I WAS wakened - Indeed, we were all wakened, for I could see even the sentinel shake himself together from where he had fallen against the door-post - by a clear, hearty voice hailing us from the margin of the wood:--
`Block-house, ahoy!' it cried. `Here's the doctor.'
And the doctor it was. Although I was glad to hear the sound, yet my gladness was not without admixture. I remembered with confusion my insubordinate and stealthy conduct; and when I saw where it had brought me - among what companions and surrounded by what dangers - I felt ashamed to look him in the face.
He must have risen in the dark, for the day had hardly come; and when I ran to a loophole and looked out, I saw him standing, like Silver once before, up to the mid-leg in creeping vapour.
`You, doctor! Top o' the morning to you, sir!' cried Silver, broad awake and beaming with good-nature in a moment. `Bright and early, to be sure; and it's the early bird, as the saying goes, that gets the rat.ions. George, shake up your timbers, son, and help Dr Livesey over the ship's side. All a-doin' well, your patients was - all well and merry.'
So he pattered on, standing on the hill-top, with his crutch under his elbow, and one hand upon the side of the log-house - quite the old John in voice, manner, and expression.
`We've quite a surprise for you, too, sir,' he continued. `We've a little stranger here - he! he! A noo boarder and lodger, sir, and looking fit and taut as a fiddle; slep' like a supercargo, he did, right alongside of John - stem to stem we was, all night.'
Dr Livesey was by this time across the stockade and pretty near the cook; and I could hear the alteration in his voice as he said:--
`Not Jim?'
`The very same Jim as ever was,' says Silver.
The doctor stopped outright, although he did not speak, and it was some seconds before he seemed able to move on.
`Well, well,' he said, at last, `duty first and pleasure afterwards, as you might have said yourself, Silver. Let us overhaul these patients of yours.'
A moment afterwards he had entered the block-house, and, with one grim nod to me, proceeded with his work among the sick. He seemed under no apprehension, though he must have known that his life, among these treacherous demons, depended on a hair; and he rattled on to his patients as if he were paying an ordinary professional visit in a quiet English family. His manner, I suppose, reacted on the men; for they behaved to him as if nothing had occurred - as if he were still ship's doctor, and they still faithful hands before the mast.
`You're doing well, my friend,' he said to the fellow with the bandaged head, `and if ever any person had a close shave, it was you; your head must be as hard as iron. Well, George, how goes it? You're a pretty colour, certainly; why, your liver, man, is upside down. Did you take that medicine? Did he take that medicine, men?'
`Ay, ay, sir, he took it, sure enough,' returned Morgan.
`Because, you see, since I am mutineers' doctor, or prison doctor, as I prefer to call it,' says Dr Livesey, in his pleasantest way, `I make it a point of honour not to lose a man for King George (God bless him!) and the gallows.'
The rogues looked at each other, but swallowed the home-thrust in silence.
`Dick don't feel well, sir,' said one.
`Don't he?' replied the doctor. `Well, step up here, Dick, and let me see your tongue. No, I should be surprised if he did! the man's tongue is fit to frighten the French. Another fever.'
`Ah, there,' said Morgan, `that comed of sp'iling Bibles.'
`That comed - as you call it - of being arrant asses, retorted the doctor, `and not having sense enough to know honest air from poison, and the dry land from a vile, pestiferous slough. I think it most probable - though, of course, it's only an opinion - that you'll all have the deuce to pay before you get that malaria out of your systems. Camp in a bog, would you? Silver, I'm surprised at you. You're less of a fool than many, take you all round; but you don't appear to me to have the rudiments of a notion of the rules of health.'
`Well,' he added, after he had dosed them round, and they had taken his prescriptions, with really laughable humility, more like charity school-children than blood-guilty mutineers and pirates - `well, that's done for to-day. And now I should wish to have a talk with that boy, please.'
And he nodded his head in my direction carelessly.
George Merry was at the door, spitting and spluttering over some bad-tasted medicine; but at the first word of the doctor's proposal he swung round with a deep flush, and cried `No!' and swore.
Silver struck the barrel with his open hand.
`Si-lence!' he roared, and looked about him positively like a lion. `Doctor,' he went on, in his usual tones, `I was a-thinking of that, knowing as how you had a fancy for the boy. We're all humbly grateful for your kindness, and, as you see, puts faith in you, and takes the drugs down like that much grog. And I take it I've found a way as'll suit all. Hawkins, will you give me your word of honour as a young gentleman - for a young gentleman you are, although poor born - your word of honour not to slip your cable?
I readily gave the pledge required.
`Then, doctor,' said Silver, `you just step outside o' that stockade, and once you're there, I'll the bring the boy down on the inside, and I reckon you can yarn through the spars. Good-day to you, sir, and all our dooties to the squire and Cap'n Smollett.'
The explosion of disapproval, which nothing but Silver's black looks had restrained, broke out immediately the doctor had left the house. Silver was roundly accused of playing double - of trying to make a separate peace for himself - of sacrificing the interests of his accomplices and victims; and, in one word, of the identical, exact thing that he was doing. It seemed to me so obvious, in this case, that I could not imagine how he was to turn their anger. But he was twice the man the rest were; and his last night's victory had given him a huge preponderance on their minds. He called them all the fools and dolts you can imagine, said it was necessary I should talk to the doctor, fluttered the chart in their faces, asked the if they could afford to break the treaty the very day they we bound a-treasure-hunting.
`No, by thunder!' he cried, `it's us must break the treaty when the time comes; and till then I'll gammon that doctor, if I have to ile his boots with brandy.'
And then he bade them get the fire lit, and stalked out upon his crutch, with his hand on my shoulder, leaving them in a disarray, and silenced by his volubility rather than convinced.
`Slow, lad, slow,' he said. `They might round upon us in a twinkle of an eye, if we was seen to hurry.'
Very deliberately, then, did we advance across the sand to where the doctor awaited us on the other side of the stockade, and as soon as we were within easy speaking distance, Silver stopped.
`You `Il make a note of this here also, doctor,' says he, `and the boy'll tell you how I saved his life, and were deposed for it, too, and you may lay to that. Doctor, when a man's steering as near the wind as me - playing chuck-farthing with the last breath in his body, like - you wouldn't think it too much, mayhap, to give him one good word? You'll please bear in mind it's not my life only now - it's that boy's into the bargain; and you'll speak me fair, doctor, and give me a bit o' hope to go on, for the sake of mercy.'
Silver was a changed man, once he was out there and had his back to his friends and the block-house; his cheeks seemed to have fallen in, his voice trembled; never was a soul more dead in earnest.
`Why, John, you're not afraid?' asked Dr Livesey.
`Doctor, I'm no coward; no, not I - not so much!' and he snapped his fingers. `If I was I wouldn't say it. But I'll own up fairly, I've the shakes upon me for the gallows. You're a good man and a true; I never seen a better man! And you'll not forget what I done good, not any more than you'll forget the bad, I know. And I step aside - see here - and leave you and Jim alone. And you'll put that down for me, too, for it's a long stretch, is that!'
So saying, he stepped back a little way, till he was out of earshot, and there sat down upon a tree-stump and began to whistle; spinning round now and again upon his seat so as to command a sight, sometimes of me and the doctor, and sometimes of his unruly ruffians as they went to and fro in the sand, between the fire - which they were busy rekindling - and the house, from which they brought forth pork and bread to make the breakfast.
`So, Jim,' said the doctor, sadly, `here you are. As you have brewed, so shall you drink, my boy. Heaven knows, I cannot find it in my heart to blame you; but this much I will say, be it kind or unkind: when Captain Smollett was well, you dared not have gone off; and when he was ill, and couldn't help it, by George, it was downright cowardly!'
I will own that I here began to weep. `Doctor,' I said, `you might spare me. I have blamed myself enough; my life's forfeit anyway, and I should have been dead by now, if Silver hadn't stood for me; and doctor, believe this, I can die - and I daresay I deserve it - but what I fear is torture. If they come to torture me--'
`Jim,' the doctor interrupted, and his voice was quite changed, `Jim I can't have this. Whip over, and we'll run for it.'
`Doctor,' said I, `I passed my word.'
`I know, I know,' he cried. `We can't help that, Jim, now. I'll take it on my shoulders, holus bolus, blame and shame, my boy; but stay here, I cannot let you. Jump! One jump, and you're out, and we'll run for it like antelopes.'
`No,' I replied, `you know right well you wouldn't do the thing yourself; neither you, nor squire, nor captain; and no more will I. Silver trusted me; I passed my word, and back I go. But, doctor, you did not let me finish. If they come to torture me, I might let slip a word of where the ship is; for I got the ship, part by luck and part by risking, and she lies in North Inlet, on the southern beach, and just below high water. At half- tide she must be high and dry.'
`The ship!' exclaimed the doctor.
Rapidly I described to him my adventures, and he heard me out in silence.
`There is a kind of fate in this,' he observed, when I had done `Every step, it's you that saves our lives; and do you suppose by any chance that we are going to let you lose yours? That would be a poor return,
my boy. You found out the plot; you found Ben Gunn - the best deed that ever you did, or will do, though you live to ninety. Oh, by Jupiter, and talking of Ben Gunn! why this is the mischief in person. Silver!' he cried, `Silver - I'll give you a piece of advice,' he continued, as the cook drew near again; `don't you be in any great hurry after that treasure.'
`Why, sir, I do my possible, which that aint,' said Silver. `I can only, asking your pardon, save my life and the boy's by seeking for that treasure; and you may lay to that.'
`Well, Silver,' replied the doctor, `if that is so, I'll go one step further: look out for squalls when you find it.'
`Sir,' said Silver, `as between man and man, that's too much and too little. What you're after, why you left the block-house, why you given me that there chart, I don't know, now, do I? and yet I done your bidding with my eyes shut and never a word of hope! But no, this here's too much. If you won't tell me what you mean plain out, just say so, and I'll leave the helm.'
`No,' said the doctor, musingly, `I've no right to say more; it's not my secret, you see, Silver, or, I give you my word, I'd tell it you. But I'll go as far with you as I dare go, and a step beyond; for I'll have my wig sorted by the captain or I'm mistaken! And, first, I'll give you a bit of hope: Silver, if we both get alive out of this wolf-trap, I'll do my best to save you, short of perjury.'
Silver's face was radiant. `You couldn't say more, I'm sure, sir, not if you was my mother,' he cried.
`Well, that's my first concession,' added the doctor. `My second is a piece of advice: Keep the boy close beside you, and when you need help, halloo. I'm off to seek it for you, and that itself will show you if I speak at random. Good-bye, Jim.'
And Dr Livesey shook hands with me through the stockade, nodded to Silver, and set off at a brisk pace into the wood.
“木屋里的人听着，大夫来了。”
真是医生来了。虽然我很高兴听到他的声音，但高兴里边也掺杂有别的滋味。一想到自己不听指挥，偷偷溜掉的事就感到惭愧；再看看现在处于什么境地，落入敌手，身陷虎穴，我简直没脸见他。
他想必是天还没亮就起身的，因为现在天还没大亮。我跑到枪眼前往外一看，见他站在齐膝的晨雾中，就跟以前西尔弗来谈判的那次一样。
“是你呀，大夫！大清早可好哇！”西尔弗一下子醒过来，满脸堆笑地招呼道。“来的早、来的好哇，俗话说，早起的鸟吃个饱。乔治，精神精神，乖乖，去扶利弗西大夫一把，让他跨过栅栏。一切都好，你的病人都挺好挺快活。”
他站在山头上说了一堆废话，拐杖拄在腋下，一只手撑在木屋墙上，声音、举止、表情还是原来老约翰的样。
“我们还给你准备了一件意想不到的礼物，”他接着说，“我们这儿来了个小客人——他呀，嘿，嘿！一位新乘客或是新房客。先生，他身强体壮、精神饱满，昨天夜里还整整一宿跟我老约翰挨在一起，睡得香着哩！”
这时，利弗西大夫已跨过栅栏，离厨子很近，我听出他的声音都变了。
“难道是吉姆？”
“正是吉姆，一点没错。”西尔弗说。
医生顿时停下来，但没说什么，有几秒钟过去了，他才又走了几步。
“好吧，好吧，”他终于开了口，“先办正事，后叙友情，这话好像是你说的，西尔弗。我先去看看你们的病人。”
他随即走进木屋，向我冷冷地点了点头，直奔向病人。他看来无所顾忌，尽管他知道，身处这群好背信弃义的魔鬼中间，随时都会有生命危险。他跟病人闲聊，好像是给国内一户安分守己的人家看病。他的举动大概对那些人有一定影响，他们对他的态度好像什么也没发生过，好像他还是船上的医生，而他们还是忠心耿耿的水手。
“你的病情在好转，我的朋友。”他对头上缠着绷带的那个人说：“你可真是白捡了一条命，你的头简直像铁打的，怎么样？乔治，好点儿了吗？脸色还差，正经人，你的肝功能紊乱得厉害，吃药了吗？喂，他吃没吃药？”
“吃了，吃了，先生，他真吃了。”摩根应声道。
“你们看，自从我当上反叛分子的医生，我看还是叫狱医合适。”利弗西大夫以一种极其幽默而又令人愉快的口吻说，“我要保全你们每个人的性命且把它看成是无比荣耀的事情，以便把你们交给乔治国王（上帝保佑他）和绞架。”
那些匪徒面面相觑，这句击中了要害的话使他们无言以对。
“狄克觉得不大舒服，大夫。”有一个人说。
“是吗？”医生问。“过这儿来，狄克，让我看看舌头。他要是舒服才怪呢，他的舌苔能吓坏法国人，他也得上热病了。”
“对了，”摩根说，“那是报应，就因为他弄坏了《圣经》。”
“就因为一…像你们说的——像头蠢驴，”大夫反驳道，“连新鲜空气和瘴气，干燥的土地和臭泥潭都分不出来。我认为很可能——当然，这只是一种猜测——很可能你们都得上了疟疾，在彻底治好之前，罪可够你们受的。你们在沼泽地里宿营，是不是？西尔弗，我真感到不理解，这伙人中你还算聪明点的，但在我看来，你连最起码的卫生常识都不懂。”
医生依次发给他们药，他们听到医嘱时那种听话的样子，根本不像杀人不眨眼的叛逆海盗，倒更像是贫民小学的学生，实在可笑。
“好了，”大夫说，“今天就到此为止。现在，如果你们同意的话，我想跟那孩子说几句。”
说着，他不经心地向我这边点点头。
乔治·墨利正在门口吞服一种难吃的药，在那儿乱唾乱啐。但一听到大夫的这个请求，他立即转过血红大脸嚷道：“不行！”还骂了一句。
西尔弗在酒桶上猛地拍了一巴掌。
“住口！”他吼叫起来，环顾四周，像头雄狮。“大夫，”接下来又用平静的语调说，“我早就想到了，因为我知道你很喜欢这孩子。对你的一片好心，我们都不胜感激，你也看到了，我们相信你，你给的药我们都当甜酒似地喝了。我有办法把一切都安排稳妥，霍金斯，你能不能用人格担保，像个年轻绅士那样——虽然你生在穷人家，还称得上是个正人君子——你能不能发誓不逃跑？”
我爽快地向他做了保证。
“那好，大夫，”西尔弗说，“请你走到栅栏外面去。你到了那里，我就把这孩子带到下面，你们可以隔着栅栏尽情地聊。再见，先生，请代我们向乡绅和斯莫列特船长问好。”
大夫刚走出木屋，海盗们的不满情绪本来还靠西尔弗的疾声厉色勉强压制着，现在一下子炸开了。他们纷纷指责西尔弗耍两面派，企图牺牲同伙利益为自己谋求生路。总之，他们所言甚是，一点儿也不冤枉他。事情明摆着，我想不出这回他还有什么办法拨转他们愤怒的矛头，但其余的人毕竟连他的一半都不如，何况昨夜的胜利足可以压住他们。他骂他们是傻瓜、笨蛋，反正各种各样的词都骂遍了。他说不让我同医生谈一谈是不行的，还把地图在他们面前扬了扬，责问他们：“今天他们就要去找宝，难道要在这个节骨眼上撕毁协议？”
“行就是行！”他嚷道，“时间成熟了，咱们当然要撕毁协议，但这时候，我要把那位大夫哄得团团转，哪怕用白兰地给他刷靴子，我都于。”
然后他吩咐他们点起火来，自己拄着拐杖，一手扶在我的肩膀上，大模大样走出屋，不管他们怎样想怎么办。他们也只是一时无言以对不知所措罢了，心里仍是不服。
“慢着点，小老弟，慢着点，”他对我说，“他们要是看见咱们急匆匆地走下去，会一下子扑过来的。”
于是我们不慌不忙地穿过沙地，向医生已在栅栏外等候的那一边走去。我们刚一走到可以听见说话的范围，西尔弗就停下来。
“大夫，请你把这发生的事儿都记下来，”他说，“那孩子会告诉你，我是怎么救了他的命，又怎样差点下台的。你尽可以相信我，大夫，当一个人像我这样豁出命来孤注一掷的时候，想听几句贴心话，还不至于让你多想吧。请你注意了，现在不光是我一条命，连这孩子的命都搭上了。大夫，说句公道话，行行好，给我点希望让我活下去。”
西尔弗一出来，背对着他的同伙和木屋，立刻像变了个人，两颊深陷、声音颤抖，没人能装得如此逼真。
“难道你害怕了吗？约翰？”利弗西大夫问。
“大夫，我不是胆小鬼！一丁点儿也算不上！”说着他用手指叭地打了个响。“我要是胆小鬼，就不会这样说了。可老实说，一想到上绞架我总是禁不住发抖。你是个好人，而且守信用，我从未见过比你还好的人，我做的好事你不会忘记的，正像你不会忘记我做过的坏事一样，我知道。你看我马上会退到一边，让你跟吉姆单独在一起。请你把这点也记上去，我可是真够朋友啊！”
说完，他退后一段路，直到听不到我们的谈话，才在一个树桩上坐下来开始吹口哨，不时转动身子向四周看，忽而看看我，忽而看看医生，忽而看看那些在沙地上晃来晃去的不安分的土匪们——他们正忙着重新点燃一堆火，并从屋子里拿出猪肉和于面包，做起早饭来。
“唉，吉姆，”医生难过地说，“你又回到这里来了。这叫自作自受，我的孩子，我实在不忍心怪你。但有句话我得说，不管你爱听不爱听，斯莫列特船长身体好的时候，你不敢逃跑；他负了伤，挡不住你的时候，你跑了。真的，这可真是十足的懦夫的作法。”
我承认并哭了起来。“大夫，”我说，“你别再责怪我了，我已把自己骂个够了，反正我只有用命才能补偿。这一损失要不是西尔弗护着我，我早就没命了。大夫，请你相信我，死我不怕，我也该死，可我怕受刑，万一他们给我上刑——”
“吉姆，”医生打断我的话，他的声音完全变了，“吉姆，我不能让你受苦。你跳过来，我们一起逃跑。”
“大夫，”我说，“可我发了誓不逃跑。”
“我知道，我知道，”他激动地说，“现在顾不了那么多了，吉姆，快点，谴责、耻辱我会承担下来，我的孩子，我可不能让你呆在这儿。快跳，一跳你就出来了，我们可以跑得比羚羊还快。”
“不，”我回答说，“你明明知道你也不会这么做，不光是你，乡绅、船长都不愿这样做，我也一样，西尔弗信得过我，我也保证过，我必须回去，可是，大夫你没听我说完。万一他们逼问我，给我上刑，我怕我会漏出船在哪儿，是我把船又弄到了手。一半是运气一半是冒险。现在船停在北汊口的南滩，就在高潮线下边。潮水不高时，她停在岸滩上。”
“船！”他失声喊道。
我把自己的惊险历程匆匆地描述了一番，他一声不吱地听我讲完。
“这有点像命中注定的，”他听我讲完后说，“每次都是你救了我们的命，难道你以为我们会让你牺牲自己的生命吗？绝不能，我的孩子。你发现敌人的阴谋，你遇见了本·葛恩——这是你一生所做的最大的好事，包括现在的，将来的，哪怕你活到九十岁。哦，对了，提起本·葛恩，他真是调皮捣蛋。西尔弗！”他叫了一声，“西尔弗，我要劝你们一句，”他等厨子走近后，继续说，“可别急急忙忙地去找宝。”
“先生，我一定尽可能地去做，只怕做不到。”西尔弗说。“请原谅，除非去找宝，否则我就无法救自己和这孩子的命。你可以相信我的话。”
“好吧，西尔弗，”大夫说，“既然如此，我索性再走远点：你们快要找到宝藏时，可别大喊大叫的。”
“大夫，”西尔弗说，“我认为这太不公平了。你们到底念的哪门子经，你们为什么离开这木屋，为什么又把那张地图给我，我可不知道，难道不是吗？我却闭着眼睛按你说的去做，可是连句见亮儿的话都听不到。不，这太过分了。如果你不讲明白这究竟是怎么回事，我可不给你干了。”
“不，”医生若有所思地说，“我没有权利讲得更多。这不是我个人的秘密，你瞧，西尔弗，要不然我会告诉你的。但是，我敢告诉你的也就这些了，甚至还多了些。我已经要挨船长的骂了，没骗你！首先，我要给你一点希望；西尔弗，如果你我都活着离开陷阱，我一定会尽全力救你，只要不作伪证。”
西尔弗顿时容光焕发。
“你不能再多说了，我相信，先生，即使我亲娘也不能给我比这更大的安慰了。”他兴奋地说。
“这是第一点让步，”医生又说，“其次就是对你的忠告：让这孩子待在你身边，寸步不离；要帮忙，你就喊我。我现在就去想法救你们出去。那时你自会明白，我是不是说到做到。再会吧，吉姆。”
于是，利弗西隔着栅栏跟我握了握手，向西尔弗点了点头，然后快步向树林里走去。