登陆注册
26112400000216

第216章 CHAPTER XCII(4)

Thereupon Tom with his right hand draws forth his sword, and with one dreadful shout does exclaim, - 'Now will you swear to become my wife, for if you don't, by God's blood and nails, I will this moment smite off your hand with this sword.' Then the lady being very much frightened, and having one sneaking kindness for Tom, who though he looked very fierce looked also very handsome, said, -'Well, well! a promise is a promise; I promised to become your wife, and so I will; I swear I will; by all I hold holy I swear; so let go my hand, which you have almost pulled off, and come in and welcome!' So Tom lets go her hand, and the lady opens her door, and before night they were married, and in less than one month Tom, being now very rich and Lord of Ystrad Feen, was made justice of the peace and chairman at quarter session.""And what kind of justice of the peace did Tom make?""Ow, the very best justice of the peace that there ever was. He made the old saying good: you must get one thief to catch one thief. He had not been a justice three year before there was not a thief in Shire Brecon nor in Shire Car, for they also made him justice of Carmarthenshire, and a child might walk through the country quite safe with a purse of gold in its hand. He said that as he himself could not have a finger in the pie, he would take care nobody else should. And yet he was not one bloody justice either; never hanged thief without giving him a chance to reform;but when he found him quite hardened he would say: 'Hang up de rogue!' Oh, Tom was not a very hard man, and had one grateful heart for any old kindness which had been sewn him. One day as Tom sat on de bench with other big wigs, Tom the biggest wig of the lot, a man was brought up charged with stealing one bullock. Tom no sooner cast eye on the man than he remembered him quite well.

Many years before Tom had stole a pair of oxen, which he wished to get through the town of Brecon, but did not dare to drive them through, for at that very time there was one warrant out against Tom at Brecon for something he had done. So Tom stands with his oxen on the road, scratching his head and not knowing what to do.

At length there comes a man along the road, ****** towards Brecon, to whom Tom says: 'Honest man, I want these two oxen to be driven to such and such a public-house two miles beyond Brecon; I would drive them myself only I have business to do elsewhere of more importance. Now if you will drive them for me there and wait till I come, which will not be long, I will give you a groat.' Says the man; 'I will drive them there for nothing, for as my way lies past that same public-house I can easily afford to do so.' So Tom leaves the oxen with the man, and by rough and roundabout road makes for the public-house - beyond Brecon, where he finds the man waiting with the oxen, who hands them over to him and goes on his way. Now, in the man brought up before him and the other big wigs on the bench for stealing the bullock, Tom does recognise the man who had done him that same good turn. Well! the evidence was heard against the man, and it soon appeared quite clear that the man did really steal the bullock. Says the other big wigs to Tom: 'The fact has been proved quite clear. What have we now to do but to adshudge at once that the domm'd thief be hung?' But Tom, who remembered that the man had once done him one good turn, had made up his mind to save the man. So says he to the other big wigs:

'My very worthy esteemed friends and coadshutors, I do perfectly agree with you that the fact has been proved clear enough, but with respect to de man, I should be very much grieved should he be hung for this one fact, for I did know him long time ago, and did find him to be one domm'd honest man in one transaction which I had with him. So my wordy and esteemed friends and coadshutors I should esteem it one great favour if you would adshudge that the man should be let off this one time. If, however, you deem it inexpedient to let the man off, then of course the man must be hung, for I shall not presume to set my opinions and judgments against your opinions and judgments, which are far better than my own.' Then the other big wigs did look very big and solemn, and did shake their heads and did whisper to one another that they were afraid the matter could not be done. At last, however, they did come to the conclusion that as Tom had said that he had known the fellow once to be one domm'd honest man, and as they had a great regard for Tom, who was one domm'd good magistrate and highly respectable gentleman with whom they were going to dine the next day - for Tom I must tell you was in the habit of giving the very best dinners in all Shire Brecon - it might not be incompatible with the performance of their duty to let the man off this one time, seeing as how the poor fellow had probably merely made one slight little mistake. Well: to make the matter short, the man was let off with only a slight reprimand, and left the court.

Scarcely, however, had he gone twenty yards, when Tom was after him, and tapping him on the shoulder said: 'Honest friend, a word with you!' Then the man turning round Tom said: 'Do you know me, pray?' 'I think I do, your honour,' said the man. 'I think your honour was one of the big wigs, who were just now so kind as to let me off.' 'I was so,' said Tom; 'and it is well for you that I was the biggest of these big wigs before whom you stood placed, otherwise to a certainty you would have been hung up on high; but did you ever see me before this affair?' 'No, your honour,' said the man, 'I don't remember ever to have seen your honour before.'

Says Tom, 'Don't you remember one long time ago driving a pair of oxen through Brecon for a man who stood scratching his head on the road?' 'Oh yes,' says the man; 'I do remember that well enough.'

'Well,' said Tom; 'I was that man. I had stolen that pair of oxen, and I dared not drive them through Brecon. You drove them for me;and for doing me that good turn I have this day saved your life. Iwas thief then but am now big wig. I am Twm Shone Catti. Now lookee! I have saved your life this one time, but I can never save it again. Should you ever be brought up before me again, though but for stealing one kid, I will hang you as high as ever Haman was hung. One word more; here are five pieces of gold. Take them:

employ them well, and reform as I have done, and perhaps in time you may become one big wig, like myself.' Well: the man took the money, and laid it out to the best advantage, and became at last so highly respectable a character that they made him a constable. And now, my gentleman, we are close upon Tregaron."After descending a hill we came to what looked a small suburb, and presently crossed a bridge over the stream, the waters of which sparkled merrily in the beams of the moon which was now shining bright over some lofty hills to the south-east. Beyond the bridge was a small market-place, on the right-hand side of which stood an ancient looking church. The place upon the whole put me very much in mind of an Andalusian village overhung by its sierra. "Where is the inn?" said I to my companion.

"Yonder it be;" said he pointing to a large house at the farther end of the market-place. "Very good inn that - Talbot Arms - where they are always glad to see English gentlemans." Then touching his hat, and politely waving his hand, he turned on one side, and I saw him no more.

同类推荐
  • 杂藏经

    杂藏经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • The French Revolution

    The French Revolution

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 洞玄灵宝真灵位业图

    洞玄灵宝真灵位业图

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 西使记

    西使记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 半江赵先生文集

    半江赵先生文集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 错嫁军婚有瘾

    错嫁军婚有瘾

    一次说走就走的旅行,一次说拍就拍的写真,一次意外的来临遇到一场不可思议的婚礼。米粒从来不以为自己是个幸运儿,发生的种种让她迫不及待的结束旅行开始逃离,然而可怜如蝼蚁又岂能逃脱定位芯片的追踪......一场荒唐的婚礼,邂逅一个可口的新娘,上官耀的世界开始霓虹闪耀,他说你是我碗里的米粒,看你如何跳出我的碗......当米粒遇到上官耀,当小教师遇到大军官,深山支教都逃不掉的追踪,或许这就是缘分......“上官耀,难道你不用上班吗?”“当然要上班啦,我现在的任务是拿下你!”某男邪魅的笑声在空寂的山谷里回荡,颤抖了某颗小米粒的小心肝“我是从呢还是不从呢还是从呢......”
  • 一路有你:腹黑老公情难自禁

    一路有你:腹黑老公情难自禁

    当有一天,他站在她的面前,他宠她入骨,她却不识他。他说,我愿用三世烟火,换你一世迷离。他说,你离开那么久,既然回来了,就别想再走。后来,她问,我们既然结婚了,那相爱好不好?他敛眸,沉默不语。******“老公~看这时间不早了,天都黑成这样,明日诸事繁杂,你别累坏了,要不……”“你想说什么?”“老公今晚早点睡可以不?”
  • EXO之完美的爱恋

    EXO之完美的爱恋

    这是一篇关于EXO爱情的书,在文章的后文将会出现别的人物!主人公夏落曦是来自中国的女孩,20岁!夏落曦在韩国SM公司是EXO的彩妆师,但在韩国的日子有很多的事情围绕着她。。
  • 纨绔绝顶风流

    纨绔绝顶风流

    明犯我泱泱强汉者!虽远必诛!向雨峰,中国军界第四号人物向山向军神之孙,其外公孙伯洋更是财富名列全球百名首富之中,父亲,母亲都是一代商业巨子,而向雨峰更是师从古武界一代武尊青锋道长,生在这样的豪门世家注定了他那无法平凡的一生,但苍天雄鹰需要磨难,九天巨龙需要翅膀,做为一代天之娇子的向雨峰一样需要时间与危难的蜕变和升华,这样的一个人走进校园又将会掀起怎样的风潮呢?
  • 皇家学院:腹黑校草,停一停

    皇家学院:腹黑校草,停一停

    第一次遇见差点小命不保,他却扔下一张支票开车走了。第二次遇见差点被花盆砸,幸好没事他抱住了我,咦,不对,他手放哪,某女说:“你个色狼,你,你既然袭胸,你个不要脸的变态。”他冷笑:“呵,那个谁,是我救了你啊,你不感谢我就算了,还怪我袭胸,你还讲不讲理了。”他接着说:“是不是还要说我要对你负责,你们女人就喜欢欲擒故纵,可是我就不吃这套”某女:“这男的怎么这么自恋,没救了”第三次跟着朋友去逛街结果有人抢劫,某女在后面说:“逮,看我不抓到你”结果没抓找差点小命都赔了,刀子到某女不到两厘米的一刻,后面传来了声音:“放开她”某女转过去看看是谁却没想到是他,她转过去对他们说:“大叔,你们还是把我杀了吧”
  • 绝色公主霸道爱

    绝色公主霸道爱

    十年前,惊心动魄的“穆家冤案”,唯一留下的血脉,她,目光含着淡淡暖意,招牌式的微笑挂在脸上。没有事能阻挠她,却在感情里迷失。
  • 疑雨集

    疑雨集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 你还记得我

    你还记得我

    那个时候,我们很小,笑起来随心所欲。那个时候,我们无知,笑起来随波逐流。现在的我们可能已经忘记了彼此,我却不知道自身的处境呆呆地望着你们。当我回过头来时,发现,你,一直都在这里记得我。
  • 风吹夏洛

    风吹夏洛

    夏洛本是个快乐的女孩,却在一场家庭变异后,她成了个对谁都不相信的人,她害怕会被抛弃,害怕没有可以相信的人,直到风陌言的出现,他们是同样的人,一样的冰冷,一样的只活在自己的世界。第一次遇见夏洛,风陌言就被她吸引。允夏洛在一次意外,陪在身边的却不是风陌言,那时候的一切都变了。
  • 末灵世界

    末灵世界

    张翼因为重生诞生在未爆发生化危机的S市。末日,即将来临