returning home-第6章

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who　was　also　going　down　to　Greytown。

In　the　second　boat　were　the　same　number　of　men　to　paddle；　the　Indian
guide　being　one　of　them；　and　there　were　the　mails　placed。　　Then
there　was　a　seat　arranged　with　blankets；　cloaks；　and　cushions；　for
Mrs。　Arkwright；　so　that　she　might　lean　back　and　sleep　without
fatigue；　and　immediately　opposite　to　her　her　husband　placed　himself。
〃You　all　look　very　comfortable；〃　said　poor　Abel　from　the　bank。

〃We　shall　do　very　well　now；〃　said　Arkwright。

〃And　I　do　think　I　shall　see　mamma　again；〃　said　his　wife。

〃That's　right；　old　girl；of　course　you　will　see　her。　　Now　then；we
are　all　ready。〃　　And　with　some　little　assistance　from　the　German　on
the　bank；　the　first　boat　was　pushed　off　into　the　stream。

The　river　in　this　place　is　rapid；　because　the　full　course　of　the
water　is　somewhat　impeded　by　a　bank　of　earth　jutting　out　from　the
opposite　side　of　the　river　into　the　stream；　but　it　is　not　so　rapid
as　to　make　any　recognised　danger　in　the　embarkation。　　Below　this
bank；　which　is　opposite　to　the　spot　at　which　the　boats　were　entered；
there　were　four　or　five　broken　trees　in　the　water；　some　of　the
shattered　boughs　of　which　showed　themselves　above　the　surface。
These　are　called　snags；　and　are　very　dangerous　if　they　are　met　with
in　the　course　of　the　stream；　but　in　this　instance　no　danger　was
apprehended　from　them；　as　they　lay　considerably　to　the　left　of　the
passage　which　the　boats　would　take。　　The　first　canoe　was　pushed　off
by　the　German；　and　went　rapidly　away。　　The　waters　were　strong　with
rain；　and　it　was　pretty　to　see　with　what　velocity　the　boat　was
carried　on　some　hundred　of　yards　in　advance　of　the　other　by　the
force　of　the　first　effort　of　the　paddle。　　The　German；　however；　from
the　bank　holloaed　to　the　first　men　in　Spanish；　bidding　them　relax
their　efforts　for　awhile；　and　then　he　said　a　word　or　two　of　caution
to　those　who　were　now　on　the　point　of　starting。

The　boat　then　was　pushed　steadily　forward；　the　man　at　the　stern
keeping　it　with　his　paddle　a　little　farther　away　from　the　bank　at
which　they　had　embarked。　　It　was　close　under　the　land　that　the
stream　ran　the　fastest；　and　in　obedience　to　the　directions　given　to
him　he　made　his　course　somewhat　nearer　to　the　sunken　trees。　　It　was
but　one　turn　of　his　hand　that　gave　the　light　boat　its　direction；　but
that　turn　of　the　hand　was　too　strong。　　Had　the　anxious　master　of　the
canoes　been　but　a　thought　less　anxious；　all　might　have　been　well；
but；　as　it　was；　the　prow　of　the　boat　was　caught　by　some　slight
hidden　branch　which　impeded　its　course　and　turned　it　round　in　the
rapid　river。　　The　whole　lengths　of　the　canoe　was　thus　brought
against　the　sunken　tree；　and　in　half　a　minute　the　five　occupants　of
the　boat　were　struggling　in　the　stream。

Abel　Ring　and　the　German　were　both　standing　on　the　bank　close　to　the
water　when　this　happened；　and　each　for　a　moment　looked　into　the
other's　face。　　〃Stand　where　you　are；〃　shouted　the　German；　〃so　that
you　may　assist　them　from　the　shore。　　I　will　go　in。〃　　And　then；
throwing　from　him　his　boots　and　coat；　he　plunged　into　the　river。

The　canoe　had　been　swept　round　so　as　to　be　brought　by　the　force　of
the　waters　absolutely　in　among　the　upturned　roots　and　broken　stumps
of　the　trees　which　impeded　the　river；　and　thus；　when　the　party　was
upset；　they　were　at　first　to　be　seen　scrambling　among　the　branches。
But　unfortunately　there　was　much　more　wood　below　the　water　than
above　it；　and　the　force　of　the　stream　was　so　great；　that　those　who
caught　hold　of　the　timber　were　not　able　to　support　themselves　by　it
above　the　surface。　　Arkwright　was　soon　to　be　seen　some　forty　yards
down；　having　been　carried　clear　of　the　trees；　and　here　he　got　out　of
the　river　on　the　farther　bank。　　The　distance　to　him　was　not　above
forty　yards；　but　from　the　nature　of　the　ground　he　could　not　get　up
towards　his　wife；　unless　he　could　have　forced　his　way　against　the
stream。

The　Indian　who　had　had　charge　of　the　baby　rose　quickly　to　the
surface；　was　carried　once　round　in　the　eddy；　with　his　head　high
above　the　water；　and　then　was　seen　to　throw　himself　among　the　broken
wood。　　He　had　seen　the　dress　of　the　poor　woman；　and　made　his　effort
to　save　her。　　The　other　two　men　were　so　caught　by　the　fragments　of
the　boughs；　that　they　could　not　extricate　themselves　so　as　to　make
any　exertions；　ultimately；　however；　they　also　got　out　on　the　further
bank。

Mrs。　Arkwright　had　sunk　at　once　on　being　precipitated　into　the
water；　but　the　buoyancy　of　her　clothes　had　brought　her　for　a　moment
again　to　the　surface。　　She　had　risen　for　a　moment；　and　then　had
again　gone　down；　immediately　below　the　forked　trunk　of　a　huge　tree；…
…had　gone　down；　alas；　alas！　never　to　rise　again　with　life　within　her
bosom。　　The　poor　Indian　made　two　attempts　to　save　her；　and　then　came
up　himself；　incapable　of　further　effort。

It　was　then　that　the　German；　the　owner　of　the　canoes；　who　had　fought
his　way　with　great　efforts　across　the　violence　of　the　waters；　and
indeed　up　against　the　stream　for　some　few　yards；　made　his　effort　to
save　the　life　of　that　poor　frail　creature。　　He　had　watched　the　spot
at　which　she　had　gone　down；　and　even　while　struggling　across　the
river；　had　seen　how　the　Indian　had　followed　her　and　had　failed。　　It
was　now　his　turn。　　His　life　was　in　his　hand；　and　he　was　prepared　to
throw　it　away　in　that　attempt。　　Having　succeeded　in　placing　himself
a　little　above　the　large　tree；　he　turned　his　face　towards　the　bottom
of　the　river；　and　dived　down　among　the　branches。　　And　he　also；　after
that；　was　never　again　seen　with　the　life…blood　flowing　round　his
heart。

When　the　sun　set　that　night；　the　two　swollen　corpses　were　lying　in
the　Commandant's　hut；　and　Abel　Ring　and　Arkwright　were　sitting
beside　them。　　Arkwright　had　his　baby　sleeping　in　his　arms；　but　he
sat　there　for　hours；into　the　middle　of　the　long　night；without
speaking　a　word　to　any　one。

〃Harry；〃　said　his　brother　at　last；　〃come　away　and　lay　down。　　It　will
be　good　for　you　to　sleep。〃

〃Nothing　ever　will　be　good　again　for　me；〃　said　he。

〃You　must　bear　up　against　your　sorrow　as　other　men　do；〃　said　Ring。

〃Why　am　I　not　sleeping　with　her　as　the　poor　German　sleeps？　　Why　did
I　let　another　man　take　my　place　in　dying　for　her？〃　　And　then　he
walked　away　that　the　other　might　not　see　the　tears　on　his　face。

It　was　a　sad　night；that　at　the　Commandant's　hut；　and　a　sad　morning
followed　upon　it。　　It　must　be　remembered　that　they　had　there　none　of
those　appurtenances　which　are　so　necessary　to　make　woe　decent　and
misfortune　comfortable。　　They　sat　through　the　night　in　the　small
hut；　and　in　the　morning　they　came　forth　with　their　clothes　still　wet
and　dirty；　with　their　haggard　faces；　and　weary　stiff　limbs；
encumbered　with　the　horrid　task　of　burying　that　loved　body　among　the
forest　trees。　　And　then；　to　keep　life　in　them　till　it　was　done；　the
brandy　flask　passed　from　hand　to　hand；　and　after　that；　with　slow　but
resolute　efforts；　they　reformed　the　litter　on　which　the　living　woman
had　been　carried　thither；　and　took　her　body　back　to　the　wild
plantation　at　Padregal。　　There　they　dug　for　her　her　grave；　and
repeating　over　her　some　portion　of　the　service　for　the　dead；　left
her　to　sleep　the　sleep　of　death。　　But　before　they　left　her；　they
erected　a　pallisade　of　timber　round　the　grave；　so　that　the　beasts　of
the　forest　should　not　tear　the　body　from　its　resting…place。

When　that　was　done　Arkwright　and　his　brother　made　their　slow　journey
back　to　San　Jose。　　The　widowed　husband　could　not　face　his　darling's
mother　with　such　a　tale　upon　his　tongue　as　that。







End