Latest / Adventure Books Library / 04 - Treasure Island - Robert Louis Stevenson
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- Part two, The Sea Cook, Chapter seven. I go to Bristol. It was longer than the Squire imagined. Ere we were ready for the sea, and none of our first plans, not even Doctor Livesey's of keeping me beside him, could be carried out as we intended. The doctor had to go to London for a physician to take charge of his practice. The Squire was hard at work at Bristol, and I lived on at the hall, under the charge of Old Redruth, the gamekeeper, almost a prisoner, but full of sea dreams and the most charming anticipations of strange islands and adventures. I brooded by the hour together over the map, all the details of which I well remembered, sitting by the fire in the housekeeper's room. I approached that island in my fancy from every possible direction. I explored every acre of its surface. I climbed a thousand times to that tall hill they called the Spyglass, and from the top enjoyed the most wonderful and changing prospects. Sometimes the isle was thick with savages with whom we fought, sometimes full of dangerous animals that hunted us. But in all my fancies nothing occurred to me so strange and tragic as our actual adventures. So the weeks passed on till one fine day there came a letter addressed to doctor Livesey, with this addition, to be opened in the case of his absence by Tom Redruth or Young Hawkins. Obeying this order, we found, or rather I found, for the gamekeeper was a poor hand at reading anything but print the following important news Old Anchor Inn, Bristol, March one seventeen. Dear lives here. As I do not know whether you're at the Hall or still in London, I send this in double to both places. The ship is bought and fitted. She lies at Anchor ready for sea. You never imagined a sweeter schooner a child might sail her two hundred tons name Hispaniola. I got her through my friend Blandly, who has proved himself throughout the most surprising trump. The admirable fellow literally slaved in my interest. And so I may say, did everyone in Bristol as soon as they got wind of the port we sailed for treasure? I mean Redruth, said I, interrupting the letter. Doctor Livesey will not like that. The Squire has been talking. After all, Well, who's a better, right, growled the gamekeeper. A pretty room go if squire ain't to talk for doctor livesey, I should think at that. I gave up all attempt at commentary and read straight on. Blandly himself found his spaniola, and by the most admirable management, got her for the merest trifle. There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. They go the length of declaring that this honest creature would do anything for money, that this spaniola belonged to him, and that he sold it to me absurdly high the most transparent calumnies. None of them dare, however, to deny the merits of the ship. So far there was not a hitch. The work people, to be sure, riggers and what not were most annoyingly slow. But time cured that it was the crew that troubled me. I wished to round up a score of men in case of Navy's buccaneers or the odious French, and I had the worry of the deuce itself to find so much as half a dozen, till the most remarkable stroke of fortune brought me the very man that I required. I was standing on the dark when by the merest accident I fell into talk with him. I found he was an old sailor, kept a public house, knew all the seafaring men in Bristol, had lost his health ashore, and wanted a good berth as cook to get to sea again. He had hobbled down there that morning, he said, to get a smell of the salt. I was monstrously touched, so would you have been, And out of pure pity I engaged him on the spot to be ship's cook. Long John Silver he has called and has lost a leg, but that I regarded as a recommendation, since he lost it in his country's service under the immortal Hawk. He has no pension, livesey imagine the abominable age we live in. Well, Sir, I thought I had only found a cook, but it was a crew I had discovered. Between Silver and myself, we got together in a few days, a company of the toughest old salts, imaginable, not pretty to look at, but fellows by their faces of the most indomitable spirit. I declare we could fight a frigate. Long John even got rid of two out of the six or seven I had already engaged. He showed me in a moment that they were of just the sort of fresh water swabs we had to fear in an adventure of importance. I am in the most magnificent health and spirits, eating like a bull, sleeping like a tree. Yet I shall not enjoy a moment till I hear my old tarpaulins tramping around the capstan seaward Hoe, hang the treasure. It's the glory of the sea that has turned my head. So now livesey, come post, do not lose an hour if you respect me. Let young Hawkins go at once to see his mother, with Red Ruth for a guard, and then both come full speed to Bristol. John Trelaudy p s. I did not tell you that Blandly, who, by the way, is to send a consort after us if we don't turn up by the end of August, had found an admirable fellow for sailing master, a stiff man, which I regret, but in all other respects a treasure long John Silver unearthed, a very competent man for a mate, a man called Arrow. I have a bozen who pipes lives. He so things shall go man o war fashion on board the good ship Hispaniola. I forgot to tell you that Silver is a man of substance. I know of my own knowledge that he has a banker's account which has never been overdrawn. He leaves his wife to manage the inn, and as she is a woman of color, a pair of old bachelors like you and I may be excused for guessing that is the wife, quite as much as the health that sends him back to roving j T. P. P. S. Hawkins may stay one night with his mother. J T. You can fancied the excitement into which that letter put me. I was half beside myself with glee. And if ever I despised a man, it was old Tom Redruth, who could do nothing but grumble and lament. Any of the under gamekeepers would gladly have changed places with him, But such was not the squire's pleasure, And the squire's pleasure was like law among them more nobody but old Redruth would have dared so much as even to grumble. The next morning he and I set out on foot for the Admiral Benbow, and there I found my mother in good health and spirits. The captain, who had so long been the cause of so much discomfort, was gone, where the wicked cease from troubling. The squire had had everything repaired, and the public rooms and the sign repainted, and had added some furniture, above all a beautiful arm chair for my mother in the bar. He had found her a boy as an apprentice, also so that she should not want help when I was gone. It was on seeing that boy that I understood for the first time my situation. I had thought up to that moment of the adventures before me, not at all of the home that I was leaving, And now at sight of this clumsy stranger who was to stay here in my place beside my mother, I had my first attack of tears. I am afraid I led that boy a dog's life, for he was new to the work. I had a hundred opportunities for setting him right and putting him down, and I was not slow to profit by them. The night passed, and the next day, after dinner, Red Ruth and I were afoot again, and on the road I said good bye to my mother and the cove where I had lived since I was born, and the dear old Admiral Benbow, since he was repainted not longer. Quite so, dear, One of my thoughts was of the Captain who had so often strode along the beach with his cocked hat, his saber cut cheek, and his old brass telescope. Next moment we had turned the corner and my home was out of sight. The mail picked us up about dusk at the Royal George. On the heath, I was wedged in between red roofs than a stout old gentleman, And in spite of the swift motion and the cold night air, I must have dozed a great deal from the very first, and then slept like a log up hill and down Dale through stage after stage. But when I was awakened at last, it was by a punch in the ribs, and I opened my eyes to find that we were standing still before a large building in a city street, and that the day had already broken a long time. Where are we, I asked Bristol, said Tom, get down. Mister Trelawney had taken up his residence at an inn far down the docks to superintend the work upon the schooner. Thither we had now to walk, and our way to my great delight, lay upon the keys, and besides the great multitude of ships of all sizes and rigs and nations. In one sailors were singing at their work. In another there were men aloft high over my head, hanging to threads that seemed thicker than a spider's. Though I had lived by the shore all my life, I seemed never to have been near the sea, till then the smell of tar and salt was something new. I saw the most wonderful figureheads that had all been far over the ocean. I saw besides many old sailors with rings in their ears, and whiskers curled in ringlets, and tarry pigtails, and their swaggering, clumsy sea walk. And if I had seen as many kings or archbishops, I could not have been more delighted. And I was going to see myself, to see in a schooner and a piping bowsain and pig tailed singing seamen, to see bound for an unknown island, and to seek for buried treasure. While I was still in this delightful dream, we came suddenly in front of a large inn and met Squire Trelawney, all dressed out like a sea officer in stout blue cloth, coming out of the door with a smile on his face and a capital imitation of a sailor's walk. Here you are, he cried, And the doctor came last night from London. Bravao the ship's company complete. Oh, sir, cried I, When do we sail? Sail? Says he we sail to morrow? And of Chapter seven, Chapter eight, at the sign of the Spyglass. When I had done breakfasting, the squire gave me a note addressed to John Silver at the Sign of the Spyglass, and he told me I should easily find the place by following the line of the docks and keeping a bright lookout for a little tavern with a large brass telescope for a sign. I set off, overjoyed at this opportunity to see some more of the ships and seamen, and picked my way among a great crowd of people and carts and bales, for the dock was now at its busiest. Until I found the tavern in question. It was a bright enough little place of entertainment. The sign was newly painted, the windows had neat red curtains, the floor was cleanly sanded. There was a street on either side, and an open door on both which made the large, low room pretty clear to see in in spite of clouds of tobacco smoke. The customers were mostly seafaring men, and they talked so loudly that I hung at the door, almost afraid to enter. As I was waiting, a man came out of a side room, and at a glance I was sure he must be Long John. His leg was cut off close by the hip and under the left shoulder. He carried a crutch, which he managed with a wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. He was very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham, plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling. Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, with a merry word or a slap on the shoulder for the more favored of his guests. Now, to tell you the truth from the very first mention of Long John in Squire Trelorney's letter, I had taken a fear in my mind that he might prove to be the very one legged sailor whom I had watched for so long at the old benbow, but one look at the man before me was enough. I had seen the captain and black dog and the blind man pew, and I thought I knew what a buccaneer was like, A very different creature, according to me, from this clean and pleasant tempered landlord. I plucked up courage at once, crussed the threshold and walked right up to the man where he stood propped on his crutch talking to a customer. Mister Silver, Sir, I asked, holding out the note. Yes, moy Lard, said he. Such is my name, to be sure, and who may you be? And when he saw the Squire's letter, he seemed to me to give something almost like a start. Oh, said he quite aloud, and offering his hand. I see you are a new cabin boy. Please do I am to see you. And he took my hand in his large, firm grasp. Just then one of the customers of the far side rose suddenly and made for the door. It was close by him, and he was out in the street in a moment, but his hurry had attracted my notice, and I recognized him at a glance. It was the tallow faced man wanting two fingers who had come first to the Admiral benbow Oh, I cried stop him. It's black dog. I don't care two coppers who he is? Cried Silver, But he hasn't paid his score. Erry, run and catch him. One of the others, who was nearest the door, leaped up and started in pursuit. If he you were Admiral Hawke, he shall play his score, said Silver, and then, relinquishing my hand, Who did you say he was? He asked, black What black dog? Said? I has mister Trelawney not told you of the buccaneers he was one of them, so cried silver in my house, Ben, run and help Harry. One of those swabs? Was he was? That you drinking with him? Morgan? Step up here? The man whom he called Morgan, an old, gray haired, mahogany faced sailor, came forward, pretty sheepishly, rolling his quid. Now, Morgan, said, long John, very sternly. You never clapped your eyes on that black black dog before, did you? Now? Nay, sir, said Morgan, with a salute. You didn't know his name, did you, No, sir? By the powers, Tom Morgan, it's good for you, exclaimed the landlord, if you had been mixed up with the like of that, you would never put another foot in my house. You may lay to that. And what was he saying to you? Oh? I don't rightly know, sir? Answered Morgan? Do you call that? Ahead? On your shoulders? Are a blessed dead eye? Cried long John. Don't rightly know, don't you? Perhaps you don't happen to rightly know who you were speaking to? Perhaps come now? What was he jarring? Voyages? Cap'n ships? Pie up? What was it? He was a talking of keel hauling, answered Morgan. Keel halling was you, and a mighty suitable thing too, And you made late that. Get back to your place for a lubber Tom. And then as Morgan rolled back to his seat, Silver added to me in a confidential whisper that was very flattering, as I thought, he's quite an honest man, Tom Morgan, only stupid. And now he ran on again loud, let's see black Dog. No I don't know that name, not I Yeah, I kind of think, yes, yes, I've seen the swab he used to come here with a blowing beggary used that he did? You may be sure, said I. I knew that blind man too. His name was Pew. It was cried Silver, now quite excited Pew. That was his name, for certain Ah, he looked as shark, he did. And if we run down this black dog now there'll be news for cap'n Trelawney. Ben's a good runner. Few seemen run better than Ben. He should have run him down hand over hand, by the powers he talked to keel Allan, did he I'll kill all him. All the time he was jerking out these phrases, he was stumping up and down the tavern on his crutch, slapping tables with his hand, and giving such a show of excitement as would it convinced an old Bailey judge or a bow street runner. My suspicions had been thoroughly reawakened on finding black Dog at the spyglass. And I watched the cook narrowly, but he was too deep and too ready and too clever for me. And by the time the two men had come back out of breath and confessed that they had lost the track in a crowd and been scolded like thieves, I would have gone bail for the innocence of long John Silver. No see here Harkins said, he here is a blessed hard thing and a man like me, now, ain't it? There is cap'n Trelawney. What's he to think? Here? I have this confounded son of a Dutchman sitting here in my own house, drinking of my own rum. Here you comes and tells me of it plain, and here I let him give us, oh the slip before my blessed dead lights. Now hearkens, you do me justice with the cap'n. You're a lad, you are, But you're as smart as paint. I see that when you first came in now here it is. What could I do with this old Timberoi hobble on? When I was an a b master mariner, i'd a come along beside him, hand overhead and broached him into a brace of old shakes? I would and now? And then all of a sudden he stopped, and his jaw dropped, as though he had remembered something. The score. He burst out, three goes a rub, Why shiver my timbers? If I hadn't forgotten my score? And falling on a bench, he laughed till the tears ran down his cheeks. I could not help joining, and we laughed together. Peel laughed appeal till the tavern rang again. Why what a precious old sea calf I am, he said, at last, wiping his cheeks. You and me should get on well, hawke, for I'll take my davy. I should be rated ships boy. But come now stand by to go about this won't do? Dooty is dooty messmates. I'll put on my old cocktat and step along you to Captain Trelawney and report this here affair. For mind you, it's serious, young Harkins. And neither you nor me's come out of it with what I should make so bold as to call credit nor you. Neither says you not smart, none of the pair of as smart. But dash my buttons that were a good and about my score. And he began to laugh again, and that so heartily that though I did not see the joke as he did, I was again obliged to join him in his mirth. On our little walk along the keys, he made himself the most interesting companion, telling me about the different ships that we passed by, their rig tonnage, nationality, explaining the work that was going forward, how one was discharging another taking in cargo, and a third making ready for sea, and every now and then telling me some little anecdote of ships or seamen, or repeating a nautical phrase, till I had learned it perfectly. I began to see that here was one of the best of possible shipmates. When we got to the inn, the Squire and doctor Livesey were seated together finishing a quarter of ale with a toast in it before they should go aboard the schooner. On a visit of inspection. Long John told the story from first to last with a great deal of spirit, and the most perfect truth that was how it were? Now? Weren't it? Hawkins? He would say, now and again, and I could always bear him entirely out. The two gentlemen regretted that black Dog had got away, but we all agreed that there was nothing to be done. And after he had been complimented, Long John took up his crutch and departed all hands aboard for for this arm afternoon, shouted the squire after him. Aye aye, sir, cried the cook in the passage. Well, Squire, said doctor Livesey. I don't put much faith in your discoveries as a general thing, but I will say this, John Silver suits me. That man's a perfect trump, declared the Squire, and now added the doctor Jim may come on board with us. May he not, to be sure? He may, said the Squire. Take your hat, Hawkins, and we'll see the ship. End of Chapter eight