Only with, perhaps, more added miseries2 and discomforts3 during the present hostilities4 than had been present in earlier times, since, in those days of the past, our enemy--our one great and implacable enemy, with whom it seemed almost that God created us to strive--had ever sought us as eagerly as we sought him. Yet, now, all appeared changed. The more we sought him the more he evaded5 us; upon the open sea we could never bring him--or very rarely bring him--to battle with us; and, vaunt as he might his determination to crush us, to invade our land, to sink us into a third-rate Power, yet, when we put forth6 to seek him, he was never to be found. Instead his fleets were in harbour and his ships far up inland rivers; the sight of our topsails was sufficient to cause his own to instantly disappear beneath the horizon. Yet that, at this period, there had been innumerable encounters was still true. Had not Boscawen shattered De la Clue off Cape7 Lagos, Pocock defeated the French in the East Indies, and countless8 ships of war and frigates9 been captured by us? But still the great action--the one that was to be decisive--seemed as far off as ever when "The Wonderful Year" was drawing to its close, and when, after many returns to English ports, Sir Edward Hawke once more put to sea from Torbay, on November 14th, to find, if possible, the great fleet of Conflans, which was known to be lurking11 somewhere in the neighbourhood of Belleisle.
November, 1759! a month of terrible storm and stress--yet, what is storm or stress to the seaman12 bent13 on finding his foe14 and vanquishing15 him?--a month when tempest after tempest howled across the seas, when days broke late and nights came early, when land-fogs and sea-fogs enveloped16 all for hours, so that inaction was forced to prevail. Yet, through all those furies of the elements the gallant17 fleet went forth, the Royal George (she flying proudly the Admiral's flag) leading twenty-three ships of the line and many frigates and bomb-ketches. It went forth, to be joined later by numerous other vessels19, including amongst them the Mignonne, under the command of Captain Sir Geoffrey Barry.
On board the old French capture was Lewis Granger, too, again a sailor, though not yet again an officer; that, Geoffrey said, would come--after the war was over.
"After the war is over," Granger would repeat to himself; while sometimes he would repeat the words aloud as the captain uttered them, "After the war is over."
Then he would turn away, saluting20 his superior if with him, or uttering some muttered ejaculation if alone.
He was not all unhappy now; the work which he had been allowed to resume occupied him sufficiently21 to distract his memories, and, for the rest, he had fallen easily into his duties. Moreover, he was better situated22 than he might have hoped to be. Their Lordships had made no objection to his being borne on the books of the Mignonne after hearing her captain's story of the man's innocence23, more especially as that captain was one whose destiny seemed of great promise; and so Granger had gone on board the frigate10 ere she sailed from the Thames. Though that was months ago now--months spent, as told above, in scouring24 the seas, in hardships, and sometimes disaster. But, during those months, an accident had placed Lewis Granger in an even better position than that which he had at first assumed.
The master-gunner had been killed in a conflict between the Mignonne and a French corvette, which the former was chasing, and Granger had stepped into his shoes. And, though such promotion25 was not much to one who had once worn the uniform of a commissioned officer, yet it was something. It gave him a cabin to himself where he could brood and meditate--as he did too often!--it enabled him to take his meals alone and be alone. And so, with his various duties, his charge of the ordnance26 and ordnance stores, his long hours devoted27 to the instruction of the raw hands who as yet scarcely understood the gunnery exercises, and a thousand other matters, he passed those months away. Passed them thus--and in forgetting, or, rather, in striving to forget.
For he could not forget. That was the curse laid on him and beneath which he had to bow.
"If I could do that," he would say to himself, again and again; and most often when he lay awake for hours in his berth--"if I could do that. If, at last, her sweet, innocent face, her braided chestnut28 hair, the look of love that never failed to greet me as I drew near, might vanish for ever from my memory! If, too, I could think that she also forgets--then--some day, I might obtain peace. But--I know it!--she no more forgets than I."
Stubbornly, doggedly29, as it ever is when a man wrestles30 with himself, so he wrestled31 now. And it was all of no avail. It was useless! But one woman had ever dawned a star above his existence; the woman who--star-like!--had fallen away from him for ever.
"Such love should never have been," he would continue musing32, "never have been, or, coming into my life, should have stayed always with me. Other men knew better what to do than I--could fool women, for a pastime, into loving them, could lead them on to madness and then grow weary and fling them contemptuously aside. And I despised such men. Do I despise them now?"
But only a moment later he would find his own answer to his own question, and would whisper to himself, "Yes. Even as it is, ours was the fonder, better love."
Keeping much to himself--as much as could be in a ship of war full of action, and chasing sometimes a vessel18 of the enemy's that hove in sight, or fleeing on others from two or three of their ships with which it would have been madness to risk an encounter--he went about his duties, performing each and all as though he lived for them alone; as though, too, his frame was impervious33 to fatigue34 or the burden of a rough, hard life. With Sir Geoffrey he could hold but little communion--that, considering the different positions each was now filling, would have been impossible!--though sometimes they could be together in the captain's cabin for a short time. And then the latter would say words to the other of approbation35 and approval, as well as comfort, which, had it not been that all his future was blank and hopeless, must have cheered him. But, because such was the case, those words could not do so, and murmuring again, as he had murmured so often, "It is too late," he would withdraw to his solitude36.
Yet, now, every day brought it more home to those in the English fleet that, at last, the great conflict was drawing near. Before they had been two days out of Torbay on this their last putting to sea, a French bilander had been captured, from which the Admiral obtained some news of Conflans, while, on the morning of the 17th, the Magnanime (also a capture) let fly her top-gallant sheets as a signal that she had sighted something that might be, or might belong to, the enemy. And a moment later the Mignonne--which had been abreast37 of the lee line--was signalled to stand to the north to see what she could discover. What she did discover, when under full sail she had set forth in the direction ordered, was a French privateer making off as fast as she could go in the direction of the French coast. Also, ahead of her, some two or three miles away, was a fleet of vessels, which, cruelly enough, did not stand by to assist their slower sister.
"She must be ours," cried Sir Geoffrey now, as, flinging the waves off from her forefoot contemptuously, the Mignonne, with every sheet fisted home, tore through the turbulent waters. "She must be ours. We gain upon her, too." Then he cried to the master, "Lay me alongside of her, as soon as possible. And tell the master-gunner to be ready."
That the privateer knew she was outpaced was evident from the manner in which she tacked--as the hare tacks38 and twists before the hound unleashed39; while she showed that she did not mean to yield without a fight if she yielded at all. Coming round suddenly when the Mignonne was almost close upon her, she fired three of her lower deck guns, the English vessel only escaping being hit by the tossing of the waves which carried her high upon their crests40, while the balls passed harmlessly beneath her.
That Granger was at his place was evident a moment later, when, from the gun-deck of the frigate, there poured forth a broadside that, as it struck the privateer, sent her keeling over to her larboard side. Then, as she recovered herself and the Mignonne came round on the wind, another broadside belched41 forth.
"That has done it," cried Geoffrey. "Fire no more. She will sink in ten minutes. Lower away there to save as many as may be. They are taking to the water already."
However many might be taking to the water, as he said, it was certain that none would escape in the privateer's boats. For now she lay over so much that it was impossible any such should be lowered from her; and that she would founder42 in a few moments, sucking down with her everything in the immediate43 neighbourhood, was not to be doubted. There remained nothing, consequently, but for those in the ship to throw themselves into the sea and to take their chance of either being picked up by the Mignonne's boats, or of being engulfed44 by the sinking vessel, or--which was equally likely--have the breath beaten out of them by the waves that ran mountains high.
Of such who were picked up at last, there were only three--one, a young man, who swam towards the Mignonne's boats with all the vigour45 of despair; the others being two middle-aged46 men. As for the privateer herself, she was gone for ever, leaving behind her no traces except a flag tossed on the water, some floating barrels, and a few coops full of drowned fowls47.
"Bring brandy," cried Sir Geoffrey, as these men were carried over the side of the Mignonne, more dead than alive, and with one alone, the sturdy swimmer, still conscious. "Bring brandy, and pour it down their throats. They must not die. They can tell much, and tell they shall."
Then, to his astonishment48, the mam who had swam so stoutly--the youngest of the three--opened his eyes and looked up at him, saying in English--
"What is it you would have us tell?"
"First," said Sir Geoffrey, "what was the name of that privateer? Next, how you, an Englishman; came in her? You, an Englishman, in a French ship at such a time! Man, do you know what may be your fate?"
"The privateer was La Baleine, of Dunkirk. As for myself and scores of others, we were not there willingly. We were bound for the colonies, and taken out of a schooner49 called the Amarynth some months ago, and kept----"
"The Amarynth," said a voice--deep and low as ever--in Sir Geoffrey's ear, "was the right name of the Nederland."
"Great heaven!" said Sir Geoffrey, turning round suddenly on Granger, and himself speaking in a whisper now, so that the officers and men who were about should not hear him. "Great heaven! The Nederland! The ship that carried that scoundrel who, had he had his will, would have placed Ariadne and Anne in her."
"Ay," replied Granger, "if he had had his will. He who would have kidnapped them and me."
"Speak," said Sir Geoffrey now, "speak and tell all. How has this thing happened?"
"Thus," said the man, looking up defiantly50 at his questioner: "Some were kidnapped into her, some went willingly. Bah! you both know that: both of you, sailors though you be. You were the one who led and encouraged the press-gang, who came to his house for men; that other by your side was----"
"Silence!" said Sir Geoffrey, white, and speaking sternly--though hating himself for having to do so. "Silence! and continue your narrative51. I command here, and desire no opinion on my conduct. And I, at least, did not press you. Go on."
"We were half across the Atlantic," the fellow said moodily52, "when her captain, a Frenchman called Boisrose, took us, and, after fighting contrary winds for weeks, was nearing France to hand us over as prizes. Now--well? now, you have altered all that. What are you going to do with us?"
"That you will know later. At present, thank your God that you are saved--from death, if not worse. At least you are in an English ship. You shall be well cared for. Take them below," he said to the master-at-arms, "and give them food and dry clothes."
"Yet first," said Granger, "answer me one question: There was a man on board named Bufton. Was he there?" and he directed his eyes to the spot beneath which the privateer had sunk.
"There was no man of that name to my knowledge."
"A man whom one could not mistake. A man with a strangely long and pointed53 chin."
"Oh! He! Oh! yes, he was there. But he was a cur. He could not stand his fate. He had been a dandy, it seems, whose heart was burst."
"Why?" asked Granter, in an even deeper voice, "why? What did he do?"
"Threw himself overboard in despair one dark, rough night--as they told us--a week before Boisrose captured the schooner."
Instinctively54 Geoffrey and Lewis Granger both turned away at the same time, the latter looking at the other with hollow eyes.
"Take heart," whispered the former, "it was the fate he had prepared for--for----"
"Ay, it was. Yet still his death is on my soul."
"Had they not slain55 him, his death would have been at my hands. For he would have been killed to-day. He who would have killed others. Take heart. Take heart."
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1
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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miseries
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| n.痛苦( misery的名词复数 )；痛苦的事；穷困；常发牢骚的人 | |
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discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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countless
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| adj.无数的，多得不计其数的 | |
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frigates
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| n.快速军舰( frigate的名词复数 ) | |
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frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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vanquishing
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| v.征服( vanquish的现在分词 )；战胜；克服；抑制 | |
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enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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innocence
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| n.无罪；天真；无害 | |
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scouring
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| 擦[洗]净，冲刷，洗涤 | |
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promotion
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| n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传 | |
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ordnance
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| n.大炮，军械 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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wrestles
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| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的第三人称单数 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
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wrestled
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| v.（与某人）搏斗( wrestle的过去式和过去分词 )；扭成一团；扭打；（与…）摔跤 | |
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32
musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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impervious
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| adj.不能渗透的，不能穿过的，不易伤害的 | |
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fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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approbation
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| n.称赞；认可 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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tacks
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| 大头钉( tack的名词复数 )； 平头钉； 航向； 方法 | |
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unleashed
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| v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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41
belched
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| v.打嗝( belch的过去式和过去分词 )；喷出，吐出；打（嗝）；嗳（气） | |
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Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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engulfed
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| v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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middle-aged
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| adj.中年的 | |
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47
fowls
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| 鸟( fowl的名词复数 )； 禽肉； 既不是这； 非驴非马 | |
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48
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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51
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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52
moodily
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| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
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53
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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55
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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