hard cash-第47章

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m　like　a　bullet

〃Let　go　the　main　sheet！〃　roared　Sharpe　hastily　to　a　hand　he　had　placed　there　on　purpose。　He　let　go；　and　there　was　the　sail　flapping　like　thunder；　and　the　sheet　lashing　everything　in　the　most　dangerous　way。　Dodd　was　on　deck　in　a　moment　〃Helm　hard　up！　Hands　shorten　sail！〃

（Pipe。）　〃All　hands　furl　sail；　ahoy！〃

Up　tumbled　the　crew；　went　cheerily　to　work；　and　by　three　bells　in　the　middle　watch　had　hauled　up　what　was　left　of　the　shivered　mainsail；　and　hove　the　ship　to　under　close…reefed　main　topsail　and　storm　stay…sails；　and　so　the　voyage　was　suspended。

A　heavy　sea　got　up　under　a　scourging　wind；　that　rose　and　rose；　till　the　_Agra_；　under　the　pressure　of　that　single　sail　treble　reefed；　heeled　over　so　as　to　dip　her　lee　channels。　This　went　on　till　the　waves　rolled　so　high；　and　the　squalls　were　so　bitter；　that　sheets　of　water　were　actually　torn　off　their　crests　and　launched　incessantly　on　deck；　not　only　drenching　Dodd　and　his　officers；　which　they　did　not　mind；　but　threatening　to　flood　the　ship。

Dodd　battened　down　the　hatches　and　stopped　that　game。

Then　came　a　danger　no　skill　could　avert：　the　ship　lurched　so　violently　now；　as　not　merely　to　clip；　but　bury；　her　lower　deck　port…pendents：　and　so　a　good　deal　of　water　found　ingress　through　the　windage。　Then　Dodd　set　a　gang　to　the　pumps：　for；　he　said；　〃We　can　hardly　hope　to　weather　this　out　without　shipping　a　sea：　and　I　won't　have　water　coming　in　upon　water。〃

And　now　the　wind；　raging　and　roaring　like　discharges　of　artillery；　and　not　like　wind　as　known　in　our　seas；　seemed　to　have　put　out　all　the　lights　of　heaven。　The　sky　was　inky　black；　and　quite　close　to　their　heads：　and　the　wind　still　increasing；　the　vessel　came　down　to　her　extreme　bearings；　and　it　was　plain　she　would　soon　be　on　her　beam　ends。　Sharpe　and　Dodd　met；　and　holding　on　by　the　life…lines；　applied　their　speaking　trumpets　tight　to　each　other's　ears；　and　even　then　they　had　to　bawl。

〃She　can't　carry　a　rag　much　longer。〃

〃No；　sir；　not　half　an　hour。〃

〃Can　we　furl　that　main　taupsle？〃

Sharpe　shook　his　head。　〃The　first　moment　we　start　a　sheet；　the　sail　will　whip　the　mast　out　of　her。〃

〃You　are　right　Well；　then；　I'll　cut　it　away。〃

〃Volunteers；　sir？〃

〃Ay；　twelve：　no　more。　Send　them　to　my　cabin。〃

Sharpe's　difficulty　was　to　keep　the　men　back；　so　eager　were　the　fine　fellows　to　risk　their　lives。　However；　he　brought　twelve　to　the　cabin；　headed　by　Mr。　Grey；　who　had　a　right；　as　captain　of　the　watch；　to　go　with　them；　on　which　right　he　insisted；　in　spite　of　Dodd's　earnest　request　that　he　would　forego　it。　When　Dodd　saw　his　resolution；　he　dropped　the　friend　and　resumed　the　captain；　and　spoke　to　them　through　a　trumpet；　the　first　time　he　had　ever　used　one　in　a　cabin；　or　seen　one　used。

〃Mr。　Grey　and　men；　going　aloft　to　save　the　mainmast　by　cutting　the　sail　away。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir！〃

〃Service　of　danger；　great　danger！〃

〃Hurrah！〃

〃But　great　dangers　can　be　made　smaller　by　working　the　right　way。　Attend！　Lay　out　all　on　the　yard；　and　take　your　time　from　one　man　at　the　lee　yard…arm：　don't　know　who　that　will　be；　but　one　of　the　smartest　men　in　the　ship。　Order　to　_him_　is：　hold　his　knife　hand　well　up；　rest　to　see！　and　then　in　knives　altogether：　mind　and　cut　from　you；　and　below　the　reef　band；　and　then　I　hope　to　see　all　come　down　alive。〃

Mr。　Grey　and　his　twelve　men　left　the　cabin：　and　hey！　for　the　main　top。　The　men　let　the　officer　lead　them　as　far　as　Jacob's　ladder；　and　then　hurrah　for　the　lee　yard…arm！　That　was　where　all　wanted　to　be；　and　but　one　could　be。　Grey　was　as　anxious　as　the　rest；　but　officers　of　his　rank　seldom　go　aloft；　and　soon　fall　out　of　their　catlike　habits。　He　had　done　about　six　ratlines；　when；　instead　of　going　hand　over　head；　he　spread　his　arms　to　seize　a　shroud　on　each　side　of　him：　by　this　he　weakened　his　leverage；　and　the　wind　just　then　came　fiercer；　caught　him；　and　flattened　him　against　the　rigging　as　tight　as　if　Nature　had　caught　up　a　mountain　for　a　hammer　and　nailed　him　with　a　cedar；　he　was　spread…eagled。　The　men　accepted　him　at　once　as　a　new　patent　ratline　with　a　fine　resisting　power：　they　went　up　him；　and　bounded　three　ordinary　ratlines　at　a　go　off　all　his　promontories；　especially　his　shoulders　and　his　head；　receiving　his　compliments　in　the　shape　of　hearty　curses。　They　gained　the　top　and　lay　out　on　the　yard　with　their　hair　flying　like　streamers：　and　who　got　the　place　of　honour　but　Thompson；　the　jolly　fore…topman　who　couldn't　stand　smoked　pea…soup。　So　strong　and　so　weak　are　men。

Thompson　raised　his　knife　high；　there　was　a　pause：　then　in　went　all　their　knives；　and　away　went　the　sail　into　the　night　of　the　storm；　and　soon　seemed　a　sheet　of　writing…paper；　and　more　likely　to　hit　the　sky　than　the　sea。　The　men　came　down；　picked　their　officer　off　the　rigging；　had　a　dram　in　the　captain's　cabin；　and　saw　him　enter　their　names　in　the　log…book　for　good　service；　and　in　the　purser's　for　extra　grog　on　Sundays　from　there　to　Gravesend。

The　ship　was　relieved；　and　all　looked　well　till　the　chronometer；　their　only　guide　now；　announced　sunset：　when　the　wind；　incredible　as　it　may　appear；　increased；　and　one　frightful　squall　dipped　the　muzzles　of　the　lee　carronades　in　the　water。

Then　was　heard　the　first　cry　of　distress：　an　appalling　sound；　the　wail　of　brave　men。　And　they　had　borne　it　all　so　bravely；　so　cheerfully；　till　now。　But　now　they　knew　something　must　go；　or　else　the　ship；　the　suspense　was　awful；　but　very　short。　Crack！　crash！　the　fore　and　main　topmast　both　gone　short　off　by　the　caps；　and　the　ship　recovered　slowly；　hesitatingly；　tremblingly。

Relieving　her　from　one　danger；　this　subjected　her　to　another　and　a　terrible　one。　The　heavy　spars　that　had　fallen；　unable　to　break　loose　from　the　rigging；　pounded　the　ship　so　savagely　as　to　threaten　to　stave　in　her　side。　Add　to　this　that；　with　labouring　so　long　and　severely；　some　of　the　ship's　seams　began　now　to　open　and　shut　and　discharge　the　oakum；　which　is　terrible　to　the　bravest　seamen。　Yet　neither　this　stout　captain　nor　his　crew　shirked　any　danger　men　had　ever　grappled　with　since　men　were。　Dodd　ordered　them　to　cut　away　the　wreck　to　leeward；　it　was　done：　then　to　windward；　this；　the　more　ticklish　operation；　was　also　done　smartly：　the　wreck　passed　under　the　ship's　quarter；　and　she　drifted　clear　of　it　They　breathed　again。

At　eight　bells　in　the　first　watch　it　began　to　thunder　and　lighten　furiously；　but　the　thunder；　though　close；　was　quite　inaudible　in　the　tremendous　uproar　of　the　wind　and　sea。　It　blew　a　hurricane：　there　were　no　more　squalls　now；　but　one　continuous　tornado；　which　in　its　passage　through　that　great　gaunt　skeleton；　the　ship's　rigging　and　bare　poles；　howled　and　yelled　and　roared　so　terrifically；　as　would　have　silenced　a　salvo　of　artillery　fired　alongside。　The　overwhelming　sea　ran　in　dark　watery　mountains　crested　with　devilish　fire。　The　inky　blackness　added　supernatural　horror；　the　wrath　of　the　Almighty　seemed　upon　them；　and　His　hand　to　drop　the　black　sky　down　on　them　for　their　funeral　pall。　Surely　Noah　from　his　ark　saw　nothing　more　terrible。

What　is　that？　Close　on　the　lee　bow：　chose：　the　flash　of　a　gun；　another；　another；　another。　A　ship　in　distress　firing　minute…guns　in　their　ears；　yet　no　sound：　human　thunder　silenced；　as　God's　thunder　was　silenced；　by　the　uproar　of　His　greater　creatures　in　their　mad　rage。　The　_Agra_　fired　two　minute…guns　to　let　the　other　poor　ship　know　she　had　a　companion　in　her　helplessness　and　her　distress；　and　probably　a　companion　in　her　fate。　Even　this　companionship　added　its　mite　of　danger：　for　both　ships　were　mere　playthings　of　the　elements；　they　might　be　tossed　together；　and　then；　what　would　be　their　fate？　Two　eggs　clashed　together　in　a　great　boiling　caldron；　and　all　the　life　spilt　out。

Yet　did　each　flash　shoot　a　ray　of　humanity　and　sympathy　into　the　thick　black　supernatural　horror。

And　now　came　calamity　upon　calamity。　A　tremendous　sea　broke　the　tiller　at　the　rudder…head；　and　not　only　was　the　ship　in　danger　of　falling　off　and　shipping　the　sea；　but　the　rudder　hammered　her　awfully；　and　bade　fair　to　stave　in　her　counter；　which　is　another　word　for　Destruction。　Thus　death　came　at　them　with　two　hands　open　at　once。

These　vessels　always　carry　a　spare　tiller：　they　tried　to　ship　it；　but　the　difficulty　was　prodigious。　No