下载辰思小说免费APP
Somefiftyyardsaway，intheextremeangleofthegrass，apartyofthechronicallyunemployedhadgotholdofadog，whomtheyweretorturinginamannernottobedescribed。TheheartofNorris，whichhadgrownindifferenttothecriesofhumanangerordistress，wokeattheappealofthedumbcreature。HeranamongsttheLarrikins，scatteredthem，rescuedthedog，andstoodatbay。Theyweresixinnumber，shamblinggallowsbirds；butforoncetheproverbwasright，crueltywascoupledwithcowardice，andthewretchescursedhimandmadeoff。Itchancedthatthisactofprowesshadnotpassedunwitnessed。Onabenchnearbytherewasseatedashopkeeper’sassistantoutofemploy，adiminutive，cheerful，red-headedcreaturebythenameofHemstead。Hewasthelastmantohaveinterferedhimself，forhisdiscretionmorethanequalledhisvalour；buthemadehastetocongratulateCarthew，andtowarnhimhemightnotalwaysbesofortunate。
“They’readyngerouslotofpeopleaboutthispark。Myword！itdoesn’tdotoplywiththem！”heobserved，inthatRYCY
AUSTRYLIANEnglish，which(asithasreceivedtheimprimaturofMr。Froude)weshouldallmakehastetoimitate。
“Why，I’moneofthatlotmyself。”returnedCarthew。
Hemsteadlaughedandremarkedthatheknewagentlemanwhenhesawone。
“Forallthat，Iamsimplyoneoftheunemployed。”saidCarthew，seatinghimselfbesidehisnewacquaintance，ashehadsat(sincethisexperiencebegan)besidesomanydozenothers。
“I’moutofaplycemyself。”saidHemstead。
“Youbeatmeallthewayandback。”saysCarthew。“MytroubleisthatIhaveneverbeeninone。”
“Isupposeyou’venotryde？”askedHemstead。
“Iknowhowtospendmoney。”repliedCarthew，“andIreallydoknowsomethingofhorsesandsomethingofthesea。Buttheunionsheadmeoff；ifitweren’tforthem，Imighthavehadadozenberths。”
“Myword！”criedthesympatheticlistener。“Evertrythemountedpolice？”heinquired。
“Idid，andwasbowledout。”wasthereply；“couldn’tpassthedoctors。”
“Well，whatdoyouthinkoftheryleways，then？”askedHemstead。
“WhatdoYOUthinkofthem，ifyoucometothat？”askedCarthew。
“O，_I_don’tthinkofthem；Idon’tgoinformanuallabour。”
saidthelittlemanproudly。“Butifamandon’tmindthat，he’sprettysureofajobthere。”
“ByGeorge，youtellmewheretogo！”criedCarthew，rising。
Theheavyrainscontinued，thecountrywasalreadyoverrunwithfloods；therailwaysystemdailyrequiredmorehands，dailythesuperintendentadvertised；but“theunemployed“
preferredtheresourcesofcharityandrapine，andanavvy，evenanamateurnavvy，commandedmoneyinthemarket。Thesamenight，afteratediousjourney，andachangeoftrainstopassalandslip，NorrisfoundhimselfinamuddycuttingbehindSouthClifton，attackinghisfirstshiftofmanuallabour。
Forweekstherainscarcerelented。Thewholefrontofthemountainslippedseawardfromabove，avalanchesofclay，rock，anduprootedforestspewedoverthecliffsandfelluponthebeachorinthebreakers。Houseswerecarriedbodilyawayandsmashedlikenuts；othersweremenacedanddeserted，thedoorlocked，thechimneycold，thedwellersfledelsewhereforsafety。Nightanddaythefireblazedintheencampment；nightanddayhotcoffeewasservedtotheoverdriventoilersintheshift；nightanddaytheengineerofthesectionmadehisroundswithwordsofencouragement，heartyandroughandwellsuitedtohismen。Nightandday，too，thetelegraphclickedwithdisastrousnewsandanxiousinquiry。Alongtheterracedlineofrail，raretrainscamecreepingandsignalling；andpausedatthethreatenedcorner，likelivingthingsconsciousofperil。Thecommandantofthepostwouldhastilyreviewhislabours，make(withadrythroat)thesignaltoadvance；andthewholesquadlinethewayandlookoninachokingsilence，orburstintoabriefcheerasthetrainclearedthepointofdangerandshoton，perhapsthroughthethinsunshinebetweensqualls，perhapswithblinkinglampsintothegathering，rainytwilight。
OnesuchsceneCarthewwillremembertillhedies。Itblewgreatgunsfromtheseaward；ahugesurfbombarded，fivehundredfeetbelowhim，thesteepmountain’sfoot；closeinwasavesselindistress，firingshot
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