the wreck of the golden mary-第2部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



the　child　a　cranky　Noah's　Ark；　very　much　down　by　the　head；　that　he

had　gone　in　and　asked　the　ladies'　permission　to　treat　him　to　a

tolerably　correct　Cutter　there　was　in　the　window；　in　order　that　such

a　handsome　boy　might　not　grow　up　with　a　lubberly　idea　of　naval

architecture。



We　stood　off　and　on　until　the　ladies'　coachman　began　to　give　way；

and　then　we　hailed　John。　　On　his　coming　aboard　of　us；　I　told　him；

very　gravely；　what　I　had　said　to　my　friend。　　It　struck　him；　as　he

said　himself；　amidships。　　He　was　quite　shaken　by　it。　　〃Captain

Ravender；〃　were　John　Steadiman's　words；　〃such　an　opinion　from　you　is

true　commendation；　and　I'll　sail　round　the　world　with　you　for　twenty

years　if　you　hoist　the　signal；　and　stand　by　you　for　ever！〃　　And　now

indeed　I　felt　that　it　was　done；　and　that　the　Golden　Mary　was　afloat。



Grass　never　grew　yet　under　the　feet　of　Smithick　and　Watersby。　　The

riggers　were　out　of　that　ship　in　a　fortnight's　time；　and　we　had

begun　taking　in　cargo。　　John　was　always　aboard；　seeing　everything

stowed　with　his　own　eyes；　and　whenever　I　went　aboard　myself　early　or

late；　whether　he　was　below　in　the　hold；　or　on　deck　at　the　hatchway；

or　overhauling　his　cabin；　nailing　up　pictures　in　it　of　the　Blush

Roses　of　England；　the　Blue　Belles　of　Scotland；　and　the　female

Shamrock　of　Ireland：　　of　a　certainty　I　heard　John　singing　like　a

blackbird。



We　had　room　for　twenty　passengers。　　Our　sailing　advertisement　was　no

sooner　out；　than　we　might　have　taken　these　twenty　times　over。　　In

entering　our　men；　I　and　John　（both　together）　picked　them；　and　we

entered　none　but　good　handsas　good　as　were　to　be　found　in　that

port。　　And　so；　in　a　good　ship　of　the　best　build；　well　owned；　well

arranged；　well　officered；　well　manned；　well　found　in　all　respects；

we　parted　with　our　pilot　at　a　quarter　past　four　o'clock　in　the

afternoon　of　the　seventh　of　March；　one　thousand　eight　hundred　and

fifty…one；　and　stood　with　a　fair　wind　out　to　sea。



It　may　be　easily　believed　that　up　to　that　time　I　had　had　no　leisure

to　be　intimate　with　my　passengers。　　The　most　of　them　were　then　in

their　berths　sea…sick；　however；　in　going　among　them；　telling　them

what　was　good　for　them；　persuading　them　not　to　be　there；　but　to　come

up　on　deck　and　feel　the　breeze；　and　in　rousing　them　with　a　joke；　or

a　comfortable　word；　I　made　acquaintance　with　them；　perhaps；　in　a

more　friendly　and　confidential　way　from　the　first；　than　I　might　have

done　at　the　cabin　table。



Of　my　passengers；　I　need　only　particularise；　just　at　present；　a

bright…eyed　blooming　young　wife　who　was　going　out　to　join　her

husband　in　California；　taking　with　her　their　only　child；　a　little

girl　of　three　years　old；　whom　he　had　never　seen；　a　sedate　young

woman　in　black；　some　five　years　older　（about　thirty　as　I　should

say）；　who　was　going　out　to　join　a　brother；　and　an　old　gentleman；　a

good　deal　like　a　hawk　if　his　eyes　had　been　better　and　not　so　red；

who　was　always　talking；　morning；　noon；　and　night；　about　the　gold

discovery。　　But；　whether　he　was　making　the　voyage；　thinking　his　old

arms　could　dig　for　gold；　or　whether　his　speculation　was　to　buy　it；

or　to　barter　for　it；　or　to　cheat　for　it；　or　to　snatch　it　anyhow　from

other　people；　was　his　secret。　　He　kept　his　secret。



These　three　and　the　child　were　the　soonest　well。　　The　child　was　a

most　engaging　child；　to　be　sure；　and　very　fond　of　me：　　though　I　am

bound　to　admit　that　John　Steadiman　and　I　were　borne　on　her　pretty

little　books　in　reverse　order；　and　that　he　was　captain　there；　and　I

was　mate。　　It　was　beautiful　to　watch　her　with　John；　and　it　was

beautiful　to　watch　John　with　her。　　Few　would　have　thought　it

possible；　to　see　John　playing　at　bo…peep　round　the　mast；　that　he　was

the　man　who　had　caught　up　an　iron　bar　and　struck　a　Malay　and　a

Maltese　dead；　as　they　were　gliding　with　their　knives　down　the　cabin

stair　aboard　the　barque　Old　England；　when　the　captain　lay　ill　in　his

cot；　off　Saugar　Point。　　But　he　was；　and　give　him　his　back　against　a

bulwark；　he　would　have　done　the　same　by　half　a　dozen　of　them。　　The

name　of　the　young　mother　was　Mrs。　Atherfield；　the　name　of　the　young

lady　in　black　was　Miss　Coleshaw；　and　the　name　of　the　old　gentleman

was　Mr。　Rarx。



As　the　child　had　a　quantity　of　shining　fair　hair；　clustering　in

curls　all　about　her　face；　and　as　her　name　was　Lucy；　Steadiman　gave

her　the　name　of　the　Golden　Lucy。　　So；　we　had　the　Golden　Lucy　and　the

Golden　Mary；　and　John　kept　up　the　idea　to　that　extent　as　he　and　the

child　went　playing　about　the　decks；　that　I　believe　she　used　to　think

the　ship　was　alive　somehowa　sister　or　companion；　going　to　the　same

place　as　herself。　　She　liked　to　be　by　the　wheel；　and　in　fine

weather；　I　have　often　stood　by　the　man　whose　trick　it　was　at　the

wheel；　only　to　hear　her；　sitting　near　my　feet；　talking　to　the　ship。

Never　had　a　child　such　a　doll　before；　I　suppose；　but　she　made　a　doll

of　the　Golden　Mary；　and　used　to　dress　her　up　by　tying　ribbons　and

little　bits　of　finery　to　the　belaying…pins；　and　nobody　ever　moved

them；　unless　it　was　to　save　them　from　being　blown　away。



Of　course　I　took　charge　of　the　two　young　women；　and　I　called　them

〃my　dear；〃　and　they　never　minded；　knowing　that　whatever　I　said　was

said　in　a　fatherly　and　protecting　spirit。　　I　gave　them　their　places

on　each　side　of　me　at　dinner；　Mrs。　Atherfield　on　my　right　and　Miss

Coleshaw　on　my　left；　and　I　directed　the　unmarried　lady　to　serve　out

the　breakfast；　and　the　married　lady　to　serve　out　the　tea。　　Likewise

I　said　to　my　black　steward　in　their　presence；　〃Tom　Snow；　these　two

ladies　are　equally　the　mistresses　of　this　house；　and　do　you　obey

their　orders　equally；〃　at　which　Tom　laughed；　and　they　all　laughed。



Old　Mr。　Rarx　was　not　a　pleasant　man　to　look　at；　nor　yet　to　talk　to；

or　to　be　with；　for　no　one　could　help　seeing　that　he　was　a　sordid　and

selfish　character；　and　that　he　had　warped　further　and　further　out　of

the　straight　with　time。　　Not　but　what　he　was　on　his　best　behaviour

with　us；　as　everybody　was；　for　we　had　no　bickering　among　us；　for'ard

or　aft。　　I　only　mean　to　say；　he　was　not　the　man　one　would　have

chosen　for　a　messmate。　　If　choice　there　had　been；　one　might　even

have　gone　a　few　points　out　of　one's　course；　to　say；　〃No！　　Not　him！〃

But；　there　was　one　curious　inconsistency　in　Mr。　Rarx。　　That　was；

that　he　took　an　astonishing　interest　in　the　child。　　He　looked；　and　I

may　add；　he　was；　one　of　the　last　of　men　to　care　at　all　for　a　child；

or　to　care　much　for　any　human　creature。　　Still；　he　went　so　far　as　to

be　habitually　uneasy；　if　the　child　was　long　on　deck；　out　of　his

sight。　　He　was　always　afraid　of　her　falling　overboard；　or　falling

down　a　hatchway；　or　of　a　block　or　what　not　coming　down　upon　her　from

the　rigging　in　the　working　of　the　ship；　or　of　her　getting　some　hurt

or　other。　　He　used　to　look　at　her　and　touch　her；　as　if　she　was

something　precious　to　him。　　He　was　always　solicitous　about　her　not

injuring　her　health；　and　constantly　entreated　her　mother　to　be

careful　of　it。　　This　was　so　much　the　more　curious；　because　the　child

did　not　like　him；　but　used　to　shrink　away　from　him；　and　would　not

even　put　out　her　hand　to　him　without　coaxing　from　others。　　I　believe

that　every　soul　on　board　frequently　noticed　this；　and　not　one　of　us

understood　it。　　However；　it　was　such　a　plain　fact；　that　John

Steadiman　said　more　than　once　when　old　Mr。　Rarx　was　not　within

earshot；　that　if　the　Golden　Mary　felt　a　tenderness　for　the　dear　old

gentleman　she　carried　in　her　lap；　she　must　be　bitterly　jealous　of

the　Golden　Lucy。



Before　I　go　any　further　with　this　narrative；　I　will　state　that　our

ship　was　a　barque　of　three　hundred　tons；　carrying　a　crew　of　eighteen

men；　a　second　mate　in　addition　to　John；　a　carpenter；　an　armourer　or

smith；　and　two　apprentices　（one　a　Scotch　boy；　poor　little　fellow）。

We　had　three　boats；　the　Long…boat；　capable　of　carrying　twenty…five

men；　the　Cutter；　capable　of　carrying　fifteen；　and　the　Surf…boat；

capable　of　carrying　ten。　　I　put　down　the　capacity　of　these　boats

according　to　the　numbers　they　were　really　meant　to　hold。



We　had　tastes　of　bad　weather　and　head…winds；　of　course；　but；　on　the

whole　we　had　as　fine　a　run　as　any　reasonable　man　could　expect；　for

sixty　days。　　I　then　began　to　enter　two　remarks　in　the　ship's　Log　and

in　my　Journal；　first；　that　there　was　an　unusual　and　amazing　quantity

of　ice；　second；　that　the　nights　were　most　wonderfully　dark；　in　spite

of　the　ice。



For　five　days　and　a　half；　it　seemed　quite　useless　and　hopeless　to

alter　the　ship's　course　so　as　to　stand　out　of　the　way　of　this　ice。

I　made　what　southing　I　could；　but；　all　that　time；　we　were　beset　by

it。　　Mrs。　Atherfield　after　standing　by　me　on　deck　once；　looking　for

some　time　in　an　awed　manner　at　the　great　bergs　that　surrounded　us；

said　in　a　whisper；　〃O！　Captain　Ravender；　it　looks　as　if　the　whole

solid　earth　had　changed　into　ice；　and　broken　up！〃　　I　said　to　her；

laughing；　〃I　don't　wonder　that　it　does；　to　your　inexperienced　eyes；

my　dear。〃　　But　I　had　never　seen　a　twentieth　part　of　the　quantity；

and；　in　reality；　I　was　pretty　much　of　her　opinion。



However；　at　two　p。m。　on　the　afternoon　of　the　sixth　day；　that　is　to

say；　when　we　were　sixty…six　days　out；　John　Steadiman　who　had　gone

aloft；　sang　out　from　the　top；　that　the　sea　was　clear　ahead。　　Before

four　p。m。　a　strong　breeze　springing　up　right　astern；　we　were　in　open

water　at　sunset。　　The　breeze　then　freshening　into　half　a　gale　of

wind；　and　the　Golden　Mary　being　a　very　fast　sailer；　we　went　before

the　wind　merrily；　all　night。



I　had　thought　it　impossible　that　it　could　be　darker　than　it　had

been；　until　the　sun；　moon；　and　stars　should　fall　out　of　the　Heavens；

and　Time　should　be　destroyed；　but；　it　had　been　next　to　light；　in

comparison　with　what　it　was　now。　　The　darkness　was　so　profound；　that

looking　into　it　was　painful　and　oppressivelike　looking；　without　a

ray　of　light；　into　a　dense　black　bandage　put　as　close　before　the

eyes　as　it　could　be；　without　touching　them。　　I　doubl