the heir of redclyffe-第76节

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Guy　conducted　the　boys　out　of　sight　of　the　sea；　and；　to　console　them；　

gave　them　so　much　more　use　of　the　gun　than　usual；　that　it　might　be　

considered　as　a　wonder　that　he　escaped　being　shot。　　Yet　it　did　not　

prevent　a　few　sighs　being　spent　on　the　boating。



'Can't　you　forget　it？'　said　Guy；　smiling。　　'You　have　no　loss；　after　

all；　for　we　are　likely　to　have　no　boating　weather　this　long　time。　　

Hark！　don't　you　hear　the　ground…swell？'



'What's　that？'　said　the　boys；　standing　still　to　listen　to　the　distant　

surge；　like　a　continuous　low　moan；　or　roar；　far；　far　away；　though　there　

was　no　wind；　and　the　sea　was　calm。



'It　is　the　sound　that　comes　before　stormy　weather；'　said　Guy。　　'It　is　

as　if　the　sea　was　gathering　up　its　forces　for　the　tempest。'



'But　what？how？　　Tell　me　what　it　really　is；'　said　Robin。



'I　suppose　it　is　the　wind　on　the　sea　before　it　has　reached　us；'　said　

Guy。　　'How　solemn　it　is！'



Too　solemn　for　the　boys；　who　began　all　manner　of　antics　and　noises；　by　

way　of　silencing　the　impression　of　awfulness。　　Guy　laughed；　and　joined　

in　their　fun；　but　as　soon　as　they　were　gone　home；　he　stood　in　silence　

for　a　long　time；　listening　to　the　sound；　and　recalling　the　mysterious　

dreams　and　fancies　with　which　it　was　connected　in　his　boyhood；　and　

which　he　had　never　wished　thus　to　drive　away。



The　storm　he　had　predicted　came　on；　and　by　the　evening　of　the　following　

day；　sea　and　wind　were　thundering；　in　their　might；　against　the　foot　of　

the　crags。　　Guy　looked　from　the　window；　the　last　thing　at　night；　and　

saw　the　stars　twinkling　overhead；　with　that　extreme　brilliancy　which　is　

often　seen　in　the　intervals　of　fitful　storms；　and　which　suggested　

thoughts　that　sent　him　to　sleep　in　a　vague；　soothing　dream。



He　was　wakened　by　one　tremendous　continued　roar　of　sea；　wind；　and　

thunder　combined。　　Such　was　the　darkness；　that　he　could　not　see　the　

form　of　the　window；　till　a　sheet　of　pale　blue　lightning　brought　it　

fully　out　for　the　moment。　　He　sat　up；　and　listened　to　the　'glorious　

voice'　that　followed　it；　thought　what　an　awful　night　at　sea；　and　

remembered　when　he　used　to　fancy　it　would　be　the　height　of　felicity　to　

have　a　shipwreck　at　Redclyffe；　and　shocked　Mrs。　Bernard　by　inhuman　

wishes　that　a　ship　would　only　come　and　be　wrecked。　　How　often　had　he　

watched；　through　sounds　like　these；　for　a　minute　gun！　　Nay；　he　had　once　

actually　called　up　poor　Arnaud　in　the　middle　of　the　night　for　an　

imaginary　signal。　　Redclyffe　Bay　was　a　very　dangerous　one；　a　fine　place　

for　a　wreck；　with　its　precipitous　crags；　its　single　safe　landing…place；　

and　the　great　Shag　Stone；　on　the　eastern　side；　with　a　whole　progeny　of　

nearly　sunken　rocks；　dreaded　in　rough　weather　by　the　fishermen　

themselves；　but　it　was　out　of　the　ordinary　track　of　vessels；　and　there　

were　only　a　few　traditions　of　terrible　wrecks　long　before　his　time。



It　seemed　as　if　he　had　worked　up　his　fancy　again；　for　the　sound　of　a　

gun　was　for　a　moment　in　his　ear。　　It　was　lost　in　the　rush　of　hail　

against　the　window；　and　the　moaning　of　the　wind　round　the　old　house；　

but　presently　it　returned　too　surely　to　be　imaginary。　　He　sprang　to　the　

window；　and　the　broad；　flickering　glare　of　lightning　revealed　the　black　

cliff　and　pale　sea…line；　then　all　was　dark　and　still；　while　the　storm　

was　holding　its　breath　for　the　thunder…burst　which　in　a　few　more　

seconds　rolled　overhead；　shaking　door　and　window　throughout　the　house。　　

As　the　awful　sound　died　away；　in　a　moment's　lull；　came　the　gun　again。　　

He　threw　up　the　window；　and　as　the　blast　of　wind　and　rain　swept　howling　

into　the　room；　it　brought　another　report。



To　close　the　window；　light　his　candle；　throw　on　his　clothes；　and　hasten　

down…stairs；　was　the　work　of　a　very　few　seconds。　　Luckily；　the　key　of　

the　boat…house　was　lying　on　the　table　in　the　hall；　where　he　had　left　

it；　after　showing　the　boat　to　the　Ashford　boys；　he　seized　it；　caught　up　

the　pocket　telescope；　put　on　a　rough　coat；　and　proceeded　to　undo　the　

endless　fastenings　of　the　hall…door；　a　very　patience…trying　occupation；　

and；　when　completed；　the　gusts　that　were　eddying　round　the　house；　ready　

to　force　their　way　in　everywhere；　took　advantage　of　the　first　opening　

to　blow　out　his　candle。



However；　they　had　in　one　way　done　good　service；　for　the　shower　had　been　

as　brief　as　it　was　violent；　and　the　inky　cloud　was　drifting　away　

furiously　towards　the　east；　leaving　the　moon　visible；　near　her　setting；　

and　allowing　her　white　cold　light　to　shine　forth；　contrasting　with　the　

distant　sheets　of　pale　lightning；　growing　fainter　and　fainter。



Guy　ran　across　the　court；　round　to　the　west　side　of　the　house；　and　

struggled　up　the　slope　in　the　face　of　the　wind；　which　almost　swept　him　

down　again；　and　when　at　length　he　had　gained　the　summit；　came　rushing　

against　him　with　such　force　that　he　could　hardly　stand。　　He　did；　

however；　keep　his　ground；　and　gazed　out　over　the　sea。　　The　swell　was　

fearful；　marked　by　the　silver　light　on　one　side；　where　it　caught　the　

moonbeams；　and　the　black　shade　on　the　other；　ever　alternating；　so　that　

the　eye　could；　not　fix　on　them　for　a　moment；　the　spray　leapt　high　in　

its　whiteness；　and　the　Shag　stood　up　hard；　bold；　and　black。　　The　waves　

thundered；　bursting　on　the　cliff　and；　high　as　he　stood；　the　spray　

dashed　almost　blinding　in　his　face；　while　the　wind　howled　round　him；　as　

if　gathering　its　might　for　the　very　purpose　of　wrenching　him　from　the　

cliff；　but　he　stood　firm；　and　looked　out　again；　to　discern　clearly　what　

he　thought　he　had　seen。　　It　was　the　mast　of　a　vessel；　seen　plainly　

against　the　light　silvery　distance　of　sea　on　the　reef　west　of　the　Shag。　　

It　was　in　a　slanting　direction；　and　did　not　move；　he　could　not　doubt　

that　the　ship　had　struck　on　the　dangerous　rocks　at　the　entrance　of　the　

bay；　and　as　his　eyes　became　more　accustomed　to　the　unusual　light；　and　

made　out　what　objects　were　or　were　not　familiar；　he　could　perceive　the　

ship　herself。　　He　looked　with　the　glass；　but　could　see　no　one　on　board；　

nor　were　any　boats　in　sight；　but　observing　some　of　the　lesser　rocks；　he　

beheld　some　moving　figures　on　them。　Help！instant　help！was　his　

thought；　and　he　looked　towards　the　Cove。　　Lights　were　in　the　cottage　

windows；　and　a　few　sounds　came　up　to　him；　as　if　the　fishing　population　

were　astir。



He　hastened　to　the　side　of　the　cliff；　which　was　partly　clothed　with　

brushwood。　　There　was　a　descentit　could　hardly　be　called　a　path

which　no　one　ventured　to　attempt　but　himself　and　a　few　of　the　boldest　

birds'…nesting　boys　of　the　village；　but　he　could　lose　no　time；　and　

scrambling；　leaping；　swinging　himself　by　the　branches；　he　reached　the　

foot　of　the　cliff　in　safety；　and　in　five　minutes　more　was　on　the　little　

quay　at　the　end　of　the　steep　street　of　the　Cove。



The　quay　was　crowded　with　the　fisher…people；　and　there　was　a　strange　

confusion　of　voices；　some　saying　all　was　lost；　some　that　the　crew　had　

got　to　the　rock；　others；　that　some　one　ought　to　put　off　and　help　them；　

others；　that　a　boat　would　never　live　in　such　a　sea；　and　an　old　

telescope　was　in　great　requisition。



Ben　Robinson；　a　tall；　hardy　young　man；　of　five…and…twenty；　wild；　

reckless；　high…spirited　and　full　of　mischief　and　adventure；　was　

standing　on　a　pile　at　the　extreme　verge　above　the　foaming　water；　daring　

the　others　to　go　with　him　to　the　rescue；　and；　though　Jonas　Ledbury；　a　

feeble　old　man；　was　declaring；　in　a　piteous　tone；　it　was　a　sin　and　a　

shame　to　let　so　many　poor　creatures　be　lost　in　sight；　without　one　man　

stirring　to　help　them；　yet　all　stood　irresolute；　watching　the　white　

breakers　dashing　on　the　Shag；　and　the　high　waves　that　swelled　and　

rolled　between。



'Do　you　know　where　the　crew　are？'　exclaimed　Guy；　shouting　as　loud　as　he　

could；　for　the　noise　of　the　winds　and　waves　was　tremendous。



'There；　sir；　on　the　flat　black　stone；'　said　the　fortunate　possessor　of　

the　telescope。　　'Some　ten　or　eleven　of　them；　I　fancy；　all　huddled　

together。'



'Ay；　ay！'　said　old　Ledbury。　　'Poor　creatures！　there　they　be；　and　what　

is　to　be　done；　I　can't　say！　　I　never　saw　a　boat　in　such　a　sea；　since　

the　night　poor　Jack；　my　brother；　was　lost；　and　Will　Ray　with　him。'



'I　see　them；'　said　Guy；　who　had　in　the　meantime　looked　through　his　

glass。　　'How　soon　is　high　water？'



It　was　an　important　question；　for　the　rocks　round　the　Shag　were　covered　

before　full　tide；　even　when　the　water　was　still。　　There　was　a　looking　

up　at　the　moon；　and　then　Guy　and　the　fishermen　simultaneously　

exclaimed；　that　it　would　be　in　three　hours；　which　gave　scarcely　an　hour　

to　spare。



Without　another　word；　Guy　sprang　from　the　quay　to　the　boat…house；　

unlocked　it；　and；　by　example；　showed　that　the　largest　boat　was　to　be　

brought　out。　　The　men　helped　him　vigorously；　and　it　stood　on　the　narrow　

pebbly　beach；　the　only　safe　landing…place　in　the　whole　bay；　he　threw　

into　it　a　coil　of　rope；　and　called　out　in　his　clear　commanding　voice

'Five　to　go　with　me！'