Английский язык с Робинзоном Крузо
Шрифт:
We could hear them calling to one another. We could hear them telling how lame
and tired they were. We could hear them saying that they were in an enchanted island
where there were witches and other kinds of uncanny things. All this pleased us very
much.
By and by they came to the shore, quite close to where we were standing.
One of the men whom they had left in the boat was standing with us. He was one
of the honest men whom the captain had pointed out, and he had joined us very gladly.
By my orders he now cried out, "Tom Smith! Tom Smith!" For that was the name
of the leader of the company.
Tom Smith answered at once, "Is that you, Robinson?" for he knew the voice.
"Yes," the other answered, "and for God's sake, Tom Smith, throw down your
arms and yield, or you will all be dead men the next minute."
"To whom must we yield?" cried Tom Smith. "Where are they?"
"Here they are," was the answer. "Here's our captain at the head of a whole army
of fighting men. The boatswain is dead, and Bill Fry is dead, and all the rest of us are
prisoners. If you don't yield, you are lost."
"If they'll give us quarters, we'll yield," said Smith.
Then the captain himself spoke up. "You, Smith," he said, "you know my voice. If
you lay down your arms at once, you shall have your lives — all but Will Atkins."
Upon this, Will Atkins cried out: "For God's sake, Captain, give me quarter! What
have I done? I have been no worse than the rest."
Now this was not true. For it was Will Atkins who had first laid hold of the
captain, and it was he who had tied the captain's hands.
"Nay, Will Atkins," said the captain. "You know what you have done, and I can
promise you nothing. You must lay down your arms and trust to the governor's mercy."
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By "the governor" he meant me, Robinson Crusoe — for they called me governor.
The upshot of the whole matter was that they all laid down their arms and begged
for their lives.
Then I sent three of my men to bind them with strong cords, which they did,
much to my joy.
After that I sent my great army of fifty men — which, after all, were only five
besides the three who already had them in charge — to lead them to prison.
I told the captain that it would be better to put some of our prisoners in one place
and some in another, as then they would be less likely to try to escape.
He and Friday therefore took Atkins with two others who were the worst to my
cave in the woods. It was a dismal place, but very safe. There the rough fellows were left
with their hands and feet tied fast, and the door blocked up with a huge stone.
Late as it was, I sent the rest of them to my bower. As they also were bound, and
as the place was fenced in and was very strong, they were quite safe there.
They were all much frightened. For they believed that the island was inhabited by
Englishmen, and that the governor had really a large army. They felt that the better they
behaved the safer they would be.
The captain went out to talk with them.
"My men," he said, "you all know what a great crime you have committed. You
are now in the power of the governor of this island. He will send you to England. There
you will be tried, and you will be hanged in chains."
At these words they turned pale and groaned. For they were but young men and
had been led into this by the four or five ruffians who were the ringleaders.
"Now, my men," the captain went on, "you know that I have always been kind to
you."
"Certainly you have," said Tom Smith.
"Aye, aye!" cried all the rest.
"Well, then," said the captain, "it grieves my heart to see you in this hard case.
The ship, as you know, still lies at anchor off the shore. It is still held by some of the
ruffians who brought this trouble upon us. If I should persuade the governor to set you
free, what say you? Would you help me retake the ship?"
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"Aye, aye!" they all cried. "We would stand by you to the end, for we should then
owe our lives, to you."
"Well, then," said the captain, "I will see what I can do. I will go and talk with the
governor."
The matter was soon arranged.
The captain was to choose five of those he thought would be most faithful. These
were to help him retake the ship. But the rest were to stay in prison as hostages.
If the five behaved themselves well, then all were to be set free. If they did not
behave, then all were to be put to death.
These were the governor's orders.
It was then agreed that the captain, with all the men he could trust, should go out