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Chapter 38
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I don't understand. For days the ship had pushed on,bullishly indifferent to its surroundings. The sun shone, rain fell,winds blew, currents flowed, the sea built up hills, the sea dugup valleys – the Tsimtsum did not care. It moved with theslow, massive confidence of a continent.
I had bought a map of the world for the trip; I had set itup in our cabin against a cork1 billboard2. Every morning I gotour position from the control bridge and marked it on themap with an orange-tipped pin. We sailed from Madras acrossthe Bay of Bengal, down through the Strait of Malacca, aroundSingapore and up to Manila. I loved every minute of it. It wasa thrill to be on a ship. Taking care of the animals kept usvery busy. Every night we fell into bed weary to our bones.
We were in Manila for two days, a question of fresh feed, newcargo and, we were told, the performing of routine maintenancework on the engines. I paid attention only to the first two. Thefresh feed included a ton of bananas, and the new cargo3, afemale Congo chimpanzee, part of Father's wheeling anddealing. A ton of bananas bristles4 with a good three, fourpounds of big black spiders. A chimpanzee is like a smaller,leaner gorilla5, but meaner-looking, with less of the melancholygentleness of its larger cousin. A chimpanzee shudders6 andgrimaces when it touches a big black spider, like you and Iwould do, before squashing it angrily with its knuckles7, notsomething you and I would do. I thought bananas and achimpanzee were more interesting than a loud, filthy8 mechanicalcontraption in the dark bowels9 of a ship. Ravi spent his daysthere, watching the men work. Something was wrong with theengines, he said. Did something go wrong with the fixing ofthem? I don't know. I don't think anyone will ever know. Theanswer is a mystery lying at the bottom of thousands of feet ofwater.
We left Manila and entered the Pacific. On our fourth dayout, midway to Midway, we sank. The ship vanished into apinprick hole on my map. A mountain collapsed10 before myeyes and disappeared beneath my feet. All around me was thevomit of a dyspeptic ship. I felt sick to my stomach. I feltshock. I felt a great emptiness within me, which then filled withsilence. My chest hurt with pain and fear for days afterwards.
I think there was an explosion. But I can't be sure. Ithappened while I was sleeping. It woke me up. The ship wasno luxury liner. It was a grimy, hardworking cargo ship notdesigned for paying passengers or for their comfort. Therewere all kinds of noises all the time. It was precisely11 becausethe level of noise was so uniform that we slept like babies. Itwas a form of silence that nothing disturbed, not Ravi's snoringnor my talking in my sleep. So the explosion, if there was one,was not a new noise. It was an irregular noise. I woke upwith a start, as if Ravi had burst a balloon in my ears. Ilooked at my watch. It was just after four-thirty in themorning. I leaned over and looked down at the bunk12 below.
Ravi was still sleeping.
I dressed and climbed down. Normally I'm a sound sleeper13.
Normally I would have gone back to sleep. I don't know why Igot up that night. It was more the sort of thing Ravi woulddo. He liked the word beckon14; he would have said, "Adventurebeckons," and would have gone off to prowl around the ship.
The level of noise was back to normal again, but with adifferent quality perhaps, muffled15 maybe.
I shook Ravi. I said, "Ravi! There was a funny noise. Let'sgo exploring."He looked at me sleepily. He shook his head and turnedover, pulling the sheet up to his cheek. Oh, Ravi!
I opened the cabin door.
I remember walking down the corridor. Day or night itlooked the same. But I felt the night in me. I stopped atFather and Mother's door and considered knocking on it. Iremember looking at my watch and deciding against it. Fatherliked his sleep. I decided16 I would climb to the main deck andcatch the dawn.. Maybe I would see a shooting star. I wasthinking about that, about shooting stars, as I climbed thestairs. We were two levels below the main deck. I had alreadyforgotten about the funny noise.
It was only when I had pushed open the heavy doorleading onto the main deck that I realized what the weatherwas like. Did it qualify as a storm? It's true there was rain, butit wasn't so very hard. It certainly wasn't a driving rain, likeyou see during the monsoons17. And there was wind. I supposesome of the gusts18 would have upset umbrellas. But I walkedthrough it without much difficulty. As for the sea, it lookedrough, but to a landlubber the sea is always impressive andforbidding, beautiful and dangerous. Waves were reaching up,and their white foam19, caught by the wind, was being whippedagainst the side of the ship. But I'd seen that on other daysand the ship hadn't sunk. A cargo ship is a huge and stablestructure, a feat20 of engineering. It's designed to stay afloatunder the most adverse21 conditions. Weather like this surelywouldn't sink a ship? Why, I only had to close a door and thestorm was gone. I advanced onto the deck. I gripped therailing and faced the elements. This was adventure.
"Canada, here I come!" I shouted as I was soaked andchilled. I felt very brave. It was dark still, but there wasenough light to see by. Light on pandemonium22 it was. Naturecan put on a thrilling show. The stage is vast, the lighting23 isdramatic, the extras are innumerable, and the budget for specialeffects is absolutely unlimited24. What I had before me was aspectacle of wind and water, an earthquake of the senses, thateven Hollywood couldn't orchestrate. But the earthquakestopped at the ground beneath my feet. The ground beneathmy feet was solid. I was a spectator safely ensconced in hisseat.
It was when I looked up at a lifeboat on the bridge castlethat I started to worry. The lifeboat wasn't hanging straightdown. It was leaning in from its davits. I turned and looked atmy hands. My knuckles were white. The thing was, I wasn'tholding on so tightly because of the weather, but becauseotherwise I would fall in towards the ship. The ship was listingto port, to the other side. It wasn't a severe list, but enough tosurprise me. When I looked overboard the drop wasn't sheerany more. I could see the ship's great black side.
A shiver of cold went through me. I decided it was a stormafter all. Time to return to safety. I let go, hotfooted it to thewall, moved over and pulled open the door.
Inside the ship, there were noises. Deep structural25 groans26. Istumbled and fell. No harm done. I got up. With the help ofthe handrails I went down the stairwell four steps at a time. Ihad gone down just one level when I saw water. Lots ofwater. It was blocking my way. It was surging from below likea riotous27 crowd, raging, frothing and boiling. Stairs vanishedinto watery28 darkness. I couldn't believe my eyes. What was thiswater doing here? Where had it come from? I stood nailed tothe spot, frightened and incredulous and ignorant of what Ishould do next. Down there was where my family was.
I ran up the stairs. I got to the main deck. The weatherwasn't entertaining any more. I was very afraid. Now it wasplain and obvious: the ship was listing badly. And it wasn'tlevel the other way either. There was a noticeable incline goingfrom bow to stern. I looked overboard. The water didn't lookto be eighty feet away. The ship was sinking. My mind couldhardly conceive it. It was as unbelievable as the moon catchingfire.
Where were the officers and the crew? What were theydoing? Towards the bow I saw some men running in thegloom. I thought I saw some animals too, but I dismissed thesight as illusion crafted by rain and shadow. We had the hatchcovers over their bay pulled open when the weather was good,but at all times the animals were kept confined to their cages.
These were dangerous wild animals we were transporting, notfarm livestock29. Above me, on the bridge, I thought I heardsome men shouting.
The ship shook and there was that sound, the monstrousmetallic burp. What was it? Was it the collective scream ofhumans and animals protesting their oncoming death? Was itthe ship itself giving up the ghost? I fell over. I got to my feet.
I looked overboard again. The sea was rising. The waves weregetting closer. We were sinking fast.
I clearly heard monkeys shrieking30. Something was shakingthe deck. A gaur – an Indian wild ox – exploded out of therain and thundered by me, terrified, out of control, berserk. Ilooked at it, dumbstruck and amazed. Who in God's name hadlet it out?
I ran for the stairs to the bridge. Up there was where theofficers were, the only people on the ship who spoke31 English,the masters of our destiny here, the ones who would right thiswrong. They would explain everything. They would take care ofmy family and me. I climbed to the middle bridge. There wasno one on the starboard side. I ran to the port side. I sawthree men, crew members. I fell. I got up. They were lookingoverboard. I shouted. They turned. They looked at me and ateach other. They spoke a few words. They came towards mequickly. I felt gratitude32 and relief welling up in me. I said,"Thank God I've found you. What is happening? I am veryscared. There is water at the bottom of the ship. I am worriedabout my family. I can't get to the level where our cabins are.
Is this normal? Do you think – "One of the men interrupted me by thrusting a life jacketinto my arms and shouting something in Chinese. I noticed anorange whistle dangling33 from the life jacket. The men werenodding vigorously at me. When they took hold of me andlifted me in their strong arms, I thought nothing of it. Ithought they were helping34 me. I was so full of trust in themthat I felt grateful as they carried me in the air. Only whenthey threw me overboard did I begin to have doubts.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 cork VoPzp     
n.软木,软木塞
参考例句:
  • We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
  • Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。
2 billboard Ttrzj     
n.布告板,揭示栏,广告牌
参考例句:
  • He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
  • Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。
3 cargo 6TcyG     
n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物
参考例句:
  • The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
  • A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。
4 bristles d40df625d0ab9008a3936dbd866fa2ec     
短而硬的毛发,刷子毛( bristle的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • the bristles on his chin 他下巴上的胡楂子
  • This job bristles with difficulties. 这项工作困难重重。
5 gorilla 0yLyx     
n.大猩猩,暴徒,打手
参考例句:
  • I was awed by the huge gorilla.那只大猩猩使我惊惧。
  • A gorilla is just a speechless animal.猩猩只不过是一种不会说话的动物。
6 shudders 7a8459ee756ecff6a63e8a61f9289613     
n.颤动,打颤,战栗( shudder的名词复数 )v.战栗( shudder的第三人称单数 );发抖;(机器、车辆等)突然震动;颤动
参考例句:
  • It gives me the shudders. ((口语))它使我战栗。 来自辞典例句
  • The ghastly sight gave him the shudders. 那恐怖的景象使他感到恐惧。 来自辞典例句
7 knuckles c726698620762d88f738be4a294fae79     
n.(指人)指关节( knuckle的名词复数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝v.(指人)指关节( knuckle的第三人称单数 );(指动物)膝关节,踝
参考例句:
  • He gripped the wheel until his knuckles whitened. 他紧紧握住方向盘,握得指关节都变白了。
  • Her thin hands were twisted by swollen knuckles. 她那双纤手因肿大的指关节而变了形。 来自《简明英汉词典》
8 filthy ZgOzj     
adj.卑劣的;恶劣的,肮脏的
参考例句:
  • The whole river has been fouled up with filthy waste from factories.整条河都被工厂的污秽废物污染了。
  • You really should throw out that filthy old sofa and get a new one.你真的应该扔掉那张肮脏的旧沙发,然后再去买张新的。
9 bowels qxMzez     
n.肠,内脏,内部;肠( bowel的名词复数 );内部,最深处
参考例句:
  • Salts is a medicine that causes movements of the bowels. 泻盐是一种促使肠子运动的药物。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • The cabins are in the bowels of the ship. 舱房设在船腹内。 来自《简明英汉词典》
10 collapsed cwWzSG     
adj.倒塌的
参考例句:
  • Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
  • The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。
11 precisely zlWzUb     
adv.恰好,正好,精确地,细致地
参考例句:
  • It's precisely that sort of slick sales-talk that I mistrust.我不相信的正是那种油腔滑调的推销宣传。
  • The man adjusted very precisely.那个人调得很准。
12 bunk zWyzS     
n.(车、船等倚壁而设的)铺位;废话
参考例句:
  • He left his bunk and went up on deck again.他离开自己的铺位再次走到甲板上。
  • Most economists think his theories are sheer bunk.大多数经济学家认为他的理论纯属胡说。
13 sleeper gETyT     
n.睡眠者,卧车,卧铺
参考例句:
  • I usually go up to London on the sleeper. 我一般都乘卧车去伦敦。
  • But first he explained that he was a very heavy sleeper. 但首先他解释说自己睡觉很沉。
14 beckon CdTyi     
v.(以点头或打手势)向...示意,召唤
参考例句:
  • She crooked her finger to beckon him.她勾勾手指向他示意。
  • The wave for Hawaii beckon surfers from all around the world.夏威夷的海浪吸引着世界各地的冲浪者前来。
15 muffled fnmzel     
adj.(声音)被隔的;听不太清的;(衣服)裹严的;蒙住的v.压抑,捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 );用厚厚的衣帽包着(自己)
参考例句:
  • muffled voices from the next room 从隔壁房间里传来的沉闷声音
  • There was a muffled explosion somewhere on their right. 在他们的右面什么地方有一声沉闷的爆炸声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
16 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
17 monsoons 49fbaf0154b5cc6509d1ad6ed488f7d5     
n.(南亚、尤指印度洋的)季风( monsoon的名词复数 );(与季风相伴的)雨季;(南亚地区的)雨季
参考例句:
  • In Ban-gladesh, the monsoons have started. 在孟加拉,雨季已经开始了。 来自辞典例句
  • The coastline significantly influences the monsoons in two other respects. 海岸线在另外两个方面大大地影响季风。 来自辞典例句
18 gusts 656c664e0ecfa47560efde859556ddfa     
一阵强风( gust的名词复数 ); (怒、笑等的)爆发; (感情的)迸发; 发作
参考例句:
  • Her profuse skirt bosomed out with the gusts. 她的宽大的裙子被风吹得鼓鼓的。
  • Turbulence is defined as a series of irregular gusts. 紊流定义为一组无规则的突风。
19 foam LjOxI     
v./n.泡沫,起泡沫
参考例句:
  • The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
  • The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。
20 feat 5kzxp     
n.功绩;武艺,技艺;adj.灵巧的,漂亮的,合适的
参考例句:
  • Man's first landing on the moon was a feat of great daring.人类首次登月是一个勇敢的壮举。
  • He received a medal for his heroic feat.他因其英雄业绩而获得一枚勋章。
21 adverse 5xBzs     
adj.不利的;有害的;敌对的,不友好的
参考例句:
  • He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
  • The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。
22 pandemonium gKFxI     
n.喧嚣,大混乱
参考例句:
  • The whole lobby was a perfect pandemonium,and the din was terrific.整个门厅一片嘈杂,而且喧嚣刺耳。
  • I had found Adlai unperturbed in the midst of pandemonium.我觉得艾德莱在一片大混乱中仍然镇定自若。
23 lighting CpszPL     
n.照明,光线的明暗,舞台灯光
参考例句:
  • The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
  • The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。
24 unlimited MKbzB     
adj.无限的,不受控制的,无条件的
参考例句:
  • They flew over the unlimited reaches of the Arctic.他们飞过了茫茫无边的北极上空。
  • There is no safety in unlimited technological hubris.在技术方面自以为是会很危险。
25 structural itXw5     
adj.构造的,组织的,建筑(用)的
参考例句:
  • The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
  • The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。
26 groans 41bd40c1aa6a00b4445e6420ff52b6ad     
n.呻吟,叹息( groan的名词复数 );呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 );发牢骚;抱怨;受苦
参考例句:
  • There were loud groans when he started to sing. 他刚开始歌唱时有人发出了很大的嘘声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • It was a weird old house, full of creaks and groans. 这是所神秘而可怕的旧宅,到处嘎吱嘎吱作响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
27 riotous ChGyr     
adj.骚乱的;狂欢的
参考例句:
  • Summer is in riotous profusion.盛夏的大地热闹纷繁。
  • We spent a riotous night at Christmas.我们度过了一个狂欢之夜。
28 watery bU5zW     
adj.有水的,水汪汪的;湿的,湿润的
参考例句:
  • In his watery eyes there is an expression of distrust.他那含泪的眼睛流露出惊惶失措的神情。
  • Her eyes became watery because of the smoke.因为烟熏,她的双眼变得泪汪汪的。
29 livestock c0Wx1     
n.家畜,牲畜
参考例句:
  • Both men and livestock are flourishing.人畜两旺。
  • The heavy rains and flooding killed scores of livestock.暴雨和大水淹死了许多牲口。
30 shrieking abc59c5a22d7db02751db32b27b25dbb     
v.尖叫( shriek的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • The boxers were goaded on by the shrieking crowd. 拳击运动员听见观众的喊叫就来劲儿了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • They were all shrieking with laughter. 他们都发出了尖锐的笑声。 来自《简明英汉词典》
31 spoke XryyC     
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
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
32 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
33 dangling 4930128e58930768b1c1c75026ebc649     
悬吊着( dangle的现在分词 ); 摆动不定; 用某事物诱惑…; 吊胃口
参考例句:
  • The tooth hung dangling by the bedpost, now. 结果,那颗牙就晃来晃去吊在床柱上了。
  • The children sat on the high wall,their legs dangling. 孩子们坐在一堵高墙上,摇晃着他们的双腿。
34 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。


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