙壁上，背靠着站在那儿，我正盯着西尔弗的脸，表面上毫无惧色，但心里已经绝望了。

西尔弗不动声色地吸了一两口烟后又侃了起来。

“吉姆，既然你已来到这儿，”他说，“我想同你好好聊聊心里话。我一向很喜欢你，你是个有脑子的小家伙，就跟我年轻漂亮的时候一样。我一直希望你能加入我们这边，得了财宝分给你一份，保你一辈子吃不完用不尽。现在你到底来了，好孩子。斯莫列特船长是个好航海家，我一直这样说，可是他太墨守成规。他常说‘尽职尽责，尽职尽责’，这话在理儿。可你竟撇下你们的船长，一个人跑了。大夫对你恨得咬牙切齿，骂你是个‘没良心的狗东西’。说来说去，你不能再回到那边去了，因为他们不再想要你。除非你自立门户，做个光杆司令，否则你就不得不加入我西尔弗一伙。”

还好，我的朋友们还活着。虽然西尔弗的话我有一部分相信，比如他说大夫他们对我擅自逃跑极为恼火，但听了这番话，我与其说感到难过，毋宁说感到欣慰。

“你落到我们手里，这不用我说，”西尔弗继续讲下去，“你自己也清楚，我主张心平气和地讲道理，我以为强行逼压没有什么好处。你要是想干就加入我们这伙；你要是不干，吉姆，你尽可以回答不干，我绝不强求。伙计，要是哪个水手能说出比这更公道的话，让我不得好死！”

“你要我回答吗？”我问，声音颤微微的。我感觉在这番捉弄人的言语背后隐藏着随时致我于死地的威胁。我的两颊发热，心嘣嘣跳。

“小家伙，”西尔弗说，“没人强迫你，好好想想。我们不催你。伙计，你看，跟你在一起的时间过得总是很愉快的。”

“好吧，”我说，渐渐胆子也大起来，“如果让我选择的话，我想说我有权知道究竟发生了什么事，你们为什么在这儿，我的朋友哪去了？”

“发生了什么事”？一个海盗用低沉的声音嘟囔着，“鬼知道究竟发生了什么事！”

“没问你，你还是给我闭上你那臭嘴，朋友。”西尔弗狠狠地喝住开口的人。接着他还是用先前那种文雅的语气回答我说：“昨天早上，霍金斯先生，利弗西大夫打着白旗来找我们。他说，西尔弗船长，你们被扔下了。船已经开走了。是的，也许乘我们喝酒唱歌的当儿。他们把船开走了。这一点我不否认。至少我们没有谁发觉。我们跑过去一看，船果真不见了。我从来没见过这样一群傻瓜蛋干瞪着眼时的傻样，你尽量相信我的话，没有比这帮家伙更蠢的了。大夫说，那好，让我们谈谈条件吧。我跟他讲妥了条件，我们到这里来，补给品、白兰地、木屋，还有多亏你们想得周到的劈好的柴禾，用我们的话说，一条船从桅顶到龙头都归我们所有。至于他们，反正已离开此地，现在他们在哪儿，我可不知道。”他又不紧不慢地吸了几口烟。

“为了免得你误会，条约中也把你包括在内，”他继续说，“我可以把当时最后几句话告诉你。”我问：“你们一共几个人离开？”他说：“四个人，其中一个受了伤，至于那孩子，不知他跑哪儿去了，我管不了那许多了。想起他我们就生气。大夫就是这么说的。”

“就这些吗？”我问。

“可以让你听的就这些了，我的孩子。”西尔弗答道。

“现在就要我做出选择，是不是？”

“对，现在就决定，你可以相信我。”西尔弗说。

“好吧，”我说，“我不是个傻瓜蛋，不至于不知道该选择哪条道。我不在乎，你该怎么着就怎么着。自从认识你们以来，经我看到的就死了不少人。不过有几件事我要对你们讲。”我说，我这时非常激动：“首先，你们在这儿的处境不妙，船丢了，财宝丢了，人也丢了；你们整个计划都弄糟了。如果你们想知道是谁干的——告诉你们是我！是我在发现陆地的那天晚上，躲在苹果桶里听到了你约翰，还有你狄克·约翰逊，还有现在已沉海底的汉兹的谈话，不到一小时我就把你们说的每一句话都告诉了船长。至于那条船，也是我割断绳索，杀死了你们留在船上看守的人，是我把船开到你们任何人都见不到的地方。该嘲笑的是你们，这件事，刚开始我就占了上风。你们在我看来并不比一只苍蝇可怕，要杀要放随你们的便，我只想提一句，如果你们因为当过海盗受到审判，我将尽我所能救你们的命。现在该轮到你们选择了。再杀一个，这对你们没什么好处，要是放了我，留下一个证人，还可以让你们免受绞刑。”

我停下来歇了口气，因为我已说得上气不接下气。使我惊奇的是，他们一动不动，像一群绵羊似地盯着我。趁他们仍盯着我看的时候，我又讲开了。

“西尔弗先生，”我说，“我相信你是最聪明的人。万一我有个三长两短，烦你让大夫知道我是怎么牺牲的。”

“我会记住的。”西尔弗说。他的语调令人费解，我这辈子也弄不明白，他究竟是在笑话我提出的请求呢，还是被我的勇气打动了呢。

“我还可以添一桩事，”一个面似红松的老水手说。他姓摩根，我是在高个儿约翰开设在布里斯托尔码头上的酒店里看见他的。“是他认出了黑狗。”

“对了，还有，”船上的厨子又添了一句，“我还可以加上一件：就是这小子从比尔·彭斯那儿弄走了地图。总而言之，我们的事坏就坏在吉姆·霍金斯的手里！”

“那就送他上西天！”摩根说着骂了一句。

他拔出刀子跳了起来，好像二十岁的小伙那样激动。

“站住！”西尔弗喝道，“你是什么人，汤姆·摩根？你大概以为你是一船之长吧？我要好好教训教训你！让你知道我的厉害。跟我作对，我就送你到死在你前面的那些人身边去。三十年来，凡是跟我过不去的人，有的被吊上帆桁顶上，有的扔到了海里，都喂了鱼。还没有谁敢跟我较量较量，否则他会有好日子过的。汤姆·摩根，不信你就走着瞧。”

摩根不言语了，但是其他人还在那儿嘀嘀咕咕的。

“汤姆说的对。”一个人说。

“我听剐人的话听够了，”另一个补充说，“要是再让你牵着鼻子走，约翰·西尔弗，我宁愿被绞死。”

“诸位还有什么话要对我讲吗？”西尔弗吼道，从酒桶上弯身向前，右手握着还未灭的烟斗。“有话就讲，你们又不是哑巴，想说的就站出来。我活了这么大的岁数，到头来能让一个酒囊饭袋在我面前吵吵嚷嚷？你们晓得你们都是凭命运过日子，应该懂得这行的规矩。我准备好了，有能耐的把弯刀拔出来比试比试！虽然我只有一条腿，我要在一袋烟烧光之前，让他白刀子进去，红刀子出来。”

没有一个人动弹，没有一个人咬一声。

“你们可真算是好样的，嗯？”他又说了一句，把烟斗重新叼在嘴上。“瞧你们那副德性，站出来较量较量都不敢，连话都听不懂。我是你们推选出来的船长。我当船长是因为我比你们高明，高出一海里。既然你们不想像一个真正的海盗那样跟我较量，那就听我的，你们可以相信我的话！我喜欢那孩子，我还没见哪个孩子比他更聪明。他比你们这群胆小鬼中任何两个加在一起都更像男子汉。我倒要看看，谁要是敢碰他一下，我就对他不客气，信不信由你们。”

接着是一阵持续很久的沉默。我靠墙边站直了身，心还像敲鼓似的咚咚跳，但心中还闪现出一线希望。西尔弗双手交叉倚墙而坐，烟斗斜叼在嘴角上，像在教堂里一样平静。然而两只眼睛却滴溜溜地乱转，眼梢始终监视着那帮不顺从的家伙。那些海盗逐渐退到木屋的另一端，聚在一起，他们交头接耳的低语声一直像小河流水般源源不断地传到我耳朵里。他们一个接一个地抬头看看我们，这时，火把的红光就会把他们紧张的脸孔照亮一两秒钟。他们的视线对着的是西尔弗而不是我。

“你们好像有许多话要讲，”西尔弗说着向老远的空中啐了一口，说：“说出来让我听听，要么就闭嘴。”

“请原谅，先生，”一个海盗应声答道，“你经常不遵守这一行的好些规矩，也许有些规矩你最好还是注意些好。大家都对你不满。我们可不是好欺负的，我们有同其他船上水手一样的权利——我就是敢这样说。根据你自己定下的规矩，我认为我们可以谈谈。请你原谅，先生，因为我承认目前你是我们的船长，但是我要行使我的权利：到外面去商量一下。”

这个大个家伙，是个黄眼珠、三十四五岁的丑八怪，他向西尔弗敬了个很像样的水手礼，拖着脚步向门外走去，其余的几个家伙也跟着他离开屋子，每个人经过西尔弗的身边都敬个礼，打声招呼。“按规矩，”有人说。“去开个水手会。”摩根说。就这样你一句我一句都走了出去，只剩下我和西尔弗在火把旁。

船上厨子立即把烟斗从嘴里拿出来。

“现在你看，吉姆·霍金斯，”他用勉强可以听到的声音在我耳边低语道，“你的生命正处在紧要关头，更可怕的是可能要受刑，不能让你痛快地死。他们打算把我推翻。不过，你也看到了，我一直在想尽办法保护你。起初我并没这个意识，是你的一番话提醒了我。我失去了那么多到头来还得上绞架，真让我失望。但我觉得你说得对。我心里对自己说：你替霍金斯说句公道话吧，约翰，将来霍金斯也会替你求情的。你是他最后一张王牌，这是事实。约翰，他能帮你忙！以恩报恩嘛，我说，你救了他这个证人，他自会搭救你的性命！”

我模模糊糊地开始明白他的意图了。

“你是说一切都完了吗？”我问。

“当然完了，老天作证，我说着了！”他回答说。“船丢了，脑袋也保不住了，就是这么一回事。那天我向海湾一看，没见到我们的船，吉姆·霍金斯，我知道这下子完蛋了，虽然我是个很不服输的人。至于那些饭桶，相信我，他们胆小如鼠，狗屁不如。我定会竭尽全力从他们手里把你救下来。但是你看现在，吉姆——你得以德报德——你可不能对不起我老约翰。”

我十分吃惊，看起来希望这么渺茫的事——他这个不折不扣的老海盗也想到了。

“能做的，我一定做到。”我说。

“就这么定了！”高个儿约翰高兴地喊道，“你的话像个大丈夫。娘的，我有机会活过来了。”

他一瘸一拐走到插在柴堆上的火炬旁边，重新点着烟斗。

“相信我，吉姆，”他走过来后说，“我是个有头脑的人。我现在已站到乡绅的一边。我知道你把船开到了一个安全的地方了，我不知道你是怎么干的，但船肯定是安全的。我猜汉兹和奥布赖恩的尸体已泡烂了。我一直信不过这两个家伙。你记着：我什么也不问，我也不希望别人问我。我知道自己输定了，我也知道你是个可靠的小家伙。啊，你是这么年轻。你和我一起可以干出一番大事业来。”

他从酒桶里倒了些白兰地。

“你要不要尝两口，伙计？”他问。我谢绝了。“那我就自己喝一口，吉姆，”他说，“我需要精神精神，麻烦事还多着呢。说起麻烦，我倒要问你：吉姆，大夫为什么把那张地图给了我？”

我脸上现出惊讶的表情，绝非做作。他明白再问已没有什么必要了。

“真的，他把地图给我了，”他说，“不过这里定有学问，毫无疑问。吉姆，是好是坏就不知道了。”

他又喝了一口白兰地，摇了摇他那大脑袋，像是预先知道了未来凶多吉少