登陆注册
4613600000135

第135章 A MOONLESS NIGHT, THICK WITH STARS ABOVE, VERYDARK

Collision. And Captain Anthony went down with her.""You don't say so!" I cried quite affected as if I had known Captain Anthony personally. "Was--was Mrs. Anthony lost too?""You might as well ask if I was lost," Mr. Powell rejoined so testily as to surprise me. "You see me here,--don't you."He was quite huffy, but noticing my wondering stare he smoothed his ruffled plumes. And in a musing tone.

"Yes. Good men go out as if there was no use for them in the world.

It seems as if there were things that, as the Turks say, are written. Or else fate has a try and sometimes misses its mark. You remember that close shave we had of being run down at night, I told you of, my first voyage with them. This go it was just at dawn. Aflat calm and a fog thick enough to slice with a knife. Only there were no explosives on board. I was on deck and I remember the cursed, murderous thing looming up alongside and Captain Anthony (we were both on deck) calling out, "Good God! What's this! Shout for all hands, Powell, to save themselves. There's no dynamite on board now. I am going to get the wife! . . " I yelled, all the watch on deck yelled. Crash!"Mr. Powell gasped at the recollection. "It was a Belgian Green Star liner, the Westland," he went on, "commanded by one of those stop-for-nothing skippers. Flaherty was his name and I hope he will die without absolution. She cut half through the old Ferndale and after the blow there was a silence like death. Next I heard the captain back on deck shouting, "Set your engines slow ahead," and a howl of "Yes, yes," answering him from her forecastle; and then a whole crowd of people up there began making a row in the fog. They were throwing ropes down to us in dozens, I must say. I and the captain fastened one of them under Mrs. Anthony's arms: I remember she had a sort of dim smile on her face.""Haul up carefully," I shouted to the people on the steamer's deck.

"You've got a woman on that line."

The captain saw her landed up there safe. And then we made a rush round our decks to see no one was left behind. As we got back the captain says: "Here she's gone at last, Powell; the dear old thing!

Run down at sea."

"Indeed she is gone," I said. "But it might have been worse. Shin up this rope, sir, for God's sake. I will steady it for you.""What are you thinking about," he says angrily. "It isn't my turn.

Up with you."

These were the last words he ever spoke on earth I suppose. I knew he meant to be the last to leave his ship, so I swarmed up as quick as I could, and those damned lunatics up there grab at me from above, lug me in, drag me along aft through the row and the riot of the silliest excitement I ever did see. Somebody hails from the bridge, "Have you got them all on board?" and a dozen silly asses start yelling all together, "All saved! All saved," and then that accursed Irishman on the bridge, with me roaring No! No! till Ithought my head would burst, rings his engines astern. He rings the engines astern--I fighting like mad to make myself heard! And of course . . . "I saw tears, a shower of them fall down Mr. Powell's face. His voice broke.

"The Ferndale went down like a stone and Captain Anthony went down with her, the finest man's soul that ever left a sailor's body. Iraved like a maniac, like a devil, with a lot of fools crowding round me and asking, "Aren't you the captain?""I wasn't fit to tie the shoe-strings of the man you have drowned,"I screamed at them . . . Well! Well! I could see for myself that it was no good lowering a boat. You couldn't have seen her alongside. No use. And only think, Marlow, it was I who had to go and tell Mrs. Anthony. They had taken her down below somewhere, first-class saloon. I had to go and tell her! That Flaherty, God forgive him, comes to me as white as a sheet, "I think you are the proper person." God forgive him. I wished to die a hundred times.

A lot of kind ladies, passengers, were chattering excitedly around Mrs. Anthony--a real parrot house. The ship's doctor went before me. He whispers right and left and then there falls a sudden hush.

Yes, I wished myself dead. But Mrs. Anthony was a brick.

Here Mr. Powell fairly burst into tears. "No one could help loving Captain Anthony. I leave you to imagine what he was to her. Yet before the week was out it was she who was helping me to pull myself together.""Is Mrs. Anthony in England now?" I asked after a while.

He wiped his eyes without any false shame. "Oh yes." He began to look for matches, and while diving for the box under the table added: "And not very far from here either. That little village up there--you know.""No! Really! Oh I see!"

Mr. Powell smoked austerely, very detached. But I could not let him off like this. The sly beggar. So this was the secret of his passion for sailing about the river, the reason of his fondness for that creek.

"And I suppose," I said, "that you are still as 'enthusiastic' as ever. Eh? If I were you I would just mention my enthusiasm to Mrs.

Anthony. Why not?"

He caught his falling pipe neatly. But if what the French call effarement was ever expressed on a human countenance it was on this occasion, testifying to his modesty, his sensibility and his innocence. He looked afraid of somebody overhearing my audacious--almost sacrilegious hint--as if there had not been a mile and a half of lonely marshland and dykes between us and the nearest human habitation. And then perhaps he remembered the soothing fact for he allowed a gleam to light up his eyes, like the reflection of some inward fire tended in the sanctuary of his heart by a devotion as pure as that of any vestal.

It flashed and went out. He smiled a bashful smile, sighed:

"Pah! Foolishness. You ought to know better," he said, more sad than annoyed. "But I forgot that you never knew Captain Anthony,"he added indulgently.

I reminded him that I knew Mrs. Anthony; even before he--an old friend now--had ever set eyes on her. And as he told me that Mrs.

同类推荐
  • 平胡录

    平胡录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Gaming Table

    The Gaming Table

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 补汉兵志

    补汉兵志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 成唯识论演秘

    成唯识论演秘

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 熙朝快史

    熙朝快史

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 三略

    三略

    顾名思义,《三略》是专讲战略的兵书。其上略、中略、下略都是从战略的高度论述问题,始终贯穿着战略思想。在西汉以前,这样紧紧围绕战略问题的兵法专著还不曾出现。可以说,《三略》是中国古代第一部战略专著,影响极为深远。
  • 腹黑夫君妃倾城

    腹黑夫君妃倾城

    莫名穿越,身份成谜,她以为自己是个小人物,心心念念着报恩,却不想随着彼此身份的揭晓,她与他都身不由己卷入一场场阴谋。深宫诡谲,他宠她入骨,甘愿抛却万里江山,陪她策马江湖。
  • 心灵鸡汤精粹版10

    心灵鸡汤精粹版10

    或许在我们这一代,没有任何一本书能像《少有人走的路》这样,给我们的心灵和精神带来如此巨大的冲击。
  • 女匪的复生相公

    女匪的复生相公

    一只有些呆萌的女死灵法师,很不幸,她穿越到了一个类式于唐朝的土匪窝,还成了土匪“头头”的闺女。这个“头头”有点马大哈,竟然将3个月大的她扔到马背上,差点没让她摔死?!好不容易,能跑能跳,可是为毛的,一根死人骨头对也发现不了呢?呜呜呜……这要怎么让她这个立志成为最伟大的“死灵法师”的人发挥余热啊?死人骨头你在哪?快来让我抱抱、亲亲,我一定会抱着十二分诚心,将你“复活”滴!当然了,复活的目的是为了“干活”。于是,一群被复活的“死人骷髅”被某女娃指使佯,进了某片山,开始开肯荒地,“种田”了!【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 大神,带我上王者

    大神,带我上王者

    白银排位赛里,她偶遇到青铜大神,大神全程不废话,只秀技术,结束后还给她发来好友请求。有大腿不抱白不抱,她立马点了同意。KPL赛上记者采访她:“都说电子竞技没有爱情?你跟傅先生?”“我们可能跟大家玩的不是一个游戏。”【萌贱女主vs斯文男主】【电竞+校园,背景王者荣耀。】【一切剧情都是为了谈恋爱服务,轻松无虐。】
  • 乐园边境

    乐园边境

    尽管只是一出恶作剧罢了,但塞?约翰逊说:作家们最害怕的莫过于被别人忽视。与忽视相比,非难、仇恨和反对都成了幸福的代名词。边境出品,必是珍品;珍爱生命,远离乐园。
  • 让学生勤奋好学的故事

    让学生勤奋好学的故事

    勤奋好学是求知启智的根本途径,也是育人成才的重要条件。本书精选了古今中外勤奋好学的故事,希望能更好地帮助青少年朋友养成勤奋好学的好习惯。用知识来充实自己,武装自己,做一名合格的社会主义事业接班人。
  • 网游之大神姗姗来迟

    网游之大神姗姗来迟

    我爱不爱你是我的事,就像你不喜欢打王者一样。
  • 极品杀手妃

    极品杀手妃

    推荐花花新文《市长的强势老婆》她上官映月,五年痴爱,迎的来却是大婚之日成为弃妃,被利用,被欺凌,被陷害,被丢弃,柔弱如她却毫无还击之力以至于香消玉损。她残阳,身居二十一世纪雇佣兵榜首之位,狂傲嚣张,冷漠无情,铁血强悍,睥睨天下,却死在卧底七年的爱人之手。再醒来,她已成为她。看尽世间百态,如今荣华富贵与她如浮云;渴望平静但不是忍受欺凌。当深宫阴谋再次袭来,她又岂会无动于衷?设陷阱,施毒计,以彼之道还施彼身。完事一招金蝉脱壳,出宫找寻渴望已久的平静生活。殊不知误入江湖,依然是血雨腥风。千帆过尽,是什么样的噬骨之爱,让她毅然的说出:“为你,我愿与整个天下为敌!”世事变迁,是什么样的噬心之恨,让她残酷决绝的说出:“天下人负我,我亦要负尽天下人!”本文【女强】文,女主强大,过程美男多多。但是我们女主很专情的呦!!【永不弃坑!】—————————————————————————————————偶做了个本文的视频,感兴趣的亲亲们可以去看看:&pstyle=1(在这里要特别谢谢友友——流年芬芳)杀手妃的读者群欢迎加入:33325059(敲门砖:文中任意一个角色名)★★★★★★★★★【领养公布】★★★★★★★★★★上官映月——由会员(龙香lx)领养孤星——由会员(风依然)领养风逸凡——由会员(含雪箫)领养华清——由会员(瑶瑶1996522)领养待续......★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★推荐花花最新力作《老婆爱乱来》她不过是偷下懒,在花轿里睡一觉罢了,可是醒来见到的为什么不是王爷夫君,而是一个现代驱魔师?等来的不是新房而是现代客房?驱魔师告诉她,这是现代--那是什么东东?好吧,好吧,她是天才,即使是在这个奇怪的世界,她也可以好好过活,完成她的女侠梦!可是她明明做好事为什么还要被抓?……掀翻了汽车,毁了路灯……算了,算了,那么多规矩,她不做女侠了。那她就躲在家里安分的当个乖乖女吧,可是为什么要让那“玩意”缠上她?还好,还好,有一个帅气的驱魔师为她保驾护航!得!她就跟着他混吧......————精彩赏析————“你干什么了?”男人看着眼前浑身脏兮兮的女人问道。
  • 旅游

    旅游

    这是一座小客运站。几间老旧简陋的红砖平房,墙面上既残留着斑斑驳驳的宣传标语,又粉刷着几条鲜艳夺目的化肥广告。平房前边是一块操场大小的停车场。停车场边上散落着几家饭馆、发廊和食杂店,还有许多就地摆卖山货和药材的村民。厕所就在饭馆后边。小李溜进去,一猫腰躲进最里面的一个蹲坑,左右观察了一下,小心地掏出腰里的盒子。盒子有两块肥皂大小,外面印着“咖啡伴侣”的字样,里面装满了乳白色粉末。当然,他知道自己手里的东西不是伴侣。