第113章BOOKTHETHIRD：THETRACKOFASTORM(28)

第113章bookthethird：thetrackofastorm(28)

'onsomehayontheground，withacushionthrownunderhishead，layahandsomepeasantboy—aboyofnotmorethanseventeenatthemost.helayonhisback，withhisteethset，hisrighthandclenchedonhisbreast，andhisglaringeyeslookingstraightupward.icouldnotseewherehiswoundwas，asikneeledononekneeoverhim；but，icouldseethathewasdyingofawoundfromasharppoint.

'iamadoctor，mypoorfellow，'saidi.'letmeexamineit.'

'idonotwantitexamined，'heanswered；'letitbe.'itwasunderhishand，andisoothedhimtoletmemovehishandaway.thewoundwasasword-thrust，receivedfromtwentytotwenty-fourhoursbefore，butnoskillcouldhavesavedhimifithadbeenlookedtowithoutdelay.hewasthendyingfast.asiturnedmyeyestotheelderbrother，isawhimlookingdownatthishandsomeboywhoselifewasebbingout，asifhewereawoundedbird，orhare，orrabbit；notatallasifhewereafellow-creature.

'howhasthisbeendone，monsieur？'saidi.

'acrazedyoungcommondog！aserf！forcedmybrothertodrawuponhim，andhasfallenbymybrother'ssword—likeagentleman.'

'therewasnotouchofpity，sorrow，orkindredhumanityinthisanswer.thespeakerseemedtoacknowledgethatitwasinconvenienttohavethatdifferentorderofcreaturedyingthere，andthatitwouldhavebeenbetterifhehaddiedintheusualobscureroutineofhisverminkind.hewasquiteincapableofanycompassionatefeelingabouttheboy，orabouthisfate.

'theboy'seyeshadslowlymovedtohimashehadspoken，andtheynowslowlymovedtome.

'doctor，theyareveryproud，thesenobles；butwecommondogsareproudtoo，sometimes.theyplunderus，outrageus，beatus，killus；butwehavealittleprideleft，sometimes.she—haveyouseenher，doctor？'

'theshrieksandthecrieswereaudiblethere，thoughsubduedbythedistance.hereferredtothem，asifshewerelyinginourpresence.

'isaid，'ihaveseenher.'

'sheismysister，doctor.theyhavehadtheirshamefulrights，thesenobles.inthemodestyandvirtueofoursisters，manyyears，butwehavehadgoodgirlsamongus.iknowit，andhaveheardmyfathersayso.shewasagoodgirl.shewasbetrothedtoagoodyoungman，too：atenantofhis.wewerealltenantsofhis—thatman'swhostandsthere.theotherishisbrother，theworstofabadrace.'

'itwaswiththegreatestdifficultythattheboygatheredbodilyforcetospeak；but，hisspiritspokewithadreadfulemphasis.

'weweresorobbedbythatmanwhostandsthere，asallwecommondogsarebythosesuperiorbeings—taxedbyhimwithoutmercy，obligedtoworkforhimwithoutpay，obligedtogrindourcornathismill，obligedtofeedscoresofhistamebirdsonourwretchedcrops，andforbiddenforourlivestokeepasingletamebirdofourown，pillagedandplunderedtothatdegreethatwhenwechancedtohaveabitofmeat，weateitinfear，withthedoorbarredandtheshuttersclosed，thathispeopleshouldnotseeitandtakeitfromus—isay，weweresorobbed，andhunted，andweremadesopoor，thatourfathertoldusitwasadreadfulthingtobringachildintotheworld，andthatwhatweshouldmostprayfor，was，thatourwomenmightbebarrenandourmiserableracedieout！'ihadneverbeforeseenthesenseofbeingoppressed，burstingforthlikeafire.ihadsupposedthatitmustbelatentinthepeoplesomewhere；but.ihadneverseenitbreakout，untilisawitinthedyingboy.

'nevertheless，doctor，mysistermarried.hewasailingatthattime，poorfellow，andshemarriedherlover，thatshemighttendandcomforthiminourcottage—ourdog-hut，asthatmanwouldcallit.shehadnotbeenmarriedmanyweeks，whenthatman'sbrothersawherandadmiredher，andaskedthatmantolendhertohim—forwhatarehusbandsamongus！hewaswillingenough，butmysisterwasgoodandvirtuous，andhatedhisbrotherwithahatredasstrongasmine.whatdidthetwothen，topersuadeherhusbandtousehisinfluencewithher，tomakeherwilling？'

'theboy'seyes，whichhadbeenfixedonmine，slowlyturnedtothelooker-on，andisawinthetwofacesthatallhesaidwastrue.thetwoopposingkindsofprideconfrontingoneanother，icansee，eveninthisbastille；thegentleman'sallnegligentindifference；thepeasant's，alltrodden-downsentiment，andpassionaterevenge.

'youknow，doctor，thatitisamongtherightsofthesenoblestoharnessuscommondogstocarts，anddriveus.theysoharnessedhimanddrovehim.youknowthatitisamongtheirrightstokeepusintheirgroundsallnight，quietingthefrogs，inorderthattheirnoblesleepmaynotbedisturbed.theykepthimoutintheunwholesomemistsatnight，andorderedhimbackintohisharnessintheday.buthewasnotpersuaded.no！takenoutofharnessonedayatnoon，tofeed—ifhecouldfindfood—hesobbedtwelvetimes，onceforeverystrokeofthebell，anddiedonherbosom.'nothinghumancouldhaveheldlifeintheboybuthisdeterminationtotellallhiswrong.heforcedbackthegatheringshadowsofdeath，asheforcedhisclenchedrighthandtoremainclenched，andtocoverhiswound.

'then，withthatman'spermissionandevenwithhisaid，hisbrothertookheraway；inspiteofwhatiknowshemusthavetoldhisbrother—andwhatthatis，willnotbelongunknowntoyou，doctor，ifitisnow—hisbrothertookheraway—forhispleasureanddiversion，foralittlewhile.isawherpassmeontheroad.whenitookthetidingshome，ourfather'sheartburst；heneverspokeoneofthewordsthatfilledit.itookmyyoungsister（forihaveanother）toaplacebeyondthereachofthisman，andwhere，atleast，shewillneverbehisvassal.then，itrackedthebrotherhere，andlastnightclimbedin—acommondog，butswordinhand.—whereistheloftwindow？itwassomewherehere？'

'theroomwasdarkeningtohissight；theworldwasnarrowingaroundhim.iglancedaboutme，andsawthatthehayandstrawweretrampledoverthefloor，asiftherehadbeenale.