the jacket (the star-rover)-第53节

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Captain　Nicholl　frankly　admitted　that　after　sixty…three　days　of　dead

reckoning　he　did　not　know　where　we　were。



The　twentieth　of　February　saw　the　last　morsel　of　food　eaten。　　I

prefer　to　skip　the　details　of　much　that　happened　in　the　next　eight

days。　　I　shall　touch　only　on　the　incidents　that　serve　to　show　what

manner　of　men　were　my　companions。　　We　had　starved　so　long；　that　we

had　no　reserves　of　strength　on　which　to　draw　when　the　food　utterly

ceased；　and　we　grew　weaker　with　great　rapidity。



On　February　twenty…fourth　we　calmly　talked　the　situation　over。　　We

were　three　stout…spirited　men；　full　of　life　and　toughness；　and　we

did　not　want　to　die。　　No　one　of　us　would　volunteer　to　sacrifice

himself　for　the　other　two。　　But　we　agreed　on　three　things：　　we　must

have　food；　we　must　decide　the　matter　by　casting　lots；　and　we　would

cast　the　lots　next　morning　if　there　were　no　wind。



Next　morning　there　was　wind；　not　much　of　it；　but　fair；　so　that　we

were　able　to　log　a　sluggish　two　knots　on　our　northerly　course。　　The

mornings　of　the　twenty…sixth　and　twenty…seventh　found　us　with　a

similar　breeze。　　We　were　fearfully　weak；　but　we　abided　by　our

decision　and　continued　to　sail。



But　with　the　morning　of　the　twenty…eighth　we　knew　the　time　was　come。

The　longboat　rolled　drearily　on　an　empty；　windless　sea；　and　the

stagnant；　overcast　sky　gave　no　promise　of　any　breeze。　　I　cut　three

pieces　of　cloth；　all　of　a　size；　from　my　jacket。　　In　the　ravel　of　one

of　these　pieces　was　a　bit　of　brown　thread。　　Whoever　drew　this　lost。

I　then　put　the　three　lots　into　my　hat；　covering　it　with　Captain

Nicholl's　hat。



All　was　ready；　but　we　delayed　for　a　time　while　each　prayed　silently

and　long；　for　we　knew　that　we　were　leaving　the　decision　to　God。　　I

was　not　unaware　of　my　own　honesty　and　worth；　but　I　was　equally　aware

of　the　honesty　and　worth　of　my　companions；　so　that　it　perplexed　me

how　God　could　decide　so　fine…balanced　and　delicate　a　matter。



The　captain；　as　was　his　right　and　due；　drew　first。　　After　his　hand

was　in　the　hat　he　delayed　for　sometime　with　closed　eyes；　his　lips

moving　a　last　prayer。　　And　he　drew　a　blank。　　This　was　righta　true

decision　I　could　not　but　admit　to　myself；　for　Captain　Nicholl's　life

was　largely　known　to　me　and　I　knew　him　to　be　honest；　upright；　and

God…fearing。



Remained　the　surgeon　and　me。　　It　was　one　or　the　other；　and；

according　to　ship's　rating；　it　was　his　due　to　draw　next。　　Again　we

prayed。　　As　I　prayed　I　strove　to　quest　back　in　my　life　and　cast　a

hurried　tally…sheet　of　my　own　worth　and　unworth。



I　held　the　hat　on　my　knees　with　Captain　Nicholl's　hat　over　it。　　The

surgeon　thrust　in　his　hand　and　fumbled　about　for　some　time；　while　I

wondered　whether　the　feel　of　that　one　brown　thread　could　be　detected

from　the　rest　of　the　ravel。



At　last　he　withdrew　his　hand。　　The　brown　thread　was　in　his　piece　of

cloth。　　I　was　instantly　very　humble　and　very　grateful　for　God's

blessing　thus　extended　to　me；　and　I　resolved　to　keep　more　faithfully

than　ever　all　of　His　commandments。　　The　next　moment　I　could　not　help

but　feel　that　the　surgeon　and　the　captain　were　pledged　to　each　other

by　closer　ties　of　position　and　intercourse　than　with　me；　and　that

they　were　in　a　measure　disappointed　with　the　outcome。　　And　close

with　that　thought　ran　the　conviction　that　they　were　such　true　men

that　the　outcome　would　not　interfere　with　the　plan　arranged。



I　was　right。　　The　surgeon　bared　arm　and　knife　and　prepared　to　open　a

great　vein。　　First；　however；　he　spoke　a　few　words。



〃I　am　a　native　of　Norfolk　in　the　Virginias；〃　he　said；　〃where　I

expect　I　have　now　a　wife　and　three　children　living。　　The　only　favour

that　I　have　to　request　of　you　is；　that　should　it　please　God　to

deliver　either　of　you　from　your　perilous　situation；　and　should　you

be　so　fortunate　as　to　reach　once　more　your　native　country；　that　you

would　acquaint　my　unfortunate　family　with　my　wretched　fate。〃



Next　he　requested　courteously　of　us　a　few　minutes　in　which　to

arrange　his　affairs　with　God。　　Neither　Captain　Nicholl　nor　I　could

utter　a　word；　but　with　streaming　eyes　we　nodded　our　consent。



Without　doubt　Arnold　Bentham　was　the　best　collected　of　the　three　of

us。　　My　own　anguish　was　prodigious；　and　I　am　confident　that　Captain

Nicholl　suffered　equally。　　But　what　was　one　to　do？　　The　thing　was

fair　and　proper　and　had　been　decided　by　God。



But　when　Arnold　Bentham　had　completed　his　last　arrangements　and　made

ready　to　do　the　act；　I　could　contain　myself　no　longer；　and　cried

out：



〃Wait！　　We　who　have　endured　so　much　surely　can　endure　a　little　more。

It　is　now　mid…morning。　　Let　us　wait　until　twilight。　　Then；　if　no

event　has　appeared　to　change　our　dreadful　destiny；　do　you　Arnold

Bentham；　do　as　we　have　agreed。〃



He　looked　to　Captain　Nicholl　for　confirmation　of　my　suggestion；　and

Captain　Nicholl　could　only　nod。　　He　could　utter　no　word；　but　in　his

moist　and　frosty　blue　eyes　was　a　wealth　of　acknowledgment　I　could

not　misread。



I　did　not；　I　could　not；　deem　it　a　crime；　having　so　determined　by

fair　drawing　of　lots；　that　Captain　Nicholl　and　myself　should　profit

by　the　death　of　Arnold　Bentham。　　I　could　not　believe　that　the　love

of　life　that　actuated　us　had　been　implanted　in　our　breasts　by　aught

other　than　God。　　It　was　God's　will；　and　we　His　poor　creatures　could

only　obey　and　fulfil　His　will。　　And　yet；　God　was　kind。　　In　His　all…

kindness　He　saved　us　from　so　terrible；　though　so　righteous；　an　act。



Scarce　had　a　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　when　a　fan　of　air　from　the

west；　with　a　hint　of　frost　and　damp　in　it；　crisped　on　our　cheeks。

In　another　five　minutes　we　had　steerage　from　the　filled　sail；　and

Arnold　Bentham　was　at　the　steering　sweep。



〃Save　what　little　strength　you　have；〃　he　had　said。　　〃Let　me　consume

the　little　strength　left　in　me　in　order　that　it　may　increase　your

chance　to　survive。〃



And　so　he　steered　to　a　freshening　breeze；　while　Captain　Nicholl　and

I　lay　sprawled　in　the　boat's　bottom　and　in　our　weakness　dreamed

dreams　and　glimpsed　visions　of　the　dear　things　of　life　far　across

the　world　from　us。



It　was　an　ever…freshening　breeze　of　wind　that　soon　began　to　puff　and

gust。　　The　cloud　stuff　flying　across　the　sky　foretold　us　of　a　gale。

By　midday　Arnold　Bentham　fainted　at　the　steering；　and；　ere　the　boat

could　broach　in　the　tidy　sea　already　running；　Captain　Nicholl　and　I

were　at　the　steering　sweep　with　all　the　four　of　our　weak　hands　upon

it。　　We　came　to　an　agreement；　and；　just　as　Captain　Nicholl　had　drawn

the　first　lot　by　virtue　of　his　office；　so　now　he　took　the　first

spell　at　steering。　　Thereafter　the　three　of　us　spelled　one　another

every　fifteen　minutes。　　We　were　very　weak　and　we　could　not　spell

longer　at　a　time。



By　mid…afternoon　a　dangerous　sea　was　running。　　We　should　have

rounded　the　boat　to；　had　our　situation　not　been　so　desperate；　and

let　her　drift　bow…on　to　a　sea…anchor　extemporized　of　our　mast　and

sail。　　Had　we　broached　in　those　great；　over…topping　seas；　the　boat

would　have　been　rolled　over　and　over。



Time　and　again；　that　afternoon；　Arnold　Bentham；　for　our　sakes；

begged　that　we　come　to　a　sea…anchor。　　He　knew　that　we　continued　to

run　only　in　the　hope　that　the　decree　of　the　lots　might　not　have　to

be　carried　out。　　He　was　a　noble　man。　　So　was　Captain　Nicholl　noble；

whose　frosty　eyes　had　wizened　to　points　of　steel。　　And　in　such　noble

company　how　could　I　be　less　noble？　　I　thanked　God　repeatedly；

through　that　long　afternoon　of　peril；　for　the　privilege　of　having

known　two　such　men。　　God　and　the　right　dwelt　in　them　and　no　matter

what　my　poor　fate　might　be；　I　could　but　feel　well　recompensed　by

such　companionship。　　Like　them　I　did　not　want　to　die；　yet　was

unafraid　to　die。　　The　quick；　early　doubt　I　had　had　of　these　two　men

was　long　since　dissipated。　　Hard　the　school；　and　hard　the　men；　but

they　were　noble　men；　God's　own　men。



I　saw　it　first。　　Arnold　Bentham；　his　own　death　accepted；　and　Captain

Nicholl；　well　nigh　accepting　death；　lay　rolling　like　loose…bodied

dead　men　in　the　boat's　bottom；　and　I　was　steering　when　I　saw　it。

The　boat；　foaming　and　surging　with　the　swiftness　of　wind　in　its

sail；　was　uplifted　on　a　crest；　when；　close　before　me；　I　saw　the　sea…

battered　islet　of　rock。　　It　was　not　half　a　mile　off。　　I　cried　out；

so　that　the　other　two；　kneeling　and　reeling　and　clutching　for

support；　were　peering　and　staring　at　what　I　saw。



〃Straight　for　it；　Daniel；〃　Captain　Nicholl　mumbled　command。　　〃There

may　be　a　cove。　　There　may　be　a　cove。　　It　is　our　only　chance。〃



Once　again　he　spoke；　when　we　were　atop　that　dreadful　lee　shore　with

no　cove　existent。



〃Straight　for　it；　Daniel。　　If　we　go　clear　we　are　too　weak　ever　to

win　back　against　sea　and　wind。〃



He　was　right。　　I　obeyed。　　He　drew　his　watch　and　looked；　and　I　asked

the　time。　　It　was　five　o'clock。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand　to　Arnold

Bentham；　who　met　and　shook　it　weakly；　and　both　gazed　at　me；　in　their

eyes　extending　that　same　hand…clasp。　　It　was