the jacket (the star-rover)-第44章

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moist　and　frosty　blue　eyes　was　a　wealth　of　acknowledgment　I　could

not　misread。



I　did　not；　I　could　not；　deem　it　a　crime；　having　so　determined　by

fair　drawing　of　lots；　that　Captain　Nicholl　and　myself　should　profit

by　the　death　of　Arnold　Bentham。　　I　could　not　believe　that　the　love

of　life　that　actuated　us　had　been　implanted　in　our　breasts　by　aught

other　than　God。　　It　was　God's　will；　and　we　His　poor　creatures　could

only　obey　and　fulfil　His　will。　　And　yet；　God　was　kind。　　In　His　all…

kindness　He　saved　us　from　so　terrible；　though　so　righteous；　an　act。



Scarce　had　a　quarter　of　an　hour　passed；　when　a　fan　of　air　from　the

west；　with　a　hint　of　frost　and　damp　in　it；　crisped　on　our　cheeks。

In　another　five　minutes　we　had　steerage　from　the　filled　sail；　and

Arnold　Bentham　was　at　the　steering　sweep。



〃Save　what　little　strength　you　have；〃　he　had　said。　　〃Let　me　consume

the　little　strength　left　in　me　in　order　that　it　may　increase　your

chance　to　survive。〃



And　so　he　steered　to　a　freshening　breeze；　while　Captain　Nicholl　and

I　lay　sprawled　in　the　boat's　bottom　and　in　our　weakness　dreamed

dreams　and　glimpsed　visions　of　the　dear　things　of　life　far　across

the　world　from　us。



It　was　an　ever…freshening　breeze　of　wind　that　soon　began　to　puff　and

gust。　　The　cloud　stuff　flying　across　the　sky　foretold　us　of　a　gale。

By　midday　Arnold　Bentham　fainted　at　the　steering；　and；　ere　the　boat

could　broach　in　the　tidy　sea　already　running；　Captain　Nicholl　and　I

were　at　the　steering　sweep　with　all　the　four　of　our　weak　hands　upon

it。　　We　came　to　an　agreement；　and；　just　as　Captain　Nicholl　had　drawn

the　first　lot　by　virtue　of　his　office；　so　now　he　took　the　first

spell　at　steering。　　Thereafter　the　three　of　us　spelled　one　another

every　fifteen　minutes。　　We　were　very　weak　and　we　could　not　spell

longer　at　a　time。



By　mid…afternoon　a　dangerous　sea　was　running。　　We　should　have

rounded　the　boat　to；　had　our　situation　not　been　so　desperate；　and

let　her　drift　bow…on　to　a　sea…anchor　extemporized　of　our　mast　and

sail。　　Had　we　broached　in　those　great；　over…topping　seas；　the　boat

would　have　been　rolled　over　and　over。



Time　and　again；　that　afternoon；　Arnold　Bentham；　for　our　sakes；

begged　that　we　come　to　a　sea…anchor。　　He　knew　that　we　continued　to

run　only　in　the　hope　that　the　decree　of　the　lots　might　not　have　to

be　carried　out。　　He　was　a　noble　man。　　So　was　Captain　Nicholl　noble；

whose　frosty　eyes　had　wizened　to　points　of　steel。　　And　in　such　noble

company　how　could　I　be　less　noble？　　I　thanked　God　repeatedly；

through　that　long　afternoon　of　peril；　for　the　privilege　of　having

known　two　such　men。　　God　and　the　right　dwelt　in　them　and　no　matter

what　my　poor　fate　might　be；　I　could　but　feel　well　recompensed　by

such　companionship。　　Like　them　I　did　not　want　to　die；　yet　was

unafraid　to　die。　　The　quick；　early　doubt　I　had　had　of　these　two　men

was　long　since　dissipated。　　Hard　the　school；　and　hard　the　men；　but

they　were　noble　men；　God's　own　men。



I　saw　it　first。　　Arnold　Bentham；　his　own　death　accepted；　and　Captain

Nicholl；　well　nigh　accepting　death；　lay　rolling　like　loose…bodied

dead　men　in　the　boat's　bottom；　and　I　was　steering　when　I　saw　it。

The　boat；　foaming　and　surging　with　the　swiftness　of　wind　in　its

sail；　was　uplifted　on　a　crest；　when；　close　before　me；　I　saw　the　sea…

battered　islet　of　rock。　　It　was　not　half　a　mile　off。　　I　cried　out；

so　that　the　other　two；　kneeling　and　reeling　and　clutching　for

support；　were　peering　and　staring　at　what　I　saw。



〃Straight　for　it；　Daniel；〃　Captain　Nicholl　mumbled　command。　　〃There

may　be　a　cove。　　There　may　be　a　cove。　　It　is　our　only　chance。〃



Once　again　he　spoke；　when　we　were　atop　that　dreadful　lee　shore　with

no　cove　existent。



〃Straight　for　it；　Daniel。　　If　we　go　clear　we　are　too　weak　ever　to

win　back　against　sea　and　wind。〃



He　was　right。　　I　obeyed。　　He　drew　his　watch　and　looked；　and　I　asked

the　time。　　It　was　five　o'clock。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand　to　Arnold

Bentham；　who　met　and　shook　it　weakly；　and　both　gazed　at　me；　in　their

eyes　extending　that　same　hand…clasp。　　It　was　farewell；　I　knew；　for

what　chance　had　creatures　so　feeble　as　we　to　win　alive　over　those

surf…battered　rocks　to　the　higher　rocks　beyond？



Twenty　feet　from　shore　the　boat　was　snatched　out　of　my　control。　　In

a　trice　it　was　overturned　and　I　was　strangling　in　the　salt。　　I　never

saw　my　companions　again。　　By　good　fortune　I　was　buoyed　by　the

steering…oar　I　still　grasped；　and　by　great　good　fortune　a　fling　of

sea；　at　the　right　instant；　at　the　right　spot；　threw　me　far　up　the

gentle　slope　of　the　one　shelving　rock　on　all　that　terrible　shore。　　I

was　not　hurt。　　I　was　not　bruised。　　And　with　brain　reeling　from

weakness　I　was　able　to　crawl　and　scramble　farther　up　beyond　the

clutching　backwash　of　the　sea。



I　stood　upright；　knowing　myself　saved；　and　thanking　God；　and

staggering　as　I　stood。　　Already　the　boat　was　pounded　to　a　thousand

fragments。　　And　though　I　saw　them　not；　I　could　guess　how　grievously

had　been　pounded　the　bodies　of　Captain　Nicholl　and　Arnold　Bentham。

I　saw　an　oar　on　the　edge　of　the　foam；　and　at　certain　risk　I　drew　it

clear。　　Then　I　fell　to　my　knees；　knowing　myself　fainting。　　And　yet；

ere　I　fainted；　with　a　sailor's　instinct　I　dragged　my　body　on　and　up

among　the　cruel　hurting　rocks　to　faint　finally　beyond　the　reach　of

the　sea。



I　was　near　a　dead　man　myself；　that　night；　mostly　in　stupor；　only

dimly　aware　at　times　of　the　extremity　of　cold　and　wet　that　I

endured。　　Morning　brought　me　astonishment　and　terror。　　No　plant；　not

a　blade　of　grass；　grew　on　that　wretched　projection　of　rock　from　the

ocean's　bottom。　　A　quarter　of　a　mile　in　width　and　a　half　mile　in

length；　it　was　no　more　than　a　heap　of　rocks。　　Naught　could　I

discover　to　gratify　the　cravings　of　exhausted　nature。　　I　was

consumed　with　thirst；　yet　was　there　no　fresh　water。　　In　vain　I

tasted　to　my　mouth's　undoing　every　cavity　and　depression　in　the

rocks。　　The　spray　of　the　gale　so　completely　had　enveloped　every

portion　of　the　island　that　every　depression　was　filled　with　water

salt　as　the　sea。



Of　the　boat　remained　nothingnot　even　a　splinter　to　show　that　a

boat　had　been。　　I　stood　possessed　of　my　garments；　a　stout　knife；　and

the　one　oar　I　had　saved。　　The　gale　had　abated；　and　all　that　day；

staggering　and　falling；　crawling　till　hands　and　knees　bled；　I　vainly

sought　water。



That　night；　nearer　death　than　ever；　I　sheltered　behind　a　rock　from

the　wind。　　A　heavy　shower　of　rain　made　me　miserable。　　I　removed　my

various　coats　and　spread　them　to　soak　up　the　rain；　but；　when　I　came

to　wring　the　moisture　from　them　into　my　mouth；　I　was　disappointed；

because　the　cloth　had　been　thoroughly　impregnated　with　the　salt　of

the　ocean　in　which　I　had　been　immersed。　　I　lay　on　my　back；　my　mouth

open　to　catch　the　few　rain…drops　that　fell　directly　into　it。　　It　was

tantalizing；　but　it　kept　my　membranes　moist　and　me　from　madness。



The　second　day　I　was　a　very　sick　man。　　I；　who　had　not　eaten　for　so

long；　began　to　swell　to　a　monstrous　fatnessmy　legs；　my　arms；　my

whole　body。　　With　the　slightest　of　pressures　my　fingers　would　sink

in　a　full　inch　into　my　skin；　and　the　depressions　so　made　were　long

in　going　away。　　Yet　did　I　labour　sore　in　order　to　fulfil　God's　will

that　I　should　live。　　Carefully；　with　my　hands；　I　cleaned　out　the

salt　water　from　every　slight　hole；　in　the　hope　that　succeeding

showers　of　rain　might　fill　them　with　water　that　I　could　drink。



My　sad　lot　and　the　memories　of　the　loved　ones　at　Elkton　threw　me

into　a　melancholy；　so　that　I　often　lost　my　recollection　for　hours　at

a　time。　　This　was　a　mercy；　for　it　veiled　me　from　my　sufferings　that

else　would　have　killed　me。



In　the　night　I　was　roused　by　the　beat　of　rain；　and　I　crawled　from

hole　to　hole；　lapping　up　the　rain　or　licking　it　from　the　rocks。

Brackish　it　was；　but　drinkable。　　It　was　what　saved　me；　for；　toward

morning；　I　awoke　to　find　myself　in　a　profuse　perspiration　and　quite

free　of　all　delirium。



Then　came　the　sun；　the　first　time　since　my　stay　on　the　island；　and　I

spread　most　of　my　garments　to　dry。　　Of　water　I　drank　my　careful

fill；　and　I　calculated　there　was　ten　days'　supply　if　carefully

husbanded。　　It　was　amazing　how　rich　I　felt　with　this　vast　wealth　of

brackish　water。　　And　no　great　merchant；　with　all　his　ships　returned

from　prosperous　voyages；　his　warehouses　filled　to　the　rafters；　his

strong…boxes　overflowing；　could　have　felt　as　wealthy　as　did　I　when　I

discovered；　cast　up　on　the　rocks；　the　body　of　a　seal　that　had　been

dead　for　many　days。　　Nor　did　I　fail；　first；　to　thank　God　on　my　knees

for　this　manifestation　of　His　ever…unfailing　kindness。　　The　thing

was　clear　to　me：　　God　had　not　intended　I　should　die。　　From　the　very

first　He　had　not　so　intended。



I　knew　the　debilitated　state　of　my　stomach；　and　I　ate　sparingly　in

the　knowledge　that　my　natural　voracity　would　surely　kill　me　did　I

yield　myself　to　it。　　Never　had　sweeter　morsels　passed　my　lips；　and　I

make　free　to　confess　that　I　shed　tears　of　joy；　again　and　again；　at

contemplation　of　that　putrefied　carcass。



My　heart　of　hope　beat　strong　in　me　once　more。　　Carefully　I　preserved

the　portions　of　the　carcass　remaining。　　Carefully　I　covered　my　rock

cisterns　with　flat　stones　so　that　the　sun's　rays　might　not　evaporate

the　precious　fluid　and　in　precaution　against　some　upspringing　of

wind　in　the　night　and　the　sudden　flying　of　spray。　　Also　I　gathered

me　tiny　fragments　of　seaweed　and　dried　them　in　the　sun　for　an

easement　between　my　poor　body　and　the　rough　rocks　whereon　I　made　my

lodging。　　And　my　garments　were　drythe　first　time　in　days；　so　that

I　slept　the　heavy　sleep　of　exhaustion　and　of　returning　health。



When　I　awoke　to　a　new　day　I　was　another　man。　　The　absence　of　the　sun

did　not　depress　me；　and　I　was　swiftly　to　learn　that　God；　not

forgetting　me　while　I　slumbered；　had　prepared　other　and　wonderful

blessings　for　me。　　I　would　have　fain　rubbed　my　eyes　and　looked

again；　for；　as　far　as　I　could　see；　the　rocks　bordering　upon　the

ocean　were　covered　with　seals。　　There　were　thousands　of　them；　and　in

the　water　other　thousands　disported　themselves；　while　the　sound　that

went　up　from　all　their　throats　was　prodigious　and　deafening。　　I　knew

it　when：　　I　saw　itmeat　lay　there　for　the　taking；　meat　sufficient

for　a　score　of　ships'　companies。



I　directly　seized　my　oarthan　which　there　was　no　other　stick　of

wood　on　the　islandand　cautiously　advanced　upon　all　that　immensity

of　provender。　　It　was　quickly　guessed　by　me　that　these　creatures　of

the　sea　were　unacquainted　with　man。　　They　betrayed　no　signals　of

timidity　at　my　approach；　and　I　found　it　a　boy's　task　to　rap　them　on

the　head　with　the　oar。



And　when　I　had　so　killed　my　third　and　my　fourth；　I　went　immediately

and　strangely　mad。　　Indeed　quite　bereft　was　I　of　all　judgment　as　I

slew　and　slew　and　continued　to　slay。　　For　the　space　of　two　hours　I

toiled　unceasingly　with　the　oar　till　I　was　ready　to　drop。　　What

exces