Felix tried to run, but his feet would not rise from the ground; his limbs were numb1 as in a nightmare; he could not get there. His body would not obey his will. In reality he did move, but more slowly than when he walked. By degrees approaching the canoe his alarm subsided3, for although it burned it was not injured; the canvas of the sail was not even scorched4. When he got to it the flames had disappeared; like Jack-o’-the-lantern, the phosphoric fire receded5 from him. With all his strength he strove to launch her, yet paused, for over the surface of the black water, now smooth and waveless, played immense curling flames, stretching out like endless serpents, weaving, winding6, rolling over each other. Suddenly they contracted into a ball, which shone with a steady light, and was as large as the full moon. The ball swept along, rose a little, and from it flew out long streamers till it was unwound in fiery7 threads.
But remembering that the flames had not even scorched the canvas, he pushed the canoe afloat, determined8 at any risk to leave this dreadful place. To his joy he felt a faint air rising; it cooled his forehead, but was not enough to fill the sail. He paddled with all the strength he had left. The air seemed to come from exactly the opposite direction to what it had previously10 blown, some point of east he supposed. Labour as hard as he would, the canoe moved slowly, being so heavy. It seemed as if the black water was thick and clung to her, retarding11 motion. Still, he did move, and in time (it seemed, indeed, a time) he left the island, which disappeared in the luminous12 vapours. Uncertain as to the direction, he got his compass, but it would not act; the needle had no life, it swung and came to rest, pointing any way as it chanced. It was demagnetized. Felix resolved to trust to the wind, which he was certain blew from the opposite quarter, and would therefore carry him out. The stars he could not see for the vapour, which formed a roof above him.
The wind was rising, but in uncertain gusts13; however, he hoisted14 the sail, and floated slowly before it. Nothing but excitement could have kept him awake. Reclining in the canoe, he watched the serpent-like flames playing over the surface, and forced himself by sheer power of will not to sleep. The two dark clouds which had accompanied him to the shore now faded away, and the cooling wind enabled him to bear up better against his parching15 thirst. His hope was to reach the clear and beautiful Lake; his dread9 that in the uncertain light he might strike a concealed16 sandbank and become firmly fixed17.
Twice he passed islands, distinguishable as masses of visible darkness. While the twisted flames played up to the shore, and the luminous vapour overhung the ground, the island itself appeared as a black mass. The wind became by degrees steadier, and the canoe shot swiftly over the water. His hopes rose; he sat up and kept a keener look-out ahead. All at once the canoe shook as if she had struck a rock. She vibrated from one end to the other, and stopped for a moment in her course. Felix sprang up alarmed. At the same instant a bellowing18 noise reached him, succeeded by a frightful19 belching20 and roaring, as if a volcano had burst forth21 under the surface of the water; he looked back but could see nothing. The canoe had not touched ground; she sailed as rapidly as before.
Again the shock, and again the hideous22 roaring, as if some force beneath the water were forcing itself up, vast bubbles rising and turning. Fortunately it was at a great distance. Hardly was it silent before it was reiterated23 for the third time. Next Felix felt the canoe heave up, and he was aware that a large roller had passed under him. A second and a third followed. They were without crests24, and were not raised by the wind; they obviously started from the scene of the disturbance25. Soon afterwards the canoe moved quicker, and he detected a strong current setting in the direction he was sailing.
The noise did not recur26, nor did any more rollers pass under. Felix felt better and less dazed, but his weariness and sleepiness increased every moment. He fancied that the serpent flames were less brilliant and farther apart, and that the luminous vapour was thinner. How long he sat at the rudder he could not tell; he noticed that it seemed to grow darker, the serpent flames faded away, and the luminous vapour was succeeded by something like the natural gloom of night. At last he saw a star overhead, and hailed it with joy. He thought of Aurora27; the next instant he fell back in the canoe firm asleep.
His arm, however, still retained the rudder-paddle in position, so that the canoe sped on with equal swiftness. She would have struck more than one of the sandbanks and islets had it not been for the strong current that was running. Instead of carrying her against the banks this warded28 her off, for it drew her between the islets in the channels where it ran fastest, and the undertow, where it struck the shore, bore her back from the land. Driving before the wind, the canoe swept onward29 steadily30 to the west. In an hour it had passed the line of the black water, and entered the sweet Lake. Another hour and all trace of the marshes31 had utterly32 disappeared, the last faint glow of the vapour had vanished. The dawn of the coming summer’s day appeared, and the sky became a lovely azure33. The canoe sailed on, but Felix remained immovable in slumber34.
Long since the strong current had ceased, it scarcely extended into the sweet waters, and the wind only impelled35 the canoe. As the sun rose the breeze gradually fell away, and in an hour or so there was only a light air. The canoe had left most of the islets and was approaching the open Lake when, as she passed almost the last, the yard caught the overhanging branch of a willow36, the canoe swung round and grounded gently under the shadow of the tree. For some time the little wavelets beat against the side of the boat; gradually they ceased, and the clear and beautiful water became still. Felix slept till nearly noon, when he awoke and sat up. At the sudden movement a pike struck, and two moorhens scuttled37 out of the water into the grass on the shore. A thrush was singing sweetly, whitethroats were busy in the bushes, and swallows swept by overhead.
Felix drew a long deep breath of intense relief; it was like awakening38 in Paradise. He snatched up a cup, dipped, and satisfied his craving39 thirst, then washed his hands over the side, and threw the water over his face. But when he came to stand up and move, he found that his limbs were almost powerless. Like a child he tottered40, his joints41 had no strength, his legs tingled42 as if they had been benumbed. He was so weak he crawled on all fours along to the mast, furled the sail kneeling, and dragged himself rather than stepped ashore43 with the painter. The instant he had fastened the rope to a branch, he threw himself at full length on the grass, and grasped a handful of it. Merely to touch the grass after such an experience was intense delight.
The song of the thrush, the chatter44 of the whitethroats, the sight of a hedge-sparrow, gave him inexpressible pleasure. Lying on the sward he watched the curves traced by the swallows in the sky. From the sedges came the curious cry of the moorhen; a bright kingfisher went by. He rested as he had never rested before. His whole body, his whole being was resigned to rest. It was fully45 two hours before he rose and crept on all fours into the canoe for food. There was only sufficient left for one meal, but that gave him no concern now he was out of the marshes; he could fish and use his crossbow.
He now observed what had escaped him during the night, the canoe was black from end to end. Stem, stern, gunwale, thwart46, outrigger, mast and sail were black. The stain did not come off on being touched, it seemed burnt in. As he leaned over the side to dip water, and saw his reflection, he started; his face was black, his clothes were black, his hair black. In his eagerness to drink, the first time, he had noticed nothing. His hands were less dark; contact with the paddle and ropes had partly rubbed it off, he supposed. He washed, but the water did not materially diminish the discoloration.
After eating, he returned to the grass and rested again; and it was not till the sun was sinking that he felt any return of vigour47. Still weak, but able now to walk, leaning on a stick, he began to make a camp for the coming night. But a few scraps48, the remnant of his former meal, were left; on these he supped after a fashion, and long before the white owl2 began his rounds Felix was fast asleep on his hunter’s hide from the canoe. He found next morning that the island was small, only a few acres; it was well-wooded, dry, and sandy in places. He had little inclination49 or strength to resume his expedition; he erected50 a booth of branches, and resolved to stay a few days till his strength returned.
By shooting wildfowl, and fishing, he fared very well, and soon recovered. In two days the discoloration of the skin had faded to an olive tint51, which, too, grew fainter. The canoe lost its blackness, and became a rusty52 colour. By rubbing the coins he had carried away he found they were gold; part of the inscription53 remained, but he could not read it. The blue china-tile was less injured than the metal; after washing it, it was bright. But the diamond pleased him most; it would be a splendid present for Aurora. Never had he seen anything like it in the palaces; he believe it was twice the size of the largest possessed54 by any king or prince.
It was as big as his finger-nail, and shone and gleamed in the sunlight, sparkling and reflecting the beams. Its value must be very great. But well he knew how dangerous it would be to exhibit it; on some pretext55 or other he would be thrown into prison, and the gem56 seized. It must be hidden with the greatest care till he could produce it in Thyma Castle, when the Baron57 would protect it. Felix regretted now that he had not searched further; perhaps he might have found other treasures for Aurora; the next instant he repudiated58 his greed, and was only thankful that he had escaped with his life. He wondered and marvelled59 that he had done so, it was so well known that almost all who had ventured in had perished.
Reflecting on the circumstances which had accompanied his entrance to the marshes, the migration60 of the birds seemed almost the most singular. They were evidently flying from some apprehended61 danger, and that most probably would be in the air. The gale62 at that time, however, was blowing in a direction which would appear to ensure safety to them; into, and not out of, the poisonous marshes. Did they, then, foresee that it would change? Did they expect it to veer63 like a cyclone64 and presently blow east with the same vigour as it then blew west? That would carry the vapour from the inky waters out over the sweet Lake, and might even cause the foul65 water itself to temporarily encroach on the sweet. The more he thought of it, the more he felt convinced that this was the explanation; and, as a fact, the wind, after dropping, did arise again and blow from the east, though, as it happened, not with nearly the same strength. It fell, too, before long, fortunately for him. Clearly the birds had anticipated a cyclone, and that the wind turning would carry the gases out upon them to their destruction. They had therefore hurried away, and the fishes had done the same.
The velocity66 of the gale which had carried him into the black waters had proved his safety, by driving before it the thicker and most poisonous portion of the vapour, compressing it towards the east, so that he had entered the dreaded67 precincts under favourable68 conditions. When it dropped, while he was on the black island, he soon began to feel the effect of the gases rising imperceptibly from the soil, and had he not had the good fortune to escape so soon, no doubt he would have fallen a victim. He could not congratulate himself sufficiently69 upon his good fortune. The other circumstances appeared to be due to the decay of the ancient city, to the decomposition70 of accumulated matter, to phosphorescence and gaseous71 exhalations. The black rocks that crumbled72 at a touch were doubtless the remains73 of ancient buildings saturated74 with the dark water and vapours. Inland similar remains were white, and resembled salt.
But the great explosions which occurred as he was leaving, and which sent heavy rollers after him, were not easily understood, till he remembered that in Sylvester’s “Book of Natural Things” it was related that “the ancient city had been undermined with vast conduits, sewers75, and tunnels, and that these communicated with the sea”. It had been much disputed whether the sea did or did not still send its tides up to the site of the old quays76. Felix now thought that the explosions were due to compressed air, or more probably to gases met with by the ascending77 tide.
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numb
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| adj.麻木的，失去感觉的；v.使麻木 | |
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owl
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| n.猫头鹰，枭 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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scorched
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| 烧焦，烤焦( scorch的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（植物）枯萎，把…晒枯； 高速行驶； 枯焦 | |
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receded
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| v.逐渐远离( recede的过去式和过去分词 )；向后倾斜；自原处后退或避开别人的注视；尤指问题 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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dread
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| vt.担忧，忧虑；惧怕，不敢；n.担忧，畏惧 | |
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previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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retarding
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| 使减速( retard的现在分词 )； 妨碍； 阻止； 推迟 | |
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luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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gusts
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| 一阵强风( gust的名词复数 )； （怒、笑等的）爆发； （感情的）迸发； 发作 | |
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hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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parching
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| adj.烘烤似的，焦干似的v.（使）焦干， （使）干透( parch的现在分词 )；使（某人）极口渴 | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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bellowing
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的现在分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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belching
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| n. 喷出，打嗝 动词belch的现在分词形式 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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recur
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| vi.复发，重现，再发生 | |
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aurora
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| n.极光 | |
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warded
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| 有锁孔的，有钥匙榫槽的 | |
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onward
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| adj.向前的，前进的；adv.向前，前进，在先 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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marshes
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| n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 ) | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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azure
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| adj.天蓝色的，蔚蓝色的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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impelled
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| v.推动、推进或敦促某人做某事( impel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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willow
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| n.柳树 | |
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scuttled
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| v.使船沉没( scuttle的过去式和过去分词 )；快跑，急走 | |
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awakening
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| n.觉醒，醒悟 adj.觉醒中的；唤醒的 | |
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craving
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| n.渴望,热望 | |
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tottered
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| 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 | |
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joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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tingled
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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thwart
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| v.阻挠，妨碍，反对；adj.横(断的) | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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scraps
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| 油渣 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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50
ERECTED
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| adj. 直立的，竖立的，笔直的 vt. 使 ... 直立，建立 | |
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51
tint
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| n.淡色，浅色；染发剂；vt.着以淡淡的颜色 | |
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rusty
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| adj.生锈的；锈色的；荒废了的 | |
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inscription
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| n.（尤指石块上的）刻印文字，铭文，碑文 | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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pretext
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| n.借口，托词 | |
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gem
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| n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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repudiated
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| v.（正式地）否认( repudiate的过去式和过去分词 )；拒绝接受；拒绝与…往来；拒不履行（法律义务） | |
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marvelled
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| v.惊奇，对…感到惊奇( marvel的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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migration
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| n.迁移，移居，（鸟类等的）迁徙 | |
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apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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62
gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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veer
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| vt.转向，顺时针转，改变；n.转向 | |
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cyclone
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| n.旋风，龙卷风 | |
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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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velocity
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| n.速度，速率 | |
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dreaded
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| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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decomposition
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| n. 分解, 腐烂, 崩溃 | |
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gaseous
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| adj.气体的，气态的 | |
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crumbled
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| （把…）弄碎， （使）碎成细屑( crumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 衰落； 坍塌； 损坏 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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saturated
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| a.饱和的，充满的 | |
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sewers
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| n.阴沟，污水管，下水道( sewer的名词复数 ) | |
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quays
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| 码头( quay的名词复数 ) | |
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ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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