rambling idle excursion-第3节

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in　the　next　instant　was　thrust　away　into　the　dusk　again。　　But　that　ship；
that　captain；　and　that　pregnant　instant　had　had　their　work　appointed　for
them　in　the　dawn　of　time　and　could　not　fail　of　the　performance。　　The
chronometer　of　God　never　errs！〃

There　was　deep；　thoughtful　silence　for　some　moments。　　Then　the　grave；
pale　young　man　said：

〃What　is　the　chronometer　of　God？〃



II

At　dinner；　six　o'clock；　the　same　people　assembled　whom　we　had　talked　with
on　deck　and　seen　at　luncheon　and　breakfast　this　second　day　out；　and　at
dinner　the　evening　before。　　That　is　to　say；　three　journeying　ship…
masters；　a　Boston　merchant；　and　a　returning　Bermudian　who　had　been　absent
from　his　Bermuda　thirteen　years；　these　sat　on　the　starboard　side。　　On　the
port　side　sat　the　Reverend　in　the　seat　of　honor；　the　pale　young　man　next
to　him；　I　next；　next　to　me　an　aged　Bermudian；　returning　to　his　sunny
islands　after　an　absence　of　twenty…seven　years。　　Of　course；　our　captain
was　at　the　head　of　the　table；　the　purser　at　the　foot　of　it。　　A　small
company；　but　small　companies　are　pleasantest。

No　racks　upon　the　table；　the　sky　cloudless；　the　sun　brilliant；　the　blue
sea　scarcely　ruffled；　then　what　had　become　of　the　four　married　couples；
the　three　bachelors；　and　the　active　and　obliging　doctor　from　the　rural
districts　of　Pennsylvania？for　all　these　were　on　deck　when　we　sailed
down　New　York　harbor。　　This　is　the　explanation。　　I　quote　from　my　note…
book：

　　　　　Thursday；　3。30　P。M。　　Under　way；　passing　the　Battery。　　The　large
　　　　　party；　of　four　married　couples；　three　bachelors；　and　a　cheery；
　　　　　exhilarating　doctor　from　the　wilds　of　Pennsylvania；　are　evidently
　　　　　traveling　together。　　All　but　the　doctor　grouped　in　camp…chairs　on
　　　　　deck。

　　　　　Passing　principal　fort。　　The　doctor　is　one　of　those　people　who　has
　　　　　an　infallible　preventive　of　seasickness；　is　flitting　from　friend　to
　　　　　friend　administering　it　and　saying；　〃Don't　you　be　afraid；　I　know
　　　　　this　medicine；　absolutely　infallible；　prepared　under　my　own
　　　　　supervision。〃　　Takes　a　dose　himself；　intrepidly。

　　　　　4。15　P。M。　　Two　of　those　ladies　have　struck　their　colors；
　　　　　notwithstanding　the　〃infallible。〃　　They　have　gone　below。　　The　other
　　　　　two　begin　to　show　distress。

　　　　　5　P。M。　　Exit　one　husband　and　one　bachelor。　　These　still　had　their
　　　　　infallible　in　cargo　when　they　started；　but　arrived　at　the
　　　　　companionway　without　it。

　　　　　5。10。　　Lady　No。　3；　two　bachelors；　and　one　married　man　have　gone
　　　　　below　with　their　own　opinion　of　the　infallible。

　　　　　5。20。　　Passing　Quarantine　Hulk。　　The　infallible　has　done　the
　　　　　business　for　all　the　party　except　the　Scotchman's　wife　and　the
　　　　　author　of　that　formidable　remedy。

　　　　　Nearing　the　Light…Ship。　　Exit　the　Scotchman's　wife；　head　drooped　on
　　　　　stewardess's　shoulder。

　　　　　Entering　the　open　sea。　　Exit　doctor！


The　rout　seems　permanent；　hence　the　smallness　of　the　company　at　table
since　the　voyage　began。　　Our　captain　is　a　grave；　handsome　Hercules　of
thirty…five；　with　a　brown　hand　of　such　majestic　size　that　one　cannot　eat
for　admiring　it　and　wondering　if　a　single　kid　or　calf　could　furnish
material　for　gloving　it。

Conversation　not　general；　drones　along　between　couples。　　One　catches　a
sentence　here　and　there。　Like　this；　from　Bermudian　of　thirteen　years'
absence：　〃It　is　the　nature　of　women　to　ask　trivial；　irrelevant；　and
pursuing　questionsquestions　that　pursue　you　from　a　beginning　in　nothing
to　a　run…to…cover　in　nowhere。〃　　Reply　of　Bermudian　of　twenty…seven　years'
absence：　　〃Yes；　and　to　think　they　have　logical；　analytical　minds　and
argumentative　ability。　　You　see　'em　begin　to　whet　up　whenever　they　smell
argument　in　the　air。〃　　Plainly　these　be　philosophers。

Twice　since　we　left　port　our　engines　have　stopped　for　a　couple　of　minutes
at　a　time。　　Now　they　stop　again。　　Says　the　pale　young　man；　meditatively；
〃There！that　engineer　is　sitting　down　to　rest　again。〃

Grave　stare　from　the　captain；　whose　mighty　jaws　cease　to　work；　and　whose
harpooned　potato　stops　in　midair　on　its　way　to　his　open；　paralyzed　mouth。
Presently　he　says　in　measured　tones；　〃Is　it　your　idea　that　the　engineer
of　this　ship　propels　her　by　a　crank　turned　by　his　own　hands？〃

The　pale　young　man　studies　over　this　a　moment；　then　lifts　up　his
guileless　eyes；　and　says；　〃Don't　he？〃

Thus　gently　falls　the　death…blow　to　further　conversation；　and　the　dinner
drags　to　its　close　in　a　reflective　silence；　disturbed　by　no　sounds　but
the　murmurous　wash　of　the　sea　and　the　subdued　clash　of　teeth。

After　a　smoke　and　a　promenade　on　deck；　where　is　no　motion　to　discompose
our　steps；　we　think　of　a　game　of　whist。　　We　ask　the　brisk　and　capable
stewardess　from　Ireland　if　there　are　any　cards　in　the　ship。

〃Bless　your　soul；　dear；　indeed　there　is。　　Not　a　whole　pack；　true　for　ye；
but　not　enough　missing　to　signify。

However；　I　happened　by　accident　to　bethink　me　of　a　new　pack　in　a　morocco
case；　in　my　trunk；　which　I　had　placed　there　by　mistake；　thinking　it　to　be
a　flask　of　something。　　So　a　party　of　us　conquered　the　tedium　of　the
evening　with　a　few　games　and　were　ready　for　bed　at　six　bells；　mariner's
time；　the　signal　for　putting　out　the　lights。

There　was　much　chat　in　the　smoking…cabin　on　the　upper　deck　after　luncheon
to…day；　mostly　whaler　yarns　from　those　old　sea…captains。　　Captain　Tom
Bowling　was　garrulous。　　He　had　that　garrulous　attention　to　minor　detail
which　is　born　of　secluded　farm　life　or　life　at　sea　on　long　voyages；　where
there　is　little　to　do　and　time　no　object。　　He　would　sail　along　till　he
was　right　in　the　most　exciting　part　of　a　yarn；　and　then　say；　〃Well；　as　I
was　saying；　the　rudder　was　fouled；　ship　driving　before　the　gale；　head…on；
straight　for　the　iceberg；　all　hands　holding　their　breath；　turned　to
stone；　top…hamper　giving　'way；　sails　blown　to　ribbons；　first　one　stick
going；　then　another；　boom！　smash！　crash！　duck　your　head　and　stand　from
under！　when　up　comes　Johnny　Rogers；　capstan…bar　in　hand；　eyes　a…blazing；
hair　a…flying　。　　。　　。　　no；　'twa'n't　Johnny　Rogers。　　。　　。　　lemme　see　。　　。
。　　seems　to　me　Johnny　Rogers　wa'n't　along　that　voyage；　he　was　along　one
voyage；　I　know　that　mighty　well；　but　somehow　it　seems　to　me　that　he
signed　the　articles　for　this　voyage；　butbutwhether　he　come　along　or
not；　or　got　left；　or　something　happened〃

And　so　on　and　so　on　till　the　excitement　all　cooled　down　and　nobody　cared
whether　the　ship　struck　the　iceberg　or　not。

In　the　course　of　his　talk　he　rambled　into　a　criticism　upon　New　England
degrees　of　merit　in　ship　building。　　Said　he；　〃You　get　a　vessel　built　away
down　Maine…way；　Bath；　for　instance；　what's　the　result？　　First　thing　you
do；　you　want　to　heave　her　down　for　repairsthat's　the　result！　　Well；
sir；　she　hain't　been　hove　down　a　week　till　you　can　heave　a　dog　through
her　seams。　　You　send　that　vessel　to　sea；　and　what's　the　result？　　She　wets
her　oakum　the　first　trip！　　Leave　it　to　any　man　if　'tain't　so。　　Well；　you
let　our　folks　build　you　a　vesseldown　New　Bedford…way。　　What's　the
result？　　Well；　sir；　you　might　take　that　ship　and　heave　her　down；　and　keep
her　hove　down　six　months；　and　she'll　never　shed　a　tear！〃

Everybody；　landsmen　and　all；　recognized　the　descriptive　neatness　of　that
figure；　and　applauded；　which　greatly　pleased　the　old　man。　　A　moment
later；　the　meek　eyes　of　the　pale　young　fellow　heretofore　mentioned　came
up　slowly；　rested　upon　the　old　man's　face　a　moment；　and　the　meek　mouth
began　to　open。

〃Shet　your　head！〃　shouted　the　old　mariner。

It　was　a　rather　startling　surprise　to　everybody；　but　it　was　effective　in
the　matter　of　its　purpose。　　So　the　conversation　flowed　on　instead　of
perishing。

There　was　some　talk　about　the　perils　of　the　sea；　and　a　landsman　delivered
himself　of　the　customary　nonsense　about　the　poor　mariner　wandering　in　far
oceans；　tempest…tossed；　pursued　by　dangers；　every　storm…blast　and
thunderbolt　in　the　home　skies　moving　the　friends　by　snug　firesides　to
compassion　for　that　poor　mariner；　and　prayers　for　his　succor。　　Captain
Bowling　put　up　with　this　for　a　while；　and　then　burst　out　with　a　new　view
of　the　matter。

〃Come；　belay　there！　　I　have　read　this　kind　of　rot　all　my　life　in　poetry
and　tales　and　such…like　rubbage。　　Pity　for　the　poor　mariner！　sympathy　for
the　poor　mariner！　　All　right　enough；　but　not　in　the　way　the　poetry　puts
it。　　Pity　for　the　mariner's　wife！　all　right　again；　but　not　in　the　way　the
poetry　puts　it。　　Look…a　here！　whose　life's　the　safest　in　the　whole　world
The　poor　mariner's。　　You　look　at　the　statistics；　you'll　see。　　So　don't
you　fool　away　any　sympathy　on　the　poor　mariner's　dangers　and　privations
and　sufferings。　　Leave　that　to　the　poetry　muffs。　　Now　you　look　at　the
other　side　a　minute。　　Here　is　Captain　Brace；　forty　years　old；　been　at　sea
thirty。　　On　his　way　now　to　take　command　of　his　ship　and　sail　south　from
Bermuda。　　Next　week　he'll　be　under　way；　easy　times；　comfortable　quarters；
passengers；　sociable　company；　just　enough　to　do　to　keep　his　mind　healthy
and　not　tire　him；　king　over　his　ship；　boss　of　everything　and　everybody；
thirty　years'　safety　to　learn　him　that　his　profession　ain't　a　dangerous
one。　　Now　you　look　back　at　his　home。　　His　wife's　a　feeble　woman；　she's　a
stranger　in　New　York；　shut　up　in　blazing　hot