hard cash-第36章

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ed　soldier　flattered　her　to　the　nine；　and；　finding　her　sweeten　with　his　treacle；　tried　to　reconcile　her　to　his　old　friend　Dodd。　Straight　she　soured；　and　forbade　the　topic　imperiously。

By　this　time　the　mates　and　midshipmen　of　the　_Agra_　had　fathomed　their　captain。　Mr。　Tickell　delivered　the　mind　of　the　united　midshipmen　when　he　proposed　Dodd's　health　in　their　mess…room；　〃as　a　navigator；　a　mathematician；　a　seaman；　a　gentleman；　and　a　brick；　with　three　times　three。〃

Dodd　never　spoke　to　his　officers　like　a　ruffian；　nor　yet　palavered　them；　but　he　had　a　very　pleasant　way　of　conveying　appreciation　of　an　officer's　zeal；　by　a　knowing　nod　with　a　kindly　smile　on　the　heels　of　it。　As　for　the　men；　they　seldom　came　in　contact　with　the　captain　of　a　well…officered　ship：　this　crew　only　knew　him　at　first　as　a　good…tempered　soul；　who　didn't　bother　about　nothing。　But　one　day；　as　they　lay　becalmed　south　of　the　line；　a　jolly　foretopman　came　on　the　quarter…deck　with　a　fid　of　soup；　and　saluting　and　scraping；　first　to　the　deck；　then　to　the　captain；　asked　him　if　he　would　taste　that。

〃Yes；　my　man。　Smoked！〃

〃Like　　and　blazes；　your　honour；　axing　your　pardon；　and　the　deck's。〃

〃Young　gentleman；〃　said　Dodd　to　Mr。　Meredith；　a　midshipman；　〃be　so　good　as　to　send　the　cook　aft。〃

The　cook　came；　and　received；　not　an　oath　nor　a　threat　but　a　remonstrance；　and　a　grim　warning。

In　the　teeth　of　this　he　burnt　the　soup　horribly　the　very　next　day。　The　crew　sent　the　lucky　foretopman　aft　again。　He　made　his　scrape　and　presented　his　fid。　The　captain　tasted　the　soup；　and　sent　Mr。　Grey　to　bid　the　boatswain's　mate　pipe　the　hands　on　deck　and　bring　the　cook　aft。

〃Quartermaster；　unsling　a　fire…bucket　and　fill　it　from　the　men's　kids：　Mr。　Tickell；　see　the　cook　swallow　his　own　mess。　Bosen's　mate；　take　a　bight　of　the　flying　jib　sheet　stand　over　him；　and　start　him　if　he　dailies　with　it。〃　With　this　the　captain　went　below；　and　the　cook；　supping　at　the　bucket　delivered　himself　as　follows：　〃Well；　ye　lubbers；　it　is　first　rate。　_There's_　no　burn　in　it。　It　goes　down　like　oil。　Curse　your　ladylike　stomachs；　you　ain't　fit　for　a　ship；　why　don't　ye　go　ashore　and　man　a　gingerbread　coach　and　feed　off　French　frogs　and　Italian　baccy…pipe　stems？　（Whack。）　What　the　　is　that　for？〃

_Boatswain's　mate。_　〃Sup　more；　and　jaw　less。〃

〃Well；　I　am　supping　as　fast　as　I　can。　（Whack；　whack。）　Bloody　end　to　ye；　what　are　ye　about？　（Whack；　whack；　whack。）　Oh；　Joe；　Lord　bless　you；　I　_can't_　eat　any　more　of　it。　（Whack。）　I'll　give　you　my　grog　for　a　week　only　to　let　me　fling　the　　stuff　over　the　side。　（Whack；　whack；　whack。）　Oh；　good；　kind；　dear　Mr。　Tickell；　do　go　down　to　the　captain　for　me。〃　（Whack；　whack。）

〃Avast！〃　cried　the　captain；　reappearing；　and　the　uplifted　rope　fell　harmless。

〃Silence；　fore　and　aft！〃

（Pipe。）

〃The　cook　has　received　a　light　punishment　this　time；　for　spoiling　the　men's　mess。　My　crew　shall　eat　nothing　I　can't　eat　myself。　My　care　is　heavier　than　theirs　is；　but　not　my　work；　nor　my　danger　in　time　of　danger。　Mind　that；　or　you'll　find　I　can　be　as　severe　as　any　master　afloat。　Purser。〃

〃Sir。〃

〃Double　the　men's　grog：　they　have　been　cheated　of　their　meal。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir。〃

〃And　stop　the　cook's　and　his　mate's　for　a　week。〃

〃　Ay；　ay；　sir。〃

〃Bosen；　pipe　down。〃

〃Shipmates；　listen　to　me；〃　said　the　foretopman。　〃This　old　_Agra_　is　a　dd　comfortable　ship。〃

The　oracular　sentence　was　hailed　with　a　ringing　cheer。　Still；　it　is　unlucky　the　British　seaman　is　so　enamoured　of　theological　terms；　for　he　constantly　misapplies　them。

After　lying　a　week　like　a　dead　log　on　the　calm　but　heaving　waters；　came　a　few　light　puffs　in　the　upper　air　and　inflated　the　topsails　only：　the　ship　crawled　southward；　the　crew　whistling　for　wind。

At　last；　one　afternoon；　it　began　to　rain；　and　after　the　rain　came　a　gale　from　the　eastward。　The　watchful　skipper　saw　it　purple　the　water　to　windward；　and　ordered　the　topsails　to　be　reefed　and　the　lee　ports　closed。　This　last　order　seemed　an　excess　of　precaution；　but　Dodd　was　not　yet　thoroughly　acquainted　with　his　ship's　qualities：　and　the　hard　cash　round　his　neck　made　him　cautious。　The　lee　ports　were　closed；　all　but　one；　and　that　was　lowered。　Mr。　Grey　was　working　a　problem　in　his　cabin；　and　wanted　a　little　light　and　a　little　air；　so　he　just　drooped　his　port；　but；　not　to　deviate　from　the　spirit　of　his　captain's　instructions；　he　fastened　a　tackle　to　it；　that　he　might　have　mechanical　force　to　close　it　with　should　the　ship　lie　over。

Down　came　the　gale　with　a　whoo；　and　made　all　crack。　The　ship　lay　over　pretty　much；　and　the　sea　poured　in　at　Mr。　Grey's　port。　He　applied　his　purchase　to　close　it。　But　though　his　tackle　gave　him　the　force　of　a　dozen　hands；　he　might　as　well　have　tried　to　move　a　mountain；　on　the　contrary；　the　tremendous　sea　rushed　in　and　burst　the　port　wide　open。　Grey；　after　a　vain　struggle　with　its　might；　shrieked　for　help；　down　tumbled　the　nearest　hands；　and　hauled　on　the　tackle　in　vain。　Destruction　was　rushing　on　the　ship；　and　on　them　first。　But　meantime　the　captain；　with　a　shrewd　guess　at　the　general　nature　of　the　danger　he　could　not　see；　had　roared　out；　〃　Slack　the　main　sheet。〃　The　ship　righted；　and　the　port　came　flying　to；　and　terror…stricken　men　breathed　hard；　up　to　their　waists　in　water　and　floating　boxes。　Grey　barred　the　unlucky　port　and　went　aft；　drenched　in　body；　and　wretched　in　mind；　to　report　his　own　fault。　He　found　the　captain　looking　grim　as　death。　He　told　him；　almost　crying；　what　he　had　done；　and　how　he　had　miscalculated　the　power　of　the　water。

Dodd　looked　and　saw　his　distress。　〃Let　it　be　a　lesson；　sir；〃　said　he；　sternly。　〃How　many　ships　have　been　lost　by　this　in　fair　weather；　and　not　a　man　saved　to　tell　how　the　craft　was　fooled　away？〃

〃Captain；　bid　me　fling　myself　over　the　side；　and　I'll　do　it。〃

〃Hummph！　I'm　afraid　I　can't　afford　to　lose　a　good　officer　for　a　fault　hewillneverrepeat〃

It　blew　hard　all　night　and　till　twelve　the　next　day。　The　_Agra_　showed　her　weak　point：　she　rolled　abominably。　A　dirty　night　came　on。　At　eight　bells　Mr。　Grey；　touched　by　Dodd's　clemency　and　brimful　of　zeal；　reported　a　light　in　Mrs。　Beresford's　cabin。　It　had　been　put　out　as　usual　by　the　master…at…arms；　but　the　refractory　one　had　relighted　it

〃Go　and　take　it　away；〃　said　Dodd。

Soon　screams　were　heard　from　the　cabin。　〃Oh；　mercy！　mercy！　I　will　not　be　drowned　in　the　dark。〃

Dodd；　who　had　kept　clear　of　her　so　long；　went　down　and　tried　to　reassure　her。

〃Oh；　the　tempest！　the　tempest！〃　she　cried。　〃AND　TO　BE　DROWNED　IN　THE　DARK！〃


〃Tempest？　It　is　blowing　half　a　gale　of　wind；　that　is　all。〃

〃Half　a　gale！　Ah！　that　is　the　way　you　always　talk　to　us　ladies。　Oh；　pray　give　me　my　light；　and　send　me　a　clergyman。〃

Dodd　took　pity；　and　let　her　have　her　light；　with　a　midshipman　to　watch　it。　He　even　made　her　a　hypocritical　promise　that　should　there　be　one　grain　of　danger；　he　would　lie　to；　but　said　he　must　not　make　a　foul　wind　of　a　fair　one　for　a　few　lee　lurches。　The　_Agra_　broke　plenty　of　glass　and　crockery　though；　with　her　fair　wind　and　her　lee　lurches。

Wind　down　at　noon　next　day；　and　a　dead　calm。

At　two　P。　M。　the　weather　cleared；　the　sun　came　out　high　in　heaven's　centre；　and　a　balmy　breeze　from　the　west。

At　six　twenty…five；　the　grand　orb　set　calm　and　red；　and　the　sea　was　gorgeous　with　miles　and　miles　of　great　ruby　dimples：　it　was　the　first　glowing　smile　of　southern　latitude。　The　night　stole　on　so　soft；　so　clear；　so　balmy；　all　were　loth　to　chose　their　eyes　on　it：　the　passengers　lingered　long　on　deck；　watching　the　Great　Bear　dip；　and　the　Southern　Cross　rise；　and　overhead　a　whole　heaven　of　glorious　stars　most　of　us　have　never　seen；　and　never　shall　see　in　this　world。　No　belching　smoke　obscured；　no　plunging　paddles　deafened；　all　was　musical；　the　soft　air　sighing　among　the　sails；　the　phosphorescent　water　bubbling　from　the　ship's　bows；　the　murmurs　from　little　knots　of　men　on　deck　subdued　by　the　great　calm：　home　seemed　near；　all　danger　far；　Peace　ruled　the　sea；　the　sky；　the　heart：　the　ship；　making　a　track　of　white　fire　on　the　deep；　glided　gently　yet　swiftly　homeward；　urged　by　snowy　sails　piled　up　like　alabaster　towers　against　a　violet　sky；　out　of　which　looked　a　thousand　eyes　of　holy　tranquil　fire。　So　melted　the　sweet　night　away。


Now　carmine　streak