Kidnapped / Похищенный. Книга для чтения на английском языке

I lifted my hand with a faint heart under my jacket, and knocked once. Then I stood and waited. The house had fallen into a dead silence; a whole minute passed away, and nothing stirred but the bats overhead. Whoever was in that house kept deadly still, and must have held his breath.

I was in two minds whether to run away; but anger got the upper hand, and I began instead to rain kicks and buffets on the door, and to shout out aloud for Mr. Balfour. I was in full career, when I heard the cough right overhead, and jumping back and looking up, beheld a man’s head in a tall nightcap, and the bell mouth of a blunderbuss, at one of the first-storey windows.

�It’s loaded,’ said a voice.

�I have come here with a letter,’ I said, �to Mr. Ebenezer Balfour of Shaws. Is he here?’

�Well,’ was the reply, �ye can put it down upon the doorstep, and be off with ye.’

�I will do no such thing,’ I cried. �I will deliver it into Mr. Balfour’s hands, as it was meant I should.

�Who are ye, yourself?’ he asked, after a considerable pause.

�I am not ashamed of my name,’ said I. �They call me David Balfour.’

At that, I made sure the man started, for I heard the blunderbuss rattle on the window-sill; and it was after quite a long pause, and with a curious change of voice, that the next question followed: �Is your father dead?’

I was so much surprised at this, that I could find no voice to answer, but stood staring.

�Ay,’ the man resumed, �he’ll be dead, no doubt; and that’ll be what brings ye chapping to my door.’ Another pause, and then defiantly, �Well, man,’ he said, �I’ll let ye in;’ and he disappeared from the window.

Chapter III

I Make Acquaintance of My Uncle

Presently there came a great rattling of chains and bolts, and the door was cautiously opened and shut to again behind me as soon as I had passed.

�Go into the kitchen and touch naething[8 - naething = nothing – (шотл.) ничего],’ said the voice; and while the person of the house set himself to replacing the defences of the door, I groped my way forward and entered the kitchen.

As soon as the last chain was up, the man rejoined me. He was a mean, stooping, narrow-shouldered, clay-faced creature; and his age might have been anything between fifty and seventy.