the secret sharer-第2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！



down　the　Indian　Ocean；　and　up　the　Atlantic。　　All　its　phases

were　familiar　enough　to　me；　every　characteristic；　all　the

alternatives　which　were　likely　to　face　me　on　the　high　seas

everything！　。　。　。　except　the　novel　responsibility　of　command。

But　I　took　heart　from　the　reasonable　thought　that　the　ship

was　like　other　ships；　the　men　like　other　men；　and　that　the　sea

was　not　likely　to　keep　any　special　surprises　expressly

for　my　discomfiture。



Arrived　at　that　comforting　conclusion；　I　bethought　myself

of　a　cigar　and　went　below　to　get　it。　　All　was　still　down　there。

Everybody　at　the　after　end　of　the　ship　was　sleeping　profoundly。

I　came　out　again　on　the　quarter…deck；　agreeably　at　ease　in　my　sleeping

suit　on　that　warm　breathless　night；　barefooted；　a　glowing　cigar

in　my　teeth；　and；　going　forward；　I　was　met　by　the　profound　silence　of

the　fore　end　of　the　ship。　　Only　as　I　passed　the　door　of　the　forecastle；

I　heard　a　deep；　quiet；　trustful　sigh　of　some　sleeper　inside。

And　suddenly　I　rejoiced　in　the　great　security　of　the　sea　as　compared

with　the　unrest　of　the　land；　in　my　choice　of　that　untempted　life

presenting　no　disquieting　problems；　invested　with　an　elementary

moral　beauty　by　the　absolute　straightforwardness　of　its　appeal

and　by　the　singleness　of　its　purpose。



The　riding　light　in　the　forerigging　burned　with　a　clear；　untroubled；

as　if　symbolic；　flame；　confident　and　bright　in　the　mysterious

shades　of　the　night。　　Passing　on　my　way　aft　along　the　other　side

of　the　ship；　I　observed　that　the　rope　side　ladder；　put　over；　no　doubt；

for　the　master　of　the　tug　when　he　came　to　fetch　away　our　letters；

had　not　been　hauled　in　as　it　should　have　been。　　I　became　annoyed　at　this；

for　exactitude　in　some　small　matters　is　the　very　soul　of　discipline。

Then　I　reflected　that　I　had　myself　peremptorily　dismissed　my

officers　from　duty；　and　by　my　own　act　had　prevented　the　anchor

watch　being　formally　set　and　things　properly　attended　to。

I　asked　myself　whether　it　was　wise　ever　to　interfere　with　the

established　routine　of　duties　even　from　the　kindest　of　motives。

My　action　might　have　made　me　appear　eccentric。　　Goodness　only　knew

how　that　absurdly　whiskered　mate　would　〃account〃　for　my　conduct；

and　what　the　whole　ship　thought　of　that　informality　of　their　new　captain。

I　was　vexed　with　myself。



Not　from　compunction　certainly；　but；　as　it　were　mechanically；

I　proceeded　to　get　the　ladder　in　myself。　　Now　a　side　ladder

of　that　sort　is　a　light　affair　and　comes　in　easily；　yet　my

vigorous　tug；　which　should　have　brought　it　flying　on　board；

merely　recoiled　upon　my　body　in　a　totally　unexpected　jerk。

What　the　devil！　。　。　。　I　was　so　astounded　by　the　immovableness

of　that　ladder　that　I　remained　stockstill；　trying　to

account　for　it　to　myself　like　that　imbecile　mate　of　mine。

In　the　end；　of　course；　I　put　my　head　over　the　rail。



The　side　of　the　ship　made　an　opaque　belt　of　shadow　on

the　darkling　glassy　shimmer　of　the　sea。　　But　I　saw　at　once

something　elongated　and　pale　floating　very　close　to　the　ladder。

Before　I　could　form　a　guess　a　faint　flash　of　phosphorescent　light；

which　seemed　to　issue　suddenly　from　the　naked　body　of　a　man；

flickered　in　the　sleeping　water　with　the　elusive；　silent　play

of　summer　lightning　in　a　night　sky。　　With　a　gasp　I　saw　revealed

to　my　stare　a　pair　of　feet；　the　long　legs；　a　broad　livid　back

immersed　right　up　to　the　neck　in　a　greenish　cadaverous　glow。

One　hand；　awash；　clutched　the　bottom　rung　of　the　ladder。

He　was　complete　but　for　the　head。　　A　headless　corpse！　　The　cigar

dropped　out　of　my　gaping　mouth　with　a　tiny　plop　and　a　short　hiss

quite　audible　in　the　absolute　stillness　of　all　things　under　heaven。

At　that　I　suppose　he　raised　up　his　face；　a　dimly　pale　oval

in　the　shadow　of　the　ship's　side。　　But　even　then　I　could　only

barely　make　out　down　there　the　shape　of　his　black…haired　head。

However；　it　was　enough　for　the　horrid；　frost…bound　sensation

which　had　gripped　me　about　the　chest　to　pass　off。

The　moment　of　vain　exclamations　was　past；　too。　　I　only　climbed

on　the　spare　spar　and　leaned　over　the　rail　as　far　as　I　could；

to　bring　my　eyes　nearer　to　that　mystery　floating　alongside。



As　he　hung　by　the　ladder；　like　a　resting　swimmer；　the　sea

lightning　played　about　his　limbs　at　every　stir；　and　he　appeared

in　it　ghastly；　silvery；　fishlike。　　He　remained　as　mute　as

a　fish；　too。　　He　made　no　motion　to　get　out　of　the　water；　either。

It　was　inconceivable　that　he　should　not　attempt　to　come　on　board；

and　strangely　troubling　to　suspect　that　perhaps　he　did　not　want　to。

And　my　first　words　were　prompted　by　just　that　troubled　incertitude。



〃What's　the　matter？〃　　I　asked　in　my　ordinary　tone；　speaking　down　to　the　face

upturned　exactly　under　mine。



〃Cramp；〃　it　answered；　no　louder。　　Then　slightly　anxious；　〃I　say；

no　need　to　call　anyone。〃



〃I　was　not　going　to；〃　I　said。



〃Are　you　alone　on　deck？〃



〃Yes。〃



I　had　somehow　the　impression　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　letting　go　the　ladder

to　swim　away　beyond　my　kenmysterious　as　he　came。　　But；　for　the　moment；

this　being　appearing　as　if　he　had　risen　from　the　bottom　of　the　sea

（it　was　certainly　the　nearest　land　to　the　ship）　wanted　only　to　know　the　time。

I　told　him。　　And　he；　down　there；　tentatively：



〃I　suppose　your　captain's　turned　in？〃



〃I　am　sure　he　isn't；〃　I　said。



He　seemed　to　struggle　with　himself；　for　I　heard　something

like　the　low；　bitter　murmur　of　doubt。　　〃What's　the　good？〃

His　next　words　came　out　with　a　hesitating　effort。



〃Look　here；　my　man。　　Could　you　call　him　out　quietly？〃



I　thought　the　time　Had　come　to　declare　myself。



〃I　am　the　captain。〃



I　heard　a　〃By　Jove！〃　whispered　at　the　level　of　the　water。

The　phosphorescence　flashed　in　the　swirl　of　the　water　all

about　his　limbs；　his　other　hand　seized　the　ladder。



〃My　name's　Leggatt。〃



The　voice　was　calm　and　resolute。　　A　good　voice。　　The　self…possession

of　that　man　had　somehow　induced　a　corresponding　state　in　myself。

It　was　very　quietly　that　I　remarked：



〃You　must　be　a　good　swimmer。〃



〃Yes。　　I've　been　in　the　water　practically　since　nine　o'clock。

The　question　for　me　now　is　whether　I　am　to　let　go　this　ladder

and　go　on　swimming　till　I　sink　from　exhaustion；　orto　come

on　board　here。〃



I　felt　this　was　no　mere　formula　of　desperate　speech；

but　a　real　alternative　in　the　view　of　a　strong　soul。

I　should　have　gathered　from　this　that　he　was　young；　indeed；　it　is

only　the　young　who　are　ever　confronted　by　such　clear　issues。

But　at　the　time　it　was　pure　intuition　on　my　part。

A　mysterious　communication　was　established　already　between

us　twoin　the　face　of　that　silent；　darkened　tropical　sea。

I　was　young；　too；　young　enough　to　make　no　comment。

The　man　in　the　water　began　suddenly　to　climb　up　the　ladder；

and　I　hastened　away　from　the　rail　to　fetch　some　clothes。



Before　entering　the　cabin　I　stood　still；　listening　in　the　lobby　at

the　foot　of　the　stairs。　　A　faint　snore　came　through　the　closed　door

of　the　chief　mate's　room。　　The　second　mate's　door　was　on　the　hook；

but　the　darkness　in　there　was　absolutely　soundless。　　He；　too；

was　young　and　could　sleep　like　a　stone。　　Remained　the　steward；

but　he　was　not　likely　to　wake　up　before　he　was　called。

I　got　a　sleeping　suit　out　of　my　room　and；　coming　back　on　deck；

saw　the　naked　man　from　the　sea　sitting　on　the　main　hatch；

glimmering　white　in　the　darkness；　his　elbows　on　his　knees　and　his

head　in　his　hands。　　In　a　moment　he　had　concealed　his　damp　body

in　a　sleeping　suit　of　the　same　gray…stripe　pattern　as　the　one

I　was　wearing　and　followed　me　like　my　double　on　the　poop。

Together　we　moved　right　aft；　barefooted；　silent。



〃What　is　it？〃　　I　asked　in　a　deadened　voice；　taking　the　lighted　lamp

out　of　the　binnacle；　and　raising　it　to　his　face。



〃An　ugly　business。〃



He　had　rather　regular　features；　a　good　mouth；　light　eyes　under

somewhat　heavy；　dark　eyebrows；　a　smooth；　square　forehead；　no　growth

on　his　cheeks；　a　small；　brown　mustache；　and　a　well…shaped；　round　chin。

His　expression　was　concentrated；　meditative；　under　the　inspecting

light　of　the　lamp　I　held　up　to　his　face；　such　as　a　man　thinking

hard　in　solitude　might　wear。　　My　sleeping　suit　was　just　right

for　his　size。　　A　well…knit　young　fellow　of　twenty…five　at　most。

He　caught　his　lower　lip　with　the　edge　of　white；　even　teeth。



〃Yes；〃　I　said；　replacing　the　lamp　in　the　binnacle。

The　warm；　heavy　tropical　night　closed　upon　his　head　again。



〃There's　a　ship　over　there；〃　he　murmured。



〃Yes；　I　know。　　The　Sephora。　　Did　you　know　of　us？〃



〃Hadn't　the　slightest　idea。　　I　am　the　mate　of　her〃

He　paused　and　corrected　himself。　　〃I　should　say　I　WAS。〃



〃Aha！　　Something　wrong？〃



〃Yes。　　Very　wrong　indeed。　　I've　killed　a　man。〃



〃What　do　you　mean？　　Just　now？〃



〃No；　on　the　passage。　　Weeks　ago。　　Thirty…nine　south。

When　I　say　a　man〃



〃Fit　of　temper；〃　I　suggested；　confidently。



The　shadowy；　dark　head；　like　mine；　seemed　to　nod　imperceptibly

above　the　ghostly