下载辰思小说免费APP
burntcalico。"Iplacedthiscalicoaboveit，andlightednotthehandkerchief，buttherag。NowIwillshowyousomethingelse。Ihaveamagicshillinginmypocket，whichIcanmakerunupalongmyarm。But，firstofall，Iwouldgladlyknowwhethereitherofyoucandothelike。"
ThereupontheHungarianandmyself，puttingourhandsintoourpockets，tookoutshillings，andendeavouredtomakethemrunupourarms，bututterlyfailed；bothshillings，afterwehadmadetwoorthreeattempts，fallingtotheground。"Whatnoncompossesyoubothare，"saidthejockey；andplacingashillingontheendofthefingersofhisrighthandhemadestrangefacestoit，drawingbackhishead，whereupontheshillinginstantlybegantorunuphisarm，occasionallyhoppingandjumpingasifitwerebewitched，alwaysendeavouringtomaketowardstheheadofthejockey。
"HowdoIdothat？"saidhe，addressinghimselftome。"I
reallydonotknow，"saidI，"unlessitisbythemotionofyourarm。""Themotionofmynonsense，"saidthejockey，and，makingadreadfulgrimace，theshillinghoppeduponhisknee，andbegantorunuphisthighandtoclimbuphisbreast。"Howisthatdone？"saidheagain。"Bywitchcraft，Isuppose，"saidI。"Thereyouareright，"saidthejockey；
"bythewitchcraftofoneofMissBerners’hairs；theendofoneofherlonghairsistiedtothatshillingbymeansofaholeinit，andtheotherendgoesroundmyneckbymeansofaloop；sothat，whenIdrawbackmyhead，theshillingfollowsit。IsupposeyouwishtoknowhowIgotthehair，"
saidhe，grinningatme。"Iwilltellyou。Ionce，inthecourseofmyridings，sawMissBernersbeneathahedge，combingoutherlonghair，and，beingratheramodestkindofperson，whatmustIdobutgetoffmyhorse，tiehimtoagate，gouptoher，andendeavourtoenterintoconversationwithher。Aftergivinghertheseleoftheday，andcomplimentingheronherhair，Iaskedhertogivemeoneofthethreads；whereuponshegavemesuchalook，and，callingmefellow，toldmetotakemyselfoff。’Imusthaveahairfirst，’saidI，makingasnatchatone。IbelieveIhurther；but，whetherIdidornot，upshestarted，and，thoughherhairwasunbound，gavemetheonlydrubbingIeverhadinmylife。Lor！how，withherrighthand，shefibbedmewhilstsheheldmeroundtheneckwithherleftarm；Iwassoongladtobegherpardononmyknees，whichshegavemeinamoment，whenshesawmeinthatcondition，beingthemostplacablecreatureintheworld，andnotonlyherpardon，butoneofthehairswhichIlongedfor，whichIputthroughashilling，withwhichIhaveoneveningsafterfairs，likethis，frequentlyworkedwhatseemedtothosewholookedondownrightwitchcraft，butwhichisnothingmorethanpleasantdeception。Andnow，Mr。RomanyRye，totestifymyregardforyou，Igiveyoutheshillingandthehair。IthinkyouhaveakindofrespectforMissBerners；butwhetheryouhaveornot，keepthemaslongasyoucan，andwheneveryoulookatthemthinkofthefinestwomaninEngland，andofJohnDale，thejockeyofHorncastle。IbelieveIhavetoldyoumyhistory，"saidhe—"no，notquite；thereisonecircumstanceIhadpassedover。ItoldyouthatIhavethrivenverywellinbusiness，andsoIhave，uponthewhole；atanyrate，I
findmyselfcomfortablyoffnow。Ihavehorses，money，andowenobodyagroat；atanyrate，nothingbutwhatIcouldpayto—morrow。YetIhavehadmydrearyday，ay，afterIhadobtainedwhatIcallastationintheworld。Allofasudden，aboutfiveyearsago，everythingseemedtogowrongwithme—horsesbecamesickordied，peoplewhoowedmemoneybrokeorranaway，myhousecaughtfire，infact，everythingwentagainstme；andnotfromanymismanagementofmyown。Ilookedroundforhelp，but—whatdoyouthink？—
nobodywouldhelpme。SomehoworotherithadgotabroadthatIwasindifficulties，andeverybodyseemeddisposedtoavoidme，asifIhadgottheplague。ThosewhowerealwaysofferingmehelpwhenIwantednone，now，whentheythoughtmeintrouble，talkedofarrestingme。Yes；twoparticularfriendsofmine，whohadalwaysbeenofferingmetheirpurseswhenmyownwasstuffedfull，nowtalkedofarrestingme，thoughIonlyowedthescoundrelsahundredpoundseach；andtheywouldhavedoneso，providedIhadnotpaidthemwhatI
owedthem；andhowdidIdothat？Why，IwasabletodoitbecauseIfoundafriend—andwhowasthatfriend？Why，amanwhohassincebeenhung，ofwhomeverybodyhasheard，andofwhomeverybodyforthenexthundredyearswilloccasionallytalk。
"Oneday，whilstintrouble，IwasvisitedbyapersonIhadoccasionallymetatsporting—dinners。HecametolookafteraSuffolkPunch，thebesthorse，bythebye，thatanybodycanpurchasetodrive，itbeingtheonlyanimalofthehorsekindinEnglandthatwillpulltwiceatadeadweight。ItoldhimthatIhadnoneatthattimethatIcouldrecommend；infact，thateveryhorseinmystablewassick。Hetheninvitedmetodinewithhimataninncloseby，andIwasgladtogowithhim，inthehopeofgettingridofunpleasantthoughts。
Afterdinner，duringwhichhetalkednothingbutslang，observingIlookedverymelancholy，heaskedmewhatwasthematterwithme，andI，myheartbeingopenedbythewinehehadmademedrink，toldhimmycircumstanceswithoutreserve。
Withanoathortwofornothavingtreatedhimatfirstlikeafriend，hesaidhewouldsoonsetmeallright；andpullingouttwohundredpounds，toldmetopayhimwhenIcould。I
feltasIneverfeltbefore；however，Itookhisnotes，paidmysneaks，andinlessthanthreemonthswasrightagain，andhadreturnedhimhismoney。Onpayingittohim，IsaidthatIhadnowalunchwhichwouldjustsuithim，sayingthatI
wouldgiveittohim—afreegift—fornothing。Hesworeatme；—tellingmetokeepmyPunch，forthathewassuitedalready。IbeggedhimtotellmehowIcouldrequitehimforhiskindness，whereupon，withthemostdreadfuloathIeverheard，hebademecomeandseehimhangedwhenhistimewascome。Iwrunghishand，andtoldhimIwould，andIkeptmyword。ThenightbeforethedayhewashangedatH—，I
harnessedaSuffolkPunchtomylightgig，thesamePunchwhichIhadofferedtohim，whichIhaveeversincekept，andwhichbroughtmeandthisshortyoungmantoHorncastle，andinelevenhoursIdrovethatPunchonehundredandtenmiles。
IarrivedatH—justinthenickoftime。Therewastheuglyjail—thescaffold—andthereuponitstoodtheonlyfriendIeverhadintheworld。DrivingmyPunch，whichwasallinafoam，intothemidstofthecrowd，whichmadewayformeasifitknewwhatIcamefor，Istoodupinmygig，tookoffmyhat，andshouted，’GodAlmightyblessyou，Jack！’Thedyingmanturnedhispalegrimfacetowardsme—forhisfacewasalwayssomewhatgrim，doyousee—noddedandsaid，orI
thoughtIheardhimsay，’Allright，oldchap。’Thenextmoment—myeyeswater。Hehadahighheart，gotintoascrapewhilstinthemarines，losthishalf—pay，tooktotheturf，ring，gambling，andatlastcutthethroatofavillainwhohadrobbedhimofnearlyallhehad。Buthehadgoodqualities，andIknowforcertainthatheneverdidhalfthebadthingslaidtohischarge；forexample，heneverbribedTomOlivertofightcross，asitwassaidhedidonthedayoftheawfulthunder—storm。NedFlatnosefairlybeatTomOliver，forthoughNedwasnotwhat’scalledagoodfighter，hehadaparticularblow，whichifhecouldputinhewassuretowin。Hisrightshoulder，doyousee，wastwoinchesfartherbackthanitoughttohavebeen，andconsequentlyhisrightfistgenerallyfellshort；butifhecouldswinghimselfround，andputinablowwiththatrightarm，hecouldkillortakeawaythesensesofanybodyintheworld。
ItwasbyputtinginthatblowinhissecondfightwithSpringthathebeatnobleTom。Springbeathimlikeasackinthefirstbattle，butinthesecondNedPainter—forthatwashisrealname—contrivedtoputinhisblow，andtookthesensesoutofSpring；andinlikemannerhetookthesensesoutofTomOliver。
"Well，someareborntobehanged，andsomearenot；andmanyofthosewhoarenothangedaremuchworsethant
