masterman ready-第24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！


e　widows　in　their　affliction；　and　to　keep　yourself　unspotted　in　the　world'。　The　consequence　was；　that　my　mother　had　little　or　nothing　to　live　upon；　but　she　found　friends　who　assisted　her；　and　she　worked　embroidery；　and　contrived　to　get　on　somehow　until　I　was　eight　or　nine　years　of　age。〃

〃But　did　not　your　godfather　come　forward　to　the　assistance　of　your　mother？〃　inquired　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃No；　sir；　strange　to　say；　he　did　not；　and　that　made　people　talk　the　more。　I　believe　it　was　the　abuse　of　him；　which　he　did　not　fail　to　hear；　and　which　he　ascribed　to　my　mother；　which　turned　him　away　from　us；　perhaps　it　was　his　own　conscience；　for　we　always　dislike　those　we　have　injured。〃

〃Unfortunately；　there　is　great　truth　in　that　remark　of　yours；　Ready；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃still；　it　is　strange　that　he　did　not　do　something。〃

〃It　was　very　strange；　sir；　…　at　least；　so　it　appeared　at　the　time；　but　he　was　very　fond　of　money；　and　irritated　at　the　reports　and　observations　which　were　made　about　him。　But；　to　go　on；　sir；　I　was　a　strong；　hardy　boy；　and；　whenever　I　could　escape　from　my　mother　or　school；　was　always　found　by　the　water…side　or　on　board　of　the　vessels。　In　the　summer…time　I　was　half　the　day　in　water；　and　was　a　very　good　swimmer。　My　mother　perceived　my　fondness　for　the　profession；　and　tried　all　she　could　to　divert　my　thoughts　some　other　way。　She　told　me　of　the　dangers　and　hardships　which　sailors　went　through；　and　always　ended　with　my　father's　death　and　a　flood　of　tears。

〃We　certainly　are　of　a　perverse　nature；　as　I　have　often　heard　the　clergyman　say；　for　it　appears　to　me　that　we　always　wish　to　do　that　which　we　are　told　not　to　do。　If　my　mother　had　not　been　always　persuading　me　against　going　to　sea；　I　really　believe　I　might　have　stayed　at　home。　I've　often　thought　since；　how　selfish　and　unfeeling　I　must　have　been。　I　was　too　young　to　know　what　pain　I　was　giving　my　mother；　and　how　anxiety　was　preying　upon　her；　all　on　my　account。　Children　cannot　feel　it；　if　they　did；　they　would　do　otherwise；　for　our　hearts　are　seldom　hard　until　we　grow　older。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃If　children　really　knew　how　much　their　parents　suffer　when　they　behave　ill；　how　alarmed　they　are　at　any　proofs　of　wickedness　in　them；　they　would　be　much　better。〃

〃We　never　find　that　out；　sir；　till　it　is　too　late；〃　continued　Ready。　〃Well；　sir；　I　was　little　more　than　nine　years　old；　when；　on　a　very　windy　day；　and　the　water　rough；　a　hawser；　by　which　a　vessel　was　fast　to　the　wharf；　was　carried　away　with　a　violent　jerk；　and　the　broken　part；　as　it　flew　out；　struck　a　person　who　was　at　the　edge　of　the　wharf；　and　knocked　him　into　the　sea。　I　heard　the　crying　out；　and　the　men　from　the　wharf　and　from　the　ships　were　throwing　ropes　to　him；　but　he　could　not　catch　hold　of　them；　indeed；　he　could　not　swim　well；　and　the　water　was　rough。　I　caught　a　rope　that　had　been　hauled　in　again；　and　leapt　off　the　wharf。

〃Young　as　I　was；　I　swam　like　a　duck；　and　put　the　rope　into　his　hands　just　as　he　was　going　down。　He　clung　to　it　as　drowning　men　only　can　cling；　and　was　hauled　to　the　piles；　and　soon　afterwards　a　boat；　which　had　been　lowered　from　the　stern　of　one　of　the　vessels；　picked　us　both　up。　We　were　taken　to　a　public…house；　and　put　into　bed　till　dry　clothes　could　be　sent　for　us；　and　then　I　found　that　the　person　I　had　saved　was　my　godfather；　Mr。　Masterman。　Everyone　was　loud　in　my　praise；　and；　although　perhaps　I　ought　not　to　say　it；　it　was　a　bold　act　for　so　young　a　boy　as　I　was。　The　sailors　took　me　home　to　my　mother　in　a　sort　of　triumphal　procession；　and　she；　poor　thing；　when　she　heard　what　I　had　done；　embraced　me　over　and　over　again；　one　moment　rejoicing　at　my　preservation；　and　the　next　weeping　bitterly　at　the　thoughts　of　the　danger　I　had　encountered；　and　the　probability　that　my　bold　spirit　would　lead　me　into　still　greater。〃

〃But　she　did　not　blame　you　for　what　you　had　done？〃

〃Oh　no；　William；　she　felt　that　I　had　done　my　duty　towards　my　neighbour；　and　perhaps　she　felt　in　her　own　heart　that　I　had　returned　good　for　evil；　but　she　did　not　say　so。　The　next　day　Mr。　Masterman　called　upon　us；　he　certainly　looked　very　foolish　and　confused　when　he　asked　for　his　godson；　whom　he　had　so　long　neglected。　My　mother；　who　felt　how　useful　he　might　be　to　me；　received　him　very　kindly；　but　I　had　been　often　told　of　his　neglect　of　me　and　my　mother；　and　of　his　supposed　unfair　conduct　towards　my　father；　and　had　taken　a　violent　dislike　to　him；　his　advances　towards　me　were　therefore　very　coolly　received。　I　felt　glad　that　I　had　saved　him；　but　although　I　could　not　exactly　understand　my　own　feelings　at　the　time；　I　am　ashamed　to　say　that　my　pleasure　was　not　derived　from　having　done　a　good　action；　so　much　as　indulging　a　feeling　of　revenge　in　having　put　one　under　an　obligation　who　had　treated　me　ill；　this　arose　from　my　proud　spirit；　which　my　mother　could　not　check。　So　you　see；　William；　there　was　very　little　merit　in　what　I　had　done；　as；　after　I　had　done　it；　I　indulged　those　feelings　which　I　ought　to　have　checked。〃

〃I　think　I　could　not　have　helped　feeling　the　same；　Ready；　under　such　circumstances；〃　replied　William。

〃The　impulse　which　induced　me　to　act　was　good；〃　replied　Ready；　〃but　the　feeling　which　I　indulged　in　afterwards　took　away　the　whole　merit　of　the　deed。　I　am　stating　what　I　believe　to　be　the　truth；　and　an　old　man　like　me　can　look　upon　the　past　without　bias；　but　not　without　regret。　Mr。　Masterman　made　but　a　short　visit；　he　told　my　mother　that　he　would　now　take　care　of　me　and　bring　me　up　to　the　business　of　a　ship…builder　as　soon　as　I　was　old　enough　to　leave　school；　and　that　in　the　meantime　he　would　pay　all　my　expenses。　My　poor　mother　was　very　grateful；　and　shed　tears　of　joy；　and　when　Mr。　Masterman　went　away；　she　embraced　me；　and　said　that　now　she　was　happy；　as　I　should　have　a　profession　on　shore　and　not　go　to　sea。　I　must　do　justice　to　Mr。　Masterman；　he　kept　his　word　and　sent　money　to　my　mother；　so　that　she　became　quite　cheerful　and　comfortable；　and　everyone　congratulated　her；　and　she　used　to　fondle　me；　and　say；　it　was　all　through　me　that　she　was　relieved　from　her　distress。〃

〃How　happy　that　must　have　made　you；　Ready！〃　said　William。

〃Yes；　it　did；　but　it　made　me　also　very　proud。　Strange　to　say；　I　could　not　conquer　my　dislike　to　Mr。　Masterman；　I　had　nourished　the　feeling　too　long。　I　could　not　bear　that　my　mother　should　be　under　obligations　to　him；　or　that　he　should　pay　for　my　schooling；　it　hurt　my　foolish　pride；　young　as　I　then　was；　and　although　my　mother　was　happy；　I　was　not。　Besides；　as　I　was　put　to　a　better　school；　and　was　obliged　to　remain　with　the　other　boys；　I　could　no　longer　run　about　the　wharfs；　or　go　on　board　the　vessels；　as　before。　I　did　not　see　then；　as　I　do　now；　that　it　was　all　for　my　good　but　I　became　discontented　and　unhappy；　merely　because　I　was　obliged　to　pay　attention　to　my　learning；　and　could　no　longer　have　my　own　way。　The　master　complained　of　me；　and　Mr。　Masterman　called　and　scolded　me　well。　I　became　more　disobedient；　and　then　I　was　punished。　This　irritated　me；　and　I　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　run　away　to　sea。　You　see；　William；　I　was　all　in　the　wrong；　and　so　will　all　boys　be　who　think　they　know　better　than　those　who　have　charge　of　them；　and　now　only　see　what　I　probably　lost　by　my　foolish　conduct。　I　say　probably；　for　no　one　can　calculate　or　foresee　what　is　to　take　place；　but；　as　far　as　appearances　went；　I　had　every　prospect　of　receiving　a　good　education　…　of　succeeding　Mr。　Masterman　in　his　business；　and；　very　probably；　of　inheriting　his　large　fortune；　so　that　I　might　have　been　at　this　time　a　rich　and　well…educated　man；　surrounded　with　all　the　comforts　and　luxuries　of　life；　perhaps　with　an　amiable　wife　and　large　family　round　me；　to　make　me　still　happier；　instead　of　being　what　I　now　am；　a　poor；　worn…out　old　seaman　upon　a　desert　isle。　I　point　this　out　to　you；　William；　to　show　how　one　false　and　foolish　step　in　the　young　may　affect　their　whole　prospects　in　life；　and；　instead　of　enabling　them　to　sail　down　with　the　stream　of　prosperity；　may　leave　them　to　struggle　against　the　current　of　adversity；　as　has　been　the　case　with　me。〃

〃It　is；　indeed；　a　good　lesson；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃It　is；　not　that　I　repine　at　my　lot；　even　while　I　regret　the　errors　that　led　to　it。　An　all…wise　and　gracious　God　disposes　of　us　as　he　thinks　best；　and　I　can　now　say　with　perfect　sincerity；　‘Thy　will；　not　mine；　be　done'。〃

〃Your　misfortunes　have；　however；　proved　an　incalculable　benefit　to　us；　Ready；〃　observed　Mrs。　Seagrave；　〃for　had　you　not　gone　to　sea；　and　been　on　board　the　ship　when　the　crew　deserted　us；　what　would　have　become　of　us？〃

〃Well；　madam；　it　is　some　comfort　to　think　that　a　worn…out　old　seaman　like　myself　has　been　of　some　use。〃



Chapter　XXXII

The　bleating　of　the　kids　woke　them　the　next　morning　earlier　than　usual。　The　weather　was　again　fine；　and　the　sun　shining　brightly；　and　Ready　turned　out　Nanny　and　her　progeny。　They　had　an　excellent　breakfast　of　fried　fish；　and　then　Mr。　Seagrave；　Ready；　and　William　went　out　to　their　work：　the　two　first　took　down　the　tents；　and　spread　the　canvas　on　the　ground；　that　it　might　be　well　dried；　while　William　went　in　pursuit　of　the　fowls；　which　had　not　been　seen　for　a　day　or　two。　After　half…an…hour's　search　in　the　cocoa…nut　grove；　he　heard　the