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