下载辰思小说免费APP
"Ohyes；Iwilltellyou。Onedayashewaswanderingabout，dressedquitelikeagentleman，heheardacry，andfoundoneveryfineladyinthehandsofonehighwayman，whowouldhaverobbedandmurderedher。Tomkillsthehighwaymanandconductstheladyhometoherhouseandherhusband，forshewasamarriedlady。OutofgratitudetoTomfortheservicehehasdone，thegentlemanandladyinvitehimtostaywiththem。Thegentleman，whoisagreatgentleman，fondofhisbottleandhunting，takesmightilytoTomforhisfunnysayingsandbecauseTom’sagoodhandataglasswhenattable，andagoodhandataleapwheninfield；theladyalsotakesverymuchtoTom，becauseheonedomm’dhandsomefellow，withplentyofwitandwhattheycallboetry—forTom，amongstotherthings，wasnobadboet，andcouldtreataladytopennillionaboutherfaceandherancle，andthetipofherear。AtlastTomgoesawayuponhiswanderings，not，however，beforehehasgotonepromisefromthelady，thatifevershebecomesdisengagedshewillbecomehiswife。Well，aftersometime，thelady’shusbanddiesandleavesherallhisproperty，sothatallofasuddenshefindsherselfonegreatindependentlady，mistressofthewholeofStrathFeen，onefairandpleasantvalleyfarawaythereovertheEasternhills，bytheTowey，onthebordersofShireCar。Tom，assoonashehearsthenewsofallthis，setsoffforStrathFeenandaskstheladytoperformherword；butthelady，whofindsherselfonegreatandindependentlady，andmoreoverdoesnotquiteliketheideaofmarryingonethief，forshehadlearntwhoTomwas，doeshumandhah，andatlengthbegstobeexcused，becauseshehaschangedhermind。Tombegsandentreats，butquiteinvain，tillatlastshetellshimtogoawayandnottroubleheranymore。Tomgoesaway，butdoesnotyetlosehope。Hetakesuphisquartersinonestrangelittlecave，nearlyatthetopofonewildhill，verymuchlikesugarloaf，whichdoesriseabovetheTowey，justwithinShireCar。Ihaveseenthecavemyself，whichisstillcalledYstafellTwmShoneCatty。Veryqueercaveitis，instrangesituation；steeprockjustaboveit，ToweyRiverroaringbelow。
ThereTomtakesuphisquarters，andfromthereheoftensalliesforth，inhopeofhavinginterviewwithfairladyandmakingheralterhermind，butshewillhavenothingtodowithhim，andatlastshutsherselfupinherhouseandwillnotgoout。Well，Tomnearlylosesallhope；he，however，determinestomakeonelasteffort；soonemorninghegoestothehouseandstandsbeforethedoor，entreatingwithoneloudandlamentablevoicethattheladywillseehimoncemore，becauseheiscometobidheroneeternalfarewell，beingabouttosetoffforthewarsinthekingdomofFrance。Well，theladywhohearsallhesaysrelentsonelittle，andshowingherselfatthewindow，beforewhichareverystrongironbars，shesays：’HereIam！whateveryouhavetosay，sayitquicklyandgoyourway。’SaysTom：’Iamcometobidyouoneeternalfarewell，andhavebutonelastslightrequesttomake，whichisthatyouvouchsafetostretchoutofthewindowyourlily—
whitehand，thatImayimpressonelastburningkissofloveonthesame。’Well，theladyhesitatesonelittletime；atlast，havingonewoman’sheart，shethinksshemaygranthimthislastlittlerequest，andstretchingherhandthroughthebars，shesays：
’Well，there’smyhand，kissitonceandbegone。’ForthwithTom，seizingherwristwithhislefthand，says：’Ihavegotyounow，andwillneverletyougotillyousweartobecomemywife。’
’Never，’saidthelady，’willIbecomethewifeofonethief，’andstriveswithallhermighttopullherhandfree，butcannot，forthelefthandofTomismorestrongthantherightofotherman。
ThereuponTomwithhisrighthanddrawsforthhissword，andwithonedreadfulshoutdoesexclaim，—’Nowwillyousweartobecomemywife，forifyoudon’t，byGod’sbloodandnails，Iwillthismomentsmiteoffyourhandwiththissword。’Thentheladybeingverymuchfrightened，andhavingonesneakingkindnessforTom，whothoughhelookedveryfiercelookedalsoveryhandsome，said，—
’Well，well！apromiseisapromise；Ipromisedtobecomeyourwife，andsoIwill；IswearIwill；byallIholdholyIswear；soletgomyhand，whichyouhavealmostpulledoff，andcomeinandwelcome！’SoTomletsgoherhand，andtheladyopensherdoor，andbeforenighttheyweremarried，andinlessthanonemonthTom，beingnowveryrichandLordofYstradFeen，wasmadejusticeofthepeaceandchairmanatquartersession。"
"AndwhatkindofjusticeofthepeacedidTommake？"
"Ow，theverybestjusticeofthepeacethatthereeverwas。Hemadetheoldsayinggood：youmustgetonethieftocatchonethief。HehadnotbeenajusticethreeyearbeforetherewasnotathiefinShireBreconnorinShireCar，fortheyalsomadehimjusticeofCarmarthenshire，andachildmightwalkthroughthecountryquitesafewithapurseofgoldinitshand。Hesaidthatashehimselfcouldnothaveafingerinthepie，hewouldtakecarenobodyelseshould。Andyethewasnotonebloodyjusticeeither；neverhangedthiefwithoutgivinghimachancetoreform；
butwhenhefoundhimquitehardenedhewouldsay：’Hangupderogue！’Oh，Tomwasnotaveryhardman，andhadonegratefulheartforanyoldkindnesswhichhadbeensewnhim。OnedayasTomsatondebenchwithotherbigwigs，Tomthebiggestwigofthelot，amanwasbroughtupchargedwithstealingonebullock。Tomnosoonercasteyeonthemanthanherememberedhimquitewell。
ManyyearsbeforeTomhadstoleapairofoxen，whichhewishedtogetthroughthetownofBrecon，butdidnotdaretodrivethemthrough，foratthatverytimetherewasonewarrantoutagainstTomatBreconforsomethinghehaddone。SoTomstandswithhisoxenontheroad，scratchinghisheadandnotknowingwhattodo。
Atlengththerecomesamanalongtheroad，makingtowardsBrecon，towhomTomsays：’Honestman，Iwantthesetwooxentobedriventosuchandsuchapublic—housetwomilesbeyondBrecon；IwoulddrivethemmyselfonlyIhavebusinesstodoelsewhereofmoreimportance。NowifyouwilldrivethemformethereandwaittillIcome，whichwillnotbelong，Iwillgiveyouagroat。’Saystheman；’Iwilldrivethemtherefornothing，forasmywayliespastthatsamepublic—houseIcaneasilyaffordtodoso。’SoTomleavestheoxenwiththeman，andbyroughandroundaboutroadmakesforthepublic—house—beyondBrecon，wherehefindsthemanwaitingwiththeoxen，whohandsthemovertohimandgoesonhisway。Now，inthemanbroughtupbeforehimandtheotherbigwigsonthebenchforstealingthebullock，Tomdoesrecognisethemanwhohaddonehimthatsamegoodturn。Well！theevidencewasheardagainsttheman，anditsoonappearedquiteclearthatthemandidreallystealthebullock。SaystheotherbigwigstoTom：’Thefacthasbeenprovedquiteclear。Whathavewenowtodobuttoadshudgeatoncethatthedomm’dthiefbehung？’ButTom，whorememberedthatthemanhadoncedonehimonegoodturn，hadmadeuphismindtosavetheman。Sosayshetotheotherbigwigs：
’Myveryworthyesteemedfriendsandcoadshutors，Idoperfectlyagreewithyouthatthefacthasbeenprovedclearenough，butwithrespecttodeman，Ishouldbeverymuchgrievedshouldhebehungforthisonefact，forIdidknowhimlongtimeago，anddidfindhimtobeonedomm’dhonestmaninonetransactionwhichIhadwithhim。SomywordyandesteemedfriendsandcoadshutorsIshouldesteemitonegreatfavourifyouwouldadshudgethatthemanshouldbeletoffthisonetime。If，however，youdeemitinexpedienttoletthemanoff，thenofcoursethemanmustbehung，forIshallnotpresumetosetmyopinionsandjudgmentsagainstyouropinionsandjudgments，whicharefarbetterthanmyown。’Thentheotherbigwigsdidlookverybigandsolemn，anddidshaketheirheadsanddidwhispertooneanotherthattheywereafraidthemattercouldnotbedone。Atlast，however，theydidcometotheconclusionthatasTomhadsaidthathehadknownthefellowoncetobeonedomm’dhonestman，andastheyhadagreatregardforTom，whowasonedomm’dgoodmagistrateandhighlyrespectablegentlemanwithwhomtheyweregoingtodinethenextday—forTomImusttellyouwasinthehabitofgivingtheverybestdinnersinallShireBrecon—itmightnotbeincompatiblewiththeperformanceoftheirdutytoletthemanoffthisonetime，seeingashowthepoorfellowhadprobablymerelymadeoneslightlittlemistake。Well：tomakethemattershort，themanwasletoffwithonlyaslightreprimand，andleftthecourt。
Scarcely，however，hadhegonetwentyyards，whenTomwasafterhim，andtappinghimontheshouldersaid：’Honestfriend，awordwithyou！’ThenthemanturningroundTomsaid：’Doyouknowme，pray？’’IthinkIdo，yourhonour，’saidtheman。’Ithinkyourhonourwasoneofthebigwigs，whowerejustnowsokindastoletmeoff。’’Iwasso，’saidTom；’anditiswellforyouthatIwasthebiggestofthesebigwigsbeforewhomyoustoodplaced，otherwisetoacertaintyyouwouldhavebeenhunguponhigh；butdidyoueverseemebeforethisaffair？’’No，yourhonour，’saidtheman，’Idon’trememberevertohaveseenyourhonourbefore。’
SaysTom，’Don’tyourememb
