for the term of his natural life-第93章
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faintly lapping and washing。 He raised himself and stretched his stiffened limbs。 Despite his injured shoulder； it was imperative that he should bestir himself。 He knew not if his escape had been noticed； or if the cavern had another inlet； by which McNab； returning； might penetrate。 Moreover； he was wet and famished。 To preserve the life which he had torn from the sea； he must have fire and food。 First he examined the crevice by which he had entered。 It was shaped like an irregular triangle； hollowed at the base by the action of the water which in such storms as that of the preceding night was forced into it by the rising of the sea。 John Rex dared not crawl too near the edge； lest he should slide out of the damp and slippery orifice； and be dashed upon the rocks at the bottom of the Blow…hole。 Craning his neck； he could see； a hundred feet below him； the sullenly frothing water； gurgling； spouting； and creaming； in huge turbid eddies； occasionally leaping upwards as though it longed for another storm to send it raging up to the man who had escaped its fury。 It was impossible to get down that way。 He turned back into the cavern； and began to explore in that direction。 The twin…rocks against which he had been hurled were； in fact； pillars which supported the roof of the water…drive。 Beyond them lay a great grey shadow which was emptiness； faintly illumined by the sea…light cast up through the bottom of the gulf。 Midway across the grey shadow fell a strange beam of dusky brilliance； which cast its flickering light upon a wilderness of waving sea…weeds。 Even in the desperate position in which he found himself； there survived in the vagabond's nature sufficient poetry to make him value the natural marvel upon which he had so strangely stumbled。 The immense promontory； which； viewed from the outside； seemed as solid as a mountain； was in reality but a hollow cone； reft and split into a thousand fissures by the unsuspected action of the sea for centuries。 The Blow…hole was but an insignificant cranny compared with this enormous chasm。 Descending with difficulty the steep incline； he found himself on the brink of a gallery of rock； which； jutting out over the pool； bore on its moist and weed…bearded edges signs of frequent submersion。 It must be low tide without the rock。 Clinging to the rough and root…like algae that fringed the ever…moist walls； John Rex crept round the projection of the gallery； and passed at once from dimness to daylight。 There was a broad loop…hole in the side of the honey…combed and wave…perforated cliff。 The cloudless heaven expanded above him； a fresh breeze kissed his cheek and； sixty feet below him； the sea wrinkled all its lazy length； sparkling in myriad wavelets beneath the bright beams of morning。 Not a sign of the recent tempest marred the exquisite harmony of the picture。 Not a sign of human life gave evidence of the grim neighbourhood of the prison。 From the recess out of which he peered nothing was visible but a sky of turquoise smiling upon a sea of sapphire。
The placidity of Nature was； however； to the hunted convict a new source of alarm。 It was a reason why the Blow…hole and its neighbourhood should be thoroughly searched。 He guessed that the favourable weather would be an additional inducement to McNab and Burgess to satisfy themselves as to the fate of their late prisoner。 He turned from the opening； and prepared to descend still farther intO the rock pathway。 The sunshine had revived and cheered him； and a sort of instinct told him that the cliff； so honey…combed above； could not be without some gully or chink at its base； which at low tide would give upon the rocky shore。 It grew darker as he descended； and twice he almost turned back in dread of the gulfs on either side of him。 It seemed to him； also； that the gullet of weed…clad rock through which he was crawling doubled upon itself； and led only into the bowels of the mountain。 Gnawed by hunger； and conscious that in a few hours at most the rising tide would fill the subterranean passage and cut off his retreat； he pushed desperately onwards。 He had descended some ninety feet； and had lost； in the devious windings of his downward path； all but the reflection of the light from the gallery； when he was rewarded by a glimpse of sunshine striking upwards。 He parted two enormous masses of seaweed； whose bubble…headed fronds hung curtainwise across his path； and found himself in the very middle of the narrow cleft of rock through which the sea was driven to the Blow…hole。
At an immense distance above him was the arch of cliff。 Beyond that arch appeared a segment of the ragged edge of the circular opening； down which he had fallen。 He looked in vain for the funnel…mouth whose friendly shelter had received him。 It was now indistinguishable。 At his feet was a long rift in the solid rock； so narrow that he could almost have leapt across it。 This rift was the channel of a swift black current which ran from the sea for fifty yards under an arch eight feet high； until it broke upon the jagged rocks that lay blistering in the sunshine at the bottom of the circular opening in the upper cliff。 A shudder shook the limbs of the adventurous convict。 He comprehended that at high tide the place where he stood was under water； and that the narrow cavern became a subaqueous pipe of solid rock forty feet long； through which were spouted the league…long rollers of the Southern Sea。
The narrow strip of rock at the base of the cliff was as flat as a table。 Here and there were enormous hollows like pans； which the retreating tide had left full of clear； still water。 The crannies of the rock were inhabited by small white crabs； and John Rex found to his delight that there was on this little shelf abundance of mussels； which； though lean and acrid； were sufficiently grateful to his famished stomach。 Attached to the flat surfaces of the numerous stones； moreover； were coarse limpets。 These； however； John Rex found too salt to be palatable； and was compelled to reject them。 A larger variety； however； having a succulent body as thick as a man's thumb； contained in long razor…shaped shells； were in some degree free from this objection； and he soon collected the materials for a meal。 Having eaten and sunned himself； he began to examine the enormous rock； to the base of which he had so strangely penetrated。 Rugged and worn； it raised its huge breast against wind and wave； secure upon a broad pedestal； which probably extended as far beneath the sea as the massive column itself rose above it。 Rising thus； with its shaggy drapery of seaweed clinging about its knees； it seemed to be a motionless but sentient beingsome monster of the deep； a Titan of the ocean condemned ever to front in silence the fury of that illimitable and rarely…travelled sea。 Yetsilent and motionless as he wasthe hoary ancient gave hint of the mysteries of his revenge。 Standing upon the broad and sea…girt platform where surely no human foot but his had ever stood in life； the convict saw； many feet above him； pitched into a cavity of the huge sun…blistered boulders； an object which his sailor eye told him at once was part of the top hamper of some large ship。 Crusted with shells； and its ruin so overrun with the ivy of the ocean that its ropes could barely be distinguished from the weeds with which they were encumbered； this relic of human labour attested the triumph of nature over human ingenuity。 Perforated below by the relentless sea； exposed above to the full fury of the tempest； set in solitary defiance to the waves； that rolling from the ice…volcano of the Southern Pole； hurled their gathered might unchecked upon its iron front； the great rock drew from its lonely warfare the materials of its own silent vengeance。 Clasped in iron arms； it held its prey； snatched from the jaws of the all…devouring sea。 One might imagine that； when the doomed ship； with her crew of shrieking souls； had splintered and gone down； the deaf； blind giant had clutched this fragment； upheaved from the seething waters； with a thrill of savage and terrible joy。
John Rex； gazing up at this memento of a forgotten agony； felt a sensation of the most vulgar pleasure。 〃There's wood for my fi
