My hope sank ever lower and lower. That old wound in my head, cured by Gr?l’s searching simples, began to harass2 me afresh—whether from cold, the chapel3 being but barn-like, or from the circumstance that my heart, ceaselessly gnawing4 upon itself, gnawed5 also upon every tissue and nerve. I came strangely close to the ranger6 La Mouche in those bad days; for though I knew not, nor cared nor dared to ask, his story, I saw in his eyes a something which he, too, doubtless saw in mine. So it came that we sat much 201together, in a black silence. It was not that I loved less than of old my true comrade Marc, but the fact that he possessed7 where he loved, and could with blissful confidence look forward, set him some way apart from me. Upon La Mouche, with the deep hurt sullen8 in his eyes, I could look and mutter to myself:
“Old, wily fox, is your foot, once so free, caught in the snare9 of a woman?”
So tortuous10 a thing in its workings is this red clot11 of a human heart that I got a kind of perverted12 solace13 out of such thoughts as these.
At last the tired watchers at our south windows announced two ship in the basin. They came up on the flood, and dropped anchor off the Gaspereau mouth.
“This ends it,” I heard Marc say coolly. “All that’s left of Grand Pré can go in those two ships.”
To me the words came as a knell14 for the burial of my last hope.
The embarkation15 had now to be pushed with a speed which wrought17 infinite confusion, for the weather had turned bitter, and it was not possible for women and children to long endure the cold of their dismantled18 homes. The big wagons19, watched by us from our windows, went creaking and rattling20 down the frozen roads. Wailing21 women, frightened and wondering children, beds, chests, many-colored quilts, bright red and green chairs,—to 202us it looked as if all these were tumbled into a narrowing vortex and swept with a piteous indiscriminacy into one ship or the other. The orderly method with which the previous embarkings had been managed was now all thrown to the winds by the fierce necessity for haste. We in the chapel were not left long to watch the scene from the windows. While yet the main street of Grand Pré was dolorous22 with the tears of the women and children, the doors of our prison opened and names were called. I heeded23 them not; but the sound of my own name pierced my gloom; and I went out. In the tingling24 air I awoke a little, to gaze up the hill at the large house where Yvonne had lodged25 since the parsonage had been taken for a guard-house. No message came to me from those north windows. Then I turned, to find Marc at my side.
“Courage, cousin mine,” he whispered. “We are not beaten yet. Better outside than in there. This much means freedom—and, once free, we’ll act.”
“No, Marc, I’m not beaten,” I muttered. “But—it looks as if I were.”
“Chut, man!” said he crisply. “You couldn’t do a better thing to bring her to her senses than you are doing now.”
It was but a few steps down to the lane, and there we found ourselves in a jumble26 of heaped carts and blue-skirted, weeping women. My head was 203paining me sorely—a numb27 ache that seemed to rise in the core of my brain. But I remember noting with a far-off commiseration28 the blubbered faces of the women, and their poor little solicitudes29 for this or that bit of household gear which, from time to time, would fall crashing to the ground from the hastily laden30 carts. I found spirit to wonder that the tears which had exhausted31 themselves over the farewell to fatherland and hearthside should break out afresh over the cracking of a gilded32 glass or the shattering of a blue and silver jug33. The women’s lamentations in a little hardened me, so that my ears ignored them; but the wide-eyed terrors of the children, their questions unanswered, their whimpering at the cold that blued their hands, all this pierced me. Tears for the children’s sorrow gathered in my heart, till it was nigh to bursting; and this curbed34 passion of pity, I think, kept my sick body from collapse35. It in some way threw me back from my own misery36 on to my old unroutable resolution.
“I will win!” I said in my heart, as we came down upon the wharf37 at the Gaspereau mouth. “Though there seems to be no more hope, there is life; and while there is life, I hold on.”
When we reached the wharf the ebb38 was well advanced. The boats could not get near the wharf. Women had to wade39 ankle-deep in freezing slime to reach them. The slime was churned with 204the struggle of many feet. The stuff from the carts was at times dropped in the ooze40, to be recovered or not as might chance. The soldiers toiled41 faithfully, and their leggings to the knee were a sorry sight. They were patient, these red-coats, with the women, who often seemed to lose their heads so that they knew not which boat they wanted to go in. To the children every red-coat seemed tender as a mother. For any one, indeed, they would do anything, except endure delay. Haste, haste, haste was all—and therefore there was calamitous42 confusion. While I stood on the wharf awaiting the order to embark16, I saw a stout43 girl in a dark-red stomacher and grey petticoat throw herself screaming into the water where it was about waist deep, and scramble44 desperately45 to another boat near by. No effort was made to restrain her. Dripping with tide and slime she climbed over the gunwale; and belike found what she sought, for her cries ceased. Again I noted—Marc called my attention to it—a small child being passed from one boat to the other, as the two, bound for different ships, were about diverging46. The mother had stumbled blindly into one boat while the child had been tossed into the other. In the effort to remedy this oversight47 the child was dropped into the water between the boats. The screams of the mother were like a knife in our ears. Two sailors went overboard at 205once, but there was some delay ere the little one was recovered. Then we saw its limp body passed in over the boatside; whether alive or dead we could not judge; but the screams ceased and our ear-drums blessed the respite48.
With the next boat came our turn; and I found myself wading49 down the slope of icy ooze. I heard Marc, just behind me, mutter a careless imprecation upon the needless defiling50 of his boots. He was ever imperturbable51, my cousin,—a hot heart, but in steel harness.
We loaded the roomy long-boat till the gunwale was almost awash. The big oars52 creaked and thumped53 in the rowlocks. We moved laboriously54 out to the ships, which swung on straining cable in the tide. As we came under her black-wall side, with the turbid55 red-grey current hissing56 past it, men on deck caught us with grapnels, and we swung, splashing, under the stern. Then, the tide being very troublesome, we were drawn57 again alongside.
Marc was at my elbow. “Look!” he cried, pointing to the ridge58 behind the village. I saw a wide-roofed cottage on the crest59 break into flame. There was a wind up there, though little as yet down here in the valley; and the flames streamed out to westward60, the black smoke rolling low and ragged1 above them.
“So goes all Grand Pré in a little!” muttered Marc.
206“It is P’tit Joliet’s house!” said I.
“Yes,” said a steady young voice behind me; and I turned to see Petit Joliet himself, watching with undaunted eyes the burning of his home. “Yes, and it was a fine house. It would have hurt my father sorely, were he alive now, to see it go up in smoke like that.”
“Well, you have a brave heart,” said I, liking61 him well as I saw his firmness.
“Oh,” said he, “the only thing that is troubling me is this—shall I find my mother on this ship? They are making mistakes now, these English, in their haste to be done with us. I’m worried.”
“If she is not on board,” said my kind Marc, “we’ll try and keep a watch on the boats; and if we see her bound for the wrong ship we’ll let the guard know. They want to keep families together, if they can.”
This was Marc, ever careful of others. But his good purpose was like to have been frustrated62 soon as formed; for scarce were our feet well on deck when our hands were clapped in irons, and we were marched off straight to the hold.
“Sorry, sir. Can’t help it. So many of you, you know,” said the red-coat apologetically, as I stretched out my wrists to him.
But glancing about the crowded deck I descried63 my good friend, Lieutenant64 Waldron, busily unravelling65 the snarl66 of things. In answer to my 207hail he came at once, warm, friendly, and trying not to see my irons.
“One last little service, sir!” I cried. “Little to us, it may be great to others. You see we are ironed, Captain de Mer and I. We will give our word to neither attempt escape nor in any way interfere67 with this sorry work. Let us two wait here on deck till the ship sails. We know all these villagers; and we want to help you avoid the severance68 of families.”
“It is little to grant for you, my friend,” said he, in a feeling voice. “You cannot know how my heart is aching. I will speak to the captain of the ship, and you shall stay on deck till the ship sails.”
Marc thanked him courteously69, but I with no more than a look, for words did not at that time seem compliant70 to say what I desired them to say. They are false and treacherous71 spirits, these words we make so free with and trust so rashly with affairs of life and death. How often do they take an honest meaning from the heart and twist it to the semblance72 of a lie as it leaves the lips! How often do they take a flame from the inmost soul, and make it ice before it reaches the soul toward which it thrilled forth73! It has been my calling to work with words in peace, as with swords in time of war; and I know them. I do not trust them. The swords are the safer.
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1
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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harass
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| vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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gnawed
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| 咬( gnaw的过去式和过去分词 )； （长时间） 折磨某人； （使）苦恼； （长时间）危害某事物 | |
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ranger
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| n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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snare
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| n.陷阱，诱惑，圈套；（去除息肉或者肿瘤的）勒除器；响弦，小军鼓；vt.以陷阱捕获，诱惑 | |
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tortuous
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| adj.弯弯曲曲的，蜿蜒的 | |
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clot
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| n.凝块；v.使凝成块 | |
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12
perverted
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| adj.不正当的v.滥用( pervert的过去式和过去分词 )；腐蚀；败坏；使堕落 | |
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13
solace
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| n.安慰；v.使快乐；vt.安慰(物)，缓和 | |
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14
knell
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| n.丧钟声；v.敲丧钟 | |
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15
embarkation
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| n. 乘船, 搭机, 开船 | |
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embark
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| vi.乘船，着手，从事，上飞机 | |
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wrought
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| v.引起；以…原料制作；运转；adj.制造的 | |
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dismantled
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| 拆开( dismantle的过去式和过去分词 )； 拆卸； 废除； 取消 | |
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19
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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20
rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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21
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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dolorous
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| adj.悲伤的；忧愁的 | |
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23
heeded
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| v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的过去式和过去分词 )；变平，使（某物）变平( flatten的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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25
lodged
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| v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属 | |
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26
jumble
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| vt.使混乱，混杂；n.混乱；杂乱的一堆 | |
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27
numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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commiseration
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| n.怜悯，同情 | |
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29
solicitudes
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| n.关心，挂念，渴望( solicitude的名词复数 ) | |
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30
laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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34
curbed
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| v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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37
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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38
ebb
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| vi.衰退，减退；n.处于低潮，处于衰退状态 | |
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39
wade
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| v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉 | |
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40
ooze
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| n.软泥，渗出物；vi.渗出，泄漏；vt.慢慢渗出，流露 | |
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41
toiled
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| 长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的过去式和过去分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉 | |
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42
calamitous
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| adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重 | |
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44
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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45
desperately
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| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
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46
diverging
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| 分开( diverge的现在分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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47
oversight
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| n.勘漏，失察，疏忽 | |
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48
respite
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| n.休息，中止，暂缓 | |
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49
wading
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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50
defiling
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| v.玷污( defile的现在分词 )；污染；弄脏；纵列行进 | |
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51
imperturbable
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| adj.镇静的 | |
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52
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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53
thumped
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| v.重击， （指心脏）急速跳动( thump的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
laboriously
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| adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地 | |
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55
turbid
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| adj.混浊的，泥水的，浓的 | |
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56
hissing
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| n. 发嘶嘶声, 蔑视 动词hiss的现在分词形式 | |
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57
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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58
ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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59
crest
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| n.顶点；饰章；羽冠；vt.达到顶点；vi.形成浪尖 | |
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60
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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61
liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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62
frustrated
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| adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧 | |
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63
descried
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| adj.被注意到的，被发现的，被看到的 | |
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64
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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65
unravelling
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| 解开，拆散，散开( unravel的现在分词 )； 阐明； 澄清； 弄清楚 | |
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66
snarl
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| v.吼叫，怒骂，纠缠，混乱；n.混乱，缠结，咆哮 | |
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67
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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68
severance
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| n.离职金；切断 | |
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69
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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70
compliant
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| adj.服从的，顺从的 | |
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71
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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72
semblance
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| n.外貌，外表 | |
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73
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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