when the world shook-第15章

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thought　that　he　was　going　to　die。　Somehow　we　got　him　into　his

cabin；　which　opened　off　the　saloon；　and　as　he　could　drink　nothing

more；　Bickley　managed　to　inject　morphia　or　some　other　compound

into　him；　which　made　him　insensible　for　a　long　while。



〃He　must　be　in　a　poor　way；〃　he　said；　〃for　the　needle　went　more

than　a　quarter　of　an　inch　into　him；　and　he　never　cried　out　or

stirred。　Couldn't　help　it　in　that　rolling。〃



But　now　I　could　hear　the　engines　working；　and　I　think　that　the

bow　of　the　vessel　was　got　head　on　to　the　seas；　for　instead　of

rolling　we　pitched；　or　rather　the　ship　stood　first　upon　one　end

and　then　upon　the　other。　This　continued　for　a　while　until　the

first　burst　of　the　cyclone　had　gone　by。　Then　suddenly　the　engines

stopped；　I　suppose　that　they　had　broken　down；　but　I　never

learned；　and　we　seemed　to　veer　about；　nearly　sinking　in　the

process；　and　to　run　before　the　hurricane　at　terrific　speed。



〃I　wonder　where　we　are　going　to？〃　I　said　to　Bickley。　〃To　the

land　of　sleep；　Humphrey；　I　imagine；〃　he　replied　in　a　more　gentle

voice　than　I　had　often　heard　him　use；　adding：　〃Good…bye；　old　boy；

we　have　been　real　friends；　haven't　we；　notwithstanding　my

peculiarities？　I　only　wish　that　I　could　think　that　there　was

anything　in　Bastin's　views。　But　I　can't；　I　can't。　It's　good　night

for　us　poor　creatures！〃







Chapter　VI



Land





At　last　the　electric　light　really　went　out。　I　had　looked　at　my

watch　just　before　this　happened　and　wound　it　up；　which；　Bickley

remarked；　was　superfluous　and　a　waste　of　energy。　It　then　marked

3。20　in　the　morning。　We　had　wedged　Bastin；　who　was　now　snoring

comfortably；　into　his　berth；　with　pillows；　and　managed　to　tie　a

cord　over　himno；　it　was　a　large　bath　towel；　fixing　one　end　of

it　to　the　little　rack　over　his　bed　and　the　other　to　its

framework。　As　for　ourselves；　we　lay　down　on　the　floor　between　the

table　legs；　which；　of　course；　were　screwed；　and　the　settee；

protecting　ourselves　as　best　we　were　able　by　help　of　the

cushions；　etc。；　between　two　of　which　we　thrust　the　terrified

Tommy　who　had　been　sliding　up　and　down　the　cabin　floor。　Thus　we

remained；　expecting　death　every　moment　till　the　light　of　day；　a

very　dim　light；　struggling　through　a　port…hole　of　which　the　iron

cover　had　somehow　been　wrenched　off。　Or　perhaps　it　was　never

shut；　I　do　not　remember。



About　this　time　there　came　a　lull　in　the　hellish；　howling

hurricane；　the　fact　being；　I　suppose；　that　we　had　reached　the

centre　of　the　cyclone。　I　suggested　that　we　should　try　to　go　on

deck　and　see　what　was　happening。　So　we　started；　only　to　find　the

entrance　to　the　companion　so　faithfully　secured　that　we　could　not

by　any　means　get　out。　We　knocked　and　shouted；　but　no　one

answered。　My　belief　is　that　at　this　time　everyone　on　the　yacht

except　ourselves　had　been　washed　away　and　drowned。



Then　we　returned　to　the　saloon；　which；　except　for　a　little

water　trickling　about　the　floor；　was　marvelously　dry；　and；　being

hungry；　retrieved　some　bits　of　food　and　biscuit　from　its　corners

and　ate。　At　this　moment　the　cyclone　began　to　blow　again　worse

than　ever；　but　it　seemed　to　us；　from　another　direction；　and

before　it　sped　our　poor　derelict　barque。　It　blew　all　day　till　for

my　part　I　grew　utterly　weary　and　even　longed　for　the　inevitable

end。　If　my　views　were　not　quite　those　of　Bastin；　certainly　they

were　not　those　of　Bickley。　I　had　believed　from　my　youth　up　that

the　individuality　of　man；　the　ego；　so　to　speak；　does　not　die　when

life　goes　out　of　his　poor　body；　and　this　faith　did　not　desert　me

then。　Therefore；　I　wished　to　have　it　over　and　learn　what　there

might　be　upon　the　other　side。



We　could　not　speak　much　because　of　the　howling　of　the　wind；　but

Bickley　did　manage　to　shout　to　me　something　to　the　effect　that

his　partners　would；　in　his　opinion；　make　an　end　of　their　great

practice　within　two　years；　which；　he　added；　was　a　pity。　I　nodded

my　head；　not　caring　twopence　what　happened　to　Bickley's　partners

or　their　business；　or　to　my　own　property；　or　to　anything　else。

When　death　is　at　hand　most　of　us　do　not　think　much　of　such　things

because　then　we　realise　how　small　they　are。　Indeed　I　was

wondering　whether　within　a　few　minutes　or　hours　I　should　or

should　not　see　Natalie　again；　and　if　this　were　the　end　to　which

she　had　seemed　to　beckon　me　in　that　dream。



On　we　sped；　and　on。　About　four　in　the　afternoon　we　heard　sounds

from　Bastin's　cabin　which　faintly　reminded　me　of　some　tune。　I

crept　to　the　door　and　listened。　Evidently　he　had　awakened　and　was

singing　or　trying　to　sing；　for　music　was　not　one　of　his　strong

points；　〃For　those　in　peril　on　the　sea。〃　Devoutly　did　I　wish　that

it　might　be　heard。　Presently　it　ceased；　so　I　suppose　he　went　to

sleep　again。



The　darkness　gathered　once　more。　Then　of　a　sudden　something

fearful　happened。　There　were　stupendous　noises　of　a　kind　I　had

never　heard；　there　were　convulsions。　It　seemed　to　us　that　the

ship　was　flung　right　up　into　the　air　a　hundred　feet　or　more。



〃Tidal　wave；　I　expect；〃　shouted　Bickley。



Almost　as　he　spoke　she　came　down　with　the　most　appalling　crash

on　to　something　hard　and　nearly　jarred　the　senses　out　of　us。　Next

the　saloon　was　whirling　round　and　round　and　yet　being　carried

forward；　and　we　felt　air　blowing　upon　us。　Then　our　senses　left

us。　As　I　clasped　Tommy　to　my　side；　whimpering　and　licking　my

face；　my　last　thought　was　that　all　was　over；　and　that　presently　I

should　learn　everything　or　nothing。





I　woke　up　feeling　very　bruised　and　sore　and　perceived　that

light　was　flowing　into　the　saloon。　The　door　was　still　shut；　but

it　had　been　wrenched　off　its　hinges；　and　that　was　where　the　light

came　in；　also　some　of　the　teak　planks　of　the　decking；　jagged　and

splintered；　were　sticking　up　through　the　carpet。　The　table　had

broken　from　its　fastenings　and　lay　upon　its　side。　Everything　else

was　one　confusion。　I　looked　at　Bickley。　Apparently　he　had　not

awakened。　He　was　stretched　out　still　wedged　in　with　his　cushions

and　bleeding　from　a　wound　in　his　head。　I　crept　to　him　in　terror

and　listened。　He　was　not　dead；　for　his　breathing　was　regular　and

natural。　The　whisky　bottle　which　had　been　corked　was　upon　the

floor　unbroken　and　about　a　third　full。　I　took　a　good　pull　at　the

spirit；　to　me　it　tasted　like　nectar　from　the　gods。　Then　I　tried

to　force　some　down　Bickley's　throat　but　could　not；　so　I　poured　a

little　upon　the　cut　on　his　head。　The　smart　of　it　woke　him　in　a

hurry。



〃Where　are　we　now？〃　he　exclaimed。　〃You　don't　mean　to　tell　me

that　Bastin　is　right　after　all　and　that　we　live　again　somewhere

else？　Oh！　I　could　never　bear　that　ignominy。〃



〃I　don't　know　about　living　somewhere　else；〃　I　said；　〃although

my　opinions　on　that　matter　differ　from　yours。　But　I　do　know　that

you　and　I　are　still　on　earth　in　what　remains　of　the　saloon　of　the

Star　of　the　South。〃



〃Thank　God　for　that！　Let's　go　and　look　for　old　Bastin；〃　said

Bickley。　〃I　do　pray　that　he　is　all　right　also。〃



〃It　is　most　illogical　of　you；　Bickley；　and　indeed　wrong；〃

groaned　a　deep　voice　from　the　other　side　of　the　cabin　door；　〃to

thank　a　God　in　Whom　you　do　not　believe；　and　to　talk　of　praying

for　one　of　the　worst　and　most　inefficient　of　His　servants　when

you　have　no　faith　in　prayer。



〃Got　you　there；　my　friend；〃　I　said。



Bickley　murmured　something　about　force　of　habit；　and　looked

smaller　than　I　had　ever　seen　him　do　before。



Somehow　we　forced　that　door　open；　it　was　not　easy　because　it

had　jammed。　Within　the　cabin；　hanging　on　either　side　of　the　bath

towel　which　had　stood　the　strain　nobly；　something　like　a　damp

garment　over　a　linen　line；　was　Bastin　most　of　whose　bunk　seemed

to　have　disappeared。　YesBastin；　pale　and　dishevelled　and

looking　shrunk；　with　his　hair　touzled　and　his　beard　apparently

growing　all　ways；　but　still　Bastin　alive；　if　very　weak。



Bickley　ran　at　him　and　made　a　cursory　examination　with　his

fingers。



〃Nothing　broken；〃　he　said　triumphantly。　〃He's　all　right。〃



〃If　you　ha