michael, brother of jerry-第17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！



But　the　Ancient　Mariner　was　fair…minded。　　What　advantage　he　gave　the　Jew　one　moment；　he　balanced　the　next　moment　with　an　advantage　to　the　skipper。

〃It's　a　pity；〃　he　would　suggest　to　Captain　Doane；　〃that　you　have　only　one　chronometer。　　The　entire　fault　may　be　with　the　chronometer。　　Why　did　you　sail　with　only　one　chronometer？〃

〃But　I　WAS　willing　for　two；〃　the　Jew　would　defend。　　〃You　know　that；　Grimshaw？〃

The　wheat…farmer　would　nod　reluctantly　and　Captain　would　snap：

〃But　not　for　three　chronometers。〃

〃But　if　two　was　no　better　than　one；　as　you　said　so　yourself　and　as　Grimshaw　will　bear　witness；　then　three　was　no　better　than　two　except　for　an　expense。〃

〃But　if　you　only　have　two　chronometers；　how　can　you　tell　which　has　gone　wrong？〃　Captain　Doane　would　demand。

〃Search　me；〃　would　come　the　pawnbroker's　retort；　accompanied　by　an　incredulous　shrug　of　the　shoulders。　　〃If　you　can't　tell　which　is　wrong　of　two；　then　how　much　harder　must　it　be　to　tell　which　is　wrong　of　two　dozen？　　With　only　two；　it's　a　fifty…fifty　split　that　one　or　the　other　is　wrong。〃

〃But　don't　you　realize〃

〃I　realize　that　it's　all　a　great　foolishness；　all　this　highbrow　stuff　about　navigation。　　I've　got　clerks　fourteen　years　old　in　my　offices　that　can　figure　circles　all　around　you　and　your　navigation。　　Ask　them　that　if　two　chronometers　ain't　better　than　one；　then　how　can　two　thousand　be　better　than　one？　　And　they'd　answer　quick；　snap；　like　that；　that　if　two　dollars　ain't　any　better　than　one　dollar；　then　two　thousand　dollars　ain't　any　better　than　one　dollar。　　That's　common　sense。〃

〃Just　the　same；　you're　wrong　on　general　principle；〃　Grimshaw　would　oar　in。　　〃I　said　at　the　time　that　the　only　reason　we　took　Captain　Doane　in　with　us　on　the　deal　was　because　we　needed　a　navigator　and　because　you　and　me　didn't　know　the　first　thing　about　it。　　You　said；　'Yes；　sure'；　and　right　away　knew　more　about　it　than　him　when　you　wouldn't　stand　for　buying　three　chronometers。　　What　was　the　matter　with　you　was　that　the　expense　hurt　you。　　That's　about　as　big　an　idea　as　your　mind　ever　had　room　for。　　You　go　around　looking　for　to　dig　out　ten　million　dollars　with　a　second…hand　spade　you　call　buy　for　sixty…eight　cents。〃

Dag　Daughtry　could　not　fail　to　overhear　some　of　these　conversations；　which　were　altercations　rather　than　councils。　　The　invariable　ending；　for　Simon　Nishikanta；　would　be　what　sailors　name　〃the　sea…grouch。〃　　For　hours　afterward　the　sulky　Jew　would　speak　to　no　one　nor　acknowledge　speech　from　any　one。　　Vainly　striving　to　paint；　he　would　suddenly　burst　into　violent　rage；　tear　up　his　attempt；　stamp　it　into　the　deck；　then　get　out　his　large…　calibred　automatic　rifle；　perch　himself　on　the　forecastle…head；　and　try　to　shoot　any　stray　porpoise；　albacore；　or　dolphin。　　It　seemed　to　give　him　great　relief　to　send　a　bullet　home　into　the　body　of　some　surging；　gorgeous…hued　fish；　arrest　its　glorious　flashing　motion　for　ever；　and　turn　it　on　its　side　slowly　to　sink　down　into　the　death　and　depth　of　the　sea。

On　occasion；　when　a　school　of　blackfish　disported　by；　each　one　of　them　a　whale　of　respectable　size；　Nishikanta　would　be　beside　himself　in　the　ecstasy　of　inflicting　pain。　　Out　of　the　school　perhaps　he　would　reach　a　score　of　the　leviathans；　his　bullets　biting　into　them　like　whip…lashes；　so　that　each；　like　a　colt　surprised　by　the　stock…whip；　would　leap　in　the　air；　or　with　a　flirt　of　tail　dive　under　the　surface；　and　then　charge　madly　across　the　ocean　and　away　from　sight　in　a　foam…churn　of　speed。

The　Ancient　Mariner　would　shake　his　head　sadly；　and　Daughtry；　who　likewise　was　hurt　by　the　infliction　of　hurt　on　unoffending　animals；　would　sympathize　with　him　and　fetch　him　unbidden　another　of　the　expensive　three…for…a…dollar　cigars　so　that　his　feelings　might　be　soothed。　　Grimshaw　would　curl　his　lip　in　a　sneer　and　mutter：　　〃The　cheap　skate。　　The　skunk。　　No　man　with　half　the　backbone　of　a　man　would　take　it　out　of　the　harmless　creatures。　He's　that　kind　that　if　he　didn't　like　you；　or　if　you　criticised　his　grammar　or　arithmetic；　he'd　kick　your　dog　to　get　even　。　。　。　or　poison　it。　　In　the　good　old　days　up　in　Colusa　we　used　to　hang　men　like　him　just　to　keep　the　air　we　breathed　clean　and　wholesome。〃

But　it　was　Captain　Doane　who　protested　outright。

〃Look　at　here；　Nishikanta；〃　he　would　say；　his　face　white　and　his　lips　trembling　with　anger。　　〃That's　rough　stuff；　and　all　you　can　get　back　for　it　is　rough　stuff。　　I　know　what　I'm　talking　about。　You've　got　no　right　to　risk　our　lives　that　way。　　Wasn't　the　pilot　boat　Annie　Mine　sunk　by　a　whale　right　in　the　Golden　Gate？　　Didn't　I　sail　in　as　a　youngster；　second　mate　on　the　brig　Berncastle；　into　Hakodate；　pumping　double　watches　to　keep　afloat　just　because　a　whale　took　a　smash　at　us？　　Didn't　the　full…rigged　ship；　the　whaler　Essex；　sink　off　the　west　coast　of　South　America；　twelve　hundred　miles　from　the　nearest　land　for　the　small　boats　to　cover；　and　all　because　of　a　big　cow　whale　that　butted　her　into　kindling…wood？〃

And　Simon　Nishikanta；　in　his　grouch；　disdaining　to　reply；　would　continue　to　pepper　the　last　whale　into　flight　beyond　the　circle　of　the　sea　their　vision　commanded。

〃I　remember　the　whaleship　Essex；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　told　Dag　Daughtry。　　〃It　was　a　cow　with　a　calf　that　did　for　her。　　Her　barrels　were　two…thirds　full；　too。　　She　went　down　in　less　than　an　hour。　　One　of　the　boats　never　was　heard　of。〃

〃And　didn't　another　one　of　her　boats　get　to　Hawaii；　sir？〃　Daughtry　queried　with　all　due　humility　of　respect。　　〃Leastwise；　thirty　years　ago；　when　I　was　in　Honolulu；　I　met　a　man；　an　old　geezer；　who　claimed　he'd　been　a　harpooner　on　a　whaleship　sunk　by　a　whale　off　the　coast　of　South　America。　　That　was　the　first　and　last　I　heard　of　it；　until　right　now　you　speaking　of　it；　sir。　　It　must　a…been　the　same　ship；　sir；　don't　you　think？〃

〃Unless　two　different　ships　were　whale…sunk　off　the　west　coast；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　replied。　　〃And　of　the　one　ship；　the　Essex；　there　is　no　discussion。　　It　is　historical。　　The　chance　is　likely；　steward；　that　the　man　you　mentioned　was　from　the　Essex。〃



CHAPTER　XIII



Captain　Doane　worked　hard；　pursuing　the　sun　in　its　daily　course　through　the　sky；　by　the　equation　of　time　correcting　its　aberrations　due　to　the　earth's　swinging　around　the　great　circle　of　its　orbit；　and　charting　Sumner　lines　innumerable；　working　assumed　latitudes　for　position　until　his　head　grew　dizzy。

Simon　Nishikanta　sneered　openly　at　what　he　considered　the　captain's　inefficient　navigation；　and　continued　to　paint　water…　colours　when　he　was　serene；　and　to　shoot　at　whales；　sea…birds；　and　all　things　hurtable　when　he　was　downhearted　and　sea…sore　with　disappointment　at　not　sighting　the　Lion's　Head　peak　of　the　Ancient　Mariner's　treasure　island

〃I'll　show　I　ain't　a　pincher；〃　Nishikanta　announced　one　day；　after　having　broiled　at　the　mast…head　for　five　hours　of　sea…searching。　〃Captain　Doane；　how　much　could　we　have　bought　extra　chronometers　for　in　San　Franciscogood　second…hand　ones；　I　mean？〃

〃Say　a　hundred　dollars；〃　the　captain　answered。

〃Very　well。　　And　this　ain't　a　piker's　proposition。　　The　cost　of　such　a　chronometer　would　have　been　divided　between　the　three　of　us。　　I　stand　for　its　total　cost。　　You　just　tell　the　sailors　that　I；　Simon　Nishikanta；　will　pay　one　hundred　dollars　gold　money　for　the　first　one　that　sights　land　on　Mr。　Greenleaf's　latitude　and　longitude。〃

But　the　sailors　who　swarmed　the　mast…heads　were　doomed　to　disappointment；　in　that　for　only　two　days　did　they　have　opportunity　to　stare　the　ocean　surface　for　the　reward。　　Nor　was　this　due　entirely　to　Dag　Daughtry；　despite　the　fact　that　his　own　intention　and　act　would　have　been　sufficient　to　spoil　their　chance　for　longer　staring。

Down　in　the　lazarette；　under　the　main…cabin　floor；　it　chanced　that　he　took　toll　of　the　cases　of　beer　which　had　been　shipped　for　his　especial　benefit。　　He　counted　the　cases；　doubted　the　verdict　of　his　senses；　lighted　more　matches；　counted　again；　then　vainly　searched　the　entire　lazarette　in　the　hope　of　finding　more　cases　of　beer　stored　elsewhere。

He　sat　down　under　the　trap　door　of　the　main…cabin　floor　and　thought　for　a　solid　hour。　　It　was　the　Jew　again；　he　concludedthe　Jew　who　had　been　willing　to　equip　the　Mary　Turner　with　two　chronometers；　but　not　with　three；　the　Jew　who　had　ratified　the　agreement　of　a　sufficient　supply　to　permit　Daughtry　his　daily　six　quarts。　　Once　again　the　steward　counted　the　cases　to　make　sure。　There　were　three。　　And　since　each　case　contained　two　dozen　quarts；　and　since　his　whack　each　day　was　half　a　dozen　quarts；　it　was　patent　that；　the　supply　that　stared　him　in　the　face　would　last　him　only　twelve　days。　　And　twelve　days　were　none　too　long　to　sail　from　this　unidentifiable　naked　sea…stretch　to　the　nearest　possible　port　where　beer　could　be　purchased。

The　steward；　once　his　mind　was　made　up；　wasted　no　time。　　The　clock　marked　a　quarter　before　twelve　when　he　climbed　up　out　of　the　lazarette；　replaced　the　trapdoor；　and　hurried　to　set　the　table。　He　served　the　company　through　the　noon　meal；　although　it　was　all　he　could　do　to　refrain　from　capsizing　the　big　tureen　of　split…pea　soup　over　the　head　of　Simon　Nishikanta。　　What　did　effectually　withstrain　him　was　the　knowledge　of　the　act　which　in　the　lazarette　he　had　already　determined　to　perform　that　aft