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第45章 姨妈历险记3（第1页）

第45章姨妈历险记（3）

Thechillwasbuttra。Myaunt，whowasalmostasresoluteapersonageasyouruurnioryteller），bestantlydcollected。Shewentonadjustingherdress。Sheevenhummedanair，anddidnotmakeevenasie。Shecasuallyoverturnedadressingbox;tookadpickeduptheartiebyohefloor;pursuedaroilingpinthatwasmakiswayuhehedoor;lookedforaninstantintothecorridor，asifindoubtwhethertogo;andthelyout。

&eairs，orderedtheservantstoarmthemselveswiththeonsfirstathand，placedherselfattheirhead，aimmediately。

&ilyleviedarmypresentedaformidableforce。Thestewardhadarustybluheahefootmanapairofhorsepistols，thecookahugegkhebutlerabottleinead。Myauhared-hotpoker，andinmyopihemostformidableoftheparty。Thewaitingmaid，whodreadedtostayalos'hall，broughtuptherear，smellingtoabrokeilesalts，andexpressihe"ghostesses"。"Ghosts!"saidmyauely。"I'llsiheirwhiskersforthem!"

&eredthechamber。Allwasstillandundisturbedaswheit。Theyapproachedtheportraitofmyuncle。

"Pulldoicture!"criedmyaunt。Aheavygroan，andasouterih，issuedfromtheportrait。Theservantsshrunkback;themaidutteredafaintshriek，andgtothefootmanforsupport。

"Instantly!"addedmyaunt，ofthefoot。Thepictureulleddown，andfromaredit，inwhierlystoodaclock，theyhauledfortharound-shouldered，black-beardedvarlet，withaknifeaslongasmyarm，buttremblingalloverlikeanaspenleaf。

"Well，andwhowashe?Noghost，Isuppose，"saidtheileman。

"Aknightofthepost，"repliedthenarrator，"whohadbeeheworthofthe;orrather，amaraudingTarquin，whohadstolenintoherchambertoviolateherpurse，arongbox，whenallthehouseshouldbeasleep。I;uedhe，"thevagabondwasaloose，idlefellowoftheneighborhood，whohadonaservantinthehouse，andhadbeeoassistinarrangingitforthereistress。Hefessedthathehadtrivedthishidingplaceforhisnefariouspurpose，andhadborrowedaheportraitbywayofarehole。"

"Andwhatdidtheydowithhim?Didtheyhanghim?"resumedthequestioner。

"Hanghim?Howcouldthey?"exclaimedabeetle-browedbarristerwithahawk'sheoffeorobbery，noassaulthadbeenitted。Nofortryintothepremises。"

"Myaunt，"saidthenarrator，"irit，andapttotakethelawinherownhands。Shehadherownnotionsofessalso。Sheorderedthefellowtobedrawnthroughthehorsepond，toseawayalloffehentobewellrubbeddownwithaowel。"

"Andwhatbeafterwards?"saidtheileman。

"Idolyknow。IbelievehewassentonavoyageofimprovementtoBotanyBay。"

"Andyouraunt?"saidtheileman。"I'llwarraookakehermaidsleepihherafterthat。"

"No，sir，shedidbetter;shegaveherhandshortlyaftertsquire;forsheusedtoobservethatitwasadismalthingforawomantosleepalory。"

"Shewasright，"observedtheileman，noddingsagaciously;"butIamsorrytheydidnothangthatfellow。"

Itwasagreedonallhandsthatthelastnarraththistaletothemostsatisfa，thoughatrypresetheu，whofiguredinthedifferentstories，hadnotbeeher;theylywouldhavebeeched。