the mirror of the sea-第38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！
joyously to her death before。 She rose and fell； as if floating in
space； and darted forward； whizzing like an arrow。 Dominic；
stooping under the foot of the foresail； reappeared； and stood
steadying himself against the mast； with a raised forefinger in an
attitude of expectant attention。 A second before the shock his arm
fell down by his side。 At that I set my teeth。 And then …
Talk of splintered planks and smashed timbers！ This shipwreck lies
upon my soul with the dread and horror of a homicide； with the
unforgettable remorse of having crushed a living； faithful heart at
a single blow。 At one moment the rush and the soaring swing of
speed； the next a crash； and death； stillness … a moment of
horrible immobility； with the song of the wind changed to a
strident wail； and the heavy waters boiling up menacing and
sluggish around the corpse。 I saw in a distracting minute the
foreyard fly fore and aft with a brutal swing； the men all in a
heap； cursing with fear； and hauling frantically at the line of the
boat。 With a strange welcoming of the familiar I saw also Cesar
amongst them； and recognised Dominic's old； well…known； effective
gesture； the horizontal sweep of his powerful arm。 I recollect
distinctly saying to myself； 〃Cesar must go down； of course；〃 and
then； as I was scrambling on all fours； the swinging tiller I had
let go caught me a crack under the ear； and knocked me over
senseless。
I don't think I was actually unconscious for more than a few
minutes； but when I came to myself the dinghy was driving before
the wind into a sheltered cove； two men just keeping her straight
with their oars。 Dominic； with his arm round my shoulders；
supported me in the stern…sheets。
We landed in a familiar part of the country。 Dominic took one of
the boat's oars with him。 I suppose he was thinking of the stream
we would have presently to cross； on which there was a miserable
specimen of a punt； often robbed of its pole。 But first of all we
had to ascend the ridge of land at the back of the Cape。 He helped
me up。 I was dizzy。 My head felt very large and heavy。 At the
top of the ascent I clung to him； and we stopped to rest。
To the right； below us； the wide； smoky bay was empty。 Dominic had
kept his word。 There was not a chip to be seen around the black
rock from which the Tremolino； with her plucky heart crushed at one
blow； had slipped off into deep water to her eternal rest。 The
vastness of the open sea was smothered in driving mists； and in the
centre of the thinning squall； phantom…like； under a frightful
press of canvas； the unconscious guardacosta dashed on； still
chasing to the northward。 Our men were already descending the
reverse slope to look for that punt which we knew from experience
was not always to be found easily。 I looked after them with dazed；
misty eyes。 One； two； three； four。
〃Dominic； where's Cesar？〃 I cried。
As if repulsing the very sound of the name； the Padrone made that
ample； sweeping； knocking…down gesture。 I stepped back a pace and
stared at him fearfully。 His open shirt uncovered his muscular
neck and the thick hair on his chest。 He planted the oar upright
in the soft soil； and rolling up slowly his right sleeve； extended
the bare arm before my face。
〃This；〃 he began； with an extreme deliberation； whose superhuman
restraint vibrated with the suppressed violence of his feelings；
〃is the arm which delivered the blow。 I am afraid it is your own
gold that did the rest。 I forgot all about your money。〃 He
clasped his hands together in sudden distress。 〃I forgot； I
forgot；〃 he repeated disconsolately。
〃Cesar stole the belt？〃 I stammered out； bewildered。
〃And who else？ CANALLIA！ He must have been spying on you for
days。 And he did the whole thing。 Absent all day in Barcelona。
TRADITORE！ Sold his jacket … to hire a horse。 Ha！ ha！ A good
affair！ I tell you it was he who set him at us。 。 。 。〃
Dominic pointed at the sea； where the guardacosta was a mere dark
speck。 His chin dropped on his breast。
〃。 。 。 On information；〃 he murmured； in a gloomy voice。 〃A
Cervoni！ Oh！ my poor brother！ 。 。 。〃
〃And you drowned him；〃 I said feebly。
〃I struck once； and the wretch went down like a stone … with the
gold。 Yes。 But he had time to read in my eyes that nothing could
save him while I was alive。 And had I not the right … I； Dominic
Cervoni； Padrone； who brought him aboard your fellucca … my nephew；
a traitor？〃
He pulled the oar out of the ground and helped me carefully down
the slope。 All the time he never once looked me in the face。 He
punted us over； then shouldered the oar again and waited till our
men were at some distance before he offered me his arm。 After we
had gone a little way； the fishing hamlet we were making for came
into view。 Dominic stopped。
〃Do you think you can make your way as far as the houses by
yourself？〃 he asked me quietly。
〃Yes； I think so。 But why？ Where are you going； Dominic？〃
〃Anywhere。 What a question！ Signorino； you are but little more
than a boy to ask such a question of a man having this tale in his
family。 AH！ TRADITORE！ What made me ever own that spawn of a
hungry devil for our own blood！ Thief； cheat； coward； liar … other
men can deal with that。 But I was his uncle； and so 。 。 。 I wish
he had poisoned me … CHAROGNE！ But this： that I； a confidential
man and a Corsican； should have to ask your pardon for bringing on
board your vessel； of which I was Padrone； a Cervoni； who has
betrayed you … a traitor！ … that is too much。 It is too much。
Well； I beg your pardon； and you may spit in Dominic's face because
a traitor of our blood taints us all。 A theft may be made good
between men； a lie may be set right； a death avenged； but what can
one do to atone for a treachery like this？ 。 。 。 Nothing。〃
He turned and walked away from me along the bank of the stream；
flourishing a vengeful arm and repeating to himself slowly； with
savage emphasis： 〃AH！ CANAILLE！ CANAILLE！ CANAILLE！。 。 。〃 He
left me there trembling with weakness and mute with awe。 Unable to
make a sound； I gazed after the strangely desolate figure of that
seaman carrying an oar on his shoulder up a barren； rock…strewn
ravine under the dreary leaden sky of Tremolino's last day。 Thus；
walking deliberately； with his back to the sea； Dominic vanished
from my sight。
With the quality of our desires； thoughts； and wonder proportioned
to our infinite littleness； we measure even time itself by our own
stature。 Imprisoned in the house of personal illusions； thirty
centuries in mankind's history seem less to look back upon than
thirty years of our own life。 And Dominic Cervoni takes his place
in my memory by the side of the legendary wanderer on the sea of
marvels and terrors； by the side of the fatal and impious
adventurer； to whom the evoked shade of the soothsayer predicted a
journey inland with an oar on his shoulder； till he met men who had
never set eyes on ships and oars。 It seems to me I can see them
side by side in the twilight of an arid land； the unfortunate
possessors of the secret lore of the sea； bearing the emblem of
their hard calling on their shoulders； surrounded by silent and
curious men： even as I； too； having turned my back upon the sea；
am bearing those few pages in the twilight； with the hope of
finding in an inland valley the silent welcome of some patient
listener。
XLVI。
〃A fellow has now no chance of promotion unless he jumps into the
muzzle of a gun and crawls out of the touch…hole。〃
He who； a hundred years ago； more or less； pronounced the above
words in the uneasiness of his heart； thirsting for professional
distinction； was a young naval officer。 Of his life； career；
achievements； and end nothing is preserved for the edification of
his young successors in the fleet of to…day … nothing but this
phrase； which； sailor…like in the simplicity of personal sentiment
and strength of graphic expression； embodies the spirit of the
epoch。 This obscure but vigorous testimony has its price； its
significance； and its lesson。 It comes to us from a worthy
ancestor。 We do not know whether he lived long enough for a chance
of that promotion whose way was so arduous。 He belongs to the
great array of the unknown … who are great； indeed； by the sum
total of the devoted effort put out； and the colossal scale of
success attained by their insatiable and steadfast ambition。 We do
not know his name； we only know of him what is material for us to
know …
