培根修道士和黄铜头像（4）（2/2）
《泰西故事30篇》作者：李汉昭 2017-04-10 17:32
o strange things, but it will harm no man.” A sound like rolling thunder filled the room, the image’s eyes flashed again, and a cloud of blue smoke came pouring from its nostrils. Miles turned white with fear, and would have run out at the door had not the friar held him by the arm.
“Do not be afraid,” he said. “The head will not hurt you. It does these things at my bidding. If you do not touch it, it will remain quiet in its place, just as it is now.”
“I see, master, I see,” said Miles，“and it is not myself that will be afraid of a collection of brass. Why, I have fought in forty battles in France and in Flanders, and never yet have I known fear.”
“You are certainly a brave man, Miles, and that is why I have called you. The favor that I ask of you is this: Will you watch here for me for an hour or two while I get a little needed rest? You know that Brother Bungay has failed me these five nights, and I cannot keep awake longer.”
“Is it to watch the house that you wish me? There is certainly nothing hard in that. I will hold my good cudgel in my hand, and keep my eyes on every door and window so that no robbers will dare to come near.”
“But it is the brazen head that I wish you to watch. Keep your eyes on it, and if it should begin to speak, then call me quickly.”
“The brazen head, is it? Sure, and it cannot hurt me, for you have said so. But you will let me keep the cudgel, in case the robbers might come, won’t you?”
“Do not be afraid,” he said. “The head will not hurt you. It does these things at my bidding. If you do not touch it, it will remain quiet in its place, just as it is now.”
“I see, master, I see,” said Miles，“and it is not myself that will be afraid of a collection of brass. Why, I have fought in forty battles in France and in Flanders, and never yet have I known fear.”
“You are certainly a brave man, Miles, and that is why I have called you. The favor that I ask of you is this: Will you watch here for me for an hour or two while I get a little needed rest? You know that Brother Bungay has failed me these five nights, and I cannot keep awake longer.”
“Is it to watch the house that you wish me? There is certainly nothing hard in that. I will hold my good cudgel in my hand, and keep my eyes on every door and window so that no robbers will dare to come near.”
“But it is the brazen head that I wish you to watch. Keep your eyes on it, and if it should begin to speak, then call me quickly.”
“The brazen head, is it? Sure, and it cannot hurt me, for you have said so. But you will let me keep the cudgel, in case the robbers might come, won’t you?”