For hours, in the bitter cold, we held our post in the bow of the ship and watched the boats go back and forth8. Of the old mother of Petit Joliet we saw nothing. We judged perforce that she had been moved early and carried to the other ship, which swung at anchor a little up the channel. We were able—I say we, though Marc did all, I being, as it were, drowned in my own dejection—we were able to be of service in divers9 instances. When, for example, young Violet was brought aboard with another boat-load from the chapel10 prison, we made haste to tell the guards that we had seen his mother and sisters taken to the other ship. As a consequence, when the boat went back to the wharf11 it carried young Violet; so he and his were not divided in their exile.
By the very next boat there came to us a black-browed, white-lipped woman, from whose dry eyes the tears seemed all drained out. She carried a babe-at-breast, while two thin little ones clung to her homespun skirt. As soon as she reached the deck she stared around in wild expectation, as if she thought to find her husband waiting to receive her. Not seeing him, she straightway fainted in a heap. It chanced I knew the woman’s face. She was the wife of one Caspar Besnard, of Pereau, 210whom I had seen taken, early in the day, to the other ship. He was conspicuous12 by reason of having red hair, a marvel13 in Acadie; and therefore my memory had retained him, though he concerned me not. Now, however, he did concern me much. A few words to the officer of the guard, and the poor woman, with her children, was transferred to where she doubtless found her husband.
Such cases justified14, in our jailers’ eyes, the favour that had been shown us. Meanwhile our ship had filled up. We had seen Long Philibert and La Mouche brought aboard, but had not spoken with them. “Time for that later,” Marc had said. I had watched for Petit Joliet’s mother; and I had watched eagerly for old Mother Pêche; but in vain. While yet the boats were plying15, heavy laden16, between the shore and the other ship, we found ourselves ready for departure. Our boats were swung aboard; and the English Yeo, heave ho! arose as the sailors shoved on the capstan. Lieutenant Waldron, after an all but wordless farewell, went ashore17 in the gig with two soldiers. The rest of the red-coats stayed aboard. They had been re?nforced by a fresh squad18 who were marched down late to the landing. These, plainly, were to be our guard during the voyage; and I saw with a sort of vague resentment19 that a tall, foppish20 exquisite21 of an officer, known to me by sight, was to command this guard. 211He was one Lieutenant Shafto, whom we had seen two or three times at the chapel prison; and I think all disliked him for a certain elaborate loftiness in his air. It came to my mind dimly that I should well rejoice to cross swords with him, and I hinted as much to Marc.
“Who knows?” said my unruffled cousin; “we may live to see him look less complacent22.” His smile had a meaning which I could not fathom23. I could see no ground for his sanguine24 satisfaction; and I dared not question where some enemy might overhear. I thought no more of it, therefore, but relapsed into my apathy25. As we slipped down the tide I saw, in a boat-load just approaching the other ship, a figure with a red shawl wrapped round head and shoulders. This gave me a pang26, as I had hoped to have Mother Pêche with me, to talk to me of Yvonne and help me to build up the refuge of a credulous27 hope. But since even that was denied me—well, it was nothing, after all, and I was a child! I turned my eyes upon the house, far up the ridge28, where the Lamouries had lodging29. It was one of four, standing30 well aloof31 from the rest of the village; and I knew they all were occupied by those prudent32 ones of the neighbourhood who had been wise in time and now stood safe in English favour. The doom33 of Grand Pré, I knew, would turn aside from them.
212But on the emptied and desolated34 village it was even now descending35. Marc and I, unnoticed in our place, were free to watch. So dire36 was even yet the confusion on our deck, so busy seamen37 and soldiers alike, that we were quite forgotten for a time. The early winter dark was gathering38 upon Blomidon and the farther hills; but there was to be no dark that night by the mouth of Gaspereau.
The house of Petit Joliet, upon the hill, burned long alone. It was perhaps a signal to the troops at Piziquid, twenty miles away, telling them that the work at Grand Pré was done. Not till late in the afternoon was the torch set to the village itself. Then smoke arose suddenly on the westernmost outskirts39, toward the Habitants dyke40. The wind being from the southeast, the fire spread but slowly against it. As the smoke drove low the flames started into more conspicuous brilliance41, licking lithely42 over and under the rolling cloud that strove to smother43 them. These empty houses burned for the most part with a clear, light flame; but the barns, stored with hay and straw, vomited44 angry red, streaked45 with black. Up the bleak46 hillside ran the terrified cattle, with wildly tossing horns. At times, even on shipboard, we caught their bellowings. They had been turned loose, of course, before the fires were started, but had remained huddled47 in the familiar barnyards until this horrible and inexplicable48 cataclysm49 drove 213them forth. Far up the slope we saw them turn and stand at gaze.
In an hour we observed that the wharf was empty, and the other ship hoisting50 sail. Then the fires sprang up in every part of the village at once. They ran along the main street below the chapel; but they came not very near the chapel itself, for all the buildings in its immediate51 neighbourhood had been long ago removed, and it stood in a safe isolation52, towering in white solemnity over the red tumult53 of ruin.
“The chapel will be a camp to-night, instead of a prison,” said Marc at my ear, his grave eyes fixed54 and wide. “It will be the last thing to go—it and the Colony of Compromise yonder up the hill.”
“But who shall blame them for the compromise?” I protested, unwilling55 to hear censure56 that touched the father of Yvonne.
Marc shrugged57 his shoulders at this. He never was a lover of vain argument.
“I wonder where the Black Abbé is at this moment!” was what he said, with no apparent relevancy.
“Not yet in his own place, I fear!” said I.
“The implication is a pious58 one,” said Marc. “Yonder is the work of him, and of no other. He should be roasting now in the hottest of it.”
I really, at this moment, cared little, and was at 214loss for reply. But a bullying59 roar of a voice just behind us saved me the necessity of answering.
“Here, you two! What are ye doin’ here on deck? Git, now! Git, quick!”
The speaker was a big, loose-jointed man, ill-favoured and palpably ill-humoured. I was pleased to note that the middle two of his obtrusive60 front teeth were wanting, and that his nose was so misshapen as to suggest some past calamitous61 experience. As I learned afterwards, this was our ship’s first mate. I was too dull of mood—too sick, in fact—to be instantly wroth at his insolence62. I looked curiously63 at him; but Marc answered in a quiet voice:
“Merely waiting here, sir, on parole and by direction, till the proper authorities are ready to take us below!” And he thrust out his manacled hands to show how we were conditioned.
“Well, here’s proper authority, ye’ll find out. Git, er I’ll jog ye!” And he made a motion to take me by the collar.
I stepped aside and faced him. I looked him in the eyes with a sudden rage so deadly that he must have felt it, for he hesitated. I cared nothing then what befell me, and would have smashed him with my iron-locked wrist had he touched me, or else so tripped him and fallen with him that we should have gone overboard together. But he was a brute64 of some perception, and his hesitancy 215most likely saved us both. It gave Marc time to shout—“Guards! Guards! Here! Prisoner escaping!”
Instantly along the red-lit deck came soldiers running—three of them. The mate had grabbed a belaying-pin, but stood fingering it, uncertain of his status in relation to the soldiers.
“Corporal,” said Marc ceremoniously to one of them, discerning his rank by the stripes on his sleeve, “pardon the false alarm. There was no prisoner escaping. We were here on parole, by the favour of Lieutenant Waldron—as you yourself know, indeed, for we helped you this afternoon in getting scattered65 families together. But this man—we don’t know who he is—was brutal66, and threatening violence in spite of our defenceless state. Please take us in charge!”
“Certainly, Captain de Mer,” said the man promptly67. “I was just about coming for you!”
Then he turned to the mate with an air of triumphant68 aversion, in which lurked69, perhaps, a consciousness of conflicting and ill-defined authorities.
“No belaying-pins for the prisoners!” he growled70. “Keep them for yer poor swabs o’ sailor lads.”
As we marched down the deck under guard the sails overhead were all aglow71, the masts and spars gleamed ruddily. The menacing radiance 216was by this time filling the whole heaven, and the small, quick-running surges flashed under it with a sinister72 sheen. As we reached the open hatch I turned for a last look at Grand Pré.
The whole valley was now as it were one seething73 lake of smoke and flame, the high, half-shrouded spire74 of the chapel rising impregnable on the further brink75. The conflagration76 was fiercest now along the eastern half of the main street, toward the water side. Even at this distance we heard the great-lunged roar of it. High over the chaos77, like a vaulted78 roof upheld by the Gaspereau Ridge, arched an almost stationary79 covering of smoke-cloud, impenetrable, and red as blood along its under side. The smoke of the burning was carried off toward the Habitants and Canard—where there was nothing left to burn. Between the red stillness above and the red turbulence80 below, apart and safe on their high slope, gleamed the cottages of the Colony of Compromise. With what eyes, I wondered, does my beloved look out upon this horror? Do they strain sadly after the departing ships—or does the Englishman stand by and comfort her?
As I got clumsily down the ladder the last thing I saw—and the picture bit its lines in strange fashion on my memory—was the other ship, a league behind us, black-winged against the flame.
Then the hatch closed down. By the glimmer81 of a swinging lanthorn we groped our way to a 217space where we two could lie down side by side. Marc wanted to talk, but I could not. There was a throbbing82 in my head, a great numbness83 on my heart. In my ears the voice of the Minas waves assailing84 the ship’s timbers seemed to whisper of the end of things. Grand Pré was gone. I was being carried, sick and in chains, to some far-off land of strangers. My beloved was cared for by another.
“No!” said I in my heart (I thought at first I had spoken it aloud, but Marc did not stir), “when my foot touches land my face shall turn back to seek her face again, though it be from the ends of earth. It is vain, but I will not give her up. I am not dead yet—though hope is!”
As I thought the words there came humming through my brain that foolish saying of Mother Pêche’s. Again I saw her on that spring evening bending over my palm and murmuring—“Your heart’s desire is near your death of hope!”
“Here is my death of hope, mother,” said I to myself. “But where is my heart’s desire?”
And with that I laughed harshly—aloud.
It was an ill sound in that place of bitterness, and heads were raised to look at me. Marc asked, with a trace of apprehension85 in his voice:
“What’s the matter, Paul? Anything to laugh at?”
“Myself!” I muttered.
“The humour of the subject is not obvious,” said he curtly86.
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1
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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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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cluttered
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| v.杂物，零乱的东西零乱vt.( clutter的过去式和过去分词 )；乱糟糟地堆满，把…弄得很乱；（以…） 塞满… | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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stolidly
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| adv.迟钝地，神经麻木地 | |
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7
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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8
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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divers
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| adj.不同的；种种的 | |
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chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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conspicuous
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| adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的 | |
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13
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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14
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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plying
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的现在分词 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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16
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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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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squad
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| n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组 | |
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resentment
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| n.怨愤，忿恨 | |
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foppish
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| adj.矫饰的，浮华的 | |
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exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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22
complacent
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| adj.自满的；自鸣得意的 | |
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fathom
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| v.领悟，彻底了解 | |
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24
sanguine
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| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
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apathy
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| n.漠不关心，无动于衷；冷淡 | |
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pang
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| n.剧痛，悲痛，苦闷 | |
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credulous
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| adj.轻信的，易信的 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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lodging
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| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
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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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aloof
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| adj.远离的；冷淡的，漠不关心的 | |
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32
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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34
desolated
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| adj.荒凉的，荒废的 | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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dyke
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| n.堤，水坝，排水沟 | |
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41
brilliance
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| n.光辉，辉煌，壮丽，（卓越的）才华，才智 | |
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42
lithely
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| adv.柔软地，易变地 | |
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43
smother
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| vt./vi.使窒息；抑制；闷死；n.浓烟；窒息 | |
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44
vomited
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45
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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46
bleak
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| adj.(天气)阴冷的；凄凉的；暗淡的 | |
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47
huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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48
inexplicable
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| adj.无法解释的，难理解的 | |
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49
cataclysm
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| n.洪水，剧变，大灾难 | |
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50
hoisting
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| 起重，提升 | |
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51
immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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52
isolation
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| n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离 | |
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53
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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54
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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55
unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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56
censure
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| v./n.责备；非难；责难 | |
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57
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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58
pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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59
bullying
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| v.恐吓，威逼( bully的现在分词 )；豪；跋扈 | |
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60
obtrusive
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| adj.显眼的；冒失的 | |
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61
calamitous
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| adj.灾难的，悲惨的；多灾多难；惨重 | |
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62
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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66
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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68
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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69
lurked
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| vi.潜伏，埋伏（lurk的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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70
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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71
aglow
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| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
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72
sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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73
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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74
spire
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| n.(教堂)尖顶，尖塔，高点 | |
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75
brink
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| n.(悬崖、河流等的)边缘，边沿 | |
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76
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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77
chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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78
vaulted
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| adj.拱状的 | |
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stationary
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| adj.固定的，静止不动的 | |
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80
turbulence
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| n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流 | |
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81
glimmer
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| v.发出闪烁的微光；n.微光，微弱的闪光 | |
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82
throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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83
numbness
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| n.无感觉，麻木，惊呆 | |
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84
assailing
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| v.攻击( assail的现在分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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85
apprehension
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| n.理解，领悟；逮捕，拘捕；忧虑 | |
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86
curtly
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| adv.简短地 | |
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