in search of the castaways-第91章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


hange　of　route　as　to　be　quite　unhinged。　Much　as　they　had　been　interested　in　his　dissertation　on　the　Pampas；　or　Australia；　his　lectures　on　New　Zealand　fell　on　cold　and　indifferent　ears。　　Besides；　they　were　going　to　this　new　and　ill…reputed　country　without　enthusiasm；　without　conviction；　not　even　of　their　own　free　will；　but　solely　at　the　bidding　of　destiny。　Of　all　the　passengers　on　board　the　MACQUARIE；　the　most　to　be　pitied　was　Lord　Glenarvan。　　He　was　rarely　to　be　seen　below。　He　could　not　stay　in　one　place。　　His　nervous　organization；　highly　excited；　could　not　submit　to　confinement　between　four　narrow　bulkheads。　All　day　long；　even　all　night；　regardless　of　the　torrents　of　rain　and　the　dashing　waves；　he　stayed　on　the　poop；　sometimes　leaning　on　the　rail；　sometimes　walking　to　and　fro　in　feverish　agitation。　His　eyes　wandered　ceaselessly　over　the　blank　horizon。　He　scanned　it　eagerly　during　every　short　interval　of　clear　weather。　It　seemed　as　if　he　sought　to　question　the　voiceless　waters；　he　longed　to　tear　away　the　veil　of　fog　and　vapor　that　obscured　his　view。　He　could　not　be　resigned；　and　his　features　expressed　the　bitterness　of　his　grief。　　He　was　a　man　of　energy；　till　now　happy　and　powerful；　and　deprived　in　a　moment　of　power　and　happiness。　　John　Mangles　bore　him　company；　and　endured　with　him　the　inclemency　of　the　weather。　On　this　day　Glenarvan　looked　more　anxiously　than　ever　at　each　point　where　a　break　in　the　mist　enabled　him　to　do　so。　　John　came　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Your　Lordship　is　looking　out　for　land？〃　Glenarvan　shook　his　head　in　dissent。　〃And　yet；〃　said　the　young　captain；　〃you　must　be　longing　to　quit　this　vessel。　　We　ought　to　have　seen　the　lights　of　Auckland　thirty…six　hours　ago。〃　Glenarvan　made　no　reply。　　He　still　looked；　and　for　a　moment　his　glass　was　pointed　toward　the　horizon　to　windward。　〃The　land　is　not　on　that　side；　my　Lord；〃　said　John　Mangles。　〃Look　more　to　starboard。〃　〃Why；　John？〃　replied　Glenarvan。　　〃I　am　not　looking　for　the　land。〃　〃What　then；　my　Lord？〃　〃My　yacht！　the　DUNCAN；〃　said　Glenarvan；　hotly。　　〃It　must　be　here　on　these　coasts；　skimming　these　very　waves；　playing　the　vile　part　of　a　pirate！　　It　is　here；　John；　I　am　certain　of　it；　on　the　track　of　vessels　between　Australia　and　New　Zealand；　and　I　have　a　presentiment　that　we　shall　fall　in　with　her。〃　〃God　keep　us　from　such　a　meeting！〃　〃Why；　John？〃　〃Your　Lordship　forgets　our　position。　　What　could　we　do　in　this　ship　if　the　DUNCAN　gave　chase。　　We　could　not　even　fly！〃　〃Fly；　John？〃　〃Yes；　my　Lord；　we　should　try　in　vain！　　We　should　be　taken；　delivered　up　to　the　mercy　of　those　wretches；　and　Ben　Joyce　has　shown　us　that　he　does　not　stop　at　a　crime！　　Our　lives　would　be　worth　little。　We　would　fight　to　the　death；　of　course；　but　after　that！　Think　of　Lady　Glenarvan；　think　of　Mary　Grant！〃　〃Poor　girls！〃　murmured　Glenarvan。　　〃John；　my　heart　is　broken；　and　sometimes　despair　nearly　masters　me。　　I　feel　as　if　fresh　misfortunes　awaited　us；　and　that　Heaven　itself　is　against　us。　It　terrifies　me！〃　〃You；　my　Lord？〃　〃Not　for　myself；　John；　but　for　those　I　lovewhom　you　love；　also。〃　〃Keep　up　your　heart；　my　Lord；〃　said　the　young　captain。　〃We　must　not　look　out　for　troubles。　　The　MACQUARIE　sails　badly；　but　she　makes　some　way　nevertheless。　　Will　Halley　is　a　brute；　but　I　am　keeping　my　eyes　open；　and　if　the　coast　looks　dangerous；　I　will　put　the　ship's　head　to　sea　again。　So　that；　on　that　score；　there　is　little　or　no　danger。　But　as　to　getting　alongside　the　DUNCAN！　　God　forbid！　And　if　your　Lordship　is　bent　on　looking　out　for　her；　let　it　be　in　order　to　give　her　a　wide　berth。〃　John　Mangles　was　right。　　An　encounter　with　the　DUNCAN　would　have　been　fatal　to　the　MACQUARIE。　　There　was　every　reason　to　fear　such　an　engagement　in　these　narrow　seas；　in　which　pirates　could　ply　their　trade　without　risk。　However；　for　that　day　at　least；　the　yacht　did　not　appear；　and　the　sixth　night　from　their　departure　from　Twofold　Bay　came；　without　the　fears　of　John　Mangles　being　realized。　But　that　night　was　to　be　a　night　of　terrors。　　Darkness　came　on　almost　suddenly　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　evening；　V。　IV　Verne

＇illustration　omitted＇　＇page　intentionally　blank＇　the　sky　was　very　threatening。　　The　sailor　instinct　rose　above　the　stupefaction　of　the　drunkard　and　roused　Will　Halley。　　He　left　his　cabin；　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　shook　his　great　red　head。　Then　he　drew　a　great　deep　breath　of　air；　as　other　people　swallow　a　draught　of　water　to　revive　themselves。　　He　examined　the　masts。　The　wind　freshened；　and　veering　a　point　more　to　the　westward；　blew　right　for　the　New　Zealand　coast。　Will　Halley；　with　many　an　oath；　called　his　men；　tightened　his　topmast　cordage；　and　made　all　snug　for　the　night。　John　Mangles　approved　in　silence。　　He　had　ceased　to　hold　any　conversation　with　the　coarse　seaman；　but　neither　Glenarvan　nor　he　left　the　poop。　　Two　hours　after　a　stiff　breeze　came　on。　Will　Halley　took　in　the　lower　reef　of　his　topsails。　The　maneuver　would　have　been　a　difficult　job　for　five　men　if　the　MACQUARIE　had　not　carried　a　double　yard；　on　the　American　plan。　In　fact；　they　had　only　to　lower　the　upper　yard　to　bring　the　sail　to　its　smallest　size。　Two　hours　passed；　the　sea　was　rising。　　The　MACQUARIE　was　struck　so　violently　that　it　seemed　as　if　her　keel　had　touched　the　rocks。　　There　was　no　real　danger；　but　the　heavy　vessel　did　not　rise　easily　to　the　waves。　By　and　by　the　returning　waves　would　break　over　the　deck　in　great　masses。　The　boat　was　washed　out　of　the　davits　by　the　force　of　the　water。　John　Mangles　never　released　his　watch。　　Any　other　ship　would　have　made　no　account　of　a　sea　like　this；　but　with　this　heavy　craft　there　was　a　danger　of　sinking　by　the　bow；　for　the　deck　was　filled　at　every　lurch；　and　the　sheet　of　water　not　being　able　to　escape　quickly　by　the　scuppers；　might　submerge　the　ship。　It　would　have　been　the　wisest　plan　to　prepare　for　emergency　by　knocking　out　the　bulwarks　with　an　ax　to　facilitate　their　escape；　but　Halley　refused　to　take　this　precaution。　But　a　greater　danger　was　at　hand；　and　one　that　it　was　too　late　to　prevent。　　About　half…past　eleven；　John　Mangles　and　Wilson；　who　stayed　on　deck　throughout　the　gale；　were　suddenly　struck　by　an　unusual　noise。　Their　nautical　instincts　awoke。　　John　seized　the　sailor's　hand。　〃The　reef！〃　said　he。　〃Yes；〃　said　Wilson；　〃the　waves　breaking　on　the　bank。〃　〃Not　more　than　two　cables'　length　off？〃　〃At　farthest？　　The　land　is　there！〃　John　leaned　over　the　side；　gazed　into　the　dark　water；　and　called　out；　〃Wilson；　the　lead！〃　The　master；　posted　forward；　seemed　to　have　no　idea　of　his　position。　Wilson　seized　the　lead…line；　sprang　to　the　fore…chains；　and　threw　the　lead；　the　rope　ran　out　between　his　fingers；　at　the　third　knot　the　lead　stopped。　〃Three　fathoms；〃　cried　Wilson。　〃Captain；〃　said　John；　running　to　Will　Halley；　〃we　are　on　the　breakers。〃　Whether　or　not　he　saw　Halley　shrug　his　shoulders　is　of　very　little　importance。　　But　he　hurried　to　the　helm；　put　it　hard　down；　while　Wilson；　leaving　the　line；　hauled　at　the　main…topsail　brace　to　bring　the　ship　to　the　wind。　　The　man　who　was　steering　received　a　smart　blow；　and　could　not　comprehend　the　sudden　attack。　〃Let　her　go！　　Let　her　go！〃　said　the　young　captain；　working　her　to　get　away　from　the　reefs。　For　half　a　minute　the　starboard　side　of　the　vessel　was　turned　toward　them；　and；　in　spite　of　the　dar