典范英语sing for your supper.docx
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典范英语singforyoursupper
典范英语9
SingforyourSupper
NickWarburton
CHAPTER1
RedBeard
ThesmellofmuttonpieswokeJamieup.Hisnosetwitchedbeforehiseyesopened.
Jamie’smotherwasdead.Hisfatherhadgonetoseaandnotcomeback.HerememberedthebigroundsailsasthelittlegalleonmovedoutofPlymouthharbour,buthe’dforgottenwhathisfatherlookedlike.Fortwoyearshe’dlivedonthestreetsandbeggedforhisfood,sohegotusedtosniffingoutpies.
He’dbeendozingonapileofstrawbesidethehorsetroughwhenthemanwalkedbywithhistray.
Pies,Jamiethoughtatonce.Fatwarmpies.
Hedidn’thaveacointohisname,buthejumpedupandfollowedtheman.HewasheadingforTheBoar’sHead.
Jamiesawhimpushhistrayintothecrowdatthedooranddisappear.
‘Afterhim,’Jamiesaidtohimself.
Hedroppedtohiskneesandcrawledthroughaforestofsturdylegs.Jamiecouldtellbyasniffthatthepiemanhadstoppedbyatableinthecorner.Keepinganeyeopenfortheinnkeeper,hecrawledon.Thepiemanhadsettwosteamingpiesonthetable.Hewascountingahandfulofcoinsintohispurse.
Hiscustomersweren’tordinarysailors.Theyworestiffruffsandalineoffancybuttonsdownthefrontoftheirtunics.JamiehadseenoneofthemaroundPlymouthbefore–theonewiththeredcurlyhairandthepointedbeard.
Hemustbeimportant,Jamiethought.Wheneverhegoesthere’sbustleandtalk.Buthelookslikeamanwhomightsharehispiewithahungryboy.
Jamiesawhimpushhistrayintothecrowdatthedooranddisappear.
‘Afterhim。
’Jamiesaidtohimself.
Hedroppedtohiskneesandcrawledthroughaforestofsturdylegs.Jamiecouldtellbyasniffthatthepiemanhadstoppedbyatableinthecorner.Keepinganeyeopenfortheinnkeeper,hecrawledon.Thepiemanhadsettwosteamingpiesonthetable.Hewascountingahandfulofcoinsintohispurse.
Hiscustomersweren’tordinarysailors.Theyworestiffruffsandalineoffancybuttonsdownthefrontoftheirtunics.JamiehadseenoneofthemaroundPlymouthbefore--theonewiththeredcurlyhairandthepointedbeard.
Hemustbeimportant,Jamiethought.Whereverhegoesthere’sbustleandtalk.Buthelookslikeamanwhomightsharehispiewithahungryboy.
‘Nomuttonpiesafterwesetsai1,'themanwiththeredbeadwassayingtohisfriend.'Ship'sbiscuitsandhardcheeseandnotmuchelse.'
‘ButmaybesomeSpanishgoldtospendwhenwegetback,eh,Francis?
'hisfriendsaid.
Francis.Sothatwashisname.AndSpanishgold.Thatmeantsea-fights,didn'tit?
Maybetheywerepirates.
'Well,MasterFrancis,'Jamiesaidtohimself,'Ican'twaitforyourgoldbutI'dliketoshareabitofyourpie.'
Andhepoppedupfrombehindthetableastheredheadedmanwasabouttoeat.
'CanIsingyouasong,MasterFrancis?
'Jamieaskedhim.Francisblinkedathimwithhismouthstil1open.
'Please,Master,'Jamiesaid.'Asongforamouthfulofpie.'
Themanlaughedandaskedhimifhehadagoodvoice.
'Awonderfulvoice,sir.Sweetasthebirds,Ipromise.'
‘IfyouwanttoearnthePriceofaPie,'saidFrancis'sfriend,'youcangodowntotheharbourandhelploadourShip.'
whatshipisthat,sir?
'Jamieasked.
'ThePelican.Andit'sbeingloadedforavoyageto…'
Butbeforehecouldsayanotherword,Francisheldupahandtostophim.
'Quiet,Wi11,'hesaid.'Abusyinnisnottheplacetotalkaboutourplans.'
Willshuthismouthandlookedroundthenoisyroom.Jamielookedround,too.Andsureenough-orsohethought-therewasathinmanatthenexttable,leaningtowardsthemasiftocatcheveryword.ForasecondJamie'seyemethis,andthemanscowled.
Afacetosourthemilk,Jamiethought.Andfulloftrouble,too.Aftertwoyearsonthestreets,Jamieknewtroublewhenhesawit.
Ashiveroffearranuphisspine.ButFranciswasspeakingtohimagain.
'Comeonthen,lad,'hesaid.'Singup.'
JamieopenedhismouthtoSing,butabroadhandtookholdofhisneckandhefelthimselfjerkedtohisfeet.
'I'vetoldyoubefore,'boomedavoice.'Youleavemygentlemeninpeace.'
Itwastheinnkeeper.HecrookedanarmroundJamie'sthroatandcrushedhimagainsthisgreasyapron.
Jamiekickedoutandflailedhisarmsbutitwasnouse.Theinnkeeperhauledhimbackwardstothedoorandswunghimoutintothenight.
Hetwistedthroughtheairandlandedwithathudinthestreet.Insteadofthesmellofmutton,hisnosewasfi1ledwiththestenchofstrawandhorsedung.ItwasthesecondtimehehadbeenthrownoutofTheBoar'sHeadthatnight.
Hestoodupandshookhimself.Acrossthestreethesawtheg1owofcandle-lightfromTheSwan.Thehumofvoicesinsidetemptedhimtotryhisluckthere,buthe'dbeenthrownoutofTheSwan,too.Hedidn'tfeellikebeingdumpedinhorsemuckafourthtime.
'Ohwell,'hemumbledashewipedhimselfdown,'maybeIshouldgodowntotheharbour.Ifthey'reloadingforavoyage,maybeIcanpickupsomescraps.'
Soonheheardthelapofwateragainstwoodenhullsandropesslappinginthebreeze.Hesawmastsswayingagainsttheblue-blacksky.TheshipinfrontofhimwasThePelican.Therewereothers,too,linedupbehindit.
Theharbourwasbusyforthetimeofnight.Darkfigureswithsacksontheirshouldershurriedbackwardsand
forwards.Somedumpedtheirloadsontheharbourwallandotherstotteredupplanksontotheships.
Hestoppedoneofthesailorsandaskedifhecouldhelp.
'Clearoff,little'un,'thesailorgrowled.You'llonlygetunderourfeet.'
Jamiesighedandsatdownintheshadowofawall.Hisstomachgrumbledwithhungerinthedark.Hisheadhurt.Hewatchedthemenloadingtheirstores.He'dseenshipsbeingloadedmanytimes.Oncehe'dseenasackdropandsplitopen,sendingcheesesrollingoverthecobbles.
Agoodroundcheesewoulddonicelynow,hethought.Maybesomeone'lldropafewsackstonight.Sackaftersackhesawcarriedontotheships.Butnoonestumbled.Nothingspilled.Atlastthemenstoppedworkandwentofftogether,laughingandjoking.
ForawhileJamiewatchedthemoonclimbs1owlyinthesky.Thenhestoodupandstretched.
'Nothingdoinghere,'hesaidsoftlytohimself.HewasabouttowanderbackintoPlymouthTownwhensomethingcaughthiseye.
Twoofthemencameback.〇rweretheythesamemen?
Itwastoodarktoseeproperlyandtheywerewrappedinlongcloaks.
Theymovedlikethemenwho'dloadedtheships,trottingalongwiththeirheadsbowed,buttherewassomethingdifferentaboutthem.
AtfirstJamiecouldn'tthinkwhatitwas.Thenitcametohim.Theyhadnosacksontheirbacks.TheywererunninguptheplankontoThePelicanbuttheycarriednostores.Hesawthemdropintotheshipanddisappearinshadow.Jamiesatdownagainandwaited.
Amanwithalanternonapolecamewanderingalong-thewatchman,keepinghiseyeontheshipswiththeirloadoffreshstores.Hewalkedsteadilya1ongtheharbourwa1luntilhereachedtheshipfurthestfromThePelican.Thenhepausedforamomentbeforeturninground.Itwasthenthatthetwomencamescuttlingdowntheplankagain.
Onewastallwithpalehandswhichflutteredinthedark.Jamieknewhim.Itwasthesour-facedmanfromTheBoar'sHead.Theothermanwasshortandthick-set.
Theymovednimblyandsilently,andthistimetheywerecarryingsome-thing,Atleast,theshortonewas.Itwasmorelikeablackbagthanasackandtheshortmancarrieditonhisshoulderlikeabarrel.
JamieShrankbackintotheshadowofawa11.HesawthemenlookroundandspottheWatchman.Thetallmanstoopedandpickedupastoneinhispalehands.
HehurledithighoverthemastsofmePelicanandJamiehearditdropintotheseawithadeepsplash.
Alongtheharbourwallthewatchmanheardittoo.Hespunroundandheldhimselfstill.Thenheliftedhislanternandpeeredbetweentheships,tryingtoseewherethesoundhadcomefrom.
Whilehewasstillstaringatthesea,themenhurriedawayintheoppositedirection,theircloaksflappingbehindthemastheyran.
CHAPTER2
Palehands
Jamie'smindwasracing.Heknewthatsomethingoddwasgoingon.Hewaiteduntilthemenwerealmostoutofsight,thensetoffafterthem.Whentheyturnedintoasidestreet,heforcedhimselftorunfaster.Mustn'tlosethemnow,hethoughtashepoundedalong.They'lldisappeardownsomedarkalley.Imustkeepup.
Jamiehadseenplentyofthievesonthestreets,butthesetwoweredifferent-andhewassuretheyweredangerous
Commonsensetoldhimtostayoutofit.Buthewascurious.AndmaybetherewasthechanceofpleasingRedBeardandearningsomepie.Maybeevensomethingbetterthanpie.
'Mustn'tlosethem,'hesaidtohimselfoverandover.'Mustn'tlosethem.'
Assoonasthemenreachedthesafetyofasidestreet,theystoppedrunningtocatchtheirbreath.
Theywerebendingdowntoexaminethethingintheblackbag,whenJamiehurtledroundthecornerandranstraightintothem.
Hefelloveroneandro1ledontotheother.Therewereroughshouts,therustleofcloaksandawavingofarms.
Jamie'sstruggledidn'tlastlong.
Soonhefeltakneeonhischestandlongfingerstighteningonhisarm.Hetwistedhisheadandsawthesamepalehandthathadthrownthestone。
Therewasasilverringonthemiddlefinger.Afacecamecloseandspoketohiminaharshvoice.
Andwheredoyouthinkyou'regoing?
'
Itwasthebroadman,theonewhowaskneelingonhim,andtheStenchofhisbreathmadeJamieflinch.
'I'msorry,master,'hesaid.'I'mSorry.'
Thenthetallmanspokeandhisvoicewasathinwhisper.
'He'sfollowingus,Tom.IsawhimtalkingtoRedBeardinTheBoar'sHead.'
No,sir,'saidJamie.Tmnotfollowingyou,I'm