But a greater misfortune had overtaken Louis Cornbutte. His father no longer gave any signs of life. Had he died of anxiety for his son, delivered over to his enemies? Had he succumbed3 in presence of these terrible events? They could not tell. But the poor old sailor, broken by disease, had ceased to live!
At this unexpected blow, Louis and Marie fell into a sad despair; then they knelt at the bedside and wept, as they prayed for Jean Cornbutte’s soul, Penellan, Misonne, and Turquiette left them alone in the cabin, and went on deck. The bodies of the three bears were carried forward. Penellan decided4 to keep their skins, which would be of no little use; but he did not think for a moment of eating their flesh. Besides, the number of men to feed was now much decreased. The bodies of Vasling, Aupic, and Jocki, thrown into a hole dug on the coast, were soon rejoined by that of Herming. The Norwegian died during the night, without repentance5 or remorse6, foaming7 at the mouth with rage.
The three sailors repaired the tent, which, torn in several places, permitted the snow to fall on the deck. The temperature was exceedingly cold, and kept so till the return of the sun, which did not reappear above the horizon till the 8th of January.
Jean Cornbutte was buried on the coast. He had left his native land to find his son, and had died in these terrible regions! His grave was dug on an eminence8, and the sailors placed over it a simple wooden cross.
From that day, Louis Cornbutte and his comrades passed through many other trials; but the lemons, which they found, restored them to health.
Gervique, Gradlin, and Nouquet were able to rise from their berths9 a fortnight after these terrible events, and to take a little exercise.
Soon hunting for game became more easy and its results more abundant. The water-birds returned in large numbers. They often brought down a kind of wild duck which made excellent food. The hunters had no other deprivation10 to deplore11 than that of two dogs, which they lost in an expedition to reconnoitre the state of the icefields, twenty-five miles to the southward.
The month of February was signalized by violent tempests and abundant snows. The mean temperature was still twenty-five degrees below zero, but they did not suffer in comparison with past hardships. Besides, the sight of the sun, which rose higher and higher above the horizon, rejoiced them, as it forecast the end of their torments12. Heaven had pity on them, for warmth came sooner than usual that year. The ravens13 appeared in March, careering about the ship. Louis Cornbutte captured some cranes which had wandered thus far northward14. Flocks of wild birds were also seen in the south.
The return of the birds indicated a diminution15 of the cold; but it was not safe to rely upon this, for with a change of wind, or in the new or full moons, the temperature suddenly fell; and the sailors were forced to resort to their most careful precautions to protect themselves against it. They had already burned all the barricading16, the bulkheads, and a large portion of the bridge. It was time, then, that their wintering was over. Happily, the mean temperature of March was not over sixteen degrees below zero. Marie occupied herself with preparing new clothing for the advanced season of the year.
After the equinox, the sun had remained constantly above the horizon. The eight months of perpetual daylight had begun. This continual sunlight, with the increasing though still quite feeble heat, soon began to act upon the ice.
Great precautions were necessary in launching the ship from the lofty layer of ice which surrounded her. She was therefore securely propped17 up, and it seemed best to await the breaking up of the ice; but the lower mass, resting on a bed of already warm water, detached itself little by little, and the ship gradually descended18 with it. Early in April she had reached her natural level.
Torrents19 of rain came with April, which, extending in waves over the ice-plain, hastened still more its breaking up. The thermometer rose to ten degrees below zero. Some of the men took off their seal-skin clothes, and it was no longer necessary to keep a fire in the cabin stove day and night. The provision of spirit, which was not exhausted20, was used only for cooking the food.
Soon the ice began to break up rapidly, and it became imprudent to venture upon the plain without a staff to sound the passages; for fissures21 wound in spirals here and there. Some of the sailors fell into the water, with no worse result, however, than a pretty cold bath.
The seals returned, and they were often hunted, and their grease utilized22.
The health of the crew was fully23 restored, and the time was employed in hunting and preparations for departure. Louis Cornbutte often examined the channels, and decided, in consequence of the shape of the southern coast, to attempt a passage in that direction. The breaking up had already begun here and there, and the floating ice began to pass off towards the high seas. On the 25th of April the ship was put in readiness. The sails, taken from their sheaths, were found to be perfectly24 preserved, and it was with real delight that the sailors saw them once more swaying in the wind. The ship gave a lurch25, for she had found her floating line, and though she would not yet move forward, she lay quietly and easily in her natural element.
In May the thaw26 became very rapid. The snow which covered the coast melted on every hand, and formed a thick mud, which made it well-nigh impossible to land. Small heathers, rosy27 and white, peeped out timidly above the lingering snow, and seemed to smile at the little heat they received. The thermometer at last rose above zero.
Twenty miles off, the ice masses, entirely28 separated, floated towards the Atlantic Ocean. Though the sea was not quite free around the ship, channels opened by which Louis Cornbutte wished to profit.
On the 21st of May, after a parting visit to his father’s grave, Louis at last set out from the bay. The hearts of the honest sailors were filled at once with joy and sadness, for one does not leave without regret a place where a friend has died. The wind blew from the north, and favoured their departure. The ship was often arrested by ice-banks, which were cut with the saws; icebergs29 not seldom confronted her, and it was necessary to blow them up with powder. For a month the way was full of perils30, which sometimes brought the ship to the verge31 of destruction; but the crew were sturdy, and used to these dangerous exigencies32. Penellan, Pierre Nouquet, Turquiette, Fidèle Misonne, did the work of ten sailors, and Marie had smiles of gratitude33 for each.
The “Jeune–Hardie” at last passed beyond the ice in the latitude34 of Jean–Mayer Island. About the 25th of June she met ships going northward for seals and whales. She had been nearly a month emerging from the Polar Sea.
On the 16th of August she came in view of Dunkirk. She had been signalled by the look-out, and the whole population flocked to the jetty. The sailors of the ship were soon clasped in the arms of their friends. The old curé received Louis Cornbutte and Marie with patriarchal arms, and of the two masses which he said on the following day, the first was for the repose35 of Jean Cornbutte’s soul, and the second to bless these two lovers, so long united in misfortune.
The End
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1
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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2
gasp
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| n.喘息，气喘；v.喘息；气吁吁他说 | |
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3
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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4
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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5
repentance
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| n.懊悔 | |
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6
remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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7
foaming
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| adj.布满泡沫的；发泡 | |
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8
eminence
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| n.卓越，显赫；高地，高处；名家 | |
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9
berths
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| n.（船、列车等的）卧铺( berth的名词复数 )；（船舶的）停泊位或锚位；差事；船台vt.v.停泊( berth的第三人称单数 )；占铺位 | |
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10
deprivation
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| n.匮乏；丧失；夺去，贫困 | |
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11
deplore
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| vt.哀叹，对...深感遗憾 | |
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12
torments
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| （肉体或精神上的）折磨，痛苦( torment的名词复数 )； 造成痛苦的事物[人] | |
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13
ravens
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| n.低质煤；渡鸦( raven的名词复数 ) | |
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14
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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15
diminution
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| n.减少；变小 | |
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16
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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17
propped
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| 支撑，支持，维持( prop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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18
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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19
torrents
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| n.倾注；奔流( torrent的名词复数 )；急流；爆发；连续不断 | |
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20
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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21
fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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22
utilized
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| v.利用，使用( utilize的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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23
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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24
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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25
lurch
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| n.突然向前或旁边倒；v.蹒跚而行 | |
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26
thaw
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| v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和 | |
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27
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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28
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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29
icebergs
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| n.冰山，流冰( iceberg的名词复数 ) | |
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30
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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31
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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32
exigencies
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| n.急切需要 | |
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33
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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34
latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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35
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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