Two weeks passed without change in the situation, except that their end saw the Queen still deeper in the tangle1. The breeze from the west had continued, but day by day had grown fainter, until at last it barely cooled the faces of the weary passengers. Day by day, too, the weed and the wreckage4 in the tangle grew thicker. Here and there floated broken spars, fragments of shattered deck-houses, moss-grown planks5, Jacob’s-ladders, and all the fugitive6 spoil of the sea. Broken boats, bottom upward; rafts with tumbled fragments of canvas screening perhaps some terrible burden; a red buoy7 wrenched8 from some coast harbor; a bottle with a little flag bobbing above it—these appeared, grew nearer, and dropped astern, sometimes just out of reach of the Queen.
[63]Several times abandoned ships appeared; one with a patch of sail gave Jackson some agonizing9 alternations of hope and despair before its final nearness forced him to admit that it, like their own vessel10, was a derelict, bound for the port of dead ships. None of this wreckage, however, kept pace with the Queen. The tallest caught the wind and the deepest caught the current, but the Queen caught both, and moved ahead accordingly.
The marvel11 of it all affected12 the voyagers according to their several natures. Jackson took it hardest. Used to the roar of New York and to the electric contagion13 of great crowds, and without resources within himself, the comparative solitude14 and the uncertainty15 drove him frantic16. Had he been alone, he would never have lived so long; despair would have robbed him of his wits altogether and have driven him to end it all by a plunge17 over the side. Even as it was, his state caused his companions grave alarm.[64] Howard took care never to let him be very long out of his sight by day. Fortunately, he slept like a log at night, and Howard was able to lock him in his room late and release him early without his ever discovering that he had been confined.
This state of affairs, however, could not continue. Day by day the detective grew more and more surly, until Howard began to long for the open conflict that was sure to come. Had they two been alone together, he would have speedily brought affairs to a crisis, but the misery18 of Dorothy’s position should anything happen to himself made him hold off, hoping that Jackson’s mood might pass. The worst of it all was the man had a revolver—the only one on board.
For the rest, Howard seemed to be not at all troubled. In fact, so far as Jackson knew, the situation worried him not at all. Only Dorothy, who, light-footed, had once come upon him unheard and found him[65] on his knees with bowed head and shaking shoulders, suspected that his lightheartedness was assumed. On that occasion she had stolen away as silently as she had come.
As a matter of fact, Howard, though wild to get back to the task of which he had spoken to the others, was yet not anxious to go to execution. Moreover, the wonder of the situation appealed to him mightily20, and he tried to be content to grasp the hours as they came, and not to worry over the future. After he had thoroughly21 explored the reachable portions of the vessel and had worked out their position as well as it was possible with such makeshift instruments as he could devise, he had devoted22 himself to the study of the myriad23 life that swarmed24 among the weeds. A scoop25, trailed overboard for a few minutes, invariably brought aboard hundreds of living forms.
Something of a naturalist26 already, he took delight in studying the sea creatures,[66] and in noting the marvellous protective resemblances by which they hid from foes27 or crept upon enemies, themselves similarly equipped.
In this study he was enthusiastically joined by Dorothy. No past record of crime could prevent the intimacy28 that sprang up between these two, so like in tastes and training, thus thrown upon each other for human companionship. Again and again Dorothy told herself that she ought to shrink from Howard and confine their intercourse29 to the needs of bare civility, and, accordingly, for a time she would devote herself to Jackson and let Howard go. But Jackson, blameless police officer as he was, had no resources within himself to long content an educated girl like Dorothy, and soon she would drift back to Howard’s side—much, it must be owned, to Jackson’s relief.
Curiously30 enough, the girl was not unhappy. The situation, as yet, was too novel for that. The fact that she could[67] see no possible means for rescue did not greatly trouble her. With the natural resilience of youth, she threw off her anxiety; with the natural trust of woman in man, she was content to leave everything to Howard, and to put implicit31 faith in his promise, vague and unsubstantial though it was, to do what he could to save her. This was the more surprising as he had as yet had no chance to prove himself capable. Nevertheless, Dorothy threw all responsibility on his shoulders and concerned herself no more about the outcome. If sometimes uneasy questions assailed32 her, she drove them away. There was nothing to do but to trust him. After she had attended to the meals—a duty which she insisted upon taking on herself after the first day—she would join him at his nets, and together they would pass away the hours. They grew very friendly in those days, especially in the long silences of sympathetic understanding that ever bind34 heart to heart.
One day, the fifteenth since the storm,[68] after one of these silences, Dorothy turned to the man impulsively35. “Mr. Howard,” she exploded. “You say you are not thin-skinned. Won’t you tell me something about your case?”
Howard flushed. “To what end, Miss Fairfax?” he asked quietly. “I can say that I am innocent, of course; but that is what every convict in the land says. I could not convince the jury. Is it not better that I keep silence till I can get the proof?”
“Nevertheless, tell me.”
“Certainly; if you really wish it.” Howard’s tones were coolly impersonal36. “On May 8 of last year, I received a letter in a woman’s writing. It was short and I remember every word of it. ‘Dear Frank,’ it said, ‘I am here. Come to see me at once. Dolores.’ Then followed the address. Perhaps I was foolish to go, but I did go—to a cheap lodging-house, where the landlady37 told me to ‘go right up’ to the third floor and knock on the door[69] marked 8. The door was ajar, however, and as I got no answer to my knock, I pushed it open and looked in. A woman’s body was lying on the floor. Again I was foolish. I should have summoned aid at once. Instead, I went in, and stooped over the body. Immediately I saw that the woman was dead; strangled apparently38. As I rose to call for help, the landlady appeared at the door. Probably the inference she drew was justified39; at any rate, she tried to blackmail40 me, and when I refused to submit she shrieked41 and summoned assistance. She declared that she had seen me choking the woman, and I was arrested. Later it developed that some one passing under my name had married the girl—for she was nothing more—in a little village near San Juan at the very time my ship was stationed there.”
“That, of course, furnished the motive42 for the crime. I had, so it was charged, married the girl and deserted43 her. Later,[70] when she followed me to New York, I had sought her out and murdered her. There were plenty of people to swear to the marriage and to send in affidavits44 identifying my photograph as that of the bridegroom—though, as it seems, none of them had seen very much of him. Only the minister who performed the ceremony was doubtful, and him my lawyers arranged to bring to New York. He started, but his ship was wrecked45 and he was drowned on the way. All I could say was that I had never seen the girl until I looked on her dead body, and that went for little.”
“Evidently, the girl thought that she had married Frank Howard. Perhaps she did marry a Frank Howard; the name is not uncommon46. Perhaps she married some one deliberately47 masquerading under my name. I do not know. At all events, the case was complete against me, and the jury found me guilty without leaving their seats. I escaped and went[71] to Porto Rico to look for evidence, but I was captured before I could find it. That is all, Miss Fairfax. I cannot blame you if you agree with the jury.”
“But I don’t——”
The sentence was never finished. Jackson, who for two hours had been standing33 by the rail, staring northward48, suddenly whirled around and came toward the two, pistol in hand.
“Put your fists up,” he ordered Howard tensely. “Up! Quick! Hang you!”
Taken by surprise, Howard could do nothing but obey.
Jackson laughed madly. “You’ve run things just about long enough,” he grated. “We’ve been driftin’ in this wreck3 for two weeks now and I’m dog tired of it. I ain’t no sailor, but I know when a man’s givin’ me the double cross, and you’re doin’ it. You’ve got to get us out of this.”
[72]The other glared at him. “Don’t you try to bluff51 me with your big words,” he shouted. “I won’t have it. You’ve been lettin’ on that you wanted to get us out of this and all the time you’ve been lettin’ us drift deeper in. You don’t want us to get away at all, for all your smooth talk.”
“Yah! You and your mass of wrecks! I ain’t no come-on. You can’t work no con2 game on me. I never took no stock in those fairy tales, but I thought I’d let you play your game out. Now I’m tired of it, and it’s up to you to do something quick!”
“How do I know? I ain’t no sailor. You are! And you’re going straight back to your state-room and stay there till you study out some plan to get us out[73] of this. You belong in quod, anyway, and you’re going to stay there—with the bracelets54 on, too, until you get us out of this. March, now.”
But Howard shook his head. “I’ll never wear irons again,” he declared. “Never! You’re armed and I’m not. You can kill me, but you can’t jail me. Make up your mind to that. As for the central mass of wrecks, it must exist; it’s impossible that it should not exist. The only question is as to the area it covers. If you can—— By Jove!”
His eyes left the detective’s face and travelled into space. “Fool,” he cried, “look yonder.”
Jackson laughed scornfully. “Not good enough,” he cried. “You can’t fool——”
But Dorothy broke in. “Land! Land!” she cried.
In spite of himself the detective looked around. Through the haze55 before them loomed56 what seemed to be the bulk of an island, set with lofty tiers and dark[74] beaches on which white houses gleamed in the setting sun. So real it seemed that the happy tears streamed from Dorothy’s eyes. “Oh!” she sobbed57, “it’s land! land! land!”
Howard’s voice came to her from afar off. “No,” he murmured, sadly. “It is not land. It is wreckage. We have reached our destination.”
Moved by a slight breeze, the haze shredded58 away and there, on the waters before them, stretching away to right and to left, lay an interminable mass of wrecks of every shape and description, banked together so thickly that they seemed to touch—and did touch—each other. Dead! all of them. Some newly dead; others long dead; but all unburied, waiting in the haven59 of dead ships for the long-deferred end. The trees were not trees, but masts hung with ravelled cordage; the beaches were the black hulls60 of ships; and the white houses were deck-houses or patches of canvas.
[75]For a moment no one spoke19. Dorothy stood staring, every muscle tense, while the tears dripped slowly from her distended61 eyes. Jackson’s mouth fell open; his pistol hand fell nerveless to his side. For the first time he realized the situation.
As they gazed, the sun with tropic suddenness dropped below the horizon and hid the scene.
Howard’s voice broke the silence. “Now,” he encouraged, “we can get to work.”
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1
tangle
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| n.纠缠；缠结；混乱；v.(使)缠绕；变乱 | |
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2
con
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| n.反对的观点，反对者，反对票，肺病；vt.精读，学习，默记；adv.反对地，从反面；adj.欺诈的 | |
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3
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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wreckage
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| n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏 | |
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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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6
fugitive
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| adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者 | |
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7
buoy
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| n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励 | |
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wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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9
agonizing
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| adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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10
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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11
marvel
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| vi.(at)惊叹vt.感到惊异；n.令人惊异的事 | |
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12
affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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13
contagion
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| n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延 | |
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14
solitude
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| n. 孤独; 独居,荒僻之地,幽静的地方 | |
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15
uncertainty
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| n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物 | |
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frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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18
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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19
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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20
mightily
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| ad.强烈地；非常地 | |
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21
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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22
devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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23
myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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24
swarmed
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| 密集( swarm的过去式和过去分词 )； 云集； 成群地移动； 蜜蜂或其他飞行昆虫成群地飞来飞去 | |
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25
scoop
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| n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出 | |
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26
naturalist
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| n.博物学家(尤指直接观察动植物者) | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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28
intimacy
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| n.熟悉，亲密，密切关系，亲昵的言行 | |
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intercourse
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| n.性交；交流，交往，交际 | |
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30
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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implicit
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| a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的 | |
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32
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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33
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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34
bind
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| vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬 | |
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35
impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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36
impersonal
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| adj.无个人感情的，与个人无关的，非人称的 | |
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37
landlady
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| n.女房东，女地主 | |
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38
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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39
justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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40
blackmail
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| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
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41
shrieked
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| v.尖叫( shriek的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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42
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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43
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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44
affidavits
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| n.宣誓书，（经陈述者宣誓在法律上可采作证据的）书面陈述( affidavit的名词复数 ) | |
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45
wrecked
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| adj.失事的，遇难的 | |
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46
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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47
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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48
northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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49
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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50
specify
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| vt.指定，详细说明 | |
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51
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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52
wrecks
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| n.沉船( wreck的名词复数 )；（事故中）遭严重毁坏的汽车（或飞机等）；（身体或精神上）受到严重损伤的人；状况非常糟糕的车辆（或建筑物等）v.毁坏[毁灭]某物( wreck的第三人称单数 )；使（船舶）失事，使遇难，使下沉 | |
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53
shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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54
bracelets
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| n.手镯，臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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55
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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56
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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57
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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58
shredded
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| shred的过去式和过去分词 | |
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59
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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60
hulls
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| 船体( hull的名词复数 )； 船身； 外壳； 豆荚 | |
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61
distended
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| v.（使）膨胀，肿胀( distend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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