when the world shook-第13节

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〃Well；〃　said　Bickley；　〃he　can't　get　to　the　liquor；　except

through　this　saloon；　as　it　is　locked　up　forward　with　the　other

stores。〃



〃That's　nothing；〃　I　replied；　〃as　doubtless　he　has　a　supply　of

his　own；　rum；　I　expect。　We　must　take　our　chance。〃



Bickley　nodded；　and　suggested　that　we　should　go　on　deck　to　see

what　was　happening。　So　we　went。　Not　a　breath　of　wind　was

stirring；　and　even　the　sea　seemed　to　be　settling　down　a　little。

At　least；　so　we　judged　from　the　motion；　for　we　could　not　see

either　it　or　the　sky；　everything　was　as　black　as　pitch。　We　heard

the　sailors；　however；　engaged　in　rigging　guide　ropes　fore　and

aft；　and　battening　down　the　hatches　with　extra　tarpaulins　by　the

light　of　lanterns。　Also　they　were　putting　ropes　round　the　boats

and　doing　something　to　the　spars　and　topmasts。



Presently　Bastin　joined　us；　having；　I　suppose；　finished　his

devotions。



〃Really；　it　is　quite　pleasant　here；〃　he　said。　〃One　never　knows

how　disagreeable　so　much　wind　is　until　it　stops。〃



I　lit　my　pipe；　making　no　answer；　and　the　match　burned　quite

steadily　there　in　the　open　air。



〃What　is　that？〃　exclaimed　Bickley；　staring　at　something　which

now　I　saw　for　the　first　time。　It　looked　like　a　line　of　white

approaching　through　the　gloom。　With　it　came　a　hissing　sound；　and

although　there　was　still　no　wind；　the　rigging　began　to　moan

mysteriously　like　a　thing　in　pain。　A　big　drop　of　water　also　fell

from　the　sides　into　my　pipe　and　put　it　out。　Then　one　of　the

sailors　cried　in　a　hoarse　voice：



〃Get　down　below；　governors；　unless　you　want　to　go　out　to　sea！〃



〃Why？〃　inquired　Bastin。



〃Why？　Becos　the　'urricane　is　coming；　that's　all。　Coming　as

though　the　devil　had　kicked　it　out　of　'ell。〃



Bastin　seemed　inclined　to　remonstrate　at　this　sort　of　language；

but　we　pushed　him　down　the　companion　and　followed；　propelling　the

spaniel　Tommy　in　front　of　us。　Next　moment　I　heard　the　sailors

battening　the　hatch　with　hurried　blows；　and　when　this　was　done　to

their　satisfaction；　heard　their　feet　also　as　they　ran　into

shelter。



Another　instant　and　we　were　all　lying　in　a　heap　on　the　cabin

floor　with　poor　Tommy　on　top　of　us。　The　cyclone　had　struck　the

ship！　Above　the　wash　of　water　and　the　screaming　of　the　gale　we

heard　other　mysterious　sounds；　which　doubtless　were　caused　by　the

yards　hitting　the　seas；　for　the　yacht　was　lying　on　her　side。　I

thought　that　all　was　over；　but　presently　there　came　a　rending；

crashing　noise。　The　masts；　or　one　of　them；　had　gone；　and　by

degrees　we　righted。



〃Near　thing！〃　said　Bickley。　〃Good　heavens；　what's　that？〃



I　listened；　for　the　electric　light　had　temporarily　gone　out；

owing；　I　suppose；　to　the　dynamo　having　stopped　for　a　moment。　A

most　unholy　and　hollow　sound　was　rising　from　the　cabin　floor。　It

might　have　been　caused　by　a　bullock　with　its　windpipe　cut；　trying

to　get　its　breath　and　groaning。　Then　the　light　came　on　again　and

we　saw　Bastin　lying　at　full　length　on　the　carpet。



〃He's　broken　his　neck　or　something；〃　I　said。



Bickley　crept　to　him　and　having　looked；　sang　out：



〃It's　all　right！　He's　only　sea…sick。　I　thought　it　would　come　to

that　if　he　drank　so　much　tea。〃



〃Sea…sick；〃　I　said　faintly〃sea…sick？〃



〃That's　all；〃　said　Bickley。　〃The　nerves　of　the　stomach　acting

on　the　brain　or　vice…versathat　is；　if　Bastin　has　a　brain；〃　he

added　sotto　voce。



〃Oh！〃　groaned　the　prostrate　clergyman。　〃I　wish　that　I　were

dead！〃



〃Don't　trouble　about　that；〃　answered　Bickley。　〃I　expect　you

soon　will　be。　Here；　drink　some　whisky；　you　donkey。〃



Bastin　sat　up　and　obeyed；　out　of　the　bottle；　for　it　was

impossible　to　pour　anything　into　a　glass；　with　results　too

dreadful　to　narrate。



〃I　call　that　a　dirty　trick；〃　he　said　presently；　in　a　feeble

voice；　glowering　at　Bickley。



〃I　expect　I　shall　have　to　play　you　a　dirtier　before　long；　for

you　are　a　pretty　bad　case；　old　fellow。〃



As　a　matter　of　fact　he　had；　for　once　Bastin　had　begun　really　we

thought　that　he　was　going　to　die。　Somehow　we　got　him　into　his

cabin；　which　opened　off　the　saloon；　and　as　he　could　drink　nothing

more；　Bickley　managed　to　inject　morphia　or　some　other　compound

into　him；　which　made　him　insensible　for　a　long　while。



〃He　must　be　in　a　poor　way；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　needle　went　more

than　a　quarter　of　an　inch　into　him；　and　he　never　cried　out　or

stirred。　Couldn't　help　it　in　that　rolling。〃



But　now　I　could　hear　the　engines　working；　and　I　think　that　the

bow　of　the　vessel　was　got　head　on　to　the　seas；　for　instead　of

rolling　we　pitched；　or　rather　the　ship　stood　first　upon　one　end

and　then　upon　the　other。　This　continued　for　a　while　until　the

first　burst　of　the　cyclone　had　gone　by。　Then　suddenly　the　engines

stopped；　I　suppose　that　they　had　broken　down；　but　I　never

learned；　and　we　seemed　to　veer　about；　nearly　sinking　in　the

process；　and　to　run　before　the　hurricane　at　terrific　speed。



〃I　wonder　where　we　are　going　to？〃　I　said　to　Bickley。　〃To　the

land　of　sleep；　Humphrey；　I　imagine；〃　he　replied　in　a　more　gentle

voice　than　I　had　often　heard　him　use；　adding：　〃Good…bye；　old　boy；

we　have　been　real　friends；　haven't　we；　notwithstanding　my

peculiarities？　I　only　wish　that　I　could　think　that　there　was

anything　in　Bastin's　views。　But　I　can't；　I　can't。　It's　good　night

for　us　poor　creatures！〃







Chapter　VI



Land





At　last　the　electric　light　really　went　out。　I　had　looked　at　my

watch　just　before　this　happened　and　wound　it　up；　which；　Bickley

remarked；　was　superfluous　and　a　waste　of　energy。　It　then　marked

3。20　in　the　morning。　We　had　wedged　Bastin；　who　was　now　snoring

comfortably；　into　his　berth；　with　pillows；　and　managed　to　tie　a

cord　over　himno；　it　was　a　large　bath　towel；　fixing　one　end　of

it　to　the　little　rack　over　his　bed　and　the　other　to　its

framework。　As　for　ourselves；　we　lay　down　on　the　floor　between　the

table　legs；　which；　of　course；　were　screwed；　and　the　settee；

protecting　ourselves　as　best　we　were　able　by　help　of　the

cushions；　etc。；　between　two　of　which　we　thrust　the　terrified

Tommy　who　had　been　sliding　up　and　down　the　cabin　floor。　Thus　we

remained；　expecting　death　every　moment　till　the　light　of　day；　a

very　dim　light；　struggling　through　a　port…hole　of　which　the　iron

cover　had　somehow　been　wrenched　off。　Or　perhaps　it　was　never

shut；　I　do　not　remember。



About　this　time　there　came　a　lull　in　the　hellish；　howling

hurricane；　the　fact　being；　I　suppose；　that　we　had　reached　the

centre　of　the　cyclone。　I　suggested　that　we　should　try　to　go　on

deck　and　see　what　was　happening。　So　we　started；　only　to　find　the

entrance　to　the　companion　so　faithfully　secured　that　we　could　not

by　any　means　get　out。　We　knocked　and　shouted；　but　no　one

answered。　My　belief　is　that　at　this　time　everyone　on　the　yacht

except　ourselves　had　been　washed　away　and　drowned。



Then　we　returned　to　the　saloon；　which；　except　for　a　little

water　trickling　about　the　floor；　was　marvelously　dry；　and；　being

hungry；　retrieved　some　bits　of　food　and　biscuit　from　its　corners

and　ate。　At　this　moment　the　cyclone　began　to　blow　again　worse

than　ever；　but　it　seemed　to　us；　from　another　direction；　and

before　it　sped　our　poor　derelict　barque。　It　blew　all　day　till　for

my　part　I　grew　utterly　weary　and　even　longed　for　the　inevitable

end。　If　my　views　were　not　quite　those　of　Bastin；　certainly　they

were　not　those　of　Bickley。　I　had　believed　from　my　youth　up　that

the　individuality　of　man；　the　ego；　so　to　speak；　does　not　die　when

life　goes　out　of　his　poor　body；　and　this　faith　did　not　desert　me

then。　Therefore；　I　wished　to　have　it　over　and　learn　what　there

might　be　upon　the　other　side。



We　could　not　speak　much　because　of　the　howling　of　the　wind；　but

Bickley　did　manage　to　shout　to　me　something　to　the　effect　that

his　partners　would；　in　his　opinion；　make　an　end　of　their　great

practice　within　two　years；　which；　he　added；　was　a　pity。　I　nodded

my　head；　not　caring　twopence　what　happened　to　Bickley's　partners

or　their　business；　or　to　my　own　property；　or　to　anything　else。

When　death　is　at　hand　most　of　us　do　not　think　much　of　such　things

because　then　we　realise　how　small　they　are。　Indeed　I　was

wondering　whether　within　a　few　minutes　or　hours　I　should　or

should　not　see　Natalie　again；　and　if　this　were　the　end　to　which

she　had　seemed　to　beckon　me　in　that　dream。



On　we　sped；　and　on。　About　four　in　the　afternoon　we　heard　sounds

from　Bastin's　cabin　which　faintly　reminded　me　of　some　tune。　I

crept　to　the　door　and　listened。　Evidently　he　had　awakened　and　was

singing　or　trying　to　sing；　for　music　was　not　one　of　his　strong

points；　〃For　those　in　peril　on　the　sea。〃　Devoutly　did　I　wish　that

it　might　be　heard。　Presently　it　ceased；　so　I　suppose　he　went　to

sleep　again。



The　darkness　gathered　once　more。　Then　of　a　sudden　something

fearful　happened。　There　were　stupendous　noises　of　a　kind　I　had

never　heard；　there　were　convulsions。　It　seemed　to　us　that　the

ship　was　flung　right　up　into　the　air　a　hundred　feet　or　more。