首页 >出版文学> The Wrecker>第56章

第56章

  “Well?”askedMac,foritwashewhostillsurvivedinthatshamblesofacabin。
  “It’sdone;they’realldead。”answeredCarthew。
  “Christ!”saidtheIrishman,andfainted。
  Theginwasfoundinthedeadcaptain’scabin;itwasbroughtondeck,andallhandshadadram,andattackedtheirfarthertask。Thenightwascome,themoonwouldnotbeupforhours;alampwassetonthemainhatchtolightAmaluashewasheddowndecks;andthegalleylanternwastakentoguidetheothersintheirgraveyardbusiness。Holdorsen,Hemstead,Trent,andGoddedaalwerefirstdisposedof,thelaststillbreathingashewentovertheside;Wallenfollowed;andthenWicks,steadiedbythegin,wentaloftwithaboathookandsucceededindislodgingHardy。TheChinamanwastheirlasttask;heseemedtobelight-headed,talkedaloudinhisunknownlanguageastheybroughthimup,anditwasonlywiththesplashofhissinkingbodythatthegibberishceased。
  Brown,bycommonconsent,wasleftalone。Fleshandbloodcouldgonofurther。
  Allthistimetheyhadbeendrinkingundilutedginlikewater;
  threebottlesstoodbroachedindifferentquarters;andnonepassedwithoutagulp。Tommycollapsedagainstthemainmast;Wicksfellonhisfaceonthepoopladderandmovednomore;Amaluhadvanishedunobserved。Carthewwasthelastafoot:hestoodswayingatthebreakofthepoop,andthelantern,whichhestillcarried,swungwithhismovement。Hisheadhummed;itswarmedwithbrokenthoughts;memoryofthatday’sabominationsflaredupanddieddownwithinhimlikethelightofalampinastrongdraught。Andthenhehadadrunkard’sinspiration。
  “Theremustbenomoreofthis。”hethought,andstumbledoncemorebelow。
  TheabsenceofHoldorsen’sbodybroughthimtoastand。Hestoodandstaredattheemptyfloor,andthenrememberedandsmiled。Fromthecaptain’sroomhetooktheopencasewithonedozenandthreebottlesofgin,putthelanterninside,andwalkedprecariouslyforth。Macwasoncemoreconscious,hiseyeshaggard,hisfacedrawnwithpainandflushedwithfever;
  andCarthewrememberedhehadneverbeenseento,hadlaintherehelpless,andwassotolieallnight,injured,perhapsdying。Butitwasnowtoolate;reasonhadnowfledfromthatsilentship。IfCarthewcouldgetondeckagain,itwasasmuchashecouldhope;andcastingontheunfortunateaglanceofpity,thetragicdrunkardshoulderedhiswayupthecompanion,droppedthecaseoverboard,andfellinthescuppershelpless。
  Withthefirstcolourintheeast,Carthewawokeandsatup。A
  whilehegazedatthescrollofthemorningbankandthesparsandhangingcanvasofthebrig,likeamanwhowakesinastrangebed,withachild’ssimplicityofwonder。Hewonderedaboveallwhatailedhim,whathehadlost,whatdisfavourhadbeendonehim,whichheknewheshouldresent,yethadforgotten。Andthen,likeariverburstingthroughadam,thetruthrolledonhimitsinstantaneousvolume:hismemoryteemedwithspeechandpicturesthatheshouldneveragainforget;andhesprangtohisfeet,stoodamomenthandtobrow,andbegantowalkviolentlytoandfrobythecompanion。Ashewalked,hewrunghishands。“God——God——God。”hekeptsaying,withnothoughtofprayer,utteringamerevoiceofagony。
  Thetimemayhavebeenlongorshort,itwasperhapsminutes,perhapsonlyseconds,ereheawoketofindhimselfobserved,andsawthecaptainsittingupandwatchinghimoverthebreakofthepoop,astrangeblindnessasoffeverinhiseyes,ahaggardknotofcorrugationsonhisbrow。Cainsawhimselfinamirror。Foraflashtheylookeduponeachother,andthenglancedguiltilyaside;andCarthewfledfromtheeyeofhisaccomplice,andstoodleaningonthetaffrail。
  Anhourwentby,whilethedaycamebrighter,andthesunroseanddrankuptheclouds:anhourofsilenceintheship,anhourofagonybeyondnarrationforthesufferers。Brown’sgabblingprayers,thecriesofthesailorsintherigging,strainsofthedeadHemstead’sminstrelsy,rantogetherinCarthew’smind,withsickeningiteration。Heneitheracquittednorcondemnedhimself:hedidnotthink,hesuffered。Inthebrightwaterintowhichhestared,thepictureschangedandwererepeated:thebaresarkrageofGoddedaal;theblood-redlightofthesunsetintowhichtheyhadrunforth;thefaceofthebabblingChinamanastheycasthimover;thefaceofthecaptain,seenamomentsince,asheawokefromdrunkennessintoremorse。
  Andtimepassed,andthesunswamhigher,andhistormentwasnotabated。
  Thenwerefulfilledmanysayings,andtheweakestofthesecondemnedbroughtreliefandhealingtotheothers。Amaluthedrudgeawokeliketheresttosicknessofbodyanddistressofmind;butthehabitofobedienceruledinthatsimplespirit,andappalledtobesolate,hewentdirectintothegalley,kindledthefire,andbegantogetbreakfast。Attherattleofdishes,thesnappingofthefire,andthethinsmokethatwentupstraightintotheair,thespellwaslifted。Thecondemnedfeltoncemorethegooddrylandofhabitunderfoot;theytouchedagainthefamiliarguide-ropesofsanity;theywererestoredtoasenseoftheblessedrevolutionandreturnofallthingsearthly。Thecaptaindrewabucketofwaterandbegantobathe。Tommysatup,watchedhimawhile,andslowlyfollowedhisexample;andCarthew,rememberinghislastthoughtsofthenightbefore,hastenedtothecabin。
  Macwasawake;perhapshadnotslept。OverhisheadGoddedaal’scanarytwitteredshrillyfromitscage。
  “Howareyou?”askedCarthew。
  “Mearrum’sbroke。”returnedMac;“butIcanstandthat。It’sthisplaceIcan’tabide。Iwascomingondeckanyway。”
  “Staywhereyouare,though。”saidCarthew。“It’sdeadlyhotabove,andthere’snowind。I’llwashoutthis——“andhepaused,seekingawordandnotfindingoneforthegrislyfoulnessofthecabin。
  “Faith,I’llbeobligedtoye,then。”repliedtheIrishman。Hespokemildandmeek,likeasickchildwithitsmother。Therewasnownoviolenceintheviolentman;andasCarthewfetchedabucketandswabandthesteward’ssponge,andbegantocleansethefieldofbattle,healternatelywatchedhimorshuthiseyesandsighedlikeamannearfainting。“Ihavetoaskallyourpardons。”hebeganagainpresently,“andthemoreshametomeasIgotyeintotroubleandcouldn’tdonothingwhenitcame。Yesavedmelife,sir;ye’reaclaneshot。”
  “ForGod’ssake,don’ttalkofit!”criedCarthew。“Itcan’tbetalkedof;youdon’tknowwhatitwas。Itwasnothingdownhere;theyfought。Ondeck——O,myGod!”AndCarthew,withthebloodyspongepressedtohisface,struggledamomentwithhysteria。
  “Kapecool,Mr。Cart’ew。It’sdonenow。”saidMac;“andyemayblessGodye’renotinpainandhelplessinthebargain。”
  Therewasnomoresaidbyoneorother,andthecabinwasprettywellcleansedwhenastrokeontheship’sbellsummonedCarthewtobreakfast。Tommyhadbeenbusyinthemeanwhile;hehadhauledthewhaleboatcloseaboard,andalreadyloweredintoitasmallkegofbeefthathefoundreadybroachedbesidethegalleydoor;itwasplainhehadbuttheoneidea——toescape。
  “Wehaveashipfulofstorestodrawupon。”hesaid。“Well,whatarewestayingfor?Let’sgetoffatonceforHawaii。I’vebegunpreparingalready。”
  “Machashisarmbroken。”observedCarthew;“howwouldhestandthevoyage?”
  “Abrokenarm?”repeatedthecaptain。“Thatall?I’llsetitafterbreakfast。Ithoughthewasdeadliketherest。Thatmadmanhitoutlike——“andthere,attheevocationofthebattle,hisvoiceceasedandthetalkdiedwithit。
  Afterbreakfast,thethreewhitemenwentdownintothecabin。
  “I’vecometosetyourarm。”saidthecaptain。
  “Ibegyourpardon,captain。”repliedMac;“butthefirrstthingyegottodoistogetthisshiptosea。We’lltalkofmearrumafterthat。”
  “O,there’snosuchbloominghurry。”returnedWicks。
  “Whenthenextshipsailsin,ye’lltellmestories!”retortedMac。
  “Butthere’snothingsounlikelyintheworld。”objectedCarthew。
  “Don’tbedeceivin’yourself。”saidMac。“Ifyewantaship,divilaone’lllooknearyeinsixyear;butifyedon’t,yemaytakemywordforut,we’llhaveasquadronlayin’here。”
  “That’swhatIsay。”criedTommy;“that’swhatIcallsense!
  Let’sstockthatwhaleboatandbeoff。”
  “AndwhatwillCaptainWicksbethinkingofthewhaleboat?”
  askedtheIrishman。
  “Idon’tthinkofitatall。”saidWicks。“We’veasmart-lookingbrigunderfoot;that’sallthewhaleboatIwant。”
  “Excuseme!”criedTommy。“That’schildishtalk。You’vegotabrig,tobesure,andwhatuseisshe?Youdaren’tgoanywhereinher。Whatportareyoutosailfor?”
  “FortheportofDavyJones’sLocker,myson。”repliedthecaptain。“Thisbrig’sgoingtobelostatsea。I’lltellyouwhere,too,andthat’saboutfortymilestowindwardofKauai。We’regoingtostaybyhertillshe’sdown;andoncethemastsareunder,she’stheFlyingScudnomore,andweneverheardofsuchabrig;andit’sthecrewoftheschoonerCurrencyLassthatcomesashoreintheboat,andtakesthefirstchancetoSydney。”
  “Captaindear,that’sthefirstChristianwordI’veheardofut!”
  criedMac。“Andnow,justletmearrumbe,jewel,andgetthebrigoutside。”
  “I’masanxiousasyourself,Mac。”returnedWicks;“butthere’snotwindenoughtoswearby。Solet’sseeyourarm,andnomoretalk。”
  Thearmwassetandsplinted;thebodyofBrownfetchedfromtheforepeak,whereitlaystillandcold,andcommittedtothewatersofthelagoon;andthewashingofthecabinrudelyfinished。Alltheseweredoneeremidday;anditwaspastthreewhenthefirstcat’s-pawruffledthelagoon,andthewindcameinadrysquall,whichpresentlysoberedtoasteadybreeze。
  Theintervalwaspassedbyallinfeverishimpatience,andbyoneofthepartyinsecretandextremeconcernofmind。
  CaptainWickswasafore-and-aftsailor;hecouldtakeaschoonerthroughaScotchreel,felthermouthanddivinedhertemperlikeariderwithahorse;she,onherside,recognisinghermasterandfollowinghiswisheslikeadog。Butbyanotveryunusualtrainofcircumstance,theman’sdexteritywaspartialandcircumscribed。Onaschooner’sdeckhewasRembrandtorattheleastMr。Whistler;onboardabrighewasPierreGrassou。Againandagaininthecourseofthemorning,hehadreasonedouthispolicyandrehearsedhisorders;andeverwiththesamedepressionandweariness。Itwasguess-work;itwaschance;theshipmightbehaveasheexpected,andmightnot;supposeshefailedhim,hestoodtherehelpless,beggaredofalltheprovedresourcesofexperience。
  Hadnotallhandsbeensoweary,hadhenotfearedtocommunicatehisownmisgivings,hecouldhavetowedherout。
  Butthesereasonssufficed,andthemosthecoulddowastotakeallpossibleprecautions。AccordinglyhehadCarthewaft,explainedwhatwastobedonewithanxiouspatience,andvisitedalongwithhimthevarioussheetsandbraces。
  “IhopeI’llremember。”saidCarthew。“Itseemsawfullymuddled。”
  “It’stherottenestkindofrig。”thecaptainadmitted:“allbloomingpockethandkerchiefs!Andnotonesailor-manondeck!Ah,ifshe’donlybeenabrigantine,now!Butit’sluckythepassageissoplain;there’snomanoeuvringtomention。Wegetunderwaybeforethewind,andrunrightsotillwebegintogetfouloftheisland;thenwehaulourwindandlieasnearsouth-eastasmaybetillwe’reonthatline;’boutshipthereandstandstraightoutontheporttack。Catchtheidea?”
  “Yes,Iseetheidea。”repliedCarthew,ratherdismally,andthetwoincompetentsstudiedforalongtimeinsilencethecomplicatedgearabovetheirheads。
  Butthetimecamewhentheserehearsalsmustbeputinpractice。Thesailswerelowered,andallhandsheavedtheanchorshort。Thewhaleboatwasthencutadrift,theuppertopsailsandthespankerset,theyardsbracedup,andthespankersheethauledouttostarboard。
  “Heaveawayonyouranchor,Mr。Carthew。”
  “Anchor’sgone,sir。”
  “Setjibs。”
  Itwasdone,andthebrigstillhungenchanted。Wicks,hisheadfullofaschooner’smainsail,turnedhismindtothespanker。
  Firsthehauledinthesheet,andthenhehauleditout,withnoresult。
  “Brailthedamnedthingup!”hebawledatlast,witharedface。
  “Thereain’tnosenseinit。”
  Itwasthelaststrokeofbewildermentforthepoorcaptain,thathehadnosoonerbrailedupthespankerthanthevesselcamebeforethewind。Thelawsofnatureseemedtohimtobesuspended;hewaslikeamaninaworldofpantomimetricks;
  thecauseofanyresult,andtheprobableresultofanyaction,equallyconcealedfromhim。Hewasthemorecarefulnottoshakethenerveofhisamateurassistants。Hestoodtherewithafacelikeatorch;buthegavehisorderswithaplomb;andindeed,nowtheshipwasunderweigh,supposedhisdifficultiesover。