"Nossir!" and they pulled away to their fishing.
"If it should be a fine sunset," he explained to the ladies, "the view of the Sark cliffs from Belême there, opposite the Gouliots, is one of the finest sights in the island."
The place they had landed was a rough ledge3 on the south side just under the Pente-à-Fouaille, some distance past the Pirates' Cave, and the ascent4, though steep, was not so difficult as it looked. Graeme, however, in his capacity of chaperon, insisted on convoying them separately to the top—whereby he got holding Margaret's hand for the space of sixty pulse-beats—and then went down again for the cloaks and provisions.
Brecqhou, at the moment, was uninhabited. Its late occupant had thrown up his post suddenly, and gone to live on Sark with his wife, and a new caretaker had not yet been appointed. So they went straight to the house, deposited their belongings6 in the sitting-room7, and then started out for a long ramble8 round the island.
First they struck west to Le Nesté, and scrambled9 among the rough rocks of the Point, stepping cautiously over the gulls10' nests which lay thick all about, some with eggs and some with young.
The wonders of the sea-gardens in the rock-pools of Moie Batarde, and the entrancing views of Herm and Jethou and Guernsey, gleaming across the sapphire11 sea, with a magnificent range of snowy cloud-mountain breasting slowly up the deep blue of the sky behind, and looking solid enough to sit on, as Miss Penny said, absorbed them till midday.
Then they returned to the house, lit a fire of dried gorse, filled their kettle at the well and set it to boil, and carried out a table and chairs, for eating indoors was out of the question with such beneficence of sunshine inviting12 them to the open.
All the afternoon was occupied with the wonders of the Creux-à-Vaches, with its bold scarps and rounded slopes draped with ferns and enamelled with flowers, and the crannies and indentations of the northern side of the island. They sat for a time on Belême cliff entranced with the wonderful view of the bold western headlands of Sark, unrolled before them like a gigantic panorama13 from Bec-du-Nez to the Moie de Bretagne,—a sight the like of which one might travel many thousand miles and still not equal. And they promised themselves a still finer view when the setting sun washed every cliff and crag and cranny with living gold.
But as they turned to tramp through the ragwort and bracken towards the house, intent on cups of tea, the sight of the western sky gave them sudden start. The solid range of snow-white cloud-mountains had climbed the heavens half-way to the zenith, and was stretching thin white streamers still further afield. And its base in the west had grown dark and threatening, with pallid14 wisps of cloud scudding15 up it like flying scouts16 bearing ill tidings.
"Wind, I'm afraid," said Graeme, "and maybe thunder—"
And as he spoke17 a zigzag18 flash ripped open the dark screen, and a crackling peal19 came rattling20 over the lead-coloured sea and bellowed21 past them in long-drawn reverberations.
"Johnnie was right after all, the little monkey."
"I'm sorry now I didn't give him that sixpence," said Miss Penny.
"I don't suppose it would have made much difference—except to Johnnie. However, I hope it will soon blow over. Good thing we've got a shelter, and we can enjoy our tea while the elements settle matters among themselves outside."
The storm broke over them before the kettle boiled. The rain thrashed the house fiercely under the impulse of a wild south-west wind, which grew wilder every minute, and the thunder bellowed about them as though the very heavens were cracking.
"This is a trifle rough on inoffensive pilgrims," said Graeme. "I'm really sorry to have got you into it."
"You didn't do it on purpose, did you, Mr. Graeme?" asked Miss Penny, with pointed5 emphasis.
"I did not. I devoutly22 wish you were both safe home in the Rue23 Lucas."
"All in good time. Meanwhile, we might be worse off, and this tea is going to be excellent. Margaret, my child, do you know that tea under these conditions is infinitely24 preferable to tea in Melgrave Square, under any conditions whatsoever25?"
"It is certainly a change," said Margaret.
"And a very decided26 improvement. It's what some of my young friends would call 'just awfully27 jolly decent,'" said Miss Penny.
"We're not out of the wood—that is to say, the island—yet," suggested Graeme.
"Or we shouldn't be here enjoying ourselves like this. Brecqhou is sheer delight."
"On a fine day," said Margaret quietly.
"Or in a thunderstorm," asserted Miss Penny militantly28. But Margaret would not fight lest it should seem like casting reflections on their present estate.
The thunder rolled over the wide waters with a majesty29 of utterance30 novel to their unaccustomed city ears, the rain drew a storm-gray veil over everything past the well, the wind waxed into hysterical31 fury, tore at the roof and gables, and went shrieking32 on over Sark. And above the rush of wind and rain, in the short pauses between the thunder-peals, the hoarse33 roar of the waves along the black bastions of Brecqhou grew louder and louder in their ears.
Graeme's face grew somewhat anxious, as he stood at the window and peered westward34 as far as he could see, and found nothing but fury and blackness there. He had a dim recollection of hearing of outer islands such as this being cut off from the mainland for days at a time. He could imagine what the sea must be like among the tumbled rocks below. And he had seen the Race of the Gouliot in storm time once before, and doubted much if any boat would face the whirl and rush of its piled-up waters.
What on earth were they to do if the men could not get across for them?
Suppose they had to pass the night there?
Good Heavens! Suppose they could not get across for days? What were they to live on?—to come at once to the lowest but most pressing necessity of the situation?
They had weather-proof shelter. Firing they could procure35 from the interior woodwork of the house and outbuildings. And they had a small amount of tea and sugar, and half a tin of condensed milk, and rather more than half of the day's provisions, since they had contemplated36 high tea before embarking37 again. He determined38 that, if the storm showed no signs of abating39, the high tea must be a low one, since its constituents40 might possibly have to serve for to-morrow's breakfast as well.
Both girls, their own perceptions strung tight by the electric state of matters outside, noticed the touch of anxiety in his face as he turned from the window, but both declined to show it.
"How's her head, Captain?" asked Miss Penny jovially41.
"Dead on to a lee shore," he answered in her own humour. "But the anchorage is good and we're not likely to drift."
"Come! That's something to be thankful for, under the circumstances. Brecqhou banging broadside on to that big black Gouliot rock would be a most unpleasant experience. How about the sunset cliffs of Sark?"
"They're very much under a cloud. I'm afraid we must pass them for this time and choose a better. The cliffs indeed are there, but the sun is much a-wanting."
"Hamlet without the ghost of a father or even a sun."
"Truly!" And looking at Margaret, he said earnestly, "I can't tell you how sorry I am it has turned out this way."
"But it is no fault of yours, Mr. Graeme. No one could possibly have foreseen such a breakdown42 in the weather, with such a glorious morning as we had."
"After all, I'm not at all sure it isn't all Mr. Graeme's fault," said Miss Penny musingly43.
"As how?" he asked.
"Didn't you stop me giving Johnnie Vautrin six demanded pennies to keep it fine all day?"
"I discouraged the imposition, certainly. But I don't suppose Johnnie could have done much—except with your sixpence."
"He's a queer clever boy, is Johnnie. He certainly said it wasn't going to keep fine."
"Little humbug44!"
"Yet you gave him fivepence for seeing—or saying he saw—two crows and three crows, because two crows mean good luck and three crows mean——"
"You talk as if you believed his nonsense, Hennie," broke in Margaret.
"Perhaps I do—to some extent. He certainly declined to pledge himself to a fine day, and it remains45 to be seen if the rest of his—"
"—Humbug," suggested Graeme.
"We'll say predictions, since we're in a superstitious46 land,—come true. I shouldn't be a bit surprised. Thunderstorms are not, as a rule, deadly, and it is conceivable that they may, at times, even be means of grace. Would you mind piling some more gorse on that fire, Mr. Graeme? A counter-illumination is cheerful when the heavens without are all black and blazing. What a joke it would be if we had to stop here all night!"—she said it with intention, and Graeme understood and blessed her.
"We'll hope it won't come to that," he said, as lightly as he could make it. "But, if it should, we could make ourselves fairly comfortable. Robinson Crusoes up to date!"
"No—Swiss Family Robinsons!" was Margaret's quota47 to the lightening of gloom. "The way everything turned up just when that interesting family required it struck me as marvellous even when I was a child."
"You always were of an acutely enquiring—not to say doubting—disposition, my dear, ever since I knew you," said Miss Penny.
"I always liked to get at the true truth of things, and humbug always annoyed me."
"No wonder you found Mr. Pixley a trial, dear," said Miss Penny.
"You don't mean to cast stones of doubt at that shining pillar of the law and society, Miss Penny?" said Graeme, tempted48 to enlarge on so congenial a subject.
"Mr. Pixley does not appeal to me—nor I to him. I like him just as much as he likes me. And that's just that much,"—with a snap of the fingers.
"I'm afraid you and I are in the same boat," said Graeme enjoyably.
"I shouldn't be a bit surprised,—and for the same reason. We both like—"
"What shall we do for provisions, Mr. Graeme, if the storm continues?" asked Margaret, and Miss Penny smiled knowingly.
"I suggest husbanding those we have. It can't surely last long."
"Mrs. Carré was telling us the other night that once no steamer could get to Sark from Guernsey for three weeks," chirped49 Miss Penny. "If a steamer couldn't get to Sark, how should a small boat get to Brecqhou—Q.E.D.?"
"Gracious!" cried Margaret in dismay.
"Mr. Graeme would have to catch rabbits for us—and fish. And I believe there are potatoes growing outside there. Our clothing will be in rags, Meg. Mr. Graeme will be a wild man of the woods, and all our portraits will appear in the illustrated50 papers. The Outcasts of Brecqhou. Marooned51 on an Uninhabited Island. Three Weeks Alone."
"I'm off for a look round," said Graeme. "If that boat should be waiting for us, somewhere down below, it would be too stupid for us to be waiting for it up here," and he turned up his coat collar and pulled his cap over his brows.
"You'll get soaked," said Margaret. "Please take this, it will help a little," and she jumped up and thrust her golfing cloak into his hands. He seemed about to refuse, then thanked her hastily, and threw it over his shoulders and went out.
The wind caught him and whirled him along towards Belême cliffs. He tacked52 to the south and made a slant53 for the place where they had landed. As soon as he was out of sight of the house he drew the hood54 of the cloak over his head and rejoiced in it.
To be wearing her cloak brought Margaret appreciably55 nearer. Possibly that hood had even been over her head, had touched her shining hair, her fair soft cheek. He pressed it to his face, to his lips, and the hot blood danced in his veins56 at his temerity57. The gale58 bellowed outside and drove him staggering, but inside the hood was the uplifting warmth and glow of personal contact with the beloved. Her very mantle59 was sacred to him. He fancied he could detect in it a subtle intimation of herself. He hugged it close, and leaned back upon the gale, and drifted towards the southern cliffs.
One glance at the black rocks below,—now hidden by the rushing fury of the surges, now outstanding gaunt and grim, with creamy cascades60 pouring back into the roaring welter below,—showed him how impossible it would have been for any boat to approach there.
He plunged61 on through the masses of dripping ragwort towards the eastern cliff, and stood absorbed by the grim fury of the Gouliot Race. The driven waves split on the western point of Brecqhou and came rocketing along the ragged62 black rocks on either side in wild bursts of foam63. The Gouliot Passage was roaring with the noise of many waters, and boiling and seething64 like a gigantic pot. The sea was white with beaten spume for half a mile each way, and up through the tumbling marbled surface great black coils of water came writhing65 and bubbling from their tribulation66 on the hidden rocks below. The black fangs67 of the Gouliots were grimmer than ever. The long line of scoured68 granite69 cliffs on either side looked like great bald-headed eagles peering out hungrily for their prey70.
There were no boats at the anchorage in Havre Gosselin. He learned afterwards that they had all run to the shelter of Creux Harbour on the other side of the island. He breasted the gale and headed for the house.
"I'm very much afraid we're stuck for the night," he said, as they looked up enquiringly on his entrance. "There's not a sign of a boat, and I'm quite sure no boat could face that sea. Sark looks like an outcast island—the very end of the world."
"Then we'll make ourselves comfortable here," said Miss Penny. "We began to fear you'd been blown over the cliffs. Is there plenty of wood in the house?"
"I'll go and get some more," and he came back with a great armful of broken driftwood, and went again for as much gorse as he could carry in a rude wooden fork he found near the stack.
"You must be soaked through and through," said Margaret.
"Bit damp, but your cloak was a great help," and he piled gorse and chunks71 of wood on the fire till its roaring almost drowned the noise of the storm outside.
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1
fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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precarious
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| adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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belongings
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| n.私人物品，私人财物 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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ramble
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| v.漫步，漫谈，漫游；n.漫步，闲谈，蔓延 | |
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scrambled
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的过去式和过去分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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gulls
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| n.鸥( gull的名词复数 )v.欺骗某人( gull的第三人称单数 ) | |
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sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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scudding
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| n.刮面v.（尤指船、舰或云彩）笔直、高速而平稳地移动( scud的现在分词 ) | |
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scouts
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| 侦察员[机，舰]( scout的名词复数 )； 童子军； 搜索； 童子军成员 | |
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17
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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zigzag
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| n.曲折，之字形；adj.曲折的，锯齿形的；adv.曲折地，成锯齿形地；vt.使曲折；vi.曲折前行 | |
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peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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21
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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devoutly
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| adv.虔诚地，虔敬地，衷心地 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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24
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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militantly
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| 激进地，好斗地 | |
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majesty
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| n.雄伟，壮丽，庄严，威严；最高权威，王权 | |
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utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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hysterical
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| adj.情绪异常激动的，歇斯底里般的 | |
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shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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contemplated
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| adj. 预期的 动词contemplate的过去分词形式 | |
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embarking
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| 乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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abating
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| 减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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constituents
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| n.选民( constituent的名词复数 )；成分；构成部分；要素 | |
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jovially
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| adv.愉快地，高兴地 | |
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42
breakdown
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| n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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humbug
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| n.花招，谎话，欺骗 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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46
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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quota
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| n.（生产、进出口等的）配额，（移民的）限额 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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49
chirped
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| 鸟叫，虫鸣( chirp的过去式 ) | |
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50
illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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51
marooned
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| adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的 | |
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52
tacked
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| 用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝 | |
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53
slant
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| v.倾斜，倾向性地编写或报道；n.斜面，倾向 | |
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54
hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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55
appreciably
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| adv.相当大地 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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57
temerity
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| n.鲁莽，冒失 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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mantle
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| n.斗篷，覆罩之物，罩子；v.罩住，覆盖，脸红 | |
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60
cascades
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| 倾泻( cascade的名词复数 )； 小瀑布（尤指一连串瀑布中的一支）； 瀑布状物； 倾泻（或涌出）的东西 | |
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61
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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62
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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63
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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64
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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65
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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66
tribulation
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| n.苦难，灾难 | |
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67
fangs
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| n.（尤指狗和狼的）长而尖的牙( fang的名词复数 )；（蛇的）毒牙；罐座 | |
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68
scoured
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| 走遍（某地）搜寻（人或物）( scour的过去式和过去分词 )； （用力）刷； 擦净； 擦亮 | |
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69
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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70
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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71
chunks
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| 厚厚的一块( chunk的名词复数 )； （某物）相当大的数量或部分 | |
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