It was three days before Christmas-day, and they were returning from fishing along the coast, and were about ten miles or so from home. I say returning, though in fact there was not a breath of wind, and the boat was drifting idly along on the tide. Two handsome simple-looking young men were lolling by the useless tiller; an old man, hale and strong as a lion, with a courteous3 highbred look about him, was splicing4 a rope; and a tall, pale, black-haired man was looking steadily5 seaward, with his hands in his pockets, while Charles and Marston were standing in the bows smoking.
“What a curious, dreamy, dosy, delicious kind of winter you have down here,” said Marston.
“I am very fond of it,” said Charles; “it keeps you in continual hope for the spring that is coming. In the middle of frost and snow and ice one is apt to lose one’s faith in waving boughs6 and shady pools.”
“I have had such a quiet time with you down here, Charley. I am so pleased with the way in which you are going on. You are quite an altered man. I think we shall both look back to the last few quiet weeks as a happy time.”
“Here the tall dark man, who was looking out to sea, suddenly said —
“Bain and hail, snow and tempest, stormy wind fulfilling His word.”
“Ay, ay,” said the old man; “going to blow tonight, I expect.”
“We shall go home pretty fast, may be.”
“Not us, Master Charles dear,” said the tall man. “We are going to have it from south and by west, and so through west round to north. Before which time there’ll be souls in glory, praise be to God.”
The old man took off his hat reverently7.
“There won’t be amuch surf on when we beaches she,” said one of the young men. “It won’t get up afore the wind be full round west for an hour.”
“You’re a spaking like a printed buke, Jan,” said the old man.
“I’m a thinking differently, Master Evans,” said the dark man. “It will chop round very sudden, and be west before we know where we are. I speak with humility8 to a man who has seen the Lord’s wonders in the deep so many years longer nor me. But I think, under God, I am right.”
“You most in general be right. They as converses9 with the Lord night and day, day and night, like as you do, knows likely more of his works nor we, as ain’t your gifts.”
“The Lord has vouchsafed10 me nothing in the way of a vision, about this afternoon, Master Evans.”
“Didn’t ’ee dream never at all last night?” said one of the young men, “Think ’ee now.”
“Nought to bear on wind or weather, Jan. I judges from the glass. It’s a dropping fast.”
Jan would have had more faith in one of Matthew’s dreams, and didn’t seem to think much of the barometer11. Meanwhile Marston had whispered Charles —
“Who is Matthews? What sect12 is he?”
“Oh, he’s a Brianite.”
“What is that?”
“A sort of Ranter, I believe.”
Marston looked up, and saw the two great black eyes under the lofty forehead fixed13 full upon him. With the instinct of a gentleman, he said at once —
“I was asking Mr. Charles what sect you were of; that was all. He tells me you are a Brianite, and I had never heard of that sect before. I hope you will let me talk to you about your matters of belief some day.”
Matthews took off his hat, and said — That with the Lord’s will he would speak to his honour. “Will your onour bear with a poor fisherman, ignorant of the world’s learning, but who has had matters revealed to him by the Lord in dreams and visions of the night. Peter was only a fisherman, your honour, and, oh, if we could only hear him speak now!”
He paused, and looked again to seaward. Charles had gone again into the bow, and Marston was standing among the men right aft. Suddenly Matthews turned again upon him, and said —
“In the beaching of this here boat tonight, your honour, there may be danger. In such case my place will be alongside of him,” pointing to Charles. “There’d be a many kind hearts aching, if aught happened to him. You stick close to these young men. They’ll see after you, sir.”
“You keep close alongside of we, sir. You hold on of we, sir. We’ll see you all right, sir,” said the two young men.
“But, my dear good souls, I am as good a swimmer as any in England, and as active as a cat. Pray, don’t mind me.” You keep hold of we and run, sir,” said one of the young men, “that’s all you’re a’got to do, sir.”
“I shall most certainly run,” said Marston laughing, “but I decline drowning any one but myself — ”
Charles said at this moment, “Do come here, and look at this.”
It was worth looking at, indeed. They were about a mile from shore, floating about anyhow on an oily mooth sea; for the tide had changed, and they were making no headway. Before them one of the noblest headlands on the coast, an abrupt14 cone15 of slate16, nigh a thousand feet high, covered almost entirely17 with grass, sloped suddenly into the water; and in advance of it, but slightly on one side, a rugged18 mound19 of black rock, nearly six hundred feet, stood out into the sea, and contrasted its horrid20 jagged lines with the smooth green of the peak behind. Round its base, dividing it from the glossy21 sea, ran a delicate line of silver — the surf caused by the ground swell22; and in front the whole promontory23 was dimly mirrored in the quietly heaving ocean.
“What a noble headland,” said Marston; “is that grass on the further peak too steep to walk upon?”
“There’s some one a’walking on it now,” said old Evans. “There’s a woman a’walking on it.”
None could see it but he, except Matthews, who said he couldn’t tell if it was a sheep or no.
Charles got out his glass, and the old man was right. A woman was walking rapidly along the peak, about the third of the way down.
“What a curious place for a woman to be in!” he remarked. “It is almost terrible to look at.”
“I never saw any one there before, save the shepherd,” said the old man.
“It’s a sheep-path,” said one of the young ones. “I have been along there myself. It is the short way round to Coombe.”
Charles would have thought more of the solitary24 emale figure on that awful precipice25, but that their attention was diverted by something else. From the south-westward black flaws of wind began to creep towards them, alternated with long irregular bands of oily calm. Soon the calm bands disappeared, and the wind reached them. Then they had steerage, and in a very short time were roaring out to sea close hauled, with a brisk and ever increasing breeze.
They saw that they would have to fetch a very long .ml make a great offing, in order to reach Ravenshoe at all. The wind was freshening every moment, changing to the west, and the sea was getting up. It took them three hours to open Ravenshoe bay; and, being about five miles from the shore, they could see that already there was an ugly side-sirrf sweeping26 in, and that the people were busy on the beach, hauling up their boats out of harm’s way.
“How beautifully these craft sail,” said Marston, as they were all hanging on by her weather gunwale, and the green sea was rushing past to leeward27, almost under their feet, in sheets of angry foam28.
“It is amazing what speed is got out of them on a wind,” said Charles, “but they are dangerous craft:’
“Why so?”
“These lug-sails are so awkward in tacking30, you will see.”
They ran considerably31 past Ravenshoe and about six miles to sea. when the word was given to go about. In an instant the half-deck was lumbered32 with the heavy ed sails; and, after five minutes of unutterable confusion, she got about. Marston was expecting her to broach33 to every moment during this long five minutes, but fortune favoured them. They went freer on this tack29, for the wind was now north of west, and the brave little craft went nearly before it at her finest pace. The men kept on her as much sail as she could stand, but that was very little; fast as they went, the great seas went faster, as though determined34 to be at the dreadful rendezvous35 before the boat. Still the waves rose higher and the wind howled louder. They were nearing the shore rapidly.
Now they began to see, through the mist, the people gathered in a crowd on the shore, densest36 at one point, but with a few restless stragglers right and left of that point, who kept coming and going. This spot was where they expected to come ashore37. They were apparently38 the last boat out, and all the village was watching them with the deepest anxiety.
They began to hear a sound other than the howling of the wind in the rigging, and the rush of waters around them — a continuous thunder, growing louder each moment as the boat swept onward39. The thimder of the surf upon the sand. And, looking forward, they could see just the top of it as it leapt madly up.
It was a nervous moment. They stood ready in their shirts and trousers, for a rush, should it be necessary. And the old man was at the helm. They saw the seas begin to curl. Then they were in the middle of them.
Then the water left them on the sand, and three brave fellows from the shore dashed to hook on the tackles; bnt they were too late. Back with a roar like a hungry lion came the sea; the poor boat broached40 to, and took the whole force of the deluge41 on her broadside. In a moment more, blinded and stunned42, they were all in the water, trying to stand against the backward rush which took them near midthigh. Old Master Evans was nearest to Marston; he was tottering43 to fall when Marston got hold of him, and saved him. The two young men got hold of both of them. Then three men from the shore dashed in and got hold of Charles; and then, as the water went down and they dared move their feet, they all ran for their lives. Marston and his party got on to dry land on their feet, but Charles and his assistants were tumbled over and over, and washed up ignominiously44 covered with sand. Charles, however, soon recovered himself, and, looking round to thank those who had done him this service, found that one of them was William, who, when the gale45 had come on, had, with that bland46 indifference47 to the stud-groom48’s personal feelings which we have seen him exhibit before, left his work, and dressed in a Jersey49 and blue trousers, and come down to lend a hand. He had come in time to help his foster-brother out of the surf.
“I am so very thankful to you,” said Charles to the two others. “I will never forget you. I should have been drowned but for you. William, when I am in trouble I am sure to find you at my elbow.”
“You won’t find me far off, Master Charles,” said William. They ‘didn’t say any more to one another those two. There was no need.
The tall man Matthews had been cast up with a broken head, and, on the whole, seemed rather disappointed at not finding himself in paradise. He had stumbled in leaping out of the boat, and hurt his foot, and had had a hard time of it, poor fellow.
As Charles and William stood watching the poor boat breaking up, and the men venturing their lives to get the nets out of her, a hand was laid on Charles’s shoulder, and, turning round, he faced Cuthbert.
“Oh, Charles, Charles, I thought I had lost you. Come home and let us dry you, and take care of you. William, you have risked your life for one who is very dear to us. God reward you for it! Brother, you are shivering with cold, and you have nothing but your trousers and Jersey on, and your head and feet are bare, and your poor hair is wet and full of sand; let me carry you up, Charles, the stones will cut your feet. Let me carry you, Charles. I used to do it when you were little.”
There was water in Charles’s eyes (the salt water out of his hair, you understand), as he answered:
“I think I can walk, Cuthbert; my feet are as hard as iron.”
“No, but I must carry you,” said Cuthbert. “Get up, brother.”
Charles prepared to comply, and Cuthbert suddenly pulled off his shoes and stockings, and made ready. i Oh, Cuthbert, don’t do that,” said Charles, “You break my heart.”
“Do let me, dear Charles. I seldom ask you a favour. If I didn’t know that it was acceptable to God, do you think I would do it?”
Charles hesitated one moment; but he caught William’s eye, and William’s eye and William’s face said so plainly “ do it,” that Charles hesitated no longer, but got on his brother’s back. Cuthbert ordered William, who was bare-foot, to put on his discarded shoes and stockings, which William did; and then Cuthbert went toiling50 up the stony51 path towards the hall with his brother on his back — glorying in his penance52.
Is this ridiculous? I cannot say I can see it in this light. I may laugh to scorn the religion which teaches men that, by artificially producing misery53 and nervous terror, and in that state flying to religion as a comfort and refuge, we in any way glorify54 God, or benefit ourselves. I can laugh, I say, at a form of religion like this; but I cannot laugh at the men who believe in it, and act up to it. No. I may smoke my pipe, and say that the fool Cuthbert Ravenshoe took off his shoes, and gave them to the groom, and carried a twelve-stone brother for a quarter of a mile barefoot, and what a fool he must be, and so forth55. But the sneer56 is a failure, and the laugh dies away; and I say, “ Well, Cuthbert, if you are a fool, you are a consistent and manly57 one at all events.”
Let us leave these three toiling up the steep rocky path, and take a glance elsewhere. When the gale had come on, little Mary had left Densil, and, putting on her bonnet58, gone down to the beach. She had asked the elder fishermen whether there would be any danger in beaching the boat, and they had said in chorus, “Oh, bless her sweet ladyship’s heart, no. The young men would have the tackles on her and have her up, oh, ever so quick; and so she had been reassured59, and walked up and down. But, as the wind came stronger and stronger, and she had seen the last boat taken in half full of water — and as the women kept walking up and down uneasily, with their hands under their aprons60 — and as she saw many an old eagle eye, shaded by a horny hand, gazing anxiously seaward, at the two brown sails plunging61 about in the offing — she had lost heart again, and had sat her down on a windlass apart, with a pale face, and a sick heart,
A tall gaunt brown woman came up to her and said,
“My lady musn’t fret62. My lady would never do for a fisherman’s wife. Why, my dear tender flesh, there’s a hundred strong arms on the beach now, as would fetch a Ravenshoe out of anywhere a’most. ’Tis a cross surf, Miss Mary; but, Lord love ye, they’ll have the tackles on her afore she’s in it. Don’t ye fret, dear, don’t ye fret.”
But she had set apart and fretted63 nevertheless; and, hen she saw the brown bows rushing madly through the yellow surf, she had shut her eyes and prayed, and had opened them to see the boat on her beam ends, and a dozen struggling figures in the pitiless water.
Then she had stood up and wrung64 her hands.
They were safe. She heard that, and she buried her face in her hands, and murmured a prayer of thanksgiving.
Some one stood beside her. It was Marston, bare-headed and barefooted.
“Oh, thank God,” she said.
“We have given you a sad fright.”
“I have been terribly frightened. But you must not stand dripping there. Please, come up, and let me attend you.”
So she got him a pair of shoes, and they went up together. The penance procession had passed on before; and a curious circumstance is this, that, although on ordinary occasions Marston was as lively a talker as need be, on this occasion he was an uncommonly65 stupid one, as he never said one word all the way up t< i the hall, and then separated from her with a formal little salutation.
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1
moor
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| n.荒野，沼泽；vt.(使)停泊；vi.停泊 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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courteous
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| adj.彬彬有礼的，客气的 | |
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splicing
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| n.编接（绳）；插接；捻接；叠接v.绞接( splice的现在分词 )；捻接（两段绳子）；胶接；粘接（胶片、磁带等） | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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boughs
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| 大树枝( bough的名词复数 ) | |
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reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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humility
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| n.谦逊，谦恭 | |
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converses
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| v.交谈，谈话( converse的第三人称单数 ) | |
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vouchsafed
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| v.给予，赐予( vouchsafe的过去式和过去分词 )；允诺 | |
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barometer
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| n.气压表，睛雨表，反应指标 | |
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sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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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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abrupt
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| adj.突然的，意外的；唐突的，鲁莽的 | |
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cone
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| n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果 | |
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slate
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| n.板岩，石板，石片，石板色，候选人名单；adj.暗蓝灰色的，含板岩的；vt.用石板覆盖，痛打，提名，预订 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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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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mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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glossy
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| adj.平滑的；有光泽的 | |
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swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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promontory
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| n.海角；岬 | |
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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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precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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tack
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| n.大头钉；假缝，粗缝 | |
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tacking
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| （帆船）抢风行驶，定位焊[铆]紧钉 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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lumbered
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| 砍伐（lumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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broach
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| v.开瓶，提出(题目) | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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densest
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| 密集的( dense的最高级 )； 密度大的； 愚笨的； （信息量大得）难理解的 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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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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40
broached
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| v.谈起( broach的过去式和过去分词 )；打开并开始用；用凿子扩大（或修光）；（在桶上）钻孔取液体 | |
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deluge
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| n./vt.洪水，暴雨，使泛滥 | |
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42
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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43
tottering
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| adj.蹒跚的，动摇的v.走得或动得不稳( totter的现在分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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44
ignominiously
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| adv.耻辱地，屈辱地，丢脸地 | |
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45
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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46
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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48
groom
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| vt.给（马、狗等）梳毛，照料，使...整洁 | |
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49
jersey
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| n.运动衫 | |
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50
toiling
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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51
stony
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| adj.石头的，多石头的，冷酷的，无情的 | |
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52
penance
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| n.（赎罪的）惩罪 | |
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53
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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54
glorify
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| vt.颂扬，赞美，使增光，美化 | |
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55
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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56
sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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57
manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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58
bonnet
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| n.无边女帽；童帽 | |
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59
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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aprons
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| 围裙( apron的名词复数 )； 停机坪，台口（舞台幕前的部份） | |
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61
plunging
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| adj.跳进的，突进的v.颠簸( plunge的现在分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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62
fret
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| v.(使)烦恼；(使)焦急；(使)腐蚀，(使)磨损 | |
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63
fretted
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| 焦躁的，附有弦马的，腐蚀的 | |
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64
wrung
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| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
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65
uncommonly
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| adv. 稀罕(极，非常) | |
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