【英文原著类】Fables(寓言).pdf

. Fables
Fables
By Robert Louis Stevenson
1
. Fables
CHAPTER I. - THE PERSONS OF
THE TALE.
AFTER the 32nd chapter of TREASURE ISLAND, two of the
puppets strolled out to have a pipe before business should begin again,
and met in an open place not far from the story.
"Good-morning, Cap'n," said the first, with a man-o'-war salute, and
a beaming countenance.
"Ah, Silver!" grunted the other. "You're in a bad way, Silver."
"Now, Cap'n Smollett," remonstrated Silver, "dooty is dooty, as I
knows, and none better; but we're off dooty now; and I can't see no call
to keep up the morality business."
"You're a damned rogue, my man," said the Captain.
"Come, come, Cap'n, be just," returned the other. "There's no call
to be angry with me in earnest. I'm on'y a chara'ter in a sea story. I
don't really exist."
"Well, I don't really exist either," says the Captain, "which seems to
meet that."
"I wouldn't set no limits to what a virtuous chara'ter might consider
argument," responded Silver. "But I'm the villain of this tale, I am; and
speaking as one sea-faring man to another, what I want to know is,
what's the odds?"
"Were you never taught your catechism?" said the Captain. "Don't
you know there's such a thing as an Author?"
"Such a thing as a Author?" returned John, derisively. "And who
better'n me? And the p'int is, if the Author made you, he made Long
John, and he made Hands, and Pew, and e Merry - not that e
is up to much, for he's little more'n a name; and he made Flint, what
there is of him; and he made this here mutiny, you keep such a work
about; and he had Tom Redruth shot; and - well, if that's a Author, give
me Pew!"
2
. Fables
"Don't you believe in a future state?" said Smollett. "Do you think
there's nothing but the present story-paper?"
"I don't rightly know for that," said Silver; "and I don't see what it's
got to do with it, anyway. What I know is this: if there is sich a thing as
a Author, I'm his favourite c