rambling idle excursion-第3章
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him on the shoulder in sign of deep approval。 All knelt at the base of
the oar that was waving the signal…coat aloft； and bowed their heads。
The sea was tossing； the sun rested； a red； rayless disk； on the sea…line
in the west。 When the men presently raised their heads they would have
roared a hallelujah if they had had a voicethe ship's sails lay
wrinkled and flapping against her mastsshe was going about！ Here was
rescue at last； and in the very last instant of time that was left for
it。 No； not rescue yetonly the imminent prospect of it。 The red disk
sank under the sea； and darkness blotted out the ship。 By and by came a
pleasant sound…oars moving in a boat's rowlocks。 Nearer it came； and
nearer…within thirty steps； but nothing visible。 Then a deep voice：
〃Hol…lo！〃 The castaways could not answer； their swollen tongues refused
voice。 The boat skirted round and round the raft； started awaythe
agony of it！returned； rested the oars； close at hand； listening； no
doubt。 The deep voice again： 〃Hol…lo！ Where are ye； shipmates？〃
Captain Rounceville whispered to his men； saying： 〃Whisper your best；
boys！ now…all at once！〃 So they sent out an eightfold whisper in hoarse
concert： 〃Here！〃； There was life in it if it succeeded； death if it
failed。 After that supreme moment Captain Rounceville was conscious of
nothing until he came to himself on board the saving ship。 Said the
Reverend； concluding：
〃There was one little moment of time in which that raft could be visible
from that ship； and only one。 If that one little fleeting moment had
passed unfruitful； those men's doom was sealed。 As close as that does
God shave events foreordained from the beginning of the world。 When the
sun reached the water's edge that day； the captain of that ship was
sitting on deck reading his prayer…book。 The book fell； he stooped to
pick it up； and happened to glance at the sun。 In that instant that far…
off raft appeared for a second against the red disk； its needlelike oar
and diminutive signal cut sharp and black against the bright surface； and
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
