hard cash-第38部分

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〃No；　sir；　not　half　an　hour。〃

〃Can　we　furl　that　main　taupsle？〃

Sharpe　shook　his　head。　〃The　first　moment　we　start　a　sheet；　the　sail　will　whip　the　mast　out　of　her。〃

〃You　are　right　Well；　then；　I'll　cut　it　away。〃

〃Volunteers；　sir？〃

〃Ay；　twelve：　no　more。　Send　them　to　my　cabin。〃

Sharpe's　difficulty　was　to　keep　the　men　back；　so　eager　were　the　fine　fellows　to　risk　their　lives。　However；　he　brought　twelve　to　the　cabin；　headed　by　Mr。　Grey；　who　had　a　right；　as　captain　of　the　watch；　to　go　with　them；　on　which　right　he　insisted；　in　spite　of　Dodd's　earnest　request　that　he　would　forego　it。　When　Dodd　saw　his　resolution；　he　dropped　the　friend　and　resumed　the　captain；　and　spoke　to　them　through　a　trumpet；　the　first　time　he　had　ever　used　one　in　a　cabin；　or　seen　one　used。

〃Mr。　Grey　and　men；　going　aloft　to　save　the　mainmast　by　cutting　the　sail　away。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir！〃

〃Service　of　danger；　great　danger！〃

〃Hurrah！〃

〃But　great　dangers　can　be　made　smaller　by　working　the　right　way。　Attend！　Lay　out　all　on　the　yard；　and　take　your　time　from　one　man　at　the　lee　yard…arm：　don't　know　who　that　will　be；　but　one　of　the　smartest　men　in　the　ship。　Order　to　_him_　is：　hold　his　knife　hand　well　up；　rest　to　see！　and　then　in　knives　altogether：　mind　and　cut　from　you；　and　below　the　reef　band；　and　then　I　hope　to　see　all　come　down　alive。〃

Mr。　Grey　and　his　twelve　men　left　the　cabin：　and　hey！　for　the　main　top。　The　men　let　the　officer　lead　them　as　far　as　Jacob's　ladder；　and　then　hurrah　for　the　lee　yard…arm！　That　was　where　all　wanted　to　be；　and　but　one　could　be。　Grey　was　as　anxious　as　the　rest；　but　officers　of　his　rank　seldom　go　aloft；　and　soon　fall　out　of　their　catlike　habits。　He　had　done　about　six　ratlines；　when；　instead　of　going　hand　over　head；　he　spread　his　arms　to　seize　a　shroud　on　each　side　of　him：　by　this　he　weakened　his　leverage；　and　the　wind　just　then　came　fiercer；　caught　him；　and　flattened　him　against　the　rigging　as　tight　as　if　Nature　had　caught　up　a　mountain　for　a　hammer　and　nailed　him　with　a　cedar；　he　was　spread…eagled。　The　men　accepted　him　at　once　as　a　new　patent　ratline　with　a　fine　resisting　power：　they　went　up　him；　and　bounded　three　ordinary　ratlines　at　a　go　off　all　his　promontories；　especially　his　shoulders　and　his　head；　receiving　his　compliments　in　the　shape　of　hearty　curses。　They　gained　the　top　and　lay　out　on　the　yard　with　their　hair　flying　like　streamers：　and　who　got　the　place　of　honour　but　Thompson；　the　jolly　fore…topman　who　couldn't　stand　smoked　pea…soup。　So　strong　and　so　weak　are　men。

Thompson　raised　his　knife　high；　there　was　a　pause：　then　in　went　all　their　knives；　and　away　went　the　sail　into　the　night　of　the　storm；　and　soon　seemed　a　sheet　of　writing…paper；　and　more　likely　to　hit　the　sky　than　the　sea。　The　men　came　down；　picked　their　officer　off　the　rigging；　had　a　dram　in　the　captain's　cabin；　and　saw　him　enter　their　names　in　the　log…book　for　good　service；　and　in　the　purser's　for　extra　grog　on　Sundays　from　there　to　Gravesend。

The　ship　was　relieved；　and　all　looked　well　till　the　chronometer；　their　only　guide　now；　announced　sunset：　when　the　wind；　incredible　as　it　may　appear；　increased；　and　one　frightful　squall　dipped　the　muzzles　of　the　lee　carronades　in　the　water。

Then　was　heard　the　first　cry　of　distress：　an　appalling　sound；　the　wail　of　brave　men。　And　they　had　borne　it　all　so　bravely；　so　cheerfully；　till　now。　But　now　they　knew　something　must　go；　or　else　the　ship；　the　suspense　was　awful；　but　very　short。　Crack！　crash！　the　fore　and　main　topmast　both　gone　short　off　by　the　caps；　and　the　ship　recovered　slowly；　hesitatingly；　tremblingly。

Relieving　her　from　one　danger；　this　subjected　her　to　another　and　a　terrible　one。　The　heavy　spars　that　had　fallen；　unable　to　break　loose　from　the　rigging；　pounded　the　ship　so　savagely　as　to　threaten　to　stave　in　her　side。　Add　to　this　that；　with　labouring　so　long　and　severely；　some　of　the　ship's　seams　began　now　to　open　and　shut　and　discharge　the　oakum；　which　is　terrible　to　the　bravest　seamen。　Yet　neither　this　stout　captain　nor　his　crew　shirked　any　danger　men　had　ever　grappled　with　since　men　were。　Dodd　ordered　them　to　cut　away　the　wreck　to　leeward；　it　was　done：　then　to　windward；　this；　the　more　ticklish　operation；　was　also　done　smartly：　the　wreck　passed　under　the　ship's　quarter；　and　she　drifted　clear　of　it　They　breathed　again。

At　eight　bells　in　the　first　watch　it　began　to　thunder　and　lighten　furiously；　but　the　thunder；　though　close；　was　quite　inaudible　in　the　tremendous　uproar　of　the　wind　and　sea。　It　blew　a　hurricane：　there　were　no　more　squalls　now；　but　one　continuous　tornado；　which　in　its　passage　through　that　great　gaunt　skeleton；　the　ship's　rigging　and　bare　poles；　howled　and　yelled　and　roared　so　terrifically；　as　would　have　silenced　a　salvo　of　artillery　fired　alongside。　The　overwhelming　sea　ran　in　dark　watery　mountains　crested　with　devilish　fire。　The　inky　blackness　added　supernatural　horror；　the　wrath　of　the　Almighty　seemed　upon　them；　and　His　hand　to　drop　the　black　sky　down　on　them　for　their　funeral　pall。　Surely　Noah　from　his　ark　saw　nothing　more　terrible。

What　is　that？　Close　on　the　lee　bow：　chose：　the　flash　of　a　gun；　another；　another；　another。　A　ship　in　distress　firing　minute…guns　in　their　ears；　yet　no　sound：　human　thunder　silenced；　as　God's　thunder　was　silenced；　by　the　uproar　of　His　greater　creatures　in　their　mad　rage。　The　_Agra_　fired　two　minute…guns　to　let　the　other　poor　ship　know　she　had　a　companion　in　her　helplessness　and　her　distress；　and　probably　a　companion　in　her　fate。　Even　this　companionship　added　its　mite　of　danger：　for　both　ships　were　mere　playthings　of　the　elements；　they　might　be　tossed　together；　and　then；　what　would　be　their　fate？　Two　eggs　clashed　together　in　a　great　boiling　caldron；　and　all　the　life　spilt　out。

Yet　did　each　flash　shoot　a　ray　of　humanity　and　sympathy　into　the　thick　black　supernatural　horror。

And　now　came　calamity　upon　calamity。　A　tremendous　sea　broke　the　tiller　at　the　rudder…head；　and　not　only　was　the　ship　in　danger　of　falling　off　and　shipping　the　sea；　but　the　rudder　hammered　her　awfully；　and　bade　fair　to　stave　in　her　counter；　which　is　another　word　for　Destruction。　Thus　death　came　at　them　with　two　hands　open　at　once。

These　vessels　always　carry　a　spare　tiller：　they　tried　to　ship　it；　but　the　difficulty　was　prodigious。　No　light　but　the　miserable　deck…lanternone　glowworm　in　Egypt　supernaturally　darkenedthe　_Agra_　never　on　an　even　keel；　and　heeling　over　like　a　seesaw　more　than　a　ship；　and　then　every　time　they　did　place　the　tiller；　and　get　the　strain　on　with　their　luff　tackles；　the　awful　sea　gave　it　a　blow　and　knocked　it　away　like　a　hair。

At　last　they　hit　it　off；　or　thought　they　had；　for　the　ponderous　thumps　of　the　rudder　ceased　entirely。　However；　the　ship　did　not　obey　this　new　tiller　like　the　old　one：　her　head　fell　off　in　an　unlucky　moment　when　seven　waves　were　rolling　in　one；　and；　on　coming　to　the　windward　again；　she　shipped　a　sea。　It　came　in　over　her　bow　transversely；　broke　as　high　as　the　mainstay；　and　hid　and　buried　the　whole　ship　before　the　mast；　carried　away　the　waist　bulwarks　on　both　sides；　filled　the　launch；　and　drowned　the　live　stock　which　were　in　it；　swept　four　water…butts　and　three　men　away　into　the　sea；　like　corks　and　straws；　and　sent　tons　of　water　down　the　forescuttle　and　main　hatchway；　which　was　partly　opened；　not　to　stifle　the　crew；　and　flooded　the　gun…deck　ankle…deep。

Dodd；　who　was　in　his　cabin；　sent　the　whole　crew　to　the　pumps；　except　the　men　at　the　wheel；　and　prepared　for　the　worst。

In　men　so　brave　as　he　was；　when　Hope　dies　Fear　dies。　His　chief　care　now　was　to　separate　the　fate　of　those　he　loved　from　his　own。　He　took　a　bottle；　inserted　the　fatal　money　in　it　with　a　few　words　of　love　to　his　wife；　and　of　direction　to　any　stranger　that　should　fall　in　with　it；　secured　the　cork　with　melted　sealing…wax；　tied　oilskin　over　it　and　melted　wax　on　that；　applied　a　preparation　to　the　glass　to　close　the　pores；　and　to　protect　it　against　other　accidents；　and　attract　attention；　fastened　a　black　painted　bladder　to　it　by　a　stout　tarred　twine；　and　painted　_〃Agra_；　lost　at　sea；〃　in　white　on　the　bladder。　He　had　logged　each　main　incident　of　the　storm　with　that　curt　business…like　accuracy　which　reads　so　cold　and　small　a　record　of　these　great　and　terrible　tragedies。　He　now　made　a　final　entry　a　little　more　in　character　with　the　situation：

〃About　eight　bells　in　the　morning　watch　shipped　a　heavy　sea　forward。　The　rudder　being　now　damaged；　and　the　ship　hardly　manageable；　brought　the　log　and　case　on　check；　expecting　to　founder　shortly。　Sun　and　moon　hidden　this　two　days；　and　no　observation　possible；　but　by　calculation　of　wind　and　current；　we　should　be　about　fifty　miles　to　the　southward　of　the　Mauritius。　God's　will　be　done。〃

He　got　on　deck　with　the　bottle　in　his　pocket　and　the　bladder　peeping　out：　put　the　log　and　its　case　down　on　deck；　and　by　means　of　the　life…lines　crawled　along　on　his　knees；　and　with　great　difficulty；　to　the　wheel。　Finding　the　men　could　hardly　hold　on；　and　dreading　another　sea；　Dodd；　with　his　own　hands；　lashed　them　to　the　helm。

While　thus　employed；　he　felt　the　ship　give　a　slight　roll；　a　very　slight　roll　to　windward。　His　experienced　eye　lightened　with　hope；　he　cast　his　eager　glance　to　leeward。　There　it　is　a　sailor　looks　for　the　first　spark　of　hope。　Ay；　thereaway　was　a　little　gleam　of　light。　He　patted　the　helmsman　on　the　shoulder　and　pointed　to　it；　for　now　neither　could　one　man　speak　for　the　wind；　nor　another　hear。　The　sailor　nodded　joyfully。

Presently　the　continuous　tornado　broke　into　squalls。

Hope　grew　brighter。

But；　unfortunately；　in　one　furious　squall　the　ship　broke　round　off；　so　as　to　present　her　quarter　to　the　sea　at　an　unlucky　moment：　for　it　came　seven　deep　again；　a　roaring　mountain；　and　hurled　itself　over　her　stern　and　quarter。　The　mighty　mass　struck　her　stem　frame　with　the　weight　of　a　hundred　thousand　tons　of　water；　and　drove　her　forward　as　a　boy　launches　his　toy…boat　on　a　pond；　and　though　she　made　so　little　resistance；　stove　in　the　dead　lights　and　the　port　frames；　burst　through　the　cabin　bulkheads；　and　washed　out　all　the　furniture；　and　Colonel　Kenealy　in　his　nightgown　with　a　table　in　his　arms　borne　on　water　three　feet　deep；　and　carried　him　under　the　poop　awning　away　to　the　lee　quarter…deck　scuppers；　and　flooded　the　lower　deck。　Above；　it　s