第 28 节
作者:尘小春      更新:2021-02-18 23:45      字数:9322
  casting a contemptuous look on all the rest; lifted himself lazily into
  the herring…boat and looked seaward。 His manner changed in a moment。
  〃The Deevil!〃 cried he; 〃the tide's turned! You wi' your glass; could you
  no see yon man's drifting oot to sea?〃
  〃Hech!〃 cried the women; 〃he'll be droonedhe'll be drooned!〃
  〃Yes; he'll be drooned!〃 cried Sandy; 〃if yon lassie does na come
  alongside him deevelich quickhe's sair spent; I doot。〃
  Two spectators were now added to the scene; Mrs。 Gatty and Lord Ipsden。
  Mrs。 Gatty inquired what was the matter。
  〃It's a mon drooning;〃 was the reply。
  The poor fellow; whom Sandy; by aid of his glass; now discovered to be in
  a wornout condition; was about half a mile east of Newhaven pier…head;
  and unfortunately the wind was nearly due east。 Christie was standing
  north…northeast; her boat…hook jammed against the sail; which stood as
  flat as a knife。
  The natives of the Old Town were now seen pouring down to the pier and
  the beach; and strangers were collecting like bees。
  〃After wit is everybody's wit!!!〃_Old Proverb。_
  The affair was in the Johnstone's hands。
  〃That boat is not going to the poor man;〃 said Mrs。 Gatty; 〃it is turning
  its back upon him。〃
  〃She canna lie in the wind's eye; for as clever as she is;〃 answered a
  fishwife。
  〃I ken wha it is;〃 suddenly squeaked a little fishwife; 〃it's Christie
  Johnstone's lad; it's yon daft painter fr' England。 Hech!〃 cried she;
  suddenly; observing Mrs。 Gatty; 〃it's your son; woman。〃
  The unfortunate woman gave a fearful scream; and; flying like a tiger on
  Liston; commanded him 〃to go straight out to sea and save her son。〃
  Jean Carnie seized her arm。 〃Div ye see yon boat?〃 cried she; 〃and div ye
  mind Christie; the lass wha's hairt ye hae broken? aweel; woman_it's
  just a race between deeth and Cirsty Johnstone for your son。_
  The poor old woman swooned dead away; they carried her into Christie
  Johnstone's house and laid her down; then hurried backthe greater
  terror absorbed the less。
  Lady Barbara Sinclair was there from Leith; and; seeing Lord Ipsden
  standing in the boat with a fisherman; she asked him to tell her what it
  was; neither he nor any one answered her。
  〃Why doesn't she come about; Liston ?〃 cried Lord Ipsden; stamping with
  anxiety and impatience。
  〃She'll no be lang;〃 said Sandy; 〃but they'll mak a mess o' 't wi' ne'er
  a man i' the boat。〃
  〃Ye're sure o' thaat?〃 put in a woman。
  〃Ay; about she comes;〃 said Liston; as the sail came down on the first
  tack。 He was mistaken; they dipped the lug as cleverly as any man in the
  town could。
  〃Hech! look at her hauling on the rope like a mon;〃 cried a woman。 The
  sail flew up on the other tack。
  〃She's an awfu' lassie;〃。 whined another。
  〃He's awa;〃 groaned Liston; 〃he's doon!〃
  〃No! he's up again;〃 cried Lord Ipsden; 〃but I fear he can't live till
  the boat comes to him。〃
  The fisherman and the viscount held on by each other。
  〃He does na see her; or maybe he'd tak hairt。〃
  〃I'd give ten thousand pounds if only he could see her。 My God; the man
  will be drowned under our eyes。 If he but saw her!!!〃
  The words had hardly left Lord Ipsden's lips; when the sound of a woman's
  voice came like an AEolian note across the water。
  〃Hurraih!〃 roared Liston; and every creature joined the cheer。
  〃She'll no let him dee。 Ah! she's in the bows; hailing him an' waving the
  lad's bonnet ower her head to gie him coorage。 Gude bless ye; lass; Gude
  bless ye!〃
  Christie knew it was no use hailing him against the wind; but the moment
  she got the wind she darted into the bows; and pitched in its highest key
  her full and brilliant voice; after a moment of suspense she received
  proof that she must be heard by him; for on the pier now hung men and
  women; clustered like bees; breathless with anxiety; and the moment after
  she hailed the drowning man; she saw and heard a wild yell of applause
  burst from the pier; and the pier was more distant than the man。 She
  snatched Flucker's cap; planted her foot on the gunwale; held on by a
  rope; hailed the poor fellow again; and waved the cap round and round her
  head; to give him courage; and in a moment; at the sight of this;
  thousands of voices thundered back their cheers to her across the water。
  Blow; windspring; boatand you; Christie; still ring life toward those
  despairing ears and wave hope to those sinking eyes; cheer the boat on;
  you thousands that look upon this action; hurrah! from the pier; hurrah!
  from the town; hurrah! from the shore; hurrah! now; from the very ships
  in the roads; whose crews are swarming on the yards to look; five minutes
  ago they laughed at you; three thousand eyes and hearts hang upon you
  now; ay; these are the moments we live for!
  And now dead silence。 The boat is within fifty yards; they are all three
  consulting together round the mast; an error now is death; his forehead
  only seems above water。
  〃If they miss him on that tack?〃 said Lord Ipsden; significantly; to
  Liston。
  〃He'll never see London Brigg again;〃 was the whispered reply。
  They carried on till all on shore thought they would run over him; or
  past him; but no; at ten yards distant they were all at the sail; and had
  it down like lightning; and then Flucker sprang to the bows; the other
  boy to the helm。
  Unfortunately; there were but two Johnstones in the boat; and this boy;
  in his hurry; actually put the helm to port; instead of to starboard。
  Christie; who stood amidships; saw the error; she sprang aft; flung the
  boy from the helm and jammed it hard…a…starboard with her foot。 The boat
  answered the helm; but too late for Flucker; the man was four yards from
  him as the boat drifted by。
  〃He's a deed mon!〃 cried Liston; on shore。
  The boat's length gave one more little chance; the after…part must drift
  nearer himthanks to Christie。 Flucker flew aft; flung himself on his
  back; and seized his sister's petticoats。
  〃Fling yourself ower the gunwale;〃 screamed he。 〃Ye'll no hurt; I'se haud
  ye。〃
  She flung herself boldly over the gunwale; the man was sinking; her nails
  touched his hair; her fingers entangled themselves in it; she gave him a
  powerful wrench and brought him alongside; the boys pinned him like
  wild…cats。
  Christie darted away forward to the mast; passed a rope round it; threw
  it the boys; in a moment it was under his shoulders。 Christie hauled on
  it from the fore thwart; the boys lifted him; and they tumbled him;
  gasping and gurgling like a dying salmon; into the bottom of the boat;
  and flung net and jackets and sail over him to keep the life in him。
  Ah! draw your breath all hands at sea and ashore; and don't try it again;
  young gentleman; for there was nothing to spare; when you were missed at
  the bow two stout hearts quivered for you; Lord Ipsden hid his face in
  his two hands; Sandy Liston gave a groan; and; when you were grabbed
  astern; jumped out of his boat and cried:
  〃A gill o' whisky for ony favor; for it's turned me as seeck as a doeg。〃
  He added: 〃He may bless yon lassie's fowr banes; for she's ta'en him oot
  o' Death's maw; as sure as Gude's in heaven!〃
  Lady Barbara; who had all her life been longing to see perilous
  adventures; prayed and trembled and cried most piteously; and Lord
  Ipsden's back was to her; and he paid no attention to her voice; but when
  the battle was won; and Lord Ipsden turned and saw her; she clung to his
  arm and dried her tears; and then the Old Town cheered the boat; and the
  New Town cheered the boat; and the towns cheered each other; and the
  Johnstones; lad and lass; set their sail; and swept back in triumph to
  the pier; so then Lady Barbara's blood mounted and tingled in her veins
  like fire。 〃Oh; how noble!〃 cried she。
  〃Yes; dearest;〃 said Ipsden。 〃You have seen something great done at last;
  and by a woman; too!〃
  〃Yes;〃 said Barbara; 〃how beautiful! oh! how beautiful it all is; only
  the next one I see I should like the danger to be over first; that is
  all。〃
  The boys and Christie; the moment they had saved Gatty; up sail again for
  Newhaven; they landed in about three minutes at the pier。
  TIME。 From Newhaven town to pier on foot: 1 m。 30 sec。 First tack: 5 m。
  30 sec。 Second tack; and getting him on board: 4 m。 0 sec。 Back to the
  pier; going free: 3 m。 30 sec。
  Total: 14 m。 30 sec。
  They came in to the pier; Christie sitting quietly on the thwart after
  her work; the boy steering; and Flucker standing against the mast; hands
  in his pockets; the deportment this young gentleman thought fit to assume
  on this occasion was 〃complete apathy〃; he came into port with the air of
  one bringing home the ordinary results of his day's fishing; this was; I
  suppose; to impress the spectators with the notion that saving lives was
  an every…day affair with La Famille Johnstone; as for Gatty; he came to
  himself under his heap of nets and jackets and spoke once between Death's
  jaw and the pier。
  〃Beautiful!〃 murmured he; and was silent。 The meaning of this observation
  never transpired; and never will in this world。 Six months afterward;
  being subjected to a searching interrogatory; he stated that he had
  alluded to the majesty and freedom of a certain _pose_ Christie had
  adopted whi