the wreck of the golden mary-第1节

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The　Wreck　of　the　Golden　Mary



by　Charles　Dickens












THE　WRECK







I　was　apprenticed　to　the　Sea　when　I　was　twelve　years　old；　and　I　have

encountered　a　great　deal　of　rough　weather；　both　literal　and

metaphorical。　　It　has　always　been　my　opinion　since　I　first　possessed

such　a　thing　as　an　opinion；　that　the　man　who　knows　only　one　subject

is　next　tiresome　to　the　man　who　knows　no　subject。　　Therefore；　in　the

course　of　my　life　I　have　taught　myself　whatever　I　could；　and

although　I　am　not　an　educated　man；　I　am　able；　I　am　thankful　to　say；

to　have　an　intelligent　interest　in　most　things。



A　person　might　suppose；　from　reading　the　above；　that　I　am　in　the

habit　of　holding　forth　about　number　one。　　That　is　not　the　case。

Just　as　if　I　was　to　come　into　a　room　among　strangers；　and　must

either　be　introduced　or　introduce　myself；　so　I　have　taken　the

liberty　of　passing　these　few　remarks；　simply　and　plainly　that　it　may

be　known　who　and　what　I　am。　　I　will　add　no　more　of　the　sort　than

that　my　name　is　William　George　Ravender；　that　I　was　born　at　Penrith

half　a　year　after　my　own　father　was　drowned；　and　that　I　am　on　the

second　day　of　this　present　blessed　Christmas　week　of　one　thousand

eight　hundred　and　fifty…six；　fifty…six　years　of　age。



When　the　rumour　first　went　flying　up　and　down　that　there　was　gold　in

Californiawhich；　as　most　people　know；　was　before　it　was　discovered

in　the　British　colony　of　AustraliaI　was　in　the　West　Indies；

trading　among　the　Islands。　　Being　in　command　and　likewise　part…owner

of　a　smart　schooner；　I　had　my　work　cut　out　for　me；　and　I　was　doing

it。　　Consequently；　gold　in　California　was　no　business　of　mine。



But；　by　the　time　when　I　came　home　to　England　again；　the　thing　was　as

clear　as　your　hand　held　up　before　you　at　noon…day。　　There　was

Californian　gold　in　the　museums　and　in　the　goldsmiths'　shops；　and

the　very　first　time　I　went　upon　'Change；　I　met　a　friend　of　mine　（a

seafaring　man　like　myself）；　with　a　Californian　nugget　hanging　to　his

watch…chain。　　I　handled　it。　　It　was　as　like　a　peeled　walnut　with

bits　unevenly　broken　off　here　and　there；　and　then　electrotyped　all

over；　as　ever　I　saw　anything　in　my　life。



I　am　a　single　man　（she　was　too　good　for　this　world　and　for　me；　and

she　died　six　weeks　before　our　marriage…day）；　so　when　I　am　ashore；　I

live　in　my　house　at　Poplar。　　My　house　at　Poplar　is　taken　care　of　and

kept　ship…shape　by　an　old　lady　who　was　my　mother's　maid　before　I　was

born。　　She　is　as　handsome　and　as　upright　as　any　old　lady　in　the

world。　　She　is　as　fond　of　me　as　if　she　had　ever　had　an　only　son；　and

I　was　he。　　Well　do　I　know　wherever　I　sail　that　she　never　lays　down

her　head　at　night　without　having　said；　〃Merciful　Lord！　bless　and

preserve　William　George　Ravender；　and　send　him　safe　home；　through

Christ　our　Saviour！〃　　I　have　thought　of　it　in　many　a　dangerous

moment；　when　it　has　done　me　no　harm；　I　am　sure。



In　my　house　at　Poplar；　along　with　this　old　lady；　I　lived　quiet　for

best　part　of　a　year：　　having　had　a　long　spell　of　it　among　the

Islands；　and　having　（which　was　very　uncommon　in　me）　taken　the　fever

rather　badly。　　At　last；　being　strong　and　hearty；　and　having　read

every　book　I　could　lay　hold　of；　right　out；　I　was　walking　down

Leadenhall　Street　in　the　City　of　London；　thinking　of　turning…to

again；　when　I　met　what　I　call　Smithick　and　Watersby　of　Liverpool。　　I

chanced　to　lift　up　my　eyes　from　looking　in　at　a　ship's　chronometer

in　a　window；　and　I　saw　him　bearing　down　upon　me；　head　on。



It　is；　personally；　neither　Smithick；　nor　Watersby；　that　I　here

mention；　nor　was　I　ever　acquainted　with　any　man　of　either　of　those

names；　nor　do　I　think　that　there　has　been　any　one　of　either　of　those

names　in　that　Liverpool　House　for　years　back。　　But；　it　is　in　reality

the　House　itself　that　I　refer　to；　and　a　wiser　merchant　or　a　truer

gentleman　never　stepped。



〃My　dear　Captain　Ravender；〃　says　he。　　〃Of　all　the　men　on　earth；　I

wanted　to　see　you　most。　　I　was　on　my　way　to　you。〃



〃Well！〃　says　I。　　〃That　looks　as　if　you　WERE　to　see　me；　don't　it？〃

With　that　I　put　my　arm　in　his；　and　we　walked　on　towards　the　Royal

Exchange；　and　when　we　got　there；　walked　up　and　down　at　the　back　of

it　where　the　Clock…Tower　is。　　We　walked　an　hour　and　more；　for　he　had

much　to　say　to　me。　　He　had　a　scheme　for　chartering　a　new　ship　of

their　own　to　take　out　cargo　to　the　diggers　and　emigrants　in

California；　and　to　buy　and　bring　back　gold。　　Into　the　particulars　of

that　scheme　I　will　not　enter；　and　I　have　no　right　to　enter。　　All　I

say　of　it　is；　that　it　was　a　very　original　one；　a　very　fine　one；　a

very　sound　one；　and　a　very　lucrative　one　beyond　doubt。



He　imparted　it　to　me　as　freely　as　if　I　had　been　a　part　of　himself。

After　doing　so；　he　made　me　the　handsomest　sharing　offer　that　ever

was　made　to　me；　boy　or　manor　I　believe　to　any　other　captain　in　the

Merchant　Navyand　he　took　this　round　turn　to　finish　with：



〃Ravender；　you　are　well　aware　that　the　lawlessness　of　that　coast　and

country　at　present；　is　as　special　as　the　circumstances　in　which　it

is　placed。　　Crews　of　vessels　outward…bound；　desert　as　soon　as　they

make　the　land；　crews　of　vessels　homeward…bound；　ship　at　enormous

wages；　with　the　express　intention　of　murdering　the　captain　and

seizing　the　gold　freight；　no　man　can　trust　another；　and　the　devil

seems　let　loose。　　Now；〃　says　he；　〃you　know　my　opinion　of　you；　and

you　know　I　am　only　expressing　it；　and　with　no　singularity；　when　I

tell　you　that　you　are　almost　the　only　man　on　whose　integrity；

discretion；　and　energy〃　&c。；　&c。　　For；　I　don't　want　to　repeat　what

he　said；　though　I　was　and　am　sensible　of　it。



Notwithstanding　my　being；　as　I　have　mentioned；　quite　ready　for　a

voyage；　still　I　had　some　doubts　of　this　voyage。　　Of　course　I　knew；

without　being　told；　that　there　were　peculiar　difficulties　and

dangers　in　it；　a　long　way　over　and　above　those　which　attend　all

voyages。　　It　must　not　be　supposed　that　I　was　afraid　to　face　them；

but；　in　my　opinion　a　man　has　no　manly　motive　or　sustainment　in　his

own　breast　for　facing　dangers；　unless　he　has　well　considered　what

they　are；　and　is　able　quietly　to　say　to　himself；　〃None　of　these

perils　can　now　take　me　by　surprise；　I　shall　know　what　to　do　for　the

best　in　any　of　them；　all　the　rest　lies　in　the　higher　and　greater

hands　to　which　I　humbly　commit　myself。〃　　On　this　principle　I　have　so

attentively　considered　（regarding　it　as　my　duty）　all　the　hazards　I

have　ever　been　able　to　think　of；　in　the　ordinary　way　of　storm；

shipwreck；　and　fire　at　sea；　that　I　hope　I　should　be　prepared　to　do；

in　any　of　those　cases；　whatever　could　be　done；　to　save　the　lives

intrusted　to　my　charge。



As　I　was　thoughtful；　my　good　friend　proposed　that　he　should　leave　me

to　walk　there　as　long　as　I　liked；　and　that　I　should　dine　with　him

by…and…by　at　his　club　in　Pall　Mall。　　I　accepted　the　invitation　and　I

walked　up　and　down　there；　quarter…deck　fashion；　a　matter　of　a　couple

of　hours；　now　and　then　looking　up　at　the　weathercock　as　I　might　have

looked　up　aloft；　and　now　and　then　taking　a　look　into　Cornhill；　as　I

might　have　taken　a　look　over　the　side。



All　dinner…time；　and　all　after　dinner…time；　we　talked　it　over　again。

I　gave　him　my　views　of　his　plan；　and　he　very　much　approved　of　the

same。　　I　told　him　I　had　nearly　decided；　but　not　quite。　　〃Well；

well；〃　says　he；　〃come　down　to　Liverpool　to…morrow　with　me；　and　see

the　Golden　Mary。〃　　I　liked　the　name　（her　name　was　Mary；　and　she　was

golden；　if　golden　stands　for　good）；　so　I　began　to　feel　that　it　was

almost　done　when　I　said　I　would　go　to　Liverpool。　　On　the　next

morning　but　one　we　were　on　board　the　Golden　Mary。　　I　might　have

known；　from　his　asking　me　to　come　down　and　see　her；　what　she　was。　　I

declare　her　to　have　been　the　completest　and　most　exquisite　Beauty

that　ever　I　set　my　eyes　upon。



We　had　inspected　every　timber　in　her；　and　had　come　back　to　the

gangway　to　go　ashore　from　the　dock…basin；　when　I　put　out　my　hand　to

my　friend。　　〃Touch　upon　it；〃　says　I；　〃and　touch　heartily。　　I　take

command　of　this　ship；　and　I　am　hers　and　yours；　if　I　can　get　John

Steadiman　for　my　chief　mate。〃



John　Steadiman　had　sailed　with　me　four　voyages。　　The　first　voyage

John　was　third　mate　out　to　China；　and　came　home　second。　　The　other

three　voyages　he　was　my　first　officer。　　At　this　time　of　chartering

the　Golden　Mary；　he　was　aged　thirty…two。　　A　brisk；　bright；　blue…eyed

fellow；　a　very　neat　figure　and　rather　under　the　middle　size；　never

out　of　the　way　and　never　in　it；　a　face　that　pleased　everybody　and

that　all　children　took　to；　a　habit　of　going　about　singing　as

cheerily　as　a　blackbird；　and　a　perfect　sailor。



We　were　in　one　of　those　Liverpool　hackney…coaches　in　less　than　a

minute；　and　we　cruised　about　in　her　upwards　of　three　hours；　looking

for　John。　　John　had　come　home　from　Van　Diemen's　Land　barely　a　month

before；　and　I　had　heard　of　him　as　taking　a　frisk　in　Liverpool。　　We

asked　after　him；　among　many　other　places；　at　the　two　boarding…houses

he