Фредерик Марриет - The Poacher; Or, Joseph Rushbrook стр 6.

Father, said Joey, not over loud, dont

Whos there? cried the pedlar, turning round. The only reply was the flash and report of the gun; and the pedlar dropped among the furze.

Oh fatherfather!what have you done? exclaimed Joey, coming up to him.

You here, Joey! said Rushbrook. Why are you here?

Mother sent me, replied Joey.

To be evidence against me, replied his father, in wrath.

Oh no!to stop you. What have you done, father?

What I almost wish I had not done now, replied he, mournfully; but it is done, and

And what, father?

I am a murderer, I suppose, replied Rushbrook. He would have peached, Joeyhave had me transported, to work in chains for the rest of my days, merely for taking a few pheasants. Let us go home; but Rushbrook did not move, although he proposed so doing.

He leant upon his gun, with his eyes fixed in the direction where Byres had fallen.

Joey stood by himfor nearly ten minutes not a word was spoken. At last Rushbrook said

Joey, my boy, Ive killed many a man in my time, and I have thought nothing of it; I slept as sound as ever the next night. But then, you see, I was a soldier, and it was my trade, and I could look on the man I had killed without feeling sorrow or shame; but I cant look upon this man, Joey. He was my enemy; butIve murdered himI feel it now. Go up to him, boyyou are not afraid to meet himand see if he be dead.

Joey, although generally speaking fear was a stranger to him, did, however, feel afraid; his hands had often been dyed with the blood of a hare or of a bird, but he had not yet seen death in his fellow-creatures. He advanced slowly and tremulously through the dark towards the furze-bush in which the body laid; Mum followed, raising first one paw and pausing, then the other, and as they came to the body, the dog raised his head and gave such a mournful howl, that it induced our hero to start back again. After a time Joey recovered himself; and again advanced to the body. He leant over it, he could distinguish but the form; he listened, and not the slightest breathing was to be heard; he whispered the pedlars name, but there was no reply; he put his hand upon his breast, and removed it reeking with warm blood.

Father, he must be dead, quite dead, whispered Joey, who returned trembling. What shall we do?

We must go home, replied Rushbrook; this is a bad nights work; and, without exchanging another word until their arrival, Rushbrook and Joey proceeded back to the cottage, followed by Mum.

Chapter Five

Jane had remained in a state of great anxiety during her husbands absence, watching and listening to every sound; every five minutes raising the latch of the door, and looking out, hoping to see him return. As the time went on, her alarm increased; she laid her head down on the table and wept; she could find no consolation, no alleviation of her anxiety; she dropped down on her knees and prayed.

She was still appealing to the Most High, when a blow on the door announced her husbands return. There was a sulken gloom over his countenance as he entered: he threw his gun carelessly on one side, so that it fell, and rattled against the paved floor; and this one act was to her ominous of evil. He sat down without speaking; falling back in the chair, and lifting his eyes up to the rafters above, he appeared to be in deep thought, and unconscious of her presence.

What has happened? inquired his wife, trembling as she laid her hand on his shoulder.

Dont speak to me now, was the reply.

Joey, said the frightened woman in a whisper, what has he done?

Joey answered not, but raised his hand, red with the blood which was now dried upon it.

Jane uttered a faint cry, dropped on her knees, and covered her face, while Joey walked into the back kitchen, and busied himself in removing the traces of the dark deed.

A quarter of an hour had elapsedJoey had returned, and taken his seat upon his low stool, and not a word had been exchanged.

There certainly is a foretaste of the future punishment which awaits crime; for how dreadful were the feelings of those who were now sitting down in the cottage! Rushbrook was evidently stupefied from excess of feeling; first, the strong excitement which had urged him to the deed; and now from the reaction the prostration of mental power which had succeeded it. Jane dreaded the present and the futurewhichever way she turned her eyes the gibbet was before herthe clanking of chains in her ears; in her vision of the future, scorn, misery, and remorseshe felt only for her husband. Joey, poor boy, he felt for both. Even the dog showed, as he looked up into Joeys face, that he was aware that a foul deed had been done. The silence which it appeared none would venture to break, was at last dissolved by the clock of the village church solemnly striking two. They all started upit was a warningit reminded them of the bell tolling for the deadof time and of eternity; but time present quickly effaced for the moment other ideas; yes, it was time to act; in four hours more it would be daylight, and the blood of the murdered man would appeal to his fellow-men for vengeance. The sun would light them to the deed of darknessthe body would be brought homethe magistrates would assembleand who would be the party suspected?

Merciful Heaven! exclaimed Jane, what can be done?

There is no proof; muttered Rushbrook.

Yes, there is, observed Joey, I left my bag there, when I stooped down to

Silence! cried Rushbrook. Yes, continued he, bitterly, to his wife, this is your doing; you must send the boy after me, and now there will be evidence against me; I shall owe my death to you.

Oh, say not so! say not so! replied Jane, falling down on her knees, and weeping bitterly as she buried her face in his lap; but there is yet time, cried she, starting up; Joey can go and fetch the bag. You will, Joey: wont you, dear? you are not afraidyou are innocent.

Better leave it where it is, mother, replied Joey, calmly.

Rushbrook looked up at his son with surprise; Jane caught him by the arm; she felt convinced the boy had some reason for what he saidprobably some plan that would ward off suspicionyet how could that be, it was evidence against them, and after looking earnestly at the boys face, she dropped his arm. Why so, Joey? said she, with apparent calmness.

Because, replied Joey, I have been thinking about it all this time; I am innocent, and therefore I do not mind if they suppose me guilty. The bag is known to be minethe gun I must throw into a ditch two fields off. You must give me some money, if you have any; if not, I must go without it; but there is no time to be lost. I must be off and away from here in ten minutes; to-morrow ask every one if they have seen or heard of me, because I have left the house some time during the night. I shall have a good start before that; besides, they may not find the pedlar for a day or two, perhaps; at all events, not till some time after I am gone; and then, you see, mother, the bag which is found by him, and the gun in the ditch, will make them think it is me who killed him; but they will not be able to make out whether I killed him by accident, and ran away from fear, or whether I did it on purpose. So now, mother, thats my plan, for it will save father.

And I shall never see you again, my child! replied his mother.