South of Prince Town roll high and open heaths, whereon, under the tremendous impetus9 of the tempest, the snow was swept horizontally. It fell, only to be gathered up again and launched forward in writhing10 wisps and veils. Along these level heights Commodore Miller11, Stark12, and Knapps made their way; then when each heart sank low and every sanguine13 pulse was nearly frozen, they touched the skirts of the young plantations14 at Tor Royal and hoped again. Half a mile distant the hospitality of Sir Thomas Tyrwhitt had been at their command, and the knight15 had gladly closed stout16 doors between the wanderers and death; but of the establishment within these snow-bound young forests they knew nothing. Their thought was the cabin of Lovey Lee, concerning the position of which she had made them clear; and now they held on to the end of the wood, then turned a compass-point southward and faced the Moor again.
Cecil Stark at length spoke, and shouted into the Commodore's ear.
"We're on the right road. We may pull through after all."
"Save your breath and keep together," answered the older man. "I have some fight in me yet."
"And you, Jimmy?"
"I wish I was ter prison."
"Blame yourself that you're not," panted Stark.
"I duz," answered the sailor. "I s'pose there's no grizzly18 bars snooking around these parts? I thought I squinted20 something back away."
"No; but there are stone crosses; and one stands nigh Lovey Lee's. Hit that and we're saved."
"Miss it and—but no use to wherrit. 'Tis a very good end. I knew a chap as slept hisself out of life very comfortable on such a night. Narry a pang21; and I found him in the morning froze to the marrow22, and smiling about it, like he was a statue in church. Better than a bagonet in your belly23, anyhow."
"drop that talk, bo'sun. We'll win yet!"
They fought on silently, but the pace became slower as their force abated24 and the snow increased. Now they felt the full strength of the wind, and nature instinctively25 made them turn and edge away from it.
"Hold to your left, lads, or we are done for!" cried Miller. "Keep the wind on the port bow."
"Be damned if I kin19 suffer it against my cheek any more," answered Knapps. "My ear and jaw26 are just frozen and my left eye's bunged up with ice."
Twice more Stark addressed the sailor, but received no answer. Then, turning again, he found one shadow beside him instead of two.
"Is that you, Stark?"
"Ay, sir."
"Where's Knapps?"
"I'm afraid he's lost, sir. He would hold off a point. Had I sought him, I must have lost you."
"Shout—shout with all your might. We may save him yet."
They lifted their voices, but the piping of them was gulfed in the roar of the wind. The ice poured out of the darkness, and, despite the snow-blink, an awful circumambient gloom hid all things from their eyes. Only the wan17 upthrown illumination at their feet told of the snow beneath.
"I implore27 you to be moving, sir. Right or wrong, we must hold on now," cried Stark, for he saw that his companion seemed to hesitate.
"Knapps may be right. Can we have got too far east? However, 'tis all one. Blessed sleep's ahead, my poor boy. 'Tis good to die in the great Hand of God and not behind stone walls."
"Don't speak of dying, Commodore. Get closer; take my arm and husband your strength as you may."
Stark closed up on the other's left hand between his friend and the weather; but Miller appreciated the action and fought against it.
"You shall not do this for me. I'm tougher, older, better seasoned!"
"For love of life, speak no more," Stark answered. "Hold close. We may save each other."
Now arm in arm, or sometimes hand in hand, but never apart, they battled through a dread28 hour of agony. Often they fell and bruised29 themselves upon ice and granite30; often they dropped headlong into some snow-hidden rift5; then surmounting31 it, they struggled on again, half blind, half strangled. Despite their tremendous exertions32, no warmth to fight the wind, no heat of blood could either generate. They froze as they fought and their progress became very slow. They grew conscious of sloping land and passed where hills of stone rose to the right, while the storm, from lower levels, leapt upwards33 as it seemed out of some dark crater34 on the left of them. They had missed Siward's Cross by miles and now wandered under Fox Tor above the Mire35. Each yearned36 to lie down and end it; and each knew that a longing37 to yield was in the heart of the other. For a moment they stood in deep snow where great rocks towered and broke the wind. Then Commodore Miller addressed Stark, and his dreamy, placid38 utterance39 sounded strange in the fury of the hour. Shouts and a frenzy40 of fear or of energy had better, chimed with the free and fearful forces of the air; but the American spoke like a spirit and looked upon these material phenomena41 of night and tempest as one already above their influences and beyond their power.
"'Tis a great thought that you and I are bigger than this weather. A man's soul can steer42 through the worst storm ever loosed against earth—steer a straight course and fear no evil of earth or sea. This dust of us will soon be ice, my lad. We shall sink into this frozen wilderness43 as rain falls on a river; but we ourselves——"
"Hope on, hope on," gasped44 the younger man. "We'll fight the British weather as we've fought the British ships. There's a shot in the locker45 yet!"
They crawled forward, and Stark, himself failing slowly, well knew that the increasing weight upon his arm must soon bring him to earth with his friend. Miller was nearly spent. He began to speak fitfully, but rambled46 in his speech, and discussed men and matters beyond his companion's knowledge. For ten minutes they pressed on, but advanced little more than two hundred yards in the time. Snow still fell, though less heavily, and it seemed to Stark that the wind abated a trifle, but he could not be sure, for sensation was almost dead. His legs felt nothing, even when he struck them against the stones. They had followed a wide slope of the land, and now stood in the very shadow of death where Childe the Hunter's ruined cenotaph had risen, and where legend pointed47 to the sportsman's place of passing even on such a night, and in such an hour.
There was a sudden rent in the snow-clouds at this moment, for out of heaven burst a blast so awful that it tore the inky curtains of the storm, swept the air clear along its hurricane ways and brought a fleeting48 glimmer49 of light to earth. In the black chasm50 opened on high reeled suns, and the flames of bygone ages flashed into the eyes of dying men. Then those silvery star-fires were swallowed up again, and the tempest, shrieking51 like a fury, tumbled its pall52 over them to lift it no more. Yet in that blast another light than those of the indifferent universe had touched upon Cecil Stark's fainting eyes. Dear as the smile of a friend, as the sound of a voice, as the hand of a man stretched to save, he had marked a ruddy flash from one little window high aloft on the western face of Fox Tor Farm. Like a lighthouse lamp it hung above the chaos53. It flashed serene54 and steadfast55; then the blizzard56 thundered down again, and it vanished behind the snow.
"All's over, old fellow," said Jonathan Miller. "I'm done for—fought and lost, and glad to go. My heart's stopping. Go on—good-bye."
"Look, man, look! Right ahead! Ah! 'tis blotted57 again; but I saw it clear enough—lifted above us—a light."
"I shall see it too—held out of Heaven to guide us. God is kind. The road's always clear to Him."
"Be of good cheer yet! 'Twas an earthly light I saw—ruddy and heart-warming! Don't—don't—give up the fight when we're so near—one effort more—one——"
For answer the other's hand relaxed, and he fell suddenly face downwards58.
Stark instantly bent59 to raise his friend, but he could not. Himself he dropped to his knees; then, with a great struggle, stood again upon his freezing feet.
"Go, lad—go," said the fallen man. "By stopping you slay60 us both. Hold on to the light if you can. Speed—speed! Death is alongside now—ready to board——"
Stark knew the truth of this, and, striving in vain to note some mark that should indicate where Miller lay, he turned whence the light had shone.
"Trust me then. I'll get back in time! Don't sleep—keep shouting—keep shouting. We'll save you yet!"
Stark spoke cheerily as though already in the company of other men; but his hope perished as he turned and saw his friend a silent spot in the darkness—already half obliterated61 by snow. A sob62 rose in the man's throat, and he felt a tear like a spark of fire upon his cheek.
"The end of him—the cruel, bitter end of a great sailor and a good man. God's curse on those that murdered him!"
The cry came thickly and the shrieking wind carried it away. Stark staggered against the hill, sometimes upon his feet, sometimes on his knees. The light gleamed fitfully and directed him across the storm. Now it vanished behind curtains of snow; now it broke through once more, placid of flame and mellow63 of hue64. Higher it towered and higher, until it seemed to the wanderer immediately above him. But even as he looked up to it, the sailor fell into a little rivulet65 and struggled with fresh bruises66 on to the further bank. A steep slope still subtended the space between himself and the shining window. The light beckoned67 him forward and forces unseen denied any further advance. He could stand no longer, but grovelled68 on yard by yard. Then a wall buried in the snow, raised a barrier, mountainous to his feebleness, and he remained motionless beneath it for a full minute. Peace was there and delicious silence. The snow warmed him; the coverlet crept up and up. It was pulled over his breast, neck, head, by gentle hands. He remembered his mother and her cradle-songs in his childhood. "'Tis the great Mother tucking me up," he thought. For a moment, as it seemed, the glow of health and vigour69 drove his blood along. Life was kissing him and saying 'good-bye.' His eyes shut; all present things began to sink away out of his mind. He smiled indifferently and, turning back along the pathway of consciousness, retraced70 his life's short road and passed its memories in final review. He remembered the defeat of the Marblehead and felt the sharp grief of failure. He saw the 'Stars and Stripes' flutter down, as the dying see their last sun sink; and that darkest emotion of his days reawakened now, mercifully held force enough to shatter the snow-trance. He opened his eyes, found an impulse of restored energy from his short respite71, saw the light clear and sharp above, and surmounted72 the stone wall, but fell prone73 upon the other side. Then, with a sort of savage thankfulness that the last stage in the long fight was come, he rolled and crawled thirty yards more, and reached within twenty feet of Fox Tor Farm.
Powerless to lift a finger more, he lay there, stared at the light and blinked his eyes to keep the snow out of them, that the image of that shining window might remain clear. Its radiance would brighten his end, and the idea strangely comforted him. His wits reeled again; he prayed a wild prayer: he began to long for life with all his might, and the desire towards it poured in a frantic74 torrent75 over him. A signal set within his eyes by man smiled upon him, but he could not reach it. Thrice he shouted to Miller to follow him; to shout for his own salvation76 did not strike his mind; and whilst he cried aloud for the third time, the storm, that had increased to sweep the snow clear of one bright window, lulled77, and for a moment drew a long, sobbing78 breath, ere it shrieked79 again. In that oasis80 of silence the man poured out his last cry to his friend; but only the raving81 voices from above answered it, for Miller had long passed beyond sense.
And yet, behind the granite of the farm were wakeful ears. Aloft Grace Malherb lay sleepless82, while she watched a great heap of snow gather upon her bedroom hearth83. The taper84 that was leading Stark to salvation beamed steadfastly85 to him; to Grace, under her blankets, it staggered and reeled and guttered86, and fought strange draughts87 that crept through unknown chinks and crannies. Then, the hour being eleven, there fell that awful simultaneous suspiration of breath in the yelling throats of the storm. A mysterious silence touched the night and in the moment of it a human cry—wild and faint—reached the girl's straining ear. No other heard it, for though Malherb walked below, uneasy before the onset88 of this hurricane, his dwelling89 lay between him and the lost man, while for the rest all that household slept in peace.
Now did Death huddle90 close over Cecil Stark, hide him, muffle91 his speech, and steal his senses one by one; yet with his last throb92 of consciousness the sailor shouted on to Miller, and before his voice stilled and his life was in the act to close, Grace Malherb had reached her father where he walked and told her news. He showed much doubt, yet lost not a moment, and the last weak cry of the man in the snow saluted93 Beer and Malherb as they crept round the southern front of the farm with a lantern.
"Miller! Miller! Mil——!"
Then they heard no more, but guided by the voice, struggled across the snow to it and fell over a fellow-creature.
Battered94, bleeding, apparently95 lifeless, Beer and his master discovered Cecil Stark; and they picked him up and thanked God and carried him into Fox Tor Farm.
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收听单词发音
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1
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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2
savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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3
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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4
gorges
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| n.山峡，峡谷( gorge的名词复数 )；咽喉v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的第三人称单数 )；作呕 | |
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rift
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| n.裂口，隙缝，切口；v.裂开，割开，渗入 | |
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6
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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7
chambers
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| n.房间( chamber的名词复数 )；（议会的）议院；卧室；会议厅 | |
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8
onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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9
impetus
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| n.推动，促进，刺激；推动力 | |
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10
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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11
miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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12
stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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13
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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14
plantations
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| n.种植园，大农场( plantation的名词复数 ) | |
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15
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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18
grizzly
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| adj.略为灰色的，呈灰色的；n.灰色大熊 | |
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19
kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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20
squinted
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| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
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21
pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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22
marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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23
belly
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| n.肚子，腹部；(像肚子一样)鼓起的部分，膛 | |
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24
abated
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| 减少( abate的过去式和过去分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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25
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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26
jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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27
implore
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| vt.乞求，恳求，哀求 | |
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28
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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29
bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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30
granite
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| adj.花岗岩，花岗石 | |
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31
surmounting
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| 战胜( surmount的现在分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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32
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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33
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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34
crater
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| n.火山口，弹坑 | |
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35
mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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36
yearned
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| 渴望，切盼，向往( yearn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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38
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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39
utterance
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| n.用言语表达，话语，言语 | |
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40
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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41
phenomena
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| n.现象 | |
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42
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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43
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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44
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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45
locker
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| n.更衣箱，储物柜，冷藏室，上锁的人 | |
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46
rambled
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| （无目的地）漫游( ramble的过去式和过去分词 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论 | |
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47
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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48
fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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49
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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50
chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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51
shrieking
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| v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 ) | |
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52
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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53
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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54
serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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55
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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56
blizzard
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| n.暴风雪 | |
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57
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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58
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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59
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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60
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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61
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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62
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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63
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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64
hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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65
rivulet
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| n.小溪，小河 | |
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66
bruises
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| n.瘀伤，伤痕，擦伤( bruise的名词复数 ) | |
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67
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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68
grovelled
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| v.卑躬屈节，奴颜婢膝( grovel的过去式和过去分词 )；趴 | |
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69
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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70
retraced
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| v.折回( retrace的过去式和过去分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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71
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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72
surmounted
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| 战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上 | |
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73
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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74
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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75
torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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salvation
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| n.（尤指基督）救世，超度，拯救，解困 | |
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77
lulled
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| vt.使镇静，使安静（lull的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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78
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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79
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
oasis
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| n.（沙漠中的）绿洲，宜人的地方 | |
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81
raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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82
sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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83
hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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84
taper
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| n.小蜡烛，尖细，渐弱；adj.尖细的；v.逐渐变小 | |
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85
steadfastly
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| adv.踏实地，不变地；岿然；坚定不渝 | |
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86
guttered
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| vt.形成沟或槽于…（gutter的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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87
draughts
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| n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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88
onset
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| n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始 | |
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89
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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90
huddle
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| vi.挤作一团；蜷缩；vt.聚集；n.挤在一起的人 | |
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muffle
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| v.围裹；抑制；发低沉的声音 | |
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92
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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94
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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