The lighthouse was at this time in charge of Teddy Maroon7: not the Teddy who had bewailed his fate so disconsolately8 in the French prison in days gone by, but his youngest son, who was now getting to be an elderly man. We may, however, relieve the mind of the sympathetic reader, by saying that Teddy, senior, was not dead. He was still alive and hearty9; though bent10 nearly double with extreme age; and dwelt on the borders of one of the Irish bogs11, at the head of an extensive colony of Maroons12.
One night Teddy the younger ascended13 to the lantern to trim the candles; he snuffed them all round and returned to the kitchen to have a pipe, his two mates being a-bed at the time. No one now knows how the thing happened, but certain it is that Teddy either dropped some of the burning snuff on the floor, or in some other way introduced more light into his lantern that night than it had ever been meant to contain, so that while he and his mates were smoking comfortably below, the lighthouse was smoking quietly, but ominously14, above.
On shore, late that night, an elderly gentleman stood looking out of the window of a charmingly situated15 cottage in the village of Cawsand Bay, near Plymouth, which commanded a magnificent prospect16 of the channel.
“Father,” he said, turning to a very old man seated beside the fire, who, although shrunken and wrinkled and bald, was ruddy in complexion17, and evidently in the enjoyment18 of a green old age, “Father, the lighthouse is beautifully bright to-night; shall I help you to the window to look at it?”
“Yes, Tommy: I’m fond o’ the old light. It minds me of days gone by, when you and I were young, Martha.”
The old man gave a chuckle19 as he looked across the hearthstone, where, in a chair similar to his own, sat a very stout20 and very deaf and very old lady, smoothing the head of her grandchild, a little girl, who was the youngest of a family of ten.
Old Martha did not hear John Potter’s remark, but she saw his kindly21 smile, and nodded her head with much gravity in reply. Martha had grown intellectually slow when she partially22 lost her hearing, and although she was not sad she had evidently become solemn. An English Dictionary and the Bible were the only books that Martha would look at now. She did not use the former as a help to the understanding of the latter. No one knew why she was so partial to the dictionary; but as she not unfrequently had it on her knee upside down while poring over it, her grandchild, little Nora, took up the idea that she had resolved to devote the latter days of her life to learning to read backwards23! Perhaps the fact that the dictionary had once belonged to her son James who was wrecked24 and drowned on the Norfolk coast, may have had something to do with it.
With the aid of his son’s arm and a stick old John managed to hobble to the window.
“It is very bright. Why, Tommy,” he exclaimed, with a start, “it’s too bright: the lighthouse must be on fire!”
At that moment, “Tommy’s” wife, now “fat, fair, and fifty” (or thereabouts), entered the room hurriedly, exclaiming, “Oh, Tom, what can be the matter with the lighthouse, I never saw it so bright before?”
Tom, who had hastily placed his father in a chair, so that he could see the Eddystone, seized his hat, and exclaiming, “I’ll go and see, my dear,” ran out and proceeded to the shore.
“What’s the matter?” cried Mrs Potter in a querulous voice, when little Nora rushed from her side.
Nora, senior, went to her at once, and, bending down, said, in a musical voice that retained much of its clearness and all its former sweetness: “I fear that the lighthouse is on fire, grandma!”
Mrs Potter gazed straight before her with vacant solemnity, and Nora, supposing that she had not heard, repeated the information.
Still Mrs Potter made no reply; but, after a few moments, she turned her eyes on her daughter-in-law with owlish gravity, and said; “I knew it! I said long ago to your father, my dear, I had a settled conviction that that lighthouse would come to a bad end.”
It did indeed appear as though old Martha’s prophecy were about to come true!
Out at the lighthouse Teddy Maroon, having finished his pipe, went up to the lantern to trim the candles again. He had no sooner opened the hatch of the lantern than a dense25 cloud of smoke burst out. He shouted to his comrades, one of whom, Henry Hall, was old and not fit for much violent exertion26; the other, James Wilkie, was a young man, but a heavy sleeper27. They could not be roused as quickly as the occasion demanded. Teddy ran to the store-room for a leathern bucket, but before he could descend28 to the rock, fill it and re-ascend, the flames had got a firm hold of the cupola. He dashed the water into the lantern just as his horrified29 comrades appeared.
“Fetch bucketfulls as fast as ye can. Och, be smart, boys, if iver ye was,” he shouted, while perspiration30 streamed down his face. Pulling off his coat, while his mates ran down for water, Teddy dashed wildly into the lantern, and, holding the coat by its arms, laid about him violently, but smoke and fire drove him but almost immediately. The buckets were long of coming, and when they did arrive, their contents were as nothing on the glowing cupola. Then Teddy went out on the balcony and endeavoured to throw the water up, but the height was too great. While he was doing this, Wilkie ran down for more water, but Hall stood gazing upwards31, open-mouthed with horror, at the raging flames. At that moment the leaden covering of the roof melted, and rushed down on Hall’s head and shoulders. He fell, with a loud shriek32. While Teddy tried to drag him down to the room below, he exclaimed that some of the melted lead had gone down his throat! He was terribly burned about the neck, but his comrades had to leave him in his bed while they strove wildly to check the flames. It was all in vain. The wood-work around the lantern, from years of exposure to the heat of twenty-four large candles burning at once, had become like tinder, and the fire became so fierce that the timber courses composing the top of the column soon caught. Then the keepers saw that any further efforts would be useless. The great exertions33 made to carry up even a few bucketsfull of water soon exhausted34 their strength, and they were driven from room to room as the fire descended35. At last the heat and smoke became so intense that they were driven out of the lighthouse altogether, and sought shelter in a cavern36 or hollow under the ladder, on the east side of the rock. Fortunately it was low water at the time, and the weather was calm. Had it been otherwise, the rock would have been no place of refuge.
Meanwhile Mr Thomas Potter (our old friend Tommy—now, as we have said an elderly gentleman) went off in a large boat with a crew of stout fishermen from Cawsand Bay, having a smaller boat in tow. When they reached the rock, a terrific spectacle was witnessed. The lighthouse was enveloped37 in flames nearly to the bottom, for the outside planking, being caulked38 and covered with pitch, was very inflammable. The top glowed against the dark sky and looked in the midst of the smoke like a fiery39 meteor. The Eddystone Rock was suffused40 with a dull red light, as if it were becoming red hot, and the surf round it appeared to hiss41 against the fire, while in the dark shadow of the cave the three lighthouse keepers were seen cowering42 in terror,—as they well might, seeing that melted lead and flaming masses of wood and other substances were falling thickly round them.
To get them out of their dangerous position was a matter of extreme difficulty, because, although there was little or no wind, the swell43 caused a surf on the rock which absolutely forbade the attempt to land. In this emergency they fell upon a plan which seemed to afford some hope of success. They anchored the large boat to the westward44, and veered45 down towards the rock as far as they dared venture. Then three men went into the small boat, which was eased off and sent farther in by means of a rope. When as near as it was possible to approach, a coil of rope was thrown to the rock. It was caught by Teddy Maroon, and although in extreme danger and anxiety, the men in the boat could not help giving vent46 to a ringing cheer. Teddy at once tied the end of the rope round the waist of old Henry Hall, and half persuaded, half forced him into the surf, through which he was hauled into the boat in safety. Wilkie went next, and Teddy followed. Thus they were rescued, put on board the large boat, and carried on shore; but no sooner did the keel grate on the sand, than Wilkie, who had never spoken a word, and who appeared half stupefied, bounded on shore and ran off at full speed. It is a curious fact, which no one has ever been able to account for, that this man was never more heard of! As it is quite certain that he did not cause the fire, and also that he did his utmost to subdue47 it, the only conclusion that could be come to was, that the excitement and terror had driven him mad. At all events that was the last of him.
Another curious fact connected with the fire is, that Henry Hall actually did swallow a quantity of melted lead. He lingered for twelve days after the accident, and then died. Afterwards his body was opened, and an oval lump of lead, which weighed upwards of seven ounces, was found in his stomach. This extraordinary fact is authenticated48 by the credible49 testimony50 of a respectable medical man and several eye-witnesses.
Meanwhile, the lighthouse continued to burn, despite the most strenuous51 efforts made to save it. Had a storm arisen, the seas would speedily have quenched52 the fire, but unfortunately the weather continued fine and comparatively calm for several days, while the wind was just strong enough to fan the fury of the flames, and at the same time to cause a surf sufficiently53 high to render a landing on the rock impossible. But, indeed, even if this had been effected, the efforts that could have been made with the small fire-engines at that time in use, would have been utterly54 useless. The fire gradually descended to the different courses of solid timber, the well-hole of the staircase assisting the draught55, and the outside timbers and inside mast, or wooden core, forming a double connecting link whereby the devouring56 element was carried to the very bottom of the building, with a heat so intense that the courses of Cornish moor-stone were made red hot.
Admiral West, with part of the fleet, happened to be at that time in Plymouth Sound. He at once sent a sloop57 with a fire-engine to the rock. They attempted to land in a boat, but could not. So violent was the surf, that the boat was at one time thrown bodily upon the rock by one wave and swept off again by the next. The escape on this occasion was almost miraculous58, the men therefore did not venture to make another attempt, but contented59 themselves with endeavouring to work the engine from the boat, in doing which they broke it, and thus all hope of doing anything further was gone. But indeed the engine they had would have availed nothing, even though it had been twice as powerful, against such a mighty60 conflagration61. As well might they have tried to extinguish Vesuvius with a tea-kettle!
For four days and nights did that massive pillar of fire burn. At last it fell in ruins before the most irresistible62 element with which man or matter has to contend, after having braved the fury of the winds and waves for nearly half a century.
Thus perished the second lighthouse that was built on the Eddystone Rock, in December of the year 1755, and thus, once again, were those black reefs left unguarded. Once more that dread63 of mariners64, ancient and modern, became a trap on the south coast of England—a trap now rendered doubly dangerous by the fact that, for so long a period, ships had been accustomed to make for it instead of avoiding it, in the full expectation of receiving timely warning from its friendly light.
《The Young Fur Traders》
《The Thorogood Family》
《The Prairie Chief》
《The Island Queen》
《Deep Down》
该作者的其它作品
《The World of Ice》《The Young Fur Traders》
《The Thorogood Family》
《The Prairie Chief》
《The Island Queen》
《Deep Down》
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1
overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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2
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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fabric
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| n.织物，织品，布；构造，结构，组织 | |
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4
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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assailed
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| v.攻击( assail的过去式和过去分词 )；困扰；质问；毅然应对 | |
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7
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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8
disconsolately
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| adv.悲伤地，愁闷地；哭丧着脸 | |
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9
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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10
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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11
bogs
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| n.沼泽，泥塘( bog的名词复数 )；厕所v.（使）陷入泥沼， （使）陷入困境( bog的第三人称单数 )；妨碍，阻碍 | |
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12
maroons
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| n.逃亡黑奴（maroon的复数形式）vt.把…放逐到孤岛（maroon的第三人称单数形式） | |
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13
ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
ominously
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| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
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15
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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16
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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17
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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18
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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19
chuckle
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| vi.／n.轻声笑，咯咯笑 | |
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21
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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22
partially
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| adv.部分地，从某些方面讲 | |
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23
backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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24
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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25
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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26
exertion
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| n.尽力，努力 | |
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27
sleeper
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| n.睡眠者，卧车，卧铺 | |
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28
descend
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| vt./vi.传下来，下来，下降 | |
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29
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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30
perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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31
upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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32
shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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33
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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34
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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35
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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36
cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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37
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
caulked
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| v.堵（船的）缝( caulk的过去式和过去分词 )；泥…的缝；填塞；使不漏水 | |
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39
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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40
suffused
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| v.（指颜色、水气等）弥漫于，布满( suffuse的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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41
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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42
cowering
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的现在分词 ) | |
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43
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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44
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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45
veered
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| v.（尤指交通工具）改变方向或路线( veer的过去式和过去分词 )；（指谈话内容、人的行为或观点）突然改变；（指风） （在北半球按顺时针方向、在南半球按逆时针方向）逐渐转向；风向顺时针转 | |
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46
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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47
subdue
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| vt.制服，使顺从，征服；抑制，克制 | |
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48
authenticated
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| v.证明是真实的、可靠的或有效的( authenticate的过去式和过去分词 )；鉴定，使生效 | |
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49
credible
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| adj.可信任的，可靠的 | |
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50
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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51
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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52
quenched
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| 解（渴）( quench的过去式和过去分词 )； 终止（某事物）； （用水）扑灭（火焰等）； 将（热物体）放入水中急速冷却 | |
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53
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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54
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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55
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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56
devouring
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| 吞没( devour的现在分词 )； 耗尽； 津津有味地看； 狼吞虎咽地吃光 | |
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57
sloop
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| n.单桅帆船 | |
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58
miraculous
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| adj.像奇迹一样的，不可思议的 | |
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59
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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60
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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61
conflagration
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| n.建筑物或森林大火 | |
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62
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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63
dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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64
mariners
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| 海员，水手（mariner的复数形式） | |
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