michael, brother of jerry-第24章
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CHAPTER XV
Had the trade wind not failed on the second day after laying the course for the Marquesas; had Captain Doane; at the mid…day meal; not grumbled once again at being equipped with only one chronometer; had Simon Nishikanta not become viciously angry thereat and gone on deck with his rifle to find some sea…denizen to kill; and had the sea…denizen that appeared close alongside been a bonita; a dolphin; a porpoise; an albacore; or anything else than a great; eighty…foot cow whale accompanied by her nursing calfhad any link been missing from this chain of events; the Mary Turner would have undoubtedly reached the Marquesas; filled her water…barrels; and returned to the treasure…hunting; and the destinies of Michael; Daughtry; Kwaque; and Cocky would have been quite different and possibly less terrible。
But every link was present for the occasion。 The schooner; in a dead calm; was rolling over the huge; smooth seas; her boom sheets and tackles crashing to the hollow thunder of her great sails; when Simon Nishikanta put a bullet into the body of the little whale calf。 By an almost miracle of chance; the shot killed the calf。 It was equivalent to killing an elephant with a pea…rifle。 Not at once did the calf die。 It merely immediately ceased its gambols and for a while lay quivering on the surface of the ocean。 The mother was beside it the moment after it was struck; and to those on board; looking almost directly down upon her; her dismay and alarm were very patent。 She would nudge the calf with her huge shoulder; circle around and around it; then range up alongside and repeat her nudgings and shoulderings。
All on the Mary Turner; fore and aft; lined the rail and stared down apprehensively at the leviathan that was as long as the schooner。
〃If she should do to us; sir; what that other one did to the Essex;〃 Dag Daughtry observed to the Ancient Mariner。
〃It would be no more than we deserve;〃 was the response。 〃It was uncalled…fora wanton; cruel act。〃
Michael; aware of the excitement overside but unable to see because of the rail; leaped on top of the cabin and at sight of the monster barked defiantly。 Every eye turned on him in startlement and fear; and Steward hushed him with a whispered command。
〃This is the last time;〃 Grimshaw muttered in a low voice; tense with anger; to Nishikanta。 〃If ever again; on this voyage; you take a shot at a whale; I'll wring your dirty neck for you。 Get me。 I mean it。 I'll choke your eye…balls out of you。〃
The Jew smiled in a sickly way and whined; 〃There ain't nothing going to happen。 I don't believe that Essex ever was sunk by a whale。〃
Urged on by its mother; the dying calf made spasmodic efforts to swim that were futile and caused it to veer and wallow from side to side。
In the course of circling about it; the mother accidentally brushed her shoulder under the port quarter of the Mary Turner; and the Mary Turner listed to starboard as her stern was lifted a yard or more。 Nor was this unintentional; gentle impact all。 The instant after her shoulder had touched; startled by the contact; she flailed out with her tail。 The blow smote the rail just for'ard of the fore…shrouds; splintering a gap through it as if it were no more than a cigar…box and cracking the covering board。
That was all; and an entire ship's company stared down in silence and fear at a sea…monster grief…stricken over its dying progeny。
Several times; in the course of an hour; during which the schooner and the two whales drifted farther and farther apart; the calf strove vainly to swim。 Then it set up a great quivering; which culminated in a wild wallowing and lashing about of its tail。
〃It is the death…flurry;〃 said the Ancient Mariner softly。
〃By damn; it's dead;〃 was Captain Doane's comment five minutes later。 〃Who'd believe it? A rifle bullet! I wish to heaven we could get half an hour's breeze of wind to get us out of this neighbourhood。〃
〃A close squeak;〃 said Grimshaw;
Captain Doane shook his head; as his anxious eyes cast aloft to the empty canvas and quested on over the sea in the hope of wind… ruffles on the water。 But all was glassy calm; each great sea; of all the orderly procession of great seas; heaving up; round…topped and mountainous; like so much quicksilver。
〃It's all right;〃 Grimahaw encouraged。 〃There she goes now; beating it away from us。〃
〃Of course it's all right; always was all right;〃 Nishikanta bragged; as he wiped the sweat from his face and neck and looked with the others after the departing whale。 〃You're a fine brave lot; you are; losing your goat to a fish。〃
〃I noticed your face was less yellow than usual;〃 Grimshaw sneered。 〃It must have gone to your heart。〃
Captain Doane breathed a great sigh。 His relief was too strong to permit him to join in the squabbling。
〃You're yellow;〃 Grimshaw went on; 〃yellow clean through。〃 He nodded his head toward the Ancient Mariner。 〃Now there's the real thing as a man。 No yellow in him。 He never batted an eye; and I reckon he knew more about the danger than you did。 If I was to choose being wrecked on a desert island with him or you; I'd take him a thousand times first。 If〃
But a cry from the sailors interrupted him。
〃Merciful God!〃 Captain Doane breathed aloud。
The great cow whale had turned about; and; on the surface; was charging straight back at them。 Such was her speed that a bore was raised by her nose like that which a Dreadnought or an Atlantic liner raises on the sea。
〃Hold fast; all!〃 Captain Doane roared。
Every man braced himself for the shock。 Henrik Gjertsen; the sailor at the wheel; spread his legs; crouched down; and stiffened his shoulders and arms to hand…grips on opposite spokes of the wheel。 Several of the crew fled from the waist to the poop; and others of them sprang into the main…rigging。 Daughtry; one hand on the rail; with his free arm clasped the Ancient Mariner around the waist。
All held。 The whale struck the Mary Turner just aft of the fore… shroud。 A score of things; which no eye could take in simultaneously; happened。 A sailor; in the main rigging; carried away a ratline in both hands; fell head…downward; and was clutched by an ankle and saved head…downward by a comrade; as the schooner cracked and shuddered; uplifted on the port side; and was flung down on her starboard side till the ocean poured level over her rail。 Michael; on the smooth roof of the cabin; slithered down the steep slope to starboard and disappeared; clawing and snarling; into the runway。 The port shrouds of the foremast carried away at the chain…plates; and the fore…topmast leaned over drunkenly to starboard。
〃My word;〃 quoth the Ancient Mariner。 〃We certainly felt that。〃
〃Mr。 Jackson;〃 Captain Doane commanded the mate; 〃will you sound the well。〃
The mate obeyed; although he kept an anxious eye on the whale; which had gone off at a tangent and was smoking away to the eastward。
〃You see; that's what you get;〃 Grimshaw snarled at Nishikanta。
Nishikanta nodded; as he wiped the sweat away; and muttered; 〃And I'm satisfied。 I got all I want。 I didn't think a whale had it in it。 I'll never do it again。〃
〃Maybe you'll never have the chance;〃 the captain retorted。 〃We're not done with this one yet。 The one that charged the Essex made charge after charge; and I guess whale nature hasn't changed any in the last few years。〃
〃Dry as a bone; sir;〃 Mr。 Jackson reported the result of his sounding。
〃There she turns;〃 Daughtry called out。
Half a mile away; the whale circled about sharply and charged back。
〃Stand from under for'ard there!〃 Captain Doane shouted to one of the sailors who had just emerged from the forecastle scuttle; sea… bag in hand; and over whom the fore…topmast was swaying giddily。
〃He's packed for the get…away;〃 Daughtry murmured to the Ancient Mariner。 〃Like a rat leaving a ship。〃
〃We're all rats;〃 was the reply。 〃I learned just that when I was a rat among the mangy rats of the poor…farm。〃
By this time; all men on board had communicated to Michael their contagion of excitement and fear。 Back on top of the cabin so that he might see; he snarled at the cow whale when the men seized fresh grips agai