登陆注册
5241400000037

第37章 CHAPTER XXVIII

MRS. KEAR SUCCUMBS TO FEVER

DECEMBER 6 continued. -- The Chancellor no longer main- tained her equilibrium; we felt that she was gradually going down, and her hull was probably breaking up. The main- top was already only ten feet above water, while the bow- sprit, with the exception of the extreme end, that rose obliquely from the waves, was entirely covered.

The Chancellor's last day, we felt, had come.

Fortunately the raft was all but finished, and unless Curtis preferred to wait till morning, we should be able to embark in the evening.

The raft is a very solid structure. The spars that form the framework are crossed one above another and lashed together with stout ropes, so that the whole pile rises a couple of feet above the water. The upper platform is con- structed from the planks that were broken from the ship's sides by the violence of the waves, and which had not drifted away. The afternoon has been employed in charging the raft with such provisions, sails, tools, and instruments as we have been able to save.

And how can I attempt to give any idea of the feelings with which, one and all, we now contemplated the fate be- fore us? For my own part, I was possessed rather by a benumbed indifference than by any sense of genuine resigna- tion. M. Letourneur was entirely absorbed in his son, who, in his turn, thought only of his father, at the same time exhibiting a Christian fortitude, which was shown by no one else of the party except Miss Herbey, who faced her danger with the same brave composure. Incredible as it may seem, Falsten remained the same as ever, occupying himself with writing down figures and memoranda in his pocketbook.

Mrs. Kear, in spite of all that Miss Herbey could do for her, was evidently dying.

With regard to the sailors, two or three of them were calm enough, but the rest had well-nigh lost their wits.

Some of the more ill-disposed among them seemed inclined to run into excesses; and their conduct, under the bad in- fluence of Owen and Jynxstrop, made it doubtful whether they would submit to control when once we were limited to the narrow dimensions of the raft. Lieutenant Walter, al- though his courage never failed him, was worn out with bodily fatigue, and obliged to give up all active labor; but Curtis and the boatswain were resolute, energetic and firm as ever. To borrow an expression from the language of metallurgic art, they were men "at the highest degree of hardness."

At five o'clock one of our companions in misfortune was released from her sufferings. Mrs. Kear, after a most dis- tressing illness, through which her young companion tended her with the most devoted care, has breathed her last. A few deep sighs and all was over, and I doubt whether the sufferer was ever conscious of the peril of her situation.

The night passed on without further incident. Toward morning I touched the dead woman's hand, and it was cold and stiff. The corpse could not remain any longer on the main-top, and after Miss Herbey and I had carefully wrapped the garments about it, with a few short prayers the body of the first victim of our miseries was committed to the deep.

As the sea closed over the body I heard one of the men in the shrouds say:

"There goes a carcass that we shall be sorry we have thrown away!"

I looked round sharply. It was Owen who had spoken.

But horrible as were his words, the conviction was forced upon my mind that the day could not be far distant when we must want for food.

同类推荐
  • 六十种曲玉合记

    六十种曲玉合记

    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。
  • Stories of Modern French Novels

    Stories of Modern French Novels

    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。
  • 送李山人还玉溪

    送李山人还玉溪

    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。
  • 禅门诸祖师偈颂

    禅门诸祖师偈颂

    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。
  • 金光明经疏

    金光明经疏

    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
  • 在北大听的12堂管理课

    在北大听的12堂管理课

    作为享誉百年的世界名校,北京大学获得了世人的一致赞誉,能够参加北大的课程学习是一件颇有意义的事。1994年,北大光华管理学院正式成立,至今不到20年的时间培养了一大批在管理上独当一面的优秀毕业生。正因如此,学习一下北大的管理课,对很多身在职场的人来说大有裨益。
  • 妻不如妾

    妻不如妾

    苏家满门一夜遭此屠杀,她只觉寒意彻骨,魂破神伤。嫁入扬府为妾,并用美貌与身体周旋于仇人父子之间,让父子反目成仇……杨家妻妾,或恶毒,或刻薄,或腹黑…可是谁又敌得过复仇之切的心机?不过只是清冷一笑,杨府顿时腥风血雨,她说,我要的就是你们杨家永无宁日!待到支离破碎之时,她才发现这一切,不过是一个不能追悔的错误……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 时光,浓淡相宜

    时光,浓淡相宜

    就在10月10日夜间10点,徐陌淇这个传说中的神话竟然开了微博,光这点就已经让所有崇拜男神的女粉丝们抓狂了,更让人惊悚的是,男神的第一条微博就是“只为你而来。”哇!太不可思议了!男神竟然有喜欢的人了!凌晨一点的时候,男神发了第二条微博,微博很简单,“我暗恋你三年了。”男神,你究竟是要干嘛涅?
  • 无限之刺客

    无限之刺客

    狂虻之灾、生化变异物种、丧尸、万兽包围、与波斯军队战斗……一个完全由死亡游戏组成的诡异恐怖的空间……他本是一个极品宅男,却无意中进入到这个空间,为了生存、为了回到现实世界,他必须穿梭于各个恐怖游戏或电影中,面对种种险境他和他的同伴将如何应对……最终,他们是命丧游戏还是重见光明……
  • 儒林外史(下)(中小学生必读丛书)

    儒林外史(下)(中小学生必读丛书)

    本书是清代小说家吴敬梓所作的长篇讽刺小说,以写实主义风格描绘各类人士对于“功名富贵”的不同表现,一方面真实地揭示人性被腐蚀的过程和原因,从而对当时吏治的腐败、科举的弊端、礼教的虚伪等进行了深刻的批判和嘲讽;一方面热情地歌颂了少数人物以坚持自我的方式守护人性,从而寄寓了作者的理想。白话的运用已趋纯熟自如,人物性格的刻画也颇为深入细腻,尤其是采用高超的讽刺手法,使该书成为中国古典讽刺文学的佳作。该书代表着中国古代讽刺小说的高峰,它开创了以小说直接评价现实生活的范例。
  • 请爱我苏小姐

    请爱我苏小姐

    这几年苏曼曼拒绝了不下二十位追求者,这个瘦弱又独立自强的女人几乎被所有人误会成是一个没有七情六欲的工作机器。却不知销售界无人不知大名鼎鼎的苏小姐,心里一直默默守着一个承诺等着一个人。那是高中最清纯的时期欠下的承诺,那段美丽的故事讲述了苏曼曼几人从稚嫩到成长从天真烂漫到面对现实。时间为他们打下成长的烙印,不知不觉间无忧无虑风流倜傥的年纪已成回忆,三十而立的苏曼曼面对老同学的结婚请帖,心中再次萌动……
  • 美景奈何天

    美景奈何天

    契约婚姻,他杯中红酒如血般妖艳。齐太太厉害!祝我们相处愉快。阴差阳错,她芳心暗许却遭晴天霹雳。我原来是齐先生没选择的选择。暖甜都市&商战传奇,高级婚纱设计师的甜宠夺妻之战如此良辰,美景,我们切莫辜负。她是冷感的独身主义者,为了巩固父亲的事业,她嫁了。他是万千女性的梦中情人,为了塑造好男人形象,他娶了。她当他是无话不谈的朋友,他却在心里恨她入骨。所有的冷漠怪癖不过是为了吸引她的注意,所有的贴心关怀只为引她入笼,他设下一个个或乖张或甜蜜的陷阱,都是为了让她爱他。
  • 重活不是重生

    重活不是重生

    树欲静而风不止,子欲养而亲不待!人们常说:“钱不是万能的,没有钱却万万不能!”钱是用来生活的,不需要为了生活考虑钱,生活会发生什么变化?
  • 疗养(中国好小说)

    疗养(中国好小说)

    本文主要描写的是一群搞文艺创作的男女借疗养之际,一边畅谈自己的文学思想和创作之路,一边各自寻找自己的情感的宣泄之处。男主角经过一段时间的接触,喜欢上了一个跟着来的女人。两人的故事发展水到渠成,当然也有旁人的热情相助。
  • 天命神相

    天命神相

    九是数字中最大的,但计算机的源代码为什么却由零和一组成?因为这个世界是从无到有,从一开始的!所以老子曰,道生一,一生二,二生三,三生万物!从我的名字叫姜一的那一刻,我的命运就早已注定!尤其是我十八岁生日那天用祖传的相术给同学看了个相之后,我的世界观彻底的改变了......