Latest / Classic Adventure Books - Daily / 03 - Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson

Transcript

03 - Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson · Classic Adventure Books - Daily

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Chapter three, I make acquaintance of my uncle. Presently there
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: came a great rattling of chains and bolts, and the
• 0:10
  Speaker 1: door was cautiously opened and shut two again behind me.
• 0:13
  Speaker 1: As soon as I had passed, go into the kitchen
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: and touch Nathan, said the voice. And while the person
• 0:21
  Speaker 1: of the house set himself to replacing the defenses of
• 0:24
  Speaker 1: the door, I groped my way forward and entered the kitchen.
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: The fire had burned up fairly bright, and showed me
• 0:31
  Speaker 1: the barest room I think I ever put my eyes on.
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: Half a dozen dishes stood upon the shelves. The table
• 0:38
  Speaker 1: was laid for supper, with a bowl of porridge, a
• 0:41
  Speaker 1: horn spoon, and a cup of small beer. Besides what
• 0:46
  Speaker 1: I have named, there was not another thing in that
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: great stone vaulted, empty chamber, but locked fast chests arranged
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: along the wall, and a corner cupboard with a padlock.
• 0:57
  Speaker 1: As soon as the last chain was up, the man
• 1:00
  Speaker 1: rejoined me. He was a mean, stooping, narrow shouldered, lay
• 1:05
  Speaker 1: faced creature, and his age might have been anything between
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: fifty and seventy. His nightcap was of flannel, and so
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: was the night gown that he wore instead of coat.
• 1:16
  Speaker 1: And waistcoat over his ragged shirt. He was long unshaved.
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: But what most distressed and even daunted me, He would
• 1:24
  Speaker 1: neither take his eyes away from me nor look me
• 1:27
  Speaker 1: fairly in the face. What he was, whether by trade
• 1:30
  Speaker 1: or birth, was more than I could fathom. But he
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: seemed most like an old, unprofitable serving man who should
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: have been left in charge of that big house upon
• 1:40
  Speaker 1: board wages. Are ye a sharp set, he asked, glancing
• 1:45
  Speaker 1: at about the level of my knee. Ye can eat
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: that drop perrotch? I said, I feared it was his
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: own supper, Oh, said he. I can do fine wanting it.
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: I'll take the ale, though, for it's kins my cough.
• 2:02
  Speaker 1: He drank the cup about half out, still keeping an
• 2:05
  Speaker 1: eye upon me as he drank, and then suddenly held
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: out his hand. I'd say the letter, said he. I
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: told him the letter was for mister Balfour, not for him,
• 2:17
  Speaker 1: and hoodie you think I am, says he give me
• 2:21
  Speaker 1: Alexander's letter. You know my father's name. It would be
• 2:26
  Speaker 1: strange if I didn't. He returned, for he was my
• 2:30
  Speaker 1: born brother. And little as you seem to like either
• 2:33
  Speaker 1: me or my house or my good parritch I'm your
• 2:36
  Speaker 1: born uncle, Davy my man, and you my born nephew.
• 2:40
  Speaker 1: So give us the letter and sit down and fill
• 2:43
  Speaker 1: your kite. I have been some years younger. What with shame, weariness,
• 2:48
  Speaker 1: and disappointment, I believe I had burst into tears. As
• 2:53
  Speaker 1: it was, I could find no words, neither black nor white,
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: but handed him the letter and sat down to the
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: porridge with as little appetite for meat as ever a
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: young man had. Meanwhile, my uncle, stooping over the fire,
• 3:07
  Speaker 1: turned the letter over and over in his hands. Do
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: you ken what's in it? He asked? Suddenly, you see
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: for yourself, sir, said I that the seal has not
• 3:18
  Speaker 1: been broken, ay, said he. But what brought ye here
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: to give the letter? Said I? No, says he cunningly.
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: But you'll have some hopes nadad I confess, sir, said I.
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: When I was told that I had kinsfolk well to do,
• 3:40
  Speaker 1: I did indeed indulge the hope that they might help
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: me in my life. But I am no beggar. I
• 3:46
  Speaker 1: look for no favors at your hands, and I want
• 3:49
  Speaker 1: none that are not freely given. For as poor as
• 3:52
  Speaker 1: I appear, I have friends of my own that will
• 3:54
  Speaker 1: be blithe to help me. Oo, tut, said Uncle Ebenezer.
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: Then a fly up in the snuff at me. We'll
• 4:03
  Speaker 1: agree fine yet, and davy, my man, if you're done
• 4:07
  Speaker 1: with that bit of perritch, I could just tick a
• 4:09
  Speaker 1: sup of it myself, aye, he continued, as soon as
• 4:14
  Speaker 1: he had ousted me from the stool and spoon. They're fine,
• 4:18
  Speaker 1: hail's some food. They're grand food, perrich. He murmured the
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: little grace to himself, and fell to your father was
• 4:28
  Speaker 1: very fond of his meat. I mind he was a hearty,
• 4:32
  Speaker 1: if not a great eater. But as for me, I
• 4:35
  Speaker 1: could ne'er do more'n pike at food. He took a
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: pull at the small beer, which probably reminded him of
• 4:41
  Speaker 1: hospitable duties. For his next speech ran thus, ye, if
• 4:45
  Speaker 1: you're dry, you'll find water behind the door. To this
• 4:49
  Speaker 1: I returned no answer, standing stiffly on my two feet
• 4:53
  Speaker 1: and looking down upon my uncle with a mighty angry heart. He,
• 4:57
  Speaker 1: on his part, continued to eat like a man under
• 5:00
  Speaker 1: some pressure of time, and to throw out little darting
• 5:03
  Speaker 1: glances now at my shoes, and now at my homespun stockings.
• 5:08
  Speaker 1: Once only when he had ventured to look a little
• 5:10
  Speaker 1: higher our eyes met, and no thief taken with a
• 5:14
  Speaker 1: hand in a man's pocket could have shown more lively
• 5:17
  Speaker 1: signals of distress. This set me in a muse, whether
• 5:21
  Speaker 1: his timidity arose from too long a disuse of any
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: human company, or whether perhaps upon a little trial, it
• 5:29
  Speaker 1: might pass off, and my uncle changed into an altogether
• 5:33
  Speaker 1: different man. From this, I was awakened by his sharp voice.
• 5:39
  Speaker 1: Your father's been long dead, he asked. Three weeks, Sir,
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: said I. He was a secret man, Alexander, a secret,
• 5:49
  Speaker 1: silent man, he continued. He never said muckle when he
• 5:54
  Speaker 1: was young. He never had spoken a muckle of me.
• 5:57
  Speaker 1: I never knew, sir, till you told it me yourself,
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: that he had any brother. Dear me, dear me, said Ebenezer.
• 6:07
  Speaker 1: Nor yet of Shaw's I dare say, not so much
• 6:11
  Speaker 1: as the name, Sir said, I to think of that,
• 6:15
  Speaker 1: said he a strange nature of a man, for all
• 6:19
  Speaker 1: that he seemed singularly satisfied. But whether with himself or me,
• 6:24
  Speaker 1: or with this conduct of my father's, was more than
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: I could read. Certainly, however, he seemed to be outgrowing
• 6:30
  Speaker 1: that distaste or ill will that he had conceived at
• 6:33
  Speaker 1: first against my person, for presently he jumped up, came
• 6:37
  Speaker 1: across the room behind me, and hit me a smack
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: upon the shoulder. We'll agree fine, yet, he cried, I
• 6:45
  Speaker 1: am just as glad. I let you in, and now
• 6:47
  Speaker 1: come away to your bed. To my surprise, he lit
• 6:51
  Speaker 1: no lamp or candle, but set forth into the dark passage,
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: groped his way, breathing deeply, up a flight of steps,
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: and pawed before a door, which he unlocked. I was
• 7:03
  Speaker 1: close upon his heels, having stumbled after him as best
• 7:06
  Speaker 1: I might, And then he bade me go in, for
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: that was my chamber. I did as he bid, but
• 7:13
  Speaker 1: paused after a few steps, and begged delight to go
• 7:15
  Speaker 1: to bed with Oo. Tute, said Uncle Epeneser. There's a
• 7:20
  Speaker 1: fine moon, neither moon nor star, sir, and pitt Murk
• 7:26
  Speaker 1: said I, I cannot see the bed. Hu Tutu Tute
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: said he lights in a house is a thing I
• 7:35
  Speaker 1: did not agree with. I'm unc ae feared of fires.
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: Good night, Ye dave him, my man, And before I
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: had time to add a further protest, he pulled the
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: door to and I heard him lock me in from
• 7:47
  Speaker 1: the outside. I did not know whether to laugh or cry.
• 7:53
  Speaker 1: The room was as cold as so well, and the bed,
• 7:56
  Speaker 1: when I had found my way to it, as damp
• 7:59
  Speaker 1: as a peat hag. But by good fortune I had
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: caught up my bundle in my plaid, and rolling myself
• 8:04
  Speaker 1: in the ladder, I lay down upon the floor under
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: lee of the big bedstead, and fell speedily asleep. With
• 8:13
  Speaker 1: the first peep of day, I opened my eyes to
• 8:15
  Speaker 1: find myself in a great chamber hung with stamped leather,
• 8:19
  Speaker 1: furnished with fine embroidered furniture, and lit by three fair windows.
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: Ten years ago, or perhaps twenty, it must have been
• 8:28
  Speaker 1: as pleasant a room to lie down or to awaken
• 8:31
  Speaker 1: as a man could wish. But damp, dirt, disuse, and
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: the mice and spiders had done their worst since then.
• 8:39
  Speaker 1: Many of the window panes, besides, were broken. And indeed
• 8:43
  Speaker 1: this was so common a feature in that house that
• 8:46
  Speaker 1: I believe my uncle must at some time have stood
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: a siege from his indignant neighbors, perhaps with Genet Klouston
• 8:52
  Speaker 1: at their head. Meanwhile, the sun was shining outside, and
• 8:57
  Speaker 1: being very cold in that miserable room, I knocked and
• 9:01
  Speaker 1: shouted till my jailer came and let me out. He
• 9:05
  Speaker 1: carried me to the back of the house, where there
• 9:07
  Speaker 1: was a draw well, and told me to wash my
• 9:10
  Speaker 1: face there if I wanted. And when that was done,
• 9:14
  Speaker 1: I made the best of my own way back to
• 9:16
  Speaker 1: the kitchen, where he had lit the fire and was
• 9:18
  Speaker 1: making the porridge. The table was laid with two bowls
• 9:22
  Speaker 1: and two horn spoons, but the same single measure of
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: small beer. Perhaps my eye rested on this particular with
• 9:29
  Speaker 1: some surprise, and perhaps my uncle observed it, for he
• 9:33
  Speaker 1: spoke up, as if in answer to my thought, asking
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: me if I would like to drink ale, or so
• 9:39
  Speaker 1: he called it. I told him such was my habit,
• 9:42
  Speaker 1: but not to put himself about na Na said he,
• 9:47
  Speaker 1: I'll deny you nothing. In reason, he fetched another cup
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: from the shelf, and then, to my great surprise, instead
• 9:54
  Speaker 1: of drawing more beer, he poured an acrid half from
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: one cup to the other. There was a kind of
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: nobleness in this that took my breath away. If my
• 10:04
  Speaker 1: uncle was certainly a miser, he was one of that
• 10:07
  Speaker 1: thorough breed that goes near to make the vice respectable.
• 10:12
  Speaker 1: When we have made an end of our meal, my
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: uncle Ebenezer unlocked a drawer and drew out of it
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: a clay pipe and a lump of tobacco from which
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: he cut one fill before he locked it up again.
• 10:24
  Speaker 1: Then he sat down in the sun at one of
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: the windows and silently smoked. From time to time his
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: eyes came coasting round to me, and he shot me out.
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: One of his questions once it was and your mother?
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: And when I had told him that she too was dead? Ay,
• 10:42
  Speaker 1: she was a bonnie lassie. Then, after another long pause,
• 10:48
  Speaker 1: where were these friends of yours? I told him they
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: were different gentlemen of the name of Campbell, though indeed
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: there was only one, and that the minister that had
• 10:59
  Speaker 1: ever taken the least note of me. But I began
• 11:01
  Speaker 1: to think my uncle made too light of my position,
• 11:04
  Speaker 1: and finding myself all alone with him, I did not
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: wish him to suppose me helpless. He seemed to turn
• 11:12
  Speaker 1: this over in his mind, and then Davey, my man,
• 11:16
  Speaker 1: said he you've come to the right bit when you
• 11:19
  Speaker 1: come to your uncle, Ebenezer. I have a great notion
• 11:22
  Speaker 1: of the family, and I mean to do the right
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: by you. But while I am taking a bit to
• 11:26
  Speaker 1: think to myself of what's the best thing to put
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: you to, Whether the law or the ministry, or maybe
• 11:33
  Speaker 1: the army. Wilk is what boys are fondest of. I
• 11:37
  Speaker 1: wouldn't have liked the Balfers to be humbled before a
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: ween heilin Campbell's, And I'll ask you to keep your
• 11:43
  Speaker 1: tongue within your teeth. Their letters, their messages, no kind
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: of work to anybody or else. There's my door, Uncle Ebenezer,
• 11:55
  Speaker 1: said I. I've no manner of reason to suppose you
• 11:58
  Speaker 1: mean anything but well by me. For all that I
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: would have you to know that I have a pride
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: of my own. It was by no will of mine
• 12:06
  Speaker 1: that I came seeking you. And if you show me
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: your door again, I'll take you at the word. He
• 12:12
  Speaker 1: seemed grievously put out. Poo toot, said he k canny
• 12:17
  Speaker 1: man kack canny bine a day or two. I'm no
• 12:22
  Speaker 1: warlock to find a fortune for you at the bottom
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: of a parrot's bowl. But just you give me a
• 12:27
  Speaker 1: day or two, say nothing to nobody, and I'm sure
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: as sure I'll do the right by you. Very well,
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: said I. Enough said, but you want to help me,
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: there's no doubt, but I'll be glad of it, and
• 12:43
  Speaker 1: none but I'll be grateful it seemed to me too soon.
• 12:48
  Speaker 1: I dare say that I was getting the upper hand
• 12:50
  Speaker 1: of my uncle. And I began next to say that
• 12:53
  Speaker 1: I must have the bed and bedclothes aired and put
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: to sun dry, for nothing would make me sleep in
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: such a pickle. Is this my house or yours? Said
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: he in his keen voice, And then all of a
• 13:06
  Speaker 1: sudden broke off Na, Na, said he. A dinna mean
• 13:11
  Speaker 1: that what's mine is yours. David a man, and what's
• 13:14
  Speaker 1: yours is mine. Blood's thicker than water, and there's nobody
• 13:19
  Speaker 1: but you and me that ought the name. Then Aughnie
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: rambled about the family and its ancient greatness, and his
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: father that began to enlarge the house, and himself that
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: stopped the building as a sinful waste. And this put
• 13:34
  Speaker 1: it in my head to give him Jennet Kluston's message
• 13:38
  Speaker 1: the Limmer. He cried, twelve hundred and fifteen. That's every
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: day since I had the limmer roupted dog, David, I'll
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: have a roasted on red peats before I'm buy with it.
• 13:51
  Speaker 1: A witch, a proclaimed witch. I'll often see the session
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: clerk with that. He opened a chest and got out
• 13:59
  Speaker 1: a very old and well preserved blue coat and waistcoat,
• 14:02
  Speaker 1: and a good enough beaver hat, both without lace. These
• 14:07
  Speaker 1: he threw on anyway, and taking a staff from the cupboard,
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: locked all up again and was for setting out what
• 14:13
  Speaker 1: a thought arrested him. I cannot leave you by yourself
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: in the house, said he. I have to lock ye out.
• 14:22
  Speaker 1: The blood came to my face. If you lock me out,
• 14:27
  Speaker 1: I said, it'll be the last you'll see of me
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: in friendship. He turned very pale and sucked his mouth in.
• 14:36
  Speaker 1: This is another way, he said, looking wickedly at a
• 14:40
  Speaker 1: corner of the floor. This is another way to win
• 14:43
  Speaker 1: my favor, David, Sir, says I, with a proper reverence
• 14:49
  Speaker 1: for your age in our common blood. I do not
• 14:51
  Speaker 1: value your favor at a bottle's purchase. I was brought
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: up to have a good conceit of myself, and if
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: you were all the uncle and all the I had
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: in the world ten times over, I wouldn't buy your
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: liking at such prices. Uncle Ebenezer went and looked out
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: of the window for a while. I could see him
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: all trembling and twitching like a man with palsy. But
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: when he turned round he had a smile upon his face. Well, well,
• 15:19
  Speaker 1: said he. We must bear, and forbear, I'll no go.
• 15:24
  Speaker 1: That's all to be said of it, Uncle Ebenezer, I said,
• 15:29
  Speaker 1: I can make nothing out of this. You use me
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: like a thief. You hate to have me in this house.
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: You let me see it every word, in every minute.
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: It's not possible that you can like me. And as
• 15:42
  Speaker 1: for me, I've spoken to you as I've never thought
• 15:45
  Speaker 1: to speak to any man. Why do you seek to
• 15:47
  Speaker 1: keep me? Then? Let me gang back, Let me gang
• 15:51
  Speaker 1: back to the friends I have, And that like me, Nana, Nana,
• 15:56
  Speaker 1: he said, very earnestly. I like you. Fine, we'll agree,
• 16:00
  Speaker 1: mind yet, and for the honor of the house, I
• 16:02
  Speaker 1: couldn't let you leave the way you came. Bide here quiet,
• 16:06
  Speaker 1: there's a good lad just you bide here quite a pity,
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: and you'll find that we agree, well, sir, said I,
• 16:14
  Speaker 1: after I'd thought the matter out in silence. I'll stay
• 16:18
  Speaker 1: awhile it's more just. I should be helped by my
• 16:21
  Speaker 1: own blood than strangers. And if we don't agree, I'll
• 16:25
  Speaker 1: do my best. It shall be through no fault of mine.
• 16:29
  Speaker 1: End of chapter