雨果 悲惨世界 英文版1-第86部分

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　　Its　breath　pours　out　through　its　hundred　and　twenty　cannons　as　through　enormous　trumpets；　and　replies　proudly　to　the　thunder。
　　The　ocean　seeks　to　lead　it　astray　in　the　alarming　sameness　of　its　billows；　but　the　vessel　has　its　soul；　its　pass；　which　counsels　it　and　always　shows　it　the　north。　In　the　blackest　nights；　its　lanterns　supply　the　place　of　the　stars。　Thus；　against　the　wind；　it　has　its　cordage　and　its　canvas；　against　the　water；　wood；　against　the　rocks；　its　iron；　brass；　and　lead；　against　the　shadows；　its　light；　against　immensity；　a　needle。
　　If　one　wishes　to　form　an　idea　of　all　those　gigantic　proportions　which；　taken　as　a　whole；　constitute　the　ship　of　the　line；　one　has　only　to　enter　one　of　the　six…story　covered　construction　stocks；　in　the　ports　of　Brest　or　Toulon。
　　The　vessels　in　process　of　construction　are　under　a　bell…glass　there；　as　it　were。
　　This　colossal　beam　is　a　yard；　that　great　column　of　wood　which　stretches　out　on　the　earth　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach　is　the　main…mast。　Taking　it　from　its　root　in　the　stocks　to　its　tip　in　the　clouds；　it　is　sixty　fathoms　long；　and　its　diameter　at　its　base　is　three　feet。
　　The　English　main…mast　rises　to　a　height　of　two　hundred　and　seventeen　feet　above　the　water…line。　The　navy　of　our　fathers　employed　cables；　ours　employs　chains。　The　simple　pile　of　chains　on　a　ship　of　a　hundred　guns　is　four　feet　high；　twenty　feet　in　breadth；　and　eight　feet　in　depth。
　　And　how　much　wood　is　required　to　make　this　ship？
　　Three　thousand　cubic　metres。　It　is　a　floating　forest。
　　And　moreover；　let　this　be　borne　in　mind；　it　is　only　a　question　here　of　the　military　vessel　of　forty　years　ago；　of　the　simple　sailing…vessel；　steam；　then　in　its　infancy；　has　since　added　new　miracles　to　that　prodigy　which　is　called　a　war　vessel。　At　the　present　time；　for　example；　the　mixed　vessel　with　a　screw　is　a　surprising　machine；　propelled　by　three　thousand　square　metres　of　canvas　and　by　an　engine　of　two　thousand　five　hundred　horse…power。
　　Not　to　mention　these　new　marvels；　the　ancient　vessel　of　Christopher　Columbus　and　of　De　Ruyter　is　one　of　the　masterpieces　of　man。　It　is　as　inexhaustible　in　force　as　is　the　Infinite　in　gales；　it　stores　up　the　wind　in　its　sails；　it　is　precise　in　the　immense　vagueness　of　the　billows；　it　floats；　and　it　reigns。
　　There　es　an　hour；　nevertheless；　when　the　gale　breaks　that　sixty…foot　yard　like　a　straw；　when　the　wind　bends　that　mast　four　hundred　feet　tall；　when　that　anchor；　which　weighs　tens　of　thousands；　is　twisted　in　the　jaws　of　the　waves　like　a　fisherman's　hook　in　the　jaws　of　a　pike；　when　those　monstrous　cannons　utter　plaintive　and　futile　roars；　which　the　hurricane　bears　forth　into　the　void　and　into　night；　when　all　that　power　and　all　that　majesty　are　engulfed　in　a　power　and　majesty　which　are　superior。
　　Every　time　that　immense　force　is　displayed　to　culminate　in　an　immense　feebleness　it　affords　men　food　for　thought；　Hence　in　the　ports　curious　people　abound　around　these　marvellous　machines　of　war　and　of　navigation；　without　being　able　to　explain　perfectly　to　themselves　why。
　　Every　day；　accordingly；　from　morning　until　night；　the　quays；　sluices；　and　the　jetties　of　the　port　of　Toulon　were　covered　with　a　multitude　of　idlers　and　loungers；　as　they　say　in　Paris；　whose　business　consisted　in　staring　at　the　Orion。
　　The　Orion　was　a　ship　that　had　been　ailing　for　a　long　time；　in　the　course　of　its　previous　cruises　thick　layers　of　barnacles　had　collected　on　its　keel　to　such　a　degree　as　to　deprive　it　of　half　its　speed；　it　had　gone　into　the　dry　dock　the　year　before　this；　in　order　to　have　the　barnacles　scraped　off；　then　it　had　put　to　sea　again；　but　this　cleaning　had　affected　the　bolts　of　the　keel：　in　the　neighborhood　of　the　Balearic　Isles　the　sides　had　been　strained　and　had　opened；　and；　as　the　plating　in　those　days　was　not　of　sheet　iron；　the　vessel　had　sprung　a　leak。
　　A　violent　equinoctial　gale　had　e　up；　which　had　first　staved　in　a　grating　and　a　porthole　on　the　larboard　side；　and　damaged　the　foretop…gallant…shrouds；　in　consequence　of　these　injuries；　the　Orion　had　run　back　to　Toulon。
　　It　anchored　near　the　Arsenal；　it　was　fully　equipped；　and　repairs　were　begun。
　　The　hull　had　received　no　damage　on　the　starboard；　but　some　of　the　planks　had　been　unnailed　here　and　there；　according　to　custom；　to　permit　of　air　entering　the　hold。
　　One　morning　the　crowd　which　was　gazing　at　it　witnessed　an　accident。
　　The　crew　was　busy　bending　the　sails；　the　topman；　who　had　to　take　the　upper　corner　of　the　main…top…sail　on　the　starboard；　lost　his　balance；　he　was　seen　to　waver；　the　multitude　thronging　the　Arsenal　quay　uttered　a　cry；　the　man's　head　overbalanced　his　body；　the　man　fell　around　the　yard；　with　his　hands　outstretched　towards　the　abyss；　on　his　way　he　seized　the　footrope；　first　with　one　hand；　then　with　the　other；　and　remained　hanging　from　it：
　　the　sea　lay　below　him　at　a　dizzy　depth；　the　shock　of　his　fall　had　imparted　to　the　foot…rope　a　violent　swinging　motion；　the　man　swayed　back　and　forth　at　the　end　of　that　rope；　like　a　stone　in　a　sling。
　　It　was　incurring　a　frightful　risk　to　go　to　his　assistance；　not　one　of　the　sailors；　all　fishermen　of　the　coast；　recently　levied　for　the　service；　dared　to　attempt　it。
　　In　the　meantime；　the　unfortunate　topman　was　losing　his　strength；　his　anguish　could　not　be　discerned　on　his　face；　but　his　exhaustion　was　visible　in　every　limb；　his　arms　were　contracted　in　horrible　twitchings；　every　effort　which　he　made　to　re…ascend　served　but　to　augment　the　oscillations　of　the　foot…rope；　he　did　not　shout；　for　fear　of　exhausting　his　strength。
　　All　were　awaiting　the　minute　when　he　should　release　his　hold　on　the　rope；　and；　from　instant　to　instant；　heads　were　turned　aside　that　his　fall　might　not　be　seen。　There　are　moments　when　a　bit　of　rope；　a　pole；　the　branch　of　a　tree；　is　life　itself；　and　it　is　a　terrible　thing　to　see　a　living　being　detach　himself　from　it　and　fall　like　a　ripe　fruit。
　　All　at　once　a　man　was　seen　climbing　into　the　rigging　with　the　agility　of　a　tiger…cat；　this　man　was　dressed　in　red；　he　was　a　convict；　he　wore　a　green　cap；　he　was　a　life　convict。
　　On　arriving　on　a　level　with　the　top；　a　gust　of　wind　carried　away　his　cap；　and　allowed　a　perfectly　white　head　to　be　seen：
　　he　was　not　a　young　man。
　　A　convict　employed　on　board　with　a　detachment　from　the　galleys　had；　in　fact；　at　the　very　first　instant；　hastened　to　the　officer　of　the　watch；　and；　in　the　midst　of　the　consternation　and　the　hesitation　of　the　crew；　while　all　the　sailors　were　trembling　and　drawing　back；　he　had　asked　the　officer's　permission　to　risk　his　life　to　save　the　topman；　at　an　affirmative　sign　from　the　officer　he　had　broken　the　chain　riveted　to　his　ankle　with　one　blow　of　a　hammer；　then　he　had　caught　up　a　rope；　and　had　dashed　into　the　rigging：　no　one　noticed；　at　the　instant；　with　what　ease　that　chain　had　been　broken；　it　was　only　later　on　that　the　incident　was　recalled。
　　In　a　twinkling　he　was　on　the　yard；　he　paused　for　a　few　seconds　and　appeared　to　be　measuring　it　with　his　eye；　these　seconds；　during　which　the　breeze　swayed　the　topman　at　the　extremity　of　a　thread；　seemed　centuries　to　those　who　were　looking　on。　At　last；　the　convict　raised　his　eyes　to　heaven　and　advanced　a　step：　the　crowd　drew　a　long　breath。
　　He　was　seen　to　run　out　along　the　yard：　on　arriving　at　the　point；　he　fastened　the　rope　which　he　had　brought　to　it；　and　allowed　the　other　end　to　hang　down；　then　he　began　to　descend　the　rope；　hand　over　hand；　and　then；and　the　anguish　was　indescribable；instead　of　one　man　suspended　over　the　gulf；　there　were　two。
　　One　would　have　said　it　was　a　spider　ing　to　seize　a　fly；　only　here　the　spider　brought　life；　not　death。
　　Ten　thousand　glances　were　fastened　on　this　group；　not　a　cry；　not　a　word；　the　same　tremor　contracted　every　brow；　all　mouths　held　their　breath　as　though　they　feared　to　add　the　slightest　puff　to　the　wind　which　was　swaying　the　two　unfortunate　men。
　　In　the　meantime；　the　convict　had　succeeded　in　lowering　himself　to　a　position　near　the　sailor。
　　It　was　high　time；　one　minute　more；　and　the　exhausted　and　despairing　man　would　have　allowed　himself　to　fall　into　the　abyss。
　　The　convict　had　moored　him　securely　with　the　cord　to　which　he　clung　with　one　hand；　while　he　was　working　with　the　other。
　　At　last；　he　was　seen　to　climb　back　on　the　yard；　and　to　drag　the　sailor　up　after　him；　he　held　him　there　a　moment　to　allow　him　to　recover　his　strength；　then　he　grasped　him　in　his　arms　and　carried　him；　walking　on　the　yard　himself　to　the　cap；　and　from　there　to　the　main…top；　where　he　left　him　in　the　hands　of　his　rades。
　　At　that　moment　the　crowd　broke　into　applause：
　　old　convict…sergeants　among　them　wept；　and　women　embraced　each　other　on　the　quay；　and　all　voices　were　heard　to　cry　with　a　sort　of　tender　rage；　〃Pardon　for　that　man！〃
　　He；　in　the　meantime；　had　immediately　begun　to　make　his　descent　to　rejoin　his　detachment。
　　In　order　to　reach　them　the　more　speedily；　he　dropped　into　the　rigging；　and　ran　along　one　of　the　lower　yards；　all　eyes　were　following　him。
　　At　a　certain　moment　fear　assailed　them；　whether　it　was　that　he　was　fatigued；　or　that　his　head　turned；　they　thought　they　saw　him　hesitate　and　stagger。
　　All　at　once　the　crowd　uttered　a　loud　shout：
　　the　convict　had　fallen　into　the　sea。
　　The　fall　was　perilous。
　　The　frigate　Algesiras　was　anchored　alongside　the　Orion；　and　the　poor　convict　had　fallen　between　the　two　vessels：　it　was　to　be　feared　that　he　would　slip　under　one　or　the　other　of　them。　Four　men　flung　themselves　hastily　into　a　boat；　the　crowd　cheered　them　on；　anxiety　again　took　possession　of　all　souls；　the　man　had　not　risen　to　the　surface；　he　had　disappeared　in　the　sea　without　leaving　a　ripple；　as　though　he　had　fallen　into　a　cask　of　oil：
　　they　sounded；　they　dived。
　　In　vain。
　　The　search　was　continued　until　the　evening：　they　did　not　even　find　the　body。
　　On　the　following　day　the　Toulon　newspaper　printed　these　lines：
　　〃Nov。　17；　1823。
　　Yesterday；　a　convict　belonging　to　the　detachment　on　board　of　the　Orion；　on　his　return　from　rendering　assistance　to　a　sailor；　fell　into　the　sea　and　was　drowned。
　　The　body　has　not　yet　been　found；　it　is　supposed　that　it　is　entangled　among　the　piles　of　the　Arsenal　point：
　　this　man　was　mitted