hard cash-第57章

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No　sign　of　the　tide　turning　yet；　and　much　reason　to　fear　it　would　turn　too　late　for　them　and　the　poor　fellows　shivering　on　the　bowsprit。

These　fears　were　well　founded。

A　huge　sea　rolled　in；　and　turned　the　forepart　of　the　vessel　half　over；　buried　the　bowsprit；　and　washed　the　men　off　into　the　breakers。

Mrs。　Beresford　sank　down；　and　prayed；　holding　Vespasian　by　the　knee。

Fortunately；　as　in　that　vessel　wrecked　long　syne　on　Melita；　〃the　hind　part　of　the　ship　stuck　fast　and　remained　immovable。〃

But　for　how　long？

Each　wave　now　struck　the　ship's　weather　quarter　with　a　sound　like　a　cannon　fired　in　a　church；　and　sent　the　water　clear　into　the　mizen…top。　It　hit　them　like　strokes　of　a　whip。　They　were　drenched　to　the　skin；　chilled　to　the　bone；　and　frozen　to　the　heart　with　fear。　They　made　acquaintance　that　hour　with　Death。　Ay；　Death　itself　has　no　bitterness　that　forlorn　cluster　did　not　feel：　only　the　insensibility　that　ends　that　bitterness　was　wanting。

Now　the　sea；　you　must　know；　was　literally　strewed　with　things　out　of　the　_Agra_；　masts；　rigging；　furniture；　tea…chests；　bundles　of　canes；　chairs；　tables；　but　of　all　this　jetsam；　Dodd's　eye　had　been　for　some　little　time　fixed　on　one　object：　a　live　sailor　drifting　ashore　on　a　great　wooden　case。　It　struck　him　after　a　while　that　the　man　made　very　little　way；　and　at　last　seemed　to　go　up　and　down　in　one　place。　By…and…bye　he　saw　him　nearer　and　nearer；　and　recognised　him。　It　was　one　of　the　three　washed　off　the　bowsprit。

He　cried　joyfully；　〃The　tide　has　turned！　here's　Thompson　coming　out　to　sea。〃

Then　there　ensued　a　dialogue；　incredible　to　landsmen；　between　these　two　sailors；　the　captain　of　the　ship　and　the　captain　of　the　foretop；　one　perched　on　a　stationary　fragment　of　that　vessel；　the　other　drifting　on　a　pianoforte；　and　both　bawling　at　one　another　across　the　jaws　of　death。

〃Thompson　ahoy！〃

〃Hal…lo！〃

〃Whither　bound？〃

〃Going　out　with　the　tide；　and　be　dd　to　me。〃

〃What；　can't　ye　swim　？〃

〃Like　a　brass　figure…head。　It's　all　over　with　poor　Jack；　sir。〃

〃All　over！　Don't　tell　me！　Look　out　now　as　you　drift　under　our　stern；　and　we'll　lower　you　the　four…inch　hawser。〃

〃Lord　bless　you；　sir；　do；　pray！〃　cried　Thompson；　losing　his　recklessness　with　the　chance　of　life。

By　this　time　the　shore　was　black　with　people；　and　a　boat　was　brought　down　to　the　beach；　but　to　attempt　to　launch　it　was　to　be　sucked　out　to　sea。

At　present　all　eyes　were　fixed　on　Thompson　drifting　to　destruction。

Dodd　cut　the　four…inch　hawser；　and　Vespasian；　on　deck；　lowered　it　with　a　line；　so　that　Thompson　presently　drifted　right　athwart　it。　〃All　right；　sir！〃　said　he；　grasping　it；　and；　amidst　thundering　acclamations；　was　drawn　to　land　full　of　salt　water　and　all　but　insensible。　The　piano　landed　at　Dunkirk　three　weeks　later。

In　the　bustle　of　this　good　and　smart　action　the　tide　retired　perceptibly。

By…and…bye　the　sea　struck　lower　and　with　less　weight。

At　9　P。　M。　Dodd　took　his　little　party　down　on　deck　again；　being　now　the　safest　place；　for　the　mast　might　go。

It　was　a　sad　scene：　the　deck　was　now　dry；　and　the　dead　bodies　lay　quiet　around　them　with　glassy　eyes；　and；　grotesquely　horrible；　the　long　hair　of　two　or　three　was　stiff　and　crystallised　with　the　saltpetre　in　the　ship。

Mrs。　Beresford　clung　to　Vespasian：　she　held　his　bare　black　shoulder　with　one　white　and　jewelled　hand；　and　his　wrist　with　the　other；　tight。　〃Oh；　Mr。　Black；〃　said　she；　〃how　brave　you　are！　It　is　incredible。　Why；　you　came　back！　I　must　feel　a　brave　man　with　both　my　hands　or　I　shall　die。　Your　skin　is　nice　and　soft；　too。　I　shall　never　outlive　this　dreadful　day。〃

And　now　that　the　water　was　too　low　to　wash　them　off　the　hawser；　several　of　the　ship's　company　came　back　to　the　ship　to　help　the　women　down。

By　noon　the　_Agra's_　deck　was　thirty　feet　from　the　sand。　The　rescued　ones　wanted　to　break　their　legs　and　necks；　but　Dodd　would　not　permit　even　that。　He　superintended　the　whole　manoeuvre；　and　lowered；　first　the　dead；　then　the　living；　not　omitting　the　poor　goat；　who　was　motionless　and　limp　with　fright。

When　they　were　all　safe　on　the　sand；　Dodd　stood　alone　upon　the　poop　a　minute；　cheered　by　all　the　sailors；　French　and　English；　ashore；　then　slid　down　a　rope　and　rejoined　his　companions。

To　their　infinite　surprise；　the　undaunted　one　was　found　to　be　snivelling。

〃Oh；　dear！　what　is　the　matter？〃　said　Mrs。　Beresford　tenderly。

〃The　poor　_Agra_；　ma'am！　She　was　such　a　beautiful　sea…boat：　and　just　look　at　her　now！　Never　sail　again：　never！　never！　She　was　a　little　crank　in　beating；　I　can't　deny　it；　but　how　she　did　fly　with　the　wind　abaft。　She　sank　a　pirate　in　the　straits；　and　weathered　a　hurricane　off　the　Mauritius；　and　after　all　for　a　lubber　to　go　and　lay　her　bones　ashore　in　a　fair　wind：　poor　dear　beauty！〃

He　maundered　thus；　and　kept　turning　back　to　look　at　the　wreck；　till　he　happened　to　lay　his　hand　on　his　breast　He　stopped　in　the　middle　of　his　ridiculous　lament　wore　a　look　of　self…reproach；　and　cast　his　eyes　upward　in　heartfelt　gratitude。

The　companions　of　so　many　adventures　dispersed。

A　hospitable　mayoress　entertained　Mrs。　Beresford　and　suite；　and　she　took　to　her　bed；　for　she　fell　seriously　ill　as　soon　as　ever　she　could　do　it　with　impunity。

Colonel　Kenealy　went　off　to　Paris：　〃I'll　gain　that；　any　way；　by　being　wrecked；〃　said　he。

If　there　be　a　lover　of　quadrupeds　here；　let　him　know　that　Billy's　weakness　proved　his　strength。　Being　brandied　by　a　good…natured　French　sailor；　he　winked　his　eye；　being　brandied　greatly；　he　staggered　up　and　butted　his　benefactor　like　a　man。

Fullalove　had　dry　clothes　and　a　blazing　fire　ready　for　Dodd　at　a　little　rude　auberge。　He　sat　over　it　and　dried　a　few　bank…notes。　he　had　loose　about　him；　and　examined　his　greater　treasure；　his　children's。　The　pocket…book　was　much　stained；　but　no　harm　whatever　done　to　the　contents。

In　the　midst　of　this　employment　the　shadow　of　an　enormous　head　was　projected　right　upon　his　treasure。

Turning　with　a　start；　he　saw　a　face　at　the　window：　one　of　those　vile　mugs　which　are　found　to　perfection　amongst　the　_canaille_　of　the　French　nationbloated；　blear…eyed；　grizzly；　and　wild…beast　like。　The　ugly　thing；　on　being　confronted；　passed　slowly　out　of　the　sun；　and　Dodd　thought　no　more　of　it。

The　owner　of　this　sinister　visage　was　Andre　Thibout；　of　whom　it　might　be　said；　like　face　like　life；　for　he　was　one　of　those　ill…omened　creatures　who　feed　upon　the　misfortunes　of　their　kind；　and　stand　on　shore　in　foul　weather　hoping　the　worst；　instead　of　praying　for　the　best：　briefly；　a　wrecker。　He　and　his　comrade；　Jacques　Moinard；　had　heard　the　_Agra's_　gun　fired；　and　came　down　to　batten　on　the　wreck：　but　ho！　at　the　turn　of　the　tide；　there　were　gensdarmes　and　soldiers　lining　the　beach；　and　the　Bayonet　interposed　between　Theft　and　Misfortune。　So　now　the　desperate　pair　were　prowling　about　like　hungry；　baffled　wolves；　curses　on　their　lips　and　rage　at　their　hearts。


Dodd　was　extremely　anxious　to　get　to　Barkington　before　the　news　of　the　wreck；　for　otherwise　he　knew　his　wife　and　children　would　suffer　a　year's　agony　in　a　single　day。　The　only　chance　he　saw　was　to　get　to　Boulogne　in　time　to　catch　the　_Nancy_　sailing　packet；　for　it　was　her　day。　But　then　Boulogne　was　eight　leagues　distant；　and　there　was　no　public　conveyance　going。　Fullalove；　entering　heartily　into　his　feelings；　was　gone　to　look　for　horses　to　hire；　aided　by　the　British　Consul。　The　black　hero　was　upstairs　clearing　out　with　a　pin　two　holes　that　had　fallen　into　decay　for　want　of　use。　These　holes　were　in　his　ears。

And　now；　worn　out　by　anxiety　and　hard　work；　Dodd　began　to　nod　in　his　chair　by　the　fire。

He　had　not　been　long　asleep　when　the　hideous　face　of　Thibout　reappeared　at　the　window　and　watched　him。　Presently　a　low　whistle　was　uttered　outside；　and　soon　the　two　ruffians　entered　the　room；　and；　finding　the　landlady　there　as　well　as　Dodd；　called　for　a　little　glass　apiece　of　absinthe。　While　drinking　it；　they　cast　furtive　glances　towards　Dodd；　and　waited　till　she　should　go　about　her　business；　and　leave　them　alone　with　him。

But　the　good　woman　surmised　their　looks；　and　knowing　the　character　of　the　men；　poured　out　a　cup　of　coffee　from　a　great　metal　reservoir　by　the　fire；　and　waked　Dodd　without　ceremony：　〃Voici　votre　c