登陆注册
5254700000002

第2章 CHAPTER I(2)

On the lower deck in the babel of two hundred voices he would forget himself, and beforehand live in his mind the sea-life of light literature.

He saw himself saving people from sinking ships, cutting away masts in a hurricane, swimming through a surf with a line; or as a lonely castaway, barefooted and half naked, walking on uncovered reefs in search of shellfish to stave off starvation. He confronted savages on tropical shores, quelled mutinies on the high seas, and in a small boat upon the ocean kept up the hearts of despairing men--always an example of devotion to duty, and as unflinching as a hero in a book.

`Something's up. Come along.'

He leaped to his feet. The boys were streaming up the ladders. Above could be heard a great scurrying about and shouting, and when he got through the hatchway he stood still--as if confounded.

It was the dusk of a winter's day. The gale had freshened since noon, stopping the traffic on the river, and now blew with the strength of a hurricane in fitful bursts that boomed like salvoes of great guns firing over the ocean. The rain slanted in sheets that flicked and subsided, and between whiles Jim had threatening glimpses of the tumbling tide, the small craft jumbled and tossing along the shore, the motionless buildings in the driving mist, the broad ferry-boats pitching ponderously at anchor, the vast landing-stages heaving up and down and smothered in sprays. The next gust seemed to blow all this away. The air was full of flying water.

There was a fierce purpose in the gale, a furious earnestness in the screech of the wind, in the brutal tumult of earth and sky, that seemed directed at him, and made him hold his breath in awe. He stood still. It seemed to him he was whirled around.

He was jostled. `Man the cutter!' Boys rushed past him. A coaster running in for shelter had crashed through a schooner at anchor, and one of the ship's instructors had seen the accident. A mob of boys clambered on the rails, clustered round the davits. `Collision. Just ahead of us. Mr. Symons saw it.' A push made him stagger against the mizzen-mast, and he caught hold of a rope. The old training-ship chained to her moorings quivered all over, bowing gently head to wind, and with her scanty rigging humming in a deep bass the breathless song of her youth at sea. `Lower away!' He saw the boat, manned, drop swiftly below the rail, and rushed after her.

He heard a splash. `Let go; clear the falls!' He leaned over. The river alongside seethed in frothy streaks. The cutter could be seen in the falling darkness under the spell of tide and wind, that for a moment held her bound, and tossing abreast of the ship. A yelling voice in her reached him faintly:

`Keep stroke, you young whelps, if you want to save anybody! Keep stroke!'

And suddenly she lifted high her bow, and, leaping with raised oars over a wave, broke the spell cast upon her by the wind and tide.

Jim felt his shoulder gripped firmly. `Too late, youngster.' The captain of the ship laid a restraining hand on that boy, who seemed on the point of leaping overboard, and Jim looked up with the pain of conscious defeat in his eyes. The captain smiled sympathetically. `Better luck next time.

This will teach you to be smart.'

A shrill cheer greeted the cutter. She came dancing back half full of water, and with two exhausted men washing about on her bottom boards. The tumult and the menace of wind and sea now appeared very contemptible to Jim, increasing the regret of his awe at their inefficient menace. Now he knew what to think of it. It seemed to him he cared nothing for the gale. He could affront greater perils. He would do so--better than anybody.

Not a particle of fear was left. Nevertheless he brooded apart that evening while the bowman of the cutter--a boy with a face like a girl's and big grey eyes--was the hero of the lower deck. Eager questioners crowded round him. He narrated: `I just saw his head bobbing, and I dashed my boat-hook in the water. It caught in his breeches and I nearly went overboard, as I thought I would, only old Symons let go the tiller and grabbed my legs--the boat nearly swamped. Old Symons is a fine old chap. I don't mind a bit him being grumpy with us. He swore at me all the time he held my leg, but that was only his way of telling me to stick to the boat-hook. Old Symons is awfully excitable--isn't he? No--not the little fair chap--the other, the big one with a beard. When we pulled him in he groaned, `Oh, my leg! oh, my leg!' and turned up his eyes. Fancy such a big chap fainting like a girl. Would any of you fellows faint for a jab with a boat-hook?--I wouldn't.

It went into his leg so far.' He showed the boat-hook, which he had carried below for the purpose, and produced a sensation. `No, silly! It was not his flesh that held him--his breeches did. Lots of blood, of course.'

Jim thought it a pitiful display of vanity. The gale had ministered to a heroism as spurious as its own pretence of terror. He felt angry with the brutal tumult of earth and sky for taking him unawares and checking unfairly a generous readiness for narrow escapes. Otherwise he was rather glad he had not gone into the cutter, since a lower achievement had served the turn. He had enlarged his knowledge more than those who had done the work. When all men flinched, then--he felt sure--he alone would know how to deal with the spurious menace of wind and seas. He knew what to think of it. Seen dispassionately, it seemed contemptible. He could detect no trace of emotion in himself, and the final effect of a staggering event was that, unnoticed and apart from the noisy crowd of boys, he exulted with fresh certitude in his avidity for adventure, and in a sense of many-sided courage.

同类推荐
  • 酒食

    酒食

    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。
  • 鼓琴训论

    鼓琴训论

    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。
  • 佛说蚁喻经

    佛说蚁喻经

    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。
  • 方广大庄严经

    方广大庄严经

    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。
  • 佛说尊上经

    佛说尊上经

    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
  • 驭兽王妃可定国

    驭兽王妃可定国

    他逃婚,被人追杀,逃进了密林,她一个初级驭兽师,刚出山就误跌入山崖,他和她好的坏的都一起经历了,她保护了着他,两人火花四溅。他讽刺的说:“一个女人连饭都不会做,你还不如在这棵歪脖子树上吊死呢。”她火冒三丈,一脚差一点要了他的小命。报复还是爱上了他,沉默片刻,她不得不承认,她真的爱上了这个闲人王爷。人人都羡慕的皇后位置,不知烧了几辈子高香,她却不想要。这是一个恨生爱,危机四伏,最后终于修成宠婚的故事。
  • 重生之贵女王妃

    重生之贵女王妃

    上一世,周若水被亲人陷害致死,而灵魂却不消散飘荡在上空。周若水亲眼见到自己死后,母亲与哥哥惨死,姨娘扶正,庶妹与自己的未婚夫早已暗度陈仓,嫁入侯门。这一世,周若水不再与人为善,为保母亲与哥哥平安化身厉鬼,让上一世欠自己的全部讨回来!--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 渖馆录

    渖馆录

    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。
  • 步步惊心之后宫

    步步惊心之后宫

    她媚眼如丝的望着他,那糯软的声音诱惑着他.自从私奔被抓回,情郎被殴打差点致死之后,她的心冷了.就因为皇上要选秀,非得把她逼进入那弱肉强食的后宫,为了生存,为了复仇,她只得步步为营,处处筹谋,千方百计留住皇上的心,荣宠不断.女人之间的斗争,永远是最残酷的斗争,看后宫红墙里的女人,如何从小小的常在一步一步登上后宫权力的最高点。如何步步为营,步步惊心,处处筹谋,尔虞我诈,后宫这场没有硝烟的战争,到底谁才是最后的赢家?
  • 释门章服仪应法记

    释门章服仪应法记

    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。
  • 从草根到大佬

    从草根到大佬

    一次次失业,让草根小民穷困潦倒,谁想祸不单行,遇恶霸,讹家财,妻离子散远走他乡。小燕雀亦有鸿鹄之志!十年河东,十年河西,草根变大佬,王者归来...
  • 苏联模式与中国特色社会主义

    苏联模式与中国特色社会主义

    纵览现代世界大国之兴衰,一个大国要振兴,非有自己的兴邦之道不可。英、法、美走的是自由市场经济之路,德、日走的是民族利益至上的国家资本主义之路,苏联走的是社会主义的政府全面管理经济之路。这些国家都沿着自己的发展道路,实现了国家和民族的崛起,成为世界强国。中国的崛起,必然也要探索形成符合本国实际的发展道路。
  • 是谁负了谁的青春

    是谁负了谁的青春

    刚刚分手的苏雁漫无目的在大街上游荡,又碰倒喝成“酒鬼”的陆彦,鬼使神差的就做了陆雁的女朋友,爱情接憧而来,但是婚姻依然渺茫。直到在酒吧里碰到了沈奇,一个没有彼此青春回忆,淡淡的波澜不惊的两个人,却最终走进婚姻的殿堂,女人最后想要的就是结婚这件小事儿。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 新收一切藏经音义

    新收一切藏经音义

    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。
  • Fake Mustache