"'God helps them that help themselves.' That's a clincher. That's been my experience. But I never saw it in words before. What pamphlet is this? 'Poor Richard,' hey!"
Upon entering Israel's room, Captain Paul, stepping towards the table and spying the open pamphlet there, had taken it up, his eye being immediately attracted to the passage previously1 marked by our adventurer.
"A rare old gentleman is 'Poor Richard,'" said Israel in response to Paul's observations.
"So he seems, so he seems," answered Paul, his eye still running over the pamphlet again; "why, 'Poor Richard' reads very much as Doctor Franklin speaks."
"He wrote it," said Israel.
"Aye? Good. So it is, so it is; it's the wise man all over. I must get me a copy of this and wear it around my neck for a charm. And now about our quarters for the night. I am not going to deprive you of your bed, my man. Do you go to bed and I will doze3 in the chair here. It's good dozing4 in the crosstrees."
"Why not sleep together?" said Israel; "see, it is a big bed. Or perhaps you don't fancy your bed-fellow. Captain?"
"When, before the mast, I first sailed out of Whitehaven to Norway," said Paul, coolly, "I had for hammock-mate a full-blooded Congo. We had a white blanket spread in our hammock. Every time I turned in I found the Congo's black wool worked in with the white worsted. By the end of the voyage the blanket was of a pepper-and-salt look, like an old man's turning head. So it's not because I am notional at all, but because I don't care to, my lad. Turn in and go to sleep. Let the lamp burn. I'll see to it. There, go to sleep."
Complying with what seemed as much a command as a request, Israel, though in bed, could not fall into slumber5 for thinking of the little circumstance that this strange swarthy man, flaming with wild enterprises, sat in full suit in the chair. He felt an uneasy misgiving6 sensation, as if he had retired7, not only without covering up the fire, but leaving it fiercely burning with spitting fagots of hemlock8.
But his natural complaisance9 induced him at least to feign10 himself asleep; whereupon. Paul, laying down "Poor Richard," rose from his chair, and, withdrawing his boots, began walking rapidly but noiselessly to and fro, in his stockings, in the spacious11 room, wrapped in Indian meditations12. Israel furtively13 eyed him from beneath the coverlid, and was anew struck by his aspect, now that Paul thought himself unwatched. Stern relentless14 purposes, to be pursued to the points of adverse15 bayonets and the muzzles16 of hostile cannon17, were expressed in the now rigid18 lines of his brow. His ruffled19 right hand was clutched by his side, as if grasping a cutlass. He paced the room as if advancing upon a fortification. Meantime a confused buzz of discussion came from the neighboring chamber20. All else was profound midnight tranquillity21. Presently, passing the large mirror over the mantel, Paul caught a glimpse of his person. He paused, grimly regarding it, while a dash of pleased coxcombry22 seemed to mingle23 with the otherwise savage24 satisfaction expressed in his face. But the latter predominated. Soon, rolling up his sleeve, with a queer wild smile, Paul lifted his right arm, and stood thus for an interval25, eyeing its image in the glass. From where he lay, Israel could not see that side of the arm presented to the mirror, but he saw its reflection, and started at perceiving there, framed in the carved and gilded26 wood, certain large intertwisted ciphers27 covering the whole inside of the arm, so far as exposed, with mysterious tattooings. The design was wholly unlike the fanciful figures of anchors, hearts, and cables, sometimes decorating small portions of seamen's bodies. It was a sort of tattooing28 such as is seen only on thoroughbred savages—deep blue, elaborate, labyrinthine29, cabalistic. Israel remembered having beheld30, on one of his early voyages, something similar on the arm of a New Zealand warrior31, once met, fresh from battle, in his native village. He concluded that on some similar early voyage Paul must have undergone the manipulations of some pagan artist. Covering his arm again with his laced coat-sleeve, Paul glanced ironically at the hand of the same arm, now again half muffled32 in ruffles33, and ornamented34 with several Parisian rings. He then resumed his walking with a prowling air, like one haunting an ambuscade; while a gleam of the consciousness of possessing a character as yet un-fathomed, and hidden power to back unsuspected projects, irradiated his cold white brow, which, owing to the shade of his hat in equatorial climates, had been left surmounting35 his swarthy face, like the snow topping the Andes.
So at midnight, the heart of the metropolis36 of modern civilization was secretly trod by this jaunty37 barbarian38 in broadcloth; a sort of prophetical ghost, glimmering39 in anticipation40 upon the advent2 of those tragic41 scenes of the French Revolution which levelled the exquisite42 refinement43 of Paris with the bloodthirsty ferocity of Borneo; showing that broaches44 and finger-rings, not less than nose-rings and tattooing, are tokens of the primeval savageness45 which ever slumbers46 in human kind, civilized47 or uncivilized.
Israel slept not a wink48 that night. The troubled spirit of Paul paced the chamber till morning; when, copiously49 bathing himself at the wash-stand, Paul looked care-free and fresh as a daybreak hawk50. After a closeted consultation51 with Doctor Franklin, he left the place with a light and dandified air, switching his gold-headed cane52, and throwing a passing arm round all the pretty chambermaids he encountered, kissing them resoundingly, as if saluting53 a frigate54. All barbarians55 are rakes.
点击收听单词发音
1 previously | |
adv.以前,先前(地) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2 advent | |
n.(重要事件等的)到来,来临 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3 doze | |
v.打瞌睡;n.打盹,假寐 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4 dozing | |
v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5 slumber | |
n.睡眠,沉睡状态 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6 misgiving | |
n.疑虑,担忧,害怕 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8 hemlock | |
n.毒胡萝卜,铁杉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9 complaisance | |
n.彬彬有礼,殷勤,柔顺 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10 feign | |
vt.假装,佯作 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11 spacious | |
adj.广阔的,宽敞的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12 meditations | |
默想( meditation的名词复数 ); 默念; 沉思; 冥想 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13 furtively | |
adv. 偷偷地, 暗中地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14 relentless | |
adj.残酷的,不留情的,无怜悯心的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15 adverse | |
adj.不利的;有害的;敌对的,不友好的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16 muzzles | |
枪口( muzzle的名词复数 ); (防止动物咬人的)口套; (四足动物的)鼻口部; (狗)等凸出的鼻子和口 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17 cannon | |
n.大炮,火炮;飞机上的机关炮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18 rigid | |
adj.严格的,死板的;刚硬的,僵硬的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19 ruffled | |
adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20 chamber | |
n.房间,寝室;会议厅;议院;会所 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21 tranquillity | |
n. 平静, 安静 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22 coxcombry | |
n.(男子的)虚浮,浮夸,爱打扮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23 mingle | |
vt.使混合,使相混;vi.混合起来;相交往 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24 savage | |
adj.野蛮的;凶恶的,残暴的;n.未开化的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25 interval | |
n.间隔,间距;幕间休息,中场休息 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26 gilded | |
a.镀金的,富有的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27 ciphers | |
n.密码( cipher的名词复数 );零;不重要的人;无价值的东西 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28 tattooing | |
n.刺字,文身v.刺青,文身( tattoo的现在分词 );连续有节奏地敲击;作连续有节奏的敲击 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29 labyrinthine | |
adj.如迷宫的;复杂的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31 warrior | |
n.勇士,武士,斗士 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32 muffled | |
adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33 ruffles | |
褶裥花边( ruffle的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34 ornamented | |
adj.花式字体的v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35 surmounting | |
战胜( surmount的现在分词 ); 克服(困难); 居于…之上; 在…顶上 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36 metropolis | |
n.首府;大城市 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37 jaunty | |
adj.愉快的,满足的;adv.心满意足地,洋洋得意地;n.心满意足;洋洋得意 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38 barbarian | |
n.野蛮人;adj.野蛮(人)的;未开化的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39 glimmering | |
n.微光,隐约的一瞥adj.薄弱地发光的v.发闪光,发微光( glimmer的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40 anticipation | |
n.预期,预料,期望 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41 tragic | |
adj.悲剧的,悲剧性的,悲惨的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42 exquisite | |
adj.精美的;敏锐的;剧烈的,感觉强烈的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43 refinement | |
n.文雅;高尚;精美;精制;精炼 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44 broaches | |
v.谈起( broach的第三人称单数 );打开并开始用;用凿子扩大(或修光);(在桶上)钻孔取液体 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45 savageness | |
天然,野蛮 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46 slumbers | |
睡眠,安眠( slumber的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47 civilized | |
a.有教养的,文雅的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48 wink | |
n.眨眼,使眼色,瞬间;v.眨眼,使眼色,闪烁 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49 copiously | |
adv.丰富地,充裕地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
50 hawk | |
n.鹰,骗子;鹰派成员 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
51 consultation | |
n.咨询;商量;商议;会议 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
52 cane | |
n.手杖,细长的茎,藤条;v.以杖击,以藤编制的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
53 saluting | |
v.欢迎,致敬( salute的现在分词 );赞扬,赞颂 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
54 frigate | |
n.护航舰,大型驱逐舰 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
55 barbarians | |
n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 );外国人;粗野的人;无教养的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |