“Your prophecy has come true, Smith. Want of proper vigilance and the lack of a fort have been our undoing2. Last night while all were asleep we were surprised by the Indians and many of our men are dead. Fear has taken hold of the others to such an extent they seem paralyzed, and will not stir to provide protection. All are determined3 to leave with Captain Newport for home. I hope that your coming will restore their courage.”
“Why does not Wingfield compel the men to go to work?” inquired Smith.
“Wingfield, I am sorry to say, thinks only of himself. He has no feeling of responsibility or pity for his men. I know you for a man of courage and a Christian5. My only hope lies in you.
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“I can do so little. Every move or suggestion I make is looked upon with suspicion and jealousy6. God knows I have no selfish end in view, and I can only trust Him and wait.”
The coming of Captain Smith, with his courage and perseverance7, insensibly restored the spirits of the colonists8. After he had talked to them and urged them not to abandon the settlement they consented to try a while longer, but no sooner was order restored than Wingfield and his satellites set to work to breed envy and suspicion of the brave soldier.
One morning after daily prayer had been said, the Rev9. Mr. Hunt spoke10 to the assembled men about their jealousy and suspicion of Captain Smith.
“My friends,” said he, “we have come across to this land together, here to found a home for ourselves and be a help to the benighted11 savage12. Let us put aside envy and backbiting13, and trust one another. Each one of us has a duty to perform in planting the English nation upon this soil, and let us not forget the great end we have in view, of bringing these poor savages14 to love and serve their Maker15. Let us treat them with forbearance and patience, making no retaliation16 for the wrong done60 us. We must bear in mind that Ralph Lane’s men, in killing17 a poor savage for the loss of a paltry18 silver cup, first taught the Indian hatred19 for the white man. Before that time all was peace and love between them. They listened gladly to the story of the Heavenly Father’s love, and even stroked their bodies with the Word of God, thinking in their simple way that mere20 contact would bring a blessing21. But I must speak to you of one other thing.
“There is one among you, courageous22 and God-fearing, who has your interest alone at heart. In return for all his kindness you have given him pain and heartache. Is this the spirit of a Christian? Can we teach brotherly love to the savage when we lack it among ourselves? Is it honest and manly23 treatment? I speak to you as man to man. Look into your hearts and see if you have done as you would be done by, and then repenting24 of your lack of charity, extend the hand of comradeship to him.”
As they quietly listened to the words of the priest, over many faces stole a look of shame and repentance25; but some still sat with unmoved countenances26, among them Wingfield and his particular friends.
Captain Newport now made ready to return61 to England with his shipload of clapboards hewn from the virgin27 forests surrounding the settlement. The pinnace was to be left behind for exploring expeditions as had been commanded by the London Company.
On the voyage to Virginia much of the food supply had been spoilt and what was left was recklessly squandered28. As long as the returning ships stayed the sailors exchanged the food, which they had for the voyage back to England, for tobacco and other possessions of the settlers.
After they left it became necessary to place each man on an allowance of food. A half pint29 of wheat and barley30 boiled in water served as a day’s allowance. President Wingfield, however, had taken care to provide beef, oatmeal, and sack for his private use.
He now saw fit to issue orders for the building of the long-needed fort, and the men were put to work cutting down palisades and bearing them to the appointed place. Few of them could be prevailed upon to work in their weakened condition, and of those who did many died from exhaustion31.
The provisions of Wingfield were now nearly spent, and as he had no intention62 of sharing the lot of the colonists, he and his friends plotted to seize the pinnace and sail for the mother country.
One day John Laydon, returning from work on the fort, overheard the conspirators32 talking together behind a clump33 of bushes, and he immediately reported the matter to the Chaplain.
Hastily seeking out Captain Smith, Mr. Hunt repeated the story told him by Laydon.
“After evening prayer, when all of the men are together, I will disclose the plot,” replied the Captain.
When the clock struck four the idle and the industrious35 alike assembled under the stretched sail. There were the unsuspecting and the plotters sitting side by side, and as the priest looked upon them he could not keep the tremor36 out of his voice as he thought of the helplessness of some and the treachery of the others. When the last words of the blessing had been said, Captain Smith arose and told them of the plot. As he pictured the selfishness of Wingfield, his cruel treatment, and worst of all his intention of seizing the pinnace, the anger of the men rose to white heat.
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“He shall not be President any longer!” cried one. Immediately the cry was taken up by the others, and Wingfield cringed in fear of his life. A vote was then taken to elect a new President. Surely Captain Smith would be chosen; but no, the seed of suspicion sown by Wingfield had taken root. The colonists were not yet ready to trust Captain Smith. Ratcliffe, the accomplice37 of Wingfield, was elected in his stead.
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1
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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perseverance
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| n.坚持不懈，不屈不挠 | |
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colonists
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| n.殖民地开拓者，移民，殖民地居民( colonist的名词复数 ) | |
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rev
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| v.发动机旋转，加快速度 | |
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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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benighted
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| adj.蒙昧的 | |
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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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backbiting
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| 背后诽谤 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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retaliation
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| n.报复，反击 | |
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killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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paltry
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| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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repenting
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的现在分词 ) | |
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repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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countenances
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| n.面容( countenance的名词复数 )；表情；镇静；道义支持 | |
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virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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squandered
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| v.（指钱，财产等）浪费，乱花( squander的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pint
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| n.品脱 | |
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barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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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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conspirators
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| n.共谋者，阴谋家( conspirator的名词复数 ) | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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outrage
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| n.暴行，侮辱，愤怒；vt.凌辱，激怒 | |
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industrious
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| adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的 | |
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tremor
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| n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震 | |
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accomplice
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| n.从犯，帮凶，同谋 | |
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