a simpleton- 第38部分

The　shark　turned　slowly　on　his　back；　and；　instead　of　grabbing　at
the　bait；　seemed　to　draw　it　by　gentle　suction　into　that　capacious
throat；　ready　to　blow　it　out　in　a　moment　if　it　was　not　all　right。

The　moment　the　bait　was　drawn　out　of　sight；　Staines　completed　the
circuit；　the　bottle　exploded　with　a　fury　that　surprised　him　and
everybody　who　saw　it；　a　ton　of　water　flew　into　the　air；　and　came
down　in　spray；　and　a　gory　carcass　floated；　belly　uppermost；　visibly
staining　the　blue　water。

There　was　a　roar　of　amazement　and　applause。

The　carcass　was　towed　alongside；　at　Tadcaster's　urgent　request；　and
then　the　power　of　the　explosion　was　seen。　　Confined；　first　by　the
bottle；　then　by　the　meat；　then　by　the　fish；　and　lastly　by　the
water；　it　had　exploded　with　tenfold　power；　had　blown　the　brute's
head　into　a　million　atoms；　and　had　even　torn　a　great　furrow　in　its
carcass；　exposing　three　feet　of　the　backbone。

Taddy　gloated　on　his　enemy；　and　began　to　pick　up　again　from　that
hour。

The　wind　improved；　and；　as　usual　in　that　latitude；　scarcely　varied
a　point。　　They　had　a　pleasant　time；private　theatricals　and　other
amusements　till　they　got　to　latitude　26　deg。　S。　and　longitude　27
deg。　W。　　Then　the　trade　wind　deserted　them。　　Light　and　variable
winds　succeeded。

The　master　complained　of　the　chronometers；　and　the　captain　thought
it　his　duty　to　verify　or　correct　them；　and　so　shaped　his　course　for
the　island　of　Tristan　d'Acunha；　then　lying　a　little　way　out　of　his
course。　　I　ought；　perhaps；　to　explain　to　the　general　reader　that
the　exact　position　of　this　island　being　long　ago　established　and
recorded；　it　was　an　infallible　guide　to　go　by　in　verifying　a　ship's
chronometers。

Next　day　the　glass　fell　all　day；　and　the　captain　said　he　should
double…reef　topsails　at　nightfall；　for　something　was　brewing。

The　weather；　however；　was　fine；　and　the　ship　was　sailing　very　fast；
when；　about　half　an　hour　before　sunset；　the　mast…head　man　hailed
that　there　was　a　bulk　of　timber　in　sight；　broad　on　the　weather…bow。

The　signalman　was　sent　up；　and　said　it　looked　like　a　raft。

The　captain；　who　was　on　deck；　levelled　his　glass　at　it；　and　made　it
out　a　raft；　with　a　sort　of　rail　to　it；　and　the　stump　of　a　mast。

He　ordered　the　officer　of　the　watch　to　keep　the　ship　as　close　to
the　wind　as　possible。　　He　should　like　to　examine　it　if　he　could。

The　master　represented；　respectfully；　that　it　would　be　unadvisable
to　beat　to　windward　for　that。　　〃I　have　no　faith　in　our
chronometers；　sir；　and　it　is　important　to　make　the　island　before
dark；　fogs　rise　here　so　suddenly。〃

〃Very　well；　Mr。　Bolt；　then　I　suppose　we　must　let　the　raft　go。〃

〃MAN　ON　THE　RAFT　TO　WINDWARD！〃　hailed　the　signalman。

This　electrified　the　ship。　　The　captain　ran　up　the　mizzen　rigging；
and　scanned　the　raft；　now　nearly　abeam。

〃It　IS　a　man！〃　he　cried；　and　was　about　to　alter　the　ship's　course
when；　at　that　moment；　the　signalman　hailed　again；

〃IT　IS　A　CORPSE。〃

〃How　d'ye　know？〃

〃By　the　gulls。〃

Then　succeeded　an　exciting　dialogue　between　the　captain　and　the
master；　who；　being　in　his　department；　was　very　firm；　and　went　so
far　as　to　say　he　would　not　answer　for　the　safety　of　the　ship；　if
they　did　not　sight　the　land　before　dark。

The　captain　said；　〃Very　well；〃　and　took　a　turn　or　two。　　But　at　last
he　said；　〃No。　　Her　Majesty's　ship　must　not　pass　a　raft　with　a　man
on　it；　dead　or　alive。〃

He　then　began　to　give　the　necessary　orders；　but　before　they　were
all　out　of　his　mouth；　a　fatal　interruption　occurred。

Tadcaster　ran　into　Dr。　Staines's　cabin；　crying；　〃A　raft　with　a
corpse　close　by！〃

Staines　sprang　to　the　quarter　port　to　see；　and　craning　eagerly　out；
the　lower　port　chain；　which　had　not　been　well　secured；　slipped；　the
port　gave　way；　and　as　his　whole　weight　rested　on　it；　canted　him
headlong　into　the　sea。

A　smart　seaman　in　the　forechains　saw　the　accident；　and　instantly
roared　out；　〃MAN　OVERBOARD！〃　a　cry　that　sends　a　thrill　through　a
ship's　very　ribs。

Another　smart　fellow　cut　the　life…buoy　adrift　so　quickly　that　it
struck　the　water　within　ten　yards　of　Staines。

The　officer　of　the　watch；　without　the　interval　of　half　a　moment；
gave　the　right　orders；　in　the　voice　of　a　stentor；

〃Let　go　life…buoy。

〃Life…boat's　crew　away。

〃Hands　shorten　sail。

〃Mainsel　up。

〃Main　topsel　to　mast。〃

These　orders　were　executed　with　admirable　swiftness。　　Meantime
there　was　a　mighty　rush　of　feet　throughout　the　frigate；　every
hatchway　was　crammed　with　men　eager　to　force　their　way　on　deck。

In　five　seconds　the　middy　of　the　watch　and　half　her　crew　were　in
the　lee　cutter；　fitted　with　Clifford's　apparatus。

〃Lower　away！〃　cried　the　excited　officer；　〃the　others　will　come　down
by　the　pendants。〃

The　man　stationed；　sitting　on　the　bottom　boards；　eased　away
roundly；　when　suddenly　there　was　a　hitchthe　boat　would　go　no
farther。

〃Lower　away　there　in　the　cutter！　　Why　don't　you　lower？〃　screamed
the　captain；　who　had　come　over　to　leeward　expecting　to　see　the　boat
in　the　water。

〃The　rope　has　swollen；　sir；　and　the　pendants　won't　unreeve；〃　cried
the　middy　in　agony。

〃Volunteers　for　the　weather…boat！〃　shouted　the　first　lieutenant；
but　the　order　was　unnecessary；　for　more　than　the　proper　number　were
in　her　already。

〃Plug　inlower　away。〃

But　mishaps　never　come　singly。　　Scarcely　had　this　boat　gone　a　foot
from　the　davit；　than　the　volunteer　who　was　acting　as　coxswain；　in
reaching　out　for　something；　inadvertently　let　go　the　line；　which；
in　Kynaston's　apparatus；　keeps　the　tackles　hooked；　consequently；
down　went　the　boat　and　crew　twenty　feet；　with　a　terrific　crash；　the
men　were　struggling　for　their　lives；　and　the　boat　was　stove。

But；　meantime；　more　men　having　been　sent　into　the　lee　cutter；　their
weight　caused　the　pendants　to　render；　and　the　boat　got　afloat；　and
was　soon　employed　picking　up　the　struggling　crew。

Seeing　this；　Lieutenant　Fitzroy　collected　some　hands；　and　lowered
the　life…boat　gig；　which　was　fitted　with　common　tackles；　got　down
into　her　himself　by　the　falls；　and　pulling　round　to　windward；
shouted　to　the　signalman　for　directions。

The　signalman　was　at　his　post；　and　had　fixed　his　eye　on　the　man
overboard；　as　his　duty　was；　but　his　mess…mate　was　in　the　stove
boat；　and　he　had　cast　one　anxious　look　down　to　see　if　he　was　saved；
and；　sad　to　relate；　in　that　one　moment　he　had　lost　sight　of
Staines；　the　sudden　darknessthere　was　no　twilightconfused　him
more；　and　the　ship　had　increased　her　drift。

Fitzroy；　however；　made　a　rapid　calculation；　and　pulled　to　windward
with　all　his　might。　　He　was　followed　in　about　a　minute　by　the　other
sound　boat　powerfully　manned；　and　both　boats　melted　away　into　the
night。

There　was　a　long　and　anxious　suspense；　during　which　it　became　pitch
dark；　and　the　ship　burned　blue　lights　to　mark　her　position　more
plainly　to　the　crews　that　were　groping　the　sea　for　that　beloved
passenger。

Captain　Hamilton　had　no　doubt　that　the　fate　of　Staines　was　decided；
one　way　or　other；　long　before　this；　but　he　kept　quiet　until　he　saw
the　plain　signs　of　a　squall　at　hand。　　Then；　as　he　was　responsible
for　the　safety　of　boats　and　ship；　he　sent　up　rockets　to　recall
them。

The　cutter　came　alongside　first。　　Lights　were　poured　on　her；　and
quavering　voices　asked；　〃Have　you　got　him？〃

The　answer　was　dead　silence；　and　sorrowful；　drooping　heads。

Sadly　and　reluctantly　was　the　order　given　to　hoist　the　boat　in。

Then　the　gig　came　alongside。　　Fitzroy　seated　in　her；　with　his　hands
before　his　face；　the　men　gloomy　and　sad。

〃GONE！　　GONE！〃

Soon　the　ship　was　battling　a　heavy　squall。

At　midnight　all　quiet　again；　and　hove　to。　　Then；　at　the　request　of
many；　the　bell　was　tolled；　and　the　ship's　company　mustered
bareheaded；　and　many　a　stout　seaman　in　tears；　as　the　last　service
was　read　for　Christopher　Staines。


CHAPTER　XIV。


Rosa　fell　ill　with　grief　at　the　hotel；　and　could　not　move　for　some
days；　but　the　moment　she　was　strong　enough；　she　insisted　on　leaving
Plymouth：　like　all　wounded　things；　she　must　drag　herself　home。

But　what　a　home！　　How　empty　it　struck；　and　she　heart…sick　and
desolate。　　Now　all　the　familiar　places　wore　a　new　aspect：　the
little　yard；　where　he　had　so　walked　and　waited；　became　a　temple　to
her；　and　she　came　out　and　sat　in　it；　and　now　first　felt　to　the　full
how　much　he　had　suffered　therewith　what　fortitude。　　She　crept
about　the　house；　and　kissed　the　chair　he　had　sat　in；　and　every
much…used　place　and　thing　of　the　departed。

Her　shallow　nature　deepened　and　deepened　under　this　bereavement；　of
which；　she　said　to　herself；　with　a　shudder；　she　was　the　cause。　　And
this　is　the　course　of　nature；　there　is　nothing　like　suffering　to
enlighten　the　giddy　brain；　widen　the　narrow　mind；　improve　the
trivial　heart。

As　her　regrets　were　tender　and　deep；　so　her　vows　of　repentance　were
sincere。　　Oh；　what　a　wife　she　would　make　when　he　came　back！　how
thoughtful！　how　prudent！　how　loyal！　and　never　have　a　secret。　　She
who　had　once　said；　〃What　is　the　use　of　your　writing？　nobody　will
publish　it；〃　now　collected　and　perused　every　written　scrap。　　With
simple　affection　she　even　locked　up　his　very　waste…paper　basket；
full　of　fragments　he　had　torn；　or　useless　papers　he　had　thrown
there；　before　he　went　to　Plymouth。

In　the　drawer　of　his　writing…table　she　found　his　diary。　　It　was　a
thick　quarto：　it　began　with　their　marriage；　and　ended　with　his
leaving　homefor　then　he　took　another　volume。　　This　diary　became
her　Bible；　she　studied　it　daily；　till　her　tears　hid　his　lines。　　The
entries　were　very　miscellaneous；　very　exact；　it　was　a　map　of　their
married　life。　　But　what　she　studied　most　was　his　observations　on
her　own　character；　so　scientific；　yet　so　kindly；　and　his　scholar…
like　and　wise　reflections。　　The　book　was　an　unconscious　picture　of
a　great　mind　she　had　hitherto　but　glanced　at：　now　she　saw　it　all
plain　before　her；　saw　it；　understood　it；　adored　it；　mourned　it。
Such　women　are　shallow；　not　for　want　of　a　head　upon　their
shoulders；　but　of　ATTENTION。　　They　do　not　really　study　anything：
they　have　been　taught　at　their　schools　the　bad　art　of　skimming；　but
let　their　hearts　compel　their　brains　to　think　and　think；　the　result
is　considerable。　　The　deepest　philosopher　never　fathomed　a
character　more　thoroughly　tha