Jack1 Robinson’s first proceeding2 on entering the new fort and assuming the command, was to summon the man, (supposed to be a maniac3), named Teddy O’Donel, to his presence in the “Hall.”
“Your name is Teddy O’Donel?” said Jack.
“The same, sir, at your sarvice,” said Teddy, with a respectful pull at his forelock. “They was used to call me Mister O’Donel when I was in the army, but I’ve guv that up long ago an’ dropped the title wid the commission.”
“Indeed: then you were a commissioned officer?” inquired Jack, with a smile.
“Be no manes. It was a slight longer title than that I had. They called me a non-commissioned officer. I niver could find in me heart to consociate wid them consaited commissioners—though there was wan4 or two of ’em as was desarvin’ o’ the three stripes. But I niver took kindly5 to sodgerin’. It was in the Howth militia6 I was. Good enough boys they was in their way, but I couldn’t pull wid them no how. They made me a corp’ral for good conduct, but, faix, the great review finished me; for I got into that state of warlike feeling that I loaded me muskit five times widout firin’, an’ there was such a row round about that I didn’t know the dirty thing had niver wint off till the fifth time, when she bursted into smithereens an’ wint off intirely. No wan iver seed a scrag of her after that. An’ the worst was, she carried away the small finger of Bob Riley’s left hand. Bob threw down his muskit an’ ran off the ground howlin’, so I picked the wipon up an’ blazed away at the inimy; but, bad luck to him, Bob had left his ramrod in, and I sint it right through the flank of an owld donkey as was pullin’ an apple and orange cart. Oh! how that baste7 did kick up its heels, to be sure! and the apples and oranges they was flyin’ like—Well, well—the long and the short was, that I wint an’ towld the colonel I couldn’t stop no longer in such a regiment8. So I guv it up an’ comed out here.”
“And became a fur-trader,” said Jack Robinson, with a smile.
“Just so, sur, an’ fort-builder to boot; for, being a jiner to trade and handy wid the tools, Mr Murray sent me down here to build the place and take command, but I s’pose I’m suppersheeded now!”
“Well, I believe you are, Teddy; but I hope that you will yet do good service as my lieutenant9.”
The beaming smile on Teddy’s face showed that he was well pleased to be relieved from the responsibilities of office.
“Sure,” said he, “the throuble I have had wid the min an’ the salvages10 for the last six weeks—it’s past belavin’! An’ thin, whin I sint the men down to the river to fush—more nor twinty miles off—an’ whin the salvages wint away and left me alone wid only wan old salvage11 woman!—och! I’d not wish my worst inimy in me sitivation.”
“They have, sur, but not so much as the min.”
“Well, Teddy,” said Jack, “go and fetch me something to eat, and then you shall sit down and give me an account of things in general. But first give my men food.”
“Sure they’ve got it,” replied Teddy, with a broad grin. “That spalpeen they calls Rollo axed for meat the first thing, in a voice that made me think he’d ait me up alive av he didn’t git it. So I guv ’em the run o’ the pantry. What’ll yer plaze to dhrink, sur?”
“What have you got?”
“Tay and coffee, sur, not to mintion wather. There’s only flour an’ salt pork to ait, for this is a bad place for game. I’ve not seed a bird or a bear for three weeks, an’ the seals is too cute for me. But I’ll bring ye the best that we’ve got.”
Teddy O’Donel hastened to the kitchen, a small log-hut in rear of the dwelling-house, and left Jack Robinson alone in the “Hall.”
Jack rose, thrust his hands deep into his pockets, and walked to the window. It was glazed13 with parchment, with the exception of the centre square, which was of glass.
“Pleasant, uncommonly14 pleasant,” he muttered, as he surveyed the landscape.
In front lay a flat beach of sand with the gulf15 beyond, the horizon being veiled in mist. Up the river there was a flat beach with a hill beyond. It was a black iron-looking hill, devoid16 of all visible verdure, and it plunged17 abruptly19 down into the sea as if it were trying fiercely to drown itself. Down the river there was a continuation of flat beach, with, apparently20, nothing whatever beyond. The only objects that enlivened the dreary21 expanse were, the sloop22 at the end of the wooden jetty and a small flagstaff in front of the house, from which a flag was flying in honour of the arrival of the new governor. At the foot of this flagstaff there stood an old iron cannon23, which looked pugnacious24 and cross, as if it longed to burst itself and blow down all visible creation.
Jack Robinson’s countenance25 became a simple blank as he took the first survey of his new dominions26. Suddenly a gleam of hope flitted across the blank.
“Perhaps the back is better,” he muttered, opening the door that led to the rear of the premises27. In order to get out he had to pass through the kitchen, where he found his men busy with fried pork and flour cakes, and his lieutenant, Teddy, preparing coffee.
“What is that?” inquired Jack, pointing to a small heap of brown substance which Teddy was roasting in a frying-pan.
“Sure it’s coffee,” said the man.
“Eh?” inquired Jack.
“Coffee, sur,” repeated Teddy with emphasis.
“What is it made of?” inquired Jack.
“Bread-crumbs28, sur. I’m used to make it of pais, but it takes longer, d’ye see, for I’ve got to pound ’em in a cloth after they’re roasted. The crumbs is a’most as good as the pais, an’ quicker made whin yer in a hurry.”
Jack’s first impulse was to countermand29 the crumbs and order tea, but he refrained, and went out to survey the back regions of his new home.
He found that the point selected for the establishment of the fort was a plain of sand, on which little herbage of any kind grew. In rear of the house there was a belt of stunted30 bushes, which, as he went onward31 into the interior, became a wood of stunted firs. This seemed to grow a little more dense32 farther inland, and finally terminated at the base of the distant and rugged33 mountains of the interior. In fact, he found that he was established on a sandbank which had either been thrown up by the sea, or at no very remote period had formed part of its bed. Returning home so as to enter by the front door, he observed an enclosed space a few hundred yards distant from the fort. Curious to know what it was, he walked up to it, and, looking over the stockade34, beheld35 numerous little mounds36 of sand with wooden crosses at the head of them. It was the burial-ground of the establishment. Trade had been carried on here by a few adventurous37 white men before the fort was built. Some of their number having died, a space had been enclosed as a burying-ground. The Roman Catholic Indians afterwards used it, and it was eventually consecrated38 with much ceremony by a priest.
With a face from which every vestige39 of intelligence was removed, Jack Robinson returned to the fort and sat down in solitary40 state in the hall. In the act of sitting down he discovered that the only arm-chair in the room was unsteady on its legs, these being of unequal length. There were two other chairs without arms, and equally unsteady on their legs. These, as well as everything in the room, were made of fir-wood—as yet unpainted. In the empty fire-place Jack observed a piece of charcoal41, which he took up and began, in an absent way, to sketch42 on the white wall. He portrayed43 a raving44 maniac as large as life, and then, sitting down, began insensibly to hum—
“I dreamt that I dwelt in marble halls.”
“Ah, yer a purty creatur,” exclaimed Teddy, pausing with a look of admiration46 before the maniac.
“Come, Teddy, sit down and let’s have the news. What have we here?” said Jack, looking at three covered plates which were placed before him.
“Salt pork fried,” said Teddy removing the cover.
“And here?”
“Salt pork biled,” said the man, removing the second cover; “an’ salt pork cold,” he added, removing the third. “You see, sur, I wasn’t sure which way ye’d like it, an’ ye was out whin I come to ax; so I just did it up in three fashions. Here’s loaf bread, an’ it’s not bad, though I say it that made it.”
As Jack cut down into the loaf, he naturally remembered those lines of a well-known writer:
“Who has not tasted home-made bread,
A heavy compound of putty and
lead!”
“Are these cakes?” he said, as Teddy presented another plate with something hot in it.
“Ay, pancakes they is, made of flour an’ wather fried in grease, an’ the best of aitin’, as ye’ll find;—but, musha! they’ve all stuck together from some raison I han’t yet diskivered: but they’ll be none the worse for that, and there’s plenty of good thick molasses to wash ’em down wid.”
“That’s the coffee, sur.”
“Ah! well, sit down, Teddy, I have seen worse fare than this. Let’s be thankful for it. Now, then, let me hear about the fishery.”
Nothing pleased Teddy O’Donel so much as being allowed to talk. He sat down accordingly and entertained his master for the next hour with a full, true, and particular account of every thing connected with Fort Desolation. We will not, however, inflict48 this on the reader. Reduced to its narrowest limits, his information was to the following effect:—
That the Indians, generally, were well disposed towards the traders, though difficult to please. That a good many furs had been already obtained, and there was a report of more coming in. That the salmon49 fishery was situated50 on a river twenty miles below the fort, and was progressing favourably51; but that the five men engaged there were a quarrelsome set and difficult to keep in order. Teddy thought, however, that it was all owing to one of the men, named Ladoc, a bully52, who kept the other four in bad humour.
But the point on which poor Teddy dilated53 most was his solitude54. For some time he had been living with no other companions than an old Indian woman and her half-caste daughter, and they having left him, during the last three days he had been living entirely55 alone “among the ghosts,” many of which he described minutely.
This intelligence was brought to an abrupt18 close by a row among the men in the kitchen. Rollo had been boasting of his walking powers to such an extent, that Pierre had become disgusted and spoke56 contemptuously of Rollo; whereupon the bully, as usual, began to storm, and his wrath57 culminated58 when Pierre asserted that, “Mr Robinson would bring him to his marrow-bones ere long.”
“Jack Robinson!” exclaimed Rollo with contempt; “I’d walk him blind in two hours.”
Just at that moment the door opened, and Jack stood before them.
“You are too noisy, men,” said he, in a quiet voice, (Jack almost always spoke in a soft voice); “remember that this kitchen is within hearing of the hall. Rollo, go down to the beach and haul up the sloop’s boat, I see the tide is making on her.”
Rollo hesitated.
“You hear?” said Jack, still in a quiet tone, but with a look—not a fierce look, or a threatening look, but—a peculiar59 look, which instantly took effect.
One has often observed a cat when about to spring. It makes many pauses in its prowling towards its prey60, and occasional motions that lead one to expect a spring. But the motion which precedes the actual spring is always emphatic61. It may not be violent; it may be as slight as all the previous motions, but there is that in it which tells irresistibly62, somehow, of a fixed63 purpose. So is it, doubtless, with tigers; so was it with Jack Robinson. His first remark to the men was a prowl; his order to Rollo was a pause, with an intention; his “you hear?” softly said, had a something in it which induced Rollo to accord instant obedience64!
On returning to the hall, Jack paced up and down indignantly. “So there are two bullies65 in the camp,” he soliloquised; “I must cure them both;—but softly, Jack. It won’t do to fight if you can secure peace by other means. Let blows be the last resource. That’s my motto. He’ll walk me blind! Well, we shall see, to-morrow!”
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1
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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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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maniac
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| n.精神癫狂的人；疯子 | |
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wan
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| (wide area network)广域网 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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militia
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| n.民兵，民兵组织 | |
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baste
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| v.殴打，公开责骂 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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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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salvages
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| 海上营救( salvage的名词复数 )； 抢救出的财产； 救援费； 经加工后重新利用的废物 | |
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salvage
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| v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救 | |
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savages
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| 未开化的人，野蛮人( savage的名词复数 ) | |
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13
glazed
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| adj.光滑的，像玻璃的；上过釉的；呆滞无神的v.装玻璃( glaze的过去式)；上釉于，上光；（目光）变得呆滞无神 | |
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14
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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18
abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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sloop
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| n.单桅帆船 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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pugnacious
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| adj.好斗的 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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crumbs
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| int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式 | |
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countermand
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| v.撤回(命令)，取消(订货) | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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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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stockade
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| n.栅栏，围栏；v.用栅栏防护 | |
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beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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mounds
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| 土堆，土丘( mound的名词复数 )； 一大堆 | |
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adventurous
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| adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的 | |
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consecrated
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| adj.神圣的，被视为神圣的v.把…奉为神圣，给…祝圣( consecrate的过去式和过去分词 )；奉献 | |
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vestige
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| n.痕迹，遗迹，残余 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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41
charcoal
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| n.炭，木炭，生物炭 | |
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sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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portrayed
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| v.画像( portray的过去式和过去分词 )；描述；描绘；描画 | |
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44
raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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45
viands
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| n.食品，食物 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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47
battered
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| adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损 | |
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48
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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49
salmon
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| n.鲑，大马哈鱼，橙红色的 | |
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situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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51
favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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52
bully
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| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
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dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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55
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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56
spoke
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| 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 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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culminated
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| v.达到极点( culminate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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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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emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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irresistibly
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| adv.无法抵抗地，不能自持地；极为诱惑人地 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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bullies
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| n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负 | |
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