Chapter 2 part two

one The Icelandic sun, changing color and shape, started the day with an ominous morning.It undid the curtain completely, and shot a beam of intense light piercing the sky, heralding bad weather to come. The weather has been so good lately, it's time to end.The breeze stirred the mass of ships, as if feeling the need to blow them apart, drive them out of the sea; and the ships began to scatter like a rout of armies, by the menace of the sky alone (which can never be mistaken) , is enough to drive them away. The wind was getting stronger and stronger, people and boats trembled. The waves are not big yet, but they have begun to pile up one after the other. At first, the white foam spreads like a marble pattern on the water surface, and then, accompanied by a slight crackling sound, there are bursts of water vapor, as if frying on fire. Like frying, all those cacophonies add up over time.

Everyone no longer cared about fishing, but was busy driving.The fishing line had already been reeled in.They were all eager to get the ship off, and some of them wanted to find a safe haven in the fjord, and tried to get there in time;They could still see each other, here and there, here and there on the waves, some poor little wet, weary, fleeing things, and yet they stood up like children blown up and down. Standing wooden tumbler. Huge bands of clouds gathered on the western horizon that looked like islands, and now they broke away from above, sending scattered clouds racing through the air.The cloud seemed endless, and the wind spread it, elongated it, stretched it, and pulled out countless dark curtains from it, spreading them across the yellow and clear sky that has now become cold and deep leaden.

The wind was getting stronger and stronger, and the strong wind shook everything. The cruiser had sailed for the safe haven of Iceland; only the fishermen remained on the turbulent sea, which looked hideous and horribly coloured.As they scrambled to prepare for the onslaught of the storm, the distance between them grew and they soon lost sight of each other. The vortex-shaped waves continue to chase, gather, and overlap, each wave is higher than the other, and the trough between the waves is also deeper. Within a few hours, the sea area, which was so peaceful the day before, was all churning and shaking, and the deafening noise replaced the previous silence.What was the purpose of all this unconscious, useless commotion, how swiftly it was going, when everything was changed in an instant?How mysterious is this blind destruction!

The clouds, pouring in from the west, had spread out in the sky, and were piling up and thickening hastily and rapidly, which darkened everything.Only a few yellow cracks remained, from which the sun cast its last beams.The sea water, which has now turned green, has more and more white foam gushing out. At noon, the Marie was in all bad-weather attitude; the hatches were closed, the sails were lowered, and she leaped nimbly and lightly; in the turmoil that had begun, she had the air of a great dolphin happy to play with the storm. .According to the sailors, the attitude of this ship with its sails removed and its foremast left is to escape ahead of time.

The sky, already dark, became a sealed, suffocating dome, and something still darker spread over it in changing shapes; the sky was almost like a motionless roof, which had to be observed Only then can it be seen that it is actually moving rapidly: the huge gray curtain slid past, and was constantly replaced by other curtains from the end of the horizontal line; the dark curtain seemed to be continuously released from a roller. The Marie is running before time, faster and faster; time is also running, running before something mysterious and terrible.The wind, the sea, the Mary, the clouds, everything was running madly in the same direction, the fastest was the wind; then the heavier and slower waves that ran with the wind; then the Mary, Driven forward by the wind and waves.The waves chase the fishing boats, and the gray crests roll in endless waterfalls.The ship is always overtaken and overtaken, but always escapes from the waves by the wondrous course her stern makes, by the eddies that break up the raging waves.

In this running posture, what people feel the most is a light illusion; without any hard work and effort, they just feel that they are jumping. When the Mary rises with the waves, it is as if lifted by the wind, without shaking The ensuing descent is like a coast, with a stomach-churning sensation, as one feels in a simulated descent of a Russian car or a hypothetical fall in a dream.It slid backwards, and the escaped Langshan got under the boat to continue running forward.So it fell again into a great trough that was also running; it sank right down to the splashing trough, undamaged, not even watered, and it ran like everything else, like smoke, ahead disappeared without a trace

At the bottom of the trough, darker than the top, each wave passing by can be seen to be followed by another, another towering wave, taller and green with transparency, which hastened in a menacing arc. , with a vortex ready to close at any moment, seems to say: Wait, wait until I catch you and swallow you; but otherwise, the wave just lifts you up, like shrugging a With its loud foam and cascading roar, you feel it almost slipping beneath you. In this way, continuously, more and more turbulent, one wave after another, one wave higher than the other wave, connecting long mountains, the deep valleys in the mountains have begun to be scary.All this movement became more violent and louder under the darkening sky.

This is really bad weather, and it must not be taken lightly.But as long as there is a large free space ahead, and a place to escape.Also, this year the Marie just spent the fishing season in the westernmost part of Iceland's fishing area, so fleeing east is just the way home. Jann and Sylvester were at the helm, strapping themselves to the tiller with their girdles, still singing "Joan de Nantes".That song of François; intoxicated by the movement and the speed, they sang it with all their might, and amused that they couldn't hear each other in the midst of all this tumult, and they turned their heads to the wind for the fun of it , I can't even breathe.

Hello!Does it smell stuffy on top, kids?asked Galmer, poking his bearded face out of the half-open hatch, like a devil about to emerge from a magic box. ah!No, of course, the top is not stuffy. They have no fear, because they have solid sailing knowledge, have enough confidence in the strength of the ship and their own arms, and they also believe that the clay Virgin will protect them. During her forty years of travel in Iceland, she has Doing this dangerous dance countless times and always smiling between her bouquets of fake flowers John of Nantes.francois; John.francois, John.Francois! Generally speaking, they can't see very far around themselves. A few meters away, there are all rough seas, all towering gray-white peaks, blocking their sight.They always feel that they are on a narrow stage, although the scenes are constantly changing; moreover, these scenes are immersed in a hookah that flows like a cloud across the sea with extraordinary speed.

But the north-west sometimes reveals a corner of blue sky, from which the wind may suddenly change direction; and then a gleam of light slanted down from the horizon, and a long reflection fell on the top of the white rolling waves, making the dome of the sky more apparent. dark.This corner of the blue sky looked very bleak; this looming distance, this occasional vista, could not express more clearly that the same confusion and the same fury were everywhere, and made the heart more uncomfortable.The chaos and fury extended beyond the horizon to the immensity of emptiness, surrounded by endless horrors in which men hung alone.

Everything made a great din, like a harbinger of the end of the world, spreading the horror of the end of the world.From above, one could distinguish a thousand sounds, shrill or deep, almost distant because of the vastness.This is the wind, the great soul of this chaos, the invisible force that rules everything.The sound of the wind is frightening, but there are other sounds, closer, more substantial, and more destructively menacing, the whirring of water as if boiled over a fire, the sound of billows churning The wind and waves are getting bigger and bigger. But even though they were fleeing with the wind, the waves began to overwhelm the fishing boats, to swallow them up, as they said. At first the spray hit the stern, and then a great wave of water came rushing in with all-shattering force.The waves rose higher and higher, rising more and more frantically, but they broke up again, and one saw great masses of green water, falling from the rising waves, blown here and there by the wind. .They fell heavily on the deck with a bang, and the Mary trembled as if in pain.Now nothing can be discerned because of the scattered white foam; and when the wind howls louder, the billows of foam fly, thicker and thicker like dust on a summer road.The heavy rain had already come, but it swept across obliquely. They roared and whipped together, hurting people like a leather whip. The two of them still steered the helm, bound to the tiller, and stood firm; their oilskins were as hard and shiny as sharkskin; The cuffs and trousers were tightly tied to prevent water from entering.Water splashed on them.When the wind is rough and the waves are high, they will bow their backs and lie on the rudder pole to avoid being overturned by the wind and waves.They felt the skin on their cheeks burn, and their breathing was interrupted from time to time.They looked at each other and smiled after each big wave, because their beards were covered with grains of salt. However, after a long time, it is very tiring after all, and this raging wave that will not calm down has always maintained its extreme frenzy.But the rage of man and beast soon wears off and subsides; it must be endured for a long, long time, the rage of an inanimate being without reason or purpose, as mysterious as life and death. John of Nantes.francois; John.francois, John.Francois! The refrain of the old song still flowed from their paled lips, but it had become a silent, now and then unconscious repetition.Drowsy from the excess turmoil and tumult, their smiles, though young, were ugly with teeth chattering from the cold; their eyes, half-closed under painfully blinking lids, Stand still.They crouched against the tiller, like two arched pillars of marble, hardly thinking, but by the habit of their muscles alone, making the necessary effort with their twitching, blue hands.Their hair was dripping, their mouths convulsed, their appearance became very strange, and their whole bodies showed primitive wildness. They can't see each other!Just realizing that he was still in place, the two were next to each other.In times of greater danger, whenever a new, steep, whistling, mountainous, terrible wave rose high behind them and struck their ships with a dull thud, they subconsciously cross with one hand.They thought of nothing more, neither Gaud, nor any woman, nor any marriage.The storm had lasted so long that they could no longer think, the noise, the fatigue, and the cold confused them and made everything in their minds blur.They were only two stiff columns of flesh fastened to the tiller, only two strong beasts that clung there by instinct to keep them from dying. two In Brittany, on a chilly day after half September, Gaud was alone in the wilderness of Prombalne to pay a visit to Pol.Go to Aiwang Village. It has been nearly a month since the Icelandic fishing boats returned. Two boats were lost in the hurricane in June, but the Marie was safe and sound, and Yang En and the whole crew returned safely. Thinking that he was walking towards Yang En's house, Gott couldn't help feeling flustered. She had seen him only once since Jan's return from Iceland; when they had sent poor little Sylvester off for his military service. (He was sent to the post-coach all the way, he wept a little, the old grandmother wept a lot, and then he set off for Brest to join the army.) Jan also came to kiss his little friend good-bye, and when she watched He pretended to turn his eyes away when he was talking to her. She couldn't talk to him because there were so many other conscripts who were about to leave in the car, as well as relatives and friends gathered there to see them off. Although a little timid, she finally made up her mind to go to Gavo's house. Her father and Young's father had had some joint interests before, (these sorts of complications are always endless among fishermen as among farmers.) He had recently sold a boat, and he had given Young's father a share. Hundred francs. You can give me the money, papa, she said, and first of all I'd be glad to go and see Mary.Gavo, and I've never been as far as Prubalane, I'd find it interesting to make the trip. In fact, she had an uneasy curiosity about Yang En's family, because it was very likely that she would enter this family and this village one day. Sylvester, in his last conversation with her before his departure, had explained his friend's inhumanity; You see, that's what he is; he doesn't want to marry anyone, as he thinks; he only loves the sea, and one day he even joked with us that he had promised to marry her. She then forgave him for this attitude, and always recalled his pretty, frank smile on the ball night, and she was hopeful again. Of course, if she met him at his house, she would say nothing to him, and she never wanted to appear so bold.But he, seeing her so close, might talk to her three For an hour she walked briskly and excitedly, breathing the fresh, clean air of the sea. Some huge crosses were erected at various intersections. At intervals she passed a small village of sailors, blown by the wind all the year round, the color of rocks.In one of the villages, where the path narrowed suddenly between dark walls and thatched roofs tall and pointed like Celtic huts, a sign for a hotel made her laugh: Chinese apples. On the wine, there are two Chinese people in red and green robes with pigtails, drinking cider.No doubt the idea of ​​some old sailor who had been there.As she walked, she took a full look at everything; those who are particularly concerned about the purpose of their journey are more likely than others to waste time on trivial matters along the way. [Note] The Celtes, an ancient European tribe, are regarded as the ancestors of many nations in Europe today, and the ancestors of the French, the Gauls, are a branch of the Celts. The village was now far behind her, and the further she went towards the remotest headlands of Brittany, the thinner the surrounding trees became, and the more desolate the countryside became. The ground is undulating and rocky everywhere, and from any high point, the vast sea can be seen.There was not a tree left now; only a desolate field of green gorse, and here and there the holy cross folded its huge arms in the air, making the place look like an endless cemetery. At a crossroads guarded by this gigantic Christ, she hesitated between two paths hidden among thorns. A little girl solved her problem just in time. Hello, Miss Gott. This is a little girl from the Jiawo family, Yang En's little sister.After Gaud had kissed her, he asked if her parents were at home. Both father and mother are there, only brother Yang En has gone to Logieville, the little girl said harmlessly, I don't think he will come back too late. He was not at home, and he, everywhere and always with her, was still the fate that separated him from her.She would have liked to reschedule the visit, but the little girl had seen her on the road, and she would tell, Pol.What would the people of Aiwang Village think of this?So she decided to keep going, but wandering around as slowly as possible so that she wouldn't get there until he got home. The closer she came to Yang En's village and the remote headland, the more rough and desolate the scenery looked. The strong sea breeze made people stronger, but made the plants shorter, shorter, and flattened on the hard ground. .Some seaweed littered the ground along the path, another foliage that suggested another world was at hand.These clumps smell of table salt in the air. Goth sometimes met pedestrians who were also fishermen. In this barren land, he saw them appearing on the high and far horizon from a distance, as if they were getting bigger and bigger.Those navigators or fishermen always have a look of looking into the distance and guarding the sea; when they meet her, they all say hello to her.Their faces were very tanned, and under their sailor caps they looked very powerful and bold. Time passed so slowly that she hardly knew how to lengthen her journey; passers-by were surprised to see her go so slowly. This Yang En, why did he go to Logieville?Maybe to court the girls there well!How did she know that he seldom paid attention to such things and beauties.Sometimes, if he had a crush on a girl, he usually just went straight to her.The young girls of Paimpol, as the old Icelandic folk song says, are a little bit mad with their bodies, and cannot resist such a handsome lad.No, he just went to that village to find a bamboo craftsman to order something. That craftsman's skill in weaving shrimp baskets is unique in the local area. At this moment, Yang En's mind is not bound by love at all! She reached the little chapel on the plateau which she had seen from afar.It was a gray, very small, very old chapel; amidst the haggard surroundings, a clump of twigs, also gray and leafless, had for its hair, as if pressed down by a hand, all of which Fall to one side. This is the hand that sinks the fishermen's boats, the hand of the eternal westerly wind that makes the twisted branches of the shore fall with the direction of the waves.After years of hard work by this hand, those old trees are all bent back, growing crookedly and unkemptly. Since this is Paul.Gaud had almost reached the end of her journey; so she stopped to gain some more time. A low decaying wall encloses a graveyard with many crosses.Chapels, trees, tombs, all the same colour, the whole place seemed equally scorched and eroded by the sea-wind; a moss of the same greyish color, speckled with sulphurous yellow and white, covered the stone, gnarled Branches and statues of granite saints standing in niches. Among these wooden crosses was written in large letters: Garvo.Joan.Gavo, eighty years old. oh!Yes, she knew, it was his grandfather.The sea did not take the old sailor away, and besides, there must have been many relatives of Yang En lying in this cemetery. This is a natural thing, and it should have been expected. However, reading this from the grave First and last name, but it made her very uncomfortable. To dawdle a little longer, she went into the small old whitewashed porch to say a prayer.But she stopped there, feeling very sad inside. Gavo!The same name and surname are engraved on a tablet of the dead, and those tablets are all set up to commemorate the victims at sea. She began to read the inscription on it: To commemorate John.Louis.Gavo Sailor of the Marguerite, aged twenty-four, Died at sea off Iceland on August 3, 1877, May he rest in peace! Iceland, always that Iceland!At the entrance to this chapel, nailed here and there were other wooden plaques bearing the names of the sailors who perished. This is Pol.At the Memorial Corner of the Victims in Aiwang Village, she suddenly had a premonition of misfortune, so she regretted coming here.In Paimpol, in the church, she had seen similar inscriptions; but here, in this village, the empty graves of Icelandic fishermen were smaller, rougher, and cruder.There were granite benches on all sides for widows and mothers.The cavernous, low, irregular place was guarded by an old statue of the Madonna, painted rose-red, with large, menacing eyes, resembling the first Cybele, the Earth Mother. Gavo!Still Gavo! To commemorate Francois.Gavo Anna.Mary.Legostet's husband, Captain of the Ban Bao Tiao, August 3, 1877, with his crew of twenty-three died together in Iceland, May they rest in peace! Below the inscription, a black skull with two green eyes is drawn, and two dead bones are crossed underneath.The painting is frank and creepy, and you can feel the primitive customs of another era in it. Gavo!This name is everywhere! Another member of the Gavo family named Ivor, in the Icelandic sea, Norden.Near Fio, swept from a boat by a storm, at the age of twenty-two.The tablet seems to have stood there for many years; this man, must have been forgotten Reading the inscription, her heart was full of tenderness for Yang En, but at the same time she felt a little desperate.Never, no, he will never be hers!How can she fight across the sea?Since so many Gavo men had sunk in the sea, his ancestors, his brothers, they must all have been like him too. She entered the chapel, and the interior, which was barely lighted by the low windows on the thick walls, was already quite dark.There she was, feeling like crying, kneeling and praying before the tall statues of saints and saints surrounded by crude flowers and whose heads touched the dome.Outside, the fresh wind began to howl, and it seemed to Brittany that the wails of the young dead were carried. It was getting dark, and she had to make up her mind to go to Gavo's house and complete her mission. She went back on the road, inquired in the village, and found the Gavo family's house, which was backed by a cliff and had to climb more than ten granite steps to reach it.Thinking that Yang En might have gone home, she couldn't help trembling slightly when she walked through the small garden with chrysanthemums and mother-in-law. When she entered the door, she said that she was sending money for the sold boat, and they politely asked her to sit down and wait for her father to come back and sign for it.Her eyes searched for Yang En among those present, but there was no sign of him. The people at home were very busy, and on a large clean white table they had cut a new piece of cotton; it was to make a garment called a tarpaulin for the next Icelandic fishing season. You see, Miss Gott, they've got to have two replacements each there! They explained to her how the crude clothes were painted and oiled after they were made, and while she listened to such details, she studied Gavo's house with her eyes. The house was laid out in the traditional manner of a Breton hut: at the end was a huge fireplace, flanked by chests of beds.But it wasn't dark and gloomy like a peasant's house, which was often half buried in the field beside the road; it was clean and bright, like a sailor's home. [Note] The old-style bed in the countryside of Brittany, France, is like a large wardrobe, the door of which can be closed during the day. There are several little Gavos in the family, including boys and girls, all of whom are Yang En's younger brothers and sisters, not counting the two older ones who have already gone to sea.Also, there was a very small fair-haired girl, clean and sentimental-looking, who was quite different from the other children. This is a child adopted last year. My mother explained that we already have many children, but what can we do?Miss Gott, her father is Mary.Dio.On the Timon, that boat went missing in Iceland last fishing season, as you know, and he left five children who had to be adopted by neighbors, and we took this one. Hearing people talk about her, the little girl put her head down and smiled and hid in her favorite little Lomac.Gavo's side. There was an air of abundance about the room, and the rosy faces of the children showed that they were in good health. Gaud was received with great hospitality, as if the family were honored by the visit of a pretty lady.They asked her to walk up the new white wood staircase to the building, which the whole house was proud of.She still remembers the history of building this building clearly. It was after Papa Garvo and his cousin who was a navigator found the shipwreck in the English Channel; talked about. The shipwrecked room, whitewashed and new, looked respectable and comfortable; two town beds, hung with pink calico curtains; and a large table in the center of the room.Looking out of the window, you can see the whole of Paimpol, the whole of the docking port and the Icelandic fishing boats moored there, and the passage where they set sail. She would have liked to know where Yang En slept, but she dared not ask; apparently he had lived downstairs as a child, sleeping in some old-fashioned chest of drawers.But now, probably here, sleeping under pretty pink curtains.She enjoyed knowing the details of his life, especially how he spent those long winter nights The sound of slightly heavy footsteps on the stairs made her shiver. No, this is not Yang En, but a man who already has white hair but is very similar to Yang En. He has a tall body almost as tall as Yang En, and is as straight as Yang En. This is Papa Gavo Fishing is back. After he greeted her and asked her why he came, he signed the receipt.This took some time, for he said he was not quite sure of his hands.He would not, however, accept the hundred francs as the final payment for the sale of the ship, but regarded it as only part of the sum due to him; he had yet to discuss the matter with M. Mayville.Gott, who doesn't pay much attention to money, showed an imperceptible smile: That's great!This matter was not over yet, she had expected it; besides, it would allow her to continue dealing with the Gavo family. Because Yang En was not at home, they almost apologized to her, as if they thought it would be more polite for the whole family to gather together to receive her.Papa Garvo, with his old sailor's finesse, might even have guessed that his son was not insignificant to the handsome heiress; for he kept talking about Young a little stubbornly. It was strange, he said, he had never been out so late before.He's gone to Rockville, Miss Gott, to buy a prawn crate; it's our great winter fishery, you know. As for her, she prolonged her visit absent-mindedly. Although she knew that she had stayed too long, she felt extremely uncomfortable at the thought that she might not see Yang En this time. What would a well-behaved man like him do?Have you been to the tavern yet?No, certainly not, we never worried about this son, I don't mean, once in a while, say, on a Sunday, with his mates, you know, Miss Gaut, sailors!God, when they're young, isn't it, why take everything away?With him, though, that sort of thing is rare, he's a decent guy, let's just say that. As we were talking, it was getting dark; people folded the waterproof suits they had begun to sew, and stopped working.The little Gavoys and the little girl who had been adopted were sitting next to each other on the bench, depressed because of the coming of the dark hour of the evening, and they looked at Gaud as if thinking: It's so late, why hasn't she left yet? In the fading twilight the fire in the grate began to glow red. You stay to supper with us, Miss Gott. oh!No, she couldn't do this, her face turned red when she thought that she stayed so late.She got up and said goodbye to her master. Yang En's father also stood up to see her off, all the way to the side of the remote low-lying land where the road was darkened by old trees. As they walked side by side, she felt a kind of respect and tenderness for him; in a sudden impulse, she wanted to confide in him as if she were a father; but the words were stuck in her throat, what Didn't say anything. They walked in the cold evening wind that smelled of sea water. In the desolate wilderness, they could see some closed huts here and there. It was very dark below; and there were crosses, gorse, and stones. This Pol.How far away is Aiwang Village!And how late she was there! Sometimes, she met some people coming back from Paimpol or Logieville; seeing these people's figures approaching gradually, she thought of him every time, and thought of Yang En; but he was easy to recognize from a distance. , so she was quickly disappointed.Her feet got caught in some hairy, long brown growth that turned out to be seaweed strewn across the ground. At Pruvenzok's crucifix she saluted the old man farewell and asked him to turn back.With the lights of Paimpol at hand, there is nothing to fear. Come on, this time it's over now who knows when she will see Yang En Want to go to Pol.In Aiwang Village, there are still excuses, but another visit like this would make her look too indecent.It should be stronger and more self-respecting.If her dear little friend Sylvester was still here, she might have sent him to fetch Young in her own name, to make him clear.But Sylvester was gone, how many years would he have to go? Four I got married?That night, Yang En said to his parents, I'm getting married?Hey my god why are you getting married?Shall I be happier someday than here with you?Nothing to worry about, no disputes with anyone, a good hot meal every night from the sea.oh!I know, it has something to do with the girl who came today.First of all, it's hard to explain how a rich girl would look at poor people like us.Besides, whether it is this girl or the other girl, I will not marry, I will not marry, I have considered this matter, and I have no intention of marrying. The old couple of Gavor were silent, and looked at each other, very disappointed, because after consulting together, they were sure that the girl would not refuse their pretty Yang En.But they don't intend to stick to their guns, and they know it won't work.Especially the mother, who bowed her head and kept silent; she respected the will of this son, who is now almost one of the head of the family; He is submissive, but in major matters, he has long been the absolute master. With a calm, powerful independent and unruly spirit, he got rid of all constraints. Like other fishermen, they are used to rising at dawn, so they never go to bed late.After supper, at eight o'clock, after casting a last satisfied glance at the shrimp pots he had brought back from Logiwi, and at his new nets, he undressed, looking very serene; and went upstairs To sleep, with his little brother Romack, in that bed with the pink calico curtain. five Goth's little confidant Sylvester has been enlisting in the army in Brest for half a month; he is not used to it, but he obeys the rules; With his tall body and flexible manner, he seems to be an excellent sailor; but in fact, he always thinks about his kind old grandmother, who is always the innocent child in the past. Only one night, he got drunk with some fellow countrymen. As usual, a large group of them linked arms and sang songs vigorously, and went back to the barracks. Another Sunday, he went to the theater's flower building [Note] to watch a play.It was a great tragedy, and the sailors were so annoyed at the traitor in the play that whenever he appeared they cried together: O!It was like the deep roar of the west wind.He especially felt that it was too stuffy inside, the place was small, and there was too little air; he wanted to take off his coat, but was reprimanded by the duty officer.He later fell asleep near the end of the show. [Note] Seats in Hualou above the third floor are poor and ticket prices are lower. When he returned to the barracks, it was past midnight, and he met some pretty old women without hats walking by the side of the road. Come on, handsome boy, they said to him in hoarse voices. He was not as naive as people imagined, and he understood what they meant immediately.But he suddenly thought of his old grandmother and Mary.Gavo walked past them proudly, relying on his beauty and youth, he looked at them contemptuously with a childish ironic smile.The group of women couldn't help being very surprised at the sailor's cautiousness. You see this one!Be careful, run away, my baby; run away quickly, they will eat you up! 她們朝他嚷出一些下流話，聲音隨即淹沒在星期日夜間充填著街道的含混不清的嘈雜裡。 他在布雷斯特的行為和在冰島一樣，和在海上一樣，一直保持著孩子的純潔。但是別人並不為此譏笑他，因為他十分強壯，這一點是使水手們肅然起敬的。 six 有一天他被叫到連部，人家告訴他，他已被派往中國，到臺灣艦隊！ 他早就料到會來這麼一著，因為他聽看報的人說過，那邊的戰爭沒完沒了。由於開拔的日子緊迫，人家同時通知他，不能按慣例給他假期回去向家人告別五天以後，他就得整裝出發。 他極其心慌意亂；既受遠途旅行、陌生世界和戰爭的魅力吸引，又滿懷離別一切的痛苦和不能生還的模糊不安。 千頭萬緒在他頭腦中亂成一團。在他周圍，各營房一片嘈雜，因為還有許多別的士兵剛才也接到通知被派往中國艦隊。 他趕快寫信給他可憐的老祖母，他坐在地上，很快地用鉛筆寫著，在那些來來去去、和他一樣就要出發的年輕人的喧嘩聲中，他獨自一人沉入了不安的遐想。 seven 她太老了一點呀，他的愛人！兩天以後，別人在他背後笑著說，沒關係，看樣子他倆還挺貼心呢！ 他們頭一次看見他和別人一樣，胳膊上挽著一個女人在勒古弗朗大街上散步，都覺得十分有趣，他以溫柔的神情向她傾著身子，向她說著一些看來十分甜蜜的話。 一個從背後看去身段相當靈巧的嬌小女人；身穿一條比流行的式樣稍短的裙子，肩披一塊褐色小披肩，頭戴班保爾的大頭巾。 她攀著他的胳膊，同樣轉身向著他，溫存地朝他瞧著。 她太老了一點呀，他的愛人！ 別人這麼說的時候，並沒有什麼惡意，因為他們明明看出這是一位從鄉下來的和善的老奶奶。 她得到小孫兒要出發的消息，簡直嚇壞了，連忙趕到這兒來因為，中國的這場戰爭，已經奪去了班保爾許多水手的生命。 她集中全部可憐的積蓄，在一個紙板盒裡放進星期天穿的漂亮衣衫和一條換洗的頭巾，就動身來了，為的是至少最後抱吻一次她的孫兒。 她直接跑到營房去找他，一開始連裡的軍士不讓他出來。 如果你一定要他出來，老太太，你就自己去和團長說吧，他從那邊過來了。 她直截了當去找團長，團長被她感動了。 叫莫昂去換衣服吧！He said. 莫昂三步併作兩步地奔上樓，去換進城的服裝，這時那善良的老祖母，像往常一樣，為了讓他開心，在那軍士背後恭恭敬敬地扮了一個滑稽可笑的鬼臉。 隨後，當她的孫兒重新露面時，已經整整齊齊穿上了水兵們出門的服裝，她發現他竟這麼漂亮，真是又驚又喜：他的黑鬍鬚，由理髮師按今年水兵們的時髦樣式修剪成尖尖的；他的敞領襯衫邊緣打著細褶；他的無簷帽上飄著兩條末端飾有金錨的長飄帶。 刹那間，她以為看見了自己的兒子皮埃爾，二十年前，他也是艦隊上的桅檣兵，本已淡忘的漫長的往事和對所有死者的回憶，竟悄悄給此時此刻罩上了一層悲哀的陰影。 但這悲哀很快就給撇開了。他們手挽著手，在相聚的快樂中走出門去；於是，人家把她當成他的愛人，說她太老了一點。 她帶他到一家班保爾人開的飯店去吃晚飯。點了幾個好菜，人家告訴過她，那兒價錢不算太貴。然後，他們一直挽著手，在布雷斯特的大街上看商店的櫥窗。她覺得無論什麼也不如講些逗孫兒發笑的事更有樂趣，於是用行人無法聽懂的班保爾地區的布列塔尼語對他講著。 eight 她和他在一起度過了三天，這是歡樂的，然而有個極陰暗的以後沉重地壓在上面的三天，也可以說是恩准的三天。 臨了，她還是得走，還是得回到普魯巴拉內去。首先是她那點可憐的積蓄快花完了。再說，西爾維斯特後天就得上船，水兵們在遠行前夕，是絕對禁止外出的。（這種做法初看似乎有點殘忍，實際上是防止有些想臨陣脫逃的水兵溜號的必要措施。） ah!這最後的一天！她白費力氣地在腦子裡搜索，還想找點可笑的事講給孫兒聽，可是什麼也找不出來了，倒是眼淚一個勁兒想往外湧，哽咽時時刻刻朝喉頭上升。她攀著他的胳膊，對他千叮嚀萬囑咐，弄得他也直想哭。最後他們走進一個教堂，一塊作了祈禱。 她是乘晚班火車走的。為了節約，他們步行去車站；他提著她旅行用的紙板盒，一面用他強壯的胳膊攙扶她，她則把全身的重量都倚在他的手臂上。她累了，太累了，這可憐的老太婆；這三、四天來她已過於勞累，現在再也支持不住了。她的背在褐色披肩下已經完全彎曲，再也沒有力氣挺直起來，她不再有那種年輕的體態，而只感到無力承受七十六歲高齡的重負。 想到一切都已結束，幾分鐘以後就得離開他，她的心就像給殘酷地撕碎了。他去的是中國呀，在那邊，在那個屠宰場！此刻她還和他在一起，還在用自己一雙可憐的手抓著他可他是要出發的呀；無論是她的全部意志、所有的眼淚，還是祖母的全部絕望，都無法把他留住！ 她心神不定，顫顫巍巍，被車票、食品籃和手套之類弄得十分狼狽，她對他作了最後一番叮囑，他則十分溫順地低聲回答著是。他朝她溫存地俯下頭，以小孩子的神情，用他溫柔和善的眼睛注視著她。 行了，老奶奶，要是你想走的話就趕快拿主意吧！ 火車頭鳴笛了，她怕誤了車，趕緊從他手裡拿過紙盒，接著又讓東西都掉到地上，摟住他的脖頸，作了一次最後的擁抱。 車站上的人都在注意瞧他們，可他們再也引不起任何人的微笑。她被車站職員催促著，筋疲力盡，失魂落魄，奔進了最先來到跟前的車廂，人們立刻在她後面猛地關上車門，這時候，西爾維斯特則以水兵的輕捷步伐跑著，像鳥兒飛翔般畫出一道弧線，為的是繞一個圈跑到欄杆外，好趕上看她從那兒經過。 汽笛一聲巨吼，車輪轟隆隆地開始轉動，祖母過去了。他靠著欄杆，以一種充滿青春活力的姿態揮動著綴有飄帶的無簷帽。她則俯在她的三等車廂窗口，用手絹向他招呼，好讓他更容易認出自己。她盡可能長久地，只要她還能略略看見孫兒藍黑色的身影，就一直用眼睛盯著他，傾注全部感情對他喊著再見，那是水手們出發時人們總要對他們說的靠不住的再見。 好好瞧著他吧！可憐的老奶奶，瞧著這個小西爾維斯特，仔細追隨他那逝去的、到了那邊便永遠消失的身影，直到最後一分鐘吧！ 當她再也看不見他時，便嗒然跌坐在自己的座位上，毫不注意是否弄壞了她的漂亮頭巾，在一種垂死般的痛苦中，她抽抽噎噎地哭了起來。 他呢，耷拉著腦袋慢慢地往回走，大滴的淚珠滾落在臉頰上。秋天的夜降臨了，到處燃起了瓦斯燈，水兵們的聯歡開始了；他什麼也不注意，穿過布雷斯特，然後走上勒古弗朗橋，一直回到營房。 來呀，漂亮小夥子！那些開始在街上徘徊的女人們已經在用沙啞的嗓音說這種話了。 他回去躺進自己的吊床，獨自一人哭著，直到天亮才勉強合了合眼。 Nine 他已經出海，很快地被載往那陌生的、比冰島的海碧藍得多的大洋。 將他運往亞洲盡頭的船奉命兼程前往。 他意識到已經走了很遠很遠，因為這船幾乎完全無視風浪的影響，一直以這樣的速度不間斷地、均衡地前進著。作為桅檣水手，他如同棲在桅上的一隻鳥兒，整天和他的桅牆生活在一起，遠遠避開了擠在甲板上的士兵和艙下嘈雜的人群。 他們在突尼斯海岸停了兩次，為的是再上一些輕步兵和騾子。他老遠就看見一些白色的城市建在山地和沙漠上。他甚至從他的桅樓上爬下來，好奇地瞧著那些皮膚棕黑、裹著白布、划著小艇來兜售水果的人，別人告訴他，這是些貝都因人【註】。 【註】貝都因人：散布在北非和西亞地區的阿拉伯遊牧民族。 儘管是秋天，這裡仍然陽光強烈，暑熱逼人，使他感到極不自在。 一天，他們到達一個名叫塞得港的城市。所有歐洲各國的旗幟都在長旗杆的頂端高高飄揚，讓他覺得像是巴別塔【註】的盛會。在他四周，是閃光的大海一般的沙漠。他們靠碼頭停泊著，幾乎像是停在建有許多木屋的長街中間。自開拔以來，他還沒有如此清晰、如此靠近地觀察過外部世界，這樣的紛擾，這麼多船隻的聚會，使他覺得怪有意思。 [Note] "Old Testament.創世記》第十一章記載：諾亞的子孫擬建造一通天的高塔，叫巴別塔，上帝使他們語言混亂，塔未建成。這裡用來形容港內聚集了各國船隻，操不同語言的水手們會合到了一起。 隨著連續不斷的汽笛聲，所有的船隻都湧入那條像壕溝般狹窄、像銀線般隱沒在無垠的沙漠中的長長的運河。從他的桅樓上望去，這些船像是列著隊沒入平原裡。 碼頭上的人熙來攘往，身穿五花八門的服裝；著各色衣袍的人們，忙碌著，叫嚷著，忙著辦理過境或轉運。晚間，在汽笛的魔鬼般的嘯叫聲中，又混入了好多種樂器合奏攪在一起的嘈雜聲，他們演奏著熱鬧的曲子，好像是為了減輕所有過境異鄉客的離愁別緒。 第二天，太陽一出，他們也進入了沙漠中那條窄窄的水道，後面還跟著一長串各國的船隻。它們在沙漠中魚貫而行，整整有兩天之久；然後，另一個海展示在他們眼前，他們又回到了浩淼的大洋。 他們一直以全速行駛；這邊的海水比較暖，而且表面有紅色的斑紋，有時候，行船帶起的浪沫竟有血一般的顏色。他幾乎整天待在他的桅樓上，自個兒低聲唱著南特的若望．弗朗索瓦，以便憶起他的老大哥楊恩、冰島和逝去的美好日子。 有時候，在那布滿海市蜃樓的遠景上，會出現一種色調奇異的山巒。儘管遙遠而且模糊，但所有駕船者無疑都認識這是些突出在陸地上的山峰，是世界大通道上永恆的路標。但他是個桅檣兵，像一件東西似地被運載著航行，什麼也不知道，根本不懂那無垠的海面的距離與廣度。 他只知道那可怕的遠距離一直在增加；他從高處瞧著那隆隆作響的、迅速在船後逝去的航跡，計算著這日夜不曾減緩的速度已繼續了多久，便對這一點獲得了明確的認識。 下面，在甲板上，大群的人擠在天篷下的陰涼處，困難地喘著氣。水、空氣、光線，都具有一種沉悶的、難以忍受的光輝；這些東西的永恆歡樂，似乎是對人類，對這些生命短促的有機體的嘲諷。 有一次，在他的桅樓上，一群從未見過的小鳥引起了他的興趣，它們像一大團被風捲起的黑色塵土，落到了船上。它們任憑人們抓住，撫弄，再也飛不動了。所有的桅檣兵肩上都有這樣的小鳥。 不多一會，最疲乏的鳥兒開始死去。這些小小的鳥兒，在紅海可怕的陽光照射下，在桅桁上、舷窗上，成千地死亡。 它們是從沙漠的那一邊，被暴風驅趕著飛到這兒來的。因為害怕落入這一望無際的碧藍的大海，它們在最後這段筋疲力盡的飛行中，便撲向這艘經過的航船。在利比亞某個遙遠的地方，它們這個種族由於感情豐富而大量繁殖。它們繁殖無度，以致多得在當地容納不下；於是那盲目的無靈魂的大自然母親，便一陣風將這些過剩的小鳥趕走，猶如過去對待一代人類那樣無情。 它們全部死在船上灼熱的鐵板上，甲板上撒滿它們小小的屍體，而昨天這些肉體裡還跳動著生命、歌唱和愛情。西爾維斯特和其他桅檣兵把它們拾起來，拾起這些羽毛被濺濕的、黑色的小東西；他們帶著憐憫的神情把它們發藍的小翅膀攤在手掌上，然後用掃帚將它們掃進浩瀚無邊的大海 接著又飛過一些蝗群，摩西的蝗蟲的子孫，船都被它們蓋滿了。 然後，他們又在看不見任何生物的除了偶爾有些魚兒掠過水面恆久不變的碧藍的大海中航行了幾天 ten 大雨滂沱，上面是黑沉沉的天空；這是印度。西爾維斯特偶然被挑選到一隻去補充裝備的小艇上，所以剛才踏上了這塊土地。 溫暖的雨水，透過厚厚的葉叢澆到他身上，他環顧四周，見到種種奇怪的事物。到處是豔麗的綠色；樹葉長得像巨大的羽毛，路上的人都生著毛茸茸的大眼，而且都像在睫毛的重壓下快要閉上了似的。把這陣雨吹來的風，散發著麝香和花的芬芳。 一些女人向他招手這和他在布雷斯特聽到多次的來呀，漂亮小夥子！差不多是一回事。可是，在這迷人的國度，她們的召喚卻格外擾亂人心而且引起肉體的戰慄。她們美麗的胸脯在身披的透明薄紗下隆起；她們的皮膚像青銅一樣光滑而呈褐色。 他還在猶豫，然而已受到蠱惑，他已經在朝前走，慢慢地，想要跟隨她們 這時，水兵的輕輕一聲哨響，就像小鳥鳴囀的一個顫音，突然把他召回就要離去的小艇。 他趕緊跑回去，永別了，印度美女。晚上回到海上，他仍然像孩子一樣純潔無暇。 在藍色的海上航行一週後，他們又到達了一個綠色的和下雨的國家。一大群黃種人，拿著一筐筐煤球，喊叫著，立刻擁上了船。 那麼，我們已經到中國啦？西爾維斯特看見他們形容古怪，留著辮子，便開口問道。 人家告訴他不是；還得耐心等一等這兒只是新加坡。他於是回到桅樓，躲開被風揚起的黑灰，這時，成千筐的煤便急匆匆地運進了艙裡。 終於有一天，他們到達了一個名叫峴港的地方，那兒停泊著一艘名叫西爾塞號的軍艦，封鎖著港口。這就是他早已聽說自己被派去服役的軍艦，於是他連人帶行囊一起卸到那船上。 他在那兒找到了幾個同鄉，甚至還有兩個冰島人，他們現在是船上的炮手。 晚上，天氣總是悶熱無風，他們無事可幹，便聚在甲板上，遠離眾人，好在一起回憶他們的布列塔尼。 在他所期待的參加戰鬥的時刻到來之前，他得在這憂悶的港灣度過無所事事的、流放的五個月。 eleven 班保爾，二月份的最後一天，漁夫們動身去冰島的前夕。 歌特緊挨著她的房門站著一動不動，面色變得蒼白。 因為楊恩就在樓下，在和她父親談話。她看見他來了，還模模糊糊聽見他的聲音。 整個冬天他們都沒有碰面，似乎有種宿命的力量使他們彼此總是遠遠分開。 自從去波爾．愛旺村走過一遭以後，她就把希望寄託在冰島人的朝聖節上。這一天，在廣場上，在晚間，在人群裡，總會有許多機會見面和說話的。但是，節日這一天，街上雖已張掛著飾有綠色花環的白幔，可惡的雨卻從一大早就被嗚咽的風從西邊吹來，嘩嘩地傾盆而下；在班保爾，從來沒見過這樣陰暗的天空。得啦，普魯巴拉內的人來不了啦，戀人住在那邊的姑娘們傷心地說。他們果然沒有來，或者一來就趕緊關進酒店喝酒。沒有行列，沒有人散步，比平時心中更難受的歌特，整天待在她的玻璃窗後面，聽著屋頂上的雨水像小河般流淌，聽著小酒店裡響起漁夫們喧鬧的歌聲。 好幾天以來，她就預料到楊恩的來訪，為了那樁來了的賣船事務，她猜準了加沃老爹不樂意親自來班保爾，而會派他的兒子來。她打定主意自己去找他，而姑娘們一般是不會這麼幹的。她要和他談談，好把事情弄清楚。她要責備他不該一開始擾亂了她，隨後又撇開她，像那些不名譽的男人的行徑一樣。執拗，粗魯，對海上職業的熱愛，或者害怕受到拒絕如果僅僅是由於西爾維斯特所指出的這些障礙，誰知道呢？那麼，經過他們之間一番坦率的談話，這是完全可能消除的。於是，他可能重新露出那漂亮的、足以使一切問題都順利解決的微笑，這微笑在去年冬天，在那倚在他手臂上跳華爾滋的整個舞會之夜，曾經使她那樣驚異和陶醉。這點希望鼓起了她的勇氣，使她心中充滿了一種幾乎是甜蜜的迫不及待的情緒。 離得遠的時候，不論說什麼做什麼，總是顯得那麼容易，那麼簡單。 而且，楊恩來訪的時間也再湊巧不過了她拿得準父親這時正坐著吸煙，絕不會站起來送他；這樣，過道上就不會有別人，她到底可以和他一起談個明白了。 可是現在，這個時機已經到來，她卻感到這樣做實在太魯莽。只要想到遇見他，在樓梯底下面對面地看著他，她就不由自主地顫抖起來。她的心都快跳出來了想想吧，樓下的門隨時都會打開帶著她所熟悉的輕輕的吱嘎聲，讓他走過！ 不，絕對不，她永遠不敢這麼做；寧可在期待中憔悴，在憂傷中死亡，也不能去幹這種事。她已經回頭走了幾步，想回到房間裡坐下，做她的活計。 但是她又停住了，猶疑不定，惶恐不安，她想起明天就是啟航去冰島的日子，這是看見他的唯一機會了。如果錯過這個機會，她就得重新忍受幾個月的孤寂和期待，等他回來她已枯萎憔悴，而且又得虛度她生命中的整整一個夏天 樓下，門開了，楊恩走了出來！她突然拿定主意，跑下樓梯，顫抖著奔去站在他面前。 楊恩先生，我想跟你說幾句話，可以嗎？ 和我嗎，歌特小姐他拿著帽子，低聲說。 他滿臉無禮的神情，目光銳利地瞧著她，他頭向後仰，表情冷酷，簡直像是在考慮要不要停下來。他一隻腳朝前，像是準備要逃走，他的寬肩緊貼牆壁，像是為了在這被她逮住的狹窄過道上，盡可能不要和她離得太近。 歌特的心都涼了，原來準備好對他說的話，此刻一句也想不起來，她沒想到他會這樣羞辱她，竟不聽她說話就要跑出去 我們家讓你害怕嗎，楊恩先生？她以一種本不願有的生硬、古怪的聲調問。 他呢，轉過眼睛瞧著外面，雙頰變得通紅，血湧上來燒灼著臉部，他的鼻孔扇動著，像公牛的鼻孔一樣，隨著胸部的起伏，每呼吸一次便擴張一下。 她試著繼續說下去： 我們在一起度過的那個晚會上，你曾經用並非是對一個無所謂的人的態度，對我說再見楊恩先生，看來你很健忘嘍我究竟有什麼事對不住你呢？ 可惡的西風從街上灌了進來，掀動了楊恩的頭髮、歌特的頭巾的翼翅，使一扇門在他們背後猛烈地搖撞著。在這走道裡談嚴肅的事原是極不適宜的。歌特說完這哽在喉頭的頭幾句話，便不再作聲，只覺得頭腦發暈，什麼主意都沒有了。他們朝通街的大門走去，他一直是在逃。 外面，風在呼呼地吼，天空一片漆黑。一道青灰色的、淒慘慘的亮光從那扇開著的門射進來，照在他們的臉上。鄰家的女人正從對面瞧著他們：這兩個人，神色這樣慌亂，在這過道裡有什麼話要說呢？梅維爾家裡出了什麼事呢？ 不，歌特小姐，他回答，終於以一種粗魯的灑脫態度來使自己脫身，我已經聽見地方上的人在議論我們了，不行，歌特小姐你有錢，我們不是同一等級的人。你們家我高攀不上，我 他走了 這一來，一切都完了，永遠完了。她想說的話甚至一句也沒有說，這次會見的結果只是讓她在他眼裡成為一個不知羞恥的女人這楊恩，究竟是個什麼樣的人呢？他蔑視女人，蔑視金錢，蔑視一切！ 她起初像被釘住似的待在原地，頭暈目眩，只覺得周圍的東西都在搖晃 接著一個念頭，比一切都難於忍受的念頭，像閃電般在她腦中閃過：楊恩的夥伴們一些冰島漁夫，正在廣場上蹓躂，等候著他！要是他去把這事告訴他們，拿她取笑，這將是怎樣一種更加可恥的羞辱！她趕快回到房間，好從窗簾後面觀察他。 在房子前面，她果然看見這麼一群人。但他們僅僅在觀察變得越來越陰沉的天氣，對即將降臨的大雨作著種種猜測： 這不過是一場暴雨；進去喝酒吧，喝酒的當兒雨就過去了。 然後他們大聲地拿貞妮．加洛芙開玩笑，拿別的一些女人開玩笑；但誰也沒有朝她的窗子扭過頭來。 他們全都快快活活，只有他不答話，也不笑，顯得嚴肅而憂悶。他不和別人一道進去喝酒，既不注意這些人，也沒注意已經開始落下的雨，卻像那種沉入夢幻的人一般，在瓢潑大雨中慢慢走著，穿過廣場，朝普魯巴拉內的方向走去 於是她原諒了他的一切，一種無望的柔情代替了原已湧上心頭的刺心的氣惱。 她坐下來，雙手捧著腦袋，現在怎麼辦呢？ ah!要是他能聽她說哪怕一小會兒，或者，要是他能來這兒，單獨和她在這房間裡，平心靜氣地談一談，可能一切都會談清楚的。 她愛他已經到了敢於當面表白的程度。她會對他說：當我對你無所需求的時候，你來親近我；現在，只要你願意，我整個靈魂都屬於你；瞧著吧，我不怕變成一個漁夫的妻子，雖說在班保爾的小夥子中間，我若想找一個丈夫，只要隨我挑選就行；但是我愛你，因為不管怎樣，我相信你比其他那些年輕人都好；我的確有點錢，我也知道我生得漂亮；雖然我在城市裡住過，我向你發誓我是個規矩的女孩子，從來沒有幹過壞事；那麼，既然我這麼愛你，為什麼你就不要我呢？ 但是所有這些都永遠沒機會表白，永遠只能在夢中訴說了；太遲了，楊恩不會聽她的。試試再和他談一次呢啊！No!這一來他會把她當成怎樣一種女人呢！那她還不如死了的好。 明天，他們全都要動身去冰島了！ 她獨自待在她的漂亮房間，二月發白的光線照進了屋內，她覺得有點冷，便隨意坐在一張靠牆放的椅子上。她似乎看見世界在崩潰，帶著現在和未來的事物，一起墮入剛才在她周圍的陰暗嚇人的空虛。 她真想擺脫生命的重負，靜靜地躺在墓石之下，從此不再受苦但是，說真的，她諒解他，在她對他的絕望的愛情中，沒有摻雜絲毫怨恨的成分 twelve 海，灰色的海。 在那每年夏天把漁夫們送往冰島的沒有痕跡的大道上，楊恩不知不覺已經航行了一天。 前一天，當大家唱著古老的讚美歌出發時，起了一陣南風，所有的船便張開風帆，像海鷗一樣四散而去。 隨後風勢漸弱，船行速度也慢了下來；一團團霧氣在水面上飄遊。 楊恩比平時更加沉默。他抱怨天氣太平靜，似乎需要顛簸動蕩，好驅除縈繞在心頭的某種煩惱，何況他無事可幹，只需在平靜的氛圍中靜靜地滑行，只需呼吸和活著。放眼望去，只看見深灰色的一片；側耳細聽，只聽見一片沉寂。 突然，一聲悶響，雖只是依稀可辨，但異乎尋常，而且是來自船下的一種摩擦感，就像乘車時，有人捏緊了刹車一般。於是瑪麗號停止前進，一動不動了 擱淺啦！ ! !在哪兒，擱在什麼上面了呢？很可能是英國海岸的某塊暗礁。因為，從昨天晚上起，就籠上了霧的帷幕，他們什麼也看不見。 所有的人都騷動起來，奔跑著，他們的緊張忙碌和船的突然靜止不動形成了鮮明對照。現在，瑪麗號停在這兒，再也動不了啦，在這又熱又潮的天氣，在這廣闊的，似乎隨時會起變化的流體世界當中，它似乎被隱藏在水下的某種結實、牢固的東西抓住了；它被抓得牢牢的，很可能再也浮不起來。 誰不曾見過雙足被粘牢的、可憐的小鳥或蒼蠅呢？ 一開始，它們一點也沒察覺，表面上什麼變化也沒有；要知道他們是從底下被抓住的，而且面臨著永遠無法自拔的危險。 等到它們掙扎起來，膠質的東西沾住了它們的翅翼和腦袋的時候，它們才漸漸顯出一種垂死的遭難動物的可憐神態。 瑪麗號的情形也是如此；剛開始的時候，問題還不太明顯；不錯，船是有點傾斜，但這是大清早，天氣晴朗無風；得很內行才會意識到事情的嚴重性，才會感到不安。 船長的樣子有點可憐，他在這條航路上沒有十分當心，結果出了差錯；他朝空中擺著手，絕望地說： God!God! 在雲霧偶開的一道縫隙中，他們看見近處有一座不太熟悉的海岬，但幾乎立刻又被霧籠罩，再也看不見了。 而且，眼前沒有一張風帆，沒有一縷煙。可現在他們幾乎寧願如此他們最怕那些英國救難者，這些救難者會以他們的方式用武力把他們拔出困境，所以得像對付海盜一樣抵禦這種人。 他們都在奔忙著，搬動艙內的東西。土耳其，他們那隻不怕風浪的狗，也因這次事故而情緒不安：這船底的響聲，波浪打來時那種僵硬的震動，還有這種靜止狀態，它明白這一切都是反常的，於是低垂著尾巴，藏在角落裡。 後來，他們放下救生小艇，用以拋錨，他們把力量集中在纜索上，試著自己將船拖出險境，這種艱苦的勞作繼續了十個小時之久。傍晚的時候，這可憐的船，早上到這兒時是那麼乾淨、那麼體面，此刻已是一副狼狽不堪的模樣，又濕、又髒，一片混亂。它用種種辦法掙扎著，搖晃著，卻始終停在原處，像一條沉船似地釘死在那兒。 黑夜即將來臨，起風了，浪也愈來愈高；情況是更加不妙了，可是，將近六點鐘的時候，船忽然活動了，浮動起來，一面掙斷那些用來繫船的纜索，人們發瘋般地從船頭跑到船尾，嚷著： 我們浮起來了！ 他們果然浮起來了；這種浮起來了的快樂，這種剛才還以為已經開始成為難船，現在卻感覺到在走動，重新變成輕快、活躍的東西的快樂，哪裡是言語所能形容的呢！ 與此同時，楊恩的憂鬱也飛走了。手