when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第25节
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Straits of Le Maire。 Halfway through； the wind hauled to the north'ard of
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north… west； the glass dropped to 28。88； and he turned and ran before a
gale of cyclonic fury； missing； by a hair's…breadth； piling up the Mary
Rogers on the black…toothed rocks。 Twice he had made west to the Diego
Ramirez Rocks； one of the times saved between two snow…squalls by
sighting the gravestones of ships a quarter of a mile dead ahead。
Blow！ Captain Dan Cullen instanced all his thirty years at sea to
prove that never had it blown so before。 The Mary Rogers was hove to at
the time he gave the evidence； and； to clinch it； inside half an hour the
Mary Rogers was hove down to the hatches。 Her new maintopsail and
brand new spencer were blown away like tissue paper； and five sails；
furled and fast under double gaskets； were blown loose and stripped from
the yards。 And before morning the Mary Rogers was hove down twice
again； and holes were knocked in her bulwarks to ease her decks from the
weight of ocean that pressed her down。
On an average of once a week Captain Dan Cullen caught glimpses of
the sun。 Once； for ten minutes； the sun shone at midday； and ten minutes
afterward a new gale was piping up； both watches were shortening sail；
and all was buried in the obscurity of a driving snow…squall。 For a
fortnight； once； Captain Dan Cullen was without a meridian or a
chronometer sight。 Rarely did he know his position within half of a
degree； except when in sight of land； for sun and stars remained hidden
behind the sky； and it was so gloomy that even at the best the horizons
were poor for accurate observations。 A gray gloom shrouded the world。
The clouds were gray； the great driving seas were leaden gray； the
smoking crests were a gray churning； even the occasional albatrosses were
gray； while the snow… flurries were not white； but gray； under the sombre
pall of the heavens。
Life on board the Mary Rogers was graygray and gloomy。 The
faces of the sailors were blue…gray； they were afflicted with sea…cuts and
sea…boils； and suffered exquisitely。 They were shadows of men。 For
seven weeks； in the forecastle or on deck； they had not known what it was
to be dry。 They had forgotten what it was to sleep out a watch； and all
watches it was； 〃All hands on deck！〃 They caught snatches of agonized
sleep； and they slept in their oilskins ready for the everlasting call。 So
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weak and worn were they that it took both watches to do the work of one。
That was why both watches were on deck so much of the time。 And no
shadow of a man could shirk duty。 Nothing less than a broken leg could
enable a man to knock off work； and there were two such； who had been
mauled and pulped by the seas that broke aboard。
One other man who was the shadow of a man was George Dorety。
He was the only passenger on board； a friend of the firm； and he had
elected to make the voyage for his health。 But seven weeks of Cape
Horn had not bettered his health。 He gasped and panted in his bunk
through the long； heaving nights； and when on deck he was so bundled up
for warmth that he resembled a peripatetic old…clothes shop。 At midday；
eating at the cabin table in a gloom so deep that the swinging sea…lamps
burned always； he looked as blue… gray as the sickest； saddest man for'ard。
Nor did gazing across the table at Captain Dan Cullen have any cheering
effect upon him。 Captain Cullen chewed and scowled and kept silent。
The scowls were for God； and with every chew he reiterated the sole
thought of his existence； which was make westing。 He was a big； hairy
brute； and the sight of him was not stimulating to the other's appetite。 He
looked upon George Dorety as a Jonah； and told him so； once each meal；
savagely transferring the scowl from God to the passenger and back again。
Nor did the mate prove a first aid to a languid appetite。 Joshua
Higgins by name； a seaman by profession and pull； but a pot…wolloper by
capacity； he was a loose…jointed； sniffling creature； heartless and selfish
and cowardly； without a soul； in fear of his life of Dan Cullen； and a bully
over the sailors； who knew that behind the mate was Captain Cullen； the
law…giver and compeller； the driver and the destroyer； the incarnation of a
dozen bucko mates。 In that wild weather at the southern end of the earth；
Joshua Higgins ceased washing。 His grimy face usually robbed George
Dorety of what little appetite he managed to accumulate。 Ordinarily this
lavatorial dereliction would have caught Captain Cullen's eye and
vocabulary； but in the present his mind was filled with making westing； to
the exclusion of all other things not contributory thereto。 Whether the
mate's face was clean or dirty had no bearing upon westing。 Later on；
when 5O degrees south in the Pacific had been reached； Joshua Higgins
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would wash his face very abruptly。 In the meantime； at the cabin table；
where gray twilight alternated with lamplight while the lamps were being
filled； George Dorety sat between the two men； one a tiger and the other a
hyena； and wondered why God had made them。 The second mate；
Matthew Turner； was a true sailor and a man； but George Dorety did not
have the solace of his company； for he ate by himself； solitary； when they
had finished。
On Saturday morning； July 24； George Dorety awoke to a feeling of
life and headlong movement。 On deck he found the Mary Rogers
running off before a howling south…easter。 Nothing was set but the lower
topsails and the foresail。 It was all she could stand； yet she was making
fourteen knots； as Mr。 Turner shouted in Dorety's ear when he came on
deck。 And it was all westing。 She was going around the Horn at last 。 。 。
if the wind held。 Mr。 Turner looked happy。 The end of the struggle was
in sight。 But Captain Cullen did not look happy。 He scowled at Dorety
in passing。 Captain Cullen did not want God to know that he was pleased
with that wind。 He had a conception of a malicious God； and believed in
his secret soul that if God knew it was a desirable wind； God would
promptly efface it and send a snorter from the west。 So he walked softly
before God； smothering his joy down under scowls and muttered curses；
and； so； fooling God； for God was the only thing in the universe of which
Dan Cullen was afraid。
All Saturday and Saturday night the Mary Rogers raced her westing。
Persistently she logged her fourteen knots； so that by Sunday morning she
had covered three hundred and fifty miles。 If the wind held； she would
make around。 If it failed； and the snorter came from anywhere between
south…west and north； back the Mary Rogers would be hurled and be no
better off than she had been seven weeks before。 And on Sunday
morning the wind was failing。 The big sea was going down and running
smooth。 Both watches were on deck setting sail after sail as fast as the
ship could stand it。 And now Captain Cullen went around brazenly before
God； smoking a big cigar； smiling jubilantly； as if the failing wind
delighted him； while down underneath he was raging against God for
taking the life out of the blessed wind。 Make westing！ So he would； if
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God would only leave him alone。 Secretly； he pledged himself anew to the
Powers of Darkness； if the
