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第40章

creatures that once were men-第40章

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Clouds sailed rapidly over our heads; around; and underneath 

the boat; waves splashed furiously。  Shakro sat aft。  Every 

now and then I lost sight of him as the whole stern of the 

boat slipped into some deep watery gulf; the next moment he 

would rise high above my head; shouting desperately; and 

almost falling forward into my arms。  I told him not to 

shout; but to fasten his feet to the seat of the boat; as I 

had already fastened mine。  I feared his shouts might give 

the alarm。  He obeyed; and grew so silent that I only knew 

he was in the boat by the white spot opposite to me; which I

knew must be his face。  The whole time he held the rudder in 

his hand; we could not change places; we dared not move。



From time to time I called out instructions as to the 

handling of the boat; and he understood me so quickly; and 

did everything so cleverly; that one might have thought he 

had been born a sailor。  The boards I was using in the place 

of oars were of little use; they only blistered my hands。  

The furious gusts of wind served to carry the boat forward。 





202 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





I cared little for the direction; my only thought was to get 

the boat across to the other side。  It was not difficult to 

steer; for the lights in Kertch were still visible; and 

served as a beacon。  The waves splashed over our boat with 

angry hissings。  The farther across we got; the more furious 

and the wilder became the waves。  Already we could hear a sort

of roar that held mind and soul as with a spell。  Faster and 

faster our boat flew on before the wind; till it became almost 

impossible to steer a course。  Every now and then we would 

sink into a gulf; and the next moment we would rise high on 

the summit of some enormous watery hill。  The darkness was 

increasing; the clouds were sinking lower and lower。  The 

lights of the town had disappeared。



Our state was growing desperate。  It seemed as if the expanse 

of angry rollers was boundless and limitless。  We could see 

nothing but these immense waves; that came rolling; one after 

another; out of the gloom; straight on to our boat。  With an 

angry crash a board was torn from my hand; forcing me to throw 

the other into the boat; and to hold on tight with both hands

to the gunwale。  Every time the boat was thrown upward; Shakro 

shrieked wildly。   As for me; I felt wretched and helpless; in 

the darkness; surrounded with angry waves; whose noise deafened 

me。  I stared about me in dull and chilly terror; and saw the 

awful monotony around us。  Waves; nothing but waves; with 

whitish crests; that broke in showers of salt spray; above us;

the thick ragged edged clouds were like waves too。





203  MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





I became conscious only of one thing:  I felt that all that was 

going on around me might be immeasurably more majestic and more 

terrible; but that it did not deign to be; and was restraining 

its strength; and that I resented。  Death is inevitable。  But 

that impartial law; reducing all to the same commonplace level; 

seems to need something beautiful to compensate for its 

coarseness and cruelty。  If I were asked to choose between a 

death by burning; or being suffocated in a dirty bog; I should 

choose the former; it is any way; a more seemly death。



〃Let us rig up a sail;〃 exclaimed Shakro。



〃Where am I to find one?〃



〃Use my overcoat。〃



〃Chuck it over to me then; but mind you don't drop the rudder 

into the water!〃



Shakro quietly threw it to me。  〃Here! Catch hold!〃



Crawling along the bottom of the boat; I succeeded in pulling 

up another board; one end of which I fixed into one of the 

sleeves of the coat。  I then fixed the board against the seat; 

and held it there with my feet。  I was just going to take hold 

of the other sleeve; when an unexpected thing happened。  The 

boat was tossed suddenly upward; and then overturned。  I felt 

myself in the water; holding the overcoat in one hand; and a

rope; that was fastened to the boat; in the other hand。  The 

waves swirled noisily over my head; and I swallowed a mouthful 

of bitter salt water。  My nose; my mouth; and my ears; were 

full of it。



With all my might I clutched the rope; as the waves threw me 

backward and forward。  Several times I sank; each time; as I 

rose again; bumping my head against the sides of the boat。





204 MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





At last I succeeded in throwing the coat over the bottom of 

the boat; and tried to clamber on it myself。  After a dozen 

efforts I scrambled up and I sat astride it。  Then I caught 

sight of Shakro in the water on the opposite side of the boat; 

holding with both hands to the same rope of which I had just 

let go。  The boat was apparently encircled by a rope; threaded 

through iron rings; driven into the outer planks。



〃Alive!〃 I shouted。



At that moment Shakro was flung high into the air; and he; too; 

got on to the boat。  I clutched him; and there we remained 

sitting face to face; astride on the capsized boat!  I sat on 

it as though it were a horse; making use of the rope as if it 

had been stirrups; but our position there was anything but safe

a wave might easily have knocked us out of our saddle。  

Shakro held tightly by my knees; and dropped his head on my

breast。  He shivered; and I could hear his teeth chattering。  

Something had to be done。  The bottom of the upturned boat was 

slippery; as though it had been greased with butter。  I told 

Shakro to get into the water again; and hold by the ropes on 

one side of the boat; while I would do the same on the other  

side。



By way of reply; Shakro began to butt his head violently 

against my chest。  The waves swept; in their wild dance; every 

now and then over us。  We could hardly bold our seats; the rope 

was cutting my leg desperately。  As far as one could see there 

was nothing but immense waves; rising mountains high; only to 

disappear again noisily。





205  MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





I repeated my advice to Shakro in a tone of command。  He fell 

to butting me more violently than ever。  There was no time to 

be lost。  Slowly and with difficulty I tore his hands from me; 

and began to push him into the water; trying to make his hands 

take hold of the rope。  Then something happened that dismayed

me more than anything in that terrible night。



〃Are you drowning me?〃 he muttered; gazing at me。



This was really horrible!  The question itself was a dreadful 

one; but the tone in which it was uttered more so。  In it 

there was a timid submission to fate; and an entreaty for 

mercy; and the last sigh of one who had lost all hope of 

escaping from a frightful death。  But more terrible still were 

the eyes that stared at me out of the wet; livid; death…like 

face。



〃Hold on tighter!〃 I shouted to him; at the same time getting 

into the water myself; and taking hold of the rope。  As I did 

so; I struck my foot against something; and for a moment I 

could not think for the pain。  Then I understood。  Suddenly a 

burning thought flashed through my mind。  I felt delirious and 

stronger than ever。



〃Land!〃 I shouted。



Great explorers may have shouted the word with more feeling on 

discovering new lands; but I doubt if any can have shouted 

more loudly。  Shakro howled with delight; and we both rushed 

on in the water。  But soon we both lost heart; for we were up 

to our chests in the waves; and still there seemed no sign of 

dry land。  The waves were neither so strong nor so high; but 

they rolled slowly over our heads。  Fortunately I had not let 

go of the boat; but still held on by the rope; which had 

already helped us when struggling in the water。 





206  MY FELLOW…TRAVELLER





Shakro and I moved carefully forward; towing the boat; which 

we had now righted; behind us。



Shakro was muttering and laughing。  I glanced anx

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