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！
was French； and was employed in the timber trade： her name was
_La Grace de Dieu。_ Nothing more was known of her than that she
was bound for Lisbon； that she had been driven out of her course；
and that she had touched at Madeira； short of men and short of
provisions。 The last want had been supplied； but not the first。
Sailors distrusted the sea…worthiness of the ship； and disliked
the look of the vagabond crew。 When those two serious facts had
been communicated to Mr。 Blanchard； the hard words he had spoken
to his child in the first shock of discovering that she had
helped to deceive him smote him to the heart。 He instantly
determined to give his daughter a refuge on board his own vessel；
and to quiet her by keeping her villain of a husband out of the
way of all harm at my hands。 The yacht sailed three feet and more
to the ship's one。 There was no doubt of our overtaking _La Grace
de Dieu_； the only fear was that we might pass her in the
darkness。
〃After we had been some little time out； the wind suddenly
dropped； and there fell on us an airless； sultry calm。 W hen the
order came to get the topmasts on deck； and to shift the large
sails； we all knew what to expect。 In little better than an hour
more； the storm was upon us； the thunder was pealing over our
heads； and the yacht was running for it。 She was a powerful
schooner…rigged vessel of three hundred tons； as strong as wood
and iron could make her； she was handled by a sailing…master who
thoroughly understood his work； and she behaved nobly。 As the new
morning came； the fury of the wind； blowing still from the
southwest quarter； subsided a little； and the sea was less heavy。
Just before daybreak we heard faintly； through the howling of the
gale； the report of a gun。 The men collected anxiously on deck；
looked at each other； and said： 'There she is！'
〃With the daybreak we saw the vessel； and the timber…ship it was。
She lay wallowing in the trough of the sea； her foremast and her
mainmast both gonea water…logged wreck。 The yacht carried three
boats； one amidships； and two slung to davits on the quarters；
and the sailing…master； seeing signs of the storm renewing its
fury before long； determined on lowering the quarter…boats while
the lull lasted。 Few as the people were on board the wreck； they
were too many for one boat； and the risk of trying two boats at
once was thought less； in the critical state of the weather； than
the risk of making two separate trips from the yacht to the ship。
There might be time to make one trip in safety； but no man could
look at the heavens and say there would be time enough for two。
〃The boats were manned by volunteers from the crew； I being in
the second of the two。 When the first boat was got alongside of
the timber…shipa service of difficulty and danger which no
words can describeall the men on board made a rash to leave the
wreck together。 If the boat had not been pulled off again before
the whole of them had crowded in； the lives of all must have been
sacrificed。 As our boat approached the vessel in its turn； we
arranged that four of us should get on boardtwo （I being one of
them） to see to the safety of Mr。 Blanchard's daughter； and two
to beat back the cowardly remnant of the crew if they tried to
crowd in first。 The other threethe coxswain and two
oarsmenwere left in the boat to keep her from being crushed by
the ship。 What the others saw when they first boarded _La Grace
de Dieu_ I don't know； what I saw was the woman whom I had lost；
the woman vilely stolen from me； lying in a swoon on the deck。 We
lowered her； insensible； into the boat。 The remnant of the
crewfive in numberwere compelled by main force to follow her
in an orderly manner； one by one； and minute by minute； as the
chance offered for safely taking them in。 I was the last who
left； and； at the next roll of the ship toward us； the empty
length of the deck； without a living creature on it from stem to
stern； told the boat's crew that their work was done。 With the
louder and louder howling of the fast…rising tempest to warn
them； they rowed for their lives back to the yacht。
〃A succession of heavy squalls had brought round the course of
the new storm that was coming； from the south to the north； and
the sailing…master； watching his opportunity； had wore the yacht
to be ready for it。 Before the last of our men had got on board
again； it burst on us with the fury of a hurricane。 Our boat was
swamped； but not a life was lost。 Once more we ran before it； due
south； at the mercy of the wind。 I was on deck with the rest；
watching the one rag of sail we could venture to set； and waiting
to supply its place with another； if it blew out of the
bolt…ropes； when the mate came close to me； and shouted in my ear
through the thunder of the storm： 'She has come to her senses in
the cabin； and has asked for her husband。 Where is he？' Not a man
on board knew。 The yacht was searched from one end to another
without finding him。 The men were mustered in defiance of the
weatherhe was not among them。 The crews of the two boats were
questioned。 All the first crew could say was that they had pulled
away from the wreck when the rush into their boat took place； and
that they knew nothing of whom they let in or whom they kept out。
All the second crew could say was that they had brought back to
the yacht every living soul left by the first boat on the deck of
the timber…ship。 There was no blaming anybody； but； at the same
time； there was no resisting the fact that the man was missing。
〃All through that day the storm； raging unabatedly； never gave us
even the shadow of a chance of returning and searching the wreck。
The one hope for the yacht was to scud。 Toward evening the gale；
after having carried us to the southward of Madeira； began at
last to breakthe wind shifted againand allowed us to bear up
for the island。 Early the next morning we got back into port。 Mr。
Blanchard and his daughter were taken ashore； the sailing…master
accompanying them； and warning us that he should have something
to say on his return which would nearly concern the whole crew。
〃We were mustered on deck； and addressed by the sailing…master as
soon as he came on board again。 He had Mr。 Blanchard's orders to
go back at once to the timber…ship and to search for the missing
man。 We were bound to do this for his sake； and for the sake of
his wife； whose reason was despaired of by the doctors if
something was not done to quiet her。 We might be almost sure of
finding the vessel still afloat； for her ladling of timber would
keep her above water as long as her hull held together。 If the
man was on boardliving or deadhe must be found and brought
back。 And if the weather continued to be moderate； there was no
reason why the men； with proper assistance； should not bring the
ship back； too； and （their master being quite willing） earn their
share of the salvage with the officers of the yacht。
〃Upon this the crew gave three cheers； and set to work forthwith
to get the schooner to sea again。 I was the only one of them who
drew back from the enterprise。 I told them the storm had upset
meI was ill； and wanted rest。 They all looked me in the face as
I passed through them on my way out of the yacht； but not a man
of them spoke to me。
〃I waited through that day at a tavern on the port for the first
news from the wreck。 It was brought toward night…fall by one of
the pilot…boats which had taken part in the enterprisea
successful enterprise； as the event provedfor saving the
abandoned ship。 _La Grace de Dieu_ had been discovered still
floating； and the body of Ingleby had been found on board；
drowned in the cabin。 At dawn the next morning the dead man was
brought back by the yacht； and on the same day the funeral took
place in the Protestant cemetery。〃
〃Stop！〃 said the voice from the bed； before the reader could turn
to a new leaf and begin the next paragraph。
There was a change in the room； and there were changes in the
audience； since Mr。 Neal had last looked up from the narrative。 A
ray of sunshine was crossing the death…bed； and the child；
overcome by drowsiness； lay peacefully asleep in the golden
light。 The father's countenance had altered visibly。 Forced into
action by the tortured mind； the muscles of the lower face； which
had never moved yet； were moving distortedly now。 Warned by the
damps gathering heavily on his forehead； the doctor had risen to
revive the sinking man。 On the other side of the bed the wife's
chair stood empty。 At the moment when her husband had interrupted
the reading； she had drawn back behind the bed head； out of his
sight。 Supporting herself against the wall； she stood there in
hiding； her eyes fastened in hungering suspense on the manuscript
in Mr。 Neal's hand。
In a minute more the silence was broken again by Mr。 Armadale。
〃Where is she？〃 he asked； looking angrily at his wife's empty
chair。 The doctor pointed to the place。 She had no choice but to
come forward。 She came slowly and stood before him。
〃You promised to go when I told you；〃 he said。 〃Go now。〃
Mr。 Neal tried hard to control his hand as it kept his place
between the leaves of the manuscripts but it