Between the times of dozing5 unconsciousness, which came at intervals6, he wondered what had become of the two men in that disabled tender. He waited with dread7 the revelation the dawn would bring. He rose with the sun and looked out of his stateroom window. The bay was a solid sheet of glistening8 ice. The sun was shining from a cloudless sky and the great white field sparkled and flashed like a sea of diamonds.
What a mockery that sunshine! Somewhere out on one of those lonely marshes9 it was shining perhaps on the stark10 bodies of the two men who were eating and drinking and laughing the day before. What did Nature care for man's joys or sorrows, hopes or fears? Beneath that treacherous11 ice the tide was ebbing12 and flowing to the throb13 of her even, pulsing heart. To-morrow the south wind would come and sweep it all into the sea again.
He wondered dimly if the God, from whose hands this planet and all the shining worlds in space had fallen, knew or cared? And then a flood of gratitude14 filled his soul at the thought of his deliverance from the shadow of crime. Instinctively15 his eyes closed and his lips moved in prayer:
"Thank God, for the sunlight that shines in my soul this morning and for the life that is still clean; help me to keep it so!"
Nothing now could disturb the serenity16 of his temper. He dressed hurriedly, went into the galley17, made a fire and called Nan.
He rapped gently on the panelled partition which separated their staterooms. He could hear her low, softly spoken answer as if there were nothing between them.
"Yes, Jim, what is it? Are you ill?"
"No, hungry. You will have to help me get some breakfast."
"The cook hasn't come?" she asked in surprise.
There was a moment's hesitation19 and his voice sounded queer when he quietly answered:
"No."
She felt the shock of the thought back of his answer and he heard her spring out of bed and begin to dress hurriedly.
In ten minutes she appeared at the door of the galley, her hair hanging in glorious confusion about her face and the dark eyes sparkling with excitement.
"What on earth does it mean, Jim?" she asked breathlessly. "Cal could tell me nothing last night except that he had gotten wet and chilled and you had carried him on board against his protest. When the doctor put him to sleep with a lot of whiskey he was muttering incoherently about a quarrel he had with you. I thought you sent both tenders to the shore for mail and provisions. Why hasn't the cook returned?"
"He may never come, Nan."
"Why—Jim!" she gasped20.
"They started to tow us in, the engine broke down. I think the carbureter probably froze and they were driven before the wind, helpless. There's a chance in a thousand that they reached an oyster21 shanty22 and found shelter. We'll hope for the best. In the meantime you and I will have to learn to cook again, for a few days."
"A few days!" Nan exclaimed.
"Yes. The bay is frozen. Our old guide is a good cook, but he's safe in harbor ashore23. He had too much sense to venture out last night. He can't get here now until the ice breaks up."
Nan accepted the situation with girlish enthusiasm, became Stuart's assistant and did her work with a smile. It was a picnic. She laughed at the comical picture his tall figure made in a cook's apron24 and he made her wear a waitress' cap which he improvised25 from a Japanese paper napkin.
The doctor pronounced the meals better than he had tasted on the trip. Bivens was still in an ugly mood and refused to leave his stateroom or allow any one but the doctor to enter. He was suffering intense pain from his frost-bitten fingers and toes and ears, and still cherished his grudge26 against Stuart. He refused to believe there was the slightest necessity for such high-handed measures as he had dared to use. He had carefully concealed27 from both the doctor and Nan just what had occurred between them on the trip that day.
On the second morning after the freeze a light dawned on the little man's sulking spirits. During the night the ice softened28 and a strong southerly breeze had swept every piece of it to sea.
Again the bay was a blue, shimmering29 mirror, reflecting the white flying clouds, and the marshes rang with the resounding30 cries of chattering31 wild fowl32.
It was just nine o'clock, and Nan was busy humming a song and setting the table for breakfast, when Stuart heard the distant drum-beat of a tender's engine. The guide was returning from the shore, or the lost tender had come. If it were the guide he would probably bring news of the other men. His course lay over their trail. He threw off his cook's apron, put on his coat, sprang out of the galley, and called below:
"A tender is coming, Nan. Don't come on deck until I tell you."
The smile died from her beautiful face as she answered slowly:
"All right, Jim."
In a moment he came back down the companion-way and spoke18 in quiet tones:
"It's just as I expected. They are both dead. The guide found them on the marsh over there, frozen."
"The marsh you and Cal were on?" she asked breathlessly.
"Yes. Both of them were kneeling. They died with their hands clasped in prayer."
"And you saved Cal from that?" she gasped, and turning, fled into her stateroom.
He went in to change his clothes and help lift the bodies on deck. Through the panelled wall he heard Nan softly sobbing33.
Bivens refused at first to believe the doctor's startling announcement. He hurriedly dressed, came on deck, and for five minutes stood staring into the white, dead faces.
Without a word he went below and asked the doctor to call Stuart.
When his old friend entered, he took his hand quietly and for once in his life the little, black, piercing eyes were swimming in tears as he spoke.
"You're a great man, Jim, and what's bigger, you're a good one. If God will forgive me for the foolish things I said and did yesterday, I'll try to make it up to you, old boy. Is it all right?"
Stuart's answer was a nod, a smile and a pressure of the hand.
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1
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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exhaustion
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| n.耗尽枯竭，疲惫，筋疲力尽，竭尽，详尽无遗的论述 | |
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marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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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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7
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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8
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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12
ebbing
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| （指潮水）退( ebb的现在分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
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13
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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14
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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18
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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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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oyster
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| n.牡蛎；沉默寡言的人 | |
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shanty
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| n.小屋，棚屋；船工号子 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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improvised
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| a.即席而作的,即兴的 | |
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grudge
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| n.不满，怨恨，妒嫉；vt.勉强给，不情愿做 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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29
shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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31
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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32
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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