In the Mission Boat on the Thames—The Damping of the Body cannot damp the Ardent1 Spirit.
Next morning Captain Bream accompanied the lay-missionary2 to Gravesend, where they took a boat and put off to the emigrant3 ship.
Great was the captain’s satisfaction to find that his companion had been a sailor, and could talk to him—in nautical4 language too—about seafaring matters and distant climes.
“It is a good work in which you are engaged,” he said; “are you going to preach to ’em?”
“No, only to distribute Testaments5, tracts6, and good books—though I may preach if I get the chance. My work lies chiefly among emigrants7 and boat and barge8 men, but I also do a good deal among regular sailors.”
“Ah! That’s the work that I’m fond of,” said the captain, with enthusiasm. “Of course I don’t mean to say that the soul of a sailor is of more value than that of any other man, but I lean to sailors naturally, havin’ been among ’em the greater part of my life. I’ve done a little myself in the way of preachin’ to ’em.”
“Have you?” exclaimed the missionary, with a pleased look.
And from this point the two men went off into a confidential9 and animated10 talk about their varied11 experiences on the sea of spiritual work on which they had both been launched, while the boatman—an old and evidently sympathetic man—pulled them to the vessel12 which lay at some distance from the place of embarkation13.
While the two friends—for such they had become by that time—were chatting thus with each other, a little accident was in store for Captain Bream, which not only disarranged his plans, but afterwards considerably14 affected15 his career.
Having reached the age of sixty years, our captain was not quite as active in body as he had once been. He was, however, quite as active in heart and mind, besides having much of the fire of youth still burning in him. Hence he was apt at times to forget his body in the impulsive16 buoyancy of his spirit. An instance of this forgetfulness occurred that day. The missionary paid a passing visit to a vessel on their way to the emigrant ship. Having run alongside, Captain Bream put his foot on the first step of the ladder, with intent to mount the vessel’s side.
“Have a care, sir,” said the old boatman, who was assisting him with some anxiety.
It may be that the captain’s too youthful spirit spurned17 assistance, or that he had miscalculated the powers of his too ancient body, for at the moment his foot slipped while as yet his hold of the man-ropes was not secure, and he fell with a lion-like roar that might have shamed the stoutest18 king of the African forests.
It was not a cry of fear, still less was it a shout for help. It seemed rather like an effervescing19 roar of indignant surprise.
The boatman held up his arms to catch the unfortunate man, but his strength availed nothing against such a weight. He was hurled20 into the bottom of the boat for his pains, and the captain went into the water feet first as deep as the waist. Here, however, the disaster was checked, for his strong arms caught the boat and held on.
The missionary, meanwhile, sprang forward and laid hold of him, while his man rose with wonderful agility21 and lent his aid.
“Heave—ahoy!” cried the missionary, grasping a waist-band.
“Yo, heave, ho!” shouted the boatman, seizing a leg. Another moment and the captain was safe in the bottom of the boat, which by that time was floating quietly down the Thames!
Great was the regret expressed by the missionary at this unfortunate event, and loud was the laughter with which it was treated by the captain himself, on being re-seated in the stern sheets.
“We must go ashore22 and get a change of dry clothes for you, sir.”
“Not a bit of it,” cried the captain. “Row back to the ship; I’ll mount that ladder yet. If I didn’t I’d keep dreaming of my discomfiture23 for a twelve-month to come.” They ran alongside the vessel a second time, and went up the side in safety.
But, arrived on deck, the skipper, who happened to be a hospitable24 man and friendly to the missionary, insisted on having Captain Bream down into his cabin.
“Now you’ll put on a suit of my clothes,” he said, “till your own are dry.”
The captain would not hear of it.
“Just let me wring25 my own out,” he said, “and I’ll be all right.”
“Have a glass of wine then, or brandy?”
“Impossible; thank’ee, I’m an abstainer26.”
“But you need it to prevent catching27 cold, you know. Take it as physic.”
“Physic!” exclaimed the captain. “I never took physic in my life, and I won’t begin wi’ the nasty stuff now. Thank’ee all the same.”
“Some coffee, then? I’ve got it all ready.”
“Ay—that’s better—if you’re sure you’ve got it handy.”
While the captain and the skipper were discussing the coffee, the wet garments were sent to the galley28 and partially29 dried. Meanwhile the missionary made the most of his opportunity among the men. By the time he had finished his visit, the captain’s nether30 garments were partially dried, so they continued their voyage to the emigrant ship. When they reached her the poor captain’s interest in other people’s affairs had begun to fail, for his anxiety about his long-lost sister increased, as the probability of finding her at last became greater.
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1
ardent
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| adj.热情的，热烈的，强烈的，烈性的 | |
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2
missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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3
emigrant
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| adj.移居的，移民的；n.移居外国的人，移民 | |
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4
nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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5
testaments
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| n.遗嘱( testament的名词复数 )；实际的证明 | |
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6
tracts
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| 大片土地( tract的名词复数 )； 地带； （体内的）道； （尤指宣扬宗教、伦理或政治的）短文 | |
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7
emigrants
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| n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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8
barge
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| n.平底载货船，驳船 | |
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9
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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10
animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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11
varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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12
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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13
embarkation
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| n. 乘船, 搭机, 开船 | |
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14
considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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15
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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16
impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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17
spurned
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| v.一脚踢开，拒绝接受( spurn的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
stoutest
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| 粗壮的( stout的最高级 )； 结实的； 坚固的； 坚定的 | |
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19
effervescing
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| v.冒气泡，起泡沫( effervesce的现在分词 ) | |
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20
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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21
agility
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| n.敏捷，活泼 | |
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22
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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23
discomfiture
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| n.崩溃；大败；挫败；困惑 | |
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24
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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25
wring
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| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
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26
abstainer
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| 节制者，戒酒者，弃权者 | |
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27
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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28
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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29
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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30
nether
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| adj.下部的，下面的；n.阴间；下层社会 | |
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