the heir of redclyffe-第87章

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Markham　seemed　to　derive　some　relief　from　railing　at　the　fishermen；　

singly　and　collectively；　while　Mr。　Ashford　tried　to　learn　the　real　

facts；　and　gather　opinions　as　to　the　chance　of　safety。　　The　old　

fishermen　held　that　there　was　frightful　risk；　though　the　attempt　was　

far　from　hopeless；　they　said　the　young　men　were　all　good　at　their　oars；　

Sir　Guy　knew　the　rocks　very　well；　and　the　chief　fear　was；　that　he　might　

not　know　how　to　steer　in　such　a　sea；　but　they　had　seen　that；　though　

daring；　he　was　not　rash。　　They　listened　submissively　to　Mr。　Markham；　

but　communicated　in　an　under…tone　to　the　vicar；　how　vain　it　would　have　

been　to　attempt　to　restrain　Sir　Guy。



'Why；　sir；'　said　old　James　Robinson；　'he　spoke　just　like　the　captain　of　

a　man…of…war；　and　for　all　Mr。　Markham　says；　I　don't　believe　he'd　have　

been　able　to　gainsay　him。'



'Your　son　is　gone　with　him？'



'Ay；　sir；　and　I　would　not　say　one　word　to　stop　him。　　I　know　Sir　Guy　

won't　run　him　into　risk　for　nothing；　and　I　hope；　please　God；　if　Ben　

comes　back　safe；　it　may　be　the　steadying　of　him。'



''Twas　he　that　volunteered　to　go　before　Sir　Guy　came；　they　say？'



'Yes；　sir；'　said　the　old　man；　with　a　pleased　yet　melancholy　look。　　

'Ben's　brave　enough；　but　there's　the　difference。　　He'd　have　done　it　for　

the　lark；　and　to　dare　the　rest；　but　Sir　Guy　does　it　with　thought；　and　

because　it　is　right。　　I　wish　it　may　be　the　steadying　of　Ben！'



The　shower　rushed　over　them　again；　shorter　and　less　violent　than　the　

former　one；　but　driving　in　most　of　the　crowd；　and　only　leaving　on　the　

quay　the　vicar；　the　steward；　and　a　few　of　the　most　anxious　fishermen。　　

They　could　see　nothing；　for　the　dark　slanting　line　of　rain　swept　over　

the　waves；　joining　together　the　sea　and　thick　low　cloud；　and　the　

roaring　of　the　sea　and　moaning　of　the　wind　were　fearful。　　No　one　spoke；　

till　at　last　the　black　edges　of　the　Shag　loomed　clearer；　the　moon　began　

to　glance　through　the　skirts　of　the　cloud；　and　the　heaving　and　tossing　

of　the　sea；　became　more　discernible。



'There！there！'　shouted　young　Jem；　the　widow's　son。



'The　boats？'



'One！'



'Where？where？for　heaven's　sake！　　That's　nothing！'　cried　Markham。



'Yesyes！　　I　see　both；'　said　Jem。　　'The　glass！　　Where's　Mr；　Brown's　

glass！'



Markham　was　trying　to　fix　his　own；　but　neither　hand　nor　eye　were　steady　

enough；　he　muttered；'Hang　the　glass！'　and　paced　up　and　down　in　

uncontrollable　anxiety。　　Mr。　Ashford　turned　with　him；　trying　to　speak　

consolingly；　and　entirely　liking　the　old　man。　　Markham　was　not　

ungrateful；　but　he　was　almost　in　despair。



'It　is　the　same　over　again！'　said　he。　　'He　is　the　age　his　father　was；　

though　Mr。　Morville　never　was　such　as　heneverhow　should　he？　　He　is　

the　last　of　themthe　besthe　would　have　beenhe　was。　　Would　to　

heaven　I　were　with　him；　that；　if　he　is　lost；　we　might　all　go　together。'



'There；　sir；'　called　Jem；　who；　being　forbidden　to　do　anything　but　

watch；　did　so　earnestly；　'they　be　as　far　now　as　opposite　West　Cove。　　

Don't　you　see　them；　in　that　light　place？'



The　moon　had　by　this　time　gone　down；　but　the　first　great　light　of　dawn　

was　beginning　to　fall　on　the　tall　Shag；　and　show　its　fissures　and　dark　

shades；　instead　of　leaving　it　one　hard；　unbroken　mass。　　Now　and　then　

Jem　thought　he　saw　the　boats；　but　never　so　distinctly　as　to　convince　

the　watchers　that　they　had　not　been　swamped　among　the　huge　waves　that　

tumbled　and　foamed　in　that　dangerous　tract。



Mr。　Ashford　had　borrowed　Markham's　telescope；　and　was　looking　towards　

the　rock；　where　the　shipwrecked　crew　had　taken　refuge。



'There　is　some　one　out　of　the　boat；　climbing　on　the　rocks。　　Can　you　

make　him　out；　Jem？'



'I　seeI　see；'　said　Mr。　Brown；　'there　are　two　of　them。　　They　are　

climbing　along　the　lee…side　of　the　long　ridge　of　rocks。'



'Ay；　ay；'　said　old　Ledbury；　'they　can't　get　in　a　boat　close　to　the　flat　

rocks；　they　must　take　out　a　line。　　Bold　fellows！'



'Where　are　the　boats？'　asked　Mr。　Ashford。



'I　can　tell　that；'　said　Ledbury；　'they　must　have　got　under　the　lee　of　

the　lesser　Shag。　　There's　a　ring　there　that　Sir　Guy　had　put　in　to　moor　

his　boat　to。　　They'll　be　made　fast　there；　and　those　two　must　be　taking　

the　rope　along　that　ledge；　so　as　for　the　poor　fellows　on　the　rock　to　

have　a　hold　of；　as　they　creep　along　to　where　the　boats　are。'



'Those　broken　rocks！'　said　Mr。　Ashford。　　'Can　there　be　a　footing；　and　

in　such　a　sea？'



'Can　you　give　a　guess　who　they　be；　sir？'　asked　Robinson；　earnestly。　　

'If　you'd　only　let　Jem　have　a　look；　maybe　he　could　guess。'



Markham's　glass　was　at　his　service。



'Hullo！　what　a　sea！　　I　see　them　now。　　That's　Ben　going　lastI　know　his　

red　cap。　　And　the　firstwhy；　'tis　Sir　Guy　himself！'



'Don't　be　such　a　fool；　Jem'　cried　Markham；　angrily。　　'Sir　Guy　knows　

better。　　Give　me　the　glass。'



But　when　it　was　restored；　Markham　went　on　spying　in　silence；　while　

Brown；　keeping　fast　possession　of　his　own　telescope；　communicated　his　

observations。



'Ay；　I　see　them。　　Where　are　they？　　He's　climbing　now。　　There's　a　

breaker　just　there；　will　wash　them　off；　as　sure　as　they're　alive！　　I　

don't　see　'em。　　Yes；　I　dothere's　Redcap！　　There's　something　stirring　

on　the　rock！'



So　they　watched　till；　after　an　interval；　in　which　the　boats　disappeared　

behind　the　rocks；　they　were　seen　advancing　over　the　waters　againone

yesboth；　and　loaded。　　They　came　fast；　they　were　in　sight　of　all；　

growing　larger　each　moment；　mounting　on　the　crest　of　the　huge　rolling　

waves；　then　plunged　in　the　trough　so　long　as　to　seem　as　if　they　were　

lost；　then　risingrising　high　as　mountains。　　Over　the　roaring　waters　

came　at　length　the　sound　of　voices；　a　cheer；　pitched　in　a　different　key　

from　the　thunder　of　wind　and　wave；　they　almost　fancied　they　knew　the　

voice　that　led　the　shout。　　Such　a　cheer　as　rose　in　answer；　from　all　the　

Redclyffe　villagers；　densely　crowded　on　quay；　and　beach；　and　every　

corner　of　standing　ground！



The　sun　was　just　up；　his　beams　gilded　the　crests　of　the　leaping　waves；　

and　the　spray　danced　up；　white　and　gay；　round　the　tall　rocks；　whose　

shadow　was　reflected　in　deep　green；　broken　by　the　ever…moving　swell。　　

The　Shag　and　its　attendant　rocks；　and　the　broken　vessel；　were　bathed　in　

the　clear　morning　light；　the　sky　was　of　a　beautiful　blue；　with　

magnificent　masses　of　dark　cloud；　the　edges；　where　touched　by　the　

sunbeams；　of　a　pearly　white；　and　across　the　bay；　tracing　behind　them　

glittering　streams　of　light；　came　up　the　two　boats　with　their　freight　

of　rescued　lives。　　Martin's　boat　was　the　first　to　touch　the　landing…

place。



'All　saved；'　he　said；　'all　owing　to　him；'　pointing　back　to　Sir　Guy。



There　was　no　time　for　questions；　the　wan；　drenched　sailors　had　to　be　

helped　on　shore；　and　the　boat　hauled　up　out　of　the　way。　　In　the　

meantime；　Guy；　as　he　steered　in　past　the　quay；　smiled　and　nodded　to　Mr。　

Ashford　and　Markham；　and　renewed　the　call；　'All　safe！'　　Mr。　Ashford　

thought　that　he　had　never　seen　anything　brighter　than　his　facethe　

eyes　radiant　in　the　morning　sun；　the　damp　hair　hanging　round　it；　and　

life；　energy；　and　promptitude　in　every　feature　and　movement。



The　boat　came　in；　the　sailors　were　assisted　out；　partly　by　their　

rescuers；　partly　by　the　spectators。　　Guy　stood　up；　and；　with　one　foot　

on　the　seat；　supported　on　his　knee　and　against　his　arm　a　little　boy；　

round　whom　his　great…coat　was　wrapped。



'Here；　Jem！'　he　shouted；　to　his　rejected　volunteer；　who　had　been　very　

active　in　bringing　in　the　boat；　'here's　something　for　you　to　do。　　This　

poor　little　fellow　has　got　a　broken　arm。　　Will　you　ask　your　mother　to　

take　him　in？　　She's　the　best　nurse　in　the　parish。　　And　send　up　for　Mr。　

Gregson。'



Jem　received　the　boy　as　tenderly　as　he　was　given；　and；　with　one　bound；　

Guy　was　by　the　side　of　his　two　friends。　　Mr。　Ashford　shook　hands　with　

heartfelt　gratulation；　Markham　exclaimed；



'There；　Sir　Guy；　after　the　old　fashion！　　Never　was　man　so　mad　in　t