The obscure and dripping passage was traversed; the ponderous5 door was thrown open; and the broken-hearted wife fell into the arms of her wretched, repentant6 husband.
It is a blessed thing that the sorrows of our nature have outlets7 by which to relieve themselves. Pent up within the bosom8, recoiling9 and reacting, they would surely demolish10 the frail11 framework of flesh and spirit—scatter the fire of intelligence—still the wondrous12 machinery13 of life. It sometimes is so, indeed, when grief can find no vent14, that it paralyzes the brain and chills the life-blood; but, generally, relief is found for pent-up sorrow, and Mary Stauncy found it so in this her first great trouble.
The captain regained15 his composure and self-control in a few moments, and was able in some degree to calm his weeping wife. Seating her gently on his hard couch, and taking a place beside her, he broke the silence of that dreary16 cell, whose walls had so often listened to confessions17 and blasphemies18, to cries of penitence19 and ravings of despair, by saying affectionately, 'Try to bear it, Mary. Little do I care myself; but I shall soon be unmanned and go mazed20 if you grieve so. Our destiny must be met, whatever it is; and though it come in such a shape as to cut us to the heart, it's better to yield than to struggle. Endeavour to be resigned, dearest, and strengthen spirit by your own calm endurance.'
'I will, James,' she replied. 'I feel better now.' For not only had the outburst of grief which such a meeting occasioned relieved her, but his plea for a fortifying21 example immediately roused the energies of her Christian22 spirit. 'It's sorrow indeed; but God can help me to act as I ought, and He will. I want strength to nerve my heart and wisdom to shape my counsel; and Mrs. Lloyd's last words to me were, "Remember, Mary, as thy day is, so shall thy strength be." The innocent may sometimes suffer with the guilty, and even for them, but justice shall surely prevail.'
'I am not innocent,' replied the captain in a firm but husky voice; 'I will not deceive you any longer, Mary. I scuttled23 the brig off Lundy, and Jim Ortop was in the hold watching me. It's a true bill; and as it has been found out, I must give in. What must be, must.'
'And why did you scuttle24 the brig, James?' his wife inquired, drawn25 off from her sad reflections by the unexpected disclosure, and having a new class of feelings excited.
'Because the merchant tempted26 me to do it, gave me money to do it, ordered me to do it, bound me by an oath to do it, and so made it my duty.'
'Duty, James! That's a strange word. It's no one's duty to do wrong, and that bad man must have spellbound you with his irreligious sophistry27, to fasten such a thought on your mind. I see it all now. He beguiled28 you with that fifty-pound note. He made you believe that crime could be smothered29 by obedience30. Well! that note will be a swift witness against him. It will tell its own tale of bribery31, and the tempter will get his desert. I feel lighter32 of heart, James. There's some hope yet.'
'There's no hope, Mary. I have no witness, and he is a wealthy and influential33 man; besides, I couldn't turn king's evidence and peach, were it to save my life.'
'Peach, James! Is telling the plain truth peaching? Is clearing yourself from a foul34 blot35 peaching? Is your character and the good name of your children nothing? Is it of no consequence whether you are separated from us for ever or spared to bless us all your days? Do be yourself, James, and listen to your heart a little.'
'You're getting too warm, Mary. Your strong mind has gone in for the mastery over your sensitive spirit. There'll be a volcano of excitement, instead of a fountain of tears, and the one is as bad as the other in overcoming reason.'
'How you talk, James! Have I any wish or object that is not bound up in your happiness? What I say has reason as well as feeling in it. Your duty is to clear yourself, and to change places with the real criminal.'
'My duty is pre-engaged,' he replied, mournfully shaking his head. 'A vow36 is upon me. My tongue is bound by an oath which cannot be broken without letting loose a curse. To violate that vow would be an unpardonable sin, and make me the hopeless prey37 of the evil one. No, no, Mary, I'll take what comes rather than sell myself to perdition.'
'A delusion38, James, a strong delusion to believe a lie. Your superstitious39 fears have been wrought40 upon, and he who is beguiling41 you the most is the father of lies. A wicked vow can never be binding42. There's more sin, far more sin, in keeping than in breaking it. Whatever you may have said or done, the only way is to throw all off as a vile43 thing, instead of clenching44 the sin in the way you speak of. No one is bound by evil, to do evil, because he has sworn to it.'
'You and I see things differently, Mary. I have sins on my conscience which all the truth-speaking in the world wouldn't rid me of. To betray the merchant after what has passed between us when I took the oath, would utterly45 prevent me from hoping for God's mercy. I would rather the law should take its course, than add to the weight which oppresses me by doing violence to my conscience.'
'But there is no real evidence against you,' his wife replied, diverting his thoughts until a more auspicious46 moment occurred for pursuing her main argument; 'who would listen to Jim Ortop, when the mate and Pickard are so strong on your side?'
'You must not comfort yourself with that, Mary. There's more evidence than you think for. The Sarah Ann will speak herself. The poor dumb thing will be made to say, in spite of everything, "Guilty, guilty."'
'I ASK YOU TO SPARE YOURSELF FOR MY SAKE,' SAID MARY.
'And are you really going to give yourself up to justice, James, without one effort on your own behalf, or my behalf, or the children's behalf? Will you give your life for the life of such a deep-dyed villain47 as the merchant is? Will you hold your peace to spare him, and throw away a righteous chance of turning this fearful darkness into light? Oh, James, James! woe48 is me that I have seen this day! My poor heart will break with all this trouble. Is Phillipson dearer to you than your own Mary? Can you bear that your loved home should become a desolation, a place of weeping and reproach, of poverty and heart-stricken wretchedness? What shall I say to persuade you that wicked vows49 are only written in the sand, and that you are committing the worst of sins by concealment50, when your life, and my life, and everything is at stake? And is this to be our parting, James? I cannot weep now. I am stunned51, paralyzed. I feel as if my senses were fast going from, me, as though I must sink down and die. Have pity on me, James! On my knees I ask you to spare yourself for my sake, and to look up believingly to Him who will forgive you all. Don't let me leave you with a hopeless heart, or I shall go beside myself; and who will thank you for the sacrifice? Tell me, James, that you will not throw yourself away, and kiss me as the pledge of it.'
'Mary, my heart will break too,' replied the captain, sobbing52, 'if you talk so. I dare not promise. A chain is about me which I cannot rend53. What must be, must.' And then, to soothe54 her, he added, 'Nothing you have said shall be forgotten; and if we part to meet no more on earth, remember the merchant will provide for you—you may trust him in that, I know; and through the mercy of the Almighty55 we shall meet again soon, where the shadows of sin never darken and the tears of sorrow never fall.'
'Yours is a strange state of heart, James,' she answered. 'You think you are bound before God by a vow; and I think He cannot be pleased with you if you keep it. It's a false state of conscience, which your tempter has helped to bring about; but my prayer for you shall be that there may be light.'
'The time's up,' said the turnkey, considerately giving the notice without unfastening the door, and waiting still, that the last farewell might be spoken. A convulsive embrace—a nervous pressure of those marble lips—a burning tear on that pallid56 cheek—and again the tottering57 wife was treading that gloomy passage, emerging from the sepulchre of living men. Again the awe58 of solitude59, made doubly impressive by the presence and absence of such a wife, settled down on the soul of the wretched prisoner.
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1
consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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2
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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3
repulsive
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| adj.排斥的，使人反感的 | |
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penal
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| adj.刑罚的；刑法上的 | |
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ponderous
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| adj.沉重的，笨重的，(文章)冗长的 | |
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repentant
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| adj.对…感到悔恨的 | |
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outlets
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| n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店 | |
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8
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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9
recoiling
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| v.畏缩( recoil的现在分词 )；退缩；报应；返回 | |
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10
demolish
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| v.拆毁(建筑物等)，推翻(计划、制度等) | |
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11
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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12
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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13
machinery
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| n.(总称)机械，机器；机构 | |
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14
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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15
regained
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| 复得( regain的过去式和过去分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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16
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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17
confessions
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| n.承认( confession的名词复数 )；自首；声明；（向神父的）忏悔 | |
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18
blasphemies
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| n.对上帝的亵渎，亵渎的言词[行为]( blasphemy的名词复数 )；侮慢的言词（或行为） | |
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19
penitence
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| n.忏悔，赎罪；悔过 | |
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20
mazed
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| 迷惘的，困惑的 | |
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21
fortifying
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| 筑防御工事于( fortify的现在分词 )； 筑堡于； 增强； 强化（食品） | |
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22
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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23
scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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24
scuttle
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| v.急赶，疾走，逃避；n.天窗；舷窗 | |
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25
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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26
tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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27
sophistry
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| n.诡辩 | |
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28
beguiled
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| v.欺骗( beguile的过去式和过去分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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29
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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30
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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31
bribery
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| n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿 | |
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32
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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33
influential
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| adj.有影响的，有权势的 | |
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34
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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35
blot
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| vt.弄脏（用吸墨纸）吸干；n.污点，污渍 | |
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36
vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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37
prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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38
delusion
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| n.谬见，欺骗，幻觉，迷惑 | |
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39
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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40
wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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41
beguiling
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| adj.欺骗的，诱人的v.欺骗( beguile的现在分词 )；使陶醉；使高兴；消磨（时间等） | |
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42
binding
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| 有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的 | |
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43
vile
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| adj.卑鄙的，可耻的，邪恶的；坏透的 | |
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44
clenching
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| v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的现在分词 ) | |
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45
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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46
auspicious
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| adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的 | |
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47
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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48
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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49
vows
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| 誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿 | |
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50
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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51
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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52
sobbing
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| <主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的 | |
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53
rend
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| vt.把…撕开，割裂；把…揪下来，强行夺取 | |
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54
soothe
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| v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承 | |
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55
almighty
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| adj.全能的，万能的；很大的，很强的 | |
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56
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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57
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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58
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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59
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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