Robin had just returned home after the laying of the 1866 Atlantic Cable, as briefly2 narrated3 in the last chapter.
It may be said with some truth that the old home became, during the next few days, a private lunatic asylum4, for its inmates5 went mildly mad with joy.
Chief among the lunatics was uncle Rik, the retired6 sea-captain. That madman’s case, however, was not temporary derangement7, like the others’. It was confirmed insanity8, somewhat intensified9 just then by the nephew’s return.
“So, young man,” he said, one evening at supper, when the family traveller was dilating10 to open-eyed-and-mouthed listeners, “you actually believe that these cables are goin’ to work?”
“Of course I do, uncle. They are working now, and have been working for many years.”
“Well, now, the gullibility11 o’ some people is stupendous!” returned Rik. “Don’t you know, Robin, that everything a’most works for a time, and then, sooner or later—usually sooner—the ridiculous thing bursts up?”
“But, uncle, you beg the question in classing submarine cables among ridiculous things. Besides, have not dozens of cables been working satisfactorily for many years, without showing signs of bursting up as yet?”
“Pooh! bah! boh!” replied uncle Rik, by which he meant to say that though convinced against his will he was of the same opinion still.
At that moment cousin Sam Shipton entered with an eager, excited look.
“It’s all settled,” he said, taking Robin by the hand.
“What is settled?” asked Mrs Wright, somewhat anxiously.
“Mother, don’t be angry,” said Robin, laying his hand on his mother’s shoulder, and speaking tenderly, “I meant to have told you the moment I came in to-day, but uncle Rik with his argumentative spirit drove it and everything else except cables out of my head—”
“I have some prospect13, mother, of being appointed to go with a telegraph-laying party to the East, but Sam is wrong when he says it is all settled. Whatever he may have to tell us, it is by no means settled until I have your and father’s opinion.”
“Well, you horribly good but ungrateful boy,” returned Sam, “it is at least settled as far as I have do with it. I have made application at head-quarters, and they are willing to take you on my recommendation. Moreover, I am myself going.”
“You’re joking, Sam!” exclaimed Robin, with a flush of joy; “I thought you had neither intention nor desire to go far from home.”
“You thought wrong, Robin. I always had desire, and now have intention—and I go as second in command. So, Miss Mayland,” he continued, turning to Madge, “I shan’t be able to continue those electrical lectures which you were so fond of once, but have lately seemed to grow tired of.”
Madge was at that tender age of budding womanhood when sensitive girls are apt to misunderstand a jest. She blushed, stammered14 something, then forced a laugh, and turned to speak to Robin; but Sam perceived that tears rose to her eyes, and he instantly sank in his own estimation to the condition of a loathsome15 reptile16.
“Well, now, that is good news,” cried Robin, applying himself to the viands17 on the table with renewed zest18. “You cannot have the smallest objection or anxiety, mother, I should think, when you know I shall be under so able a guide.”
“I have not yet thought it over, Robin.”
“And you, father?”
“Go, my boy, and my blessing19 go with you,” said Mr Wright, all but choking the blessing with a huge oyster20.
“Are any labourers to go with us?” asked Robin.
“One or two picked ones.”
“Then you must allow me to pick one, Sam. My friend Jim Slagg is at present cast adrift with a considerable part of the Great Eastern’s crew. He will be delighted to go, I know, and is a first-rate, hard-working, willing, conscientious21 youth.”
“He ought to be proud of having so warm a friend and advocate,” said Sam, “but I have no power to choose the men.”
“O yes, you have, Sam. If you could get me appointed, you can get him appointed; and you must, for, if you don’t, I won’t go.”
“You are hard on me, Robin, but I’ll try.”
“But you have not yet told us where it is that they are going to send you,” said Mrs Wright.
“Ah! that’s not fixed,” replied Sam; “they are laying down lines in Turkey; and Egypt is talked of, and telegraph to India itself is even hinted at. All I know is that we shall be sent to the East somewhere.”
“Bah! boo! Why does nobody ask for my opinion on the matter?” said uncle Rik, as he gazed at the company over a goose drumstick, which was obviously not tender.
“Your opinion, brother,” said Mr Wright, “is so valuable, that no doubt your nephew has been keeping it to the last as a sort of tit-bit—eh, Robin?”
“Well, uncle; come, let us have it,” said Robin.
“You don’t deserve it,” returned Rik, with a wrench22 at the drumstick, “but you shall have it all the same, free, gratis23. Was this bird fed on gutta-percha shavings, sister Nan?”
“Well,” continued the captain, “you youngsters will go off, I see, right or wrong, and you’ll get half-drowned in the sea, roasted in the East, smothered26 in the desert, eaten alive by cannibals, used-up by the plague, poisoned by serpents, and tee-totally ruined altogether. Then you’ll come home with the skin of your teeth on—nothing more.”
“I sincerely hope it will be summer at the time,” said Sam, laughing; “but we are grateful to you for prophesying27 that we shall return, even though in such light clothing.”
“That’s what’ll happen,” continued the captain, regarding the other drumstick with some hesitation28; “you may take the word of an old salt for it. I’ve lived in the good old times, lads, and I know that all these new-fangled notions are goin’ to burst up—and that’s what’ll come of it.”
点击收听单词发音
1 robin | |
n.知更鸟,红襟鸟 | |
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2 briefly | |
adv.简单地,简短地 | |
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3 narrated | |
v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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4 asylum | |
n.避难所,庇护所,避难 | |
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5 inmates | |
n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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6 retired | |
adj.隐退的,退休的,退役的 | |
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7 derangement | |
n.精神错乱 | |
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8 insanity | |
n.疯狂,精神错乱;极端的愚蠢,荒唐 | |
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9 intensified | |
v.(使)增强, (使)加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10 dilating | |
v.(使某物)扩大,膨胀,张大( dilate的现在分词 ) | |
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11 gullibility | |
n.易受骗,易上当,轻信 | |
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12 suspense | |
n.(对可能发生的事)紧张感,担心,挂虑 | |
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13 prospect | |
n.前景,前途;景色,视野 | |
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14 stammered | |
v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15 loathsome | |
adj.讨厌的,令人厌恶的 | |
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16 reptile | |
n.爬行动物;两栖动物 | |
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17 viands | |
n.食品,食物 | |
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18 zest | |
n.乐趣;滋味,风味;兴趣 | |
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19 blessing | |
n.祈神赐福;祷告;祝福,祝愿 | |
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20 oyster | |
n.牡蛎;沉默寡言的人 | |
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21 conscientious | |
adj.审慎正直的,认真的,本着良心的 | |
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22 wrench | |
v.猛拧;挣脱;使扭伤;n.扳手;痛苦,难受 | |
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23 gratis | |
adj.免费的 | |
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24 strings | |
n.弦 | |
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25 blandly | |
adv.温和地,殷勤地 | |
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26 smothered | |
(使)窒息, (使)透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 ); 覆盖; 忍住; 抑制 | |
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27 prophesying | |
v.预告,预言( prophesy的现在分词 ) | |
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28 hesitation | |
n.犹豫,踌躇 | |
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29 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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