The general tenor1 of the life suited John exactly: he was a quiet-spirited, meditative2, religious man; and, although quite willing to face difficulties, dangers, and troubles like a man, when required to do so, he did not see it to be his duty to thrust himself unnecessarily into these circumstances. There were plenty of men, he was wont3 to say, who loved bustle4 and excitement, and there were plenty of situations of that sort for them to fill; for his part, he loved peace and quiet; the Eddystone lighthouse offered both, and why should he not take advantage of the opportunity, especially when, by so doing, he would secure a pretty good and regular income for his wife and family.
John gave vent5 to an opinion which contained deeper truths than, at that time, he thought of. God has given to men their varied6 powers and inclinations7, in order that they may use these powers and follow these inclinations. Working rightly, man is a perfect machine: it is only “the fall” which has twisted all things awry8. There is no sin in feeling an intense desire for violent physical action, or in gratifying that desire when we can do so in accordance with the revealed will of God; but there is sin in gratifying it in a wrong way; in committing burglary for instance, or in prize-fighting, or in helping9 others to fight in a cause with which we have no right to interfere10. Again, it is not wrong to desire peace and quiet, and to wish for mental and spiritual and physical repose11; but it is decidedly wrong to stand by with your hands in your pockets when an innocent or helpless one is being assaulted by ruffians; to sit quiet and do nothing when your neighbour’s house is on fire; to shirk an unpleasant duty and leave some one else to do it; or to lie a-bed when you should be up and at work.
All our powers were given to be used: our inclinations were intended to impel12 us in certain directions, and God’s will and glory were meant to be our guide and aim. So the Scripture13 teaches, we think, in the parable14 of the talents, and in the words, “Whatsoever15 thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might;” and, “Whether, therefore, ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
Our great fault lies in not consulting God’s plan of arrangement. How often do we find that, in adopting certain lines of action, men consult only the pecuniary16 or social advantage; ignoring powers, or want of powers, and violating inclinations; and this even among professing17 Christians18; while, among the unbelieving, God’s will and glory are not thought of at all. And yet we wonder that so many well-laid plans miscarry, that so many promising19 young men and women “come to grief!” Forgetting that “the right man (or woman) in the right place” is an essential element in thorough success.
But, to return to John Potter. His conscience was easy as to his duty in becoming a lightkeeper, and the lighthouse was all that he could wish, or had hoped for. There was no disturbance20 from without, for the thick walls and solid foundation defied winds or waves to trouble him; save only in the matter of smoke, which often had a strong tendency to traverse the chimney in the wrong direction, but that was not worth mentioning! John found, however, that sin in the person of his mate marred21 his peace and destroyed his equanimity22.
Isaac Dorkin did not find the life so much to his taste as he had expected. He became more grumpy than ever, and quarrelled with his friend on the slightest provocation23; insomuch that at last John found it to be his wisest plan to let him alone. Sometimes, in consequence of this pacific resolve, the two men would spend a whole month without uttering a word to each other; the one in the sulks, the other waiting until he should come out of them.
Their duties were light,Their duties were light, but regular. During the day they found a sufficiency of quiet occupation in cooking their food, cleaning the lighting24 apparatus—which consisted of a framework full of tallow candles,—and in keeping the building clean and orderly. At night they kept watch, each four hours at a time, while the other slept. While watching, John read his Bible and several books which had been given to him by Mr Rudyerd; or, in fine weather, paced round and round the gallery, just outside the lantern, in profound meditation25. Dorkin also, during his watches, meditated26 much; he likewise grumbled27 a good deal, and smoked continuously. He was not a bad fellow at bottom, however, and sometimes he and Potter got on very amicably28. At such seasons John tried to draw his mate into religious talk, but without success. Thus, from day to day and year to year, these two men stuck to their post, until eleven years had passed away.
One day, about the end of that period, John Potter, who, having attained29 to the age of fifty-two, was getting somewhat grey, though still in full strength and vigour30, sat at his chimney corner beside his buxom31 and still blooming wife. His fireside was a better one than in days of yore,—thanks to Tommy, who had become a flourishing engineer: Mrs Potter’s costume was likewise much better in condition and quality than it used to be; thanks, again, to Tommy, who was a grateful and loving son.
“Well, Martha, I’ve had a pleasant month ashore32, lass: I wish that I hadn’t to go off on relief to-morrow.”
“Why not leave it altogether, then, John? You’ve no occasion to continue a light-keeper now that you’ve laid by so much, and Tommy is so well off and able to help us, an’ willin’ too—God bless him!”
“Amen to that, Martha. I have just bin33 thinkin’ over the matter, and I’ve made up my mind that this is to be my last trip off to the Rock. I spoke34 to the superintendent35 last week, and it’s all settled. Who d’ye think is to take my place?”
“I never could guess nothink, John: who?”
“What? an’ ’im a’ older man than yourself?”
“Ah, but it ain’t the same Teddy. It’s his eldest37 son, named after himself; an’ so like what his father was when I last saw him, that I don’t think I’d be able to tell which was which.”
“Well, John, I’m glad to ’ear it; an’ be sure that ye git ’ome, next relief before the thirty-first of October, for that’s Tommy’s wedding day, an’ you know we fixed38 it a purpose to suit your time of being at ’ome. A sweet pair they’ll make. Nora was born to be a lady: nobody would think but she is one, with ’er pretty winsome39 ways; and Tommy, who was twenty-five ’is very last birthday, is one of the ’andsomest men in Plymouth. I’ve a settled conviction, John, that he’ll live to be a great man.”
“You once had a settled conviction that he would come to a bad end,” said Potter, with an arch smile.
“Go along with you, John!” retorted Mrs Potter.
“I’m just going,” said John, rising and kissing his wife as he put on his hat; “and you may depend on it that I’ll not miss dancing at our Tommy’s wedding, if I can help it.”
That night saw John Potter at his old post again—snuffing the candles on the Eddystone, and chatting with his old mate Dorkin beside the kitchen fire. One evening towards the end of October, John Potter and Isaac, having “lighted up,” sat down to a game of draughts40. It was blowing hard outside, and heavy breakers were bursting on the rock and sending thin spray as high as the lantern, but all was peace and comfort inside; even Isaac’s grumpy spirit was calmer than usual.
“You seem dull to-night, mate,” observed John, as they re-arranged the pieces for another game.
“I don’t feel very well,” said Dorkin, passing his hand over his brow languidly.
“You’d better turn in, then; an’ I’ll take half of your watch as well as my own.”
“Thank ’ee kindly,” said Dorkin in a subdued42 voice: “I’ll take yer advice. Perhaps,” he added slowly, “you’ll read me a bit out o’ the Book.”
This was the first time that Isaac had expressed a desire to touch on religious subjects, or to hear the Bible read; and John, you may be sure, was only too glad to comply. After his mate had lain down, he read a small portion; but, observing that he seemed very restless, he closed the Bible and contented43 himself with quoting the following words of our Lord Jesus: “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden44, and I will give you rest;” and, “The blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” Then in a sentence or two he prayed fervently45 that the Holy Spirit might apply these words.
John had a suspicion that his mate was on the verge46 of a serious illness, and he was not wrong. Next day, Dorkin was stricken with a raging fever, and John Potter had not only to nurse him day and night, but to give constant attention to the lantern as well. Fortunately, the day after that the relief boat would be out, so he consoled himself with that thought; but the gale47, which had been blowing for some days, increased that night until it blew a perfect hurricane. The sea round the Eddystone became a tremendous whirlpool of foam48, and all hope of communication with the shore was cut off. Of course the unfortunate lighthouse-keeper hung out a signal of distress49, although he knew full well that it could not be replied to.
Meanwhile a wedding party assembled in Plymouth. The bride was blooming and young; the bridegroom—strong and happy; but there was a shade upon his brow as he approached a stout50 elderly female, and said, sadly, “I can’t tell you, mother, how grieved I am that father is not with us to-day. I would be quite willing to put it off, and so would Nora, for a few days, but there is no appearance of the storm abating51; and, indeed, if even it stopped this moment, I don’t think the relief-boat could get off in less than a week.”
“I know it, Tommy.” (It seemed ridiculous to call a strapping52, curly-haired, bewhiskered, six-foot man “Tommy”!) “I know it, Tommy; but it ain’t of no use puttin’ of it off. I’ve always ’ad a settled conviction that anythink as is put off is as good as given up altogether. No, no, my son; go on with the weddin’.”
So the wedding went on, and Nora Vining, a dark-haired Plymouth maiden53, became Mrs Thomas Potter; and the breakfast was eaten, and the healths were drunk, and the speeches made, and Mrs Potter, senior, wept profusely54 (for joy) nearly all the time, into a white cotton handkerchief, which was so large and strong that some of the guests entertained the belief to the end of their lives that the worthy55 woman had had it manufactured for her own special use on that great occasion.
Meanwhile the father, whose absence was regretted so much, and whose heart would have rejoiced so much to have been there, remained in his lonely dwelling56, out among the mad whirlpools in the wildest past of the raging sea. All day, and every day, his signal of distress streamed horizontally in the furious gale, and fishermen stood on the shore and wondered what was wrong, and wished so earnestly that the gale would go down; but no one, not even the boldest among them all, imagined for a moment that a boat could venture to leave the shore, much less encounter the seething57 billows on the Eddystone. As each night drew on, one by one the lights glimmered58 out above the rock, until the bright beams of the fully59 illuminated60 lantern poured like a flood through the murky61 air, and then men went home to their firesides, relieved to know that, whatever might be wrong, the keepers were at all events able to attend to their important duties.
Day after day Isaac Dorkin grew worse: he soon became delirious62, and, strong though he was, John Potter was scarcely able to hold him down in bed. When the delirium63 first came on, John chanced to be in the lantern just commencing to light up. When he was about to apply the light, he heard a noise behind him, and, turning hastily round, beheld64 the flushed face and blazing eyes of his mate rising through the trap door that communicated with the rooms below. Leaving his work, John hastened to his friend, and with some difficulty persuaded him to return to his bed; but no sooner had he got him into it and covered him up, than a new paroxysm came on, and the sick man arose in the strength of his agony and hurled65 his friend to the other side of the apartment. John sprang up, and grappled with him while he was rushing towards the door. It was an awful struggle that ensued. Both were large and powerful men; the one strong in a resolute66 purpose to meet boldly a desperate case, the other mad with fever. They swayed to and fro, and fell on and smashed the homely67 furniture of the place; sometimes the one and sometimes the other prevailing68, while both gasped69 for breath and panted vehemently70; suddenly Dorkin sank down exhausted71. He appeared to collapse72, and John lifted him with difficulty again into his bed; but in a few seconds he attempted to renew the struggle, while the whole building was filled with his terrific cries.
While this was going on, the shades of night had been falling fast, and John Potter remembered that none of the candles had been lit, and that in a few minutes more the rock would be a source of greater danger to shipping73 than if no lighthouse had been there, because vessels75 would be making for the light from all quarters of the world, in the full faith of its being kept up! Filled with horror at the thought that perhaps even at that moment vessels might be hurrying on to their doom76, he seized a piece of rope that lay at hand, and managed to wind it so firmly round his mate as to render him helpless. Bounding back to the lantern, he quickly lighted it up, but did not feel his heart relieved until he had gazed out at the snowy billows below, and made sure that no vessel74 was in view. Then he took a long draught41 of water, wiped his brow, and returned to his friend.
Two days after that Isaac Dorkin died. And now John Potter found himself in a more horrible situation than before. The storm continued: no sooner did one gale abate77 than another broke out, so as to render approach to the rock impossible; while, day after day, and night after night, the keeper had to pass the dead body of his mate several times in attending to the duties of the lantern. And still the signal of distress continued to fly from the lighthouse, and still the people on shore continued to wonder what was wrong, to long for moderate weather, and to feel relief when they saw the faithful light beam forth78 each evening at sunset.
At last the corpse79 began to decay, and John felt that it was necessary to get rid of it, but he dared not venture to throw it into the sea. It was well known that Dorkin had been a quarrelsome man, and he feared that if he could not produce the body when the relief came, he might be deemed a murderer. He therefore let it lie until it became so overpoweringly offensive that the whole building, from foundation to cupola, was filled with the horrible stench. The feelings of the solitary80 man can neither be conceived nor described. Well was it for John that he had the Word of God in his hand, and the grace of God in his heart during that awful period.
For nearly a month his agony lasted. At last the weather moderated. The boat came off; the “relief” was effected; and poor Dorkin’s body, which was in such a condition that it could not be carried on shore, was thrown into the sea. Then John Potter returned home, and left the lighthouse service for ever.
From that time forward it has been the custom to station not fewer than three men at a time on all out-lying lighthouses of the kingdom.
Note. Reader, we have not drawn81 here on our imagination. This story is founded on unquestionable fact.
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1
tenor
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| n.男高音（歌手），次中音（乐器），要旨，大意 | |
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2
meditative
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| adj.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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4
bustle
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| v.喧扰地忙乱，匆忙，奔忙；n.忙碌；喧闹 | |
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vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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inclinations
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| 倾向( inclination的名词复数 )； 倾斜； 爱好； 斜坡 | |
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awry
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| adj.扭曲的，错的 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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impel
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| v.推动；激励，迫使 | |
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scripture
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| n.经文，圣书，手稿；Scripture:(常用复数)《圣经》，《圣经》中的一段 | |
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14
parable
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| n.寓言，比喻 | |
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15
whatsoever
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| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
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16
pecuniary
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| adj.金钱的；金钱上的 | |
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professing
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| 声称( profess的现在分词 )； 宣称； 公开表明； 信奉 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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marred
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| adj. 被损毁, 污损的 | |
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equanimity
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| n.沉着，镇定 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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24
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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meditated
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| 深思，沉思，冥想( meditate的过去式和过去分词 )； 内心策划，考虑 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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amicably
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| adv.友善地 | |
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attained
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| （通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况） | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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buxom
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| adj.（妇女）丰满的，有健康美的 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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maroon
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| v.困住，使（人）处于孤独无助之境；n.逃亡黑奴；孤立的人；酱紫色，褐红色；adj.酱紫色的，褐红色的 | |
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eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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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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winsome
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| n.迷人的，漂亮的 | |
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40
draughts
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| n. <英>国际跳棋 | |
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draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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42
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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43
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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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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45
fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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46
verge
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| n.边，边缘；v.接近，濒临 | |
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47
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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48
foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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49
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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51
abating
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| 减少( abate的现在分词 )； 减去； 降价； 撤消（诉讼） | |
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52
strapping
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| adj. 魁伟的, 身材高大健壮的 n. 皮绳或皮带的材料, 裹伤胶带, 皮鞭 动词strap的现在分词形式 | |
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53
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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54
profusely
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| ad.abundantly | |
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55
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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56
dwelling
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| n.住宅，住所，寓所 | |
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seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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58
glimmered
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| v.发闪光，发微光( glimmer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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59
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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illuminated
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| adj.被照明的；受启迪的 | |
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61
murky
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| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
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62
delirious
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| adj.不省人事的，神智昏迷的 | |
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delirium
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| n. 神智昏迷,说胡话;极度兴奋 | |
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64
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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65
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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resolute
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| adj.坚决的，果敢的 | |
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homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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68
prevailing
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| adj.盛行的；占优势的；主要的 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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vehemently
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| adv. 热烈地 | |
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exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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collapse
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| vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷 | |
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shipping
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| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
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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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vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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doom
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| n.厄运，劫数；v.注定，命定 | |
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77
abate
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| vi.(风势，疼痛等)减弱，减轻，减退 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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corpse
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| n.尸体，死尸 | |
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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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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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