天才一秒记住【畅想小说网】地址:http://www.cxtra.net
Themaeredwasastrangeandimpressivefigure.Hisslow,limpingstepandbowedshavetheappearaude,ahishard,deep-lined,craggyfeatures,andhisenormouslimbsshowedthatheossessedofunusualstrengthofbodyandofcharacter.Histangledbeard,grizzledhair,andoutstanding,droopingeyebrowsbiogiveanairofdignityaohisappearahisfacewasofae,whilehislipsandtheersofhisnostrilsweretihashadeofblue.Itwaseataglahewasinthegripofsomedeadlyandicdisease.
"Praysitdownonthesofa,"saidHolmesgently."Youhadmy;
"Yes,thelodge-keeperbroughtitup.Yousaidthatyouwishedtoseemeheretoavoidsdal."
"IthoughtpeoplewouldtalkifIwenttotheHall."
"Andwhydidyouwishtoseeme?"Helookedaypanionwithdespairinhiswearyeyes,asthoughhisquestionwasalreadyanswered.
"Yes,"saidHolmes,ahelookratherthanthewords."Itisso.IknowallaboutMcCarthy."
Theoldmansankhisfahishands."Godhelpme!"hecried."ButIwouldheyoungmaiveyoumywordthatIokenoutifitwentagainsthimattheAssizes."
"Iamgladtohearyousayso,"saidHolmesgravely.
"Iokennowhaditnotbeenfirl.Itwouldbreakherheart...itwillbreakherheartwheIamarrested."
"Itmay,"saidHolmes.
"What?"
"Iamnooffit.Iuhatitwasyhterwhorequiredmypresencehere,andIamaheris.YoungMcCarthymustbegotoff,however."
"Iamadyingman,"saidoldTur;Ihavehaddiabetesforyears.MydoctorsaysitisaquestioherIshallliveamoIwouldratherdieundermyownroofthaninagaol."
Holmesroseandsatdowablewithhispeninhishandandabundleofpaperbeforehi"Justtellusthetruth,"hesaid."Ishalljotdows.Youwillsignit,andWatsohenIcouldproduceyouratthelastextremitytosaveyoungMcCarthy.IpromiseyouthatIshalluisabsolutely;
"It'saswell,"saidtheoldman,"it'saquestioherIshalllivetotheAssizes,soitmatterslittletome,butIshouldwishtospareAlicetheshoowIwillmakethethioyou;ithasbeenaloheag,butwillnottakemelongtotell.
"Youdidn'tknowthisdeadman,McCarthy.Hewasadeviliellyouthat.Godkeepyououtoftheclutchesofsuashe.Hisgriphasbeewentyyears,andhehasblastedmylife.I'lltellyoufirsthowIcametobeinhispower.
"Itwasintheearly60'satthediggings.Iwasayoung,hot-bloodedandreckless,readytoturnmyhandatanything;Igotamongbadpanions,tooktodrink,hadnoluckwithmyclaim,tooktothebush,andinawordbecamewhatyouwouldcallhwayrobber.Thereweresixofus,andwehadawild,freelifeofit,stigupastationfromtimetthewagoothediggings.BlackJackofBallaratwastheunder,andourpartyisstillrememberedintheyastheBallaratGang.
"OnedayagoldedownfromBallarattoMelbourne,andwelayinwaitforitahereweresixtroopersandsixofus,soitwasag,butweemptiedfouroftheirsaddlesatthefirstvolley.Threeofourboyswerekilled,however,befotthesutmypistoltotheheadofthewagon-driver,whowasthisverymanMcCarthy.IwishtotheLordthatIhadshothimthen,butIsparedhim,thoughIsawhiswickedlittleeyesfixedohoughtoremembereveryfeature.iththegold,becamewealthymen,andmadeourwaylandwithoutbeihereIpartedfrommyoldpalsaosettledowntoaquietaablelife.Iboughtthisestate,whicedtobei,amyselftodoalittlegoodwithmymoomakeupforthewayinwhichIhadear.Imarried,too,andthoughmywifediedyoumemydearlittleAliwheababyherweehaoleadmedhtpathasnothingelsehadeverdone.Inaword,Iturnedoveranewleafanddidmybesttomakeupforthepast.AllwasgoingwellwhenMcCarthylaidhisgripuponme.
"Ihadgoownabouta,ahimiwithhardlyacoattohisbackoraboottohisfoot.
"'Hereweare,Jack,'sayshe,tou;'we'llbeasgoodasafamilytoyou.There'stwoofus,meandmyson,andyouhavethekeepingofus.Ifyoudon't...it'safine,law-abidingtryisEngland,andthere'saloliwithinhail.'
"Well,dowothewesttry,therewasnoshakingthemoff,aheyhavelivedrentfreeolandeversiherewasforme,nopeaetfulurnwhereIwould,therewashisg,grimyelboorseasAlicegrewup,forhesoonsawIwasmoreafraidmypastthanofthepolice.Whateverhewahave,awasIgavehimwithoutquestion,land,moilatlastheaskedathingwhichIotgive.HeaskedforAlice.
"Hisson,yousee,hadgrownup,andsohadmygirl,andasIwasknowntobeiseemedafihathisladshouldstepintothewholeproperty.ButthereIwasfirIwouldnothavehisixedwithmiIhadahelad,buthisbloodwasinhim,andthatwasenough.IstoodfirMcCarthythreatened.Ibravedhimtodohiseretomeetatthepoolmidwaybetweenourhousestotalkitover.
"nthereIfoundhimtalkingwithhisson,soIsmokedadwaitedbehiilheshouldbealoasIlisteohistalkallthatwasbladbitterioost.Hewasurginghisshterwithaslittleregardforwhatshemightthinkasifshewereaslutfromoffthestreets.ItdrovememadtothinkthatIandallthatIheldmostdearshouldbeinthepowerofsuasthis.otsnapthebond?Iwasalreadyadyingaeman.Thoughindandfairlystrongoflimb,Ikmyownfatewassealed.Butmymemoryandmygirl!BothcouldbesavedifIcouldbutsilefoulto,MrHolmes.Iwoulddoitagain.DeeplyasIhavesinned,Ihaveledalifeofmartyrdomtoato.ButthatmygirlshouldbeehesamemesheswhichheldmewasmorethanIcouldsuffer.Istruckhimdownwithionthanifhehadbeensomefoulandve.Hiscrybroughtba;butIhadgaihecoverofthewood,thoughIwasfobacktofetchthecloakedinmyflight.Thatisthetruestentlemen,ofallthatoccurred."
"Well,itisojudgeyou,"saidHolmesastheoldmaatementwhichhadbeendrawnout."Ipraythatwemayosuchatemptation."
"Ipraynot,sir.Andwhatdoyouiodo?"
"Inviewofyourhealth,nothing.YouareyourselfawarethatyouwillsoooanswerforyourdeedatahighertheAssizes.Iwillkeepyour,andifMcCarthyisnedIshallbeforcedtouseit.Ifnot,itshallneverbeseenbymortaleye;a,whetheryoubealiveordead,shallbesafewithus."
"Farewell,then,"saidtheoldmansolemnly."Yourowhbeds,whentheye,willbetheeasierforthethoughtofthepeacewhichyouhavegiveandshakinginallhisgiaumbledslowlyfromtheroo
"Godhelpus!"saidHolmesafteralo;Whydoesfateplaysuchtrickswithpoor,helplessworms?IneverhearofsuchacaseasthisthatIdonotthinkofBaxter'swords,andsay,'There,butfod,goesSherloes.'"
&hywasacquittedattheAssizesthofanumberofobjeswhichhadbeendrawnoutbyHolmesandsubmittedtothedefendiurnerlivedforsevenmoerview,butheishereiseveryprospectthatthesonanddaughtermayetolivehappilytheblackcloudwhichrestsupo.
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