Before the long voyage together through life, which men call marriage, Godfrey then was to make the tour of the world—a journey sometimes even more dangerous. But he reckoned on returning improved in every respect; he left a lad, he would return a man. He would have seen, noted1, compared. His curiosity would be satisfied. There would only remain for him to settle down quietly, and live happily at home with his wife, whom no temptation would take him from. Was he wrong or right? Was he to learn a valuable lesson? The future will show.
Phina, anxious without appearing to be so, was resigned to this apprenticeship3.
Professor Tartlet4, generally so firm on his limbs, had lost all his dancing equilibrium5. He had lost all his usual self-possession, and tried in vain to recover it; he even[Pg 44] tottered6 on the carpet of his room as if he were already on the floor of a cabin, rolling and pitching on the ocean.
As for William W. Kolderup, since he had arrived at a decision, he had become very uncommunicative, especially to his nephew. The closed lips, and eyes half hidden beneath their lids, showed that there was some fixed7 idea in the head where generally floated the highest commercial speculations8.
"Ah! you want to travel," muttered he every now and then; "travel instead of marrying and staying at home! Well, you shall travel."
Preparations were immediately begun.
If he went southwards, the Panama, California and British Columbia Company, or the Southampton and Rio Janeiro Company would have to take him to Europe.
If he went eastwards11, the union Pacific Railway would take him in a few days to New York, and thence the Cunard, Inman, White Star, Hamburg-American, or French-Transatlantic Companies would land him on the shores of the old world.
[Pg 45]
If he went westwards, the Golden Age Steam Transoceanic would render it easy for him to reach Melbourne, and thence he could get to the Isthmus12 of Suez by the boats of the Peninsular and Oriental Company.
The means of transport were abundant, and thanks to their mathematical agreement the round of the world was but a simple pleasure tour.
But it was not thus that the nephew and heir of the nabob of Frisco was to travel.
No! William W. Kolderup possessed13 for the requirements of his business quite a fleet of steam and sailing-vessels14. He had decided that one of these ships should be "put at the disposal" of Godfrey Morgan, as if he were a prince of the blood, travelling for his pleasure—at the expense of his father's subjects.
By his orders the Dream, a substantial steamer of 600 tons and 200 horse-power, was got ready. It was to be commanded by Captain Turcott, a tough old salt, who had already sailed in every latitude15 in every sea. A thorough sailor, this friend of tornadoes16, cyclones17, and typhoons, had already spent of his fifty years of life, forty at sea. To bring to in a hurricane was quite child's play to this mariner18, who was never disconcerted, except by land-sickness when he was in port. His incessantly19 unsteady existence on a vessel's deck had endowed him[Pg 46] with the habit of constantly balancing himself to the right or the left, or behind or in front, as though he had the rolling and pitching variety of St. Vitus's dance.
A mate, an engineer, four stokers, a dozen seamen20, eighteen men in all, formed the crew of the Dream. And if the ship was contented21 to get quietly through eight miles an hour, she possessed a great many excellent nautical22 qualities. If she was not swift enough to race the waves when the sea was high, the waves could not race over her, and that was an advantage which quite compensated23 for the mediocrity of her speed, particularly when there was no hurry. The Dream was brigantine rigged, and in a favourable24 wind, with her 400 square yards of canvas, her steaming rate could be considerably25 increased.
It should be borne in mind all through that the voyage of the Dream was carefully planned, and would be punctually performed. William W. Kolderup was too practical a man not to put to some purpose a journey of 15,000 or 16,000 leagues across all the oceans of the globe. His ship was to go without cargo26, undoubtedly27, but it was easy to get her down to her right trim by means of water ballast, and even to sink her to her deck, if it proved necessary.
The Dream was instructed to communicate with the different branch establishments of the wealthy merchant. She was to go from one market to another.
[Pg 47]
Captain Turcott, never fear, would not find it difficult to pay the expenses of the voyage! Godfrey Morgan's whim28 would not cost the avuncular29 purse a single dollar! That is the way they do business in the best commercial houses!
All this was decided at long, very secret interviews between William W. Kolderup and Captain Turcott. But it appeared that the regulation of this matter, simple as it seemed, could not be managed alone, for the captain paid numerous visits to the merchant's office. When he came away, it would be noticed that his face bore a curious expression, that his hair stood on end as if he had been ruffling30 it up with fevered hands, and that all his body rolled and pitched more than usual. High words were constantly heard, proving that the interviews were stormy. Captain Turcott, with his plain speaking, knew how to withstand William W. Kolderup, who loved and esteemed31 him enough to permit him to contradict him.
And now all was arranged. Who had given in? William W. Kolderup or Turcott? I dare not say, for I do not even know the subject of their discussion. However, I rather think it must have been the captain.
Anyhow, after eight days of interviewing, the merchant and the captain were in accord, but Turcott did not cease to grumble32 between his teeth.
[Pg 48]
"May five hundred thousand Davy Joneses drag me to the bottom if ever I had a job like this before!"
However, the Dream fitted out rapidly, and her captain neglected nothing which would enable him to put to sea in the first fortnight in June. She had been into dock, and the hull33 had been gone over with composition, whose brilliant red contrasted vividly34 with the black of her upper works.
A great number of vessels of all kinds and nationalities came into the port of San Francisco. In a good many years the old quays36 of the town, built straight along the shore, would have been insufficient37 for the embarkation38 and disembarkation of their cargoes39, if engineers had not devised subsidiary wharves40. Piles of red deal were driven into the water, and many square miles of planks41 were laid on them and formed huge platforms. A good deal of the bay was thus taken up, but the bay is enormous. There were also regular landing-stages, with numberless cranes and crabs42, at which steamers from both oceans, steamboats from the Californian rivers, clippers from all countries, and coasters from the American seaboard were ranged in proper order, so as not to interfere43 one with the other.
It was at one of these artificial quays, at the extremity44 of Mission Wharf45 Street, that the Dream had been securely moored46 after she had come out of dock.
[Pg 49]
Nothing was neglected, and the steamer would start under the most favourable conditions. Provisioning, outfit47, all were minutely studied. The rigging was perfect, the boilers48 had been tested and the screw was an excellent one. A steam launch was even carried, to facilitate communication with the shore, and this would probably be of great service during the voyage.
Everything was ready on the 10th of June. They had only to put to sea. The men shipped by Captain Turcott to work the sails or drive the engine were a picked crew, and it would have been difficult to find a better one. Quite a stock of live animals, agouties, sheep, goats, poultry49, &c., were stowed between decks, the material wants of the travellers were likewise provided for by numerous cases of preserved meats of the best brands.
The route the Dream was to follow had doubtless been the subject of the long conferences which William W. Kolderup had had with his captain. All knew that they were first bound for Auckland, in New Zealand, unless want of coal necessitated50 by the persistence51 of contrary winds obliged them to refill perhaps at one of the islands of the Pacific or some Chinese port.
All this detail mattered little to Godfrey once he was on the sea, and still less to Tartlet, whose troubled spirit exaggerated from day to day the dangers of navigation.[Pg 50] There was only one formality to be gone through—the formality of being photographed.
An engaged man could not decently start on a long voyage round the world without taking with him the image of her he loved, and in return leaving his own image behind him.
Godfrey in tourist costume accordingly handed himself over to Messrs Stephenson and Co., photographers of Montgomery Street, and Phina, in her walking-dress, confided53 in like manner to the sun the task of fixing her charming but somewhat sorrowing features on the plate of those able operators.
It is also the custom to travel together, and so Phina's portrait had its allotted54 place in Godfrey's cabin, and Godfrey's portrait its special position in Phina's room. As for Tartlet, who had no betrothed55 and who was not thinking of having one at present, he thought it better to confide52 his image to sensitised paper. But although great was the talent of the photographers they failed to present him with a satisfactory proof. The negative was a confused fog in which it was impossible to recognize the celebrated56 professor of dancing and deportment.
This was because the patient could not keep himself still, in spite of all that was said about the invariable rule in studios devoted57 to operations of this nature.
[Pg 51]
They tried other means, even the instantaneous process. Impossible. Tartlet pitched and rolled in anticipation58 as violently as the captain of the Dream.
The idea of obtaining a picture of the features of this remarkable59 man had thus to be abandoned. Irreparable would be the misfortune if—but far from us be the thought!—if in imagining he was leaving the new world for the old world Tartlet had left the new world for the other world from which nobody returns.
On the 9th of June all was ready. The Dream was complete. Her papers, bills of lading, charter-party, assurance policy, were all in order, and two days before the ship-broker had sent on the last signatures.
On that day a grand farewell breakfast was given at the mansion60 in Montgomery Street. They drank to the happy voyage of Godfrey and his safe return.
Godfrey was rather agitated61, and he did not strive to hide it. Phina showed herself much the most composed. As for Tartlet he drowned his apprehensions62 in several glasses of champagne63, whose influence was perceptible up to the moment of departure. He even forgot his kit64, which was brought to him as they were casting off the last hawsers65 of the Dream.
The last adieux were said on board, the last handshakings took place on the poop, then the engine gave[Pg 52] two or three turns of the screw and the steamer was under way.
"Good-bye, Phina!"
"Good-bye, Godfrey!"
"May Heaven protect you!" said the uncle.
"And above all may it bring us back!" murmured Professor Tartlet.
"And never forget, Godfrey," added William W. Kolderup, "the device which the Dream bears on her stern, 'Confide, recte agens.'"
"Never, Uncle Will! Good-bye, Phina!"
"Good-bye, Godfrey!"
The steamer moved off, handkerchiefs were shaken as long as she remained in sight from the quay35, and even after. Soon the bay of San Francisco, the largest in the world, was crossed, the Dream passed the narrow throat of the Golden Gate and then her prow66 cleft67 the waters of the Pacific Ocean. It was as though the Gates of Gold had closed upon her.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
noted
|
|
| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
enchanted
|
|
| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
apprenticeship
|
|
| n.学徒身份；学徒期 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
tartlet
|
|
| n.小形的果子馅饼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
5
equilibrium
|
|
| n.平衡，均衡，相称，均势，平静 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
tottered
|
|
| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
fixed
|
|
| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
speculations
|
|
| n.投机买卖( speculation的名词复数 )；思考；投机活动；推断 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
itinerary
|
|
| n.行程表，旅行路线；旅行计划 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
decided
|
|
| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
eastwards
|
|
| adj.向东方（的），朝东（的）；n.向东的方向 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
isthmus
|
|
| n.地峡 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
possessed
|
|
| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
vessels
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
latitude
|
|
| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
tornadoes
|
|
| n.龙卷风，旋风( tornado的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
cyclones
|
|
| n.气旋( cyclone的名词复数 )；旋风；飓风；暴风 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
mariner
|
|
| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
incessantly
|
|
| ad.不停地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
seamen
|
|
| n.海员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
contented
|
|
| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
nautical
|
|
| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
compensated
|
|
| 补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
favourable
|
|
| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
considerably
|
|
| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
cargo
|
|
| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
undoubtedly
|
|
| adv.确实地，无疑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
whim
|
|
| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
avuncular
|
|
| adj.叔伯般的，慈祥的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
ruffling
|
|
| 弄皱( ruffle的现在分词 )； 弄乱； 激怒； 扰乱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
esteemed
|
|
| adj.受人尊敬的v.尊敬( esteem的过去式和过去分词 )；敬重；认为；以为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
grumble
|
|
| vi.抱怨；咕哝；n.抱怨，牢骚；咕哝，隆隆声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
hull
|
|
| n.船身；(果、实等的)外壳；vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
vividly
|
|
| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
quay
|
|
| n.码头，靠岸处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
quays
|
|
| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
insufficient
|
|
| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
embarkation
|
|
| n. 乘船, 搭机, 开船 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
cargoes
|
|
| n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
wharves
|
|
| n.码头，停泊处( wharf的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
planks
|
|
| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
crabs
|
|
| n.蟹( crab的名词复数 )；阴虱寄生病；蟹肉v.捕蟹( crab的第三人称单数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
interfere
|
|
| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
extremity
|
|
| n.末端，尽头；尽力；终极；极度 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
wharf
|
|
| n.码头，停泊处 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
moored
|
|
| adj. 系泊的 动词moor的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
outfit
|
|
| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
boilers
|
|
| 锅炉，烧水器，水壶( boiler的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
poultry
|
|
| n.家禽，禽肉 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
necessitated
|
|
| 使…成为必要，需要( necessitate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
persistence
|
|
| n.坚持，持续，存留 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
confide
|
|
| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
confided
|
|
| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
allotted
|
|
| 分配，拨给，摊派( allot的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
betrothed
|
|
| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
celebrated
|
|
| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
devoted
|
|
| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
anticipation
|
|
| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
mansion
|
|
| n.大厦，大楼；宅第 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
agitated
|
|
| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
apprehensions
|
|
| 疑惧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
champagne
|
|
| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
kit
|
|
| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
hawsers
|
|
| n.（供系船或下锚用的）缆索，锚链( hawser的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
|
66
prow
|
|
| n.(飞机)机头，船头 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
cleft
|
|
| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |