While the miner had been pursuing his toilsome work in the solitude2 and silence of the level under the sea, as already described, a noble ship was leaping over the Atlantic waves—homeward bound—to Old England.
She was an East-Indiaman, under close-reefed sails, and although she bent3 low before the gale5 so that the waves almost curled over her lee bulwarks6, she rose buoyantly like a seagull, for she was a good ship, stout7 of plank8 and sound of timber, with sails and cordage to match.
Naturally, in such a storm, those on board were anxious, for they knew that they were drawing near to land, and that “dear Old England” had an ugly seaboard in these parts—a coast not to be too closely hugged in what the captain styled “dirty weather, with a whole gale from the west’ard,” so a good lookout9 was kept. Sharp eyes were in the foretop looking out for the guiding rays of the Long-ships lighthouse, which illumine that part of our rocky shores to warn the mariner10 of danger and direct him to a safe harbour. The captain stood on the “foge’s’l” with stern gaze and compressed lip. The chart had been consulted, the bearings correctly noted11, calculations made, and leeway allowed for. Everything in fact that could be done by a commander who knew his duty had been done for the safety of the ship—so would the captain have said probably, had he lived to be questioned as to the management of his vessel12. But everything had not been done. The lead, strange to say, had not been hove. It was ready to heave, but the order was delayed. Unaccountable fatality13! The only safe guide that remained to the good ship on that wild night was held in abeyance14. It was deemed unnecessary to heave it yet, or it was troublesome, and they would wait till nearer the land. No one now can tell the reasons that influenced the captain, but the lead was not used. Owing to similar delay or neglect, hundreds upon hundreds of ships have been lost, and thousands of human lives have been sacrificed!
The ship passed like a dark phantom15 over the very head of the miner who was at work many fathoms16 below the bottom of the sea.
“Land, ho!” came suddenly in a fierce, quick shout from the mast-head.
“Starboard! starboard—hard!” cried the captain, as the roar of breakers ahead rose above the yelling of the storm.
Before the order was obeyed or another word spoken the ship struck, and a shriek17 of human terror followed, as the foremast went by the board with a fearful crash. The waves burst over the stern, sweeping18 the decks fore4 and aft. Wave after wave lifted the great ship as though it had been a child’s toy, and dashed her down upon the rocks. Her bottom was stove in, her planks19 and timbers were riven like matchwood. Far down below man was destroying the flinty rock, while overhead the rock was destroying the handiwork of man! But the destruction in the one case was slow, in the other swift. A desperate but futile20 effort was made by the crew to get out the boats, and the passengers, many of whom were women and children, rushed frantically21 from the cabin to the deck, and clung to anything they could lay hold of, until strength failed, and the waves tore them away.
One man there was in the midst of all the terror-stricken crew who retained his self-possession in that dread22 hour. He was a tall, stern old man with silver locks—an Indian merchant, one who had spent his youth and manhood in the wealthy land collecting gold—“making a fortune,” he was wont23 to say—and who was returning to his fatherland to spend it. He was a thinking and calculating man, and in the anticipation24 of some such catastrophe25 as had actually overtaken him, he had secured some of his most costly26 jewels in a linen27 belt. This belt, while others were rushing to the boats, the old man secured round his waist, and then sprang on deck, to be swept, with a dozen of his fellow-passengers, into the sea by the next wave that struck the doomed28 vessel. There was no one on that rugged29 coast to lend a helping30 hand. Lifeboats did not then, as now, nestle in little nooks on every part of our dangerous coasts. No eye was there to see nor ear to hear, when, twenty minutes after she struck, the East-Indiaman went to pieces, and those of her crew and passengers who had retained their hold of her uttered their last despairing cry, and their souls returned to God who gave them.
It is a solemn thought that man may with such awful suddenness, and so unexpectedly, be summoned into the presence of his Maker31. Thrice happy they who, when their hearts grow chill and their grasps relax as the last plank is rending32, can say, “Neither death, nor life, nor any other creature, is able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The scene we have described was soon over, and the rich cargo33 of the East-Indiaman was cast upon the sea and strewn upon the shore, affording much work for many days to the coastguard, and greatly exciting the people of the district—most of whom appeared to entertain an earnest belief in the doctrine34 that everything cast by storms upon their coast ought to be considered public property. Portions of the wreck had the name “Trident” painted on them, and letters found in several chests which were washed ashore35 proved that the ship had sailed from Calcutta, and was bound for the port of London. One little boy alone escaped the waves. He was found in a crevice37 of the cliffs the following day, with just enough vitality38 left to give a few details of the wreck. Although all possible care was bestowed39 on him, he died before night.
Thus sudden and complete was the end of as fine a ship as ever spread her canvas to the breeze. At night she had been full of life—full of wealth; in the morning she was gone—only a few bales and casks and broken spars to represent the wealth, and stiffened40 corpses41 to tell of the life departed. So she came and went, and in a short time all remnants of her were carried away.
One morning, a few weeks after the night of the storm, Maggot the smith turned himself in his bed at an early hour, and, feeling disinclined to slumber42, got up to look at the state of the weather. The sun was just rising, and there was an inviting43 look about the morning which induced the man to dress hastily and go out.
Maggot was a powerfully-built man, rough in his outer aspect as well as in his inner man, but by no means what is usually termed a bad man, although, morally speaking, he could not claim to be considered a good one. In fact, he was a hearty44, jolly, reckless fisherman, with warm feelings, enthusiastic temperament45, and no principle; a man who, though very ready to do a kind act, had no particular objection to do one that was decidedly objectionable when it suited his purpose or served his present interest. He was regarded by his comrades as one of the greatest madcaps in the district. Old Maggot was, as we have said, a blacksmith to trade, but he had also been bred a miner, and was something of a fisherman as well, besides being (like most of his companions) an inveterate46 smuggler48. He could turn his hand to almost anything, and was “everything by turns, but nothing long.”
Sauntering down to Priests Cove49, on the south of Cape36 Cornwall, with his hands in his pockets and his sou’-wester stuck carelessly on his shaggy head, he fell in with a comrade, whom he hailed by the name of John Cock. This man was also a fisherman, et cetera, and the bosom50 friend and admirer of Maggot.
“Where bound to this mornin’, Jack51?” inquired Maggot.
“To fish,” replied John.
“I go with ’ee, booy,” said Maggot.
This was the extent of the conversation at that time. They were not communicative, but walked side by side in silence to the beach, where they launched their little boat and rowed out to sea.
Presently John Cock looked over his shoulder and exclaimed— “Maggot, I see summat.”
“Do ’ee?”
“Iss do I.”
“What do un look like?”
“Like a dead corp.”
“Aw, my dear,” said Maggot, “lev us keep away. It can do no good to we.”
Acting52 on this opinion the men rowed past the object that was floating on the sea, and soon after began to fish; but they had not fished long when the dead body, drifted probably by some cross-current, appeared close to them again. Seeing this they changed their position, but ere long the body again appeared.
“P’raps,” observed Maggot, “there’s somethin’ in its pockets.”
As the same idea had occurred to John Cock, the men resolved to examine the body, so they rowed up to it and found it to be that of an elderly man, much decomposed53, and nearly naked. A very short examination sufficed to show that the pockets of such garments as were still upon it were empty, and the men were about to let it go again, when Maggot exclaimed—
“Hold fast, Jack, I see somethin’ tied round the waist of he; a sort o’ belt it do seem.”
The belt was quickly removed and the body released, when it sank with a heavy plunge54, but ere long reappeared on the surface. The fishermen rowed a considerable distance away from it, and then shipped their oars55 and examined the belt, which was made of linen. Maggot sliced it up as he would have ripped up a fish, and laid bare, to the astonished gaze of himself and his friend, a number of glittering gems56 of various colours, neatly57 and firmly embedded58 in cotton, besides a variety of rings and small brooches set with precious stones.
“Now, I tell ’ee,” said Maggot, “’tis like as this here will make our fortin’, or else git we into trouble.”
“Why, whatever shud we git into trouble ’bout it for?” said John Cock. “’Tis like as not they ain’t real—only painted glass, scarce wuth the trouble o’ car’in’ ashore.”
“Hould thy tongue, thee g’eat chucklehead,” replied Maggot; “a man wouldn’t go for to tie such stuff round his waist to drown hisself with, I do know, if they worn’t real. Lev us car’ ’em to Maister Donnithorne.”
John Cock replied with a nod, and the two men, packing up the jewels, pulled in-shore as fast as possible. Hauling their boat beyond the reach of the surf, they hastened to St. Just, and requested a private audience of Mr Donnithorne. (See note 1.)
That excellent gentleman was not unaccustomed to give private audiences to fishermen, and, as has been already hinted at the beginning of this tale, was reported to have private dealings with them also—of a very questionable59 nature. He received the two men, however, with the hearty air of a man who knows that the suspicions entertained of him by the calumnious60 world are false.
“Well, Maggot,” said Mr Donnithorne, “what is your business with me? You are not wont to be astir so early, if all be true that is reported of ’ee.”
“Plaise, sur,” said Maggot, with a glance at Rose Ellis, who sat sewing near the window, “I’m come to talk ’bout private matters—if—”
“Leave us, Rose dear, for a little,” said the old gentleman.
As soon as she was out of the room Maggot locked the door, a proceeding61 which surprised Mr Donnithorne not a little, but his surprise was much greater when the man drew a small parcel from the breast of his rough coat, and, unrolling it, displayed the glittering jewels of which he had so unexpectedly become possessed62.
“Where got you these?” inquired Mr Donnithorne, turning them over carefully.
“Got ’em in the say—catched ’em, sure ’nough,” said Maggot.
“Not with a baited hook, I warrant,” said the old gentleman. “Come, my son, let’s hear all about it.”
Maggot explained how he had obtained the jewels, and then asked what they were worth.
“I can’t tell that,” said Mr Donnithorne, shaking his head gravely. “Some of them are undoubtedly63 of value; the others, for all I know, may not be worth much.”
“Come now, sur,” said Maggot, with a confidential64 leer, “it’s not the fust time we have done a bit o’ business. I ’spose I cud claim salvage65 on ’em?”
“I don’t know that,” said the old gentleman; “you cannot tell whom they belonged to, and I suspect Government would claim them, if— But, by the way, I suppose you found no letters—nothing in the shape of writing on the body?”
“Nothin’ whatsomever.”
“Well, then, I fear that—”
“Come now, sur,” said Maggot boldly; “’spose you gives John and me ten pounds apaice an’ kape ’em to yourself to make what ’ee can of ’em?”
Mr Donnithorne shook his head and hesitated. Often before had he defrauded66 the revenue by knowingly purchasing smuggled67 brandy and tobacco, and by providing the funds to enable others to smuggle47 them; but then the morality of that day in regard to smuggling68 was very lax, and there were men who, although in all other matters truly honest and upright, could not be convinced of the sinfulness of smuggling, and smiled when they were charged with the practice, but who, nevertheless, would have scorned to steal or tell a downright lie. This, however, was a very different matter from smuggling. The old gentleman shrank from it at first, and could not meet the gaze of the smuggler with his usual bold frank look. But the temptation was great. The jewels he suspected were of immense value, and his heart readily replied to the objections raised by his conscience, that after all there was no one left to claim them, and he had a much better right to them, in equity69 if not in law, than Government; and as to the fellows who found them—why, the sum they asked would be a great and rich windfall to them, besides freeing them from all further trouble, as well as transferring any risk that might accrue70 from their shoulders to his own.
While the old gentleman was reasoning thus with himself, Maggot stood anxiously watching his countenance71 and twisting the cloth that had enclosed the jewellery into a tight rope, as he shifted his position uneasily. At length old Mr Donnithorne said—
“Leave the jewels with me, and call again in an hour from this time. You shall then have my answer.”
Maggot and his friend consented to this delay, and left the room.
No sooner were they gone than the old gentleman called his wife, who naturally exclaimed in great surprise on beholding72 the table covered with such costly trinkets—
“Where ever did you get these, Tom?”
Mr Donnithorne explained, and then asked what she thought of Maggot’s proposal.
“Refuse it,” said she firmly.
“But, my dear—”
“Don’t ‘but’ about it, Tom. Whenever a man begins to ‘but’ with sin, it is sure to butt73 him over on his back. Have nothing to do with it, I say.”
“But, my dear, it is not dishonest—”
“I don’t know that,” interrupted Mrs Donnithorne vigorously; “you think that smuggling is not dishonest, but I do, and so does the minister.”
“What care I for the minister?” cried the old gentleman, losing his temper; “who made him a judge of my doings?”
“He is an expounder74 of God’s Word,” said Mrs Donnithorne firmly, “and holds that ‘Thou shalt not steal’ is one of the Ten Commandments.”
“Well, well, he and I don’t agree, that’s all; besides, has he never expounded75 to you that obedience76 to your husband is a virtue77? a commandment, I may say, which you are—”
“Mr Donnithorne,” said the lady with dignity, “I am here at your request, and am now complying with your wishes in giving my opinion.”
“There, there, Molly,” said the subdued78 husband, giving his better half a kiss, “don’t be so sharp. You ought to have been a lawyer with your powerful reasoning capacity. However, let me tell you that you don’t understand these matters—”
“Then why ask my advice, Tom?”
“Why, woman, because an inexplicable79 fatality leads me to consult you, although I know well enough what the upshot will be. But I’m resolved to close with Maggot.”
“I knew you would,” said Mrs Donnithorne quietly.
The last remark was the turning-point. Had the good lady condescended80 to be earnest in her entreaties81 that the bargain should not be concluded, it is highly probable her husband would have given in; but her last observation nettled82 him so much that he immediately hoisted83 a flag of defiance84, nailed it to the mast, and went out in great indignation to search for Maggot. That individual was not far off. The bargain was completed, the jewels were locked up in one of the old gentleman’s secret repositories, and the fishermen, with ten pounds apiece in their pockets, returned home.
Note 1. It may be well here to inform the reader that the finding of the jewels as here described, and the consequences which followed, are founded on fact.
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1
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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3
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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4
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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bulwarks
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| n.堡垒( bulwark的名词复数 )；保障；支柱；舷墙 | |
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plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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10
mariner
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| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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fatality
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| n.不幸，灾祸，天命 | |
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abeyance
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| n.搁置，缓办，中止，产权未定 | |
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15
phantom
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| n.幻影，虚位，幽灵；adj.错觉的，幻影的，幽灵的 | |
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16
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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17
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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18
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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19
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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futile
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| adj.无效的，无用的，无希望的 | |
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21
frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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22
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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25
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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costly
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| adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的 | |
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27
linen
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| n.亚麻布，亚麻线，亚麻制品；adj.亚麻布制的，亚麻的 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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32
rending
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| v.撕碎( rend的现在分词 )；分裂；（因愤怒、痛苦等而）揪扯（衣服或头发等）；（声音等）刺破 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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doctrine
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| n.教义；主义；学说 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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vitality
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| n.活力，生命力，效力 | |
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bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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42
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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temperament
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| n.气质，性格，性情 | |
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inveterate
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| adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的 | |
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smuggle
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| vt.私运；vi.走私 | |
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smuggler
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| n.走私者 | |
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cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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50
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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51
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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52
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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decomposed
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| 已分解的，已腐烂的 | |
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54
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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55
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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56
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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57
neatly
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| adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地 | |
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58
embedded
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| a.扎牢的 | |
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59
questionable
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| adj.可疑的，有问题的 | |
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60
calumnious
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| adj.毁谤的，中伤的 | |
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61
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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62
possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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63
undoubtedly
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| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
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64
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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65
salvage
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| v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救 | |
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66
defrauded
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| v.诈取，骗取( defraud的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
smuggled
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| 水货 | |
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smuggling
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| n.走私 | |
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equity
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| n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票 | |
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70
accrue
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| v.(利息等)增大，增多 | |
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71
countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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72
beholding
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| v.看，注视( behold的现在分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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73
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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74
expounder
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| 陈述者，说明者 | |
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expounded
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| 论述，详细讲解( expound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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77
virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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78
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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79
inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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80
condescended
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| 屈尊，俯就( condescend的过去式和过去分词 )； 故意表示和蔼可亲 | |
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81
entreaties
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| n.恳求，乞求( entreaty的名词复数 ) | |
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82
nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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83
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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84
defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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