The wind was rising far away and the nightwas black. I moved slowly along the outside wall towardsthe tower. Suddenly the sky was lit up bylightning，and then was black again.
I opened the tower door with the key. It wasdark inside but I felt the stone stairs under myfeet. They were firm and smooth，but narrow. I rememberedmy uncle’s words，and climbed slowlyby the wall. My heart was beating hard.
There were five floors to the house of Shaws. Icame near the top. It was lighter here，and therewas more air，Why was this？Suddenly there wasanother flash of lightning，and I knew the answer. Iwas filled with horror.
For a moment the lightning showed me openspaces in the wall. It showed me other things too.
Some steps were shorter than others. They were notcomplete. One of my feet was only two inches from
漆黑的夜晚，远处的风刮得一阵比一阵紧。我慢慢地沿着外墙朝那座塔楼走去。蓦地，一道闪电照亮了夜空。闪电过后，周围又是一片漆黑。
我用那把钥匙打开了塔楼门。
里面黑洞洞的，但是我用脚探出石砌的楼梯，虽然窄了些，可还结实，也砌得很平。我记着伯父的话，顺墙慢慢往上爬。我的心扑通扑通直跳。
肖府的楼房共五层。我已快爬到楼顶，上面稍微亮一些，也比较通风。这是什么道理呢？突然，又是一道闪电。这时，我才明白了，吓得魂不附体。
从一瞬即逝的闪光处，我看到墙上有几处窟窿，还看到楼梯长短不一，残缺不全。我的一只脚离一窟窿的边缘只有二英寸。
the inside edge.
I did not cry out，because fear prevented me.
But I was angry，too. Why had my uncle sent me uphere？I must find out.
我吓得中不出声来，只是心里生气。伯父为什么让我上这儿来呢？我得弄个水落石出。
I crept very slowly forward on my hands andknees. Bats flewabout，and beat on my face and body.
Their touch filled me with horror，but I crept on.
The tower was square. In every corner the stepwas a great stone of a different shape，to join thestraight stairs. I was moving round one of these corners，and put my hand out to feel the way. Itslipped on an edge. There was nothing beyond it -only empty space The steps ended here，in the air.
These were the good stairs！My uncle hadsent me here，into danger. He had sent me to fallfrom the fifth floor. He had sent me to die. Only thelightning had saved me.
I was trembling. but I was angry. Fear left menow. I turned and slowly felt my way down again.
The wind was stronger. Rain was falling when Ireached the bottom.
I put my head out into the storm and lookedtowards the kitchen. The door was open，and a littlelight came out . I saw my uncle standing in the rain.
He was listening. Then there was a bright flash of
我手脚并用，十分小心地朝前爬去。一只只蝙蝠飞来飞去，扑打在我的脸部和身上，我害怕极了，但还是一个劲儿地朝前爬去。
塔楼呈正方形，四角各有一块形状不同的大石头与垂直的楼梯相连接。我一边绕着一个角的大石头往过爬，一边伸出手一探，手从那块石块边上滑了下去。原来前面什么也没有，是个断缺！楼梯到此为止，悬在空里。
结实的楼梯原来如此！伯父是想坑害我，让我从五层上掉下去摔死，多亏闪电救了我的命。
我浑身发抖，但很生气，不再感到害怕了。我转过身，慢慢摸着朝下走去。风刮得更紧了。我走到楼底时，下起雨来。
我冒着暴风雨，伸头朝厨房看了一眼。厨房门开着，透出微弱的亮光。伯父站在瓢泼大雨中侧耳细听着。接着是一道耀眼的闪电和一
lightning and a loud crash of thunder.
My uncle ran into the kitchen. Perhaps hethought the crash was the sound of my fall. Perhapshe heard God’s voice forbidding murder.
声震耳欲聋的雷鸣。
伯父跑进厨房，或许他以为那声巨响是我掉下楼的声音，或许是他听见了上帝禁止谋杀的吼声。
I followed him quietly in. He had opened thecupboard and was drinking from a great brandy bottle.
He was shaking with fear.
His back was towards me and I crept behindhim silently. Suddenly I put my hands down on hisshoulders.
“Ah！”I cried.
My uncle gave a sharp cry of horror and threwup his arms. He dropped the brandy bottle and fellon the floor.
This made me anxious，but I left him there. Imust act quickly. I must find a gun or some otherweapon to defend myself.
The keys were hanging in the open cupboard.
I took them and opened the chests. The first containedbig money bags and a lot of papers. In anotherI found clothes and an old Highland dirk. It wasnot a very sharp weapon，but I needed something.
I hid the dirk under my waistcoat and turnedto my uncle. His face was a strange blue colour. He
我 蹑手蹑脚地跟着他走进厨房。他打开食品橱，取出一大瓶白兰地，大口大口地喝着。他吓得浑身发抖。
他背对着我，我一声不响地摸到他身后，猛地把两手搭在他的肩膀上。
“啊！”我大喊了一声。
伯父惊恐地尖叫了一声，举起胳膊，白兰地瓶啪地一声掉到地上，他也瘫倒在地。
这一下我倒慌了，但我没有去救他。我得当机立断，找一支枪或其他武器自卫。
他的那串钥匙还挂在敞开的食品橱上。我拿下钥匙，打开他的几口箱子。第一个箱子里装着一些大钱袋和许多文件，另一个里面装着衣服和一把高地人用的短剑，已经不很锋利了。可是，我总得有个东西进行自卫呀。
我把短剑揣在坎肩底下，转身面对伯父。他的脸色铁青，一口气
was not breathing. Was he dead？I got water andpoured it on his face. He opened his eyes. He sawme，and was afraid.
“Come ，c ome ，”I said,“s it up.”
也不出。难道他死了吗？我弄了些水，泼到他的脸上。他睁开眼睛，看见了我，显得很恐惧。
我对他说：“得啦，得啦，坐起来。”
“Are you a live ？”he said.“Are you a live ？”
“Ye s ，I am，”I said,“but I c a nnot tha nk you fo rtha t. ”
He was breathing very slowly.
“The b lue me dic ine bottle ，”he said,“in the cupboard - the blu e me dicine bottle .”
I ran to the cupboard and found the medicine，I gave it to him to drink.
“It’s my he a rt，Da vid ，”he said,“I ha ve a we a khe a rt.”
I pitied him，but I was angry. I asked himmany questions. Why did he lie to me？Why didhe want me in the house？Why did he not like myquestion about my father’s birth？Why did he giveme money？And especially，why did he send me upthe tower to die？
He was silent.
Then he said,“Le t me go to be d . I will te ll youin the morning. I promis e .”
He was so weak and ill that I agreed. I lockedhim in his room，and went back to the kitchen.
There I made a great fire. Then I lay down on thechests and slept.
他喃喃地问道：“你还活着？还活着?”
我回答说：“是的，没有死。可我没有死并不是你的功劳。”
他慢慢地喘着气，说：
“那个蓝色药瓶，在柜子里--蓝色药瓶。”
我跑到柜子旁，找到他要的药，递给他喝。
他说：“是我的心脏，大卫，我的心脏不好。”
我虽然可怜他，却也十分生气。
我问了他很多问题：他为什么要对我扯谎？为什么要我待在他家里？
为什么不喜欢我打听我父亲的出生情况？为什么要给我钱？特别是，为什么要让我到塔楼上去送死？
他闭口不答。
过了一会儿，他说：“让我去睡觉吧。明天早晨给你回答，一定。”
他那么虚弱，又病得很厉害，我就同意了。我把他反锁在他的卧室里，回到厨房，生起暖烘烘的炉火，躺在那两只箱子上睡着了。
