The doctor squinted3 at the paper. “I’m afraid that’s your patient’s death warrant. You’ll never be able to keep him going on anything else. Why don’t you go and talk it over with Chessup? He’s a resourceful fellow. I’ll join you there in a few minutes.”
Claude had often been to Dr. Chessup’s cabin since the epidemic4 broke out,-rather liked to wait there when he went for medicines or advice. It was a comfortable, personal sort of place with cheerful chintz hangings. The walls were lined with books, held in place by sliding wooden slats, padlocked at the ends. There were a great many scientific works in German and English; the rest were French novels in paper covers. This morning he found Chessup weighing out white powders at his desk. In the rack over his bunk5 was the book with which he had read himself to sleep last night; the title, “Un Crime d’Amour,” lettered in black on yellow, caught Claude’s eye. The doctor put on his coat and pointed6 his visitor to the jointed7 chair in which patients were sometimes examined. Claude explained his predicament.
The ship’s doctor was a strange fellow to come from Canada, the land of big men and rough. He looked like a schoolboy, with small hands and feet and a pink complexion8. On his left cheekbone was a large brown mole9, covered with silky hair, and for some reason that seemed to make his face effeminate. It was easy to see why he had not been successful in private practice. He was like somebody trying to protect a raw surface from heat and cold; so cursed with diffidence, and so sensitive about his boyish appearance that he chose to shut himself up in an oscillating wooden coop on the sea. The long run to Australia had exactly suited him. A rough life and the pounding of bad weather had fewer terrors for him than an office in town, with constant exposure to human personalities10.
“Have you tried him on malted milk?” he asked, when Claude had told him how Farming’s nourishment11 was threatened.
“Dr. Trueman hasn’t a bottle left. How long do you figure we’ll be at sea?”
“Four days; possibly five.”
“Then Lieutenant12 Wheeler will lose his pal,” said Dr. Trueman, who had just come in.
Chessup stood for a moment frowning and pulling nervously13 at the brass14 buttons on his coat. He slid the bolt on his door and turning to his colleague said resolutely15: “I can give you some information, if you won’t implicate16 me. You can do as you like, but keep my name out of it. For several hours last night cases of eggs and boxes of oranges were being carried into the Chief Steward’s cabin by a flunky of his from the galley17. Whatever port we make, he can get a shilling each for the fresh eggs, and perhaps sixpence for the oranges. They are your property, of course, furnished by your government; but this is his customary perquisite18. I’ve been on this boat six years, and it’s always been so. About a week before we make port, the choicest of the remaining stores are taken to his cabin, and he disposes of them after we dock. I can’t say just how he manages it, but he does. The skipper may know of this custom, and there may be some reason why he permits it. It’s not my business to see anything. The Chief Steward is a powerful man on an English vessel19. If he has anything against me, sooner or later he can lose my berth20 for me. There you have the facts.”
“Have I your permission to go to the Chief Steward?” Dr. Trueman asked.
“Certainly not. But you can go without my knowledge. He’s an ugly man to cross, and he can make it uncomfortable for you and your patients.”
“Well, we’ll say no more about it. I appreciate your telling me, and I will see that you don’t get mixed up in this. Will you go down with me to look at that new meningitis case?”
Claude waited impatiently in his stateroom for the doctor’s return. He didn’t see why the Chief Steward shouldn’t be exposed and dealt with like any other grafter21. He had hated the man ever since he heard him berating22 the old bath steward one morning. Hawkins had made no attempt to defend himself, but stood like a dog that has been terribly beaten, trembling all over, saying “Yes, sir. Yes, sir,” while his chief gave him a cold cursing in a low, snarling23 voice. Claude had never heard a man or even an animal addressed with such contempt. The Steward had a cruel face, — white as cheese, with limp, moist hair combed back from a high forehead, — the peculiarly oily hair that seems to grow only on the heads of stewards24 and waiters. His eyes were exactly the shape of almonds, but the lids were so swollen25 that the dull pupil was visible only through a narrow slit26. A long, pale moustache hung like a fringe over his loose lips.
When Dr. Trueman came back from the hospital, he declared he was now ready to call on Mr. Micks. “He’s a nasty looking customer, but he can’t do anything to me.”
They went to the Chief Steward’s cabin and knocked.
“What’s wanted?” called a threatening voice.
The doctor made a grimace27 to his companion and walked in. The Steward was sitting at a big desk, covered with account books. He turned in his chair. “I beg your pardon,” he said coldly, “I do not see any one here. I will be-”
The doctor held up his hand quickly. “That’s all right, Steward. I’m sorry to intrude28, but I’ve something I must say to you in private. I’ll not detain you long.” If he had hesitated for a moment, Claude believed the Steward would have thrown him out, but he went on rapidly. “This is Lieutenant Wheeler, Mr. Micks. His fellow officer lies very ill with pneumonia29 in stateroom 96. Lieutenant Wheeler has kept him alive by special nursing. He is not able to retain anything in his stomach but eggs and orange juice. If he has these, we may be able to keep up his strength till the fever breaks, and carry him to a hospital in France. If we can’t get them for him, he will be dead within twenty-four hours. That’s the situation.”
The steward rose and turned out the drop-light on his desk. “Have you received notice that there are no more eggs and oranges on board? Then I am afraid there is nothing I can do for you. I did not provision this ship.”
“No. I understand that. I believe the United States Government provided the fruit and eggs and meat. And I positively30 know that the articles I need for my patient are not exhausted. Without going into the matter further, I warn you that I’m not going to let a United States officer die when the means of saving him are procurable31. I’ll go to the skipper, I’ll call a meeting of the army officers on board. I’ll go any length to save this man.”
“That is your own affair, but you will not interfere32 with me in the discharge of my duties. Will you leave my cabin?”
“In a moment, Steward. I know that last night a number of cases of eggs and oranges were carried into this room. They are here now, and they belong to the A.E.F. If you will agree to provision my man, what I know won’t go any further. But if you refuse, I’ll get this matter investigated. I won’t stop till I do.”
The Steward sat down, and took up a pen. His large, soft hand looked cheesy, like his face. “What is the number of the cabin?” he asked indifferently.
“Ninety-six.”
“Exactly what do you require?”
“One dozen eggs and one dozen oranges every twenty-four hours, to be delivered at any time convenient to you.”
“I will see what I can do.”
The Steward did not look up from his writing pad, and his visitors left as abruptly33 as they had come.
At about four o’clock every morning, before even the bath stewards were on duty, there was a scratching at Claude’s door, and a covered basket was left there by a messenger who was unwashed, half-naked, with a sacking apron34 tied round his middle and his hairy chest splashed with flour. He never spoke35, had only one eye and an inflamed36 socket37. Claude learned that he was a half-witted brother of the Chief Steward, a potato peeler and dish-washer in the galley.
Four day after their interview with Mr. Micks, when they were at last nearing the end of the voyage, Doctor Trueman detained Claude after medical inspection38 to tell him that the Chief Steward had come down with the epidemic. “He sent for me last night and asked me to take his case, — won’t have anything to do with Chessup. I had to get Chessup’s permission. He seemed very glad to hand the case over to me.”
“Is he very bad?”
“He hasn’t a look-in, and he knows it. Complications; chronic39 Bright’s disease. It seems he has nine children. I’ll try to get him into a hospital when we make port, but he’ll only live a few days at most. I wonder who’ll get the shillings for all the eggs and oranges he hoarded40 away. Claude, my boy,” the doctor spoke with sudden energy, “if I ever set foot on land again, I’m going to forget this voyage like a bad dream. When I’m in normal health, I’m a Presbyterian, but just now I feel that even the wicked get worse than they deserve.”
A day came at last when Claude was wakened from sleep by a sense of stillness. He sprang up with a dazed fear that some one had died; but Fanning lay in his berth, breathing quietly.
Something caught his eye through the porthole, — a great grey shoulder of land standing41 up in the pink light of dawn, powerful and strangely still after the distressing42 instability of the sea. Pale trees and long, low fortifications . . . close grey buildings with red roofs . . . little sailboats bounding seaward . . . up on the cliff a gloomy fortress43.
He had always thought of his destination as a country shattered and desolated44, — “bleeding France”; but he had never seen anything that looked so strong, so self-sufficient, so fixed45 from the first foundation, as the coast that rose before him. It was like a pillar of eternity46. The ocean lay submissive at its feet, and over it was the great meekness47 of early morning.
This grey wall, unshaken, mighty48, was the end of the long preparation, as it was the end of the sea. It was the reason for everything that had happened in his life for the last fifteen months. It was the reason why Tannhauser and the gentle Virginian, and so many others who had set out with him, were never to have any life at all, or even a soldier’s death. They were merely waste in a great enterprise, thrown overboard like rotten ropes. For them this kind release, — trees and a still shore and quiet water, — was never, never to be. How long would their bodies toss, he wondered, in that inhuman49 kingdom of darkness and unrest?
He was startled by a weak voice from behind.
“Claude, are we over?”
“Yes, Fanning. We’re over.”
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
steward
|
|
| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
squinted
|
|
| 斜视( squint的过去式和过去分词 )； 眯着眼睛； 瞟； 从小孔或缝隙里看 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
epidemic
|
|
| n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
bunk
|
|
| n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位；废话 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
jointed
|
|
| 有接缝的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
complexion
|
|
| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
mole
|
|
| n.胎块；痣；克分子 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
personalities
|
|
| n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
nourishment
|
|
| n.食物，营养品；营养情况 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
lieutenant
|
|
| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
nervously
|
|
| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
brass
|
|
| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
resolutely
|
|
| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
implicate
|
|
| vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
galley
|
|
| 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； | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
perquisite
|
|
| n.固定津贴，福利 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
berth
|
|
| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
grafter
|
|
| 嫁接的人，贪污者，收贿者； 平铲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
berating
|
|
| v.严厉责备，痛斥( berate的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
snarling
|
|
| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
stewards
|
|
| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
swollen
|
|
| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
slit
|
|
| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
grimace
|
|
| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
intrude
|
|
| vi.闯入；侵入；打扰，侵扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
pneumonia
|
|
| n.肺炎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
positively
|
|
| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
procurable
|
|
| adj.可得到的，得手的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
apron
|
|
| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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
inflamed
|
|
| adj.发炎的，红肿的v.（使）变红，发怒，过热( inflame的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
socket
|
|
| n.窝，穴，孔，插座，插口 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
inspection
|
|
| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
chronic
|
|
| adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
hoarded
|
|
| v.积蓄并储藏（某物）( hoard的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
standing
|
|
| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
distressing
|
|
| a.使人痛苦的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
fortress
|
|
| n.堡垒，防御工事 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
desolated
|
|
| adj.荒凉的，荒废的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
eternity
|
|
| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
meekness
|
|
| n.温顺，柔和 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
inhuman
|
|
| adj.残忍的，不人道的，无人性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |