英语听力：远大前程 17 Pip is close to death

　　17 Pip is close to death

　　I paid Clarrikers Miss Havisham's nine hundred pounds，and felt glad that Herbert's future，at least， was safe．Clarrikers were going to send Herbert to India，to open a new office there．So while helping 1 my old friend，I would be losing him at the same time．

　　Wemmick advised us to move Magwitch out of the country in the middle of the week．So we decided 2 to row the boat down to Clara's house on Wednesday，collect Magwitch，and continue right down the river to Essex，where we could stop one of the foreign ships sailing 3 from the port of London to Ger many or Holland 4．With luck，nobody would notice us or sus pect us．Our friend Startop agreed to row instead of me，as my hands were still too painful．

　　However， when I went back to our rooms on Monday， my head full of arrangements for the journey，I found a letter，ad dressed to me and delivered by hand．It said：

　　‘If you want information about your guest，you should come tonight or tomorrow night to the old house near the lime 5 kiln 6 on the marshes 7．Tell no one．You must come alone．’

　　I did not have time to consider． I rushed out again and was just in time to catch the afternoon coach．

　　I stopped in town only to ask about Miss Havisham． She was still very ill， it seemed．Then I walked fast on to the dark lonely marshes．Soon I arrived at the lime-kiln， which was still burning，although the workmen 8 had all gone home．I pushed open the door of the old house， which I thought was uninhabited，but to my surprise there was a bed， a table and a candle inside Suddenly the candle was blown out，I was at-tacked from behind and my arms were tied close to my sides with a thick rope．The pain in my injured 9 arm was terrible．In a moment the candle was lit again，and I recognized my at-tacker．Orlick！I saw he had been drinking，and I knew I was in a very dangerous situation．

　　‘Now，’ he said fiercely，‘I've got you！’

　　‘Why have you brought me here？’I asked．

　　‘Don't yon know？’ he replied， drinking straight from a bottle．‘Because you're my enemy． I lost that job at Miss Havisham's because of you． And what's more， Biddy would have liked me if you hadn't been there．You've been in my way ever since you were a child．And now I'm going to have your life！Tonight you're going to die！’

　　I felt I was looking down into my own grave 10． I could see no possible way of escape．

　　‘More than that，’he said，‘I don't want anything left of you．I'll put your body in the kiln．Even your clothes will be burnt，and in the morning there'll be nothing left．’

　　I realized I had not told anybody where I was going．No-body would know where to look for me．

　　‘Another thing，’he said，smiling cruelly，‘it was your fault your ugly sister was attacked．I did it，I hit her with the iron 11 chain your convict 12 left on the marshes，but I did it be cause I hated you！’ He drank again．I watched the level of the liquid go down．I knew that when he finished the bottle， my life would end．

　　‘And I know all about that convict you’ re hiding． I've waited and watched outside your rooms and on the stairs．You fell over me once．I've got a friend who's going to inform the police about him．Yes，Compeyson'll make sure he's hanged，when you're dead！’

　　The last of the rum went down his throat， and picking up his hammer he came towards me．Determined 13 to fight，I shouted as loudly as I could． Suddenly the door was thrown open and Herbert and Startop rushed in． With a violent 14 shout Orlick jumped over the table and escaped into the night．

　　My two friends had found Orlick's letter to me， which， in my hurry，I had dropped in my room in London． They had suspected some wicked 15 plot 16， and come straight to the town，and then to the marshes， to find me． Luckily they had arrived just in time．

　　They took me back to London that night， and looked after me carefully all the next day， so that， although my arm was still aching 17， and I felt very weak，I was fit enough for the planned journey on Wednesday．

　　17 匹普死里逃生

　　我支付给克拉雷克斯，郝薇香小姐的900英镑，感到高兴的是，最终，赫伯特的前程是平安无事。克拉雷克斯打算派赫伯特去印度，在那儿办一个新的事务所。因此，在帮助我的老朋友同时，我将失去他。

　　文米克劝我们在本周中期把马格韦契转移到国外。因此，我们决定在星期三，划船到克莱拉的家，带上马格韦契，继续沿着河走到艾西克斯，在那儿，我们能够停靠在从伦敦港口航行到德国或荷兰去的其中一艘外国船上。带给我们好运，没有人会发现和怀疑我们。我们的朋友史达多蒲同意代替我划船，因为我的手仍然很痛。

　　然而，当我星期一回到我们的住处时，为了这次旅行安排，我的头都胀大了，我发现一封写给我的信，并是亲手递送的，内容如下：

　　“如果想知道你的客人消息，你在今天晚上或明天晚上到沼泽地石灰窑附近那间旧屋来，勿让别人知道，你必须独自一人来。”

　　我没有时间思考，我又冲了出去，正好赶上下午的马车。

　　我在镇上停下来，只是想打听一下郝薇香小姐的情况，好像是她病得仍然很重。然后，我快速向荒凉黑暗的沼泽地走去。很快找到了石灰窑，虽然民工都已回家，但是石灰窑仍在燃烧。我推开那间旧屋的门，我想没有人居住。但是，让我吃惊的是里面有一张床、一张桌子和一支蜡烛。突然蜡烛被扑灭，有人在背后袭击了我，双臂被一条粗绳子紧紧地绑在我身体的两侧，在受伤的胳膊上，疼痛难以忍受。过了一会儿，蜡烛又点亮了，认出我的袭击者，奥立克！我见他已经喝了酒，知道我处在十分危险的位置。

　　“喂，”他凶恶地说，“我可逮住你啦！”

　　“你为什么把我带到这儿！”我问道。

　　“你不知道？”他回答说，直接对着瓶子喝着酒，“因为你是我的敌人。因为你，我失去了郝薇香小姐家的那份工作。还有，如果你不在那儿的话，毕蒂会喜欢我。自从你是个小孩子时就一直有害于我。现在，我打算杀了你！今天晚上，你将走向末日。

　　我感觉到，我正走向死亡之墓。我明白，无逃生之路。

　　“这还不够，”他说，“我不会让你留下任何痕迹，我将把你的身体放到石灰窑里，甚至连你的衣服都化为灰烬，到了早晨将一丝不留。”

　　我知道没有告诉任何人我去哪了，没有人会知道到这儿找我。

　　“还有另一件事情”，他残忍地笑着说，“你那讨厌的姐姐被击倒是你的过错，那是我干的，我击倒了她，用的是在沼泽地你那个罪犯留下的铁链。不过，都是因为恨你我才干的！”他又喝了酒，我看到酒的液面在下降。我知道，当他喝完这瓶酒，我的生命即将结束。

　　“我对你藏的那个罪犯了如指掌，我已经在你的屋子外面和楼梯等候监视着，你一旦落在我手上，我有一个朋友，这个朋友打算把他的情况通知警察。对了，康培生确信他将被绞死。那时，你也归天了！”

　　他最后一滴朗姆酒下肚，拿起锤子向我走来，决定去战斗，我拼命地大声呼喊。突然，门被撞开，赫伯特和史达多蒲冲了进来，伴随着一阵猛烈的嘈杂声，奥立克跳上桌子，逃窜到黑夜之中。

　　我的两个朋友发现了奥立克给我的信，由于慌忙，把信掉在伦敦我的屋子里，他们猜到一些不好的兆头，直接到了镇上，然后去了沼泽地找我。真幸运，他们到得正是时候。

　　他们连夜把我带回伦敦，第二天一整天都细心地照料我。虽然，我的手臂仍然疼痛，感觉很虚弱，我还是能胜任星期三的旅行计划。