lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第4节

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ingredient　to　a　cauldron　in　full　bubble。　　Goodchild　sits　down　by

the　cairn　as　if　it　was　his　study…table　at　home；　Idle；　drenched　and

panting；　stands　up　with　his　back　to　the　wind；　ascertains　distinctly

that　this　is　the　top　at　last；　looks　round　with　all　the　little

curiosity　that　is　left　in　him；　and　gets；　in　return；　a　magnificent

view　of　…　Nothing！



The　effect　of　this　sublime　spectacle　on　the　minds　of　the　exploring

party　is　a　little　injured　by　the　nature　of　the　direct　conclusion　to

which　the　sight　of　it　points　…　the　said　conclusion　being　that　the

mountain　mist　has　actually　gathered　round　them；　as　the　landlord

feared　it　would。　　It　now　becomes　imperatively　necessary　to　settle

the　exact　situation　of　the　farm…house　in　the　valley　at　which　the

dog…cart　has　been　left；　before　the　travellers　attempt　to　descend。

While　the　landlord　is　endeavouring　to　make　this　discovery　in　his

own　way；　Mr。　Goodchild　plunges　his　hand　under　his　wet　coat；　draws

out　a　little　red　morocco…case；　opens　it；　and　displays　to　the　view

of　his　companions　a　neat　pocket…compass。　　The　north　is　found；　the

point　at　which　the　farm…house　is　situated　is　settled；　and　the

descent　begins。　　After　a　little　downward　walking；　Idle　（behind　as

usual）　sees　his　fellow…travellers　turn　aside　sharply　…　tries　to

follow　them　…　loses　them　in　the　mist　…　is　shouted　after；　waited

for；　recovered　…　and　then　finds　that　a　halt　has　been　ordered；

partly　on　his　account；　partly　for　the　purpose　of　again　consulting

the　compass。



The　point　in　debate　is　settled　as　before　between　Goodchild　and　the

landlord；　and　the　expedition　moves　on；　not　down　the　mountain；　but

marching　straight　forward　round　the　slope　of　it。　　The　difficulty　of

following　this　new　route　is　acutely　felt　by　Thomas　Idle。　　He　finds

the　hardship　of　walking　at　all　greatly　increased　by　the　fatigue　of

moving　his　feet　straight　forward　along　the　side　of　a　slope；　when

their　natural　tendency；　at　every　step；　is　to　turn　off　at　a　right

angle；　and　go　straight　down　the　declivity。　　Let　the　reader　imagine

himself　to　be　walking　along　the　roof　of　a　barn；　instead　of　up　or

down　it；　and　he　will　have　an　exact　idea　of　the　pedestrian

difficulty　in　which　the　travellers　had　now　involved　themselves。　　In

ten　minutes　more　Idle　was　lost　in　the　distance　again；　was　shouted

for；　waited　for；　recovered　as　before；　found　Goodchild　repeating　his

observation　of　the　compass；　and　remonstrated　warmly　against　the

sideway　route　that　his　companions　persisted　in　following。　　It

appeared　to　the　uninstructed　mind　of　Thomas　that　when　three　men

want　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　a　mountain；　their　business　is　to　walk

down　it；　and　he　put　this　view　of　the　case；　not　only　with　emphasis；

but　even　with　some　irritability。　　He　was　answered　from　the

scientific　eminence　of　the　compass　on　which　his　companions　were

mounted；　that　there　was　a　frightful　chasm　somewhere　near　the　foot

of　Carrock；　called　The　Black　Arches；　into　which　the　travellers　were

sure　to　march　in　the　mist；　if　they　risked　continuing　the　descent

from　the　place　where　they　had　now　halted。　　Idle　received　this

answer　with　the　silent　respect　which　was　due　to　the　commanders　of

the　expedition；　and　followed　along　the　roof　of　the　barn；　or　rather

the　side　of　the　mountain；　reflecting　upon　the　assurance　which　he

received　on　starting　again；　that　the　object　of　the　party　was　only

to　gain　'a　certain　point；'　and；　this　haven　attained；　to　continue

the　descent　afterwards　until　the　foot　of　Carrock　was　reached。

Though　quite　unexceptionable　as　an　abstract　form　of　expression；　the

phrase　'a　certain　point'　has　the　disadvantage　of　sounding　rather

vaguely　when　it　is　pronounced　on　unknown　ground；　under　a　canopy　of

mist　much　thicker　than　a　London　fog。　　Nevertheless；　after　the

compass；　this　phrase　was　all　the　clue　the　party　had　to　hold　by；　and

Idle　clung　to　the　extreme　end　of　it　as　hopefully　as　he　could。



More　sideway　walking；　thicker　and　thicker　mist；　all　sorts　of　points

reached　except　the　'certain　point；'　third　loss　of　Idle；　third

shouts　for　him；　third　recovery　of　him；　third　consultation　of

compass。　　Mr。　Goodchild　draws　it　tenderly　from　his　pocket；　and

prepares　to　adjust　it　on　a　stone。　　Something　falls　on　the　turf　…　it

is　the　glass。　　Something　else　drops　immediately　after　…　it　is　the

needle。　　The　compass　is　broken；　and　the　exploring　party　is　lost！



It　is　the　practice　of　the　English　portion　of　the　human　race　to

receive　all　great　disasters　in　dead　silence。　　Mr。　Goodchild

restored　the　useless　compass　to　his　pocket　without　saying　a　word；

Mr。　Idle　looked　at　the　landlord；　and　the　landlord　looked　at　Mr。

Idle。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　now　but　to　go　on　blindfold；　and

trust　to　the　chapter　of　chances。　　Accordingly；　the　lost　travellers

moved　forward；　still　walking　round　the　slope　of　the　mountain；　still

desperately　resolved　to　avoid　the　Black　Arches；　and　to　succeed　in

reaching　the　'certain　point。'



A　quarter　of　an　hour　brought　them　to　the　brink　of　a　ravine；　at　the

bottom　of　which　there　flowed　a　muddy　little　stream。　　Here　another

halt　was　called；　and　another　consultation　took　place。　　The

landlord；　still　clinging　pertinaciously　to　the　idea　of　reaching　the

'point；'　voted　for　crossing　the　ravine；　and　going　on　round　the

slope　of　the　mountain。　　Mr。　Goodchild；　to　the　great　relief　of　his

fellow…traveller；　took　another　view　of　the　case；　and　backed　Mr。

Idle's　proposal　to　descend　Carrock　at　once；　at　any　hazard　…　the

rather　as　the　running　stream　was　a　sure　guide　to　follow　from　the

mountain　to　the　valley。　　Accordingly；　the　party　descended　to　the

rugged　and　stony　banks　of　the　stream；　and　here　again　Thomas　lost

ground　sadly；　and　fell　far　behind　his　travelling　companions。　　Not

much　more　than　six　weeks　had　elapsed　since　he　had　sprained　one　of

his　ankles；　and　he　began　to　feel　this　same　ankle　getting　rather

weak　when　he　found　himself　among　the　stones　that　were　strewn　about

the　running　water。　　Goodchild　and　the　landlord　were　getting　farther

and　farther　ahead　of　him。　　He　saw　them　cross　the　stream　and

disappear　round　a　projection　on　its　banks。　　He　heard　them　shout　the

moment　after　as　a　signal　that　they　had　halted　and　were　waiting　for

him。　　Answering　the　shout；　he　mended　his　pace；　crossed　the　stream

where　they　had　crossed　it；　and　was　within　one　step　of　the　opposite

bank；　when　his　foot　slipped　on　a　wet　stone；　his　weak　ankle　gave　a

twist　outwards；　a　hot；　rending；　tearing　pain　ran　through　it　at　the

same　moment；　and　down　fell　the　idlest　of　the　Two　Idle　Apprentices；

crippled　in　an　instant。



The　situation　was　now；　in　plain　terms；　one　of　absolute　danger。

There　lay　Mr。　Idle　writhing　with　pain；　there　was　the　mist　as　thick

as　ever；　there　was　the　landlord　as　completely　lost　as　the　strangers

whom　he　was　conducting；　and　there　was　the　compass　broken　in

Goodchild's　pocket。　　To　leave　the　wretched　Thomas　on　unknown　ground

was　plainly　impossible；　and　to　get　him　to　walk　with　a　badly

sprained　ankle　seemed　equally　out　of　the　question。　　However；

Goodchild　（brought　back　by　his　cry　for　help）　bandaged　the　ankle

with　a　pocket…handkerchief；　and　assisted　by　the　landlord；　raised

the　crippled　Apprentice　to　his　legs；　offered　him　a　shoulder　to　lean

on；　and　exhorted　him　for　the　sake　of　the　whole　party　to　try　if　he

could　walk。　　Thomas；　assisted　by　the　shoulder　on　one　side；　and　a

stick　on　the　other；　did　try；　with　what　pain　and　difficulty　those

only　can　imagine　who　have　sprained　an　ankle　and　have　had　to　tread

on　it　afterwards。　　At　a　pace　adapted　to　the　feeble　hobbling　of　a

newly…lamed　man；　the　lost　party　moved　on；　perfectly　ignorant

whether　they　were　on　the　right　side　of　the　mountain　or　the　wrong；

and　equally　uncertain　how　long　Idle　would　be　able　to　contend　with

the　pain　in　his　ankle；　before　he　gave　in　altogether　and　fell　down

again；　unable　to　stir　another　step。



Slowly　and　more　slowly；　as　the　clog　of　crippled　Thomas　weighed

heavily　and　more　heavily　on　the　march　of　the　expedition；　the　lost

travellers　followed　the　windings　of　the　stream；　till　they　came　to　a

faintly…marked　cart…track；　branching　off　nearly　at　right　angles；　to

the　left。　　After　a　little　consultation　it　was　resolved　to　follow

this　dim　vestige　of　a　road　in　the　hope　that　it　might　lead　to　some

farm　or　cottage；　at　which　Idle　could　be　left　in　safety。　　It　was　now

getting　on　towards　the　afternoon；　and　it　was　fast　becoming　more

than　doubtful　whether　the　party；　delayed　in　their　progress　as　they

now　were；　might　not　be　overtaken　by　the　darkness　before　the　right

route　was　found；　and　be　condemned　to　pass　the　night　on　the

mountain；　without　bit　or　drop　to　comfort　them；　in　their　wet

clothes。



The　cart…track　grew　fainter　and　fainter；　until　it　was　washed　out

altogether　by　another　little　stream；　dark；　turbulent；　and　rapid。

The　landlord　suggested；　judging　by　the　colour　of　the　water；　that　it

must　be　flowing　from　one　of　the　lead　mines　in　the　neighbourhood　of

Carrock；　and　the　travellers　accordingly　kept　by　the　stream　for　a

little　while；　in　the　hope　of　possibly　wandering　towards　help　in