Saxe had the courage of the strong man, but nature permits no man to lay down his life uselessly without revolt. Neither Saxe nor Billy was a coward, yet each was craven there in that eyrie above the flood, which imprisoned24 them in eternal night. The crime of Masters had brought wanton destruction upon them. There was no solace25 of justice in this doom26. They were abandoned of hope. Their hearts were sick within them.
Billy Walker spoke12 at last, and his voice was humbler than its wont27, less sonorous28, too. The first angry uproar29 of the waters was ended now, although they were rippling30 and swirling31 daintily still, as if in tender caresses32 of the rocks, which so recently they had smitten33 in fury. Above the gentle noise of the eddies34, the sage’s voice, mild as it was comparatively, sounded clearly. Instantly, a cry came from the far side of the chamber.
“Billy! Billy! You’re alive!”
“Billy! Thank God!” It was David’s voice.
Billy roared so joyously36 that all other tones were lost for a time, but, at last, Roy and David caught Saxe’s higher pitch, and they were glad anew. Across the room, questions and answers were volleyed. It was made known that Roy and David, at the first rush of the lake upon them, had held to the projections37 of the rock where they had just made fast the tackle, and had climbed higher until they were safe above the flood. Now, they rested aloft on a tiny shelf of stone, only a little way beneath the roof, and they, even as Saxe and Billy, realized to the full the impossibility of escape from this sepulchre within the earth. And Roy lamented38 in characteristic fashion, after Saxe and Billy had explained the cause of the lake’s in-flow, which had been a mystery to the other two.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t have had a chance at Masters before he went.”
“The skunk40 got us, after all,” he mourned. He added, with frank ferocity: “Damn him!”[336] He knew, as did the others, that such speech concerning the dead was unseemly. Yet none rebuked41 him. For a moment, the warmth of wrath42 was comfort against the chill desolation of their case.
Nevertheless, Billy Walker’s ruling passion was so strong that not even death might daunt43 it. The action of Masters required some explanation, to make all clear before the less-orderly minds of his friends. So, after a period of reflection, he expounded44 his understanding of the engineer’s part in the final act of their drama. The volume of his voice was such that he did not need to go beyond his usual conversational45 thundering to be heard distinctly by those on the opposite side of the chamber.
“Masters, naturally, didn’t mean to do this thing,” he declared. “He wasn’t the type to commit suicide. He kept track of us all the time. How he did it doesn’t matter especially. Probably, he used another entrance to the cavern, which we don’t know. Anyhow, he learned what it was we had found down this way. I guess he spied on us, and heard you, Roy, and Dave, working on the tackle, and took it for granted we were all here together.[337] He thought he could burrow46 through, and get at the gold himself while we were off after help. He meant to blow an opening just big enough to get through, I fancy. He failed to take into consideration the frailness47 of the roof that stood between the passage and the lake. He blew a hole in the bottom of the lake—and that was the beginning of our troubles, and the ending of his. He couldn’t find a refuge like ours in that other passage. Exit Masters—I regret our fate, but not his.” With this succinct48 statement, the sage relapsed into silence, which continued until Roy relieved his overwrought feelings by a denunciation against fate.
“I’ve been on the edge of dying many a time,” he declared, bitterly; “but I was never up against this sort of thing before, and I’m free to say that I don’t like it. There’s some satisfaction in being done to death in a good fight, or in battling your best against any kind of odds49. Of course, a man doesn’t exactly want to die, any time. But what puts me in the dumps is this particular variety of dying that we’re up against here. We’ve got to sit roosting on a shelf in the dark, like a heathen[338] idol50 in a temple after it’s been buried in an earthquake—and we’ve just got to sit till we starve to death. I do hope I run across Masters in the next world.”
“Let us hope for your own sake that both you and Dave do not have your wishes granted concerning Masters in the next world,” Billy exclaimed. The grim jest was not amusing in their situation. The three hearers shivered a little, and were silent.
Afterward51, the four gave themselves to serious meditation52, as is fitting to men in the presence of death. On one occasion, Billy, in answer to a question from David, discoursed53 freely on the reasonableness of belief in a future life, and pleaded in defense54 of such faith with a lucid55 sincerity56 and completeness that first surprised, then comforted his audience. Each, after his own fashion, believed in the continuance of life through death; none the less, each was loath57 to put off the garment of mortality. Billy Walker would fain have remained on earth for a larger accumulation of its wisdom, with which, as it seemed to him, he had only just begun. Saxe’s heart was near to breaking over the knowledge that he must go[339] from Margaret into the unknown places, where she would not be. Roy felt the like desolation because of May. David, since he had no particular thing to regret with superlative sadness, let his longing touch on many things, and grief was heavy upon him, because he must lose all—all!
A single incident afforded the unhappy men diversion from their plight. After some discussion, it was agreed that it would make the situation a trifle less dreary58 if the four of them were gathered in one place, instead of being divided by the width of the chamber. The shelf on which Roy and David had ensconced themselves was not of a size sufficient to accommodate the other two. For that matter, its dimensions were unduly59 restricted even for those already there. On the other hand, the top of the heap of rocks up which Saxe and Billy had climbed afforded ample room for all, besides giving better opportunity for the securing of water to drink, since the massed stones were easy of ascent60 and descent. Unfortunately, there was a difficulty in the way of consummating61 the assembly of the four in the one place, due to the fact that David could not[340] swim. It was arranged finally, however, that Billy Walker should swim across the chamber, being guided by the voices of Roy and David, and that then he and Roy should support the other across to the heap of stones, being guided in turn by the voice of Saxe, who would remain behind for that purpose. At once, when this arrangement had been made, Billy clambered down the rocks with many a sigh, until the water supported him. Then, he swam easily to the point from which Roy was calling. David let himself down into the water through the blackness without demur62 as his friends bade him, and very quickly he was carried across to the place indicated by the voice of Saxe. A minute later, the four friends were reunited on their microscopic63 island, and the fact yielded them a pleasure melancholy64 and fleeting65, yet a pleasure, an alleviation66, where no alleviation had seemed possible.
Even in this fatal plight, the sage preserved his serenity67, and from time to time startled his companions by his utterances68, thus breaking in by ever so little on the torment69 of their spirits. They had just finished drinking as best they might from cupped hands dipped into the[341] water at their feet, and David had spoken of being already hungry, when Billy laughed in his usual noisy outburst.
“Exactly!” he exclaimed. “Always, when a man is confronted with absolute lack of provisions, he at once develops a ravenous70 appetite. He may have eaten five meals on the day of the wreck71, and have gorged72 to repletion73 five minutes before the ship foundered74. When he has become acquainted with the fact that he is adrift on the ocean in an open boat with only a few drops of water in the beaker, and ten wormy biscuits for six persons, he immediately begins to feel the gnawing75 pangs76 of ravenous hunger and deadly thirst. Naturally it will be so with us. David has already spoken. For my part, I confess that I, too, hear the generalissimo of the belly77 clamoring for reinforcements, although I enjoyed a capital and capacious breakfast, and it’s not yet anywhere near the scheduled hour for luncheon78 on the earth above.”
At that, there came a chorus of protests from the others, who had listened patiently enough hitherto:
[342]“Not time for luncheon!” Roy exclaimed, indignantly. “Man, you’re crazy.”
“It’s well along in the night,” Saxe affirmed.
“Or, maybe, toward the morning of next day.” David spoke with the emphasis of entire conviction. “We’ve been here close to twenty-four hours, already.”
Billy Walker chuckled—a great volume of sound, which sent multiplying echoes afar over the placid80 water that shut them off from life.
“The exercise of reason convinces me that all of you are quite wrong,” the sage remarked, very genially81. “There are certain well-known facts that compel me to believe you are wrong in your estimate of the time already elapsed since your incarceration82 by the flood. You are, perhaps, aware that in situations such as ours, the human mind errs83 outrageously84 in its calculations of time. Persons buried alive for a few hours invariably deem the time many days. One lives through great suffering; he believes that the time of his agony has been correspondingly great, though it may have been a matter of seconds, rather than of hours.[343] This involuntary exaggeration seems a universal rule. We can’t reasonably believe that we are constituted differently from other men. With the judgment85 clarified by reason, based on knowledge of allied86 facts, I am compelled to believe—in direct contradiction to my own feelings, as well as yours—that the time elapsed since the lake broke in on us hasn’t been more than—” Billy paused to reflect, running over the sequence of events, as the basis of computation.
“And, after all,” Billy remarked musingly88, “time is only one of the categories of human thought, as Kant pointed89 out. To me, it seems eons since I was in the great out-of-doors—free, free to live. I judge by reasoning that we have been shut up here for nearly an hour—not quite.”
Before Roy could voice the protest on his lips, a cry came from Saxe:
“Hark! Hark!”
The others held silent, marveling what this might mean. To their ears came the gentle[344] lapping of the waves against the walls of the prison-house, the faint sighs of their own breathing—nothing else. After a long time, Saxe spoke again; and his voice was lifeless, where before it had been vibrant90 with feeling.
“I must be going mad,” he said, simply. “I thought that I heard—someone—calling my name.”
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1
peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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intensity
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| n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度 | |
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disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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postponed
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| vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发） | |
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marooned
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| adj.被围困的；孤立无援的；无法脱身的 | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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sage
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| n.圣人，哲人；adj.贤明的，明智的 | |
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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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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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14
egress
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| n.出去；出口 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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perch
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| n.栖木，高位，杆；v.栖息，就位，位于 | |
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laggard
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| n.落后者；adj.缓慢的，落后的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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engulfment
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| [医]吞食，病毒固定 | |
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survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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destined
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| adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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imprisoned
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| 下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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sonorous
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| adj.响亮的，回响的；adv.圆润低沉地；感人地；n.感人，堂皇 | |
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uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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rippling
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| 起涟漪的，潺潺流水般声音的 | |
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swirling
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| v.旋转，打旋( swirl的现在分词 ) | |
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caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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smitten
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| 猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
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eddies
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| （水、烟等的）漩涡，涡流( eddy的名词复数 ) | |
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shrilly
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| 尖声的； 光亮的，耀眼的 | |
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joyously
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| ad.快乐地, 高兴地 | |
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projections
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| 预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物 | |
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lamented
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| adj.被哀悼的，令人遗憾的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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40
skunk
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| n.臭鼬，黄鼠狼；v.使惨败，使得零分；烂醉如泥 | |
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41
rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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43
daunt
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| vt.使胆怯，使气馁 | |
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44
expounded
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| 论述，详细讲解( expound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
conversational
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| adj.对话的，会话的 | |
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46
burrow
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| vt.挖掘(洞穴)；钻进；vi.挖洞；翻寻；n.地洞 | |
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47
frailness
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| n.脆弱，不坚定 | |
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48
succinct
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| adj.简明的，简洁的 | |
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odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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50
idol
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| n.偶像，红人，宠儿 | |
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51
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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52
meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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53
discoursed
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| 演说（discourse的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 | |
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55
lucid
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| adj.明白易懂的，清晰的，头脑清楚的 | |
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56
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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57
loath
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| adj.不愿意的；勉强的 | |
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58
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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unduly
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| adv.过度地，不适当地 | |
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60
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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61
consummating
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| v.使结束( consummate的现在分词 )；使完美；完婚；（婚礼后的）圆房 | |
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62
demur
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| v．表示异议，反对 | |
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63
microscopic
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| adj.微小的，细微的，极小的，显微的 | |
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64
melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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fleeting
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| adj.短暂的，飞逝的 | |
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66
alleviation
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| n. 减轻，缓和，解痛物 | |
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serenity
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| n.宁静，沉着，晴朗 | |
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utterances
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| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
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69
torment
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| n.折磨；令人痛苦的东西(人)；vt.折磨；纠缠 | |
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ravenous
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| adj.极饿的，贪婪的 | |
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71
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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72
gorged
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| v.（用食物把自己）塞饱，填饱( gorge的过去式和过去分词 )；作呕 | |
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73
repletion
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| n.充满，吃饱 | |
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foundered
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| v.创始人( founder的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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pangs
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| 突然的剧痛( pang的名词复数 )； 悲痛 | |
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77
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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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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80
placid
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| adj.安静的，平和的 | |
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81
genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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82
incarceration
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| n.监禁，禁闭；钳闭 | |
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83
errs
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| 犯错误，做错事( err的第三人称单数 ) | |
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84
outrageously
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| 凶残地； 肆无忌惮地； 令人不能容忍地； 不寻常地 | |
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85
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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86
allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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87
logic
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| n.逻辑(学)；逻辑性 | |
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musingly
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| adv.沉思地，冥想地 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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90
vibrant
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| adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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