wreck of the golden mary(金玛丽的遗骸)-第3节
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and they all laughed。
Old Mr。 Rarx was not a pleasant man to look at； nor yet to talk to； or to
be with； for no one could help seeing that he was a sordid and selfish
character； and that he had warped further and further out of the straight
with time。 Not but what he was on his best behaviour with us； as
everybody was； for we had no bickering among us； for'ard or aft。 I only
mean to say； he was not the man one would have chosen for a messmate。
If choice there had been； one might even have gone a few points out of
one's course； to say； 〃No！ Not him！〃 But； there was one curious
inconsistency in Mr。 Rarx。 That was； that he took an astonishing interest in
the child。 He looked； and I may add； he was； one of the last of men to care
at all for a child； or to care much for any human creature。 Still； he went so
far as to be habitually uneasy； if the child was long on deck； out of his
sight。 He was always afraid of her falling overboard； or falling down a
hatchway； or of a block or what not coming down upon her from the
rigging in the working of the ship； or of her getting some hurt or other。 He
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THE WRECK OF THE GOLDEN MARY
used to look at her and touch her； as if she was something precious to him。
He was always solicitous about her not injuring her health； and constantly
entreated her mother to be careful of it。 This was so much the more
curious； because the child did not like him； but used to shrink away from
him； and would not even put out her hand to him without coaxing from
others。 I believe that every soul on board frequently noticed this； and not
one of us understood it。 However； it was such a plain fact； that John
Steadiman said more than once when old Mr。 Rarx was not within earshot；
that if the Golden Mary felt a tenderness for the dear old gentleman she
carried in her lap； she must be bitterly jealous of the Golden Lucy。
Before I go any further with this narrative； I will state that our ship
was a barque of three hundred tons； carrying a crew of eighteen men； a
second mate in addition to John； a carpenter； an armourer or smith； and
two apprentices （one a Scotch boy； poor little fellow）。 We had three boats；
the Long…boat； capable of carrying twenty…five men； the Cutter； capable of
carrying fifteen； and the Surf…boat； capable of carrying ten。 I put down the
capacity of these boats according to the numbers they were really meant to
hold。
We had tastes of bad weather and head…winds； of course； but； on the
whole we had as fine a run as any reasonable man could expect； for sixty
days。 I then began to enter two remarks in the ship's Log and in my
Journal； first； that there was an unusual and amazing quantity of ice；
second； that the nights were most wonderfully dark； in spite of the ice。
For five days and a half； it seemed quite useless and hopeless to alter
the ship's course so as to stand out of the way of this ice。 I made what
southing I could； but； all that time； we were beset by it。 Mrs。 Atherfield
after standing by me on deck once； looking for some time in an awed
manner at the great bergs that surrounded us； said in a whisper； 〃O！
Captain Ravender； it looks as if the whole solid earth had changed into ice；
and broken up！〃 I said to her； laughing； 〃I don't wonder that it does； to
your inexperienced eyes； my dear。〃 But I had never seen a twentieth part
of the quantity； and； in reality； I was pretty much of her opinion。
However； at two p。m。 on the afternoon of the sixth day； that is to say；
when we were sixty…six days out； John Steadiman who had gone aloft；
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sang out from the top； that the sea was clear ahead。 Before four p。m。 a
strong breeze springing up right astern； we were in open water at sunset。
The breeze then freshening into half a gale of wind； and the Golden Mary
being a very fast sailer； we went before the wind merrily； all night。
I had thought it impossible that it could be darker than it had been；
until the sun； moon； and stars should fall out of the Heavens； and Time
should be destroyed； but； it had been next to light； in comparison with
what it was now。 The darkness was so profound； that looking into it was
painful and oppressivelike looking； without a ray of light； into a dense
black bandage put as close before the eyes as it could be； without touching
them。 I doubled the look…out； and John and I stood in the bow side…by…side；
never leaving it all night。 Yet I should no more have known that he was
near me when he was silent； without putting out my arm and touching him；
than I should if he had turned in and been fast asleep below。 We were not
so much looking out； all of us； as listening to the utmost； both with our
eyes and ears。
Next day； I found that the mercury in the barometer； which had risen
steadily since we cleared the ice； remained steady。 I had had very good
observations； with now and then the interruption of a day or so； since our
departure。 I got the sun at noon； and found that we were in Lat。 58 degrees
S。； Long。 60 degrees W。； off New South Shetland； in the neighbourhood of
Cape Horn。 We were sixty…seven days out； that day。 The ship's reckoning
was accurately worked and made up。 The ship did her duty admirably； all
on board were well； and all hands were as smart； efficient； and contented；
as it was possible to be。
When the night came on again as dark as before； it was the eighth
night I had been on deck。 Nor had I taken more than a very little sleep in
the day…time； my station being always near the helm； and often at it； while
we were among the ice。 Few but those who have tried it can imagine the
difficulty and pain of only keeping the eyes openphysically openunder
such circumstances； in such darkness。 They get struck by the darkness； and
blinded by the darkness。 They make patterns in it； and they flash in it； as if
they had gone out of your head to look at you。 On the turn of midnight；
John Steadiman； who was alert and fresh （for I had always made him turn
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THE WRECK OF THE GOLDEN MARY
in by day）； said to me； 〃Captain Ravender； I entreat of you to go below。 I
am sure you can hardly stand； and your voice is getting weak； sir。 Go
below； and take a little rest。 I'll call you if a block chafes。〃 I said to John in
answer； 〃Well； well； John！ Let us wait till the turn of one o'clock； before
we talk about that。〃 I had just had one of the ship's lanterns held up； that I
might see how the night went by my watch； and it was then twenty
minutes after twelve。
At five minutes before one； John sang out to the boy to bring the
lantern again； and when I told him once more what the time was； entreated
and prayed of me to go below。 〃Captain Ravender；〃 says he； 〃all's well； we
can't afford to have you laid up for a single hour； and I respectfully and
earnestly beg of you to go below。〃 The end of it was； that I agreed to do so；
on the understanding that if I failed to come up of my own accord within
three hours； I was to be punctually called。 Having settled that； I left John
in charge。 But I called him to me once afterwards； to ask him a question。 I
had been to look at the barometer； and had seen the mercury still perfectly
steady； and had come up the companion again to take a last look about me…
…if I can use such a word in reference to such darknesswhen I thought
that the waves； as the Golden Mary parted them and shook them off； had a
hollow sound in them； something that I fancied was a rather unusual
reverberation。 I was standing by the quarter…deck rail on the starboard side；
when I called John aft to me； and bade him listen。 He did so with the
greatest attention。 Turning to me he then said； 〃Rely upon it； Captain
Ravender； you have been without rest too long； and the novelty is only in
the state of your sense of hearing。〃 I thought s
