a simpleton-第55章
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had dried to dark leather on the bones。 The head was little more
than an eyeless skull； but in the fitful moonlight； those huge
hollow caverns seemed gigantic lamp…like eyes； and glared at him
fiendishly； appallingly。
He sickened at the sight。 He tried not to look at it； but it would
be looked at； and threaten him in the moonlight； with great lack…
lustre eyes。
The wind whistled； and lashed his face with spray torn off the big
waves； and the water was nearly up to his knees； and the raft
tossed so wildly； it was all he could do to hold on in his corner：
in which struggle； still those monstrous lack…lustre eyes； like
lamps of death； glared at him in the moon； all else was dark；
except the fiery crests of the black mountain…billows； tumbling and
raging all around。
What a night！
But； before morning； the breeze sank； the moon set； and a sombre
quiet succeeded； with only that grim figure in outline dimly
visible。 Owing to the motion still retained by the waves； it
seemed to nod and rear； and be ever preparing to rush upon him。
The sun rose glorious； on a lovely scene； the sky was a very mosaic
of colors sweet and vivid； and the tranquil； rippling sea； peach…
colored to the horizon； with lines of diamonds where the myriad
ripples broke into smiles。
Staines was asleep； exhausted。 Soon the light awoke him； and he
looked up。 What an incongruous picture met his eye： that heaven of
color all above and around； and right before him； like a devil
stuck in mid…heaven； that grinning corpse； whose fate foreshadowed
his own。
But daylight is a great strengthener of the nerves； the figure no
longer appalled hima man who had long learned to look with
Science's calm eye upon the dead。 When the sea became like glass；
and from peach…color deepened to rose； he walked along the raft；
and inspected the dead man。 He found it was a man of color； but
not a black。 The body was not kept in its place； as he had
supposed； merely by being jammed into the angle caused by the rail；
it was also lashed to the corner upright by a long； stout belt。
Staines concluded this had kept the body there； and its companions
had been swept away。
This was not lost on him： he removed the belt for his own use： he
then found it was not only a belt； but a receptacle； it was nearly
full of small； hard substances that felt like stones。
When he had taken it off the body； he felt a compunction。 〃Ought
he to rob the dead； and expose it to be swept into the sea at the
first wave； like a dead dog？〃
He was about to replace the belt； when a middle course occurred to
him。 He was a man who always carried certain useful little things
about him； viz。； needles； thread； scissors； and string。 He took a
piece of string； and easily secured this poor light skeleton to the
raft。 The belt he strapped to the rail； and kept for his own need。
And now hunger gnawed him。 No food was near。 There was nothing
but the lovely sea and sky； mosaic with color； and that grim；
ominous skeleton。
Hunger comes and goes many times before it becomes insupportable。
All that day and night； and the next day； he suffered its pangs；
and then it became torture； but the thirst maddening。
Towards night fell a gentle rain。 He spread a handkerchief and
caught it。 He sucked the handkerchief。
This revived him； and even allayed in some degree the pangs of
hunger。
Next day was cloudless。 A hot sun glared on his unprotected head；
and battered down his enfeebled frame。
He resisted as well as he could。 He often dipped his head； and as
often the persistent sun； with cruel glare； made it smoke again。
Next day the same： but the strength to meet it was waning。 He lay
down and thought of Rosa； and wept bitterly。 He took the dead
man's belt； and lashed himself to the upright。 That act； and his
tears for his beloved； were almost his last acts of perfect reason：
for next day came the delusions and the dreams that succeed when
hunger ceases to torture； and the vital powers begin to ebb。 He
lay and saw pleasant meadows with meandering streams； and clusters
of rich fruit that courted the hand and melted in the mouth。
Ever and anon they vanished； and he saw grim death looking down on
him with those big cavernous eyes。
By and by； whether his body's eye saw the grim skeleton； or his
mind's eye the juicy fruits； green meadows； and pearly brooks； all
was shadowy。
So； in a placid calm； beneath a blue sky； the raft drifted dead；
with its dead freight； upon the glassy purple； and he drifted； too；
towards the world unknown。
There came across the waters to that dismal raft a thing none too
common； by sea or landa good man。
He was tall； stalwart； bronzed； and had hair like snow； before his
time； for he had known trouble。 He commanded a merchant steamer；
bound for Calcutta； on the old route。
The man at the mast…head descried a floating wreck； and hailed the
deck accordingly。 The captain altered his course without one
moment's hesitation； and brought up alongside； lowered a boat； and
brought the dead； and the breathing man； on board。
A young middy lifted Staines in his arms from the wreck to the
boat； he whose person I described in chapter one weighed now no
more than that。
Men are not always rougher than women。 Their strength and nerve
enable them now and then to be gentler than buttery…fingered
angels； who drop frail things through sensitive agitation； and
break them。 These rough men saw Staines was hovering between life
and death； and they handled him like a thing the ebbing life might
be shaken out of in a moment。 It was pretty to see how gingerly
the sailors carried the sinking man up the ladder； and one fetched
swabs； and the others laid him down softly on them at their
captain's feet。
〃Well done； men；〃 said he。 〃Poor fellow！ Pray Heaven； we may not
have come too late。 Now stand aloof a bit。 Send the surgeon aft。〃
The surgeon came； and looked； and felt the heart。 He shook his
head； and called for brandy。 He had Staines's head raised； and got
half a spoonful of diluted brandy down his throat。 But there was
an ominous gurgling。
After several such attempts at intervals； he said plainly the man's
life could not be saved by ordinary means。
〃Then try extraordinary；〃 said the captain。 〃My orders are that he
is to be saved。 There is life in him。 You have only got to keep
it there。 He MUST be saved； he SHALL be saved。〃
〃I should like to try Dr。 Staines's remedy；〃 said the surgeon。
〃Try it； then what is it？〃
〃A bath of beef…tea。 Dr。 Staines says he applied it to a starved
childin the Lancet。〃
〃Take a hundred…weight of beef； and boil it in the coppers。〃
Thus encouraged； the surgeon went to the cook； and very soon beef
was steaming on a scale and at a rate unparalleled。
Meantime； Captain Dodd had the patient taken to his own cabin； and
he and his servant administered weak brandy and water with great
caution and skill。
There was no perceptible result。 But at all events there was life
and vital instinct left； or he could not have swallowed。
Thus they hovered about him for some hours； and then the bath was
ready。
The captain took charge of the patient's clothes： the surgeon and a
sailor bathed him in lukewarm beef…tea； and then covered him very
warm with blankets next the skin。 Guess how near a thing it seemed
to them； when I tell you they dared not rub him。
Just before sunset his pulse became perceptible。 The surgeon
administered half a spoonful of egg…flip。 The patient swallowed
it。
By and by he sighed。
〃He must not be left； day or night；〃 said the captain。 〃I don't
know who or what he is； but he is a man； and I could not bear him
to die now。〃
That night Captain Dodd overhauled the patient's clothes； and
looked for marks on his linen。 There were none。
〃Poor devil 〃 said Captain Dodd。 〃He is a bachelor。〃
Captain Dodd found his pocket…book； with bank…notes； two hundred
pounds。 He took the numbers； made a memorandum of them； and locked
the notes up。
He lighted his lamp； examined the belt； unripped it； and poured out
the contents on his table。
They were dazzling。 A great many large pieces of amethyst； a
