rambling idle excursion-第4节

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one。　　Now　you　look　back　at　his　home。　　His　wife's　a　feeble　woman；　she's　a
stranger　in　New　York；　shut　up　in　blazing　hot　or　freezing　cold　lodgings；
according　to　the　season；　don't　know　anybody　hardly；　no　company　but　her
lonesomeness　and　her　thoughts；　husband　gone　six　months　at　a　time。　　She
has　borne　eight　children；　five　of　them　she　has　buried　without　her　husband
ever　setting　eyes　on　them。　　She　watches　them　all　the　long　nights　till
they　diedhe　comfortable　on　the　sea；　she　followed　them　to　the　grave　she
heard　the　clods　fall　that　broke　her　heart　he　comfortable　on　the　sea；　she
mourned　at　home；　weeks　and　weeks；　missing　them　every　day　and　every　hour
he　cheerful　at　sea；　knowing　nothing　about　it。　　Now　look　at　it　a　minute
turn　it　over　in　your　mind　and　size　it：　five　children　born；　she　among
strangers；　and　him　not　by　to　hearten　her；　buried；　and　him　not　by　to
comfort　her；　think　of　that！　　Sympathy　for　the　poor　mariner's　perils　is
rot；　give　it　to　his　wife's　hard　lines；　where　it　belongs！　　Poetry　makes
out　that　all　the　wife　worries　about　is　the　dangers　her　husband's　running。
She's　got　substantialer　things　to　worry　over；　I　tell　you。　　Poetry's
always　pitying　the　poor　mariner　on　account　of　his　perils　at　sea；　better　a
blamed　sight　pity　him　for　the　nights　he　can't　sleep　for　thinking　of　how
he　had　to　leave　his　wife　in　her　very　birth　pains；　lonesome　and
friendless；　in　the　thick　of　disease　and　trouble　and　death。　　If　there's
one　thing　that　can　make　me　madder　than　another；　it's　this　sappy；　damned
maritime　poetry！〃

Captain　Brace　was　a　patient；　gentle；　seldom　speaking　man；　with　a　pathetic
something　in　his　bronzed　face　that　had　been　a　mystery　up　to　this　time；
but　stood　interpreted　now　since　we　had　heard　his　story。　　He　had　voyaged
eighteen　times　to　the　Mediterranean；　seven　times　to　India；　once　to　the
arctic　pole　in　a　discovery…ship；　and　〃between　times〃　had　visited　all　the
remote　seas　and　ocean　corners　of　the　globe。　　But　he　said　that　twelve
years　ago；　on　account　of　his　family；　he　〃settled　down；〃　and　ever　since
then　had　ceased　to　roam。　　And　what　do　you　suppose　was　this　simple…
hearted；　lifelong　wanderer's　idea　of　settling　down　and　ceasing　to　roam？
Why；　the　making　of　two　five…month　voyages　a　year　between　Surinam　and
Boston　for　sugar　and　molasses！

Among　other　talk　to…day；　it　came　out　that　whale…ships　carry　no　doctor。
The　captain　adds　the　doctorship　to　his　own　duties。　　He　not　only　gives
medicines；　but　sets　broken　limbs　after　notions　of　his　own；　or　saws　them
off　and　sears　the　stump　when　amputation　seems　best。　　The　captain　is
provided　with　a　medicine…chest；　with　the　medicines　numbered　instead　of
named。　　A　book　of　directions　goes　with　this。　　It　describes　diseases　and
symptoms；　and　says；　〃Give　a　teaspoonful　of　No。　9　once　an　hour；〃　or　〃Give
ten　grains　of　No。　12　every　half…hour；〃　etc。　　One　of　our　sea…captains　came
across　a　skipper　in　the　North　Pacific　who　was　in　a　state　of　great
surprise　and　perplexity。　　Said　he：

〃There's　something　rotten　about　this　medicine…chest　business。　　One　of　my
men　was　sicknothing　much　the　matter。　　I　looked　in　the　book：　it　said
give　him　a　teaspoonful　of　No。　15。　　I　went　to　the　medicine…chest；　and　I
see　I　was　out　of　No。　15。　　I　judged　I'd　got　to　get　up　a　combination
somehow　that　would　fill　the　bill；　so　I　hove　into　the　fellow　half　a
teaspoonful　of　No。　8　and　half　a　teaspoonful　of　No。　7；　and　I'll　be　hanged
if　it　didn't　kill　him　in　fifteen　minutes！　　There's　something　about　this
medicine…chest　system　that's　too　many　for　me！〃

There　was　a　good　deal　of　pleasant　gossip　about　old　Captain　〃Hurricane〃
Jones；　of　the　Pacific　Oceanpeace　to　his　ashes！　　Two　or　three　of　us
present　had　known　him；　I　particularly　well；　for　I　had　made　four　sea…
voyages　with　him。　　He　was　a　very　remarkable　man。　　He　was　born　in　a　ship；
he　picked　up　what　little　education　he　had　among　his　shipmates；　he　began
life　in　the　forecastle；　and　climbed　grade　by　grade　to　the　captaincy。
More　than　fifty　years　of　his　sixty…five　were　spent　at　sea。　　He　had　sailed
all　oceans；　seen　all　lands；　and　borrowed　a　tint　from　all　climates。　　When
a　man　has　been　fifty　years　at　sea　he　necessarily　knows　nothing　of　men；
nothing　of　the　world　but　its　surface；　nothing　of　the　world's　thought；
nothing　of　the　world's　learning　but　it's　a　B　C；　and　that　blurred　and
distorted　by　the　unfocused　lenses　of　an　untrained　mind。　　Such　a　man　is
only　a　gray　and　bearded　child。　　That　is　what　old　Hurricane　Jones　was
simply　an　innocent；　lovable　old　infant。　　When　his　spirit　was　in　repose　he
was　as　sweet　and　gentle　as　a　girl；　when　his　wrath　was　up　he　was　a
hurricane　that　made　his　nickname　seem　tamely　descriptive。　　He　was
formidable　in　a　fight；　for　he　was　of　powerful　build　and　dauntless
courage。　　He　was　frescoed　from　head　to　heel　with　pictures　and　mottoes
tattooed　in　red　and　blue　India　ink。　　I　was　with　him　one　voyage　when　he
got　his　last　vacant　space　tattooed；　this　vacant　space　was　around　his　left
ankle。　　During　three　days　he　stumped　about　the　ship　with　his　ankle　bare
and　swollen；　and　this　legend　gleaming　red　and　angry　out　from　a　clouding
of　India　ink：　〃Virtue　is　its　own　R'd。〃　　（There　was　a　lack　of　room。）　He
was　deeply　and　sincerely　pious；　and　swore　like　a　fishwoman。　　He
considered　swearing　blameless；　because　sailors　would　not　understand　an
order　unillumined　by　it。　　He　was　a　profound　biblical　scholarthat　is；
he　thought　he　was。　　He　believed　everything　in　the　Bible；　but　he　had　his
own　methods　of　arriving　at　his　beliefs。　　He　was　of　the　〃advanced〃　school
of　thinkers；　and　applied　natural　laws　to　the　interpretation　of　all
miracles；　somewhat　on　the　plan　of　the　people　who　make　the　six　days　of
creation　six　geological　epochs；　and　so　forth。　　Without　being　aware　of　it；
he　was　a　rather　severe　satire　on　modern　scientific　religionists。　　Such　a
man　as　I　have　been　describing　is　rabidly　fond　of　disquisition　and
argument；　one　knows　that　without　being　told　it。

One　trip　the　captain　had　a　clergyman　on　board；　but　did　not　know　he　was　a
clergyman；　since　the　passenger…list　did　not　betray　the　fact。　　He　took　a
great　liking　to　this　Reverend　Mr。　Peters；　and　talked　with　him　a　great
deal；　told　him　yarns；　gave　him　toothsome　scraps　of　personal　history；　and
wove　a　glittering　streak　of　profanity　through　his　garrulous　fabric　that
was　refreshing　to　a　spirit　weary　of　the　dull　neutralities　of　undecorated
speech。　　One　day　the　captain　said；　〃Peters；　do　you　ever　read　the　Bible？〃

〃Wellyes。〃

〃I　judge　it　ain't　often；　by　the　way　you　say　it。　　Now；　you　tackle　it　in
dead　earnest　once；　and　you'll　find　it　'll　pay。　　Don't　you　get
discouraged；　but　hang　right　on。　　First；　you　won't　understand　it；　but　by
and　by　things　will　begin　to　clear　up；　and　then　you　wouldn't　lay　it　down
to　eat。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　heard　that　said。〃

〃And　it's　so；　too。　　There　ain't　a　book　that　begins　with　it。　　It　lays　over
'm　all；　Peters。　　There's　some　pretty　tough　things　in　itthere　ain't　any
getting　around　thatbut　you　stick　to　them　and　think　them　out；　and　when
once　you　get　on　the　inside　everything's　plain　as　day。〃

〃The　miracles；　too；　captain？〃

〃Yes；　sir！　　the　miracles；　too。　　Every　one　of　them。　　Now；　there's　that
business　with　the　prophets　of　Baal；　like　enough　that　stumped　you？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　but〃

〃Own　up　now；　it　stumped　you。　　Well；　I　don't　wonder。　　You　hadn't　had　any
experience　in　raveling　such　things　out；　and　naturally　it　was　too　many　for
you。　　Would　you　like　to　have　me　explain　that　thing　to　you；　and　show　you
how　to　get　at　the　meat　of　these　matters？〃

〃Indeed；　I　would；　captain；　if　you　don't　mind。〃

Then　the　captain　proceeded　as　follows：　〃I'll　do　it　with　pleasure。　　First；
you　see；　I　read　and　read；　and　thought　and　thought；　till　I　got　to
understand　what　sort　of　people　they　were　in　the　old　Bible　times；　and　then
after　that　it　was　all　clear　and　easy。　　Now　this　was　the　way　I　put　it　up；
concerning　Isaac＇This　is　the　captain's　own　mistake＇and　the　prophets
of　Baal。　　There　was　some　mighty　sharp　men　among　the　public　characters　of
that　old　ancient　day；　and　Isaac　was　one　of　them。　　Isaac　had　his　failings
plenty　of　them；　too；　it　ain't　for　me　to　apologize　for　Isaac；　he　played
it　on　the　prophets　of　Baal；　and　like　enough　he　was　justifiable；
considering　the　odds　that　was　against　him。　　No；　all　I　say　is；　'twa'n't
any　miracle；　and　that　I'll　show　you　so's't　you　can　see　it　yourself。

〃Well；　times　had　been　getting　rougher　and　rougher　for　prophetsthat　is；
prophets　of　Isaac's　denomination。　　There　was　four　hundred　and　fifty
prophets　of　Baal　in　the　community；　and　only　one　Presbyterian；　that　is；
if　Isaac　was　a　Presbyterian；　which　I　reckon　he　was；　but　it　don't　say。
Naturally；　the　prophets　of　Baal　took　all　the　trade。　　Isaac　was　pretty
low…spirited；　I　reckon；　but　he　was　a　good　deal　of　a　man；　and　no　doubt　he
went　a…prophesying　around；　letting　on　to　be　doing　a　land…office　business；
but　'twa'n't　any　use；　he　couldn't　run　any　opposition　to　amount　to
anything。　　By　and　by　things　got　desperate　with　him；　he　sets　his　head　to
work　and　thinks　it　all　out；　and　then　what　does　he　do？　　Why；　he　begins　to
throw　out　hints　that　the　other　parties　are　this　and　that　and　t'other…
nothing　very　definite；　maybe；　but　just　kind　of　undermining　their
reputation　in　a　quiet　way。　　This　made　talk；　of　course；　and　finally　got　to
the　king。　　The　king　asked　Is