falk-第21章

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managed　to　preserve　her　intact；　and　now　it　was

agreed　that　some　of　the　hands　should　sail　away　into

the　track　of　the　shipping　to　procure　assistance。

She　was　provisioned　with　all　the　food　they　could

spare　for　the　six　who　were　to　go。　　They　waited　for

a　fine　day。　　It　was　long　in　coming。　　At　last　one

morning　they　lowered　her　into　the　water。



Directly；　in　that　demoralised　crowd；　trouble

broke　out。　　Two　men　who　had　no　business　there

had　jumped　into　the　boat　under　the　pretence　of

unhooking　the　tackles；　while　some　sort　of　squabble

arose　on　the　deck　amongst　these　weak；　tottering

spectres　of　a　ship's　company。　　The　captain；　who

had　been　for　days　living　secluded　and　unapproach…

able　in　the　chart…room；　came　to　the　rail。　　He　or…

dered　the　two　men　to　come　up　on　board　and　men…

aced　them　with　his　revolver。　　They　pretended　to

obey；　but　suddenly　cutting　the　boat's　painter；　gave

a　shove　against　the　ship's　side　and　made　ready　to

hoist　the　sail。



〃Shoot；　sir！　　Shoot　them　down！〃　cried　Falk

〃and　I　will　jump　overboard　to　regain　the　boat。〃

But　the　captain；　after　taking　aim　with　an　irreso…

lute　arm；　turned　suddenly　away。



A　howl　of　rage　arose。　　Falk　dashed　into　his　cabin

for　his　own　pistol。　　When　he　returned　it　was　too

late。　　Two　more　men　had　leaped　into　the　water；　but

the　fellows　in　the　boat　beat　them　off　with　the　oars；

hoisted　the　boat's　lug　and　sailed　away。　　They　were

never　heard　of　again。



Consternation　and　despair　possessed　the　remain…

ing　ship's　company；　till　the　apathy　of　utter　hope…

lessness　re…asserted　its　sway。　　That　day　a　fireman

committed　suicide；　running　up　on　deck　with　his

throat　cut　from　ear　to　ear；　to　the　horror　of　all

hands。　　He　was　thrown　overboard。　　The　captain

had　locked　himself　in　the　chart…room；　and　Falk；

knocking　vainly　for　admittance；　heard　him　recit…

ing　over　and　over　again　the　names　of　his　wife　and

children；　not　as　if　calling　upon　them　or　commend…

ing　them　to　God；　but　in　a　mechanical　voice　like　an

exercise　of　memory。　　Next　day　the　doors　of　the

chart…room　were　swinging　open　to　the　roll　of　the

ship；　and　the　captain　had　disappeared。　　He　must

during　the　night　have　jumped　into　the　sea。　　Falk

locked　both　the　doors　and　kept　the　keys。



The　organised　life　of　the　ship　had　come　to　an

end。　　The　solidarity　of　the　men　had　gone。　　They

became　indifferent　to　each　other。　　It　was　Falk　who

took　in　hand　the　distribution　of　such　food　as　re…

mained。　　They　boiled　their　boots　for　soup　to　eke

out　the　rations；　which　only　made　their　hunger　more

intolerable。　　Sometimes　whispers　of　hate　were

heard　passing　between　the　languid　skeletons　that

drifted　endlessly　to　and　fro；　north　and　south；　east

and　west；　upon　that　carcase　of　a　ship。



And　in　this　lies　the　grotesque　horror　of　this　som…

bre　story。　　The　last　extremity　of　sailors；　overtaking

a　small　boat　or　a　frail　craft；　seems　easier　to　bear；

because　of　the　direct　danger　of　the　seas。　　The　con…

fined　space；　the　close　contact；　the　imminent　menace

of　the　waves；　seem　to　draw　men　together；　in　spite

of　madness；　suffering　and　despair。　　But　there　was

a　shipsafe；　convenient；　roomy：　a　ship　with　beds；

bedding；　knives；　forks；　comfortable　cabins；　glass

and　china；　and　a　complete　cook's　galley；　pervaded；

ruled　and　possessed　by　the　pitiless　spectre　of　star…

vation。　　The　lamp　oil　had　been　drunk；　the　wicks

cut　up　for　food；　the　candles　eaten。　　At　night　she

floated　dark　in　all　her　recesses；　and　full　of　fears。

One　day　Falk　came　upon　a　man　gnawing　a　splinter

of　pine　wood。　　Suddenly　he　threw　the　piece　of　wood

away；　tottered　to　the　rail；　and　fell　over。　　Falk；　too

late　to　prevent　the　act；　saw　him　claw　the　ship's

side　desperately　before　he　went　down。　　Next　day

another　man　did　the　same　thing；　after　uttering　hor…

rible　imprecations。　　But　this　one　somehow　man…

aged　to　get　hold　of　the　broken　rudder　chains　and

hung　on　there；　silently。　　Falk　set　about　trying　to

save　him；　and　all　the　time　the　man；　holding　with

both　hands；　looked　at　him　anxiously　with　his　sunken

eyes。　　Then；　just　as　Falk　was　ready　to　put　his　hand

on　him；　the　man　let　go　his　hold　and　sank　like　a

stone。　　Falk　reflected　on　these　sights。　　His　heart

revolted　against　the　horror　of　death；　and　he　said

to　himself　that　he　would　struggle　for　every　pre…

cious　minute　of　his　life。



One　afternoonas　the　survivors　lay　about　on

the　after　deckthe　carpenter；　a　tall　man　with　a

black　beard；　spoke　of　the　last　sacrifice。　　There　was

nothing　eatable　left　on　board。　　Nobody　said　a

word　to　this；　but　that　company　separated　quickly；

these　listless　feeble　spectres　slunk　off　one　by　one

to　hide　in　fear　of　each　other。　　Falk　and　the　car…

penter　remained　on　deck　together。　　Falk　liked

the　big　carpenter。　　He　had　been　the　best　man　of

the　lot；　helpful　and　ready　as　long　as　there　was

anything　to　do；　the　longest　hopeful；　and　had

preserved　to　the　last　some　vigour　and　decision　of

mind。



They　did　not　speak　to　each　other。　　Henceforth

no　voices　were　to　be　heard　conversing　sadly　on

board　that　ship。　　After　a　time　the　carpenter　tot…

tered　away　forward；　but　later　on；　Falk　going　to

drink　at　the　fresh…water　pump；　had　the　inspiration

to　turn　his　head。　　The　carpenter　had　stolen　upon

him　from　behind；　and；　summoning　all　his　strength；

was　aiming　with　a　crowbar　a　blow　at　the　back　of

his　skull。



Dodging　just　in　time；　Falk　made　his　escape　and

ran　into　his　cabin。　　While　he　was　loading　his　re…

volver　there；　he　heard　the　sound　of　heavy　blows

struck　upon　the　bridge。　　The　locks　of　the　chart…

room　doors　were　slight；　they　flew　open；　and　the　car…

penter；　possessing　himself　of　the　captain's　revolver；

fired　a　shot　of　defiance。



Falk　was　about　to　go　on　deck　and　have　it　out

at　once；　when　he　remarked　that　one　of　the　ports　of

his　cabin　commanded　the　approaches　to　the　fresh…

water　pump。　　Instead　of　going　out　he　remained　in

and　secured　the　door。　　〃The　best　man　shall　sur…

vive；〃　he　said　to　himselfand　the　other；　he　rea…

soned；　must　at　some　time　or　other　come　there　to

drink。　　These　starving　men　would　drink　often　to

cheat　the　pangs　of　their　hunger。　　But　the　carpen…

ter　too　must　have　noticed　the　position　of　the　port。

They　were　the　two　best　men　in　the　ship；　and　the

game　was　with　them。　　All　the　rest　of　the　day　Falk

saw　no　one　and　heard　no　sound。　　At　night　he

strained　his　eyes。　　It　was　darkhe　heard　a　rustling

noise　once；　but　he　was　certain　that　no　one　could

have　come　near　the　pump。　　It　was　to　the　left　of　his

deck　port；　and　he　could　not　have　failed　to　see　a

man；　for　the　night　was　clear　and　starry。　　He　saw

nothing；　towards　morning　another　faint　noise

made　him　suspicious。　　Deliberately　and　quietly　he

unlocked　his　door。　　He　had　not　slept；　and　had　not

given　way　to　the　horror　of　the　situation。　　He

wanted　to　live。



But　during　the　night　the　carpenter；　without　at

all　trying　to　approach　the　pump；　had　managed　to

creep　quietly　along　the　starboard　bulwark；　and；

unseen；　had　crouched　down　right　under　Falk's　deck

port。　　When　daylight　came　he　rose　up　suddenly；

looked　in；　and　putting　his　arm　through　the　round

brass　framed　opening；　fired　at　Falk　within　a　foot。

He　missedand　Falk；　instead　of　attempting　to

seize　the　arm　holding　the　weapon；　opened　his　door

unexpectedly；　and　with　the　muzzle　of　his　long　re…

volver　nearly　touching　the　other's　side；　shot　him

dead。



The　best　man　had　survived。　　Both　of　them　had

at　the　beginning　just　strength　enough　to　stand　on

their　feet；　and　both　had　displayed　pitiless　resolu…

tion；　endurance；　cunning　and　courageall　the

qualities　of　classic　heroism。　　At　once　Falk　threw

overboard　the　captain's　revolver。　　He　was　a　born

monopolist。　　Then　after　the　report　of　the　two

shots；　followed　by　a　profound　silence；　there　crept

out　into　the　cold；　cruel　dawn　of　Antarctic　regions；

from　various　hiding…places；　over　the　deck　of　that

dismantled　corpse　of　a　ship　floating　on　a　grey　sea

ruled　by　iron　necessity　and　with　a　heart　of　ice

there　crept　into　view　one　by　one；　cautious；　s