All the feelings of aversion which Erebus had inspired in him were now explained; all his impulses of tenderness for the unfortunate youth could now be easily understood.
Erebus was the son of his mortal enemy; but he was also the son of the woman whom he had adored.
Without the secret instinct of hatred2 and of vengeance3 which dominated his being unconsciously, he could never have taken such pleasure in corrupting4 and perverting5 a young and innocent soul.
The most hardened hearts find a solace6 in the thought that their crimes are justifiable7.
From this moment, Pog saw into his hatred clearly, if it may be said; his only indecision now was how to satiate his revenge.
He saw the necessity for prudence8, that his vengeance might be sure and complete.
The death of Erebus could not satisfy him; that death, however slow, however cruel it might be, would be only one day of torment,—that no longer sufficed him.
The violence of his rage could not dissociate the innocent result of the crime from the crime itself, or from those who committed it, but Pog had long ceased to think or act with regard to justice.
In his opinion, Erebus was justly devoted9 to his wrath10. He felt, too, a sinister11 joy in learning that Pierre des Anbiez was the seducer12 of his wife. Now he knew where to direct his blows.
Everything seemed to favour his plans. He believed he had killed Raimond V., Baron14 des Anbiez, in the attack on La Ciotat. Reine, abducted15 by Erebus, was the niece of the commander. Thus destiny assisted him in his hatred and pursuit of this family. Such were the bitter and triumphant16 feelings which filled his heart when the two galleys18 and the chebec reached their place of anchorage off the isles19 of Ste. Marguerite.
They had scarcely anchored when Hadji came on board the Red Galleon20, and found Pog absorbed in his reflections.
In a few words he informed him of the designs of Erebus, and of his vain attempts to seduce13 the crew of the chebec and fly to the Orient.
Pog turned pale with fright. Erebus might have escaped him but for the fidelity21 of Hadji and his sailors! His vengeance baffled!
He manifested toward the Bohemian such overwhelming gratitude22 for his behaviour under the circumstances, that the latter stood gazing at him in bewilderment, so strangely did these grateful expressions contrast with the usual habit and bearing of Pog.
“Reassure yourself, Captain Pog,” said Hadji, “you need not carry on your conscience such a weight of gratitude; the sailors and I remained faithful to you because our interest demands it That obligation is superior to all others; but if you will believe me, Captain Pog, you will seize the first opportunity to put that young man ashore23. He is getting spoiled,—he is getting weak; a little while ago he was weeping at the feet of those two women. So I advise you to abandon him at the first opportunity. He can only be in our way now.”
“Abandon Erebus!” cried Pog, with such passionate24 energy that Hadji looked at him in amazement25 “Abandon Erebus! but you do not know—what am I saying,—how can you know? This instant,—this instant bring the boy to me. You answer to me for him with your life—with your life, do you understand? Or indeed—but no—I will go myself on board his chebec; that will be more sure.”
At the same moment the pilot of the Red Galleon entered with an excited air. “Captain,” said he, to Pog, “in examining the horizon with my telescope, I have just discovered a galley17 and a polacre. These two vessels27 may pass without discovering us. Eblis grant it, for the black galley is fatal to those she attacks.”
“The black galley?” asked Pog.
“Who does not know the black galley of the Commander des Anbiez?” said the pilot.
“Eh, no doubt!” cried the Bohemian. “They expected the commander every day at Maison-Forte, the castle of Raimond V. Pierre des Anbiez must have arrived after us, he must have seen the citizens’ houses in flames, and known that his niece was carried off and his brother killed, and he is seeking us to avenge28 them.”
“That galley is the galley of the commander Pierre des Anbiez?” said Pog, stuttering, so profound was his astonishment29 “Pierre des Anbiez—the commander—here—he!”
It is impossible to picture the burst of savage30 joy with which Pog uttered these words.
After a short silence, during which he passed his hand over his brow, as if to assure himself that what happened around him was real, he suddenly fell on his knees, clasped his hands, and said, with an air of the deepest piety31:
“My God, my God! Forgive me. Long have I doubted thy justice; to-day it reveals itself to me in all its glorious majesty32! Lord—Lord—forgive me. Grief has distracted me; now thine almighty33 power is manifest in my sight. The same day thou dost place father and son at the mercy of my vengeance, after twenty years of torture. My God! after twenty years. Lord—Lord, upon my knees I thank thee; my entire life will not suffice to pray to thee, and to bless thee! The father and son in my power! My God, thou art sovereignly great! Thou art sovereignly just!”
The violent transports of fury to which Pog was subject had never terrified Hadji, but this prayer, delivered in a low, trembling, solemn voice, filled him with a vague disquietude.
This miserable34 creature, who hesitated before no evil, now trembled with fright.
In fact, something formidable was required thus to bow Pog in the dust, and wrest35 from him this cry of gratitude and submission36.
After having uttered this prayer, Pog rose and walked a long time in great agitation37 without saying a word. He forgot the presence of Hadji and the pilot A half-hour passed thus, the Bohemian staring at Pog all the while with an eager, sinister curiosity.
He was waiting to see what strange and fatal result would follow this chaos38 of ideas.
Pog, as was ordinarily the case when he yielded to such violence of emotion, felt quite weak; he became as pale as a ghost, he sank down, and, but for the timely aid of Hadji and the pilot, would have fallen backwards39.
The Bohemian bore him to his bed, drew a smelling-bottle from his girdle, held it to his nostrils40, and soon Pog-Reis recovered from his swoon.
“I remember all now,” said he, looking around him anxiously. “I remember all. You see I am weak,—but, Hadji, what do you wish? the time of miracles has returned. Oh, this mark of the almighty power of the Most High imposes obligations on me; now I am strong; now I will not compromise the ends of Heaven’s justice by anticipating it No, no, I await its voice. It shall be obeyed, and a terrible example shall be given to the world. You must send Erebus to me, Hadji.”
These words, and the calmness of Pog’s countenance41 and accent, were additional cause for the astonishment of Hadji.
“It shall be done as you wish, captain. I am going to send the young man to you, or, for greater surety, conduct him to you myself.”
“That is not all, Hadji. You love pillage42 as much as Trimalcyon-Reis, but you also love combat for the sake of combat, and danger for danger’s sake.”
“And I did not have my part either in the pillage or the danger last night, captain! I held the hook, but the fish was not for me.”
“Listen, Hadji, you can have presently your part in a brilliant combat, or remain spectator. You must go out with the chebec to join the black galley of the Commander des Anbiez. The speed of your vessel26 is superior to that of all the galleys. You will hoist43 the black flag and allure44 the commander into this road.”
“I understand, captain.”
“You understand me, Hadji! The culverin of Mai-son-Forte has done such damage to our water-line and other parts of the ship that it will be several days before she is repaired sufficiently45 to put to sea, but we could in a few hours put her in a state to sustain a battle at anchor, and few such battles have been as you will see, Hadji, if you lead the black galley into this bay! If you wish to preserve the chebec which belongs to me, do not enter the bay, Hadji, for as soon as the black galley once sees the Red Galleon, she will hardly think of pursuing you. Then you can set sail to the south. I give you the chebec and slaves, Hadji.”
“It is not for the sake of possessing the chebec that I will do as you wish me to do,” replied Hadji, with sullen46 pride. “Who could have prevented my profiting from the offers of Erebus? Who now could prevent my saying I consent to what you wish, and then setting sail to the south, instead of going out to sea after the black galley? I will lead the commander’s ship here to you, and I will take part in the battle, because it pleases me, because, notwithstanding your calm appearance, a terrible tempest has gathered in your soul, which I wish to see burst forth47. I am of an inquisitive48 turn of mind, captain.”
“Ah, by the wrath of Heaven, whose instrument I am, you will see a beautiful storm let loose, if you return!”
“And I shall return, captain.”
“Above all, say nothing to Trimalcyon of my plan; that fat brute49, once under fire, will do his duty in spite of himself.”
“Make yourself easy, captain, before an hour the black galley will be in pursuit of me around this point.”
“And then—and then,” said Pog, talking to himself with a solemn, inspired air,—“then this bay, now so peaceful, will behold50 one of the greatest tragedies,—a tragedy whose very memory will terrify humanity for generations.”
“I am going, and I shall return with Erebus, captain,” said Hadji.
He disappeared.
Pog knelt down and prayed.
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收听单词发音
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1
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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corrupting
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| （使）败坏( corrupt的现在分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏 | |
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perverting
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| v.滥用( pervert的现在分词 )；腐蚀；败坏；使堕落 | |
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solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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7
justifiable
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| adj.有理由的，无可非议的 | |
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prudence
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| n.谨慎，精明，节俭 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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seducer
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| n.诱惑者,骗子,玩弄女性的人 | |
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seduce
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| vt.勾引，诱奸，诱惑，引诱 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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abducted
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| 劫持，诱拐( abduct的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（肢体等）外展 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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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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galleys
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| n.平底大船，战舰( galley的名词复数 )；（船上或航空器上的）厨房 | |
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isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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galleon
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| n.大帆船 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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passionate
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，激昂的，易动情的，易怒的，性情暴躁的 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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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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28
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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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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piety
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| n.虔诚，虔敬 | |
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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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almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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40
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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41
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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pillage
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| v.抢劫；掠夺；n.抢劫，掠夺；掠夺物 | |
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hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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44
allure
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| n.诱惑力，魅力；vt.诱惑，引诱，吸引 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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50
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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