perils of certain english prisoners-第9节

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if　that　was　not　the　case；　and　if　the　river　ran　by　none　of　their

secret　stations；　we　might　escape。



When　I　say　we　settled　this　or　that；　I　do　not　mean　that　we　planned

anything　with　any　confidence　as　to　what　might　happen　an　hour　hence。

So　much　had　happened　in　one　night；　and　such　great　changes　had　been

violently　and　suddenly　made　in　the　fortunes　of　many　among　us；　that

we　had　got　better　used　to　uncertainty；　in　a　little　while；　than　I

dare　say　most　people　do　in　the　course　of　their　lives。



The　difficulties　we　soon　got　into；　through　the　off…settings　and

point…currents　of　the　stream；　made　the　likelihood　of　our　being

drowned；　alone；to　say　nothing　of　our　being　retakenas　broad　and

plain　as　the　sun　at　noonday　to　all　of　us。　　But；　we　all　worked　hard

at　managing　the　rafts；　under　the　direction　of　the　seamen　（of　our　own

skill；　I　think　we　never　could　have　prevented　them　from　oversetting）；

and　we　also　worked　hard　at　making　good　the　defects　in　their　first

hasty　constructionwhich　the　water　soon　found　out。　　While　we　humbly

resigned　ourselves　to　going　down；　if　it　was　the　will　of　Our　Father

that　was　in　Heaven；　we　humbly　made　up　our　minds；　that　we　would　all

do　the　best　that　was　in　us。



And　so　we　held　on；　gliding　with　the　stream。　　It　drove　us　to　this

bank；　and　it　drove　us　to　that　bank；　and　it　turned　us；　and　whirled

us；　but　yet　it　carried　us　on。　　Sometimes　much　too　slowly；　sometimes

much　too　fast；　but　yet　it　carried　us　on。



My　little　deaf　and　dumb　boy　slumbered　a　good　deal　now；　and　that　was

the　case　with　all　the　children。　　They　caused　very　little　trouble　to

any　one。　　They　seemed；　in　my　eyes；　to　get　more　like　one　another；　not

only　in　quiet　manner；　but　in　the　face；　too。　　The　motion　of　the　raft

was　usually　so　much　the　same；　the　scene　was　usually　so　much　the

same；　the　sound　of　the　soft　wash　and　ripple　of　the　water　was　usually

so　much　the　same；　that　they　were　made　drowsy；　as　they　might　have

been　by　the　constant　playing　of　one　tune。　　Even　on　the　grown　people；

who　worked　hard　and　felt　anxiety；　the　same　things　produced　something

of　the　same　effect。　　Every　day　was　so　like　the　other；　that　I　soon

lost　count　of　the　days；　myself；　and　had　to　ask　Miss　Maryon；　for

instance；　whether　this　was　the　third　or　fourth？　　Miss　Maryon　had　a

pocket…book　and　pencil；　and　she　kept　the　log；　that　is　to　say；　she

entered　up　a　clear　little　journal　of　the　time；　and　of　the　distances

our　seamen　thought　we　had　made；　each　night。



So；　as　I　say；　we　kept　afloat　and　glided　on。　　All　day　long；　and　every

day；　the　water；　and　the　woods；　and　sky；　all　day　long；　and　every　day；

the　constant　watching　of　both　sides　of　the　river；　and　far　a…head　at

every　bold　turn　and　sweep　it　made；　for　any　signs　of　Pirate…boats；　or

Pirate…dwellings。　　So；　as　I　say；　we　kept　afloat　and　glided　on。　　The

days　melting　themselves　together　to　that　degree；　that　I　could　hardly

believe　my　ears　when　I　asked　〃How　many　now；　Miss？〃　and　she　answered

〃Seven。〃



To　be　sure；　poor　Mr。　Pordage　had；　by　about　now；　got　his　Diplomatic

coat　into　such　a　state　as　never　was　seen。　　What　with　the　mud　of　the

river；　what　with　the　water　of　the　river；　what　with　the　sun；　and　the

dews；　and　the　tearing　boughs；　and　the　thickets；　it　hung　about　him　in

discoloured　shreds　like　a　mop。　　The　sun　had　touched　him　a　bit。　　He

had　taken　to　always　polishing　one　particular　button；　which　just　held

on　to　his　left　wrist；　and　to　always　calling　for　stationery。　　I

suppose　that　man　called　for　pens；　ink；　and　paper；　tape；　and　scaling…

wax；　upwards　of　one　thousand　times　in　four…and…twenty　hours。　　He　had

an　idea　that　we　should　never　get　out　of　that　river　unless　we　were

written　out　of　it　in　a　formal　Memorandum；　and　the　more　we　laboured

at　navigating　the　rafts；　the　more　he　ordered　us　not　to　touch　them　at

our　peril；　and　the　more　he　sat　and　roared　for　stationery。



Mrs。　Pordage；　similarly；　persisted　in　wearing　her　nightcap。　　I　doubt

if　any　one　but　ourselves　who　had　seen　the　progress　of　that　article

of　dress；　could　by　this　time　have　told　what　it　was　meant　for。　　It

had　got　so　limp　and　ragged　that　she　couldn't　see　out　of　her　eyes　for

it。　　It　was　so　dirty；　that　whether　it　was　vegetable　matter　out　of　a

swamp；　or　weeds　out　of　the　river；　or　an　old　porter's…knot　from

England；　I　don't　think　any　new　spectator　could　have　said。　　Yet；　this

unfortunate　old　woman　had　a　notion　that　it　was　not　only　vastly

genteel；　but　that　it　was　the　correct　thing　as　to　propriety。　　And　she

really　did　carry　herself　over　the　other　ladies　who　had　no　nightcaps；

and　who　were　forced　to　tie　up　their　hair　how　they　could；　in　a

superior　manner　that　was　perfectly　amazing。



I　don't　know　what　she　looked　like；　sitting　in　that　blessed　nightcap；

on　a　log　of　wood；　outside　the　hut　or　cabin　upon　our　raft。　　She　would

have　rather　resembled　a　fortune…teller　in　one　of　the　picture…books

that　used　to　be　in　the　shop　windows　in　my　boyhood；　except　for　her

stateliness。　　But；　Lord　bless　my　heart；　the　dignity　with　which　she

sat　and　moped；　with　her　head　in　that　bundle　of　tatters；　was　like

nothing　else　in　the　world！　　She　was　not　on　speaking　terms　with　more

than　three　of　the　ladies。　　Some　of　them　had；　what　she　called；　〃taken

precedence〃　of　herin　getting　into；　or　out　of；　that　miserable

little　shelter！and　others　had　not　called　to　pay　their　respects；　or

something　of　that　kind。　　So；　there　she　sat；　in　her　own　state　and

ceremony；　while　her　husband　sat　on　the　same　log　of　wood；　ordering　us

one　and　all　to　let　the　raft　go　to　the　bottom；　and　to　bring　him

stationery。



What　with　this　noise　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Commissioner　Pordage；　and

what　with　the　cries　of　Sergeant　Drooce　on　the　raft　astern　（which

were　sometimes　more　than　Tom　Packer　could　silence）；　we　often　made

our　slow　way　down　the　river；　anything　but　quietly。　　Yet；　that　it　was

of　great　importance　that　no　ears　should　be　able　to　hear　us　from　the

woods　on　the　banks；　could　not　be　doubted。　　We　were　looked　for；　to　a

certainty；　and　we　might　be　retaken　at　any　moment。　　It　was　an　anxious

time；　it　was；　indeed；　indeed；　an　anxious　time。



On　the　seventh　night　of　our　voyage　on　the　rafts；　we　made　fast；　as

usual；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　river　to　that　from　which　we　had

started；　in　as　dark　a　place　as　we　could　pick　out。　　Our　little

encampment　was　soon　made；　and　supper　was　eaten；　and　the　children

fell　asleep。　　The　watch　was　set；　and　everything　made　orderly　for　the

night。　　Such　a　starlight　night；　with　such　blue　in　the　sky；　and　such

black　in　the　places　of　heavy　shade　on　the　banks　of　the　great　stream！



Those　two　ladies；　Miss　Maryon　and　Mrs。　Fisher；　had　always　kept　near

me　since　the　night　of　the　attack。　　Mr。　Fisher；　who　was　untiring　in

the　work　of　our　raft；　had　said　to　me：



〃My　dear　little　childless　wife　has　grown　so　attached　to　you；　Davis；

and　you　are　such　a　gentle　fellow；　as　well　as　such　a　determined　one；〃

our　party　had　adopted　that　last　expression　from　the　one…eyed　English

pirate；　and　I　repeat　what　Mr。　Fisher　said；　only　because　he　said　it；

〃that　it　takes　a　load　off　my　mind　to　leave　her　in　your　charge。〃



I　said　to　him：　　〃Your　lady　is　in　far　better　charge　than　mine；　Sir；

having　Miss　Maryon　to　take　care　of　her；　but；　you　may　rely　upon　it；

that　I　will　guard　them　bothfaithful　and　true。〃



Says　he：　　〃I　do　rely　upon　it；　Davis；　and　I　heartily　wish　all　the

silver　on　our　old　Island　was　yours。〃



That　seventh　starlight　night；　as　I　have　said；　we　made　our　camp；　and

got　our　supper；　and　set　our　watch；　and　the　children　fell　asleep。　　It

was　solemn　and　beautiful　in　those　wild　and　solitary　parts；　to　see

them；　every　night　before　they　lay　down；　kneeling　under　the　bright

sky；　saying　their　little　prayers　at　women's　laps。　　At　that　time　we

men　all　uncovered；　and　mostly　kept　at　a　distance。　　When　the　innocent

creatures　rose　up；　we　murmured　〃Amen！〃　all　together。　　For；　though　we

had　not　heard　what　they　said；　we　know　it　must　be　good　for　us。



At　that　time；　too；　as　was　only　natural；　those　poor　mothers　in　our

company；　whose　children　had　been　killed；　shed　many　tears。　　I　thought

the　sight　seemed　to　console　them　while　it　made　them　cry；　but；

whether　I　was　right　or　wrong　in　that；　they　wept　very　much。　　On　this

seventh　night；　Mrs。　Fisher　had　cried　for　her　lost　darling　until　she

cried　herself　asleep。　　She　was　lying　on　a　little　couch　of　leaves　and

such…like　（I　made　the　best　little　couch　I　could　for　them　every

night）；　and　Miss　Maryon　had　covered　her；　and　sat　by　her；　holding　her

hand。　　The　stars　looked　down　upon　them。　　As　for　me；　I　guarded　them。



〃Davis！〃　says　Miss　Maryon。　　（I　am　not　going　to　say　what　a　voice　she

had。　　I　couldn't　if　I　tried。）



〃I　am　here；　Miss。〃



〃The　river　sounds　as　if　it　were　swollen　to…night。〃



〃We　all　think；　Miss；　that　we　are　coming　near　the　sea。〃



〃Do　you　believe　now；　we　shall　escape？〃



〃I　do　now；　Miss；　really　believe　it。〃　　I　had　always　said　I　did；　but；

I　had　in　my　own　mind　been　doubtful。



〃How　glad　you　will　be；　my　good　Davis；　to　see　England　again！〃



I　have　another　confession　to　make　that　will　ap