benita-第5节

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！



that　it　would　be　wise　to　stop　this　ship　and　get　out　the　boats。　The　sea

is　calm；　if　it　is　not　left　till　too　late　there　should　be　no　difficulty

in　launching　them。〃



The　man　stared　at　him　absently；　then　said：



〃They　won't　hold　everybody；　Mr。　Seymour。　I　hope　to　beach　her。〃



〃At　least　they　will　hold　some；〃　he　answered；　〃whereas〃　And　he

pointed　to　the　water；　which　by　now　was　almost　level　with　the　deck。



〃Perhaps　you　are　right；　Mr。　Seymour。　It　doesn't　matter　to　me；　anyway。

I　am　a　ruined　man；　but　the　poor　passengersthe　poor　passengers！〃　And

he　scrambled　away　fiercely　towards　the　bridge　like　a　wounded　cat　along

the　bough　of　a　tree；　whence　in　a　few　seconds　Robert　heard　him　shouting

orders。



A　minute　or　so　afterwards　the　steamer　stopped。　Too　late　the　captain

had　decided　to　sacrifice　his　ship　and　save　those　she　carried。　They

were　beginning　to　get　out　the　boats。　Now　Robert　returned　to　the　cabin

where　Benita　was　lying　senseless；　and　wrapped　her　up　in　a　cloak　and

some　blankets。　Then；　seeing　the　second　lifebelt　on　the　floor；　by　an

afterthought　he　put　it　on；　knowing　that　there　was　time　to　spare。　Next

he　lifted　Benita；　and　feeling　sure　that　the　rush　would　be　for　the

starboard　side；　on　which　the　boats　were　quite　near　the　water；　carried

her；　with　difficulty；　for　the　slope　was　steep；　to　the　port…cutter；

which　he　knew　would　be　in　the　charge　of　a　good　man；　the　second

officer；　whom　he　had　seen　in　command　there　at　Sunday　boat…drills。



Here；　as　he　had　anticipated；　the　crowd　was　small；　since　most　people

thought　that　it　would　not　be　possible　to　get　this　boat　down　safely　to

the　water；　or　if　their　powers　of　reflection　were　gone；　instinct　told

them　so。　That　skilful　seaman；　the　second　officer；　and　his　appointed

crew；　were　already　at　work　lowering　the　cutter　from　the　davits。



〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃women　and　children　first。〃



A　number　rushed　in；　and　Robert　saw　that　the　boat　would　soon　be　full。



〃I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　must　count　myself　a　woman　as　I　carry

one；〃　and　by　a　great　effort；　holding　Benita　with　one　arm；　with　the

other　he　let　himself　down　the　falls　and；　assisted　by　a　quartermaster；

gained　the　boat　in　safety。



One　or　two　other　men　scrambled　after　him。



〃Push　her　off；〃　said　the　officer；　〃she　can　hold　no　more；〃　and　the

ropes　were　let　go。



When　they　were　about　twelve　feet　from　the　ship's　side；　from　which　they

thrust　themselves　clear　with　oars；　there　came　a　rush　of　people；

disappointed　of　places　in　the　starboard　boats。　A　few　of　the　boldest　of

these　swarmed　down　the　falls；　others　jumped　and　fell　among　them；　or

missed　and　dropped　into　the　sea；　or　struck　upon　the　sides　of　the　boat

and　were　killed。　Still　she　reached　the　water　upon　an　even　keel；　though

now　much　overladen。　The　oars　were　got　out；　and　they　rowed　round　the

bow　of　the　great　ship　wallowing　in　her　death…throes；　their　first　idea

being　to　make　for　the　shore；　which　was　not　three　miles　away。



This　brought　them　to　the　starboard　side；　where　they　saw　a　hideous

scene。　Hundreds　of　people　seemed　to　be　fighting　for　room；　with　the

result　that　some　of　the　boats　were　overturned；　precipitating　their

occupants　into　the　water。　Others　hung　by　the　prow　or　the　stern；　the

ropes　having　jammed　in　the　davits　in　the　frantic　haste　and　confusion；

while　from　them　human　beings　dropped　one　by　one。　Round　others　not　yet

launched　a　hellish　struggle　was　in　progress；　the　struggle　of　men；

women；　and　children　battling　for　their　lives；　in　which　the　strong；　mad

with　terror；　showed　no　mercy　to　the　weak。



From　that　mass　of　humanity；　most　of　them　about　to　perish；　went　up　a

babel　of　sounds　which　in　its　sum　shaped　itself　to　one　prolonged

scream；　such　as　might　proceed　from　a　Titan　in　his　agony。　All　this

beneath　a　brooding；　moonlit　sky；　and　on　a　sea　as　smooth　as　glass。　Upon

the　ship；　which　now　lay　upon　her　side；　the　siren　still　sent　up　its

yells　for　succour；　and　some　brave　man　continued　to　fire　rockets；　which

rushed　heavenwards　and　burst　in　showers　of　stars。



Robert　remembered　that　the　last　rocket　he　had　seen　was　fired　at　an

evening　/fête/　for　the　amusement　of　the　audience。　The　contrast　struck

him　as　dreadful。　He　wondered　whether　there　were　any　power　or　infernal

population　that　could　be　amused　by　a　tragedy　such　as　enacted　itself

before　his　eyes；　how　it　came　about　also　that　such　a　tragedy　was

permitted　by　the　merciful　Strength　in　which　mankind　put　their　faith。



The　vessel　was　turning　over；　compressed　air　or　steam　burst　up　the

decks　with　loud　reports；　fragments　of　wreckage　flew　into　the　air。

There　the　poor　captain　still　clung　to　the　rail　of　the　bridge。　Seymour

could　see　his　white　facethe　moonlight　seemed　to　paint　it　with　a

ghastly　smile。　The　officer　in　command　of　their　boat　shouted　to　the

crew　to　give　way　lest　they　should　be　sucked　down　with　the　steamer。



Look！　Now　she　wallowed　like　a　dying　whale；　the　moonrays　shone　white

upon　her　bottom；　showing　the　jagged　rent　made　in　it　by　the　rock　on

which　she　had　struck；　and　now　she　was　gone。　Only　a　little　cloud　of

smoke　and　steam　remained　to　mark　where　the　/Zanzibar/　had　been。







III



HOW　ROBERT　CAME　ASHORE



In　place　of　the　/Zanzibar/　a　great　pit　on　the　face　of　the　ocean；　in

which　the　waters　boiled　and　black　objects　appeared　and　disappeared。



〃Sit　still；　for　your　lives'　sake；〃　said　the　officer　in　a　quiet　voice；

〃the　suck　is　coming。〃



In　another　minute　it　came；　dragging　them　downward　till　the　water

trickled　over　the　sides　of　the　boat；　and　backward　towards　the　pit。　But

before　ever　they　reached　it　the　deep　had　digested　its　prey；　and；　save

for　the　great　air…bubbles　which　burst　about　them　and　a　mixed；

unnatural　swell；　was　calm　again。　For　the　moment　they　were　safe。



〃Passengers；〃　said　the　officer；　〃I　am　going　to　put　out　to　seaat　any

rate；　till　daylight。　We　may　meet　a　vessel　there；　and　if　we　try　to　row

ashore　we　shall　certainly　be　swamped　in　the　breakers。〃



No　one　objected；　they　seemed　too　stunned　to　speak；　but　Robert　thought

to　himself　that　the　man　was　wise。　They　began　to　move；　but　before　they

had　gone　a　dozen　yards　something　dark　rose　beside　them。　It　was　a　piece

of　wreckage；　and　clinging　to　it　a　woman；　who　clasped　a　bundle　to　her

breast。　More；　she　was　alive；　for　she　began　to　cry　to　them　to　take　her

in。



〃Save　me　and　my　child！〃　she　cried。　〃For　God's　sake　save　me！〃



Robert　recognized　the　choking　voice；　it　was　that　of　a　young　married

lady　with　whom　he　had　been　very　friendly；　who　was　going　out　with　her

baby　to　join　her　husband　in　Natal。　He　stretched　out　his　hand　and

caught　hold　of　her；　whereon　the　officer　said；　heavily：



〃The　boat　is　already　overladen。　I　must　warn　you　that　to　take　more

aboard　is　not　safe。〃



Thereon　the　passengers　awoke　from　their　stupor。



〃Push　her　off；〃　cried　a　voice；　〃she　must　take　her　chance。〃　And　there

was　a　murmur　of　approval　at　the　dreadful　words。



〃For　Christ's　sakefor　Christ's　sake！〃　wailed　the　drowning　woman；　who

clung　desperately　to　Robert's　hand。



〃If　you　try　to　pull　her　in；　we　will　throw　you　overboard；〃　said　the

voice　again；　and　a　knife　was　lifted　as　though　to　hack　at　his　arm。　Then

the　officer　spoke　once　more。



〃This　lady　cannot　come　into　the　boat　unless　someone　goes　out　of　it。　I

would　myself；　but　it　is　my　duty　to　stay。　Is　there　any　man　here　who

will　make　place　for　her？〃



But　all　the　men　thereseven　of　them；　besides　the　crewhung　their

heads　and　were　silent。



〃Give　way；〃　said　the　officer　in　the　same　heavy　voice；　〃she　will　drop

off　presently。〃



While　the　words　passed　his　lips　Robert　seemed　to　live　a　year。　Here　was

an　opportunity　of　atonement　for　his　idle　and　luxurious　life。　An　hour

ago　he　would　have　taken　it　gladly；　but　nownow；　with　Benita　senseless

on　his　breast；　and　that　answer　still　locked　in　her　sleeping　heart？　Yet

Benita　would　approve　of　such　a　death　as　this；　and　even　if　she　loved

him　not　in　life；　would　learn　to　love　his　memory。　In　an　instant　his

mind　was　made　up；　and　he　was　speaking　rapidly。



〃Thompson；〃　he　said　to　the　officer；　〃if　I　go；　will　you　swear　to　take

her　in　and　her　child？〃



〃Certainly；　Mr。　Seymour。〃



〃Then　lay　to；　I　am　going。　If　any　of　you　live；　tell　this　lady　how　I

died；〃　and　he　pointed　to　Benita；　〃and　say　I　thought　that　she　would

wish　it。〃



〃She　shall　be　told；〃　said　the　officer　again；　〃and　saved；　too；　if　I　can

do　it。〃



〃Hold　Mrs。　Jeffreys；　then；　till　I　am　out　of　this。　I'll　leave　my　coat

to　cover　her。〃



A　sailor　obeyed；　and　with　difficulty　Robert　wrenched　free　his　hand。



Very　deliberately　he　pressed　Benita　to　his　breast　and　kissed　her　on

the　forehead；　then　let　her　gently　slide　on　to　the　bottom　of　the　boat。

Next　he　slipped　off　his　overcoat　and　slowly　rolled　himself　over　the

gunwale　into　the　sea。



〃Now；〃　he　said；　〃pull　Mrs。　Jeffreys　in。〃



〃God　bless　you；　you　are　a　brave　man；〃　said　Thompson。　〃I　shall　remember

you　if　I　live　a　hundred　years。〃



But　no　one　else　said　anything；　perhaps　they　were　all　too　much　ashamed；

even　th