On the sea there is always more or less light; even in this time of midnight gloom, with moon and stars hidden by the fog, and with none of that phosphorescence which at times makes a luminous5 glow of its own over the water, I could see things at an unexpected distance. More than all, was I surprised as well as cheered to find that I could distinguish the features of the land from the sea, better than I could from land discern anything at sea. When I looked back, the shore rose, a dark uneven6 line, unbroken save where the Haven7 of Dunbuy running inland made an angle against the sky. But beside me, the great Rock of Dunbuy rose gigantic and black; it was like a mountain towering over me. The tide was running down so that when I had got out of the current running inland behind the rock I was in comparatively calm water.[434] There was no downward current, but only a slow backwater, which insensibly took me closer to the Rock. Keeping in this shelter, I swam on and out; I saved myself as much as I could, for I knew of the terrible demand on my strength which lay before me. It must have been about ten minutes, though it seemed infinitely8 longer, when I began to emerge from the shelter of the Rock and to find again the force of the outer current. The waves were wilder here too; not so wild as just in shore before they broke, but they were considerably9 larger in their rise and fall. As I swam on, I looked back now and then, and saw Dunbuy behind me towering upward, though not so monstrously10 as when I had been under its lee. The current was beginning already to bear me downwards11; so I changed my course, and got back to the sheltered water again. Thus I crept round under the lee of the Rock, till all at once I found myself in the angry race, where the current beat on and off the cliff. It took me all my strength and care to swim through this; when the force of the current began to slacken, as I emerged from the race, I found myself panting and breathless with the exertion12.
But when I looked around me from this point, where the east opened to me, there was something which restored all my courage and hope, though it did not still the beating of my heart.
Close by, seemingly only a couple of hundred yards off to the north east, lay a ship whose masts and spars stood out against the sky. I could see her clearly, before a coming belt of fog bore down on her.
The apprehension13 lest I should miss her in the fog chilled me more than the sea water in which I was immersed; for all possibilities of evil became fears to me, now that the realisation of my vision was clear. I was glad of the darkness; it was a guarantee against discovery.[435] I swam on quietly, and was rejoiced to find as I drew close that I was on the port side of the ship; well I remembered how in my vision the boat approached to port, to the surprise of the men who were looking out for it on the other side. I found the rope ladder easily enough, and did not have much difficulty in getting a foothold on it. Ascending14 cautiously, and watching every inch of the way, I climbed the bulwark15 and hid behind a water barrel close to the mast. From this security I looked out, and saw the backs of several men ranged along the starboard bulwark. They were intent on their watching, and unsuspicious of my proximity16; so I stole out and glided17 as silently as I could into the cabin’s entrance. It was not new to me; I had a sense of complete security as to my knowledge. The eyes of Gormala’s soul were keen!
In the cabin I recognised at once the smoky lamp and the rude preparations for food. Thus emboldened18, I came to the door, behind which I knew Marjory lay. It was locked and bolted, and the key was gone. I slid back the bolt, but the lock baffled me. I was afraid to make the slightest noise, lest I should court discovery; so I passed on to the next cabin where was her jailer. He lay just as, in the vision, I had seen him; the chronometer19 was above him and the two heavy revolvers hung underneath20 it. I slipped in quietly—there were not shoes to remove—and reaching over so that the water would not drip from my wet underclothing on his face, unhooked the two weapons. I belted them round my waist with the strap21 on which they hung. Then I looked round for the key, but could see no sign of it. There was no time to lose, and it was neither time nor place to stand on ceremony; so I took the man by the throat with my left hand, the dagger22 being in my right, and held with such a grip that the blood seemed to leap into his face in a second. He[436] could utter no sound, but instinctively23 his hand went back and up to where the revolvers had hung. I whispered in a low tone:
“It’s no use. Give me the key. I don’t value your life a pin!” He was well plucked, and he was manifestly used to tight places. He did not attempt to speak or parley24; but whilst I had been whispering, his right hand had got hold of a knife. It was a bowie, and he was dexterous25 with it. With some kind of sharp wrench26 he threw it open; there was a click as the back-spring worked. If I had not had my dagger ready it would have been a bad time for me. But I was prepared; whilst he was making the movement to strike at me, I struck. The keen point of the Spanish dagger went right through the upturned wrist, and pinned his hand down to the wooden edge of the bunk27. Whilst, however, he had been trying to strike with his right hand, his left had clutched my left wrist. He tried now to loose my grasp from his throat, whilst bending his chin down he made a furious effort to tear at my hand with his teeth. Never in my life did I more need my strength and weight. The man was manifestly a fighter, trained in many a wild ‘rough-and-tumble’, and his nerves were like iron. I feared to let go the hilt of the dagger, lest in his violent struggling he should tear his wrist away and so free his hand. Having, however, got my right knee raised, I pressed down with it his arm on the edge of the bunk and so freed my right hand. He continued to struggle ferociously28. I knew well it was life and death, not only for me, but for Marjory.
It was his life or mine; and he had to pay the penalty of his crime.
So intent was I on the struggle that I had not heard the approach of the boat with his comrades. It was only when I stood panting, with the limp throat between my fingers which were white at the knuckles29 with the strain,[437] that the sound of voices and the tramp of feet on deck reached my intelligence. Then indeed I knew there was no time to lose. I searched the dead man’s pockets and found a key, which I tried in the lock of Marjory’s cabin. When I opened the door she started up; the hand in her bosom30 was whipped out with a flash, and in an instant a long steel bonnet31 pin was ready to drive into her breast. My agonised whisper:
“Marjory, it is I!” only reached her mind in time to hold her hand. She did not speak; but never can I forget the look of joy that illumined her poor, pale face. I put my finger on my lip, and held out my hand to her. She rose, with the obedience32 of a child, and came with me. I was just going out into the cabin, when I heard the creak of a heavy footstep on the companion way. So I motioned her back, and, drawing the dagger from my belt, stood ready. I knew who it was that was coming; yet I dared not use the pistols, save as a last resource.
I stood behind the door. The negro did not expect anyone, or any obstacle; he came on unthinkingly, save for whatever purpose of evil was in his mind. He was armed, as were all the members of the blackmail33 gang. In a belt across his shoulder, slung34 Kentucky fashion, were two great seven shooters; and across his waist behind was a great bowie knife, with handle ready to grasp. Moreover, nigger-like, the handle of a razor rose out of the breast pocket of his dark flannel35 shirt. He did not, however, manifestly purpose using his weapons—at present at any rate; there was not any sign of danger or opposition36 in front of him. His comrades were busy at present in embarking37 the treasure, and would be for many an hour to come, in helping38 to work the ship clear into safety. Every minute now the wind was rising, and the waves swelling39 to such proportions that the anchored ship rocked like a bell-buoy in a storm. In the cabin I[438] had to hold on, or I should have been shot from my place into view. But the huge negro cared for none of these things. He was callous40 to everything, and there was such a wicked, devilish purpose in his look that my heart hardened grimly in the antagonism41 of man to man. Nay42 more, it was not a man that I loathed43; I would have killed this beast with less compunction than I would kill a rat or a snake. Never in my life did I behold44 such a wicked face. In feature and expression there was every trace and potentiality of evil; and these superimposed on a racial brutality46 which made my gorge47 rise. Well indeed did I understand now the one terror which had in all her troubles come to Marjory, and how these wretches48 had used it to mould her to their ends. I knew now why, sleeping or waking, she held that steel spike49 against her heart. If—
The thought was too much for me. Even now, though I was beside her, she was beset50 by her enemies. We were both still practically prisoners on a hostile ship, and even now this demon51 was intent on unspeakable wrong. I did not pause; I did not shrink from the terrible task before me. With a bound I was upon him, and I had struck at his heart; struck so truly and so terrible a blow, that the hilt of the dagger struck his ribs52 with a thud like the blow of a cudgel. The blood seemed to leap out at me, even as the blow fell. With spasmodic reaction he tumbled forwards; fell without a sound, and so quickly that had not I, fearing lest the noise of his falling might betray me, caught him, he would have dropped like a stricken bullock.
Never before did I understand the pleasure of killing53 a man. Since then, it makes me shudder54 when I think of how so potent45 a passion, or so keen a pleasure, can rest latent in the heart of a righteous man. It may have been that between the man and myself was all the antagonism[439] that came from race, and fear, and wrongdoing; but the act of his killing was to me a joy unspeakable. It will rest with me as a wild pleasure till I die.
I took all the arms he had about him, two revolvers and a knife; they would give me fourteen more shots were I hard pressed. In any case they were safer, so far as Marjory and I were concerned, in my hands than in those of our enemies. I dragged the body of the negro into the cabin with the other dead man; then I closed the door on them, and when Marjory joined me, I locked the door of her cabin and took away the key. In case of suspicion this might give us a few minutes of extra time.
Marjory came with me up on deck; and as she caught sight of the open sea there was an unspeakable gladness on her face. We seized a favourable55 opportunity, when no one was looking, for all on deck were busy hauling up the treasure; and slipped behind the cask fastened to the mast. There we breathed freely. We both felt that should the worst come to the worst we could get away before any one could touch us. One rush to the bulwarks56 and over. They would never attempt to follow us, and there was a chance of a swim to shore. I gave Marjory a belt with two revolvers. As she strapped57 it on she felt safer; I knew it by the way she drew herself up, and threw back her shoulders.
When the last of the bags which held the treasure came on board, the men who had come with it closed in a ring around the mass as it lay on deck. They were all armed; I could see that they did not trust the sailors, for each moment some one’s hand would go back to his gun. We heard one of them ask as he looked round: “What has become of that damned nigger? He must take his share of work!” Marjory was very brave and very still; I could see that her nerve was coming back to her. After a little whispered conversation, the newcomers[440] began to carry the bags down to the cabin; it was slow work, for two always stood guard above, and two remained down below evidently on similar duty. Discovery of the dead man must come soon, so Marjory and I stole behind the foremast which was well away from every one. She was first, and as she began to pass behind she recoiled58; she got the drop on some one in front of her. There was a smothered59 ‘h-s-s-sh’ and she lowered her weapon. Turning to me she said in a faint whisper:
“It is the Spaniard; what is he doing here?” I whispered back:
“Be good to him. He is a noble fellow, and has behaved like a knight60 of old!” I pressed forward and took his hand. “How did you get here?” I asked. His answer was given in so faint a voice that I could see that he was spent and tired, if not injured:
“I swam, too. When I saw their boat pull out of the northern channel, I managed to scramble61 down part of the cliff, and then jumped. Fortunately I was not injured. It was a long, weary swim, and I thought I should never be able to get through; but at last the current took me and carried me to the ship. She was anchored with a hawser62, not a cable. I managed to climb up it; and when I was on board I cut it nearly through.”
Even as he spoke63 there was a queer lurch64 of the ship which lay stern forward, and a smothered ejaculation from all the seamen65.
The hawser had parted and we were drifting before wind and tide. Then it was that I felt we should give warning to the yacht and the battleship. I knew that they were not far off; had I not seen them in my vision, which had now been proven. Then it was also that the words of the young American came back to me: “Give us a light, if you have to fire the ship to get it.”
[441]
All this time, from the moment when I had set foot on the whaler’s deck till this instant, events had moved with inconceivable rapidity. There had been one silent, breathless rush; during which two lives had been taken and Marjory set free. Only a few minutes had elapsed in all; and when I looked around under the altered conditions, things seemed to be almost where they had been. It was like the picture in one’s mind made by a lightning flash; when the period of reception is less than the time of the smallest action, and movement is lost in time. The fog belt was thinning out, and there was in the night air a faint suggestion that one might see, if there were anything to be seen.
The great Rock of Dunbuy towered up; I could just distinguish so much on the land side. Whilst I was looking, there came a sudden light and then a whirr; high overhead through the sea fog we could see faintly the fiery66 trail of a rocket.
Instantly out at sea was an answer; a great ray of light shot upwards67, and we could see its reflection in the sky. None of us said anything; but instinctively Marjory and I clasped hands. Then the light ray seemed to fall downward to the sea. But as it came down, the fog seemed to grow thicker and thicker till the light was lost in its density68. There was stir of all on our ship. No loud word was spoken, but whispered directions, given with smothered curses, flew. Each man of the crew seemed to run to his post, and with a screeching69 and straining the sails rose. The vessel70 began to slip through the water with added speed. Now, if ever, was our time to warn our friends. The little rockets which I had brought had been sodden71 with water and were useless, and besides we had no way of getting a light. The only way of warning was by sound, and the only sound to carry was a pistol shot. For an instant I hesitated, for a shot meant a life if we[442] should be pushed to it. But it must be done; so signing to the others I ran aft and when close to the mast fired my revolver. Instantly around me was a chorus of curses. I bent72 double and ran back, seeing through the darkness vague forms rush to where I had been. The fog was closing thicker around us; it seemed to boil over the bulwarks as we passed along. We had either passed into another belt of fog, or one was closing down upon us with the wind. The sound of the pistol shot had evidently reached the war ship. She was far off us, and the sounds came faintly over the waste of stormy sea; but there was no mistaking the cheer followed by commands. These sounded faint and hoarsely73; a few words were spoken with a trumpet74, and then came the shrill75 whistle of the boatswain’s pipe.
On our own deck was rushing to and fro, and frenzied76 labour everywhere. The first object was to get away from the searchlight; they would seek presently, no doubt, for who had fired the betraying shot. If I could have known what to do, so as to stay our progress, there would have been other shots; for now that we were moving through the water, every second might take us further from the shore and place us deeper in the toils77 of our foes78.
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1
buffeted
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| 反复敲打( buffet的过去式和过去分词 )； 连续猛击； 打来打去； 推来搡去 | |
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2
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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3
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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4
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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5
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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6
uneven
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| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
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7
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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8
infinitely
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| adv.无限地，无穷地 | |
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9
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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10
monstrously
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11
downwards
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| adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地） | |
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12
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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13
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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14
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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15
bulwark
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| n.堡垒，保障，防御 | |
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16
proximity
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| n.接近，邻近 | |
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17
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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18
emboldened
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| v.鼓励，使有胆量( embolden的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
chronometer
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| n.精密的计时器 | |
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20
underneath
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| adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面 | |
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21
strap
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| n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎 | |
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22
dagger
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| n.匕首，短剑，剑号 | |
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23
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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24
parley
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| n.谈判 | |
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25
dexterous
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| adj.灵敏的；灵巧的 | |
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26
wrench
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| v.猛拧；挣脱；使扭伤；n.扳手；痛苦，难受 | |
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27
bunk
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| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
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ferociously
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| 野蛮地，残忍地 | |
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29
knuckles
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| n.（指人）指关节( knuckle的名词复数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝v.（指人）指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 )；（指动物）膝关节，踝 | |
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30
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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31
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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32
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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33
blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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34
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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35
flannel
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| n.法兰绒；法兰绒衣服 | |
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36
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 | |
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37
embarking
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| 乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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38
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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39
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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40
callous
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| adj.无情的，冷淡的，硬结的，起老茧的 | |
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41
antagonism
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| n.对抗，敌对，对立 | |
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42
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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43
loathed
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| v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢 | |
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44
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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45
potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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46
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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47
gorge
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| n.咽喉，胃，暴食，山峡；v.塞饱，狼吞虎咽地吃 | |
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48
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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49
spike
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| n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效 | |
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50
beset
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| v.镶嵌；困扰，包围 | |
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51
demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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52
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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53
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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54
shudder
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| v.战粟，震动，剧烈地摇晃；n.战粟，抖动 | |
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55
favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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56
bulwarks
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| n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙 | |
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57
strapped
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| adj.用皮带捆住的，用皮带装饰的；身无分文的；缺钱；手头紧v.用皮带捆扎(strap的过去式和过去分词)；用皮带抽打；包扎；给…打绷带 | |
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58
recoiled
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| v.畏缩( recoil的过去式和过去分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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59
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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60
knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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61
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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62
hawser
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| n.大缆；大索 | |
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63
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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64
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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65
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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66
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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67
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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68
density
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| n.密集，密度，浓度 | |
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69
screeching
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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70
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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71
sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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72
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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73
hoarsely
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| adv.嘶哑地 | |
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74
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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75
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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76
frenzied
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| a.激怒的；疯狂的 | |
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77
toils
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| 网 | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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