The latter brings the spellbound clerk from his trance of fascination11, by wheeling upon him.
“Did ye send doon, mon,” he cries, “to my wharf12, with word for young Jack13 Paul to come?”
The clerk says that he did.
“Then ye can go seek your denner.”
The clerk, acting14 on this permission, scrambles15 to his fascinated feet. As he retires through the one door, young Jack Paul enters. The brown-faced boy of the Arbigland yawl has grown to be a brisk young sailor, taut16 and natty17. He shakes the hand of Shipowner Younger, who gives him two fingers in that manner of condescending18 reserve, which he conceives to be due his dignity as a member of the House of Commons. Having done so much for his dignity, Shipowner Younger relaxes.
“Have a chair, lad!” he says. “Bring her here where we can chat.”
The natty Jack Paul brings the clerk’s chair, as being the only one in the room other than that occupied by Shipowner Younger. One sees the thorough-paced sailor in the very motions of him; for his step is quick, catlike and sure, and there is just the specter of a roll in his walk, as though the heaving swell19 of the ocean still abides20 in his heels. When he has placed the chair, so as to bring himself and Shipowner Younger face to face, he says:
“And now, sir, what are your commands’?”
“I’ll have sent for ye, Jack,” begins Shipowner Younger, portentously21 lengthening22 the while his shaven upper-lip—“I’ll have sent for ye, for three several matters: To pay ye a compliment or twa; to gi’ ye a gude lecture; an’ lastly to do a trifle of business wi’ ye, by way of rounding off. For I hold,” goes on Shipowner Younger, in an admonishing23 tone, “that conversations which don’t carry a trifle of business are no mair than just the crackle of thorns under a pot. Ye’ll ken24 I’m rich, Jack—ye’ll ken I can clink my gold, an’ count my gold, an’ keep my gold wi’ the warmest mon in Whitehaven?”
Young Jack Paul smiles, and nods his full agreement.
“But ye’ll no ken,” goes on Shipowner Younger, with proud humility25, the pride being real and the humility imitated—“ye’ll no ken, I believe, that I’m ‘lected to the Parleyment in Lunnon, lad?” Shipowner Younger pauses to observe the effect of this announcement of his greatness. Being satisfied, he goes on. “It’s a sacrifeece, no doot, but I s’all make it. The King has need of my counsel; an’, God save him! he s’all have it. For I’ve always said, lad, that a mon’s first debt is to the King. But it’ll mean sore changes, Jack, sore changes will it mean; for I’m to sell up my ships to the last ship’s gig of ‘em, the better to leave me hand-free and head-free to serve the King.”
Young Jack Paul is polite enough to arch his brows and draw a serious face. Shipowner Younger is pleased at this, and, with a deprecatory wave of his hand, as one who dismisses discussion of misfortunes which are beyond the help of words, proceeds:
“But enou’ of idle clavers; I’ll e’en get to what for I brought you here.” Shipowner Younger leans far back in his big chair, and contemplates26 young Jack Paul with a twinkle. “Now, lad,” he begins, “when from ‘prentice ye are come to be first mate among my ships, I’m to tell ye that from Dick Bennison who signed ye, to Ed’ard Denbigh whose first officer ye now be, all the captains ye’ve sailed wi’ declare ye a finished seaman27. But”—here Shipowner Younger shakes his head as though administering reproof—“they add that ye be ower handy wi’ your fists.”
“Why, then,” breaks in young Jack Paul, “how else am I to keep my watch in order! Besides, I hold it more humane28 to strike with your fist than with a belaying pin. The captains, I’ll warrant, have told you I thrashed none but ship’s bullies29.”
“They’ll have told me nothing of the kind,” returns Shipowner Younger. “They said naught30 of bullies. What they did observe was that ye just pounded the faces of the fo’c’sle hands in the strict line of duty. Why, they said the whole ship’s crew loved ye like collie dogs! It seems ye’ve a knack31 of thrashing yourself into their hearts.”
Young Jack Paul’s eyes show pleasure and relief; he perceives he is not being scolded.
“And now,” says Shipowner Younger, donning the alert manner of your true-born merchant approaching pounds, shillings and pence—“and now, having put the compliments and the lecture astern, we’ll even get doon to business. As I was tellin’, I’m about to retire from the ships. I’m rich enou’; and, being called to gi’ counsel to the King, I want no exter-aneous interests to distract me. The fair truth is, I’ve sold all but the bark ye’re now wi’, the John O’ Gaunt, ye’ll ken; and that’s to be sold to-day.”
“You’ll sell our John O’ Gaunt, sir? Who is to own it?”
“Ed’ard Denbigh, your captain, is to own five-sixths of her, for which he’ll pay five thousand pounds; being dog-cheap”—here a deep sigh—“as I’m a Christian32! As for the remaining sixth, lad, why it’s to be yours. Ye’ll sail oot o’ Whitehaven this v’yage in your own ship, partners wi’ Ed’ard Denbigh.”
“But, sir,” protests young Jack Paul, his voice startled into a tremor33, “with all thanks for your goodness, I’ve got no thousand pounds. You know the wages of a mate.‘’
“Ay! I ken the wages of a mate weel enou’; I’ve been payin’ ‘em for thirty year come New Year’s day. But ye’ll no need money, Jack!”—the dry, harsh tones grow soft with kindliness—“ye’ll no need money, mon, and there’s the joke of it. For I’m to gi’ ye your one-sixth of the John O’ Gaunt, wi’ never a shillin’ from your fingers, and so make a man and a merchant of ye at a crack. Now, no words, lad! Ye’ve been faithful; and I’ve no’ forgot that off Cape34 Clear one day ye saved me a ship. Ay! ye’ll ken by now that Jamie Younger, for all he’s ‘lected to Parleyment to tell the King his mind, is no so giddy wi’ his honors as to forget folk who serve him. No words, I tell ye! There ye be, sailor and shipowner baith, before ye’re twenty-one. An’ gude go wi’ ye!”
The big-hearted Scotchman smothers35 the gratitude36 on the lips of young Jack Paul, and hands him out the door. As the latter goes down the stair, Shipowner Younger calls after him with a kind of anticipatory37 crow of exultation38:
“And, lad! if ye get ever to Lunnon, come doon to Westminster, and see me just passin’ the laws!”
The John O’ Gaunt lies off the Guinea coast. The last one of its moaning, groaning39, black cargo40 of slaves has come over the side from the shore boats, and been conveyed below. The John O’ Gaunt has been chartered by a Bristol firm to carry three thousand slaves from the Guineas to Kingston; it will require ten voyages, and this is the beginning of the first.
The three hundred unhappy blacks who make the cargo are between decks. There they squat41 in four ranks, held by light wrist-chains to two great iron cables which are stretched forward and aft.
There are four squatting42 ranks of them; each rank sits face to face with its fellow rank across the detaining cable. Thus will they sit and suffer, cramped43 and choked and half-starved in that tropical hell between decks, through those two-score days and nights which lie between the John O’ Gaunt and Kingston.
Captain Denbigh keeps the deck until the anchors are up. The wind is forward of the beam, and now, when its canvas is shaken out, the John O’ Gaunt begins to move through the water on the starboard tack44. The motion is slow and sulky, as though the ship were sick in its heart at the vile45 traffic it has come to, and must be goaded46 by stiffest gales47 before it consents to any show of speed. Captain Denbigh leaves the order, “West by north!” with second mate Boggs, who has the watch on deck; and, after glancing aloft at the sails and over the rail at the weather, waddles48 below to drink “Prosperous voyage!” with his first mate and fellow owner, young Jack Paul.
He finds that youthful mariner49 gloomy and sad.
The cabin where the two are berthed50 is roomy. At one end is a case of bottles—brandy and rum, the property of Captain Denbigh. At the other is a second lock-fast case, filled with books, the sailing companions of first mate Jack Paul. There are text-books—French, Spanish, Latin and Greek; for first mate Jack Paul is of a mind to learn languages during his watch below. There are books on navigation and astronomy, as well as volumes by De Foe51 and Richardson. Also, one sees the comedies of Congreve, and the poems of Alexander Pope. To these latter, first mate Jack Paul gives much attention; his inquiring nose is often between their covers. He studies English elegancies of speech and manner in Congreve, Pope and Richardson, while the crop-eared De Foe feeds his fancy for adventure.
As Captain Denbigh rolls into the cabin, first mate Jack Paul is not thinking on books. He has upon his mind the poor black wretches52 between decks, the muffled53 murmur54 of whose groans55, together with the clanking of their wrist-chains, penetrates56 the bulkhead which forms the forward cabin wall. Captain Denbigh never heeds57 the silence and the sadness of his junior officer and partner, but marches, feet spread wide and sailorwise, to the locker58 which holds his bottles. Making careful selection, he brings out one of rum and another of sherry.
“You not likin’ rum,” explains Captain Denbigh, as he sets the sherry within reach of first mate Jack Paul.
First mate Jack Paul mechanically fills himself a moderate glass, while Captain Denbigh does himself more generous credit with a brimmer from the rum bottle.
“Here’s to the good ship John O’ Gaunt,” cries Captain Denbigh, tossing the rum down his capacious throat. “May it live to carry niggers a hundred years!”
There is no response to this sentiment; but Captain Denbigh doesn’t feel at all slighted, and sits down comfortably to the floor-fast table, the rum at his elbow. Being thus disposed, he glances at his moody59 companion.
There is much that is handsome in a rough, saltwater way about Captain Denbigh. He is short, stout60, with a brown pillar of a throat, and shoulders as square as his yardarms. His thick hair is clubbed into a cue; there are gold rings in his ears, and his gray eyes laugh as he looks at you.
“An’ now, mate Jack,” says Captain Denbigh, cheerfully, “with our three hundred niggers stowed snug61, an’ we out’ard bound for Jamaica, let you an’ me have a bit of talk. Not as cap ‘in an’ mate, mind you, but as owners. To begin with, then, you don’t like the black trade?”
First mate Jack Paul looks up; the brown eyes show trouble and resolve.
“Captain,” he says, “it goes against my soul!” Then, he continues apologetically: “Not that I say aught against slavery, which I’ve heard chaplains and parsons prove to be right and pious62 by Bible text. Ay! I’ve heard them when I’ve been to church ashore63, with my brother William by the Rappahannock. My kinsman64 Jones owns slaves; and I can see, too, that they have safer, happier lives with him than could fall to their lot had they remained savages65 in the wild Guinea woods. But owning slaves by the Rappahannock, where you can give them kindness and make them happy, is one thing. This carrying the tortured creatures —chained, and mad with grief!—to Jamaica is another.”
Captain Denbigh refreshes himself with more rum.
“It wards66 off the heat,” he vouchsafes67, in extenuation68 of his partiality for the rum. Having set himself right touching69 rum, he takes, up the main question: “What can we do?” he asks. “You know we’re chartered for ten v’yages?”
“I’m no one to argue with my captain,” responds first mate Jack Paul. “Still less do I talk of breaking charters. All I say is, it makes me heart-sore.”
“Let me see!” responds Captain Denbigh, searching for an idea. “Your brother William tells me, the last time we takes in tobacco from the Jones plantation70, that old William Jones is as fond o’ you as o’ him?”
“That is true. He wanted me to stay ashore with him and William, and give up the sea.”
“An’ why not, mate Jack?”
First mate Jack Paul shrugs71 his shoulders, which, despite his youth, are as broad and square as his captain’s.
“Because I like the sea,” says he; “and shall always like the sea.”
Captain Denbigh takes more rum; after which he sits knitting his forehead into knots, in a very agony of cogitation72. Finally he gives the table a great bang, at which the rum bottle jumps in alarm.
“I’ve hit it!” he cries. “I knowed I would if I’d only drink rum enough. I never has a bright idea yet, I don’t get it from rum. Here, now, mate Jack; I’ll just buy you out. You don’t like the black trade, an’ you’ll like it less an’ less. It’s your readin’ books does it; that, an not drinkin rum. Howsumever, I’ll buy you out. Then you can take a merchant-ship; or—an’ you may call me no seaman if that ain’t what I’d do you sits down comfortable with your brother an’ your old kinsman Jones by the Rappahannock, an plays gentleman ashore.”
While Captain Denbigh talks, the trouble fades from the face of first mate Jack Paul.
“What’s that?” he cries. “You’ll buy me out?”
“Ay, lad! as sure as my name’s Ed’ard Denbigh. That is, if so be you can sell, bein’ under age. I allows you can, howsumever; for you’re no one to go back on a bargain.” Having thus adjusted to his liking73 the legal doubt suggested, Captain Denbigh turns to the question of price. “Master Younger puts your sixth at a thousand pounds. If so be you’ll say the word, mate Jack, I’ll give you a thousand pounds.”
Countenance74 brightened with a vast relief, first mate Jack Paul stretches his hand across the table. Captain Denbigh, shifting his glass to the left hand, grasps it.
“Done!” says first mate Jack Paul.
“An’ done to you, my hearty75!” exclaims Captain Denbigh. “The money’ll be yours, mate Jack, as soon as ever we sees Kingston light. An’ now for another hooker of rum to bind76 the bargain.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
lighting
|
|
| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
sufficiently
|
|
| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
dingy
|
|
| adj.昏暗的，肮脏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
bristle
|
|
| v.（毛发）直立，气势汹汹，发怒；n.硬毛发 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
sprout
|
|
| n.芽，萌芽；vt.使发芽，摘去芽；vi.长芽，抽条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
seasoning
|
|
| n.调味；调味料；增添趣味之物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
awe
|
|
| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
delusion
|
|
| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
pate
|
|
| n.头顶；光顶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
fascination
|
|
| n.令人着迷的事物，魅力，迷恋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
wharf
|
|
| n.码头，停泊处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
scrambles
|
|
| n.抢夺( scramble的名词复数 )v.快速爬行( scramble的第三人称单数 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
taut
|
|
| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
natty
|
|
| adj.整洁的，漂亮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
condescending
|
|
| adj.谦逊的,故意屈尊的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
abides
|
|
| 容忍( abide的第三人称单数 )； 等候； 逗留； 停留 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
portentously
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
lengthening
|
|
| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
admonishing
|
|
| v.劝告( admonish的现在分词 )；训诫；（温和地）责备；轻责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
ken
|
|
| n.视野，知识领域 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
humility
|
|
| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
contemplates
|
|
| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的第三人称单数 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
seaman
|
|
| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
humane
|
|
| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
bullies
|
|
| n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
naught
|
|
| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
knack
|
|
| n.诀窍，做事情的灵巧的，便利的方法 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
tremor
|
|
| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
cape
|
|
| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
smothers
|
|
| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的第三人称单数 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
gratitude
|
|
| adj.感激，感谢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
anticipatory
|
|
| adj.预想的，预期的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
exultation
|
|
| n.狂喜，得意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
groaning
|
|
| adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
cargo
|
|
| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
squat
|
|
| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
squatting
|
|
| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
cramped
|
|
| a.狭窄的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
tack
|
|
| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
vile
|
|
| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
goaded
|
|
| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
gales
|
|
| 龙猫 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
waddles
|
|
| v.（像鸭子一样）摇摇摆摆地走( waddle的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
mariner
|
|
| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
berthed
|
|
| v.停泊( berth的过去式和过去分词 )；占铺位 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
foe
|
|
| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
wretches
|
|
| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
muffled
|
|
| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
groans
|
|
| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
penetrates
|
|
| v.穿过( penetrate的第三人称单数 )；刺入；了解；渗透 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
heeds
|
|
| n.留心，注意，听从( heed的名词复数 )v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
locker
|
|
| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
moody
|
|
| adj.心情不稳的，易怒的，喜怒无常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
snug
|
|
| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
pious
|
|
| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
ashore
|
|
| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
kinsman
|
|
| n.男亲属 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
savages
|
|
| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
wards
|
|
| 区( ward的名词复数 )； 病房； 受监护的未成年者； 被人照顾或控制的状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
vouchsafes
|
|
| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的第三人称单数 )；允诺 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
68
extenuation
|
|
| n.减轻罪孽的借口；酌情减轻；细 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
touching
|
|
| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
plantation
|
|
| n.种植园，大农场 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
shrugs
|
|
| n.耸肩（以表示冷淡，怀疑等）( shrug的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
cogitation
|
|
| n.仔细思考，计划，设计 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
liking
|
|
| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
countenance
|
|
| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
hearty
|
|
| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
bind
|
|
| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |