There was a peculiar stillness about the atmosphere—the calm that usually precedes a storm. All day long the clouds hung suspended overhead, and towards the middle of the afternoon it grew much darker. People residing at harbour suburbs hurried home as fast as possible, and were glad when they were ferried safely across the water.
The Watson’s Bay ferry-boat was throwing off from the landing-stage as a well-built man in a pilot’s coat jumped on board.
‘Nearly missed it, Wal,’ said the skipper of the Fairy. ‘The next boat will have a rough passage, I reckon.’
‘Yes; it’s been brewing5 all day,’ replied Walter Jessop. ‘We shall have a terrible night, I fear. It will be dangerous near the coast to-night. Luckily, there’s no vessel6 been sighted anywhere handy.’
The speaker was evidently a seaman7. He had an honest, open face, weather-beaten and tanned with exposure, and his hands were hard and big and used to hard work.
Pilot Jessop was well known in Sydney. In years gone by he had done good service as a pilot, and he[48] still followed his calling, but fortune had favoured him in the shape of a windfall from a rich relation, and he only took on work when he felt inclined.
Walter Jessop knew the coast of Australia as well as any man, and he had sailed up most of the harbours and rivers between Adelaide and Normanton. Such a man was not likely to make many mistakes about the weather, and he knew what these lowering clouds that had been hanging about all day meant.
The Fairy was one of the smallest ferry boats on the harbour, and at this time Watson’s Bay was not such an important place as it is now. Pilot Jessop, however, found it handy to live at Watson’s Bay, as it was under the great shadows of South Head, beyond which lay the open sea. Many a ship had he piloted to a safe anchorage in the harbour.
When the landing-stage was reached, he bade the skipper of the Fairy good-night, and walked to his home, which nestled in a sheltered position high up above the harbour.
A bright little woman, clad in a homely8 dress, gave him a hearty9 welcome. Mrs. Jessop was just the wife for such a man, and they had only one regret: they had no child to lavish10 their affection upon.
‘We’re in for a storm,’ said Wal Jessop, as he was generally called. ‘I hope there’s no vessel making for the harbour; they’d better keep away from our coast to-night.’
‘I’m right glad you have no occasion to go to sea on such nights,’ said his wife. ‘It would make an old[49] woman of me before my time if you were out in these storms.’
‘I weathered a good many storms before I met you,’ said Wal Jessop, ‘but I don’t feel much inclined for it again when I come to such comfortable quarters as these.’
‘It’s coming,’ said Jessop. ‘Make everything snug12, my lass; there’ll be a perfect hurricane before morning.’
As Wal Jessop sat at the well-laden tea-table, he suddenly put down his knife and fork, and drew a paper from his coat-pocket.
‘I’d quite forgotten,’ he said. ‘I hope they’re not making for Sydney in such a gale13 as this will be.’
‘What ship do you mean?’ asked his wife.
‘The Distant Shore is due here early next week. It’s Saturday, and the agents expect her on Monday at the latest. I hope Captain Manton has not made an extra quick passage. She’s a clipping sailer, is the Distant Shore, and he’s a bit venturesome—likes to make a rapid run. I shouldn’t wonder if she’s not far away to-night.’
‘I hope not,’ said Mrs. Jessop.
Captain Manton often paid a visit to the Jessops when in Sydney, and the pilot and his wife were very fond of his company.
As the evening wore on the storm raged in all its fury. Every hour seemed to add to the velocity15 of the gale. A great roar like distant thunder could be heard in the cottage as the waves dashed against the mighty16 rocks of South Head, and then rushed back, baffled and angry.
‘It’s beginning to rain,’ said Wal Jessop; ‘I’ll just see if the pony’s all right before it comes on faster.’
‘It doesn’t rain after all,’ he said, as he looked up at the dark clouds through which the moon occasionally shone in fitful gleams.
As if to convince him he had made a mistake, and that his first surmise19 was correct, a shower of heavy drops fell upon him. He stood still and thought for a moment; then he touched the wet on his coat and tasted it. It was salt, and he knew the waves outside were running high and dashing showers of salt spray over the top of the rocks, and the wind carried it across the village.
‘Such a sea is worth having a look at,’ he thought. ‘I’ll have a walk up to the cliffs before I turn in.’
He told his wife it was the spray from the waves being dashed on the rocks, and she knew it must be terrible out at sea.
Walter Jessop could not rest. He felt uneasy, and had an undefinable feeling that some dire4 catastrophe20 was about to take place. He sat down and tried to read the evening paper, but nothing in it interested him. His pipe continually went out because he was so deep in thought he failed to draw sufficiently21 to keep it alight. His wife watched him with anxious eyes. She had seen him like this before when he had been affected22 by a presentiment23 of evil. He got up from his chair and restlessly paced about the room.
‘Have a glass of something,’ said his wife. ‘It’s getting on for bedtime.’
‘Don’t mind if I do,’ he said. ‘I’ll tell you what it is, lass: I fear there’ll be something awful happen before the night’s over.’
‘It’s the storm makes you feel like that,’ said his wife. ‘This will do you good.’ And she handed him a glass of toddy.
‘Ten o’clock. I’ll just go up on the cliffs, and have a look out to sea; I’ll never rest if I don’t.’
‘If you say you’ll go I know you mean it,’ said his wife; ‘but do be careful. You might get blown over the rocks.’
‘There’s a moon,’ he said; ‘and I’m more likely to be blown away from the rocks than over them. I’ll not be gone long. You go to bed.’
He put on a thick coat and slouch hat, kissed his wife, and then went out into the stormy night.
‘If he fancies I’m going to bed until he comes home he’s mistaken,’ said Mrs. Jessop to herself. ‘Oh, these sailors! A furious gale seems to tempt25 them outside when other folk are only too anxious to hide their heads under the bedclothes.’
Wal Jessop felt the full force of the wind as he made his way up a narrow path towards the top of the cliff. He battled with it, and seemed to take a fierce delight in overcoming it. A terrific gust nearly swept him off his feet, and he muttered:
‘Nearly had me that time, but I’ll beat the winds as I have done before. There’s some satisfaction in fighting a gale like this, but I’d sooner be doing it here than out at sea yonder.’
At last he reached the roadway, which he crossed, and then climbed up again towards the top of the rocks. As he made his way slowly the salt spray dashed into his face, and wetted him all over. He could hear the waves thundering against the rocks, and every roar was followed by a dense26 shower of spray. When he reached the top of the rocks the moon came out from behind a cloud, and shed a pale light on the scene.
Wal Jessop looked out to sea, and saw nothing but a black mass of tumultuous water and fierce waves chasing each other in mad sport. Then he looked down below and saw masses of foam28 tossed about and flung high into the air. He saw the great waves roll across the jutting29 rock, then dash furiously against the solid mass opposed to them, and cast up spray like a waterspout. This battle between the waves and the rocks had been going on for centuries, and would, he knew, continue for centuries more.The waves, constantly baffled and defeated, had to retreat, but they returned again and again to the charge, bringing up reinforcements from their mighty reserves, until at last the rocks seemed to give way inch by inch, and their jagged, worn fronts bore unmistakable testimony30 to the fierceness of the onslaught.
Pilot Jessop could not tear himself away from this scene of tumult27 and fierce war. He stood alone upon the rocks, the spray drenching31 him, and the wind whistling and whining32 in his ears. He knew there was a warm bed awaiting him at home, and yet he could not leave the spot. He peered out to sea, and saw an empty space. The moon was again hidden, and all was black and desolate33. Suddenly he started, and gave vent14 to an exclamation34. He thought he saw a tiny light sparkle far away out in the gloom. He looked again and again, but could see nothing. Could his eyes have deceived him? What could he have mistaken for a light so far out at sea? There it was again. He could not mistake it this time. There were two lights like stars; now he saw three. A cold, dull feeling came over him, and froze the blood in his veins35; his heart beat loudly, and he put his hands to his head to think.
Was it a ship out at sea and heading for the harbour on such a night as this? Surely no captain would be so mad and foolish as to risk passing through that narrow strait between the Heads in such a gale! He looked again and again, and the more he looked the more he was convinced it was a vessel being driven on to the rocks. He knew if it was a ship she would be dashed into a thousand pieces and not a soul on board could be saved. Hoping against hope, he looked again. The light had gone, and he breathed more freely. His eyesight must have deceived him.
‘I could bear it no longer,’ she said; ‘you have been out over three hours. The suspense37 was terrible. I thought you were blown over the rocks. Come home, Wal, you are wet through.’
‘Three hours!’ he exclaimed, then, knowing how he had been compelled to struggle to reach the rocks, he took his wife in his arms, strained her to his breast, kissed her fondly, and said:
‘You are a brave little woman, and I’m a brute38 for causing you anxiety. We will go home at once. This is no fit place for you.’
‘Wal, Wal!’ she cried as she stared over his shoulder with wide, terror-stricken eyes; ‘look, there’s a light; two lights, three! It’s a ship! Lord have mercy on ’em!’
‘Good God, she’s seen it! Then my eyes have not deceived me. That’s what I’ve been watching this hour,’ he said.
They looked together out across the furious ocean, and saw the lights plainly now.
Mary Jessop hid her face on her husband’s shoulder and sobbed39 aloud. She knew not a single man, woman, or child on the ill-fated vessel could expect to live when the ship was shattered to pieces. As she stood there in the rocks with the wind roaring around her, safe in her husband’s strong arms, she offered up a prayer to the God who rules the seas to save the ship from destruction.
As for Pilot Jessop, he seemed for the moment incapable40 of action. He quickly recovered, and said in a hollow voice:
‘Suppose it’s the Distant Shore?’
‘Can nothing be done to save her?’
‘No, Mary; she’s beyond control. No captain would be here on such a night if he had control of his ship. She’s helpless, and we are helpless; but we can rouse the folk and do all we can. Come.’
They went down the rocky path and hurried to the village, where, despite the gale, the people were sleeping soundly.
They roused two or three men, and telling them to pass the word on, they fought their way back to the top of the cliffs.
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收听单词发音
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1
devoid
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| adj.全无的，缺乏的 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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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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5
brewing
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| n. 酿造, 一次酿造的量 动词brew的现在分词形式 | |
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6
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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7
seaman
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| n.海员，水手，水兵 | |
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8
homely
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| adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的 | |
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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
lavish
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| adj.无节制的；浪费的；vt.慷慨地给予，挥霍 | |
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ominously
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| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
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12
snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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13
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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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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15
velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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drenched
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| adj.湿透的；充满的v.使湿透( drench的过去式和过去分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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gust
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| n.阵风，突然一阵（雨、烟等），（感情的）迸发 | |
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surmise
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| v./n.猜想，推测 | |
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catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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relish
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| n.滋味，享受，爱好，调味品；vt.加调味料，享受，品味；vi.有滋味 | |
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25
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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26
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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29
jutting
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| v.（使）突出( jut的现在分词 )；伸出；（从…）突出；高出 | |
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30
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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31
drenching
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| n.湿透v.使湿透( drench的现在分词 )；在某人（某物）上大量使用（某液体） | |
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32
whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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33
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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34
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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36
tug
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| v.用力拖(或拉)；苦干；n.拖；苦干；拖船 | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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39
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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40
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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41
shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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