第 39 节
作者:管他三七二十一      更新:2021-12-07 09:25      字数:9322
  almost as cunning。  〃You see;〃 said he; 〃I have been reading up for
  this voyage。〃
  〃Oh; indeed!  Logarithms?〃
  〃Of course not。〃
  〃What then?〃
  〃Why; 'Peter Simple'to be sure。〃
  〃Ah; ha!〃 said Fitzroy; with a chuckle that showed plainly he had
  some delicious reminiscences of youthful study in the same quarter。
  The little lord chuckled too; and put one finger on Fitzroy's
  shoulder; and pointed at the cot with another。  〃Tumble out the
  other side; you knowslippery hitchescords cutdown you come
  flop in the middle of the night。〃
  Fitzroy's eye flashed merriment: but only for a moment。  His
  countenance fell the next。  〃Lord bless you;〃 said he sorrowfully;
  〃all that game is over now。  Her Majesty's ship!it is a church
  afloat。  The service is going to the devil; as the old fogies say。〃
  〃Ain't you sorry?〃 says the little lord; cocking his eye again like
  the bird hereinbefore mentioned。
  〃Of course I am。〃
  〃Then I'll take the standing bed。〃
  〃All right。  I say; you don't mind the doctor coming down with a
  run; eh?〃
  〃He is not ill: I am。  He is paid to take care of me: I am not paid
  to take care of him;〃 said the young lord sententiously。
  〃I understand;〃 replied Fitzroy; dryly。  〃Well; every one for
  himself; and Providence for us allas the elephant said when he
  danced among the chickens。〃
  Here my lord was summoned to dine with the captain。  Staines was
  not there; but he had not forgotten his duty; in the midst of his
  grief he had written a note to the captain; hoping that a bereaved
  husband might not seem to desert his post if he hid for a few hours
  the sorrow he felt himself unable to control。  Meantime he would be
  grateful if Captain Hamilton would give orders that Lord Tadcaster
  should eat no pastry; and drink only six ounces of claret;
  otherwise he should feel that he was indeed betraying his trust。
  The captain was pleased and touched with this letter。  It recalled
  to him how his mother sobbed when she launched her little middy;
  swelling with his first cocked hat and dirk。
  There was champagne at dinner; and little Tadcaster began to pour
  out a tumbler。  〃Hold on!〃 said Captain Hamilton; 〃you are not to
  drink that;〃 and he quietly removed the tumbler。  〃Bring him six
  ounces of claret。〃
  While they were weighing the claret with scientific precision;
  Tadcaster remonstrated; and; being told it was the doctor's order;
  he squeaked out; 〃Confound him! why did not he stay with his wife?
  She is beautiful。〃  Nor did he give it up without a struggle。
  〃Here's hospitality!〃 said he。  〃Six ounces!〃
  Receiving no reply; he inquired of the third lieutenant; which was
  generally considered the greatest authority in a shipthe captain;
  or the doctor。
  The third lieutenant answered not; but turned his head away; and;
  by violent exertion; succeeded in not splitting。
  〃I'll answer that;〃 said Hamilton politely。  〃The captain is the
  highest in his department; and the doctor in his: now Doctor
  Staines is strictly within his department; and will be supported by
  me and my officers。  You are bilious; and epileptical; and all the
  rest of it; and you are to be cured by diet and blue water。〃
  Tadcaster was inclined to snivel: however; he subdued that weakness
  with a visible effort; and; in due course; returned to the charge。
  〃How would you look;〃 quavered he; 〃if there was to be a mutiny in
  this ship of yours; and I was to head it?'
  〃Well; I should look SHARPhang all the ringleaders at the
  yardarm; clap the rest under hatches; and steer for the nearest
  prison。〃
  〃Oh!〃 said Tadcaster; and digested this scheme a bit。  At last he
  perked up again; and made his final hit。  〃Well; I shouldn't care;
  for one; if you didn't flog us。〃
  〃In that case;〃 said Captain Hamilton; 〃I'd flog youand stop your
  six ounces。〃
  〃Then curse the sea; that is all I say。〃
  〃Why; you have not seen it; you have only seen the British
  Channel。〃  It was Mr。 Fitzroy who contributed this last observation。
  After dinner all but the captain went on deck; and saw the
  Eddystone lighthouse ahead and to leeward。  They passed it。
  Fitzroy told his lordship its story; and that of its unfortunate
  predecessors。  Soon after this Lord Tadcaster turned in。
  Presently the captain observed a change in the thermometer; which
  brought him on deck。  He scanned the water and the sky; and as
  these experienced commanders have a subtle insight into the
  weather; especially in familiar latitudes; he remarked to the first
  lieutenant that it looked rather unsettled; and; as a matter of
  prudence; ordered a reef in the topsails; and the royal yards to be
  sent down: ship to be steered W。 by S。  This done; he turned in;
  but told them to call him if there was any change in the weather。
  During the night the wind gradually headed; and at four bells in
  the middle watch a heavy squall came up from the south…west。
  This brought the captain on deck again: he found the officer of the
  watch at his post; and at work。  Sail was shortened; and the ship
  made snug for heavy weather。
  At four A。M。 it was blowing hard; and; being too near the French
  coast; they wore the ship。
  Now; this operation was bad for little Tadcaster。  While the vessel
  was on the starboard tack; the side kept him snug; but; when they
  wore her; of course he had no leeboard to keep him in。  The ship
  gave a lee…lurch; and shot him clean out of his bunk into the
  middle of the cabin。
  He shrieked and shrieked; with terror and pain; till the captain
  and Staines; who were his nearest neighbors; came to him; and they
  gave him a little brandy; and got him to bed again。  Here he
  suffered nothing but violent seasickness for some hours。  As for
  Staines; he had been swinging heavily in his cot; but such was his
  mental distress that he would have welcomed seasickness; or any
  reasonable bodily suffering。  He was in that state when the sting
  of a wasp is a touch of comfort。
  Worn out with sickness; Tadcaster would not move。  Invited to
  breakfast; he swore faintly; and insisted on dying in peace。  At
  last exhaustion gave him a sort of sleep; in spite of the motion;
  which was violent; for it was now blowing great guns; a heavy sea
  on; and the great waves dirty in color and crested with raging
  foam。
  They had to wear ship again; always a ticklish manoeuvre in weather
  like this。
  A tremendous sea struck her quarter; stove in the very port abreast
  of which the little lord was lying; and washed him clean out of bed
  into the lee scuppers; and set all swimming around him。
  Didn't he yell; and wash about the cabin; and grab at all the
  chairs and tables and things that drifted about; nimble as eels;
  avoiding his grasp!
  In rushed the captain; and in staggered Staines。  They stopped his
  〃voyage autour de sa chambre;〃 and dragged him into the after
  saloon。
  He clung to them by turns; and begged; with many tears; to be put
  on the nearest land; a rock would do。
  〃Much obliged;〃 said the captain; 〃now is the very time to give
  rocks a wide berth。〃
  〃A dead whale; thena lighthouseanything but a beast of a ship。〃
  They pacified him with a little brandy; and for the next twenty…
  four hours he scarcely opened his mouth; except for a purpose it is
  needless to dwell on。  We can trust to our terrestrial readers'
  personal reminiscences of lee…lurches; weather…rolls; and their
  faithful concomitant。
  At last they wriggled out of the Channel; and soon after that the
  wind abated; and next day veered round to the northward; and the
  ship sailed almost on an even keel。  The motion became as heavenly
  as it had been diabolical; and the passengers came on deck。
  Staines had suffered one whole day from sea…sickness; but never
  complained。  I believe it did his mind more good than harm。
  As for Tadcaster; he continued to suffer; at intervals; for two
  days more; but on the fifth day out he appeared with a little pink
  tinge on his cheek and a wolfish appetite。  Dr。 Staines controlled
  his diet severely; as to quality; and; when they had been at sea
  just eleven days; the physician's heavy heart was not a little
  lightened by the marvellous change in him。  The unthinking; who
  believe in the drug system; should have seen what a physician can
  do with air and food; when circumstances enable him to ENFORCE the
  diet he enjoins。  Money will sometimes buy even health; if you
  AVOID DRUGS ENTIRELY; and go another road。
  Little Tadcaster went on board; pasty; dim…eyed; and very subject
  to fits; because his stomach was constantly overloaded with
  indigestible trash; and the blood in his brain…vessels was always
  either galloping or creeping; under the first or second effect of
  stimulants administered; at first; by thoughtless physicians。
  Behold him nowbronzed; pinky; bright…eyed; elastic; and only one
  fit in twelve days。
  The quarter…deck was hailed from the 〃look…out〃 with a cry that is
  sometimes terrible; but in this latitude and weather welcome and
  exciting。  〃Land; ho!〃
  〃Where away?〃 cried the officer of the watch。
  〃A point on the lee…bow; sir。〃
  It was the island of Madeira: they dropped anchor in Funchal Roads;
  furled sails; squared yards; and fired a salute of twenty…one guns
  for the Portuguese flag。
  They went ashore; and fo