the crusade of the excelsior-第9节

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into　it；　and　the　wind's　failing！〃



It　was　true。　　In　the　last　few　moments　all　that　vast　glistening

surface　of　metallic　blue　which　stretched　so　far　to　windward

appeared　to　be　slowly　eaten　away　as　if　by　some　dull；　corroding

acid；　the　distant　horizon　line　of　sea　and　sky　was　still　distinct

and　sharply　cut；　but　the　whole　water　between　them　had　grown　gray；

as　if　some　invisible　shadow　had　passed　in　mid…air　across　it。　　The

actual　fog　bank　had　suddenly　lost　its　resemblance　to　the　shore；　had

lifted　as　a　curtain；　and　now　seemed　suspended　over　the　ship。

Gradually　it　descended；　the　top…gallant　and　top…sails　were　lost　in

this　mysterious　vapor；　yet　the　horizon　line　still　glimmered

faintly。　　Then　another　mist　seemed　to　rise　from　the　sea　and　meet

it；　in　another　instant　the　deck　whereon　they　stood　shrank　to　the

appearance　of　a　raft　adrift　in　a　faint　gray　sea。　　With　the　complete

obliteration　of　all　circumambient　space；　the　wind　fell。　　Their

isolation　was　complete。



It　was　notable　that　the　first　and　most　peculiar　effect　of　this

misty　environment　was　the　absolute　silence。　　The　empty；　invisible

sails　above　did　not　flap；　the　sheets　and　halyards　hung　limp；　even

the　faint　creaking　of　an　unseen　block　overhead　was　so　startling　as

to　draw　every　eye　upwards。　　Muffled　orders　from　viewless　figures

forward　were　obeyed　by　phantoms　that　moved　noiselessly　through　the

gray　sea　that　seemed　to　have　invaded　the　deck。　　Even　the　passengers

spoke　in　whispers；　or　held　their　breath；　in　passive　groups；　as　if

fearing　to　break　a　silence　so　replete　with　awe　and　anticipation。

It　was　next　noticed　that　the　vessel　was　subjected　to　some　vague

motion；　the　resistance　of　the　water　had　ceased；　the　waves　no　longer

hissed　under　her　bows；　or　nestled　and　lapped　under　her　counter；　a

dreamy；　irregular；　and　listless　rocking　had　taken　the　place　of　the

regular　undulations；　at　times；　a　faint　and　half　delicious　vertigo

seemed　to　overcome　their　senses；　the　ship　was　drifting。



Captain　Bunker　stood　near　the　bitts；　where　his　brief　orders　were

transmitted　to　the　man　at　the　almost　useless　wheel。　　At　his　side

Senor　Perkins　beamed　with　unshaken　serenity；　and　hopefully　replied

to　the　captain's　half　surly；　half　anxious　queries。



〃By　the　chart　we　should　be　well　east　of　Los　Lobos　island；　d'ye

see？〃　he　said　impatiently。　　〃You　don't　happen　to　remember　the

direction　of　the　current　off　shore　when　you　were　running　up　here？〃



〃It's　five　years　ago；〃　said　the　Senor　modestly；　〃but　I　remember　we

kept　well　to　the　west　to　weather　Cape　St。　Eugenio。　　My　impression

is　that　there　was　a　strong　northwesterly　current　setting　north　of

Ballenos　Bay。〃



〃And　we're　in　it　now；〃　said　Captain　Bunker　shortly。　　〃How　near　St。

Roque　does　it　set？〃



〃Within　a　mile　or　two。　　I　should　keep　away　more　to　the　west；〃　said

Senor　Perkins；　〃and　clear〃



〃I　ain't　asking　you　to　run　the　ship；〃　interrupted　Captain　Bunker

sharply。　　〃How's　her　head　now；　Mr。　Brooks？〃



The　seamen　standing　near　cast　a　rapid　glance　at　Senor　Perkins；　but

not　a　muscle　of　his　bland　face　moved　or　betrayed　a　consciousness　of

the　insult。　　Whatever　might　have　been　the　feeling　towards　him；　at

that　moment　the　sailorsafter　their　fashionadmired　their

captain；　strong；　masterful；　and　imperious。　　The　danger　that　had

cleared　his　eye；　throat；　and　brain；　and　left　him　once　more　the

daring　and　skillful　navigator　they　knew；　wiped　out　of　their　shallow

minds　the　vicious　habit　that　had　sunk　him　below　their　level。



It　had　now　become　perceptible　to　even　the　inexperienced　eyes　of　the

passengers　that　the　Excelsior　was　obeying　some　new　and　profound

impulse。　　The　vague　drifting　had　ceased；　and　in　its　place　had　come

a　mysterious　but　regular　movement；　in　which　the　surrounding　mist

seemed　to　participate；　until　fog　and　vessel　moved　together　towards

some　unseen　but　well…defined　bourne。　　In　vain　had　the　boats　of　the

Excelsior；　manned　by　her　crew；　endeavored　with　a　towing…line　to

check　or　direct　the　inexplicable　movement；　in　vain　had　Captain

Bunker　struggled；　with　all　the　skilled　weapons　of　seamanship；

against　his　invincible　foe；　wrapped　in　the　impenetrable　fog；　the

ship　moved　ghost…like　to　what　seemed　to　be　her　doom。



The　anxiety　of　the　officers　had　not　as　yet　communicated　itself　to

the　passengers；　those　who　had　been　most　nervous　in　the　ordinary

onset　of　wind　and　wave　looked　upon　the　fog　as　a　phenomenon　whose

only　disturbance　might　be　delay。　　To　Miss　Keene　this　conveyed　no

annoyance；　rather　that　placid　envelopment　of　cloud　soothed　her

fancy；　she　submitted　herself　to　its　soft　embraces；　and　to　the

mysterious　onward　movement　of　the　ship；　as　if　it　were　part　of　a

youthful　dream。　　Once　she　thought　of　the　ship　of　Sindbad；　and　that

fatal　loadstone　mountain；　with　an　awe　that　was；　however；　half　a

pleasure。



〃You　are　not　frightened；　Miss　Keene？〃　said　a　voice　near　her。



She　started　slightly。　　It　was　the　voice　of　Mr。　Hurlstone。　　So　thick

was　the　fog　that　his　face　and　figure　appeared　to　come　dimly　out　of

it；　like　a　part　of　her　dreaming　fancy。　　Without　replying　to　his

question；　she　said　quickly；



〃You　are　better　then；　Mr。　Hurlstone？　　Wewe　were　all　so　frightened

for　you。〃



An　angry　shadow　crossed　his　thin　face；　and　he　hesitated。　　After　a

pause　he　recovered　himself；　and　said；



〃I　was　saying　you　were　taking　all　this　very　quietly。　　I　don't　think

there's　much　danger　myself。　　And　if　we　should　go　ashore　here〃



〃Well？〃　suggested　Miss　Keene；　ignoring　this　first　intimation　of

danger　in　her　surprise　at　the　man's　manner。



〃Well；　we　should　all　be　separated　only　a　few　days　earlier；　that's

all！〃



More　frightened　at　the　strange　bitterness　of　his　voice　than　by　the

sense　of　physical　peril；　she　was　vaguely　moving　away　towards　the

dimly　outlined　figures　of　her　companions　when　she　was　arrested　by　a

voice　forward。　　There　was　a　slight　murmur　among　the　passengers。



〃What　did　he　say？〃　asked　Miss　Keene；　〃What　are　'Breakers　ahead'？〃



Hurlstone　did　not　reply。



〃Where　away？〃　asked　a　second　voice。



The　murmur　still　continuing；　Captain　Bunker's　hoarse　voice　pierced

the　gloom；〃Silence　fore　and　aft！〃



The　first　voice　repeated　faintly；



〃On　the　larboard　bow。〃



There　was　another　silence。　　Again　the　voice　repeated；　as　if

mechanically；



〃Breakers！〃



〃Where　away？〃



〃On　the　starboard　beam。〃



〃We　are　in　some　passage　or　channel；〃　said　Hurlstone　quietly。



The　young　girl　glanced　round　her　and　saw　for　the　first　time　that；

in　one　of　those　inexplicable　movements　she　had　not　understood；　the

other　passengers　had　been　withdrawn　into　a　limited　space　of　the

deck；　as　if　through　some　authoritative　orders；　while　she　and　her

companion　had　been　evidently　overlooked。　　A　couple　of　sailors；　who

had　suddenly　taken　their　positions　by　the　quarter…boats；　strengthened

the　accidental　separation。



〃Is　there　some　one　taking　care　of　you？〃　he　asked；　half　hesitatingly；

〃Mr。　BracePerkinsor〃



〃No；〃　she　replied　quickly。　　〃Why？〃



〃Well；　we　are　very　near　the　boat　in　an　emergency；　and　you　might

allow　me　to　stay　here　and　see　you　safe　in　it。〃



〃But　the　other　ladies？　　Mrs。　Markham；　and〃



〃They'll　take　their　turn　after　YOU；〃　he　said　grimly；　picking　up　a

wrap　from　the　railing　and　throwing　it　over　her　shoulders。



〃ButI　don't　understand！〃　she　stammered；　more　embarrassed　by　the

situation　than　by　any　impending　peril。



〃There　is　very　little　danger；　I　think；〃　he　added　impatiently。

〃There　is　scarcely　any　sea；　the　ship　has　very　little　way　on；　and

these　breakers　are　not　over　rocks。　　Listen。〃



She　tried　to　listen。　　At　first　she　heard　nothing　but　the　occasional

low　voice　of　command　near　the　wheel。　　Then　she　became　conscious　of

a　gentle；　soothing　murmur　through　the　fog　to　the　right。　　She　had

heard　such　a　murmuring　accompaniment　to　her　girlish　dreams　at

Newport　on　a　still　summer　night。　　There　was　nothing　to　frighten

her；　but　it　increased　her　embarrassment。



〃And　you？〃　she　said　awkwardly；　raising　her　soft　eyes。



〃Oh；　if　you　are　all　going　off　in　the　boats；　by　Jove；　I　think　I'll

stick　to　the　ship！〃　he　returned；　with　a　frankness　that　would　have

been　rude　but　for　its　utter　abstraction。



Miss　Keene　was　silent。　　The　ship　moved　gently　onward。　　The

monotonous　cry　of　the　leadsman　in　the　chains　was　the　only　sound

audible。　　The　soundings　were　indicating　shoaler　water；　although　the

murmuring　of　the　surf　had　been　left　far　astern。　　The　almost

imperceptible　darkening　of　the　mist　on　either　beam　seemed　to　show

that　the　Excelsior　was　entering　some　land…locked　passage。　　The

movement　of　the　vessel　slackened；　the　tide　was　beginning　to　ebb。

Suddenly　a　wave　of　far…off　clamor；　faint　but　sonorous；　broke　across

the　ship。　　There　was　an　interval　of　breathless　silence；　and　then　it

broke　again；　and　more　distinctly。　　It　was　the　sound　of　bells！



The　thrill　of　awe　which　passed　through　passengers　and　crew　at　this

spiritual　challenge　from　the　vast　and　intangible　void　around　them

had　scarcely