Nevertheless, the two Norwegians succeeded, two days after, in getting possession of a box of salt meat. Louis ordered them to return it to him on the spot, but Aupic took their part, and André Vasling declared that the precautions about the food could not be any longer enforced.
It was useless to attempt to show these men that these measures were for the common interest, for they knew it well, and only sought a pretext2 to revolt.
Penellan advanced towards the Norwegians, who drew their cutlasses; but, aided by Misonne and Turquiette, he succeeded in snatching the weapons from their hands, and gained possession of the salt meat. André Vasling and Aupic, seeing that matters were going against them, did not interfere3. Louis Cornbutte, however, took the mate aside, and said to him —
“André Vasling, you are a wretch4! I know your whole conduct, and I know what you are aiming at, but as the safety of the whole crew is confided5 to me, if any man of you thinks of conspiring7 to destroy them, I will stab him with my own hand!”
“Louis Cornbutte,” replied the mate, “it is allowable for you to act the master; but remember that absolute obedience8 does not exist here, and that here the strongest alone makes the law.”
Marie had never trembled before the dangers of the polar seas; but she was terrified by this hatred9, of which she was the cause, and the captain’s vigour10 hardly reassured11 her.
Despite this declaration of war, the meals were partaken of in common and at the same hours. Hunting furnished some ptarmigans and white hares; but this resource would soon fail them, with the approach of the terrible cold weather. This began at the solstice, on the 22nd of December, on which day the thermometer fell to thirty-five degrees below zero. The men experienced pain in their ears, noses, and the extremities12 of their bodies. They were seized with a mortal torpor13 combined with headache, and their breathing became more and more difficult.
In this state they had no longer any courage to go hunting or to take any exercise. They remained crouched14 around the stove, which gave them but a meagre heat; and when they went away from it, they perceived that their blood suddenly cooled.
Jean Cornbutte’s health was seriously impaired15, and he could no longer quit his lodging16. Symptoms of scurvy17 manifested themselves in him, and his legs were soon covered with white spots. Marie was well, however, and occupied herself tending the sick ones with the zeal18 of a sister of charity. The honest fellows blessed her from the bottom of their hearts.
The 1st of January was one of the gloomiest of these winter days. The wind was violent, and the cold insupportable. They could not go out, except at the risk of being frozen. The most courageous19 were fain to limit themselves to walking on deck, sheltered by the tent. Jean Cornbutte, Gervique, and Gradlin did not leave their beds. The two Norwegians, Aupic, and André Vasling, whose health was good, cast ferocious20 looks at their companions, whom they saw wasting away.
Louis Cornbutte led Penellan on deck, and asked him how much firing was left.
“The coal was exhausted21 long ago,” replied Penellan, “and we are about to burn our last pieces of wood.”
“If we are not able to keep off this cold, we are lost,” said Louis.
“There still remains22 a way —” said Penellan, “to burn what we can of the brig, from the barricading23 to the water-line; and we can even, if need be, demolish24 her entirely25, and rebuild a smaller craft.”
“That is an extreme means,” replied Louis, “which it will be full time to employ when our men are well. For,” he added in a low voice, “our force is diminishing, and that of our enemies seems to be increasing. That is extraordinary.”
“It is true,” said Penellan; “and unless we took the precaution to watch night and day, I know not what would happen to us.”
“Let us take our hatchets,” returned Louis, “and make our harvest of wood.”
Despite the cold, they mounted on the forward barricading, and cut off all the wood which was not indispensably necessary to the ship; then they returned with this new provision. The fire was started afresh, and a man remained on guard to prevent it from going out.
Meanwhile Louis Cornbutte and his friends were soon tired out. They could not confide6 any detail of the life in common to their enemies. Charged with all the domestic cares, their powers were soon exhausted. The scurvy betrayed itself in Jean Cornbutte, who suffered intolerable pain. Gervique and Gradlin showed symptoms of the same disease. Had it not been for the lemon-juice with which they were abundantly furnished, they would have speedily succumbed26 to their sufferings. This remedy was not spared in relieving them.
But one day, the 15th of January, when Louis Cornbutte was going down into the steward’s room to get some lemons, he was stupefied to find that the barrels in which they were kept had disappeared. He hurried up and told Penellan of this misfortune. A theft had been committed, and it was easy to recognize its authors. Louis Cornbutte then understood why the health of his enemies continued so good! His friends were no longer strong enough to take the lemons away from them, though his life and that of his comrades depended on the fruit; and he now sank, for the first time, into a gloomy state of despair.
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1
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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4
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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7
conspiring
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| 密谋( conspire的现在分词 )； 搞阴谋； （事件等）巧合； 共同导致 | |
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8
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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9
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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10
vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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11
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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12
extremities
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| n.端点( extremity的名词复数 )；尽头；手和足；极窘迫的境地 | |
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13
torpor
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| n.迟钝；麻木；（动物的）冬眠 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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scurvy
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| adj.下流的，卑鄙的，无礼的；n.坏血病 | |
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18
zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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courageous
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| adj.勇敢的，有胆量的 | |
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ferocious
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| adj.凶猛的，残暴的，极度的，十分强烈的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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22
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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23
barricading
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| 设路障于，以障碍物阻塞( barricade的现在分词 )； 设路障[防御工事]保卫或固守 | |
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24
demolish
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| v.拆毁(建筑物等)，推翻(计划、制度等) | |
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25
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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succumbed
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| 不再抵抗（诱惑、疾病、攻击等）( succumb的过去式和过去分词 )； 屈从； 被压垮； 死 | |
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