south sea tales(南海传说)-第3章
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fathoms wide。 It was the height of the diving season； and from all the
islands around； even as far as Tahiti； the natives had gathered。
〃There are twelve hundred men； women； and children here；〃 said
Captain Lynch。 〃I wonder how many will be here tomorrow morning。〃
〃But why don't it blow？that's what I want to know；〃 Raoul
demanded。
〃Don't worry； young man； don't worry； you'll get your troubles fast
enough。〃
Even as Captain Lynch spoke； a great watery mass smote the atoll。
The sea water churned about them three inches deep under the chairs。
A low wail of fear went up from the many women。 The children； with
clasped hands； stared at the immense rollers and cried piteously。 Chickens
and cats； wading perturbedly in the water； as by common consent； with
flight and scramble took refuge on the roof of the captain's house。 A
Paumotan； with a litter of new…born puppies in a basket； climbed into a
cocoanut tree and twenty feet above the ground made the basket fast。 The
mother floundered about in the water beneath； whining and yelping。
And still the sun shone brightly and the dead calm continued。 They
sat and watched the seas and the insane pitching of the Aorai。 Captain
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Lynch gazed at the huge mountains of water sweeping in until he could
gaze no more。 He covered his face with his hands to shut out the sight；
then went into the house。
〃Twenty…eight…sixty；〃 he said quietly when he returned。
In his arm was a coil of small rope。 He cut it into two…fathom lengths；
giving one to Raoul and； retaining one for himself； distributed the
remainder among the women with the advice to pick out a tree and climb。
A light air began to blow out of the northeast； and the fan of it on his
cheek seemed to cheer Raoul up。 He could see the Aorai trimming her
sheets and heading off shore； and he regretted that he was not on her。 She
would get away at any rate； but as for the atollA sea breached across；
almost sweeping him off his feet； and he selected a tree。 Then he
remembered the barometer and ran back to the house。 He encountered
Captain Lynch on the same errand and together they went in。
〃Twenty…eight…twenty；〃 said the old mariner。 〃It's going to be fair hell
around herewhat was that？〃
The air seemed filled with the rush of something。 The house quivered
and vibrated； and they heard the thrumming of a mighty note of sound。
The windows rattled。 Two panes crashed； a draught of wind tore in；
striking them and making them stagger。 The door opposite banged shut；
shattering the latch。 The white door knob crumbled in fragments to the
floor。 The room's walls bulged like a gas balloon in the process of sudden
inflation。 Then came a new sound like the rattle of musketry； as the
spray from a sea struck the wall of the house。 Captain Lyncyh looked at
his watch。 It was four o'clock。 He put on a coat of pilot cloth； unhooked
the barometer； and stowed it away in a capacious pocket。 Again a sea
struck the house； with a heavy thud； and the light building tilted； twisted；
quarter around on its foundation； and sank down； its floor at an angle of
ten degrees。
Raoul went out first。 The wind caught him and whirled him away。
He noted that it had hauled around to the east。 With a great effort he threw
himself on the sand； crouching and holding his own。 Captain Lynch；
driven like a wisp of straw； sprawled over him。 Two of the Aorai'S sailors；
leaving a cocoanut tree to which they had been clinging； came to their aid；
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leaning against the wind at impossible angles and fighting and clawing
every inch of the way。
The old man's joints were stiff and he could not climb； so the sailors；
by means of short ends of rope tied together； hoisted him up the trunk； a
few feet at a time； till they could make him fast； at the top of the tree； fifty
feet from the ground。 Raoul passed his length of rope around the base of
an adjacent tree and stood looking on。 The wind was frightful。 He had
never dreamed it could blow so hard。 A sea breached across the atoll；
wetting him to the knees ere it subsided into the lagoon。 The sun had
disappeared； and a lead…colored twilight settled down。 A few drops of rain；
driving horizontally； struck him。 The impact was like that of leaden pellets。
A splash of salt spray struck his face。 It was like the slap of a man's hand。
His cheeks stung； and involuntary tears of pain were in his smarting eyes。
Several hundred natives had taken to the trees； and he could have laughed
at the bunches of human fruit clustering in the tops。 Then； being Tahitian…
born； he doubled his body at the waist； clasped the trunk of his tree with
his hands； pressed the soles of his feet against the near surface of the trunk；
and began to walk up the tree。 At the top he found two women； two
children； and a man。 One little girl clasped a housecat in her arms。
From his eyrie he waved his hand to Captain Lynch； and that doughty
patriarch waved back。 Raoul was appalled at the sky。 It had approached
much nearerin fact； it seemed just over his head； and it had turned from
lead to black。 Many people were still on the ground grouped about the
bases of the trees and holding on。 Several such clusters were praying； and
in one the Mormon missionary was exhorting。 A weird sound； rhythmical；
faint as the faintest chirp of a far cricket； enduring but for a moment； but
in the moment suggesting to him vaguely the thought of heaven and
celestial music； came to his ear。 He glanced about him and saw； at the base
of another tree； a large cluster of people holding on by ropes and by one
another。 He could see their faces working and their lips moving in unison。
No sound came to him； but he knew that they were singing hymns。
Still the wind continued to blow harder。 By no conscious process could
he measure it； for it had long since passed beyond all his experience of
wind； but he knew somehow； nevertheless； that it was blowing harder。 Not
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far away a tree was uprooted； flinging its load of human beings to the
ground。 A sea washed across the strip of sand； and they were gone。 Things
were happening quickly。 He saw a brown shoulder and a black head
silhouetted against the churning white of the lagoon。 The next instant that；
too； had vanished。 Other trees were going； falling and criss…crossing like
matches。 He was amazed at the power of the wind。 His own tree was
swaying perilously； one woman was wailing and clutching the little girl；
who in turn still hung on to the cat。
The man； holding the other child； touched Raoul's arm and pointed。 He
looked and saw the Mormon church careering drunkenly a hundred feet
away。 It had been torn from its foundations； and wind and sea were
heaving and shoving it toward the lagoon。 A frightful wall of water caught
it； tilted it； and flung it against half a dozen cocoanut trees。 The bunches of
human fruit fell like ripe cocoanuts。 The subsiding wave showed them on
the ground； some lying motionless； others squirming and writhing。 They
reminded him strangely of ants。 He was not shocked。 He had risen above
horror。 Quite as a matter of course he noted the succeeding wave sweep
the sand clean of the human wreckage。 A third wave； more colossal than
any he had yet seen； hurled the church into the lagoon； where it floated off
into the obscurity to leeward； half…submerged； reminding him for all the
world of a Noah's ark。
He looked for Captain Lynch's house； and was surprised to find it gone。
Things certainly were happening quickly。 He noticed that many of the
people in the trees that still held had descended to the ground。 The wind
had yet again increased。 His own tree showed that。 It no longer swayed or
bent over and back。 Instead； it remained practically stationary； curved in
a rigid angle from the wind and merely vibrating。 But the vibration was
sickening。 It was like that of a tuning…fork or the tongue of a jew's…harp。 It
was the rapidity of the vibration that made it so bad。 Even though its roots
held； it could not stand the strain for long。 Something would have to break。
Ah； there was one that had gone。 He had not seen it go； but there it
stood； the remnant； broken off half…way up the trunk。 One did not know
what happened unless he saw it。 The mere crashing of trees and wails of
human despair occupied no place in that mighty volume of sound。 He
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chanced to be looking in Captain Lynch's direction when it happened。 He
saw the trunk of the tree； half…way up； splinter and part without noise。 The
head of the tree； with three sailors of the Aorai and the old captain sailed
off over the lagoon。 It did not fall to the ground； but drove through the air
like a piece of chaff。 For a hundred yards he followed its flight； when it
struck the water。 He strained his eyes； and was sure that he saw Captain
Lynch wave farewell。
Raoul did not wait for anything more。 He touched the native and made
signs to descend to the ground。 The man was willing； but his women were
paralayzed from terror； and he elected to remain with them。 Raoul passed
his rope around the tree and slid down。 A rush of salt water went over his
head。 He held his breath and clung desperately to the rope。 The water
subsided； and in the shelter of the trunk he breathed once more。 He
fastened
