"Certainly a most extraordinary performance going on there!" he said, after a long look through his glass, which he then handed to the colonel. "They show no flags, but I cannot conceive of their being anything but a squadron or a convoy12 of ours. What do you make them out, Colonel Wilton?"
Now, the colonel was morally certain that they were Americans, or, at least, that the first and nearest one was an American ship. He had been one of the naval13 committee which had taken charge of the building of the men-of-war ordered by Congress in '75; he had seen the Randolph frequently on the ways and after she was launched, and was entirely14 familiar with her lines. Perhaps the wish also was father to the thought, for the old soldier was not sufficiently15 versed16 in nautical17 affairs to detect at that distance the great disparity in force between the two ships, to which for the moment he gave no thought, or he would not have entertained hopes for a release from confinement18 by recapture,—a patent impossibility to a seaman19. So he answered the captain evasively, returning the glass and pleading his ignorance of nautical matters to excuse his indefinite opinion.
"It must be the Carrysford, with Hythe's squadron; she is a thirty-two. But why they should act this way, I cannot see. He must know what we are now, as there are no ships of our size in these waters, except our own, and why should he send the rest of them off there? They are leaving us pretty fast, except that brig. Now, if it were a colonial convoy, I should say that this frigate was going to engage us in the hope of so crippling us as to effect the escape of the rest; but I hardly think that your men are up to that yet."
"Think not?" said the colonel indifferently, violently repressing an inclination20 to strike him. "It may be as you say, Captain Vincent; still, I think we are up to almost anything that you are."
"Oh, colonel," laughed the captain, good-naturedly, "you are not going to compare the little colonial forces with his majesty's navy, are you! Now, I am morally certain that is a king's ship. See the beautiful set of her sails, the enormous spread of the yards; notice how trim and taut21 her rigging and running gear stand out, and then, too, see how smartly she is handled. Only English ships are thus. Hythe is a sailor, every inch of him," he went on in genuine admiration22 for the approaching vessel10. "See! He has the weather gauge23 of us now, or will have. Not that it matters anything. We could afford to let him have it even if he were an enemy; but what he means by this sort of performance, I don't understand. However, we shall know in half an hour at least."
"Well, sir?" he said, turning toward Lieutenant24 Desborough, who at that moment stepped on the poop in fighting uniform, sword in hand.
"Ship's ready for action, sir!"
"Very good. Keep the people at their quarters, and stand on as we are. Ah, Mr. Montagu, will you step below and fetch me my sword out of my cabin. What do you think of her, Desborough?"
"We think she is an American, sir," said Desborough.
"Oh, you do, do you? Well, I think she is one of ours. No American would dare to lead down on us in that way! We can blow him out of the water with a broadside or two, you know, but we 'll give him a hint all the same. Fire a gun there, to leeward25, and hoist26 our colors."
As the smoke rolled away along the water, the stops were broken, and there flew out from each masthead the splendid English flag. It was answered soon afterward27 by a small English flag at the gaff of the approaching ship, which apparently28 mystified the captain more than ever, though it confirmed him in his previous opinion.
"Oh, father," whispered Katharine, clinging to the colonel, "what do you think it is? See that English flag!"
"Kate, I 'm morally sure that it is an American ship; it is just the plan and size of those ordered by Congress in '75. One of those ships should be in commission by now. If I am right, this should be the Randolph. I saw her a dozen times in Philadelphia; and if that's not she, I shall never pretend to know a ship again."
"But did you hear what Captain Vincent said?" continued Katharine; "how many guns would the Randolph carry?"
"About forty, and most of them small ones at best," answered the colonel, with a sigh.
The two ships were much nearer now, and their disparity in force was apparent even to the most unskilful eye.
"The little ship can't fight this great one, father, can it?"
"No, my dear; that is, not with any chance of success. But I fear—or hope, rather—that they mean to engage us, and sacrifice themselves in order not to allow us to capture the little fleet, probably prizes, off yonder. The man who commands her is a hero, certainly."
"Just what Mr. Seymour would do. Oh, if it were he!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands, her eyes filling with tears at the possibility.
"Well, it may be, of course. He was certain to be posted captain soon, and 'tis like him truly. But, Kate, the ships are drawing nearer every moment. You must go below in case of action, my dear."
"Yes, Miss Wilton," said Desborough, who had at that moment approached them, looking very handsome, having heard the last words of the colonel; "we have arranged a safe place for you and your maid, in the cable tiers, way below the water-line, and out of the way of shot, though I hardly expect much of it from that fellow. Will you allow me to conduct you there? Perhaps you too, colonel, would be safer if you would—"
"Pardon me, sir, unless force is used, I shall remain on deck. The idea of me, sir—skulking in the hold during an action! Why, sir,—"
"And the idea of me, either, doing the same thing!" said Katharine defiantly29, in a ringing voice in which there was a clear echo of her father's determination.
Both men looked at her smiling.
"Oh, you are different, Miss Wilton," said Desborough.
"No use, Katharine: you must go," added her father.
"Oh, please!"
"My daughter—"
"Oh, father, let me stay just a little longer—there is no danger yet. Take Chloe down, if you will, Mr. Desborough, and have a place ready for me. I 'll go down when the battle begins—indeed I will, father!" she continued entreatingly30.
"Well," said the colonel, uncertainly, "let her stay a little longer, my lord."
"Very well, sir," replied Desborough, bowing and turning forward.
"Here, you Jack31, take this girl below and stow her away in the cable tiers by the main hatch," he said, pointing to Chloe, who was led unresistingly away, her teeth chattering32 with undefined but none the less overwhelming terror. The colonel stepped forward beside Captain Vincent, and Desborough descended33 to the main-deck to superintend the fighting of the batteries, while Katharine, grateful for the respite34, and determined35 not to go below at all, stepped aft in the shelter of the rail, her heart already beating madly, as the two ships approached each other in silence.
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收听单词发音
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1
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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3
lookouts
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| n.寻找（ 某人/某物）( lookout的名词复数 )；是某人（自己）的问题；警戒；瞭望台 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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5
wariness
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| n. 注意,小心 | |
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impending
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| a.imminent, about to come or happen | |
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7
tacked
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| 用平头钉钉( tack的过去式和过去分词 )； 附加，增补； 帆船抢风行驶，用粗线脚缝 | |
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8
bespoke
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| adj.（产品）订做的；专做订货的v.预定( bespeak的过去式 )；订（货）；证明；预先请求 | |
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9
frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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10
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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12
convoy
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| vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队 | |
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13
naval
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| adj.海军的，军舰的，船的 | |
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14
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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15
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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16
versed
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| adj. 精通，熟练 | |
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17
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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18
confinement
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| n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限 | |
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19
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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20
inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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21
taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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22
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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23
gauge
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| v.精确计量；估计；n.标准度量；计量器 | |
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24
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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25
leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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hoist
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| n.升高，起重机，推动；v.升起，升高，举起 | |
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27
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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28
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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29
defiantly
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| adv.挑战地，大胆对抗地 | |
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30
entreatingly
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| 哀求地，乞求地 | |
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31
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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32
chattering
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| n. （机器振动发出的）咔嗒声，(鸟等)鸣，啁啾 adj. 喋喋不休的，啾啾声的 动词chatter的现在分词形式 | |
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33
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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34
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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35
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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