the queen of hearts-第45章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


deck。　The　wind　had　fallen　almost　to　a　calm；　and　I　was　lazily
watching　the　sails　of　the　brig　as　they　flapped　from　time　to　time
against　the　masts；　when　the　captain　approached；　and；　drawing　me
out　of　hearing　of　the　man　at　the　helm；　whispered　in　my　ear：

〃There's　something　wrong　among　the　men　forward。　Did　you　observe
how　suddenly　they　all　became　silent　just　before　sunset？〃

I　had　observed　it；　and　told　him　so。

〃There's　a　Maltese　boy　on　board；〃　pursued　the　captain；　〃who　is　a
smart　enough　lad；　but　a　bad　one　to　deal　with。　I　have　found　out
that　he　has　been　telling　the　men　there　is　a　dead　body　inside　that
packing…case　of　your　friend's　in　the　cabin。〃

My　heart　sank　as　he　spoke。　Knowing　the　superstitious
irrationality　of　sailorsof　foreign　sailors　especiallyI　had
taken　care　to　spread　a　report　on　board　the　brig；　before　the
coffin　was　shipped；　that　the　packing…case　contained　a　valuable
marble　statue　which　Mr。　Monkton　prized　highly；　and　was　unwilling
to　trust　out　of　his　own　sight。　How　could　this　Maltese　boy　have
discovered　that　the　pretended　statue　was　a　human　corpse？　As　I
pondered　over　the　question；　my　suspicions　fixed　themselves　on
Monkton's　servant；　who　spoke　Italian　fluently；　and　whom　I　knew　to
be　an　incorrigible　gossip。　The　man　denied　it　when　I　charged　him
with　betraying　us；　but　I　have　never　believed　his　denial　to　this
day。

〃The　little　imp　won't　say　where　he　picked　up　this　notion　of　his
about　the　dead　body；〃　continued　the　captain。　〃It's　not　my　place
to　pry　into　secrets；　but　I　advise　you　to　call　the　crew　aft；　and
contradict　the　boy；　whether　he　speaks　the　truth　or　not。　The　men
are　a　parcel　of　fools　who　believe　in　ghosts；　and　all　the　rest　of
it。　Some　of　them　say　they　would　never　have　signed　our　articles　if
they　had　known　they　were　going　to　sail　with　a　dead　man；　others
only　grumble；　but　I'm　afraid　we　shall　have　some　trouble　with　them
all；　in　case　of　rough　weather；　unless　the　boy　is　contradicted　by
you　or　the　other　gentleman。　The　men　say　that　if　either　you　or
your　friend　tell　them　on　your　words　of　honor　that　the　Maltese　is
a　liar；　they　will　hand　him　up　to　be　rope's…ended　accordingly；　but
that　if　you　won't；　they　have　made　up　their　minds　to　believe　the
boy。〃

Here　the　captain　paused　and　awaited　my　answer。　I　could　give　him
none。　I　felt　hopeless　under　our　desperate　emergency。　To　get　the
boy　punished　by　giving　my　word　of　honor　to　support　a　direct
falsehood　was　not　to　be　thought　of　even　for　a　moment。　What　other
means　of　extrication　from　this　miserable　dilemma　remained？　None
that　I　could　think　of。　I　thanked　the　captain　for　his　attention　to
our　interests；　told　him　I　would　take　time　to　consider　what　course
I　should　pursue；　and　begged　that　he　would　say　nothing　to　my
friend　about　the　discovery　he　had　made。　He　promised　to　be　silent；
sulkily　enough；　and　walked　away　from　me。

We　had　expected　the　breeze　to　spring　up　with　the　morning；　but　no
breeze　came。　As　it　wore　on　toward　noon　the　atmosphere　became
insufferably　sultry；　and　the　sea　looked　as　smooth　as　glass。　I　saw
the　captain's　eye　turn　often　and　anxiously　to　windward。　Far　away
in　that　direction；　and　alone　in　the　blue　heaven；　I　observed　a
little　black　cloud；　and　asked　if　it　would　bring　us　any　wind。

〃More　than　we　want；〃　the　captain　replied；　shortly；　and　then；　to
my　astonishment；　ordered　the　crew　aloft　to　take　in　sail。　The
execution　of　this　maneuver　showed　but　too　plainly　the　temper　of
the　men；　they　did　their　work　sulkily　and　slowly；　grumbling　and
murmuring　among　themselves。　The　captain's　manner；　as　he　urged
them　on　with　oaths　and　threats；　convinced　me　we　were　in　danger。　I
looked　again　to　windward。　The　one　little　cloud　had　enlarged　to　a
great　bank　of　murky　vapor；　and　the　sea　at　the　horizon　had　changed
in　color。

〃The　squall　will　be　on　us　before　we　know　where　we　are；〃　said　the
captain。　〃Go　below；　you　will　be　only　in　the　way　here。〃

I　descended　to　the　cabin；　and　prepared　Monkton　for　what　was
coming。　He　was　still　questioning　me　about　what　I　had　observed　on
deck　when　the　storm　burst　on　us。　We　felt　the　little　brig　strain
for　an　instant　as　if　she　would　part　in　two；　then　she　seemed　to　be
swinging　round　with　us；　then　to　be　quite　still　for　a　moment；
trembling　in　every　timber。　Last　came　a　shock　which　hurled　us　from
our　seats；　a　deafening　crash；　and　a　flood　of　water　pouring　into
the　cabin。　We　clambered；　half　drowned；　to　the　deck。　The　brig　had；
in　the　nautical　phrase；　〃broached　to；〃　and　she　now　lay　on　her
beam…ends。

Before　I　could　make　out　anything　distinctly　in　the　horrible
confusion　except　the　one　tremendous　certainty　that　we　were
entirely　at　the　mercy　of　the　sea；　I　heard　a　voice　from　the　fore
part　of　the　ship　which　stilled　the　clamoring　and　shouting　of　the
rest　of　the　crew　in　an　instant。　The　words　were　in　Italian；　but　I
understood　their　fatal　meaning　only　too　easily。　We　had　sprung　a
leak；　and　the　sea　was　pouring　into　the　ship's　hold　like　the　race
of　a　mill…stream。　The　captain　did　not　lose　his　presence　of　mind
in　this　fresh　emergency。　He　called　for　his　ax　to　cut　away　the
foremast；　and；　ordering　some　of　the　crew　to　help　him；　directed
the　others　to　rig　out　the　pumps。

The　words　had　hardly　passed　his　lips　before　the　men　broke　into
open　mutiny。　With　a　savage　look　at　me；　their　ringleader　declared
that　the　passengers　might　do　as　they　pleased；　but　that　he　and　his
messmates　were　determined　to　take　to　the　boat；　and　leave　the
accursed　ship；　and　_the　dead　man　in　her；_　to　go　to　the　bottom
together。　As　he　spoke　there　was　a　shout　among　the　sailors；　and　I
observed　some　of　them　pointing　derisively　behind　me。　Looking
round；　I　saw　Monkton；　who　had　hitherto　kept　close　at　my　side；
making　his　way　back　to　the　cabin。　I　followed　him　directly；　but
the　water　and　confusion　on　deck；　and　the　impossibility；　from　the
position　of　the　brig；　of　moving　the　feet　without　the　slow
assistance　of　the　hands；　so　impeded　my　progress　that　it　was
impossible　for　me　to　overtake　him。　When　I　had　got　below　he　was
crouched　upon　the　coffin；　with　the　water　on　the　cabin　floor
whirling　and　splashing　about　him　as　the　ship　heaved　and　plunged。
I　saw　a　warning　brightness　in　his　eyes；　a　warning　flush　on　his
cheek；　as　I　approached　and　said　to　him：

〃There　is　nothing　left　for　it；　Alfred；　but　to　bow　to　our
misfortune；　and　do　the　best　we　can　to　save　our　lives。〃

〃Save　yours；〃　he　cried；　waving　his　hand　to　me；　〃for　_you_　have　a
future　before　you。　Mine　is　gone　when　this　coffin　goes　to　the
bottom。　If　the　ship　sinks；　I　shall　know　that　the　fatality　is
accomplished；　and　shall　sink　with　her。〃

I　saw　that　he　was　in　no　state　to　be　reasoned　with　or　persuaded；
and　raised　myself　again　to　the　deck。　The　men　were　cutting　away
all　obstacles　so　as　to　launch　the　longboat　placed　amidships　over
the　depressed　bulwark　of　the　brig　as　she　lay　on　her　side；　and　the
captain；　after　having　made　a　last　vain　exertion　to　restore　his
authority；　was　looking　on　at　them　in　silence。　The　violence　of　the
squall　seemed　already　to　be　spending　itself；　and　I　asked　whether
there　was　really　no　chance　for　us　if　we　remained　by　the　ship。　The
captain　answered　that　there　might　have　been　the　best　chance　if
the　men　had　obeyed　his　orders；　but　that　now　there　was　none。
Knowing　that　I　could　place　no　dependence　on　the　presence　of　mind
of　Monkton's　servant；　I　confided　to　the　captain；　in　the　fewest
and　plainest　words；　the　condition　of　my　unhappy　friend；　and　asked
if　I　might　depend　on　his　help。　He　nodded　his　head；　and　we
descended　together　to　the　cabin。　Even　at　this　day　it　costs　me
pain　to　write　of　the　terrible　necessity　to　which　the　strength　and
obstinacy　of　Monkton's　delusion　reduced　us　in　the　last　resort。　We
were　compelled　to　secure　his　hands；　and　drag　him　by　main　force　to
the　deck。　The　men　were　on　the　point　of　launching　the　boat；　and
refused　at　first　to　receive　us　into　it。

〃You　cowards！〃　cried　the　captain；　〃have　we　got　the　dead　man　with
us　this　time？　Isn't　he　going　to　the　bottom　along　with　the　brig？
Who　are　you　afraid　of　when　we　get　into　the　boat？〃

This　sort　of　appeal　produced　the　desired　effect；　the　men　became
ashamed　of　themselves；　and　retracted　their　refusal。

Just　as　we　pushed　off　from　the　sinking　ship　Alfred　made　an　effort
to　break　from　me；　but　I　held　him　firm；　and　he　never　repeated　t