Birds of a feather flock together, undoubtedly—at sea as well as on land. As surely as Johnston, and Moore, and Jim Frost, and such men, hung about the mission-ship—ready to go aboard and to have a little meeting when suitable calms occurred, so surely did David Bright, the Swab, and other like-minded men, find themselves in the neighbourhood of the Coper when there was nothing to be done in the way of fishing.
Two days after the events narrated2 in the last chapter, the Swab—whose proper name was Dick Herring, and who sailed his own smack3, the White Cloud—found himself in the neighbourhood of the floating grog-shop.
“Get out the boat, Brock,” said Herring to his mate—who has already been introduced to the reader as Pimply4 Brock, and whose nose rendered any explanation of that name unnecessary; “take some fish, an’ get as much as you can for ’em.”
The Swab did not name what his mate was to procure5 in barter6 with the fish, neither did Brock ask. It was an old-established order, well understood.
Soon Brock and two hands were on their way to the floating “poison-shop,” as one of the men had named it. He was affectionately received there, and, ere long, returned to the White Cloud with a supply of fire-water.
“You’re good at a bargain, Brock,” said his master, with an approving nod, tossing off a glass of the demon7 that held him as if in chains of steel—chains that no man could break. “I wish,” he added, looking round on the sea wistfully, “that some of our friends would come to join us in a spree.”
“So do I,” said Brock, slightly inflaming8 his nasal pimples9, by pouring a glass of spirits down his throat.
There must be some strange, subtle sympathy between drunkards, for, at the very time these two men expressed their wish, the master of the Evening Star said to Gunter, “Get out the boat. I’ll go cruisin’.”
It must not be supposed that by this he meant to declare his intention of going off on a lengthened10 voyage in his little boat. David Bright only meant that, having observed through his telescope the little transaction between the White Cloud and the Coper, his intention was to pay that vessel11 a visit—to go carousing12, or, as the North Sea smacksmen have it, “cruisin’.”
Gunter obeyed the order with satisfaction and alacrity14.
“Jump in, Spivin, and you come too, Billy.”
“I say, father,” said the boy in a low voice, “are ye goin’ to drink wi’ the Swab after what ye heard aboard the mission smack?”
“You clap a stopper on your jaw15 an’ obey orders,” replied the skipper angrily.
Although full of light-hearted insolence17, which his mates called cheek, Billy was by no means a rebellious18 boy. He knew, from sad experience, that when his father made up his mind to “go in for a drinking-bout,” the consequences were often deplorable, and fain would he have dissuaded19 him, but he also knew that to persist in opposing him would only make matters worse, and probably bring severe chastisement20 on himself. With an air of quiet gravity, therefore, that seemed very unnatural21 to him, he leaped into the boat and took an oar1.
“What cheer, David?” said the Swab, offering his rugged22 hand when the former jumped on the deck of the White Cloud. “I thought you’d come.”
“You was right, Dick,” returned David, shaking the proffered23 hand.
“Come below, an’ wet your whistle. Bring your men too,” said Dick. “This is a new hand?” pointing to Ned.
“Ay, he’s noo, is Ned Spivin, but he can drink.”
“Come down, then, all of ’ee.”
Now, Ned Spivin was one of those yielding good-natured youths who find it impossible to resist what may be styled good-fellowship. If you had tried to force Ned Spivin, to order him, or to frighten him into any course, he would have laughed in your face and fought you if necessary; but if you tempted25 Ned to do evil by kindly26 tones and looks, he was powerless to resist.
“You’re right, skipper, I can drink—sometimes.” They all went below, leaving Billy on deck “to look after the boat,” as his father said, though, being made fast, the boat required no looking after.
Immediately the party in the little cabin had a glass round. Ere long it occurred to them that they might have another glass. Of course they did not require to be reminded of their pipes, and as nearly all the crew was in the little cabin, besides the visitors, the fumes27 from pipes and glasses soon brought the atmosphere to a condition that would have failed to support any but the strongest kind of human life. It supported these men well enough, however, for they soon began to use their tongues and brains in a manner that might have surprised a dispassionate observer.
It is, perhaps, needless to say that they interlarded their conversation with fearful oaths, to which of course we can do no more than make passing reference.
By degrees the conversation degenerated28 into disputation, for it is the manner of some men, when “in liquor,” to become intensely pugnacious29 as well as owlishly philosophical30. The subject-matter of dispute may be varied31, but the result is nearly always the same—a series of amazing convolutions of the brain, which is supposed to be profound reasoning, waxing hotter and hotter as the utterances32 grow thicker and thicker, and the tones louder and louder, until the culminating point is reached when the point which could not be proved by the mind is hammered home with the fist.
To little Billy, who had been left in sole charge of the deck, and whose little mind had been strangely impressed on board the mission-ship, the words and sounds, to say nothing of the fumes, which proceeded from the cabin furnished much food for meditation33. The babel of tongues soon became incessant34, for three, if not four or five, of the speakers had become so impressed with the importance of their opinions, and so anxious to give their mates the benefit, that they all spoke35 at once. This of course necessitated36 much loud talking and gesticulation by all of them, which greatly helped, no doubt, to make their meaning clear. At least it did not render it less clear. As the din24 and riot increased so did the tendency to add fuel to the fire by deeper drinking, which resulted in fiercer quarrelling.
At last one of the contending voices shouted so loud that the others for a few moments gave way, and the words became audible to the little listener on deck. The voice belonged to Gunter.
“You said,” he shouted fiercely, “that I—”
“No, I didn’t,” retorted Brock, breaking in with a rather premature37 contradiction.
“Hear him out. N–nothin’ like fair play in ar–argiment,” said an extremely drunken voice.
“Right you are,” cried another; “fire away, Gunter.”
“You said,” resumed Gunter with a little more of argument in his tone, though still vehemently38, “that I said—that—that—well, whativer it was I said, I’ll take my davy that I niver said anything o’ the sort.”
“That’s a lie,” cried Brock.
“You’re another,” shouted Gunter, and waved his hand contemptuously.
Whether it was accident or design we know not, but Gunter’s hand knocked the pipe out of Brook’s mouth.
To Billy’s ear the well-known sound of a blow followed, and he ran to look down into the cabin, where all was instantly in an uproar39.
“Choke him off,” cried David Bright. “Knock his brains out,” suggested Herring. Billy could not see well through the dense40 smoke, but apparently41 the more humane42 advice was followed, for, after a good deal of gasping43, a heavy body was flung upon the floor.
“All right, shove him into a bunk,” cried the Swab.
At the same moment Ned Spivin sprang on deck, and, stretching himself with his arms extended upwards44, drew a long breath of fresh air.
“There, Billy,” he said, “I’ve had enough of it.”
“Of grog, d’ye mean?” asked the boy.
“No, but of the hell-upon-earth down there,” replied the young man.
“Well, Ned, I should just think you have had enough o’ that,” said Billy, “an’ of grog too—though you don’t seem much screwed after all.”
“I’m not screwed at all, Billy—not even half-seas-over. It’s more the smoke an’ fumes that have choked me than the grog. Come, lad, let’s go for’ard an’ git as far from it as we can.”
The man and boy went to the bow of the vessel, and seated themselves near the heel of the bowsprit, where the sounds from the cabin reached them only as a faint murmur45, and did not disturb the stillness of the night.
And a day of quiet splendour it certainly was—the sea as calm as glass, insomuch that it reflected all the fleecy clouds that hung in the bright sky. Even the ocean-swell46 had gone to rest with just motion enough left to prove that the calm was not a “dead” one, but a slumber47. All round, the numerous vessels48 of the Short Blue fleet floated in peaceful idleness. At every distance they lay, from a hundred yards to the far-off horizon.
We say that they floated peacefully, but we speak only as to appearance, for there were other hells in the fleet, similar to that which we have described, and the soft sound of distant oars49 could be distinguished50 now and then as boats plied16 to and fro between their smacks13 and the Coper, fetching the deadly liquid with which these hells were set on fire.
Other sounds there were, however, which fell pleasantly on the ears of the two listeners.
“Psalm-singers,” said Billy.
“They might be worse,” replied Ned. “What smack does it come from, think ’ee?”
“The Boy Jim, or the Cephas—not sure which, for I can’t make out the voices. It might be from the Sparrow, but that’s it close to us, and there could be no mistake about Jim Frost’s voice if he was to strike up.”
“What! has Jim Frost hoisted51 the Bethel-flag?”
“Ay, didn’t you see it flyin’ last Sunday for the first time?”
“No, I didn’t,” returned Ned, “but I’m glad to hear it, for, though I’m not one o’ that set myself. I do like to see a man not ashamed to show his colours.”
The flag to which they referred is supplied at half cost to the fleet by the Mission to Deep-Sea Fishermen—and is hoisted every Sabbath-day by those skippers in the fleet who, having made up their minds boldly to accept all the consequences of the step, have come out decidedly on the Lord’s side.
While the two shipmates were conversing52 thus in low tones, enjoying the fresh air and the calm influences around them, the notes of an accordion53 came over the water in tones that were sweetened and mellowed54 by distance.
“Ha! that’s Jim Frost now,” said Billy, in subdued55 excitement, while pleasure glittered in his eyes. “Oh! Ned, I does like music. It makes my heart fit to bu’st sometimes, it does. An’ Jim plays that—that what’s ’is name—so beautiful!”
“His accordion,” said Ned.
“Yes—his accordium—”
“No, Billy, not accordium, but accordion.”
“Well, well—no matter. I don’t care a button what you calls it, so long as Jim plays it. Why, he’d make his fortin’ if he was to play that thing about the streets o’ Lun’on. Listen.”
Jim Frost deserved all the praise that the enthusiastic boy bestowed56 on him, for, besides possessing a fine ear and taste for music, and having taught himself to play well, he had a magnificent tenor57 voice, and took great delight in singing the beautiful hymns58 which at that time had been introduced to the fleet. On this particular day he was joined by his crew, whose voices—more or less tuneful—came rolling over the water in a great volume of melody.
“He’s got Singin’ Peter a-visitin’ him,” said Billy. “Don’t you hear him?”
“Ay, I hear him, boy. There’s no mistakin’ Singin’ Peter’s voice. I’d know it among a thousand.”
“If it’s hell here,” remarked Billy, with a great sigh of satisfaction, after the hymn59 was done, “it do seem like heaven over there. I only wish we had Jim Frost on board of us instead of that brute60 Gunter.”
“Don’t be hard on Gunter, Billy,” said Ned. “We don’t know what he’s got to bear. Some men are born, you see, wi’ narves that are for ever screwin’ at ’em, an’ ticklin’ of ’em up; an’ other men have narves that always keep smoothin’ of ’em down. The last are the pleasantest to have to do with, no doubt, but the others ain’t quite so bad as they look sometimes. Their bark is worse than their bite.”
“Hush!” exclaimed the boy, holding up a finger at the moment, for Jim Frost’s accordion again sent forth61 its rich tones in the prelude62 to a hymn. A few moments later and the tuneful voices came rolling towards them in that beautiful hymn, the chorus of which ends:—
“We shall know each other better when the mists are rolled away.”
When the last verse was sung little Billy found a tear struggling to get out of each eye, and a lump sticking in his throat, so he turned his head away to conceal63 them.
“Ain’t it beautiful?” he said, when the lump had disappeared.
“And ain’t it curious,” answered Ned, “that it should touch on what we was talkin’ about afore they began? P’r’aps we shall know John Gunter better ‘when the mists are rolled away.’”
Billy shook his head dubiously64. “I’m not so sure o’ that,” he said. “Anyhow, there’s a deal o’ mist to be rolled away before we can know him better.”
“There’s a breeze comin’ up from the south’ard,” remarked Ned, who, to say truth, did not seem to care very much about getting to know his surly shipmate better; “we’ll have to get your father aboard soon.”
“That won’t be an easy matter,” said Billy, and he was right, for when David Bright was set down with a friend, and a glass, and a pack of cards, it was very difficult to move him. He was, indeed, as fond of gambling65 as of drinking, and lost much of his hardly earned gains in that way. Billy, therefore, received little but abuse when he tried to induce him to return to his own vessel, but the freshing of the breeze, and a sudden lurch66 of the smack, which overturned his glass of grog into Gunter’s lap, induced him at last to go on deck.
There the appearance of things had changed considerably67. Clouds were beginning to obscure the bright sky, the breeze had effectually shattered the clear mirror of the sea, and a swell was beginning to roll the White Cloud, so that legs which would have found it difficult to steady their owners on solid land made sad work of their office on the heaving deck.
“Haul up the boat,” cried Brock in a drivelling voice as he came on deck; “where are you steerin’ to? Let me take the helm.”
He staggered toward the tiller as he spoke, but Dick Herring and one of his mates, seeing that he was quite unable to steer68, tried to prevent him. Brock, however, had reached that stage of drunkenness in which men are apt to become particularly obstinate69, and, being a powerful man, struggled violently to accomplish his purpose.
“Let him have it,” said Herring at last. “He can’t do much damage.”
When set free, the miserable70 man grasped the tiller and tried to steady himself. A lurch of the vessel, however, rendered his effort abortive71. The tiller fell to leeward72. Brock went headlong with it, stumbled over the side, and, before any one could stretch out a hand to prevent it, fell into the sea and sank.
His comrades were apparently sobered in an instant. There was no need for the hurried order to jump into the boat alongside. Ned Spivin and Billy were in it with the painter cast off and the oars out in a couple of seconds. The boat of the White Cloud was also launched with a speed, that only North Sea fishermen, perhaps, can accomplish, and both crews rowed about eagerly while the smack lay-to. But all without success. The unfortunate man was never more seen, and the visitors left the vessel in sobered silence, and rowed, without exchanging a word, to their own smack, which lay about a quarter of a mile distant on the port quarter.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
oar
|
|
| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
narrated
|
|
| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
smack
|
|
| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
pimply
|
|
| adj.肿泡的；有疙瘩的；多粉刺的；有丘疹的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
procure
|
|
| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
barter
|
|
| n.物物交换，以货易货，实物交易 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
demon
|
|
| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
inflaming
|
|
| v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
pimples
|
|
| n.丘疹，粉刺，小脓疱( pimple的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
lengthened
|
|
| （时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
carousing
|
|
| v.痛饮，闹饮欢宴( carouse的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
smacks
|
|
| 掌掴（声）( smack的名词复数 )； 海洛因； （打的）一拳； 打巴掌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
alacrity
|
|
| n.敏捷，轻快，乐意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
jaw
|
|
| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
plied
|
|
| v.使用（工具）( ply的过去式和过去分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
insolence
|
|
| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
rebellious
|
|
| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
dissuaded
|
|
| 劝（某人）勿做某事，劝阻( dissuade的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
chastisement
|
|
| n.惩罚 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
unnatural
|
|
| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
rugged
|
|
| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
proffered
|
|
| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
din
|
|
| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
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： |
|
|
|
|
26
kindly
|
|
| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
fumes
|
|
| n.(强烈而刺激的)气味，气体 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
degenerated
|
|
| 衰退，堕落，退化( degenerate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
pugnacious
|
|
| adj.好斗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
philosophical
|
|
| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
varied
|
|
| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
utterances
|
|
| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
meditation
|
|
| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
incessant
|
|
| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
necessitated
|
|
| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
premature
|
|
| adj.比预期时间早的；不成熟的，仓促的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
vehemently
|
|
| adv. 热烈地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
uproar
|
|
| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
dense
|
|
| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
humane
|
|
| adj.人道的，富有同情心的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
gasping
|
|
| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
upwards
|
|
| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
murmur
|
|
| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
swell
|
|
| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
slumber
|
|
| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
vessels
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
oars
|
|
| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
distinguished
|
|
| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
hoisted
|
|
| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
conversing
|
|
| v.交谈，谈话( converse的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
accordion
|
|
| n.手风琴；adj.可折叠的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
mellowed
|
|
| （使）成熟( mellow的过去式和过去分词 )； 使色彩更加柔和，使酒更加醇香 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
subdued
|
|
| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
bestowed
|
|
| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
tenor
|
|
| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
hymns
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
hymn
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
brute
|
|
| n.野兽，兽性 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
prelude
|
|
| n.序言，前兆，序曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
dubiously
|
|
| adv.可疑地，怀疑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
gambling
|
|
| n.赌博；投机 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
lurch
|
|
| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
steer
|
|
| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
obstinate
|
|
| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
miserable
|
|
| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
abortive
|
|
| adj.不成功的，发育不全的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
leeward
|
|
| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |