knowthathewasnotawareofwhathewassaying，forhisthoughtswereoutontheseawithLongfellow。
“Charlie。”Iasked，“whentherowersonthegalleysmutiniedhowdidtheykilltheiroverseers？”
“Toreupthebenchesandbrained’emThathappenedwhenaheavyseawasrunningAnoverseeronthelowerdeckslippedfromthecentreplankandfellamongtherowersTheychokedhimtodeathagainstthesideoftheshipwiththeirchainedhandsquitequietly，anditwastoodarkfortheotheroverseertoseewhathadhappenedWhenheasked，hewaspulleddowntooandchoked，andthelowerdeckfoughttheirwayupdeckbydeck，withthepiecesofthebrokenbenchesbangingbehind’emHowtheyhowled！”
“Andwhathappenedafterthat？”
“Idon’tknowTheherowentaway-redhairandredbeardandall。
Thatwasafterhehadcapturedourgalley，Ithink“
Thesoundofmyvoiceirritatedhim，andhemotionedslightlywithhislefthandasamandoeswheninterruptionjars。
“Younevertoldmehewasredheadedbefore，orthathecapturedyourgalley。”Isaid，afteradiscreetinterval。
Charliedidnotraisehiseyes。
“Hewasasredasaredbear。”saidhe，abstractedly“Hecamefromthenorth；theysaidsointhegalleywhenhelookedforrowers-riotslaves，butfreemenAfterward-yearsandyearsafterward-newscamefromanothership，orelsehecameback“-HislipsmovedinsilenceHewasrapturouslyretastingsomepoembeforehim。
“Wherehadhebeen，then？”IwasalmostwhisperingthatthesentencemightcomegentletowhicheversectionofCharlie’sbrainwasworkingonmybehalf。
“TotheBeaches-theLongandWonderfulBeaches！”wasthereply，afteraminuteofsilence。
“ToFurdurstrandi？”Iasked，tinglingfromheadtofoot。
“Yes，toFurdurstrandi。”hepronouncedthewordinanewfashion“AndItoosaw“-Thevoicefailed。
“Doyouknowwhatyouhavesaid？”Ishouted，incautiously。
Heliftedhiseyes，fullyrousednow“No！”hesnapped“Iwishyou’dletachapgoonreadingHarktothis：
“’ButOthere，theoldseacaptain，HeneitherpausednorstirredTillthekinglistened，andthen’OncemoretookuphispenAndwrotedowneveryword。
“’AndtotheKingoftheSaxonsInwitnessofthetruth，Raisinghisnoblehead，Hestretchedhisbrownhandandsaid，“Beholdthiswalrustooth。”
ByJove，whatchapsthosemusthavebeen，togosailingallovertheshopneverknowingwherethey’dfetchtheland！Hah！”
“Charlie。”Ipleaded，“ifyou’llonlyhesensibleforaminuteortwoI’llmakeourheroinourtaleeveryinchasgoodasOthere。”
“Umph！LongfellowwrotethatpoemIdon’tcareaboutwritingthingsanymoreIwanttoread。”Hewasthoroughlyoutoftunenow，andragingovermyownill-luck，Ilefthim。
Conceiveyourselfatthedooroftheworld’streasure-houseguardedbyachild-anidleirresponsiblechildplayingknuckle-
bones-onwhosefavordependsthegiftofthekey，andyouwillimagineone-halfmytormentTillthateveningCharliehadspokennothingthatmightnotliewithintheexperiencesofaGreekgalley-slaveButnow，ortherewasnovirtueinbooks，hehadtalkedofsomedesperateadventureoftheVikings，ofThorfinKarlsefne’ssailingtoWineland，whichisAmerica，intheninthortenthcenturyThebattleintheharborhehadseen；andhisowndeathhehaddescribedButthiswasamuchmorestartlingplungeintothepastWasitpossiblethathehadskippedhalfadozenlivesandwasthendimlyrememberingsomeepisodeofathousandyearslater？Itwasamaddeningjumble，andtheworstofitwasthatCharlieMearsinhisnormalconditionwasthelastpersonintheworldtoclearitupIcouldonlywaitandwatch，butIwenttobedthatnightfullofthewildestimaginingsTherewasnothingthatwasnotpossibleifCharlie’sdetestablememoryonlyheldgood。
ImightrewritetheSagaofThorfinKarlsefneasithadneverbeenwrittenbefore，mighttellthestoryofthefirstdiscoveryofAmerica，myselfthediscovererButIwasentirelyatCharlie’smercy，andsolongastherewasathree-and-six-pennyBohnvolumewithinhisreachCharliewoul...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：