# ■ 1 Pip meets a stranger

My first name was Philip，but when I was a small child I could only manage to say Pip．So Pip was what every-body called me．I lived in a small village in Essex with my sister，who was over twenty years older than me，and married to Joe Gargery，the village blacksmith．My parents had died when I was a baby，so I could not remember them at all，but quite often I used to visit the churchyard，abut a mile from the village，to look at their names on their gravestones．

My first memory is of sitting on a gravestone in that church-yard one cold，grey，December afternoon，looking out at the dark，flat，wild marshes divided by the black line of the River Thames，and listening to the rushing sound of the sea in the distance．

‘Don't say a word！’cried a terrible voice，as a man jumped up from among the graves and caught hold of me．‘If you shout I'll cut your throat！’He was a big man，dressed all in grey，with an iron chain on his leg．His clothes were wet and torn．He looked exhausted，and hungry，and very fierce．I had never been so frightened in my whole life．

‘Oh！Don't cut my throat，sir！’I begged in terror．

‘Tell me your name，boy！Quick！’he said，still holding me．‘And show me where you live！’

‘My name's Pip，sir．And I live in the village over there．’

He picked me up and turned me upside-down．Nothing fell out of my pocket except a piece of old bread．He ate it in two bites，like a dog，and put me back on the gravestone．

‘So where are your father and mother？’he asked．

‘There，sir，’I answered，pointing to their graves．

‘What！’he cried，and was about to run，when he saw where I was pointing．‘Oh！’he said．‘ I see．They're dead．Well，who do you live with，if I let you live，which I haven't decided yet？’

‘With my sister，sir，wife of Joe Gargery，the blacksmith．’

Blacksmith，you say？And he looked down at his leg．Then he held me by both arms and stared fiercely down into my eyes．

‘Now look here．You bring me a file．You know what that is？And you bring me some food．If you don't，or if you tell anyone about me，I'll cut your heart out．’

‘I promise I'll do it，sir，’I answered．I was badly fright ened and my whole body was trembling.

‘You see，’he continued，smiling unpleasantly，‘I travel with a young man，a friend of mine，who roasts boys’hearts and eats them．He'll find you，wherever you are，and he'll have your heart．So bring the file and the food to that wooden shelter over there，early tomorrow morning，if you want to keep your heart，that is Remember，you promised！’

I watched him turn and walk with difficulty across the marshes，the chain hanging clumsily around his leg．Then I ran home as fast as I could．

My sister，Mrs Joe Gargery，was very proud of the fact that she had brought me up‘by hand’．Nobody explained to me what this meant，and because she had a hard and heavy hand，which she used freely on her husband as well as me，I supposed that Joe and I were both brought up by hand．She was not a beautiful woman，being tall and thin，with black hair and eyes and a very red face．She clearly felt that Joe and I caused her a lot of trouble，and she frequently complained about it．Joe，on the other hand，was a gentle，kind man with fair hair and weak blue eyes，who quietly accepted her scolding．

Because Joe and I were in the same position of being scolded by Mrs Joe，we were good friends，and Joe protected me from her anger whenever he could．So when I ran breathless into the kitchen，he gave me a friendly warning．‘She's out look-ing for you，Pip！And she's got the stick with her！’This stick had been used so often for beating me that it was now quite smooth．

Just then Mrs Joe rushed in．

‘Where have you been，you young monkey？'she shouted．I jumped behind Joe to avoid being hit with the stick．

‘Only to the churchyard，’I whispered，starting to cry．

‘Churchyard！If I hadn't brought you up，you'd be in the churchyard with our parents．You'll send me to the church-yard one day！Now let me get your supper ready，both of you！’

For the rest of the evening，I thought of nothing but the stranger on the marshes．Sometimes，as the wind blew round the house，I imagined I heard his voice outside，and I thought with horror of the young man who ate boys’ hearts．

Just before I went to bed，we heard the sound of a big gun on the marshes．‘Was that a gun，Joe？’I asked．

‘Ah！'said Joe．‘Another convict's escaped．One got away last night．They always fire the gun when one escapes．’

‘Who fires the gun？’I asked．Joe shook his head to warn me．

‘Too many questions，’frowned my sister．‘If you must know it's the men in the prison-ships who fire the gun．’

‘I wonder who is put into prison-ships，and why？’I asked，in a general way，quietly desperate to know the answer．

This was too much for Mrs Joe．‘Listen，my boy，I didn't bring you up by hand to annoy people to death！There are ships on the river which are used as prisons．People who steal and murder are put in the prison-ships，and they stay there for years sometimes．And they always begin their life of crime by asking too many questions！Now，go to bed！’

I could not sleep at all that night．I was in terror of the young man who wanted my heart，I was in terror of the man with the iron chain，I was in terror of my sister，who would soon discover I had stolen her food．As soon as there was a lit-tle light in the sky outside my window， I got up and went qui-etly down to the kitchen．I stole some bread，cheese and a big meat pie，hoping that，as there was a lot of food ready for Christmas，nobody would notice what was missing．I did not dare take the whole brandy bottle，so I poured some into a smaller bottle to take away with me．Then I filled up the brandy bottle with what I thought was water from a big brown bottle．I took a file from Joe's box of tools，and ran out on to the dark marshes．

The mist was so thick that I could not see anything．Al-though I knew my way to the shelter very well，I almost got lost this time．I was near it when I saw a man sitting on the ground，half asleep．I went up and touched his shoulder．He jumped up，and it was the wrong man！He was dressed in grey，too，and had an iron chain on his leg．He ran away into the mist．

‘It's the young man！’I thought，feeling a pain in my heart．

When I arrived at the shelter，I found the right man．He looked so cold and hungry that I felt sorry for him．Trembling violently he swallowed the brandy and ate the food like a hunt-ed animal，looking around him all the time for danger．

‘You're sure you didn't tell anyone？Or bring anyone？’

‘No，sir．I'm glad you're enjoying the food，sir．’

‘Thank you，my boy．You've been good to a poor man．’

‘But I'm afraid there won't be any left for him．’

‘Him？ Who's that？’My friend stopped in the middle of eating．

‘The young man who travels with you．’

‘Oh，him！’he replied，smiling．‘He doesn't want any food．’

‘I thought he looked rather hungry，’I answered．

He stared at me in great surprise．‘Looked？When？’

‘Just now，over there．I found him half asleep and I thought it was you．He was dressed like you，and—’I was anxious to express this politely‘-he had the same reason for wanting to borrow a file．’

‘Then I did hear them fire the gun last night！You know，boy，when you're on the marsh alone at night，you imagine all kinds of things，voices calling，guns firing，soldiers marching！But show me where this man went．I'll find him and I'll fin-ish with him！I'll smash his face！Give me the file first．’

I was afraid of him now that he was angry again．

‘I'm sorry，I must go home now，’I said．He did not seem to hear，so I left him bending over his leg and filing away at his iron chain like a madman．Halfway home I stopped in the mist to listen，and I could still hear the sound of the file．

■ 1 匹普與一位陌生人相遇

我的教名叫菲利普，但是在我小時候，我僅會說匹普。因此，匹普就成了大家叫我的名字。我與姐姐住在埃森克斯的一個小村莊，姐姐比我大20多歲，她與村裡的鐵匠喬·葛吉瑞結了婚。當我還是一個嬰兒時，父母就離開了人間，所以我記不得他們的一切情況，但是，我常常去離村莊大約1英里的教堂墓地，瞻仰墓碑上他們的名字。

我的最初記憶是在十二月份一個寒冷的、天色陰沉的下午，正坐在那個教堂墓地的一塊墓石上。看到的是被那黑色泰晤士河分割成的一片黑壓壓的沼澤荒地，聽到的是從遠處大海刮來的嗖嗖呼嘯聲。

“別出聲！”一個凶惡的聲音大喊起來，這時，從墓地裡竄出一個人來，一把抓住我，“安靜點，不然我割斷你的喉嚨！”他身材高大，穿著一身灰色衣服，腿上拴著一副腳鐐。他的衣服溼淋淋的並且破爛不堪，看上去筋疲力盡、飢寒交迫、十分凶殘的樣子，在我一生中從沒有見過如此可怕的人。

“噢！先生，不要殺我！”我害怕地乞求著。

“小子，告訴我你叫什麼名字！快點！”他仍然抓著我說，‘’指給我`看你住在哪兒！”

“先生，我叫匹普，我住在那邊的村莊裡。”

他抓起我，又把我按倒在地。我的口袋裡除了一塊剩麵包則一無所有，他狼吞虎嚥地吃下兩口，又把我放回墓石上。

“那麼，你的爸爸媽媽在哪兒？”他問道。

“先生，在那兒，”我指著那裡的墳墓回答。

當他看到我所指的地方時，“什麼！”他叫起來拔腿就跑。“噢！”他說，“我明白了，他們已經死了。嘿，你跟誰一起生活？但是，我是否讓你活著還沒決定。”

“和我姐姐在一起，先生，鐵匠喬·葛吉瑞的妻子。”

“你說，鐵匠？”他低下頭看看自己的腿，然後抱住我，用凶狠的眼光盯著我的雙眼。

“你看這兒，給我帶把銼子來，你知道什麼是銼嗎？再給我弄點吃的，如果你辦不到，或者把我的情況告訴別人，我會挖出你的心臟來。”

“我保證會做到的，先生。”我回答說。我非常害怕，整個身體在顫抖。

“你明白，”他不高興地冷笑著繼續說，“同我一起來的還有一個年輕人，是我的朋友，他烤過小孩的心臟並把它們吃掉。不管你在哪兒，他都會找到你並吃掉你的心臟。所以，明天一大早，把帶來的銼和食物送到那邊的木製遮蔽體前。如果你要活命的話，那麼，記住你的諾言！”

我注視著他轉過身去，腳鐐懸掛在笨拙的腿上。踉踉蹌蹌地穿過沼澤地，這時我拼命地往家跑。

我的姐姐，喬·葛吉瑞夫人。事實上，她以“親手”把我帶大感到很自豪，沒有人給我解釋這意味著什麼。因為，她有十分厲害、粗糙有力的手，隨便用在她的丈夫及我的身上，我想像喬和我都是這樣被“親手撫養”的。她不是一個漂亮的女人，長得瘦高條，黑色的頭髮和眼睛，一副赤紅的面孔。她確實覺得喬和我給她添了不少麻煩，常常為這些發牢騷。相反，喬是一個和藹、心地善良的人。長有金色的頭髮和淺藍色的眼睛，老老實實地聽從她的訓斥。

因為我和喬都處於被喬夫人責罵的地位，我們倆是好朋友，喬隨時都在保護我免遭她的怒斥。所以，當我上氣不接下氣地跑進廚房時，他給了我一個友好的忠告：“她正在外面找你，匹普！她還拿了條棍子！”這條棍子過去常用來敲打我，它現在是非常光滑了。

正在這時，喬夫人闖了進來。

“到哪裡去了，你這個小淘氣鬼？”她大叫著，我跳著躲到喬的背後，以避開她棍子的毒打。

“只去了教堂墓地，”我小聲嘟囔著，接著哭了起來。

“教堂墓地！如果不是我照顧你，你早就和我們的父母被埋在教堂墓地裡了。有一天你會把我送到墳墓去！現在，我給你們準備晚餐，你們倆！”

晚上休息時，我其它的事情都不想，只考慮沼澤地裡那個陌生人。有時，當風在房屋周圍掠過時，我想自己聽到外面他的聲音，還想起吞吃小孩子心臟的那個可怕的年輕人。

我剛要睡覺，我們聽到從沼澤地傳來的一陣槍聲。“喬，那槍聲是幹什麼的？”我問道。

“噢！”喬說，“又有一個囚犯逃走了，昨晚上有一個囚犯逃跑了。當有囚犯逃跑時，他們總是要開火”。

“向誰開的槍？”我問道，喬搖搖頭警告我。

“問得太多了，”我的姐姐皺著眉頭說，“你要是知道關在船上監獄的那些人，就明白向誰開槍了。”

“我想知道誰被關在船上監獄裡，為什麼他們被關在那裡？”我追問道，通常，我非常想知道這類問題的答案。

對於喬夫人來說，這是問得太多了，“聽著，我的孩子，我不讓你跌入絕望和死亡的深淵！在那條河裡有一些船專門用其當監獄，小偷和殺人犯被關在那些船上監獄裡，有時他們在那裡要呆上很多年。而且，他們通常在他們犯罪開始的時候總是會提出許多為什麼！喂，睡覺去！”

那天晚上，我徹夜未眠，在想要吃我心臟的那個凶惡的年輕人，在想帶著腳鐐的那個凶狠的人，在想我那可怕的姐姐，馬上就會發現我偷了她的食物。外面的天空透過窗戶剛出現朦朦的亮，我就起了床，悄悄地下了樓進了廚房。我偷了一些麵包、黃油和一大塊肉餅。因為，為過聖誕節準備了許多吃的，希望沒有人會發現少了東西。我沒敢拿整瓶的白蘭地酒，而是倒了一些盛在小瓶裡帶上了。然後，我用自己認為是盛水的大褐色瓶子裡的水把白蘭地瓶子倒滿。我從喬的工具盒裡拿了一把銼，隨之跑出了家門，直奔黑壓壓的沼澤地。

大霧瀰漫，伸手不見五指。雖然我對去遮蔽體的路瞭如指掌，但這次幾乎是迷了路。我接近遮蔽體時，看見一個人坐在地上，幾乎睡著了。我走過去，拍拍他的肩膀，他一躍而起。他不是我遇見的那個人！他也穿著灰布衣服，腿上也戴著一副腳鐐。他逃跑到濃霧之中。

“就是那個年輕人！”我想，心裡很害怕。

當我到達那個遮蔽體時，找到了第一個囚犯。他看上去飢寒交迫，我為他感到很內疚。他好像惡狼一樣，抖抖嗦嗦地往嘴裡填著食物，喝著白蘭地。

“你保證你沒告訴任何人？沒有帶任何人來吧？”

“沒有，先生，你吃得這麼有滋味，我真高興，先生。”

“謝謝你，我的孩子。你給一個窮苦人辦了一件好事。”

“我很害怕，沒有留點吃的給他。”

“他？誰呀？”我的朋友停下吃了半截的東西問道。

“就是和你一起來的那個小夥子。”

“噢，他嗎！”他譏笑著說，“他是不吃東西的。”

“我看他的樣子很餓，”我回答說。

他十分驚訝的盯著我，“看樣子？什麼時候？”

“剛才，在那邊兒。我發現他正在打瞌睡，開始我還認為是你呢。他穿的衣服和您一樣，還有……”我猶豫了一下，用這種文雅的表達方式，“……他有一個同樣的理由，要借一把銼。”

“而且，我昨晚聽到了他們的槍聲！你知道，孩子，當你在晚上獨自一人在沼澤地裡，你想想，所有形形色色的東西，尖叫聲，槍擊聲，士兵們向前挺進！指給我這個人去的路，我會找到他，結束他的性命！打爛他的臉！先給我銼。”

他再一次發怒，我現在很怕他。

“對不起，我現在該回家了，”我說，他似乎沒聽到，他頭衝著膝蓋，像一個瘋子一樣，正往下銼腳鐐。因此，我趁機溜走，回家的半路上我在濃霧中停住了腳步，聽聽聲音，我仍然能聽到銼腳鐐的聲音。