the story of a bad boy(顽童故事)-第3节
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snakes。 Here and there we passed a yellow sand…bar; and here and there a
snag lifted its nose out of the water like a shark。
〃This is your last chance to see the city; To see the city; Tom;〃 said my
father; as we swept round a bend of the river。
I turned and looked。 New Orleans was just a colorless mass of
something in the distance; and the dome of the St。 Charles Hotel; upon
which the sun shimmered for a moment; was no bigger than the top of old
Aunt Chloe's thimble。
What do I remember next? The gray sky and the fretful blue waters of
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the Gulf。 The steam…tug had long since let slip her hawsers and gone
panting away with a derisive scream; as much as to say; 〃I've done my
duty; now look out for yourself; old Typhoon!〃
The ship seemed quite proud of being left to take care of itself; and;
with its huge white sails bulged out; strutted off like a vain turkey。 I had
been standing by my father near the wheel…house all this while; observing
things with that nicety of perception which belongs only to children; but
now the dew began falling; and we went below to have supper。
The fresh fruit and milk; and the slices of cold chicken; looked very
nice; yet somehow I had no appetite There was a general smell of tar about
everything。 Then the ship gave sudden lurches that made it a matter of
uncertainty whether one was going to put his fork to his mouth or into his
eye。 The tumblers and wineglasses; stuck in a rack over the table; kept
clinking and clinking; and the cabin lamp; suspended by four gilt chains
from the ceiling; swayed to and fro crazily。 Now the floor seemed to rise;
and now it seemed to sink under one's feet like a feather…bed。
There were not more than a dozen passengers on board; including
ourselves; and all of these; excepting a bald…headed old gentleman…a
retired sea…captain…disappeared into their staterooms at an early hour of the
evening。
After supper was cleared away; my father and the elderly gentleman;
whose name was Captain Truck; played at checkers; and I amused myself
for a while by watching the trouble they had in keeping the men in the
proper places。 just at the most exciting point of the game; the ship would
careen; and down would go the white checkers pell…mell among the black。
Then my father laughed; but Captain Truck would grow very angry; and
vow that he would have won the game in a move or two more; if the
confounded old chicken…coop…that's what he called the ship…hadn't lurched。
〃I…I think I will go to bed now; please;〃 I said; laying my band on my
father's knee; and feeling exceedingly queer。
It was high time; for the Typhoon was plunging about in the most
alarming fashion。 I was speedily tucked away in the upper berth; where I
felt a trifle more easy at first。 My clothes were placed on a narrow shelf at
my feet; and it was a great comfort to me to know that my pistol was so
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handy; for I made no doubt we should fall in with Pirates before many
hours。 This is the last thing I remember with any distinctness。 At midnight;
as I was afterwards told; we were struck by a gale which never left us until
we came in sight of the Massachusetts coast。
For days and days I had no sensible idea of what was going on around
me。 That we were being hurled somewhere upside…down; and that I didn't
like it; was about all I knew。 I have; indeed; a vague impression that my
father used to climb up to the berth and call me his 〃Ancient Mariner;〃
bidding me cheer up。 But the Ancient Mariner was far from cheering up; if
I recollect rightly; and I don't believe that venerable navigator would have
cared much if it had been announced to him; through a speaking…trumpet;
that 〃a low; black; suspicious craft; with raking masts; was rapidly bearing
down upon us!〃
In fact; one morning; I thought that such was the case; for bang! went
the big cannon I had noticed in the bow of the ship when we came on
board; and which had suggested to me the idea of Pirates。 Bang! went the
gun again in a few seconds。 I made a feeble effort to get at my trousers…
pocket! But the Typhoon was only saluting Cape Cod…the first land sighted
by vessels approaching the coast from a southerly direction。
The vessel had ceased to roll; and my sea…sickness passed away as
rapidly as it came。 I was all right now; 〃only a little shaky in my timbers
and a little blue about the gills;〃 as Captain Truck remarked to my mother;
who; like myself; had been confined to the state…room during the passage。
At Cape Cod the wind parted company with us without saying as
much as 〃Excuse me〃; so we were nearly two days in making the run
which in favorable weather is usually accomplished in seven hours。 That's
what the pilot said。
I was able to go about the ship now; and I lost no time in cultivating
the acquaintance of the sailor with the green…haired lady on his arm。 I
found him in the forecastle…a sort of cellar in the front part of the vessel。
He was an agreeable sailor; as I had expected; and we became the best of
friends in five minutes。
He had been all over the world two or three times; and knew no end of
stories。 According to his own account; he must have been shipwrecked at
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least twice a year ever since his birth。 He had served under Decatur when
that gallant officer peppered the Algerines and made them promise not to
sell their prisoners of war into slavery; he had worked a gun at the
bombardment of Vera Cruz in the Mexican War; and he had been on
Alexander Selkirk's Island more than once。 There were very few things he
hadn't done in a seafaring way。
〃I suppose; sir;〃 I remarked; 〃that your name isn't Typhoon?〃
〃Why; Lord love ye; lad; my name's Benjamin Watson; of Nantucket。
But I'm a true blue Typhooner;〃 he added; which increased my respect for
him; I don't know why; and I didn't know then whether Typhoon was the
name of a vegetable or a profession。
Not wishing to be outdone in frankness; I disclosed to him that my
name was Tom Bailey; upon which he said be was very glad to hear it。
When we got more intimate; I discovered that Sailor Ben; as he wished
me to call him; was a perfect walking picturebook。 He had two anchors; a
star; and a frigate in full sail on his right arm; a pair of lovely blue hands
clasped on his breast; and I've no doubt that other parts of his body were
illustrated in the same agreeable manner。 I imagine he was fond of
drawings; and took this means of gratifying his artistic taste。 It was
certainly very ingenious and convenient。 A portfolio might be misplaced;
or dropped overboard; but Sailor Ben bad his pictures wherever he went;
just as that eminent person in the poem;
〃With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes〃 …
was accompanied by music on all occasions。
The two bands on his breast; he informed me; were a tribute to the
memory of a dead messmate from whom he had parted years ago…and
surely a more touching tribute was never engraved on a tombstone。 This
caused me to think of my parting with old Aunt Chloe; and I told him I
should take it as a great favor indeed if he would paint a pink hand and a
black hand on my chest。 He said the colors were pricked into the skin with
needles; and that the operation was somewhat painful。 I assured him; in an
off…hand manner; that I didn't mind pain; and begged him to set to work at
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once。
The simple…hearted fellow; who was probably not a little vain of his
skill; took me into the forecastle; and was on the point of complying with
my request; when my father happened to own the gangway…a circumstance
that rather interfered with the decorative art。
I didn't have another opportunity of confer