the story of a bad boy(顽童故事)-第30节
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rascals with a white hat an' a weed on it； as is always goin' about the piers
a…seekin' who they may devower。
〃We sailors know 'em for rascals from stem to starn； but somehow
every fresh one fleeces us jest as his mate did afore him。 We don't lam
nothin' by exper'ence； we're jest no better than a lot of babys with no
brains。
〃'Good mornin'； my man；' sez the chap； as iley as you please。
〃'Mornin'； sir；' sez I。
〃'Lookin' for a job？' sez he。
〃'Through the big end of a telescope；' sez 1…meanin' that the chances
for a job looked very small from my pint of view。
〃'You're the man for my money；' sez the sharper； smilin' as innocent as
a cherubim； 'jest step in here； till we talk it over。'
〃So I goes with him like a nat'ral…born idiot； into a little grocery…shop
near by； where we sets down at a table with a bottle atween us。 Then it
comes out as there is a New Bedford whaler about to start for the fishin'
grounds； an' jest one able…bodied sailor like me is wanted to make up the
crew。 Would I go？ Yes； I wouldn't on no terms。
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〃'I'll bet you fifty dollars；' sez he； 'that you'll come back fust mate。'
〃'I'll bet you a hundred；' sez I； 'that I don't； for I've signed papers as
keeps me ashore； an' the parson has witnessed the deed。'
〃So we sat there； he urgin' me to ship； an' I chaffin' him cheerful over
the bottle。
〃Arter a while I begun to feel a little queer； things got foggy in my
upper works； an' I remembers； faint…like； of signin' a paper； then I
remembers bein' in a small boat； an' then I remembers nothin' until I heard
the mate's whistle pipin' all hands on deck。 I tumbled up with the rest； an'
there I was…on board of a whaler outward bound for a three years' cruise；
an' my dear little lass ashore awaitin' for me。〃
〃Miserable wretch！〃 said Miss Abigail； in a voice that vibrated among
the tin platters on the dresser。 This was Miss Abigail's way of testifying
her sympathy。
〃Thankee； marm；〃 returned Sailor Ben； doubtfully。
〃No talking to the man at the wheel；〃 cried the Captain。 Upon which
we all laughed。 〃Spin！〃 added my grandfather。
Sailor Ben resumed：
〃I leave you to guess the wretchedness as fell upon me； for I've not got
the gift to tell you。 There I was down on the ship's books for a three years'
viage； an' no help for it。 I feel nigh to six hundred years old when I think
how long that viage was。 There isn't no hour…glass as runs slow enough to
keep a tally of the slowness of them fust hours。 But I done my duty like a
man； seem' there wasn't no way of gettin' out of it。 I told my shipmates of
the trick as had been played on me； an they tried to cheer me up a bit； but I
was sore sorrowful for a long spell。 Many a night on watch I put my face
in my hands and sobbed for thinkin' of the little woman left among the
land…sharks； an' no man to have an eye on her； God bless her！〃
Here Kitty softly drew her chair nearer to Sailor Ben； and rested one
hand on his arm。
〃Our adventures among the whales； I take it； doesn't consarn the
present company here assembled。 So I give that the go by。 There's an end
to everythin'； even to a whalin' viage。 My heart all but choked me the day
we put into New Bedford with our cargo of ile。 I got my three years' pay in
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a lump； an' made for New York like a flash of lightuin'。 The people hove to
and looked at me； as I rushed through the streets like a madman； until I
came to the spot where the lodgin'…house stood on West Street。 But； Lord
love ye； there wasn't no sech lodgin'…house there； but a great new brick
shop。
〃I made bold to go in an' ask arter the old place； but nobody knowed
nothin' about it； save as it had been torn down two years or more。 I was
adrift now； for I had reckoned all them days and nights on gittin' word of
Kitty from Dan Shackford； the man as kept the lodgin'。
〃As I stood there with all the wind knocked out of my sails； the idee of
runnin' alongside the perlice…station popped into my head。 The perlice was
likely to know the latitude of a man like Dan Shackford； who wasn't over
an' above respecktible。 They did know…he had died in the Tombs jail that
day twelvemonth。 A coincydunce； wasn't it？ I was ready to drop when they
told me this； howsomever； I bore up an' give the chief a notion of the fix I
was in。 He writ a notice which I put into the newspapers every day for
three months； but nothin' come of it。 I cruised over the city week in and
week out I went to every sort of place where they hired women hands； I
didn't leave a think undone that a uneddicated man could do。 But nothin'
come of it。 I don't believe there was a wretcheder soul in that big city of
wretchedness than me。 Sometimes I wanted to lay down in the sheets and
die。
〃Drif tin' disconsolate one day among the shippin'； who should I
overhaul but the identical smooth…spoken chap with a white hat an' a weed
on it！ I didn't know if there was any spent left in me； till I clapped eye on
his very onpleasant countenance。 'You villain！' sez I； 'where's my little
Irish lass as you dragged me away from？' an' I lighted on him； hat and all；
like that！〃
Here Sailor Ben brought his fist down on the deal table with the force
of a sledge…hammer。 Miss Abigail gave a start； and the ale leaped up in the
pitcher like a miniature fountain。
〃I begs your parden； ladies and gentlemen all； but the thought of that
feller with his ring an' his watch…chain an' his walrus face； is alus too many
for me。 I was for pitchin' him into the North River； when a perliceman
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prevented me from benefitin' the human family。 I had to pay five dollars
for hittin' the chap （they said it was salt and buttery）； an' that's what I call a
neat； genteel luxury。 It was worth double the money jest to see that white
hat； with a weed on it； layin' on the wharf like a busted accordiun。
〃Arter months of useless sarch； I went to sea agin。 I never got into a
foren port but I kept a watch out for Kitty。 Once I thought I seed her in
Liverpool； but it was only a gal as looked like her。 The numbers of women
in different parts of the world as looked like her was amazin'。 So a good
many years crawled by； an' I wandered from place to place； never givin' up
the sarch。 I might have been chief mate scores of times； maybe master； but
I hadn't no ambition。 I seed many strange things in them years…outlandish
people an' cities； storms； shipwracks； an' battles。 I seed many a true mate
go down； an' sometimes I envied them what went to their rest。 But these
things is neither here nor there。
〃About a year ago I shipped on board the Belphcebe yonder； an' of all
the strange winds as ever blowed； the strangest an' the best was the wind
as blowed me to this here blessed spot。 I can't be too thankful。 That I'm as
thankful as it is possible for an uneddicated man to be； He knows as reads
the heart of all。〃
Here ended Sailor Ben's yarn； which I have written down in his own
homely words as nearly as I can recall them。 After he had finished； the
Captain shook hands with him and served out the ale。
As Kitty was about to drink； she paused； rested the cup on her knee；
and asked what day of the month it was。
〃The twenty…seventh；〃 said the Captain； wondering what she was
driving at。
〃Then；〃 cried Kitty； 〃it's ten years this night sence…〃
〃Since what？〃 asked my grandfather。
〃Sence the little lass and I got spliced！〃 roared Sailor Ben。 〃There's
another coincydunce for you！〃
On hearing this we all clapped hands； and the Captain； with a degree
of ceremony that was almost painful； drank a bumper to the health and
happiness of the bride and bridegroom。
It was a pleasant sight to see the two old lovers sitting side by side； in
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spite of all； drinking from the same little cup…a battered zinc dipper which
Sailor Ben had unslung from a strap round his waist。
