按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
railed on the God who made him； and made the cruel water； that was
waiting for his body。 〃God's justice！ God's mercy！ God's power！
they are all lies；〃 he shouted； 〃dreams； chimeras； like Him the
all…powerful and good； men babble of by the fire。 If there was a
God more powerful than the sea； and only half as good as men are；
he would pity my poor Rosa and me； and send a hurricane to drive
those caitiffs back to the wretch they have abandoned。 Nature
alone is mighty。 Oh； if I could have her on my side； and only God
against me！ But she is as deaf to prayer as He is： as mechanical
and remorseless。 I am a bubble melting into the sea。 Soul I have
none； my body will soon be nothing； nothing。 So ends an honest；
loving life。 I always tried to love my fellow…creatures。 Curse
them！ curse them！ Curse the earth！ Curse the sea！ Curse all
nature： there is no other God for me to curse。〃
The moon came out。
He raised his head and staring eyeballs； and cursed her。
The wind began to whistle； and flung spray in his face。
He raised his fallen head and staring eyeballs； and cursed the
wind。
While he was thus raving； he became sensible of a black object to
windward。
It looked like a rail； and a man leaning on it。
He stared； he cleared the wet hair from his eyes； and stared again。
The thing； being larger than himself and partly out of water； was
drifting to leeward faster than himself。
He stared and trembled； and at last it came nearly abreast； black；
black。
He gave a loud cry； and tried to swim towards it； but encumbered
with his life…buoy； he made little progress。 The thing drifted
abreast of him； but ten yards distant。
As they each rose high upon the waves； he saw it plainly。
It was the very raft that had been the innocent cause of his sad
fate。
He shouted with hope； he swam； he struggled； he got near it； but
not to it； it drifted past； and he lost his chance of intercepting
it。 He struggled after it。 The life…buoy would not let him catch
it。
Then he gave a cry of agony； rage； despair； and flung off the life…
buoy； and risked all on this one chance。
He gains a little on the raft。
He loses。
He gains： he cries； 〃Rosa！ Rosa！〃 and struggles with all his soul；
as well as his body： he gains。
But when almost within reach； a wave half drowns him； and he loses。
He cries； 〃Rosa！ Rosa！〃 and swims high and strong。 〃Rosa！ Rosa！
Rosa！〃
He is near it。 He cries； 〃Rosa！ Rosa！〃 and with all the energy of
love and life flings himself almost out of the water； and catches
hold of the nearest thing on the raft。
It was the dead man's leg。
It seemed as if it would come away in his grasp。 He dared not try
to pull himself up by that。 But he held on by it； panting；
exhausting； faint。
This faintness terrified him。 〃Oh；〃 thought he； 〃if I faint now；
all is over。〃
Holding by that terrible and strange support； he made a grasp； and
caught hold of the woodwork at the bottom of the rail。 He tried to
draw himself up。 Impossible。
He was no better off than with his life…buoy。
But in situations so dreadful； men think fast； he worked gradually
round the bottom of the raft by his hands； till he got to leeward；
still holding on。 There he found a solid block of wood at the edge
of the raft。 He prised himself carefully up； the raft in that part
then sank a little： he got his knee upon the timber of the raft；
and with a wild cry seized the nearest upright； and threw both arms
round it and clung tight。 Then first he found breath to speak。
〃THANK GOD！〃 he cried； kneeling on the timber； and grasping the
upright post〃OH； THANK GOD！ THANK GOD！〃
CHAPTER XVI。
〃Thank God！〃 why； according to his theory； it should have been
〃Thank Nature。〃 But I observe that； in such cases； even
philosophers are ungrateful to the mistress they worship。
Our philosopher not only thanked God； but being on his knees；
prayed forgiveness for his late ravings； prayed hard； with one arm
curled round the upright； lest the sea； which ever and anon rushed
over the bottom of the raft； should swallow him up in a moment。
Then he rose carefully； and wedged himself into the corner of the
raft opposite to that other figure； ominous relic of the wild
voyage the new…comer had entered upon； he put both arms over the
rail； and stood erect。
The moon was now up； but so was the breeze： fleecy clouds flew with
vast rapidity across her bright face； and it was by fitful though
vivid glances Staines examined the raft and his companion。
The raft was large； and well made of timbers tied and nailed
together； and a strong rail ran round it resting on several
uprights。 There were also some blocks of a very light wood screwed
to the horizontal timbers； and these made it float high。
But what arrested and fascinated the man's gaze was his dead
companion； sole survivor； doubtless； of a horrible voyage； since
the raft was not made for one； nor by one。
It was a skeleton； or nearly； whose clothes the seabirds had torn；
and pecked every limb in all the fleshy parts； the rest of the body
had dried to dark leather on the bones。 The head was little more
than an eyeless skull； but in the fitful moonlight； those huge
hollow caverns seemed gigantic lamp…like eyes； and glared at him
fiendishly； appallingly。
He sickened at the sight。 He tried not to look at it； but it would
be looked at； and threaten him in the moonlight； with great lack…
lustre eyes。
The wind whistled； and lashed his face with spray torn off the big
waves； and the water was nearly up to his knees； and the raft
tossed so wildly； it was all he could do to hold on in his corner：
in which struggle； still those monstrous lack…lustre eyes； like
lamps of death； glared at him in the moon； all else was dark；
except the fiery crests of the black mountain…billows； tumbling and
raging all around。
What a night！
But； before morning； the breeze sank； the moon set； and a sombre
quiet succeeded； with only that grim figure in outline dimly
visible。 Owing to the motion still retained by the waves； it
seemed to nod and rear； and be ever preparing to rush upon him。
The sun rose glorious； on a lovely scene； the sky was a very mosaic
of colors sweet and vivid； and the tranquil； rippling sea； peach…
colored to the horizon； with lines of diamonds where the myriad
ripples broke into smiles。
Staines was asleep； exhausted。 Soon the light awoke him； and he
looked up。 What an incongruous picture met his eye： that heaven of
color all above and around； and right before him； like a devil
stuck in mid…heaven； that grinning corpse； whose fate foreshadowed
his own。
But daylight is a great strengthener of the nerves； the figure no
longer appalled hima man who had long learned to look with
Science's calm eye upon the dead。 When the sea became like glass；
and from peach…color deepened to rose； he walked along the raft；
and inspected the dead man。 He found it was a man of color； but
not a black。 The body was not kept in its place； as he had
supposed； merely by being jammed into the angle caused by the rail；
it was also lashed to the corner upright by a long； stout belt。
Staines concluded th