dream days-第14节

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did　of　a　round　sponge…bath　on　a　bald　deal　towel…horse　placed　flat

on　the　floor。　　Even　to　myself　much　of　the　recent　raft…glamour

seemed　to　have　departed　as　I　half…mechanically　stepped　inside　and

curled　myself　up　in　it　for　a　solitary　voyage。　　Once　I　was

in；　however；　the　old　magic　and　mystery　returned　in　full　flood；

when　I　discovered　that　the　inequalities　of　the　towel…horse　caused

the　bath　to　rock；　slightly；　indeed；　but　easily　and　incessantly。　

A　few　minutes　of　this　delightful　motion；　and　one　was　fairly

launched。　　So　those　women　below　didn't　want　us？　　Well；　there　were

other　women；　and　other　places；　that　did。　　And　this　was　going　to

be　no　scrambling　raft…affair；　but　a　full…blooded　voyage　of　the

Man；　equipped　and　purposeful；　in　search　of　what　was　his　rightful

own。



Whither　should　I　shape　my　course；　and　what　sort　of　vessel　should

I　charter　for　the　voyage？　　The　shipping　of　all　England　was　mine

to　pick　from；　and　the　far　corners　of　the　globe　were　my　rightful

inheritance。　　A　frigate；　of　course；　seemed　the　natural　vehicle

for　a　boy　of　spirit　to　set　out　in。　　And　yet　there　was　something

rather　〃uppish〃　in　commanding　a　frigate　at　the　very　first

set…off；　and　little　spread　was　left　for　the　ambition。　　Frigates；

too；　could　always　be　acquired　later　by　sheer　adventure；　and　your

real　hero　generally　saved　up　a　square…rigged　ship　for　the　final

achievement　and　the　rapt　return。　　No；　it　was　a　schooner　that　I

was　aboard　ofa　schooner　whose　masts　raked　devilishly　as　the

leaping　seas　hissed　along　her　low　black　gunwale。　　Many

hairbrained　youths　started　out　on　a　mere　cutter；　but　I　was

prudent；　and　besides　I　had　some　inkling　of　the　serious　affairs

that　were　ahead。



I　have　said　I　was　already　on　board；　and；　indeed；　on　this　occasion

I　was　too　hungry　for　adventure　to　linger　over　what　would　have

been　a　special　delight　at　a　period　of　more　leisurethe　dangling

about　the　harbour；　the　choosing　your　craft；　selecting　your

shipmates；　stowing　your　cargo；　and　fitting　up　your　private　cabin

with　everything　you　might　want　to　put　your　hand　on　in　any

emergency　whatever。　　I　could　not　wait　for　that。　　Out　beyond

soundings　the　big　seas　were　racing　westward　and　calling　me；

albatrosses　hovered　motionless；　expectant　of　a　comrade；　and　a

thousand　islands　held　each　of　them　a　fresh　adventure；　stored　up；

hidden　away；　awaiting　production；　expressly　saved　for　me。　　We

were　humming；　close…hauled；　down　the　Channel；　spray　in　the　eyes

and　the　shrouds　thrilling　musically；　in　much　less　time　than　the

average　man　would　have　taken　to　transfer　his　Gladstone　bag　and

his　rugs　from　the　train　to　a　sheltered　place　on　the　promenade…

deck　of　the　tame　daily　steamer。



So　long　as　we　were　in　pilotage　I　stuck　manfully　to　the　wheel。　

The　undertaking　was　mine；　and　with　it　all　its　responsibilities；

and　there　was　some　tricky　steering　to　be　done　as　we　sped　by

headland　and　bay；　ere　we　breasted　the　great　seas　outside　and

the　land　fell　away　behind　us。　　But　as　soon　as　the　Atlantic

had　opened　out　I　began　to　feel　that　it　would　be　rather　nice　to

take　tea　by　myself　in　my　own　cabin；　and　it　therefore　became

necessary　to　invent　a　comrade　or　two；　to　take　their　turn　at　the

wheel。



This　was　easy　enough。　　A　friend　or　two　of　my　own　age；　from　among

the　boys　I　knew；　a　friend　or　two　from　characters　in　the　books　I

knew；　and　a　friend　or　two　from　No…man's…land；　where　every

fellow's　a　born　sailor；　and　the　crew　was　complete。　　I　addressed

them　on　the　poop；　divided　them　into　watches；　gave　instructions　I

should　be　summoned　on　the　first　sign　of　pirates；　whales；　or

Frenchmen；　and　retired　below　to　a　well…earned　spell　of

relaxation。



That　was　the　right　sort　of　cabin　that　I　stepped　into；　shutting

the　door　behind　me　with　a　click。　　Of　course；　fire…arms　were　the

first　thing　I　looked　for；　and　there　they　were；　sure　enough；

in　their　racks；　dozens　of　'emdouble…barrelled　guns；　and

repeating…rifles；　and　long　pistols；　and　shiny　plated　revolvers。　

I　rang　up　the　steward　and　ordered　tea；　with　scones；　and　jam　in

its　native　potsnone　of　your　finicking　shallow　glass　dishes；

and；　when　properly　streaked　with　jam；　and　blown　out　with　tea；　I

went　through　the　armoury；　clicked　the　rifles　and　revolvers；

tested　the　edges　of　the　cutlasses　with　my　thumb；　and　filled　the

cartridge…belts　chock…full。　　Everything　was　there；　and　of　the

best　quality；　just　as　if　I　had　spent　a　whole　fortnight　knocking

about　Plymouth　and　ordering　things。　　Clearly；　if　this　cruise　came

to　grief；　it　would　not　be　for　want　of　equipment。



Just　as　I　was　beginning　on　the　lockers　and　the　drawers；　the　watch

reported　icebergs　on　both　bowsand；　what　was　more　to　the　point；

coveys　of　Polar　bears　on　the　icebergs。　　I　grasped　a　rifle　or　two；

and　hastened　on　deck。　　The　spectacle　was　indeed

magnificentit　generally　is；　with　icebergs　on　both　bows；　and

these　were　exceptionally　enormous　icebergs。　　But　I　hadn't　come

there　to　paint　Academy　pictures；　so　the　captain's　gig　was　in　the

water　and　manned　almost　ere　the　boatswain's　whistle　had　ceased

sounding；　and　we　were　pulling　hard　for　the　Polar　bearsmyself

and　the　rifles　in　the　stern…sheets。



I　have　rarely　enjoyed　better　shooting　than　I　got　during　that

afternoon's　tramp　over　the　icebergs。　　Perhaps　I　was　in　specially

good　form；　perhaps　the　bears　〃rose〃　well。　　Anyhow；　the　bag　was　a

portentous　one。　　In　later　days；　on　reading　of　the　growing

scarcity　of　Polar　bears；　my　conscience　has　pricked　me；　but　that

afternoon　I　experienced　no　compunction。　　Nevertheless；　when　the

huge　pile　of　skins　had　been　hoisted　on　board；　and　a　stiff　grog

had　been　served　out　to　the　crew　of　the　captain's　gig；　I

ordered　the　schooner's　head　to　be　set　due　south。　　For　icebergs

were　played　out；　for　the　moment；　and　it　was　getting　to　be　time

for　something　more　tropical。



Tropical　was　a　mild　expression　of　what　was　to　come；　as　was

shortly　proved。　　It　was　about　three　bells　in　the　next　day's

forenoon　watch　when　the　look…out　man　first　sighted　the　pirate

brigantine。　　I　disliked　the　looks　of　her　from　the　first；　and；

after　piping　all　hands　to　quarters；　had　the　brass　carronade　on

the　fore…deck　crammed　with　grape　to　the　muzzle。



This　proved　a　wise　precaution。　　For　the　flagitious　pirate　craft；

having　crept　up　to　us　under　the　colours　of　the　Swiss　Republic；　a

state　with　which　we　were　just　then　on　the　best　possible　terms；

suddenly　shook　out　the　skull…and…cross…bones　at　her　masthead；　and

let　fly　with　round…shot　at　close　quarters；　knocking　into　pieces

several　of　my　crew；　who　could　ill　be　spared。　　The　sight　of

their　disconnected　limbs　aroused　my　ire　to　its　utmost　height；　and

I　let　them　have　the　contents　of　the　brass　carronade；　with　ghastly

effect。　　Next　moment　the　hulls　of　the　two　ships　were　grinding

together；　the　cold　steel　flashed　from　its　scabbard；　and　the

death…grapple　had　begun。



In　spite　of　the　deadly　work　of　my　grape…gorged　carronade；　our　foe

still　outnumbered　us；　I　reckoned；　by　three　to　one。　　Honour

forbade　my　fixing　it　at　a　lower　figurethis　was　the　minimum　rate

at　which　one　dared　to　do　business　with　pirates。　　They　were　stark

veterans；　too；　every　man　seamed　with　ancient　sabre…cuts；　whereas

my　crew　had　many　of　them　hardly　attained　the　maturity　which　is

the　gift　of　ten　long　summersand　the　whole　thing　was　so　sudden

that　I　had　no　time　to　invent　a　reinforcement　of　riper　years。　　It

was　not　surprising；　therefore；　that　my　dauntless　boarding…

party；　axe　in　hand　and　cutlass　between　teeth；　fought　their　way　to

the　pirates'　deck　only　to　be　repulsed　again　and　yet　again；　and

that　our　planks　were　soon　slippery　with　our　own　ungrudged　and

inexhaustible　blood。　　At　this　critical　point　in　the　conflict；　the

bo'sun；　grasping　me　by　the　arm；　drew　my　attention　to　a

magnificent　British　man…of…war；　just　hove　to　in　the　offing；　while

the　signalman；　his　glass　at　his　eye；　reported　that　she　was

inquiring　whether　we　wanted　any　assistance　or　preferred　to　go

through　with　the　little　job　ourselves。



This　veiled　attempt　to　share　our　laurels　with　us；　courteously　as

it　was　worded；　put　me　on　my　mettle。　　Wiping　the　blood　out　of　my

eyes；　I　ordered　the　signalman　to　reply　instantly；　with　the　half…

dozen　or　so　of　flags　that　he　had　at　his　disposal；　that　much　as　we

appreciated　the　valour　of　the　regular　service；　and　the　delicacy

of　spirit　that　animated　its　commanders；　still　this　was　an

orthodox　case　of　the　young　gentleman…adventurer　versus　the

unshaved　pirate；　and　Her　Majesty's　Marine　had　nothing　to　do　but

to　form　the　usual　admiring　and　applauding　background。　　Then；

rallying　round　me　the　remnant　of　my　faithful　crew；　I　selected　a

fresh　cutlass　（I　had　worn　out　three　already）　and　plunged　once

more　into　the　pleasing　carnage。



The　result　was　not　long　doubtful。　　Indeed；　I　could　not　allow　it

to　be；　as　I　was　already　getting　somewhat　bored　with　the　pirate

business；　and　was　wanting　to　get　on　to　something　more　southern

and　sensuous。　　All　serious　resistance　came　to　an　end　as　soon　as　I

had　reached　the　quarter…deck　and　cut　down　the　pirate