some reminiscences-第31节
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pretty much to his own thoughts。 Of course he never did any
work； except； perhaps； to cast off some rope when hailed： 〃He；
l'Ancien！ let go the halyards there； at your hand〃or some such
request of an easy kind。
No one took notice in any way of the chuckling within the shadow
of the hood。 He kept it up for a long time with intense
enjoyment。 Obviously he had preserved intact the innocence of
mind which is easily amused。 But when his hilarity had exhausted
itself； he made a professional remark in a self…assertive but
quavering voice：
〃Can't expect much work on a night like this。〃
No one took it up。 It was a mere truism。 Nothing under canvas
could be expected to make a port on such an idle night of dreamy
splendour and spiritual stillness。 We would have to glide idly
to and fro； keeping our station within the appointed bearings；
and； unless a fresh breeze sprang up with the dawn； we would land
before sunrise on a small islet that； within two miles of us；
shone like a lump of frozen moonlight； to 〃break a crust and take
a pull at the wine bottle。〃 I was familiar with the procedure。
The stout boat emptied of her crowd would nestle her buoyant；
capable side against the very rocksuch is the perfectly smooth
amenity of the classic sea when in a gentle mood。 The crust
broken； and the mouthful of wine swallowedit was literally no
more than that with this abstemious racethe pilots would pass
the time stamping their feet on the slabs of sea…salted stone and
blowing into their nipped fingers。 One or two misanthropists
would sit apart perched on boulders like man…like sea…fowl of
solitary habits； the sociably disposed would gossip scandalously
in little gesticulating knots； and there would be perpetually one
or another of my hosts taking aim at the empty horizon with the
long； brass tube of the telescope； a heavy； murderous…looking
piece of collective property； everlastingly changing hands with
brandishing and levelling movements。 Then about noon （it was a
short turn of dutythe long turn lasted twenty…four hours）
another boatful of pilots would relieve usand we should steer
for the old Phoenician port； dominated； watched over from the
ridge of a dust…grey arid hill by the red…and…white…striped pile
of the Notre Dame de la Garde。
All this came to pass as I had foreseen in the fullness of my
very recent experience。 But also something not foreseen by me
did happen； something which causes me to remember my last outing
with the pilots。 It was on this occasion that my hand touched；
for the first time； the side of an English ship。
No fresh breeze had come with the dawn； only the steady little
draught got a more keen edge on it as the eastern sky became
bright and glassy with a clean； colourless light。 It was while
we were all ashore on the islet that a steamer was picked up by
the telescope； a black speck like an insect posed on the hard
edge of the offing。 She emerged rapidly to her water…line and
came on steadily； a slim hull with a long streak of smoke
slanting away from the rising sun。 We embarked in a hurry； and
headed the boat out for our prey； but we hardly moved three miles
an hour。
She was a big； high…class cargo…steamer of a type that is to be
met on the sea no more； black hull； with low； white super…
structures； powerfully rigged with three masts and a lot of yards
on the fore； two hands at her enormous wheelsteam steering…gear
was not a matter of course in these daysand with them on the
bridge three others； bulky in thick blue jackets； ruddy…faced；
muffled up； with peaked capsI suppose all her officers。 There
are ships I have met more than once and known well by sight whose
names I have forgotten； but the name of that ship seen once so
many years ago in the clear flush of a cold pale sunrise I have
not forgotten。 How could Ithe first English ship on whose side
I ever laid my hand！ The nameI read it letter by letter on the
bowwas 〃James Westoll。〃 Not very romantic you will say。 The
name of a very considerable； well…known and universally respected
North…country shipowner； I believe。 James Westoll！ What better
name could an honourable hard…working ship have？ To me the very
grouping of the letters is alive with the romantic feeling of her
reality as I saw her floating motionless； and borrowing an ideal
grace from the austere purity of the light。
We were then very near her and； on a sudden impulse； I
volunteered to pull bow in the dinghy which shoved off at once to
put the pilot on board while our boat； fanned by the faint air
which had attended us all through the night； went on gliding
gently past the black glistening length of the ship。 A few
strokes brought us alongside； and it was then that； for the very
first time in my life； I heard myself addressed in Englishthe
speech of my secret choice； of my future； of long friendships； of
the deepest affections； of hours of toil and hours of ease； and
of solitary hours too； of books read； of thoughts pursued； of
remembered emotionsof my very dreams！ And if （after being thus
fashioned by it in that part of me which cannot decay） I dare not
claim it aloud as my own； then； at any rate the speech of my
children。 Thus small events grow memorable by the passage of
time。 As to the quality of the address itself I cannot say it
was very striking。 Too short for eloquence and devoid of all
charm of tone； it consisted precisely of the three words 〃Look
out there；〃 growled out huskily above my head。
It proceeded from a big fat fellow （he had an obtrusive； hairy
double chin） in a blue woollen shirt and roomy breeches pulled up
very high； even to the level of his breast…bone； by a pair of
braces quite exposed to public view。 As where he stood there was
no bulwark but only a rail and stanchions I was able to take in
at a glance the whole of his voluminous person from his feet to
the high crown of his soft black hat； which sat like an absurd
flanged cone on his big head。 The grotesque and massive space of
that deck hand （I suppose he was thatvery likely the lamp…
trimmer） surprised me very much。 My course of reading； of
dreaming and longing for the sea had not prepared me for a sea…
brother of that sort。 I never met again a figure in the least
like his except in the illustrations to Mr。 W。W。 Jacobs' most
entertaining tales of barges and coasters； but the inspired
talent of Mr。 Jacobs for poking endless fun at poor； innocent
sailors in a prose which； however extravagant in its felicitous
invention； is always artistically adjusted to observed truth； was
not yet。 Perhaps Mr。 Jacobs himself was not yet。 I fancy that；
at most； if he had made his nurse laugh it was about all he had
achieved at that early date。
Therefore； I repeat； other disabilities apart； I could not have
been prepared for the sight of that husky old porpoise。 The
object of his concise address was to call my attention to a rope
which he incontinently flung down for me to catch。 I caught it；
though it was not really necessary； the ship having no way on her
by that time。 Then everything went on very swiftly。 The dinghy
came with a slight bump against the steamer's side； the pilot；
grabbing the rope ladder； had scrambled halfway up before I knew
that our task of boarding was done； the harsh； muffled clanging
of the engine…room telegraph struck my ear through the iron
plate； my companion in the dinghy was urging me to 〃shove off
push hard〃； and when I bore against the smooth flank of the first
English ship I ever touched in my life； I felt it already
throbbing under my open palm。
Her head swung a little to the west； pointing towards the
miniature lighthouse of the Jolliette breakwater； far away there；
hardly distinguishable against the land。 The dinghy danced a
squashy； splashy jig in the wash of the wake and turning in my
seat I followed the 〃James Westoll〃 with my eyes。 Before she had
gone in a quarter of a mile she hoisted her flag as the harbour
regulations prescribe for arriving and departing ships。 I saw it
suddenly flicker and stream out on the flagstaff。 The Red
Ensign！ In the pellucid； colourless atmosphere bathing the drab
and grey masses of that southern land； the livid islets； the sea
of pale glassy blue under the pale glassy sky of that cold
sunrise； it was as far as the eye could reach the only sp
