小说讲述的是一个十七岁少年对世界的渴望，遭遇世间种种危险时的反应，对友谊的态度，在勇敢正义友善和卑鄙无耻贪婪这两种截然不同的人性中识别、判断和成长的过程。苏格兰大起义的历史背景。浓郁的苏格兰风情，因这个故事而格外吸引人。英国评论界普遍认为它是史蒂文森“最好的小说”之一，世界最经典的成长小说之一。

这部长篇小说是英国十九世纪著名作家罗伯特．路易斯．史蒂文森的经典作品，它借一个十七岁少年的口吻讲述了一段历险、流亡、成长的经历。苏格兰孤儿戴维为了家族的遗产去找叔父，却被叔父诱拐到船上运往美洲当奴隶。而船在海上触礁沉没，他孤身一人漂上荒岛，历尽艰辛刚脱险，又在丛林中目睹了一起谋杀事件，被官兵当作凶犯而遭到追捕。在逃亡路上，他巧遇同船的流亡者艾伦，两人结伴而行，在苏格兰高地的荒山野地里度过了一段惊险的逃亡生活，最后回到他当初被诱拐的地方，在朋友帮助下用智谋从叔叔手中夺回应得的财产。故事用虚拟的自传体方式展开，充满现场感，读来让人身临其境。这部作品自1886年问世以来，在一个多世纪中不断被世界各国出版、重印。

CHAPTER ONE The House of Shaws

第一章 肖家

CHAPTER Two Kidnappedl

第二章 我被拐卖了！

CHAPTER THREE The Siege of the Roundhouse

第三章 围攻后甲板室

CHAPTER FOUR The Murder ofRed Fox

第四章 “红狐狸”之死

CHAPTER FIVE Journey to the Lowlands

第五章 低地之行

CHAPTER Six Danger on the Rocks

第六章 岩石上的危险

CHAPTER SEVEN Wanted：Dead or Alive

第七章 亡命天涯

CHAPTER EIGHT Escape Across the Moor

第八章 沼泽逃亡

CHAPTER NINE The Quarrel

第九章 争吵

CHAPTER TEN Back to the House of Shaws

第十章 重回肖家

The story of kidnap and murder that you are about to read began one June morning in 1751. I was only seventeen and both my parents had just died. I decided to leave Essendean, the village where I had always lived, and seek my fortune in the world. The minister of Essendean, Mr Campbell, came to see me before I left.

"I have something for ye, lad," he said. "When your father was ill, he gave this letter to me. Ye are to take it to the house of Shaws,near Edinburgh. "

I looked at him in surprise.

"The Balfours of Shaws is an old and respected family -- your family," he told me. "That is where your father came from and he wanted you to go back there. "

He gave me the letter addressed in my father's handwriting:

To Ebenezer Balfour, Esquire,

the house of Shaws

to be delivered by my son, David Balfour

"Remember, Davie, " Mr Campbell said, "that Ebenezer Balfour is the laird and you must obey him. "

"I'11 try, sir, " I said.

"Now you must go," Mr Campbell said sadly, "you have twodays walking ahead of you. "

I took my last look at the churchyard where my mother and father were buried, then I began my journey. How pleased I was to be leaving the quiet countryside to go to a great and busy house, among rich people of my own family！

In the middle of the second day, I caught sight of the sea from the top of a hill -- and the great city of Edinburgh. I was very excited, but when I started to ask the way to the house of Shaws, people looked at me in surprise.

"If ye'll take my advice," one man said sharply, "ye'll keep away from the Shaws. "

At first, I wanted to turn back.

"No！ " I told myself firmly, "now that I've come so far, I have to find out for myself. "

Just as the sun began to set, I met an old woman trudging down a hill.

"Am I far from the house of Shaws？" I asked her.

She took me back up the hill and pointed to the valley below.

"That is the house of Shaws！ " she said angrily. "Blood built it.Blood stopped the building of it. Blood will be its ruin. I spit upon the ground and curse Ebenezer Balfour！"

I was frightened by her words, but I forced myself to walk up to the house. The nearer I got, the gloomier it seemed. There was no gate and no avenue -- and one wing of the house was unfinished. Was this the fine house my father was sending me to？ Was this where I was going to earn my fortune？

I knocked once on the wooden door. There was silence. I waited and knocked again. Then I felt angry and shouted, "Mr Balfour！ Mr Ebenezer Balfour！" until a man called from the bedroom window above my head.  "It's loaded. "

I looked up into the mouth of a gun.

"I've come here with a letter, " I said, "to Mr Ebenezer Balfour of the house of Shaws. Is he here？"

"Ye can put it down upon the doorstep, and be off with ye," the man said.

"No！ " I cried. "I will deliver it into Mr. Balfour's hands. It is aletter of introduction. I am David Balfour. "

There was a long pause.

"Is your father dead？" the man asked at last.

I was too upset to answer.

"Ay, " the man said, "he'll be dead. I'll let you in. "

After a few minutes, a stooping man of about fifty opened the door. His face was grey and mean, and he had a long beard trailing onto his nightshirt. He led me down a corridor to a cold, dark kitchen.

"Let me see the letter," he said.

"It's for Mr Balfour," I answered.

"And who do ye think I am？" he said. "Now give me Alexander'sletter. "

"You know my father's name？" I asked in surprise.

"It would be strange if I didnae, " the man said, "for he was myyounger brother. "

"I never knew, sir, that he had a brother, " I said, my voicetrembling.

P9-11

罗伯特·路易斯·斯蒂文森1850年生于苏格兰的爱丁堡。他毕业于爱丁堡大学的法律系，后来决心以写作为生。很不幸，他患了肺结核，不得不到气候温暖的国家以改善健康状况。

1880年，罗伯特·路易斯·斯蒂文森与范妮·奥斯波恩结婚。一年后，斯蒂文森为她的小儿子创作了《金银岛》，1886年又出版了《诱拐》。这两本书深受读者的喜爱，却未能使他赚到很多钱。于是1886年，他又写出《化身博士》。该书使斯蒂文森声名大振，也为他赚取了更多的钱，因为书出售给了成年人。

《诱拐》一书讲述了少年戴维·鲍尔弗被诱拐的全过程，他不仅受骗丢了遗产而且被人诬陷为杀人犯。故事发生在1751年，5年前詹姆斯党人(首领为詹姆斯二世之子邦尼·查理王子)在苏格兰北部的卡洛登沼地惨遭溃败，他们支持自称为英国合法国王的詹姆斯二世，反对乔治国王。许多苏格兰高地部族都是忠实的詹姆斯党人，他们被乔治国王赶出了家园。

1887年，斯蒂文森的父亲去世。凭借父亲留下的钱，罗伯特·路易斯。斯蒂文森才得以和家人住在太平洋中的萨摩亚岛上。岛上温暖的气候改善了他的健康状况，他在那里潜心写作，直到1894年去世。