Treasure Island

Cited transcript

Ah, we see through you, John Silver. You want to play booty. That's what's wrong with you. And then, fourth, there's this here boy. Is that all? asked Silver quietly. Enough, too, retorted George. We'll all swing and sun dry for your bungling. Well, now, look here. I'll answer these four points. One after another, I'll answer them.

Cited transcript

At Silver's polite salute he somewhat flushed. John Silver, he said, you're a prodigious villain and imposter, a monstrous imposter, sir. I am told I am not to prosecute you. Well, then, I will not. But the dead men, sir, hang about your neck like millstones. Thank you kindly, sir, replied Long John, again saluting. How dare you thank me? cried the squire. It is a gross dereliction of my duty. Stand back. And thereupon we all entered the cave.

Cited transcript

No one took notice of me, only the bow oar saying, Is that you, Jim? Keep your head down. But Silver, from the other boat, looked sharply over and called out to know if that were me, and from that moment I began to regret what I had done. The crews raced for the beach, and in the boat I was in, having some start and being at once the lighter and the better manned

Cited transcript

All the time he was jerking out these phrases, he was stumping up and down the tavern on his crutch, slapping tables with his hand, and giving such a show of excitement as would have convinced an Old Bailey judge or a Bow Street runner. My suspicions had been thoroughly reawakened on finding Black Dog at the Spy-glass, and I watched the cook narrowly. But he was too deep and too ready and too clever for me, and by the time the two men had come back out of breath and confessed that they had lost the track in a crowd, and been scolded like thieves, I would have gone bail for the innocence of Long John Silver.

Cited transcript

"Not a man with one leg?" he gasped. "Silver?" I asked. "Ah, Silver," says he. "That were his name." He's the cook, and the ringleader too. He was still holding me by the wrist, and at that he gave it quite a wring. "If you were sent by Long John," he said, "I'm as good as pork, and I know it. But where was you, do you suppose?"

Cited transcript

It was Dick, said one. Dick was it? Then Dick can get to prayers, said Silver. He's seen his slicer look as Dick, and you may lay to that. But here the long man with the yellow eyes struck in. Belay that talk, John Silver, he said. This crew has tipped you the black spot in full council, as duty bound. Just you turn it over, as in duty bound, and see what's wrote there. Then you can talk.

Cited transcript

I found he was an old sailor, kept a public house, knew all the seafaring men in Bristol, had lost his health ashore, and wanted a good berth as cook to get to sea again. He had hobbled down there that morning, he said, to get a smell of the salt. I was monstrously touched so would you have been and out of pure pity I engaged him on the spot to be ship's cook. Long John Silver, he is called, and has lost a leg but that I regarded as a recommendation, since he lost it in his country's service under the immortal Hawke.

Cited transcript

You've seen him maybe hanged in chains, birds about him, seamen pointing him out as they go down with the tide. Who's that? says one. That, aye, that's John Silver. I knowed him well, says another. And you can hear the chains a-jangle as you go about and reach for the other boy. Now, that's about where we are, every mother's son of us, thanks to him and Hands and Anderson and other ruination fools of you. And if you want to know about number four and that boy, why, shiver my timbers, isn't he a hostage?