第92章

supposeyouknowwhattodo？““Idonot，“saidhe。“Thenhirmidevlis，“saidshe，“youareafool。Butleavethemattertome，I

knowhowtodisposeofherinRomanfashion。“Whyshewantedtointerfereinthematter，brother，Idon’tknow，unlessitwasfrompurebrimstonenessofdisposition-shehadnohandinthematterwhichhadbroughtthepartyintotrouble-shewasonlyonavisit，andithadhappenedbeforeshecame；butshewasalwaysreadytogivedangerousadvice。Well，brother，theprincipalmanlistenedtowhatshehadtosay，andletherdowhatshewould；andshemadeapudding，averyniceone，nodoubt-for，besidesplums，sheputindrowsandalltheRomancondimentsthatsheknewof；andshegaveittotheprincipalman，andtheprincipalputitintoabasketanddirectedittothewomanin-Castle，andthewomaninthecastletookitand-“

’Ateofit，’saidI；’justlikemycase!’

’Quitedifferent，brother；shetookit，itistrue，butinsteadofgivingwaytoherappetite，asyoumighthavedone，sheputitbeforetherestwhomshewasgoingtoimpeach；perhapsshewishedtoseehowtheylikeditbeforeshetasteditherself；andalltherestwerepoisoned，andonedied，andtherewasapreciousoutcry，andthewomancriedloudestofall；andshesaid，“Itwasmydeathwassoughtfor；Iknowtheman，andI’llberevenged。“AndthenthePokneesspoketoherandsaid，“Wherecanwefindhim？“andshesaid，“Iamawaketohismotions；threeweeksfromhence，thenightbeforethefullmoon，atsuchandsuchanhour，hewillpassdownsuchalanewithsuchaman。“’

’Well，’saidI，’andwhatdidthePokneesdo？’

’Do，brother!sentforaplastramengrofromBowStreet，quitesecretly，andtoldhimwhatthewomanhadsaid；andthenightbeforethefullmoon，theplastramengrowenttotheplacewhichthejuwahadpointedout，allalone，brother；andinorderthathemightnotbetoolate，hewenttwohoursbeforehistime。Iknowtheplacewell，brother，wheretheplastramengroplacedhimselfbehindathickhollytree，attheendofalane，whereagateleadsintovariousfields，throughwhichthereisapathforcartsandhorses。ThelaneiscalledthedarklanebytheGorgios，beingmuchshadedbytrees。Sotheplastramengroplacedhimselfinthedarklanebehindthehollytree；itwasacoldFebruarynight，drearythough；thewindblewingusts，andthemoonhadnotyetrisen，andtheplastramengrowaitedbehindthetreetillhewastired，andthoughthemightaswellsitdown；sohesatdown，andwasnotlonginfallingtosleep，andtherehesleptforsomehours；andwhenheawokethemoonhadrisen，andwasshiningbright，sothattherewasakindofmoonlighteveninthedarklane；andtheplastramengropulledouthiswatch，andcontrivedtomakeoutthatitwasjusttwohoursbeyondthetimewhenthemenshouldhavepassedby。Brother，Idonotknowwhattheplastramengrothoughtofhimself，butIknow，brother，whatI

shouldhavethoughtofmyselfinhissituation。Ishouldhavethought，brother，thatIwasadrowsyscoppelo，andthatIhadletthefellowpassbywhilstIwassleepingbehindabush。Asitturnedout，however，hisgoingtosleepdidnoharm，butquitethecontrary：justashewasgoingaway，heheardagateslaminthedirectionofthefields，andthenheheardthelowstumpingofhorses，asifonsoftground，forthepathinthosefieldsisgenerallysoft，andatthattimeithadbeenlatelyploughedup。

Well，brother，presentlyhesawtwomenonhorsebackcomingtowardsthelanethroughthefieldbehindthegate；themanwhorodeforemostwasatallbigfellow，theverymanhewasinquestof；

theotherwasasmallerchap，notsosmalleither，butalight，wiryfellow，andapropermasterofhishandswhenheseesoccasionforusingthem。Well，brother，theforemostmancametothegate，reachedatthehank，undidit，androdethrough，holdingitopenfortheother。Before，however，theothercouldfollowintothelane，outboltedtheplastramengrofrombehindthetree，kickedthegatetowithhisfoot，and，seizingthebigmanonhorse-back，“Youaremyprisoner，“saidhe。Iamofopinion，brother，thattheplastramengro，notwithstandinghewenttosleep，musthavebeenaregularfinefellow。