Fortunately the weather had moderated, the wind flying round off the land, otherwise she might have been detained for days, owing to the condition of the bar. The ship was now making for Gravesend to pick up passengers and mails, and thence for East Africa according to her usual programme.
Peter went on watch at ten that night with the unalluring prospect2 of remaining on duty till midday—perhaps longer—since Partridge and Plover3, who had bucked4 up considerably5 during the vessel's stay in port, promptly6 showed signs of internal troubles the moment the bar was crossed.
It was not a prearranged case of malingering. There was no doubt about it: they had been ill. Neither knew of the burning of the oil-tanker, and of the dangerous position of the West Barbican when she proceeded to the rescue, until late on the following morning, and even then they received the news apathetically7.
So Mostyn just carried on, pondering over the Company's doubtful economy, since, in addition to his normal pay, he was already raking in a fair sum for overtime8 in excess of the Merchant Service eight hours per day.
Gravesend was in its wonted late autumn state when the West Barbican dropped anchor. A thick fog entirely9 blotted10 out the shore. The air reverberated11 with the dismal12 hooting13 of sirens in every imaginable key; while bells clanging from vessels14 at anchor added to the din1. At intervals15 the sun shone feebly through the yellow pall16, although it was impossible to see twenty feet along the deck. To add to the general discomfort17 a raw, moist, west wind was blowing down London River, without having sufficient force to disperse18 the baffling fog.
The West Barbican was two and a half hours late in arriving at Gravesend. If she were to weigh at the scheduled hour the passengers would have to be smart in getting on board with their personal cabin effects. Their heavy baggage had been sent down to the docks and placed in a hold a week previously19.
Peter Mostyn had turned in directly the ship dropped anchor. There was a chance of two hours well-earned rest, if rest it could be called, since he lay down on his bunk20 fully21 clothed save for his rubber deck-boots. It was one of those frequent occasions when he could not afford to waste precious minutes in dressing22 and undressing. He was almost too dog-tired to kick off his boots. He was dimly conscious of throwing himself on his bunk and pulling the collar of his greatcoat up over the back of his neck; then he passed into a state of oblivion, notwithstanding the discordant24 sonata25 within and without the ship.
He was awakened26 by the appearance of Mahmed with the inevitable27 char28. The native boy was now in "full rig", a concession29 to the still-absent passengers. He wore a white drill suit, similar to that worn by officers in tropical climes, with the exception that there were no shoulder-straps. On his head he sported a round skull-cap of astrakhan, with a scarlet30 top.
"No come yet, sahib," announced Mahmed, in response to Peter's inquiry31 as to whether the tender had come alongside with the passengers.
"All right," rejoined Peter, as he handed back the empty cup. "Tell Partridge Sahib and Plover Sahib I want them in the wireless-cabin."
Going on deck, Peter found that the fog was as thick as ever. It was now nearly eight bells (4 p.m.), and the crew had been mustered32 for inspection33. All the deck hands were now rigged out in uniforms. Instead of the motley garb34, each man had a loose-fitting coat of butcher-blue, reaching to his knees and secured round the waist with a red scarf. His headdress was a scarlet, close-fitting cap, not unlike the Egyptian "tarboosh". This was the uniform issued by the Company for "ceremonial", and the expected advent35 of passengers was a fitting occasion for the display.
Three short blasts close alongside brought the officer of the watch to the end of the bridge.
"Tender alongside, sir," he announced.
The Old Man, in his best uniform, loomed36 up through the fog, disappearing as he hastened to the gangway, where, at the foot of the accommodation ladder, two lascars were stationed at the manropes to assist in the trans-embarkation of the passengers.
Gliding37 through the mist like a wraith38 the squat39, snub-nosed tender ran alongside and was made fast. One by one the passengers began to ascend40 the swaying accommodation ladder. In all they numbered forty-one, mostly of the male sex. A few were missionaries41 bound for Kenya and Uganda; there were men taking up farming in the rich lands of the interior of British East Africa; mining engineers for Rhodesia; and people who for various reasons had booked their passages to the Cape42 by the West Barbican rather than by the fast mail-boats. There was also a young man in the uniform of a Mercantile Marine43 Officer. He was the ship's doctor, "signed on" for the voyage only, thus combining business with pleasure, being in ordinary conditions a hard-worked country practitioner44. It was the first long holiday he had had for five years, and he meant to make the best of every minute of it.
There were seven lady passengers. The first one up the ladder was a stout45, middle-aged46 woman, dressed rather startlingly for a trip on a tender in a fog. Her travelling-costume was certainly of good material but too vivid in colour for a woman of her age and build.
Mostyn, standing23 a few feet from the head of the accommodation ladder, watched her curiously47. At one time she might have been good-looking. A perpetual sneer48 was on her face. She looked a woman who was habitually49 peevish50 and vile-tempered. Even as she came up the ladder she was complaining in a loud, high-pitched voice to someone following her—her husband apparently51.
"Bet she's a tartar," thought Peter, and turned his attention to the next newcomer—a red-faced, sheepish-looking man, who, judging by his obvious bewilderment, had set foot for the first time upon a craft larger than a coastal52 pleasure steamer. Mostyn put him down as a country innkeeper, since he bore a strong resemblance to the host of the "Blue Cow" at Trentham Regis.
After that the crowd on the gangway thickened, the swaying ladder creaking and groaning53 under the weight of this queue of humanity. There were old men, young men; prosperous-looking men, poor-looking men; men with jovial54 lightheartedness written large upon their faces; others looking woebegone and dejected, as if regretting the past and dreading55 the future. There were men who might have been chosen as models in the r?le of Adonis; others who outvied in features the deepest Adelphi villain56. Amongst the last of the arriving passengers came a girl of about nineteen or twenty.
She was slim and petite. Although wearing a serviceable raincoat she carried herself gracefully57, holding but lightly to the handrail of the ladder. Mostyn noticed that her moist hair was of a rich, brownish hue58, her features finely modelled. Her eyes were of a deep grey hue, beneath a pair of evenly arched eyebrows59.
In spite of the clammy fog her cheeks shone with the glow of youth—a healthy glow that told unfailingly of an active, outdoor life.
"Jolly pretty girl, that," commented Peter, communing with his own thoughts.
The very last passenger to come over the side—Peter paid no attention to him—was a young, athletic60 man carrying a travel-worn leather portmanteau. With the air of one accustomed to life on shipboard he stepped briskly off the end of the gangplank and made straight for the saloon.
On the passenger list he appeared as William Porter, of Durban. Not one of the West Barbican's officers realized what viper61 the good ship was cherishing in her bosom62; for in Berlin William Porter would have answered readily and truthfully to the name of Ludwig Schoeffer.
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1
din
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n.喧闹声,嘈杂声 | |
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2
prospect
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n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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3
plover
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n.珩,珩科鸟,千鸟 | |
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bucked
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adj.快v.(马等)猛然弓背跃起( buck的过去式和过去分词 );抵制;猛然震荡;马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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considerably
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adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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promptly
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adv.及时地,敏捷地 | |
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apathetically
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adv.不露感情地;无动于衷地;不感兴趣地;冷淡地 | |
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overtime
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adj.超时的,加班的;adv.加班地 | |
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entirely
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ad.全部地,完整地;完全地,彻底地 | |
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10
blotted
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涂污( blot的过去式和过去分词 ); (用吸墨纸)吸干 | |
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11
reverberated
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回响,回荡( reverberate的过去式和过去分词 ); 使反响,使回荡,使反射 | |
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12
dismal
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adj.阴沉的,凄凉的,令人忧郁的,差劲的 | |
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13
hooting
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(使)作汽笛声响,作汽车喇叭声( hoot的现在分词 ); 倒好儿; 倒彩 | |
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14
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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15
intervals
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n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 );间隔时间;[数学]区间;(戏剧、电影或音乐会的)幕间休息 | |
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16
pall
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v.覆盖,使平淡无味;n.柩衣,棺罩;棺材;帷幕 | |
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17
discomfort
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n.不舒服,不安,难过,困难,不方便 | |
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18
disperse
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vi.使分散;使消失;vt.分散;驱散 | |
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19
previously
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adv.以前,先前(地) | |
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20
bunk
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n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位;废话 | |
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21
fully
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adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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22
dressing
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n.(食物)调料;包扎伤口的用品,敷料 | |
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23
standing
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n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的 | |
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24
discordant
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adj.不调和的 | |
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25
sonata
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n.奏鸣曲 | |
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26
awakened
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v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
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27
inevitable
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adj.不可避免的,必然发生的 | |
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28
char
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v.烧焦;使...燃烧成焦炭 | |
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29
concession
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n.让步,妥协;特许(权) | |
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30
scarlet
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n.深红色,绯红色,红衣;adj.绯红色的 | |
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31
inquiry
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n.打听,询问,调查,查问 | |
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32
mustered
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v.集合,召集,集结(尤指部队)( muster的过去式和过去分词 );(自他人处)搜集某事物;聚集;激发 | |
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33
inspection
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n.检查,审查,检阅 | |
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34
garb
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n.服装,装束 | |
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advent
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n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
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36
loomed
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v.隐约出现,阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 );隐约出现,阴森地逼近 | |
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37
gliding
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v. 滑翔 adj. 滑动的 | |
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38
wraith
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n.幽灵;骨瘦如柴的人 | |
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39
squat
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v.蹲坐,蹲下;n.蹲下;adj.矮胖的,粗矮的 | |
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40
ascend
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vi.渐渐上升,升高;vt.攀登,登上 | |
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41
missionaries
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n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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42
cape
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n.海角,岬;披肩,短披风 | |
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43
marine
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adj.海的;海生的;航海的;海事的;n.水兵 | |
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practitioner
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n.实践者,从事者;(医生或律师等)开业者 | |
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46
middle-aged
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adj.中年的 | |
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47
curiously
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adv.有求知欲地;好问地;奇特地 | |
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48
sneer
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v.轻蔑;嘲笑;n.嘲笑,讥讽的言语 | |
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49
habitually
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ad.习惯地,通常地 | |
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50
peevish
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adj.易怒的,坏脾气的 | |
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51
apparently
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adv.显然地;表面上,似乎 | |
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52
coastal
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adj.海岸的,沿海的,沿岸的 | |
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53
groaning
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adj. 呜咽的, 呻吟的 动词groan的现在分词形式 | |
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54
jovial
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adj.快乐的,好交际的 | |
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55
dreading
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v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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56
villain
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n.反派演员,反面人物;恶棍;问题的起因 | |
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57
gracefully
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ad.大大方方地;优美地 | |
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58
hue
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n.色度;色调;样子 | |
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59
eyebrows
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眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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60
athletic
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adj.擅长运动的,强健的;活跃的,体格健壮的 | |
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61
viper
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n.毒蛇;危险的人 | |
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62
bosom
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n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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