So this was Bering? She had clothed it always with the mystery of her school-days, thinking of it as a weeping, fog-bound stretch of gray waters. Instead, she saw a flat, sunlit main, with occasional sea-parrots flapping their fat bodies out of the ship’s course. A glistening2 head popped up from the waters abreast3, and she heard the cry of “seal!”
Dressing4, the girl noted5 minutely the personal articles scattered6 about the cabin, striving to derive7 therefrom some fresh hint of the characteristics of the owners. First, there was an elaborate, copper-backed toilet-set, all richly ornamented9 and leather-bound. The metal was magnificently hand-worked and bore Glenister’s initial. It spoke10 of elegant extravagance, and seemed oddly out of place in an Arctic miner’s equipment, as did also a small set of De Maupassant.
Next, she picked up Kipling’s Seven Seas, marked liberally, and felt that she had struck a scent11. The roughness and brutality12 of the poems had always chilled her, though she had felt vaguely13 their splendid pulse and swing. This was the girl’s first venture from a sheltered life. She had not rubbed elbows with the world enough to find that Truth may be rough, unshaven, and garbed14 in homespun. The book confirmed her analysis of the junior partner.
Pendent from a hook was a worn and blackened holster from which peeped the butt15 of a large Colt’s revolver, showing evidence of many years’ service. It spoke mutely of the white-haired Dextry, who, before her inspection16 was over, knocked at the door, and, when she admitted him, addressed her cautiously:
“The boy’s down forrad, teasin’ grub out of a flunky. He’ll be up in a minute. How’d ye sleep?”
“Very well, thank you,” she lied, “but I’ve been thinking that I ought to explain myself to you.”
“Now, see here,” the old man interjected, “there ain’t no explanations needed till you feel like givin’ them up. You was in trouble—that’s unfortunate; we help you—that’s natural; no questions asked—that’s Alaska.”
“Yes—but I know you must think—”
“What bothers me,” the other continued irrelevantly17, “is how in blazes we’re goin’ to keep you hid. The steward’s got to make up this room, and somebody’s bound to see us packin’ grub in.”
“I don’t care who knows if they won’t send me back. They wouldn’t do that, would they?” She hung anxiously on his words.
“Send you back? Why, don’t you savvy18 that this boat is bound for Nome? There ain’t no turnin’ back on gold stampedes, and this is the wildest rush the world ever saw. The captain wouldn’t turn back—he couldn’t—his cargo’s too precious and the company pays five thousand a day for this ship. No, we ain’t puttin’ back to unload no stowaways19 at five thousand per. Besides, we passengers wouldn’t let him—time’s too precious.” They were interrupted by the rattle20 of dishes outside, and Dextry was about to open the door when his hand wavered uncertainly above the knob, for he heard the hearty21 greeting of the ship’s captain.
“Well, well, Glenister, where’s all the breakfast going?”
“Oo!” whispered the old man—“that’s Cap’ Stephens.”
“Dextry isn’t feeling quite up to form this morning,” replied Glenister easily.
“Don’t wonder! Why weren’t you aboard sooner last night? I saw you—‘most got left, eh? Served you right if you had.” Then his voice dropped to the confidential22: “I’d advise you to cut out those women. Don’t misunderstand me, boy, but they’re a bad lot on this boat. I saw you come aboard. Take my word for it—they’re a bad lot. Cut ’em out. Guess I’ll step inside and see what’s up with Dextry.”
The girl shrank into her corner, gazing apprehensively23 at the other listener.
“Nonsense; it’s time he was dressed.” The master’s voice was gruffly good-natured. “Hello, Dextry! Hey! Open up for inspection.” He rattled25 the door.
There was nothing to be done. The old miner darted26 an inquiring glance at his companion, then, at her nod, slipped the bolt, and the captain’s blue bulk filled the room.
His grizzled, close-bearded face was genially27 wrinkled till he spied the erect28, gray figure in the corner, when his cap came off involuntarily. There his courtesy ended, however, and the smile died coldly from his face. His eyes narrowed, and the good-fellowship fell away, leaving him the stiff and formal officer.
“Ah,” he said, “not feeling well, eh? I thought I had met all of our lady passengers. Introduce me, Dextry.”
Dextry squirmed under his cynicism.
“Well—I—ah—didn’t catch the name myself.”
“What?”
“Oh, there ain’t much to say. This is the lady we brought aboard last night—that’s all.”
“Who gave you permission?”
“Nobody. There wasn’t time.”
“There wasn’t time, eh? Which one of you conceived the novel scheme of stowing away ladies in your cabin? Whose is she? Quick! Answer me.” Indignation was vibrant29 in his voice.
“Oh!” the girl cried—her eyes widening darkly. She stood slim and pale and slightly trembling.
His words had cut her bitterly, though through it all he had scrupulously30 avoided addressing her.
The captain turned to Glenister, who had entered and closed the door.
“Is this your work? Is she yours?”
“No,” he answered quietly, while Dextry chimed in:
“Better hear details, captain, before you make breaks like that. We helped the lady side-step some sailors last night and we most got left doing it. It was up to her to make a quick get-away, so we helped her aboard.”
“A poor story! What was she running away from?” He still addressed the men, ignoring her completely, till, with hoarse31 voice, she broke in:
“You mustn’t talk about me that way—I can answer your questions. It’s true—I ran away. I had to. The sailors came after me and fought with these men. I had to get away quickly, and your friends helped me on here from gentlemanly kindness, because they saw me unprotected. They are still protecting me. I can’t explain how important it is for me to reach Nome on the first boat, because it isn’t my secret. It was important enough to make me leave my uncle at Seattle at an hour’s notice when we found there was no one else who could go. That’s all I can say. I took my maid with me, but the sailors caught her just as she was following me down the ship’s ladder. She had my bag of clothes when they seized her. I cast off the rope and rowed ashore32 as fast as I could, but they lowered another boat and followed me.”
The captain eyed her sharply, and his grim lines softened33 a bit, for she was clean-cut and womanly, and utterly34 out of place. He took her in, shrewdly, detail by detail, then spoke directly to her:
“My dear young lady—the other ships will get there just as quickly as ours, maybe more quickly. To-morrow we strike the ice-pack and then it is all a matter of luck.”
“Yes, but the ship I left won’t get there.”
At this the commander started, and, darting35 a great, thick-fingered hand at her, spoke savagely36:
“What’s that? What ship? Which one did you come from? Answer me.”
“The Ohio,” she replied, with the effect of a hand-grenade. The master glared at her.
“The Ohio! Good God! You dare to stand there and tell me that?” He turned and poured his rage upon the others.
“She says the Ohio, d’ye hear? You’ve ruined me! I’ll put you in irons—all of you. The Ohio!”
“What d’ye mean? What’s up?”
“What’s up? There’s small-pox aboard the Ohio! This girl has broken quarantine. The health inspectors38 bottled up the boat at six o’clock last night! That’s why I pulled out of Unalaska ahead of time, to avoid any possible delay. Now we’ll all be held up when we get to Nome. Great Heavens! do you realize what this means—bringing this hussy aboard?”
His eyes burned and his voice shook, while the two partners stared at each other in dismay. Too well they knew the result of a small-pox panic aboard this crowded troop-ship. Not only was every available cabin bulging39 with passengers, but the lower decks were jammed with both humanity and live stock all in the most unsanitary conditions. The craft, built for three hundred passengers, was carrying triple her capacity; men and women were stowed away like cattle. Order and a half-tolerable condition were maintained only by the efforts of the passengers themselves, who held to the thought that imprisonment40 and inconvenience would last but a few days longer. They had been aboard three weeks and every heart was aflame with the desire to reach Nome—to reach it ahead of the pressing horde41 behind.
What would be the temper of this gold-frenzied army if thrown into quarantine within sight of their goal? The impatient hundreds would have to lie packed in their floating prison, submitting to the foul42 disease. Long they must lie thus, till a month should have passed after the disappearance43 of the last symptom. If the disease recurred44 sporadically45, that might mean endless weeks of maddening idleness. It might even be impossible to impose the necessary restraint; there would be violence, perhaps mutiny.
The fear of the sickness was nothing to Dextry and Glenister, but of their mine they thought with terror. What would happen in their absence, where conditions were as unsettled as in this new land; where titles were held only by physical possession of the premises46? During the long winter of their absence, ice had held their treasure inviolate47, but with the warming summer the jewel they had fought for so wearily would lie naked and exposed to the first comer. The Midas lay in the valley of the richest creek48, where men had schemed and fought and slain49 for the right to inches. It was the fruit of cheerless, barren years of toil8, and if they could not guard it—they knew the result.
The girl interrupted their distressing50 reflections.
“Don’t blame these men, sir,” she begged the captain. “I am the only one at fault. Oh! I had to get away. I have papers here that must be delivered quickly.” She laid a hand upon her bosom51. “They couldn’t be trusted to the unsettled mail service. It’s almost life and death. And I assure you there is no need of putting me in quarantine. I haven’t the small-pox. I wasn’t even exposed to it.”
“There’s nothing else to do,” said Stephens. “I’ll isolate52 you in the deck smoking-cabin. God knows what these madmen on board will do when they hear about it, though. They’re apt to tear you to shreds53. They’re crazy!”
Glenister had been thinking rapidly.
“If you do that, you’ll have mutiny in an hour. This isn’t the crowd to stand that sort of thing.”
“Maybe so; but what then? We reach Nome and the Health Inspector37 hears of small-pox suspects, then we’re all quarantined for thirty days; eight hundred of us. We’ll lie at Egg Island all summer while your company pays five thousand a day for this ship. That’s not all. The firm is liable in damages for your carelessness in letting disease aboard.”
“My carelessness!” The old man ground his teeth.
“Yes; that’s what it amounts to. You’ll ruin your owners, all right. You’ll tie up your ship and lose your job, that’s a cinch!”
Captain Stephens wiped the moisture from his brow angrily.
“My carelessness! Curse you—you say it well. Don’t you realize that I am criminally liable if I don’t take every precaution?” He paused for a moment, considering. “I’ll hand her over to the ship’s doctor.”
“See here, now,” Glenister urged. “We’ll be in Nome in a week—before the young lady would have time to show symptoms of the disease, even if she were going to have it—and a thousand to one she hasn’t been exposed, and will never show a trace of it. Nobody knows she’s aboard but we three. Nobody will see her get off. She’ll stay in this cabin, which will be just as effectual as though you isolated55 her in any other part of the boat. It will avoid a panic—you’ll save your ship and your company—no one will be the wiser—then if the girl comes down with small-pox after she gets ashore, she can go to the pest-house and not jeopardize56 the health of all the people aboard this ship. You go up forrad to your bridge, sir, and forget that you stepped in to see old Bill Dextry this morning. We’ll take care of this matter all right. It means as much to us as it does to you. We’ve got to be on Anvil57 Creek before the ground thaws58 or we’ll lose the Midas. If you make a fuss, you’ll ruin us all.”
For some moments they watched him breathlessly as he frowned in indecision, then—
“You’ll have to look out for the steward,” he said, and the girl sank to a stool while two great tears rolled down her cheeks. The captain’s eyes softened and his voice was gentle as he laid his hand on her head.
“Don’t feel hurt over what I said, miss. You see, appearances don’t tell much, hereabouts—most of the pretty ones are no good. They’ve fooled me many a time, and I made a mistake. These men will help you through; I can’t. Then when you get to Nome, make your sweetheart marry you the day you land. You are too far north to be alone.”
He stepped out into the passage and closed the door carefully.
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收听单词发音
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1
throb
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| v.震颤，颤动；(急速强烈地)跳动，搏动 | |
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2
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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3
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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4
dressing
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| n.(食物)调料；包扎伤口的用品，敷料 | |
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5
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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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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7
derive
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| v.取得；导出；引申；来自；源自；出自 | |
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toil
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| vi.辛劳工作，艰难地行动；n.苦工，难事 | |
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9
ornamented
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| adj.花式字体的v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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10
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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11
scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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12
brutality
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| n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮 | |
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13
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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14
garbed
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| v.（尤指某类人穿的特定）服装，衣服，制服( garb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15
butt
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| n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶 | |
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16
inspection
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| n.检查，审查，检阅 | |
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irrelevantly
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| adv.不恰当地，不合适地；不相关地 | |
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18
savvy
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| v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的 | |
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19
stowaways
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| n.偷乘船[飞机]者( stowaway的名词复数 ) | |
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20
rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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21
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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22
confidential
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| adj.秘（机）密的，表示信任的，担任机密工作的 | |
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23
apprehensively
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| adv.担心地 | |
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stammer
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| n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说 | |
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25
rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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26
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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27
genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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28
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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29
vibrant
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| adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的 | |
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30
scrupulously
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| adv.一丝不苟地；小心翼翼地，多顾虑地 | |
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31
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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32
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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33
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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34
utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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35
darting
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的现在分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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36
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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37
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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38
inspectors
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| n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官 | |
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39
bulging
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| 膨胀； 凸出（部）； 打气； 折皱 | |
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40
imprisonment
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| n.关押，监禁，坐牢 | |
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41
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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42
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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43
disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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44
recurred
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| 再发生，复发( recur的过去式和过去分词 )； 治愈 | |
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45
sporadically
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| adv.偶发地，零星地 | |
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46
premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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47
inviolate
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| adj.未亵渎的，未受侵犯的 | |
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48
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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49
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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50
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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51
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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52
isolate
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| vt.使孤立，隔离 | |
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53
shreds
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| v.撕碎，切碎( shred的第三人称单数 )；用撕毁机撕毁（文件） | |
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54
jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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55
isolated
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| adj.与世隔绝的 | |
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56
jeopardize
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| vt.危及，损害 | |
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57
anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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58
thaws
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| n.（足以解冻的）暖和天气( thaw的名词复数 )；（敌对国家之间）关系缓和v.（气候）解冻( thaw的第三人称单数 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化 | |
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