falk-第18节

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lucky　in　the　drawing　of　lots？〃



〃Drawing　of　lots？〃　he　said。　　〃What　lots？　　Do

you　think　I　would　have　allowed　my　life　to　go　for

the　drawing　of　lots？〃



Not　if　he　could　help　if；　I　perceived；　no　matter

what　other　life　went。



〃It　was　a　great　misfortune。　　Terrible。　　Awful；〃

he　said。　　〃Many　heads　went　wrong；　but　the　best

men　would　live。〃



〃The　toughest；　you　mean；〃　I　said。　　He　consid…

ered　the　word。　　Perhaps　it　was　strange　to　him；

though　his　English　was　so　good。



〃Yes；〃　he　asserted　at　last。　　〃The　best。　　It　was

everybody　for　himself　at　last　and　the　ship　open　to

all。〃



Thus　from　question　to　question　I　got　the　whole

story。　　I　fancy　it　was　the　only　way　I　could　that

night　have　stood　by　him。　　Outwardly　at　least　he

was　himself　again；　the　first　sign　of　it　was　the　re…

turn　of　that　incongruous　trick　he　had　of　drawing

both　his　hands　down　his　faceand　it　had　its　mean…

ing　now；　with　that　slight　shudder　of　the　frame　and

the　passionate　anguish　of　these　hands　uncovering

a　hungry　immovable　face；　the　wide　pupils　of　the

intent；　silent；　fascinating　eyes。



It　was　an　iron　steamer　of　a　most　respectable　ori…

gin。　　The　burgomaster　of　Falk's　native　town　had

built　her。　　She　was　the　first　steamer　ever　launched

there。　　The　burgomaster's　daughter　had　christened

her。　　Country　people　drove　in　carts　from　miles

around　to　see　her。　　He　told　me　all　this。　　He　got　the

berth　as　what　we　should　call　a　chief　mate。　　He

seemed　to　think　it　had　been　a　feather　in　his　cap；

and；　in　his　own　corner　of　the　world；　this　lover　of

life　was　of　good　parentage。



The　burgomaster　had　advanced　ideas　in　the

ship…owning　line。　　At　that　time　not　every　one

would　have　known　enough　to　think　of　despatching

a　cargo　steamer　to　the　Pacific。　　But　he　loaded　her

with　pitch…pine　deals　and　sent　her　off　to　hunt　for

her　luck。　　Wellington　was　to　be　the　first　port；　I

fancy。　　It　doesn't　matter；　because　in　latitude　44　d

south　and　somewhere　halfway　between　Good　Hope

and　New　Zealand　the　tail　shaft　broke　and　the　pro…

peller　dropped　off。



They　were　steaming　then　with　a　fresh　gale　on

the　quarter　and　all　their　canvas　set；　to　help　the　en…

gines。　　But　by　itself　the　sail　power　was　not　enough

to　keep　way　on　her。　　When　the　propeller　went　the

ship　broached…to　at　once；　and　the　masts　got

whipped　overboard。



The　disadvantage　of　being　dismasted　consisted

in　this；　that　they　had　nothing　to　hoist　flags　on　to

make　themselves　visible　at　a　distance。　　In　the

course　of　the　first　few　days　several　ships　failed　to

sight　them；　and　the　gale　was　drifting　them　out　of

the　usual　track。　　The　voyage　had　been；　from　the

first；　neither　very　successful　nor　very　harmonious。

There　had　been　quarrels　on　board。　　The　captain

was　a　clever；　melancholic　man；　who　had　no　unusual

grip　on　his　crew。　　The　ship　had　been　amply　pro…

visioned　for　the　passage；　but；　somehow　or　other；

several　barrels　of　meat　were　found　spoiled　on　open…

ing；　and　had　been　thrown　overboard　soon　after

leaving　home；　as　a　sanitary　measure。　　Afterwards

the　crew　of　the　Borgmester　Dahl　thought　of　that

rotten　carrion　with　tears　of　regret；　covetousness

and　despair。



She　drove　south。　　To　begin　with；　there　had　been

an　appearance　of　organisation；　but　soon　the　bonds

of　discipline　became　relaxed。　　A　sombre　idleness

succeeded。　　They　looked　with　sullen　eyes　at　the　hori…

zon。　　The　gales　increased：　she　lay　in　the　trough；

the　seas　made　a　clean　breach　over　her。　　On　one

frightful　night；　when　they　expected　their　hulk　to

turn　over　with　them　every　moment；　a　heavy　sea

broke　on　board；　deluged　the　store…rooms　and　spoiled

the　best　part　of　the　remaining　provisions。　　It　seems

the　hatch　had　not　been　properly　secured。　　This　in…

stance　of　neglect　is　characteristic　of　utter　discour…

agement。　　Falk　tried　to　inspire　some　energy　into

his　captain；　but　failed。　　From　that　time　he　retired

more　into　himself；　always　trying　to　do　his　utmost

in　the　situation。　　It　grew　worse。　　Gale　succeeded

gale；　with　black　mountains　of　water　hurling　them…

selves　on　the　Borgmester　Dahl。　　Some　of　the　men

never　left　their　bunks；　many　became　quarrelsome。

The　chief　engineer；　an　old　man；　refused　to　speak

at　all　to　anybody。　　Others　shut　themselves　up　in

their　berths　to　cry。　　On　calm　days　the　inert　steamer

rolled　on　a　leaden　sea　under　a　murky　sky；　or

showed；　in　sunshine；　the　squalor　of　sea　waifs；　the

dried　white　salt；　the　rust；　the　jagged　broken

places。　　Then　the　gales　came　again。　　They　kept

body　and　soul　together　on　short　rations。　　Once；　an

English　ship；　scudding　in　a　storm；　tried　to　stand

by　them；　heaving…to　pluckily　under　their　lee。　　The

seas　swept　her　decks；　the　men　in　oilskins　clinging

to　her　rigging　looked　at　them；　and　they　made　des…

perate　signs　over　their　shattered　bulwarks。　　Sud…

denly　her　main…topsail　went；　yard　and　all；　in　a　ter…

rific　squall；　she　had　to　bear　up　under　bare　poles；

and　disappeared。



Other　ships　had　spoken　them　before；　but　at　first

they　had　refused　to　be　taken　off；　expecting　the　as…

sistance　of　some　steamer。　　There　were　very　few

steamers　in　those　latitudes　then；　and　when　they

desired　to　leave　this　dead　and　drifting　carcase；　no

ship　came　in　sight。　　They　had　drifted　south　out　of

men's　knowledge。　　They　failed　to　attract　the　atten…

tion　of　a　lonely　whaler；　and　very　soon　the　edge　of

the　polar　ice…cap　rose　from　the　sea　and　closed　the

southern　horizon　like　a　wall。　　One　morning　they

were　alarmed　by　finding　themselves　floating

amongst　detached　pieces　of　ice。　　But　the　fear　of

sinking　passed　away　like　their　vigour；　like　their

hopes；　the　shocks　of　the　floes　knocking　against　the

ship's　side　could　not　rouse　them　from　their　apathy：

and　the　Borgmester　Dahl　drifted　out　again　un…

harmed　into　open　water。　　They　hardly　noticed

the　change。



The　funnel　had　gone　overboard　in　one　of　the

heavy　rolls；　two　of　their　three　boats　had　disap…

peared；　washed　away　in　bad　weather；　and　the　davits

swung　to　and　fro；　unsecured；　with　chafed　rope's

ends　waggling　to　the　roll。　　Nothing　was　done　on

board；　and　Falk　told　me　how　he　had　often　listened

to　the　water　washing　about　the　dark　engine…room

where　the　engines；　stilled　for　ever；　were　decaying

slowly　into　a　mass　of　rust；　as　the　stilled　heart　de…

cays　within　the　lifeless　body。　　At　first；　after　the

loss　of　the　motive　power；　the　tiller　had　been　thor…

oughly　secured　by　lashings。　　But　in　course　of　time

these　had　rotted；　chafed；　rusted；　parting　one　by

one：　and　the　rudder；　freed；　banged　heavily　to　and

fro　night　and　day；　sending　dull　shocks　through　the

whole　frame　of　the　vessel。　　This　was　dangerous。

Nobody　cared　enough　to　lift　a　little　finger。　　He

told　me　that　even　now　sometimes　waking　up　at

night；　he　fancied　he　could　hear　the　dull　vibrating

thuds。　　The　pintles　carried　away；　and　it　dropped

off　at　last。



The　final　catastrophe　came　with　the　sending　off

of　their　one　remaining　boat。　　It　was　Falk　who　had

managed　to　preserve　her　intact；　and　now　it　was

agreed　that　some　of　the　hands　should　sail　away　into

the　track　of　the　shipping　to　procure　assistance。

She　was　provisioned　with　all　the　food　they　could

spare　for　the　six　who　were　to　go。　　They　waited　for

a　fine　day。　　It　was　long　in　coming。　　At　last　one

morning　they　lowered　her　into　the　water。



Directly；　in　that　demoralised　crowd；　trouble

broke　out。　　Two　men　who　had　no　business　there

had　jumped　into　the　boat　under　the　pretence　of

unhooking　the　tackles；　while　some　sort　of　squabble

arose　on　the　deck　amongst　these　weak；　tottering

spectres　of　a　ship's　company。　　The　captain；　who

had　been　for　days　living　secluded　and　unapproach…

able　in　the　chart…room；　came　to　the　rail。　　He　or…

dered　the　two　men　to　come　up　on　board　and　men…

aced　them　with　his　revolver。　　They　pretended　to

obey；　but　suddenly　cutting　the　boat's　painter；　gave

a　shove　against　the　ship's　side　and　made　ready　to

hoist　the　sail。



〃Shoot；　sir！　　Shoot　them　down！〃　cried　Falk

〃and　I　will　jump　overboard　to　regain　the　boat。〃

But　the　captain；　after　taking　aim　with　an　irreso…

lute　arm；　turned　suddenly　away。



A　howl　of　rage　arose。　　Falk　dashed　into　his　cabin

for　his　own　pistol。　　When　he　returned　it　was　too

late。　　Two　more　men　had　leaped　into　the　water；　but

the　fellows　in　the　boat　beat　them　off　with　the　oars；

hoisted　the　boat's　lug　and　sailed　away。　　They　were

never　heard　of　again。



Consternation　and　despair　possessed　the　remain…

ing　ship's　company；　till　the　apathy　of　utter　hope…

lessness　re…asserted　its　sway。　　That　day　a　fireman

committed　suicide；　running　up　on　deck　with　his

throat　cut　from　ear　to　ear；　to　the　horror　of　all

hands。　　He　was　thrown　overboard。　　The　captain

had　locked　himself　in　the　chart…room；　and　Falk；

knocking　vainly　for　admittance；　heard　him　recit…

ing　over　and　over　again　the　names　of　his　wife　and

children；　not　as　if　calling　upon　them　or　commend…

ing　them　to　God；　but　in　a　mechanical　voice　like　an

exercise　of　memory。　　Next　day　the　doors　of　the

chart…room　were