Chapter 10 Chapter 8 The Devil in New Hope-1

The story we shall tell below begins between 1740 and 1742 with a dilapidated wooden church on "Rhode Island" in what was once the old Liberal Grace church. The Liberal Grace sect is a peculiar religious sect, and it was they who erected this crude building.The basic principle of the creed of this sect is to reject all concepts of hell, they believe that God is merciful to the whole world, and by virtue of God's grace, in the future life, all souls should enjoy eternal happiness. Because the sect was considered a dangerous heresy, the followers of the Free Grace sect were expelled from the Massachusetts colony. After years of traveling, they finally settled in Providence Plantation in "Rhode Island" , this place is right next to the town of New Hope.There, they built a row of small houses and a church for worship, lived here temporarily, and made a living on the barren land that belonged to them, and lived an uneasy life ever since.

It is conceivable that the surrounding residents did not warmly accept such a group of strange people, and finally, they even warned these people, asking them to leave their cold, crumbling huts immediately and move to other places.So they were deported again, and forced to board the Bristol brig for Pennsylvania, where they gradually disappeared, and the vacant houses slowly fell into ruins, and their The church has since declined. This is the beginning of the story, what will happen next?Let's move on to the story below. one At this time, the settlement of New Hope Town had developed into a large-scale port city, and its trade with the West Indies was very frequent, mainly using cornmeal and dried cod to exchange sugar, molasses and rum from the West Indies.

Among the wealthy upper classes there were many persons of high rank, the most famous of which was Colonel William Belford, who was of great standing and prestige in the public and military affairs of the colony at that time.This gentleman was the illegitimate son of the Earl of Clanderney and the daughter of a surgeon in the 67th Scottish Regiment. After his father died, he inherited a huge fortune. Therefore, he is now able to enjoy such a comfortable life. Such a great honor. However, the colonel didn't feel any pride or honor for his noble status. He was always used to remembering his father with a clear mind, and treated his identity as an illegitimate child with a serious attitude. He never concealed that he was the current Klander This fact is the friend and secret correspondent of Count Nie.In the process of interacting with several colonial magistrates, he relied on his aristocratic blood to possess and maintain the existing prominent position and condescending posture. He never used the awe of others to motivate those who supported him. point of view people.

Captain Obadiah Belford, brother and nemesis of this distinguished and distinguished gentleman, was a West Indian of Kingston, Jamaica.He was immoral, excommunicated, involved in the slave trade, and famous for being a pirate.Of course, such news about him did not travel as quickly as those of plants that thrive in the tropics, so it is not known here.Each time, he stayed with his brother's house, and the family was disgusted by his absurd behavior, such as he was always smoking in the living room, making some dirty jokes to the maid, and cursing in the corridor And swear, swearing loudly at the dock crew, sometimes with red faces.

Colonel Belford, therefore, was alarmed when he received a letter from his brother, Captain Obadiah, who said he intended to leave the tropics where he had long lived, and make his home in New Hope. He called Colonel Belford "my dear Bell," said he believed the gentleman would be glad to see his decision, and told him that in the future he intended to "get out of hell like a Liberty Grace, and live a decent and orderly life." life," he added, adding that he planned to bring back a gift for his niece Belinda, namely a prayer book for her to pray in church. And so, one sunny morning, our West Indian Captain Obadiah, fulfilling his promise, popped up in A New Hope.He brought a great deal of suitcases and suitcases, and on the way there was so much noise that within half an hour the whole town had heard of his arrival.

However, when he reached Colonel Belford, he received a cold reception, which quenched his excitement like a basin of cold water.The colonel was not about to bear all the burdens of the West Indian's presence, and so, after a few polite greetings, he expressed his views with great nervousness. "Dear Obadiah, I am very sorry to tell you that I must confess to you that my family and I cannot provide you with a home, and it is certainly not simply because of the way you behave that makes me uncomfortable, but As a brother, I still have to tell you that this is the northern part of the world, and there is no doubt that some special ways of behavior in the West Indies are not acceptable. My family wants to live a natural life. I don't want my family to become like you. Same. However, I can give you some advice. You can find a place in the Blue Lion Tavern. The atmosphere there will definitely be in harmony with your preferences. You will have a good time there. I have looked into it and I Guaranteed to find the best suite that suits you best in that fine hotel."

At these astonishing words our West Indian made no immediate answer, but stared at Colonel Belford with great indignation.Obadiah was tall and thin, with a long neck and bowed shoulders, a yellow cheek with a pale purple-blue scar from the explosion of black powder on one side, and a huge eagle hook Nose, it looks like a predator that preys on innocent victims for a living.Then Obadiah, having regained his voice, tapped his ivory staff on the ground to emphasize what he had said, and cried, "What! Welcome from the brother who came home?—Well, who are you? Am I not your brother? Who gave up status to let you live a comfortable life? Good! Good! Very good, as you like .But you understand, if I don't grind your face into powder and throw it in the mud, I won't be called Obadiah Belford!" He couldn't find the words to express his anger, I could only yell hysterically, then raised my feet, turned and left, like a thunder on the ground, slammed the door with a "boom", and walked to the street cursing.The devil from the West Indies couldn't suppress the anger in his heart, and kept cursing.

However, he followed Belford's advice and stayed in the Blue Lion Tavern. Soon, because of his generous spending, he soon gathered a large group of like-minded people around him. He really spends money like water, which is jaw-dropping.He also uttered wild words, saying that his wealth could be compared with the two richest people in New Hope Town, and that the money he had could completely buy his brother from head to toe.He never shy away from talking about the cold reception and rejection he received at Belford, and the grievances he received there entangled him tightly, making him more and more uncomfortable.Whenever he was tightly wrapped in anger, he would curse and swear like a devil, and he would swear to God that if he didn't give his brother some color, he would always live in New Hope.He proclaimed his resolve to others again and again, the swear words kept changing, and it was unbelievable that he said that he must grind his brother's face to pieces.

Since then, he has worked tirelessly to cause all kinds of trouble for the good man, devising as many vicious deceptions as possible.Whenever Belford appeared in the street, he entertained those who heard him by yelling and swearing in the most vicious terms.He would also sing loud, bawdy songs in a high-pitched voice in front of the Belford house, walking back and forth in demonstrations.He would even keep beating on the bars of the enclosure with his cane, or throw stones at Mrs. Belford's cat viciously. During this time, he purchased large areas of Rhode Island, including the old Liberty Grace Chapel.Here he declared that he would build a house for himself, to compare with his brother's wooden house, and to shame him.So he began to build there a vast and vast mansion, which was the envy of all, and which was called "Belford Palace."This huge house was built entirely of bricks, and Captain Obadiah was very proud of the raw materials, which he said had been shipped all the way from New York.In the construction of this superb building he employed all the carpenters and masons in the immediate area, so that the speed of construction was rapid, and it did not take long for the house to rise.He also served rum and schnapps to those who came to visit while on the construction site, so that the place became a frequented place, where nearly all the townspeople reveled , tasting strong liquor, many people even came from far away to share the joy of the captain's profligacy.

During this period, always wearing a gold-embellished red coat and hat tilted on his bony head, he walked up and down the street, very proud to think that he was the object of the world's admiration, and felt a huge self satisfaction.In his raspy voice and exaggerated language he kept boasting about the splendor of the palace he was building. At the same time, as he said, he spent money to restore the old Free Grace Chapel, repairing the roof and fence, and bringing the gray and weather-beaten building back to its luster and vitality.The captain did not explain why he did this strange thing, only that he was willing to have it his own way and that it was satisfying to do so.

In the end, the big house was built, he decorated it completely according to his liking, and soon after he moved in, he began to squander his money non-stop, entertaining friends in the mansion, and continuing to receive invitations from all over the colony. envious.captain Most of the guests he entertained were military officers and government officials from Newport or Boston Fortresses. It is not known by what method he used to make so many acquaintances at once.Sometimes these dissolute gentlemen took possession of whole towns, and, led by their masters, they paraded through the streets, casting the coldest and most impudent glances at the passing ladies, and commenting loudly with sarcasm see everything.In this way, they express their views in the most ridiculous language in the most free atmosphere. Of course, the debauchery in Belford Palace is not limited to gambling and drinking. Sometimes there will be some gorgeously dressed women in the community who don’t know where they come from, having fun in the huge palace on the top of the hill, which is very disgusting. It is suspected that these people came to provide services for some famous people in New Hope. At the beginning, these things were just some symptoms and did not attract special attention, but gradually, people began to discover some strange and abnormal situations-at first, some civilians focused on discussing it, and later others also talked about it .At first it was just whispers, and then there were rumors that the old Liberty Grace Chapel was haunted by the ghost of the devil. This terrible, disturbing news first came from a fisherman.The fisherman sailed into the harbor one evening after a storm, and he affirmed that the old chapel was brightly lit that night.A tinker, returning from Stapleton shortly afterwards, took the Old Indian Road for a short cut, and saw the same sight, though perhaps more unusual than usual.At one point a patrolman declared solemnly that the chapel not only looked bright, but that through the dark water a bell could be heard somewhere.He affirmed that a red morning star suddenly appeared in the sky, and like a shooting star, it emitted a strong and short light, illuminating the night sky.Then, everything was once again swallowed by the blackness like ink.Another time, a violinist was on his way home in the middle of the night, and he saw lights in the church, and some people, who seemed to be drinking rum, were acting rudely, and they came from a short distance away and lay down in the grass .He said that when the bell rang in the middle of the night, he saw many people coming out of the big house, weeping, and then he heard a voice, like a lost soul, crying out: "All Twenty-six!" At that moment, the lights in the church were suddenly extinguished, and in an instant, the surroundings were plunged into darkness. It is said that when Captain Obadiah was told that some possessed persons were gathering in the old chapel, he fixed a menacing, malicious look on the man, and warned him not to meddle in the matter.At last, his terrified expression suddenly disappeared, and he burst out laughing, and exclaimed: "What? So what? What? You know, in the old days, the devil and I were good friends, and I used to watch it in the West Indies." As far as he is concerned, I have to tell you that the reason why I restored this old chapel is that I can often meet him here, and then get some dried cod to eat, and some rum to drink, so that those Yankees who make bacon will listen Listen to our conversation. You know, just yesterday, a female ghost danced with me on the grass in the distance. This devil is sitting cross-legged on Daniel Root's tombstone, gnawing dry, dusty fluted shin." (Here he utters a ghastly oath) "You know the worst is if someone steps on this place at dusk and disturbs the Devil and my entertainment, then he will go to hell and be burned to death by fire or charred with brimstone and smoked in a pipe." Exaggerated as these horrors were, they were a direct confirmation of the most dreadful suspicion that there were indeed some ghastly ghosts here.However, if anyone doubted the veracity of these malicious rumors, Obadiah would kill these doubts in the same way. It was the Reverend Zeusia's custom to dine on Saturdays at Colonel Belford's handsome house.Once, the gentleman was smoking with his master in the library, when suddenly there was a loud, annoying "click, click" sound outside the door, and the servant ushered him in. It turned out to be Obadiah, except him, Maybe others dare not be so impolite.Obadiah looked at his brother maliciously with sly eyes, clasped his hands, and introduced himself bluntly to Mr. Pastor with an expression of indescribable mocking humility. "Sir," said he, "Mr. Reverend, before you stands a humble, penitent sinner, who has suffered injustice, and wonders whether a man as pious as you can lift him from the abyss." I was rescued from it. Sir, it is said in the town that the devil has taken over my old chapel, alas! I must confess that it is true." At this moment the captain bowed his head, as if terrified by the terrible words he had spoken. . "What did you say?" cried the pastor. "Is what I heard true?" "It's true?" said Colonel Belford. "Are you going to believe what you're hearing is true? Don't you see that it's a ridiculous lie? Don't you see that he's telling you this as a joke?" Are you threatening me too?" Hearing this, Obadiah looked at his brother with exaggerated and feigned humility, "Alas, brother, ’ he cried: ‘How can you blame me so unjustly!Duh!Would you hold back a confessor from a penitent?You see, I'm talking to this gentleman, not you. ’ Then he continued his subject again to the chaplain: ‘You must know, sir, that I spent some time on board a ship in the West Indies, and you may have heard of that adventure against Spain. " "You mean pirates?" asked the priest, and Obadiah nodded. "Lie!" cried Colonel Belford, slapping his hand on the table, "he never had the courage to do something as dangerous as piracy, or to do anything more evil than the slave trade." "Sir," Obadiah went on to the priest, "I want to repeat that I am speaking to you. Well, sir, one day we saw a Spanish caravan full of Gold and silver cutlery, but there was no wind and we couldn't get close to the ship. At that time I said: 'If some wind blows us there, I can give my soul to the devil', and it turned out that 'the wind came', my side A voice came, alas, I must confess—I saw a man with a dark face, I had never seen him in a boat before. He said: "Sign it, the wind is yours." "Where is the pen ?' said I. 'With thy blood,' said he. Oh, sir! What a misfortune to be tempted like I am!" "Did you sign it?" the pastor asked excitedly when he heard the strange story. "Sad, sir, I signed it!" Captain Obadiah rolled his eyes, showing very little white. "Have you seized the Spanish ship?" "We got it, sir, and got it clean." "That's a big lie!" exclaimed Belford angrily. "Sir, you can sit here so complacently and make up such an exaggerated story to fool us!" "It's incredible!" said the priest. Obadiah laughed at such a feeble answer, and resumed his story. "Indeed, sir," he said, "it's your business, believe it or not, but I'll tell you that I've got a lot of spoils, and it took me a long time to calm myself down to my Spoils of war. I said to myself, I said, 'Obadiah Belford! Obadiah Belford! Now, stop these operations and live a decent life, or you will be damned forever ' So I came to New Hope, Mr. Reverend, and I hoped to live in peace thereafter. Oh, sir! Can you believe it? I just built my hiding place in this place, and I didn't expect this devil to come again to me. He said, 'Obadiah, I want to live in New Hope, too.' 'Where?' I said. 'Oh,' he said, 'you can restore that old chapel so I can Come and live here often.' 'Well,' I said to myself, 'there should be no trouble.' So I did as he asked, and you have seen such a qualified servant as I am. Man? Oh, Reverend! Here he is now, and I can't get rid of him, and now the whole town knows he lives in the chapel." "It's incredible!" exclaimed the priest. "It's a complete lie!" cried the Colonel. "Now, how can I get out of the trap I have dug?" asked Obadiah. "Sir," said the minister, "if what you say is true, there is nothing I can do." "Alas!" sighed Obadiah, "Alas! Alas! Indeed, I am damned!" Then he waved his arms in the air, as if desperate, and turned, rushing forward as if being chased by a hundred Furies. out of the house. It was the strangest story that Pastor Zeusia had ever heard, and he had been thinking about it wherever he went for a fortnight. "That's the most incredible story I've ever heard," he cried. "You see there's so much smoke there, it must be on fire. As for the unfortunate man, I saw this lost house in the Belford library. A soul once stood before me." Then he concluded: "Yes, yes, it is unbelievable, it breaks all belief. If this is true, then the world is just and the devil deserves to have A pagan church as a sanctuary, not only to reject the influence of Christianity and other sects, but also to destroy their dwellings, and become the permanent dwelling place of the devil." As for Captain Belford, he longed to keep the place a secret forever.This method does a good job of preventing those who try to pry into the secret. two Thomas Goodhouse, New Hope's customs collector, had had an unblemished reputation before that.He is known locally for being able to drink plenty of pineapple rum without affecting his work.His voice was loud, his body was short and thick, his arms were big and his waist was round, his face was red, his hair was also red, and his face always looked like it was on fire. The customs office was a white building with green shutters that let the rain run down when it rained.No matter what day it is, as long as it is between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm, the collector will stay at his desk and smoke for a while, and then tirelessly sort out the pile of books and documents piled up in front of him. Goodhouse was indebted to him for being able to work in the post of Royal Customs Collector thanks to Belford's help.Some years ago, Goodhouse approached this gentleman with an unusual letter of recommendation from the Earl of Clendenier.He was very fortunate in saving the life of the venerable Mr. Frederick Dunburn, second son of the Earl, a pompous, dissolute, free-spirited young man, often engaged in outrageous mischief, such as Unscrew the door knocker, ring the bell, take away the tavern token, etc. At Eton, Frederick was a famous swimmer, and at Cowes he often swam with bets.Once, while swimming, he had a sudden cramp in his leg, and if he hadn't touched Goodhouse, he would have drowned.Goodhouse was boating nearby when he saw a man drowning, jumped into the water quickly, rescued the young man from the eddies that were engulfing him, and returned him to his home. After this fortunate rescue, the Count Clendenier gave his son's savior a gold snuff-box full of guineas, on which were inscribed the following words: "To Thomas Goodhouse, who, under the guidance of a merciful God, protected a beautiful and precious kind young life, and his father sent this box to him as an expression of heartfelt gratitude for his act of kindness. Enter the Viscount Dunburn and the Earl of Clanderney. August 17, 1752. " Crandene did not undertake the great responsibility of arranging the future fate of his son's savior, but he felt that something should be done for him, so he wrote a letter of recommendation to Goodhouse, asking him to go America to Colonel Belford.Desiring to please the legitimate head of the family, this gentleman, of course, used his influence to succeed in placing Goodhouse in the position of customs collector, replacing the recently deceased Captain More. Goodhouse was very grateful to those who helped him. He worked conscientiously and conscientiously, collected taxes for the royal family carefully, and managed these taxes carefully, even more carefully than managing his own salary. When Captain More was a collector, it was not uncommon to collect some fine Dutch schnapps, a roll of silk, or a small barrel of brandy from influential merchants or colonial dignitaries.But never during Goodhouse's tenure was such dereliction of duty.He would rather offend his best friend or lose the most precious thing than fail to fulfill his duty to the royal family.After get off work, he would also relax and make himself comfortable, but at ten o'clock in the morning, no matter what his state, he could immediately put on the uniform of the Royal Duty Collector and go to work. In this way, he countered his virtue with his weakness, and achieved a stable balance between the two.When faced with a situation where his legs trembled with fear, he always emphasized his integrity, saying that during his tenure, nothing could pass through customs without paying taxes. He asked God to witness for him. He used his own Hands saved the life of the young gentleman.And he would take momentary comfort in clutching the gold snuffbox in his trouser pocket between his brown, hairy fists.Whenever anyone talked to him, he would first show them the snuffbox, ask them to read the words engraved on the lid, and then say that it doesn't matter if one accidentally drinks a little too much However, if he only collects a little tax for the royal treasury, it is because he wants to protect the son of Earl Crandene. He never let this precious snuff box leave him for half a step.To him it was a token of his virtue, known only to himself, and the more doubtful he was of his own character, the greater was the weight of this token of rectitude in his eyes. "Yes, you can look at it," he'd say, "and if you got hold of me, of course I wouldn't have it," he'd cry, "just let the devil take it from me Bar." Just as everyone was talking more and more about the suspicion of the chapel, the collector who was struggling under the burden of weakness suddenly felt an inexplicable panic. He declared that he smelled something more terrible than the devil of Rhodes Island. , he insisted that Captain Obadiah was doing some free trade, using this incredible story as a cover to smuggle goods in at night to avoid taxes.He took an oath and solemnly declared that he would devise an elaborate scheme to expose this fact, and he would succeed.For this reason, he intended to visit the place, hoping to find out whether the devil or the smuggler traded in the old Free Grace Chapel.So he took out his precious snuffbox, closed the lid tightly, and carefully read the inscription on it, trying to understand whether a man who had behaved so bravely under the circumstances needed to fear the devil. "I will," he cried, "kill the devil, I will. I will let him read this, and let him tell me if he still dares to say that he can slip out of my sight. " Of course, these words are not the stupid big words of the collector. In less than a week, it is said that the activities in the old church have resumed. The collector found that no one dared to go with him, so he rowed the boat alone, Going to Rhodes Island to investigate alone, he felt very proud of the agitation shown by the citizens. It was nearly dusk when the collector embarked on this unforgettable and solitary expedition.By the time he got there, it was completely dark.He carried a bottle of rum that had been stored for many years with him, and drank some to drive away the chill that emanated from his bones.Before long, he found that his boat was already floating in the shadow of the raised rocks, and he couldn't see his fingers.The night became more intense, and the endless darkness wrapped him tightly, as if it wanted to melt him into the hazy water.Above the inlet, on the flank of the high, rocky hill, towered the mysterious church.The collector rowed the boat slowly, staring at the row of dim and terrifying lights in front of him with dull eyes. He felt dizzy for a while, so he concentrated his energy, pulled out all his abilities, and rowed forward.Those lights, he knew, came from the old Free Grace Chapel. He picked up the speed of the boat and quickly reached the shore. Although he felt top-heavy and shaky, he still climbed the steep and rugged mountain road leading to the mysterious light without hesitation.He stumbled over the stones and pebbles now and then, but he never lost his balance and never let his guard down for a moment.Although a little drowsy, he still persisted stubbornly, and finally found a place for his own adventure and his own destiny. This old chapel has two floors. The first floor is where the former Free Grace believers held ceremonies to celebrate some mysterious things of their own beliefs, and the upper floor is used for ordinary Sunday worship activities.A long, steep staircase leads to a hidden hall on the second floor. The confiscator stopped to take a look. The shutters on the first floor were tightly closed, with wooden bars installed on them, and a dim and terrifying light was coming from the windows on the second floor.He plucked up his courage and went straight up the stairs. He was sure that only such a drunken person could do such a thing. He stopped and was about to knock on the door, but before he could put his fingers on the door panel, the door suddenly opened with a "squeak".An indescribable, strong smell hit his face, and he almost suffocated for a moment, and he found himself standing face to face with a huge tall man. Even in the face of sudden ghosts, the collector did not lose his original courage at all, and he quickly showed a tough attitude.He steadied himself and opened his mouth. "I know," said he, "who are you, you're the devil, and I daresay you can't do business if you don't pay taxes to King George. I may be a little drunk," he cried, "But I'm doing my duty, and I'm coming to collect the tax." Then he took out the snuffbox and held it under the nose of the man in front of him. "Look at it, read it," he growled, "but don't touch it, I won't let any criminal get away from me." The man stood there all the time, as if he had lost the ability to speak and move, but when he heard the last few words, he seemed to find his own voice, and made a very harsh and terrible sound, but the collector bravely asked He took a few steps forward and stood a step or two away from him.Immediately afterwards, his wrist seemed to be struck by lightning, and under the light, a yellow halo flashed for a moment, and his snuffbox immediately disappeared into the darkness.As soon as he recovered, he was hit hard in the chest again, and he fell headfirst onto the platform. The next day, the collector didn't show up at the office at his customary time, and his office was empty all morning.It was not until about noon that alarms began to sound in the community, and at about two o'clock, at high tide, Mr. Tompkins, the clerk, and two crew members from Sarah Goodrich appeared on Mr. Hopson's wharf.They boarded a runabout to see what had happened to the collector.They paddled along the coast for about half an hour, and finally found some traces of the missing collector.Finally, they found him lying on the pebbly beach not far away.Judging from his position and the way he lay, he must have had too much to drink. Mr. Tompkins stopped, and stepped ashore on pebbles out of the shallow water, to where his boss lay.The collector put his arm over his eyes, as if to shield him from the sun, but as Mr. Tompkins approached, he let out a sudden scream. His teeth were yellow and yellow, and his fat, hairy hands were waxy white.In fact, from the whole appearance, he realized at once that the Collector was dead. Upon hearing the screams, two crew members ran over.Trying to keep their composure, they turned the collector over and saw that there was no sign of violence on his body, when suddenly one of them noticed that his neck was twisted.Another thought he might have fallen off a rock and broke his neck. The two sailors checked his pockets, and the clerk stood by, trembling with fright, his face looking like dough, his scalp tingling, his hands and feet trembling as if paralyzed.Seeing two living hands constantly flicking a dead man's pocket filled him with a strange fright, and he thought he would rather not have a week's salary than undertake such an adventure for the officer. In the collector's pocket they found a roll of tobacco, a bright red bandanna, a purse full of copper and silver coins, a silver watch that was still ticking, and a Tarred rope and a pocket knife. But the golden snuffbox, which had always been a great honor for the Collector, a symbol of his virtue, was missing. three Frederick Dunburn, the second son of the Earl of Clanderney, worked on the ship with two friends, Captain Brysenton and George Fett State, earning in one term paid around £600.After a night of boozing in a far-flung part of London after their term ended, they boarded a ship in Cape York and began their mischief.On board the three young gentlemen had a great time shouting and yelling, occasionally running over to the side of the boat and cracking jokes at passing boats and people on board. 一开始，一切进展得十分顺利，过往船只上的人要么报以哈哈大笑，要么生气地朝他们大喊大叫。后来，他们遇上了一只看上去像是荷兰人的快艇，装载着一些半醉的船员，在水流中缓慢地前行，进入了港口。那只船的船尾上有一个人，看上去是舰长，当然，因为灯光昏暗，加上薄雾笼罩，月光又很朦胧，顿伯恩也不太敢确定。那个人脸盘很大，皮肤被晒得发红，尖脑袋上戴着一顶污秽不堪的皮帽子。面对年轻绅士们的挑衅，每当两只船有一两分钟的时间离得足够近时，他就向他们说脏话，让他们安静下来。看得出，如果有机会的话，他肯定会向敦伯恩头上扔布丁，如果有一分钟两船能在一臂距离内的话，他肯定会把锚冠扔到三个人那里。 布莱森顿舰长发誓，他能够马上解决这个问题，于是，他向水手下达了一个命令，当敦伯恩意识到发生了什么的时候，两只船已经在并肩前行了，船舷上缘相距只有一英尺。敦伯恩命令自己船上的水手用船桨击打另一只船上的船员，他自己也抓住了那个戴皮帽子的人的衣领。敦伯恩死命地打了那张脸两下子。在月光下，他看到血已经从那个被打的人的鼻子里流了出来，他的这一击没有得到任何回击，只是耳朵里传来了最可怕的诅咒声。紧接着，这只船快速地漂移，年轻的绅士被挂在了船舷上缘，在冰冷的河水中摇晃着。后来，有一个人用系索栓或木棍击打他的头，这一击让他眼前一黑，眼冒金星，马上失去了知觉。没有人可以告诉他，他到底昏睡了多长时间，但当他醒过来的时候，他马上意识到周围发生了什么事情，他被关在了一个房间里。这个房间的墙上到处是黄色的脏油污，他自己躺在了一张脏兮兮的、发出异味的床上，他很后悔自己恢复了知觉。他看了一下自己，发现他的衣服已经被脱去了，现在套着一件只有一只袖子的衬衫，穿着一条破烂不堪、几乎无法掩羞的裤子。他躺在那里，非常沮丧，好像自己被扔进了一个腌菜缸里，他确定自己听到了一阵骚动和叫喊声，还有玻璃杯丁丁当当碰撞的声音，好像从下面的酒吧中传出来。在这些嘈杂的吵闹声中还不时地夹杂着诅咒声和跑调的歌曲声。受伤的头部一阵巨痛，好像要裂开一样。他感到非常口渴，便大叫起来，一个肥胖的独眼女人应声进来，递给了他一杯东西，他贪婪地喝了下去（这些饮料可能是一些麻药），便再次陷入了昏睡状态。 后来，当他第二次醒来的时候，他开始思考。他发现自己在一个双桅船“先知丹尼尔”上，从名字上推断，他觉得这艘船一定是美国的，看到船尾向西，应该是驶向巴尔的摩的。风很大，船正迅速地驶向了遥远的、未知的国度。他能看到的只是无边无际的、可怕的大海。敦伯恩发现自己仍然穿着一只袖子的衬衫、破烂的马裤，仍然待在他第一次醒来时那个脏兮兮的房间里。不过，现在他的头上戴了一顶只有部分帽沿的破旧的帽子。他发现，自己忧愁混乱的外观发生了一点变化，胡子和头发都长起来了，头上原本像核桃一样大的肿块上被贴上了一块脏兮兮的橡皮膏。他知道，他现在看上去肯定和那些每天都从大城市的贫民窟和街巷里赶出来，被船运送到美国的不幸的人一样可怜。没过多久，他发现他的旅行结束了，马上就要被卖到马里兰种植园，成为契约佣工中的一员了。 现在我们的年轻绅士终于能够出动走走了，尽管身体虚弱、步履蹒跚，他还是坚持着爬起来，立刻去找船长，尽力向他解释发生在他身上的意外事件。他告诉船长他是克兰德涅伯爵的二儿子，如果船长让“先知丹尼尔”再次返回到英国的某个港口，为了高贵的二儿子，他的父亲肯定会补偿他为此所花费的时间。听完他说的这些话后，船长觉着他可能是喝多了，要不就是脑子出问题了，并没有理睬，而是再次把他打倒在甲板上，并让他回到该去的地方。 之后，可怜的敦伯恩就获得了“疯子”的称号，他们把英瑞格伯爵的名字送给他。那些和他一样有着不幸遭遇的同伴为了给自己找点娱乐，不停地取笑他们认为倒霉透顶的同伴，老是逗弄他讲一讲他的冒险经历。 我们很难想象那些可怜、猥亵、不幸的人所施加给他的所有折磨。在这些恶意的取笑的刺激下，敦伯恩曾经承认，他可能会因为成为杀人犯而感到极大的满足。然而，他还是保持着自我克制，在理智和原则的限制下，控制着自己的情绪。幸运的是，他熟练地掌握法语和意大利语，因此，当他极度愤怒、无法控制自己的时候，就会用外语怒骂来惩罚自己，释放倍受压抑的精神。因为只要他的同伴听明白他说的一个单词，就会暴打他一顿，有时几乎要了他的命。当然，他们一直把这些都当作一个疯子失去理智时的呱呱乱叫。