Большие надежды. Уровень 2 / Great Expectations

There stood a party of soldiers with their muskets.

Chapter 5

The sergeant and I were in the kitchen when Mrs. Joe stared at us.

“Excuse me, ladies and gentleman,” said the sergeant, “but I am on a chase in the name of the king, and I want the blacksmith.”

“And why do you want him?” retorted my sister.

“Missis,” returned the gallant sergeant, “a little job. You see, blacksmith, we had an accident with handcuffs. The lock of one of them goes wrong, it doesn’t act pretty. We need immediate service, will you look at them?”

Joe looked at them and said,

“The job will take two hours.

“Will you give me the time?” said the sergeant to Mr. Pumblechook.

“It’s just half past two.”

“That’s not so bad,” said the sergeant. “How far are the marshes? Not above a mile, I reckon?”

“Just a mile,” said Mrs. Joe.

“Convicts, sergeant?” asked Mr. Wopsle.

“Ay!” returned the sergeant, “two. They are out on the marshes, and we are going to catch them.

At last, Joe’s job was finished. Joe got on his coat, and offered us to go down with the soldiers. Mr. Pumblechook and Mr. Hubble declined; but Mr. Wopsle was ready to go with Joe. Joe wanted to take me. What will say Mrs. Joe? Mrs. Joe said,

“If you bring the boy back with his head crushed, don’t ask me to put it together again.”

Soon we were all out in the raw air. We were steadily moving towards the marshs, and I whispered to Joe,

“I hope, Joe, we shan’t find them.

Joe whispered to me,

“I hope too, Pip.”

The weather was cold and threatening, the way was dreary. The people had good fires and were celebtaring the day. A few faces looked after us from the windows, but none came out. We passed the finger-post, and held straight on to the churchyard. There we were stopped by a signal from the sergeant’s hand. Two or three of his men dispersed themselves among the graves, and examined the porch. They did not find anything.

I looked all about for any sign of the convicts. Finally, I saw them both. The soldiers stopped.

After that they began to run. After a while, we heard a voice “Murder!” and another voice, “Convicts! Runaways! Guard! This way!” The soldiers ran like deer, and Joe too.

“Here are both men!” panted the sergeant. “Surrender, you two!”

Water was splashing, and mud was flying.

“Mind that!” said my convict.