Treasure island

69 Treasure Island

“Treasure Island”, a book about pirates, sailing and adventure, was written by Robert Louis Stevenson and takes place1 in the 18th century. A boy, Jim Hawkins, tells us the story. His mother and father run2 the ‘Admiral Benbow’ inn3 in Bristol. One day an old captain arrives with his sea-chest4 and stays at the inn. This man drinks too much rum5. That is when he sings this song: “Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest – yo-ho-ho-, and a bottle of rum! Drink6 and the devil had done for the rest7 – yo-ho-ho-, and a bottle of rum!” One day a blind8 beggar9 comes to the inn and gives the captain a piece of paper with a black spot10 and leaves. This is the sign among pirates that the person will be killed. The captain is very frightened and dies. What should Jim do now?

My mother and I knew that we were in a terrible situation. Some of the captain’s money in his seachest belonged11 to us because he hadn’t paid for his room, but surely the blind beggar wouldn’t give us any money. I couldn’t go to find help and leave my mother alone in the house. And we couldn’t stay in the house – everything we heard frightened12 us. We were afraid that the awful blind beggar was still near and would come back to the inn again. We decided to go together to our neighbours and ask for help. It was foggy when we left the inn. Sometimes we stopped and listened for strange sounds, but we didn’t hear any. Soon we reached our neighbours’ house and were happy to see the yellow candle-light in their doors and windows. But we soon found out that that was the best help we would get from them. None of the neighbours wanted to come back with us to the ‘Admiral Benbow’. Some of the men had seen strangers13 on the road. They were frightened to death of anyone who might be the captain’s comrade14. Then my mother became angry and said: “I will not lose money that belongs to my fatherless boy.” My father had died a day before the captain. “If you are all afraid, Jim and I aren’t. Back we will go, the way we came – with no thanks to you chicken-hearted15 men. We’ll have that sea-chest open if we die for it.” Of course I went with my mother. The full moon was rising16 so we tried to stay hidden behind the bushes17, and moved quickly and quietly. We were glad when we reached the ‘Admiral Benbow’ and locked the door behind us. My mother got a candle. I drew18 the curtains and we went into the room where the dead captain was. I had to find the key19 to the sea-chest. I went down on my knees and found a piece of paper with a black spot on one side. On the other side of the paper were the words: ‘You have until ten tonight.’ “He had until ten, mother,” said I; and just as I said it, our old clock struck20. This frightened us, but the news was good. It was only six.

1 (to) take place !teIk *pleIs? • 2(to) run !r0n? • 3inn !In? • 4sea-chest !*si: tSest? • 5rum !r0m? • 6drink and the devil !drINk-and DE *devl? • 7(to) do for the rest !du: fE DE *rest? • 8blind !blaInd? • 9beggar !*beGE? • 10spot !spOt? • 11(to) belong to sb !bI*lON tE? • 12(to) frighten !*fraItn? • 13stranger !*streIndZE? • 14comrade !*kOmreId? • 15chicken-hearted !*tSIkn+hA:tId? • 16 (to) rise !raIz? • 17bush !bUS? • 18(to) draw !drC:? • 19key !ki:?

“Now, Jim,” she said, “that key.” I felt in all his pockets, but I didn’t find anything. My mother suggested his neck. I opened his shirt at the neck and there was the key on a string21. I cut22 the string with the captain’s knife and my mother unlocked23 the seachest, and when she opened it, we smelt tobacco. On the very top were some very good clothes. Under that we found tobacco, some pistols24, some silver25 and an old Spanish watch. At the very bottom we found a bundle26 tied up27 in cloth28, and a bag of coins. “I’ll take only the money that belongs to us and no more,” my mother promised. She wanted to show that she was an honest29 woman. I suddenly put my hand on her arm because I heard in the quiet, cold air a sound that brought my heart into my mouth – the tap-tapping of the blind man’s stick on the frozen road. It came closer and closer. We sat still. The stick hit the inn door and the beggar tried to open the door. It was quiet for a long time and then the tapping started again. The beggar was walking away. “Mother,” said I, “take everything and let’s go. I’m sure he’ll come back and not alone.” But my mother, even though she was frightened, wouldn’t take more money than what belonged to her and wouldn’t be happy with less. “It’s not yet seven,” she said. “We’ve still got time.” She was still arguing30 with me when we heard a little whistle from the hill. That was enough, and more than enough, for both of us. “I’ll take what I have,” she said and jumped to her feet. “And I’ll take this to make it fair,” said I and picked up the cloth bundle. We left the candle upstairs, felt our way down the steps, opened the door and ran away. It was not a moment too soon. The fog was rising and the moon was shining on the hills. We heard footsteps31 and saw a light that went up and down. “My dear,” said my mother suddenly, “take the money and run. I’m going to faint32.” This was the end for both of us. Our neighbours were scared and my mother was too honest and greedy33 at the same time! We stopped at a little bridge and I helped my mother to the edge34 of the bank35. There she fell on my shoulder. I don’t know how I did it, but I pulled36 her down the bank and a bit under the bridge. I couldn’t hide her better because the bridge was not high enough. So we had to stay there – my mother almost out in the open37 and both of us so close to the inn that we could hear everything. There was a treasure map in the cloth bundle. Jim sailed away to find the treasure – but he wasn’t the only one. You can read the rest of the story in the “Easy Reader” book: “Treasure Island”.

20(to) strike !straIk? • 21string !strIN? • 22(to) cut !k0t? • 23(to) unlock !un*lOk? • 24pistol !*pIstl? • 25silver !*sIlvE? • 26bundle !*b0ndl? • 27(to) tie up !taI *0p? • 28cloth !klOT? • 29honest !*OnIst? • 30(to) argue !*A:Gju:? • 31footstep !*fUtstep? • 32(to) faint !feInt? • 33greedy !*Gri:di? • 34edge !edZ? • 35bank !bxNk? • 36(to) pull !pUl? • 37out in the open !aUt-In Di-*EUpn?