the virgin of the sun-第23节

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the　ship's　company　who　were　still　ashore。　I　answered　that　I　would　wait
for　nothing；　and　when　he　asked　why；　was　inspired　to　tell　him　that　it
was　because　I　went　about　the　King's　business；　having　letters　from　his
Grace　to　deliver　to　his　Envoys　in　the　South　Seas　that　brooked　of　no
delay；　since　on　them　hung　peace　or　war。

〃Beware；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃how　you；　or　any　of　you；　dare　to　disobey　the
King's　orders；　for　you　know　that　the　fate　of　such　is　a　short　shrift
and　a　long　rope。〃

Then　that　captain　grew　frightened　and　summoned　the　sailors；　who　by　now
had　slept　off　their　drink；　and　to　them　he　told　my　commands。　They
murmured；　pointing　to　the　sky；　but　when　they　saw　me　standing　there；
wearing　a　knight's　armour　and　looking　very　stern　with　my　hand　upon　my
sword；　when　also　through　Kari　I　promised　them　double　pay　for　the
voyage；　they；　too；　grew　frightened；　and　having　set　some　small　sails；
got　up　the　anchors。

So　it　came　about　that　within　little　more　than　an　hour　of　our　boarding
of　that　ship　she　was　running　out　towards　the　sea　as　fast　as　tide　and
wind　could　drive　her。　I　think　that　it　was　not　too　soon；　for　as　the
quay　vanished　in　the　gloom　I　saw　men　with　lanterns　moving　on　it；　and
thought　to　myself　that　perhaps　an　alarm　had　been　given　and　they　were
come　to　take　me。

This　captain　was　one　who　knew　the　river　well；　and　with　the　help　of
another　sailor　he　steered　us　down　its　reaches　safely。　By　dawn　we　had
passed　Tilbury　and　at　full　light　were　off　Gravesend　racing　for　the
open　sea。　Now　it　was　that　behind　us　we　perceived　from　the　rushing
clouds　that　the　gale；　which　had　lulled　during　the　night；　was　coming　up
more　strongly　than　ever　and　still　easterly。　The　sailors　grew　afraid
again　and　together　with　the　captain　vowed　that　it　was　madness　to　face
the　sea　in　such　weather；　and　that　we　must　anchor；　or　make　the　shore　if
we　could。

I　refused　to　listen　to　them；　whereat　they　seemed　to　give　way。

At　that　moment　Kari；　who　had　gone　forward；　called　to　me。　I　went　to　him
and　he　pointed　out　to　me　men　galloping　along　the　bank　and　waving
kerchiefs；　as　though　to　signal　to　us　to　stop。

〃I　think；　Master；〃　said　Kari；　〃that　some　have　entered　the　sun…room　at
your　house。〃

I　nodded　and　watched　the　men　who　galloped　and　waved。　For　some　minutes
I　watched　them　till　suddenly　I　saw　that　the　ship　was　altering　her
course　so　that　her　bow　pointed　first　one　way　and　then　another；　as
though　she　were　no　longer　being　steered。　We　ran　aft　to　learn　the
cause；　and　found　this。

That　crew　of　dastards；　every　man　of　them　and　the　captain　with　them；
had　drawn　up　the　boat　in　which　Kari　and　I　came　aboard；　that　was　still
tied　to　the　ship's　stern；　and　slid　down　the　rope　into　her；　purposing
to　win　ashore　before　it　was　too　late。　Kari　smiled　as　though　he　were
not　astonished；　but　in　my　rage　I　shouted　at　them；　calling　them　curs
and　traitors。　I　think　that　the　captain　heard　my　words　for　I　saw　him
turn　his　head　and　look　away　as　though　in　shame；　but　not　the　others。
They　were　engaged　in　hunting　for　the　oars；　only　to　find　them　gone；　for
it　would　seem　that　they　had　been　washed　or　had　fallen　overboard。

Then　they　tried　to　set　some　kind　of　sail　by　aid　of　a　boathook；　but
while　they　were　doing　this；　the　boat；　which　had　drifted　side　on　to　the
great　waves　raised　by　the　gale　upon　the　face　of　the　broad　river；
overturned。　I　saw　some　of　the　men　clinging　to　the　boat　and　one　or　two
scrambling　on　to　her　keel；　but　what　chanced　to　them　and　the　others　I
do　not　know；　who　had　rushed　to　the　steering　gear　to　set　the　ship　upon
her　course　again；　lest　her　fate　should　be　that　of　the　boat；　or　we
should　go　ashore　and　be　captured　by　those　who　galloped　on　the　bank；　or
be　drowned。　This　was　the　last　I　ever　saw　or　heard　of　the　crew　of　the
/Blanche/。

The　ship's　bow　came　round　and；　driven　by　the　ever…increasing　gale；　she
rushed　on　her　course　towards　the　sea；　bearing　us　with　her；　two　weak
and　lonely　men。

〃Kari；〃　I　said；　〃what　shall　we　do？　Try　to　run　ashore；　or　sail　on？〃

He　thought　awhile　then　answered；　pointing　to　those　who　galloped；　now
but　tiny　figures　on　the　distant　bank：

〃Master；　yonder　is　death；　sure　death；　and　yonder；〃　here　he　pointed　to
the　sea；　〃is　deathperhaps。　Master；　you　have　a　God；　and　I；　Kari；　have
another　God；　mayhap　same　God　with　different　name。　I　sayTrust　our
Gods　and　sail　on；　for　Gods　better　than　men。　If　we　die　in　water；　what
matter？　Water　softer　than　rope；　but　I　think　not　die。〃

I　nodded；　for　the　reasoning　seemed　good。　Rather　would　I　be　drowned
than　fall　into　the　hands　of　those　who　were　galloping　on　the　shore；　to
be　dragged　back　to　London　and　a　felon's　doom。

So　I　pressed　upon　the　tiller　to　bring　the　/Blanche/　more　into　mid…
channel；　and　headed　for　the　sea。　Wider　and　wider　grew　the　estuary　and
farther　and　farther　away　the　shores　as　the　/Blanche/　scudded　on
beneath　her　small　sails　with　the　weight　of　the　gale　behind　her；　till
at　last　there　was　the　open　sea。

Within　a　few　feet　of　the　tiller　was　a　deck…house；　in　which　the　crew
ate；　built　of　solid　oak　and　clamped　with　iron。　Here　was　food　in
plenty；　ale；　too；　and　with　these　we　filled　ourselves。　Also；　leaving
Kari　to　hold　the　tiller；　I　took　off　my　armour　and　in　place　of　it
clothed　myself　in　the　rough　sea　garments　that　lay　about　with　tall
greased　boots；　and　then　sent　him　to　do　likewise。

Soon　we　lost　sight　of　land　and　were　climbing　the　great　ocean　billows；
whose　foamy　crests　rolled　and　spurted　wherever　the　eye　fell。　We　could
set　no　course　but　must　go　where　the　gale　drove　us；　away；　away　we　knew
not　whither。　As　I　have　said；　the　/Blanche/　was　new　and　strong　and　the
best　ship　that　ever　I　had　sailed　in　upon　a　heavy　sea。　Moreover；　her
hatches　were　closed　down；　for　this　the　sailors　had　done　after　we
weighed；　so　she　rode　the　waters　like　a　duck；　taking　no　harm。　Oh！　well
it　was　for　me　that　from　my　childhood　I　had　had　to　do　with　ships　and
the　sailing　of　them；　and　flying　from　the　following　waves　thus　was　able
to　steer　and　keep　the　/Blanche's/　poop　right　in　the　wind；　which　seemed
to　blow　first　from　one　quarter　and　then　from　that。



Now　over　my　memory　of　these　events　there　comes　a　great　confusion　and
sense　of　amazement。　All　became　fragmentary　and　disjointed；　separated
also　by　what　seemed　to　be　considerable　periods　of　timedays　or　weeks
perhaps。　There　was　a　sense　of　endless　roaring　seas　before　which　the
ship　fled　on　and　on；　driven　by　a　screaming　gale　that　I　noted　dimly
seemed　to　blow　first　from　the　northwest　and　then　steadily　from　the
east。

I　see　myself；　very　distinctly；　lashing　the　tiller　to　iron　rings　that
were　screwed　in　the　deck　beams；　and　know　that　I　did　this　because　I　was
too　weak　to　hold　it　any　longer　and　desired　to　set　it　so　that　the
/Blanche/　should　continue　to　drive　straight　before　the　gale。　I　see
myself　lying　in　the　deck…house　of　which　I　have　spoken；　while　Kari　fed
me　with　food　and　water　and　sometimes　thrust　into　my　mouth　little
pellets　of　I　knew　not　what；　which　he　took　from　the　leathern　bag　he
wore　about　him。　I　remembered　that　bag。　It　had　been　on　his　person　when
I　rescued　him　at　the　quay；　for　I　had　seen　it　first　as　he　washed
himself　afterwards；　half　full　of　something；　and　wondered　what　it
contained。　Later；　I　had　seen　it　in　his　hand　again　when　we　left　my
house　after　the　death　of　Blanche。　I　noted　that　whenever　he　gave　me　one
of　these　pellets　I　seemed　to　grow　strong　for　a　while；　and　then　to　fall
into　sleep；　deep　and　prolonged。

After　more　daysor　weeks；　I　began　to　behold　marvels　and　to　hear
strange　voices。　I　thought　that　I　was　talking　with　my　mother　and　with
my　patron；　St。　Hubert；　also　that　Blanche　came　to　me　and　explained
everything；　showing　how　little　she　had　been　to　blame　for　all　that　had
happened　to　me　and　her。　These　things　made　me　certain　that　I　was　dead
and　I　was　glad　to　be　dead；　since　now　I　knew　there　would　be　no　more
pain　or　strivings；　that　the　endeavours　which　make　up　life　from　hour　to
hour　had　ceased　and　that　rest　was　won。　Only　then　appeared　my　uncle；
John　Grimmer；　who　kept　quoting　his　favourite　text　at　me〃Vanity　of
vanities。　All　is　vanity；〃　he　said；　adding：　〃Did　I　not　tell　you　that　it
was　thus　years　ago？　Now　you　have　learned　it　for　yourself。　Only；　Nephew
Hubert；　don't　think　that　you　have　finished　with　vanities　yet；　as　I
have；　for　I　say　that　there　are　plenty　more　to　come　for　you。〃

Thus　he　seemed　to　talk　on　about　this　and　other　matters；　such　as　what
would　happen　to　his　wealth　and　whether　the　hospitals　would　be　quick　to
seize　the　lands　to　which　he　had　given　it　the　reversion；　till　I　grew
quite　tired　of　him　and　wished　that　he　would　go　away。

Then　at　length　there　was　a　great　crash　that　I　think　disturbed　him；　for
he　did　go；　saying　that　it　was　only　another　〃vanity；〃　after　which　I
seemed　to　fall　asleep　for　weeks　and　weeks。

I　woke　up　again　for　a　warmth　and　brightness　on　my　face　caused　me　to
open　my　eyes。　I　lifted　my　hand　to　shield　them　from　the　brightness　and
noted　with　a　kind　of　wonder　that　it　was　so　thin　that　the　light　shone
through　it　as　it　does　through　parchment；　and　that　the　bones　were
visible　beneath　the　skin。　I　let　it　fall　from　weakness；　and　it　dropped
on　to　hair　which　I　knew　must　be　that　of　a　beard；　which　set　me
wondering；　for　it　had　been　my　fashion　to　go　clean…shaven。　How；　then；
did　I　come　by　a　beard？　I　looked　about　me　and　saw　th