Остров сокровищ

           Underneaththerewasanoldboat-cloak,whitenedwithsea-saltonmanyaharbour-bar.Mymotherpulleditupwithimpatience,andtherelaybeforeus,thelastthingsinthechest,abundletiedupinoilcloth,andlookinglikepapers,andacanvasbagthatgaveforth,atatouch,thejingleofgold.

           "I’llshowtheseroguesthatI’manhonestwoman,"saidmymother."I’llhavemydues,andnotafarthingover.HoldMrs.Crossley’sbag."Andshebegantocountovertheamountofthecaptain’sscorefromthesailor’sbagintotheonethatIwasholding.

           Itwasalong,difficultbusiness,forthecoinswereofallcountriesandsizes—doubloons,andlouisd’ors,andguineas,andpiecesofeight,andIknownotwhatbesides,allshakentogetheratrandom.Theguineas,too,wereaboutthescarcest,anditwaswiththeseonlythatmymotherknewhowtomakehercount.

           Whenwewereabouthalf-waythrough,Isuddenlyputmyhanduponherarm,forIhadheardinthesilentfrostyairasoundthatbroughtmyheartintomymouth—thetap-tappingoftheblindman’sstickuponthefrozenroad.Itdrewnearerandnearer,whilewesatholdingourbreath.Thenitstrucksharpontheinndoor,andthenwecouldhearthehandlebeingturnedandtheboltrattlingasthewretchedbeingtriedtoenter;andthentherewasalongtimeofsilencebothwithinandwithout.Atlastthetappingrecommenced,and,toourindescribablejoyandgratitude,diedslowlyawayagainuntilitceasedtobeheard.

           "Mother,"saidI,"takethewholeandlet’sbegoing,"forIwassurethebolteddoormusthaveseemedsuspiciousandwouldbringthewholehornet’snestaboutourears,thoughhowthankfulIwasthatIhadboltedit,nonecouldtellwhohadnevermetthatterribleblindman.