'I would I were as wise as you, Mary,' replied Stauncy who had acted unnaturally6, and whose conscience upbraided7 him; 'I should keep free from trouble; but I thought it best to act as I did.'
'Unkindness can never be best, James; wrong can never be right. You must think better of it and do the boy justice.' But the captain was unwilling8 to retrace9 his steps, for reasons of which his sensible and prudent10 wife knew nothing. So he left the matter where it was, saying to himself, 'What must be, must.'
The darkening shadows had fallen for hours that night, when a party more numerous than usual took possession of the taproom of the Jolly Tar11, in one of the narrow streets of Appledore. The ruddy glow of the log fire on the hearth12 was warmly reflected on the faces of the motley group as they sat around the settle, and gave to their features a bloated appearance, which too well read out the sottish habits of most of them. Night after night they congregated13 in that beery repository of gossip and scandal, of drunkenness and brawling14; and many were the hapless wives and children who paid in hunger, nakedness, tears, and crime, for their bacchanalian15 selfishness and revelry. The company was varied16 occasionally by casual visitors, who were constrained17 to 'stand a treat,' and tempted18 to aspire19 after that maudlin20 condition denominated 'three sheets in the wind.' Such a visitor on the evening in question was Sam Pickard, who became the hero of the night, and escaped the ordinary requirement of 'glasses round,' from the sympathy awakened21 by his escape from a watery22 grave. Jim Ortop's father a wild, cadaverous-looking shoemaker, and a noted23 tippler, appeared to be the leading spirit; and from the twinkling of his eyes, and the rapidity with which he swallowed his potations, it was evident that he was unusually excited.
By general request, Sam Pickard proceeded to give them the history of the loss of the Sarah Ann, which he did with much feeling, and amidst a silence which was only broken occasionally by unsympathetic grumblings from the restless, angry-looking shoemaker.
'What's become of the six poor fellows who drifted away in the jolly-boat?' asked a grim-looking blacksmith.
'Who knows?' said Pickard; 'I heard this afternoon that part of a boat had been picked up over to Braunton, and that'—
'Just before I came here,' broke in one of the party, 'Bill Berry told me that four of the bodies had been found at the back of the Burrows24.'
'They've been murdered, then,' said Ortop fiercely. 'I tell you they never came to their end by fair means. Their blood lies at the door of Cap'n Stauncy, who scuttled26 the brig, as sure as I'm a living man; and if there's any justice in England, it ought to follow him like a bloodhound.'
'It's false!' said Pickard, rising, with a flow of blood in his face which threatened mischief27. 'What should the cap'n want to scuttle25 the vessel28 for? He did his best to keep her up during the gale29, and I'll sew your mouth up for you if you spread such a lying report any further.'
'I say,' vociferated the shoemaker, smashing his pipe on the table, 'that they're murdered men; and before you try to sew my mouth up, you'd better slacken the noose30 that's tightening31 round your own neck!'
The ex-cook rushed forward to take summary vengeance32 on the representative of the gentle craft, who rose to defend himself, and a fearful fight would have ensued had the evening been farther advanced. As it was, they were most of them tolerably sober, and managed to separate the combatants.
THEY MANAGED TO SEPARATE THE COMBATANTS.
'I say again what I have said,' exclaimed Ortop, as he was pushed to his seat. 'My boy told me all about it; and I'll have a reckoning with you another day, Mr. Pickard.'
It was some time before they were quieted; but a forecastle man, with a powerful voice, contrived33 to bring things round by singing a song in heave anchor fashion, the chorus of which was taken up noisily by most present. He was followed by an old salt, who had swallowed the handspike, as the sailors say when any one has retired34 from the service, and who perpetrated with a nasal twang a doggerel35 ballad36, immensely popular amongst his class, which was followed by a furious rattling37 of tankards and glasses, in token of approbation38; and, having 'filled again,' they opened a running fire of convivial39 talk, which gradually brought round the engrossing40 topic of the evening.
'I should think,' said a little man in the company, 'that the gale was heavy enough to send any vessel down, without laying violent hands on her.'
'So it was,' replied Pickard, 'and scuttling41 would have been like cutting the throat of a dead man.'
'Suppose he did scuttle her,' exclaims a wiry-haired mason, 'that's old Phillipson's look-out. The vessel belonged to him, and if Stauncy satisfies the merchant that's enough.'
'And who's to satisfy the widows and orphans42, or who's to satisfy the insurance office?' said Ortop, in a sarcastic43, bitter tone. 'I'll get that question answered before long. I owe Stauncy a grudge44, and I'll not forget it.'
'If there's sin anywhere in this matter,' the blacksmith remarked, 'it lies with the old scoundrel on the quay45, who'd sell the life of any one for a groat. He's made a market out of many a vessel and many a man before now, and little cares who suffers as long as he fingers the gold.'
'What's the use of talking in this way?' rejoined Pickard. 'The brig went down natural enough, and no blame to nobody.' And so the house became divided in opinion, and the division occasioned fierce words and much quarrelling, until towards midnight inebriate46 voices, loud and wrangling47, broke incessantly48 on the stillness reigning49 without.

点击
收听单词发音

1
endorsed
![]() |
|
vt.& vi.endorse的过去式或过去分词形式v.赞同( endorse的过去式和过去分词 );在(尤指支票的)背面签字;在(文件的)背面写评论;在广告上说本人使用并赞同某产品 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
2
itching
![]() |
|
adj.贪得的,痒的,渴望的v.发痒( itch的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
3
smitten
![]() |
|
猛打,重击,打击( smite的过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
4
revelling
![]() |
|
v.作乐( revel的现在分词 );狂欢;着迷;陶醉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
5
prospect
![]() |
|
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
6
unnaturally
![]() |
|
adv.违反习俗地;不自然地;勉强地;不近人情地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
7
upbraided
![]() |
|
v.责备,申斥,谴责( upbraid的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
8
unwilling
![]() |
|
adj.不情愿的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
9
retrace
![]() |
|
v.折回;追溯,探源 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
10
prudent
![]() |
|
adj.谨慎的,有远见的,精打细算的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
11
tar
![]() |
|
n.柏油,焦油;vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
12
hearth
![]() |
|
n.壁炉炉床,壁炉地面 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
13
congregated
![]() |
|
(使)集合,聚集( congregate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
14
brawling
![]() |
|
n.争吵,喧嚷 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
15
bacchanalian
![]() |
|
adj.闹酒狂饮的;n.发酒疯的人 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
16
varied
![]() |
|
adj.多样的,多变化的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
17
constrained
![]() |
|
adj.束缚的,节制的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
18
tempted
![]() |
|
v.怂恿(某人)干不正当的事;冒…的险(tempt的过去分词) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
19
aspire
![]() |
|
vi.(to,after)渴望,追求,有志于 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
20
maudlin
![]() |
|
adj.感情脆弱的,爱哭的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
21
awakened
![]() |
|
v.(使)醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 );(使)觉醒;弄醒;(使)意识到 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
22
watery
![]() |
|
adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
23
noted
![]() |
|
adj.著名的,知名的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
24
burrows
![]() |
|
n.地洞( burrow的名词复数 )v.挖掘(洞穴),挖洞( burrow的第三人称单数 );翻寻 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
25
scuttle
![]() |
|
v.急赶,疾走,逃避;n.天窗;舷窗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
26
scuttled
![]() |
|
v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 );快跑,急走 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
27
mischief
![]() |
|
n.损害,伤害,危害;恶作剧,捣蛋,胡闹 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
28
vessel
![]() |
|
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
29
gale
![]() |
|
n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
30
noose
![]() |
|
n.绳套,绞索(刑);v.用套索捉;使落入圈套;处以绞刑 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
31
tightening
![]() |
|
上紧,固定,紧密 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
32
vengeance
![]() |
|
n.报复,报仇,复仇 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
33
contrived
![]() |
|
adj.不自然的,做作的;虚构的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
34
retired
![]() |
|
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
35
doggerel
![]() |
|
n.拙劣的诗,打油诗 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
36
ballad
![]() |
|
n.歌谣,民谣,流行爱情歌曲 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
37
rattling
![]() |
|
adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
38
approbation
![]() |
|
n.称赞;认可 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
39
convivial
![]() |
|
adj.狂欢的,欢乐的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
40
engrossing
![]() |
|
adj.使人全神贯注的,引人入胜的v.使全神贯注( engross的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
41
scuttling
![]() |
|
n.船底穿孔,打开通海阀(沉船用)v.使船沉没( scuttle的现在分词 );快跑,急走 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
42
orphans
![]() |
|
孤儿( orphan的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
43
sarcastic
![]() |
|
adj.讥讽的,讽刺的,嘲弄的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
44
grudge
![]() |
|
n.不满,怨恨,妒嫉;vt.勉强给,不情愿做 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
45
quay
![]() |
|
n.码头,靠岸处 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
46
inebriate
![]() |
|
v.使醉 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
47
wrangling
![]() |
|
v.争吵,争论,口角( wrangle的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句: |
|
|
48
incessantly
![]() |
|
ad.不停地 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
49
reigning
![]() |
|
adj.统治的,起支配作用的 | |
参考例句: |
|
|
欢迎访问英文小说网 |