Викрадений
Chapter 24
“No,”saidhe,withratheratremblingvoice,“butwhenIsayIwastoblame?”
“Why,ofcourse,yeweretoblame,”saidI,coolly;“andyouwillbearmeoutthatIhaveneverreproachedyou.”
“Never,”sayshe;“butyekenverywellthatye’vedoneworse.Arewetopart?Yesaidsooncebefore.Areyetosayitagain?There’shillsandheatherenoughbetweenhereandthetwoseas,David;andIwillownI’mnoverykeentostaywhereI’mnowanted.”
Thispiercedmelikeasword,andseemedtolaybaremyprivatedisloyalty.
“AlanBreck!”Icried;andthen:“DoyouthinkIamonetoturnmybackonyouinyourchiefneed?Youdursn’tsayittomyface.Mywholeconduct’stheretogivethelietoit.It’strue,Ifellasleepuponthemuir;butthatwasfromweariness,andyoudowrongtocastituptome——”
“WhichiswhatIneverdid,”saidAlan.
“Butasidefromthat,”Icontinued,“whathaveIdonethatyoushouldevenmetodogsbysuchasupposition?Ineveryetfailedafriend,andit’snotlikelyI’llbeginwithyou.TherearethingsbetweenusthatIcanneverforget,evenifyoucan.”
“Iwillonlysaythistoye,David,”saidAlan,veryquietly,“thatIhavelongbeenowingyemylife,andnowIoweyemoney.Yeshouldtrytomakethatburdenlightforme.”
Thisoughttohavetouchedme,andinamanneritdid,butthewrongmanner.IfeltIwasbehavingbadly;andwasnownotonlyangrywithAlan,butangrywithmyselfinthebargain;anditmademethemorecruel.
