I
　　ForalongtimeafterthecourseofthesteamerSofalahadbeenalteredfortheland，thelowswampycoasthadretaineditsappearanceofameresmudgeofdarknessbeyondabeltofglitter.Thesunraysseemedtofallviolentlyuponthecalmsea——seemedtoshatterthem—
　　selvesuponanadamantinesurfaceintosparklingdust，intoadazzlingvaporoflightthatblindedtheeyeandweariedthebrainwithitsunsteadybrightness.
　　CaptainWhalleydidnotlookatit.WhenhisSerang，approachingtheroomycanearm—chairwhichhefilledcapably，hadinformedhiminalowvoicethatthecoursewastobealtered，hehadrisenatonceandhadremainedonhisfeet，faceforward，whiletheheadofhisshipswungthroughaquarterofacircle.Hehadnotutteredasingleword，noteventhewordtosteadythehelm.ItwastheSerang，anelderly，alert，littleMalay，withaverydarkskin，whomurmuredtheordertothehelmsman.AndthenslowlyCaptainWhalleysatdownagaininthearm—chaironthebridgeandfixedhiseyesonthedeckbetweenhisfeet.
　　Hecouldnothopetoseeanythingnewuponthislaneofthesea.Hehadbeenonthesecoastsforthelastthreeyears.FromLowCapetoMalantanthedistancewasfiftymiles，sixhours’steamingfortheoldshipwiththetide，orsevenagainst.Thenyousteeredstraightfortheland，andby—and—bythreepalmswouldappearonthesky，tallandslim，andwiththeirdisheveledheadsinabunch，asifinconfidentialcriticismofthedarkmangroves.TheSofalawouldbeheadedtowardsthesomberstripofthecoast，whichatagivenmoment，astheshipclosedwithitobliquely，wouldshowseveralcleanshiningfractures——thebrimfulestuaryofariver.
　　Thenonthroughabrownliquid，threepartswaterandonepartblackearth，onandonbetweenthelowshores，threepartsblackearthandonepartbrackishwater，theSofalawouldplowherwayup—stream，asshehaddoneonceeverymonthforthesesevenyearsormore，longbeforehewasawareofherexistence，longbeforehehadeverthoughtofhavinganythingtodowithherandherinvariablevoyages.Theoldshipoughttohaveknowntheroadbetterthanhermen，whohadnotbeenkeptsolongatitwithoutachange;betterthanthefaithfulSerang，whomhehadbroughtoverfromhislastshiptokeepthecaptain’swatch;betterthanhehimself，whohadbeenhercaptainforthelastthreeyearsonly.Shecouldalwaysbedependedupontomakehercourses.Hercompasseswereneverout.Shewasnotroubleatalltotakeabout，asifhergreatagehadgivenherknowledge，wisdom，andsteadiness.Shemadeherlandfallstoadegreeofthebearing，andal—
　　mosttoaminuteofherallowedtime.Atanymoment，ashesatonthebridgewithoutlookingup，orlaysleep—
　　lessinhisbed，simplybyreckoningthedaysandthehourshecouldtellwherehewas——theprecisespotofthebeat.Heknewitwelltoo，thismonotonoushuckster’sround，upanddowntheStraits;heknewitsorderanditssightsanditspeople.Malaccatobeginwith，inatdaylightandoutatdusk，tocrossoverwitharigidphosphorescentwakethishighwayoftheFarEast.
　　Darknessandgleamsonthewater，clearstarsonablacksky，perhapsthelightsofahomesteamerkeepingherunswervingcourseinthemiddle，ormaybetheelusiveshadowofanativecraftwithhermatsailsflittingbysilently——andthelowlandontheothersideinsightatdaylight.Atnoonthethreepalmsofthenextplaceofcall，upasluggishriver.Theonlywhitemanre—
　　sidingtherewasaretiredyoungsailor，withwhomhehadbecomefriendlyinthecourseofmanyvoyages.
　　Sixtymilesfartherontherewasanotherplaceofcall，adeepbaywithonlyacoupleofhousesonthebeach.
　　Andsoon，inandout，pickingupcoastwisecargohereandthere，andfinishingwithahundredmiles’steadysteamingthroughthemazeofanarchipelagoofsmallislandsuptoalargenativetownattheendofthebeat.
　　Therewasathreedays’restfortheoldshipbeforehestartedheragainininverseorder，seeingthesameshoresfromanotherbearing，hearingthesamevoicesinthesameplaces，backagaintotheSofala’sportofregis—
　　tryonthegreathighwaytotheEast，wherehewouldtakeupaberthnearlyoppositethebigstonepileoftheharborofficetillitwastimetostartagainontheoldroundof1600milesandthirtydays.Notaveryenterprisinglife，this，forCaptainWhalley，HenryWhalley，otherwiseDare—devilHarry——WhalleyoftheCondor，afamousclipperinherday.No.Notaveryenterprisinglifeforamanwhohadservedfamousfirms，whohadsailedfamousships（morethanoneortwoofthemhisown）;whohadmadefamouspassages，hadbeenthepioneerofnewroutesandnewtrades;whohadsteeredacrosstheunsurveyedtractsoftheSouthSeas，andhadseenthesunriseonunchartedislands.Fiftyyearsatsea，andfortyoutintheEast（"aprettythor—
　　oughapprenticeship，"heusedtoremarksmilingly），hadmadehimhonorablyknowntoagenerationofship—
　　ownersandmerchantsinalltheportsfromBombayclearovertowheretheEastmergesintotheWestuponthecoastofthetwoAmericas.Hisfameremainedwrit，notverylargebutplainenough，ontheAdmiraltycharts.WastherenotsomewherebetweenAustraliaandChinaaWhalleyIslandandaCondorReef？Onthatdangerouscoralformationthecelebratedclipperhadhungstrandedforthreedays，hercaptainandcrewthrowinghercargooverboardwithonehandandwiththeother，asitwere，keepingoffheraflotillaofsavagewar—canoes.Atthattimeneithertheislandnorthereefhadanyofficialexistence.LatertheofficersofherMajesty’ssteamvesselFusilier，dispatchedtomakeasurveyoftheroute，recognizedintheadoptionofthesetwonamestheenterpriseofthemanandthesolidityoftheship.Besides，asanyonewhocaresmaysee，the"GeneralDirectory，"vol.ii.p.410，beginsthedescrip—
　　tionofthe"MalotuorWhalleyPassage"withthewords："Thisadvantageousroute，firstdiscoveredin1850byCaptainWhalleyintheshipCondor，"&c.，andendsbyrecommendingitwarmlytosailingvesselsleavingtheChinaportsforthesouthinthemonthsfromDecembertoAprilinclusive.
　　Thiswastheclearestgainhehadoutoflife.Nothingcouldrobhimofthiskindoffame.ThepiercingoftheIsthmusofSuez，likethebreakingofadam，hadletinupontheEastafloodofnewships，newmen，newmethodsoftrade.IthadchangedthefaceoftheEast—
　　ernseasandtheveryspiritoftheirlife;sothathisearlyexperiencesmeantnothingwhatevertothenewgenerationofseamen.
　　Inthosebygonedayshehadhandledmanythousandsofpoundsofhisemployers’moneyandofhisown;hehadattendedfaithfully，asbylawashipmasterisex—
　　pectedtodo，totheconflictinginterestsofowners，charterers，andunderwriters.Hehadneverlostashiporconsentedtoashadytransaction;andhehadlastedwell，outlastingintheendtheconditionsthathadgonetothemakingofhisname.Hehadburiedhiswife（intheGulfofPetchili），hadmarriedoffhisdaughtertothemanofherunluckychoice，andhadlostmorethananamplecompetenceinthecrashofthenotoriousTra—
　　vancoreandDeccanBankingCorporation，whosedown—
　　fallhadshakentheEastlikeanearthquake.Andhewassixty—fiveyearsold.
　　II
　　Hisagesatlightlyenoughonhim;andofhisruinhewasnotashamed.HehadnotbeenalonetobelieveinthestabilityoftheBankingCorporation.Menwhosejudgmentinmattersoffinancewasasexpertashissea—
　　manshiphadcommendedtheprudenceofhisinvest—
　　ments，andhadthemselveslostmuchmoneyinthegreatfailure.Theonlydifferencebetweenhimandthemwasthathehadlosthisall.Andyetnothisall.Therehadremainedtohimfromhislostfortuneaveryprettylittlebark，FairMaid，whichhehadboughttooccupyhisleisureofaretiredsailor——"toplaywith，"asheex—
　　pressedithimself.
　　Hehadformallydeclaredhimselftiredoftheseatheyearprecedinghisdaughter’smarriage.ButaftertheyoungcouplehadgonetosettleinMelbournehefoundoutthathecouldnotmakehimselfhappyonshore.Hewastoomuchofamerchantsea—captainformereyacht—
　　ingtosatisfyhim.Hewantedtheillusionofaffairs;
　　andhisacquisitionoftheFairMaidpreservedthecon—
　　tinuityofhislife.Heintroducedhertohisacquaint—
　　ancesinvariousportsas"mylastcommand."Whenhegrewtoooldtobetrustedwithaship，hewouldlayherupandgoashoretobeburied，leavingdirectionsinhiswilltohavethebarktowedoutandscuttleddecentlyindeepwateronthedayofthefuneral.Hisdaughterwouldnotgrudgehimthesatisfactionofknowingthatnostrangerwouldhandlehislastcommandafterhim.Withthefortunehewasabletoleaveher，thevalueofa500—tonbarkwasneitherherenorthere.
　　Allthiswouldbesaidwithajoculartwinkleinhiseye：
　　thevigorousoldmanhadtoomuchvitalityforthesen—
　　timentalismofregret;andalittlewistfullywithal，be—
　　causehewasathomeinlife，takingagenuinepleasureinitsfeelingsanditspossessions;inthedignityofhisreputationandhiswealth，inhisloveforhisdaughter，andinhissatisfactionwiththeship——theplaythingofhislonelyleisure.
　　Hehadthecabinarrangedinaccordancewithhissimpleidealofcomfortatsea.Abigbookcase（hewasagreatreader）occupiedonesideofhisstateroom;theportraitofhislatewife，aflatbituminousoil—paintingrepresentingtheprofileandonelongblackringletofayoungwoman，facedhisbedplace.Threechronometerstickedhimtosleepandgreetedhimonwakingwiththetinycompetitionoftheirbeats.Heroseatfiveeveryday.Theofficerofthemorningwatch，drinkinghisearlycupofcoffeeaftbythewheel，wouldhearthroughthewideorificeofthecopperventilatorsallthesplash—
　　ings，blowings，andsplutteringsofhiscaptain’stoilet.
　　ThesenoiseswouldbefollowedbyasustaineddeepmurmuroftheLord’sPrayerrecitedinaloudearnestvoice.FiveminutesafterwardstheheadandshouldersofCaptainWhalleyemergedoutofthecompanion—
　　hatchway.Invariablyhepausedforawhileonthestairs，lookingallroundatthehorizon;upwardsatthetrimofthesails;inhalingdeepdraughtsofthefreshair.Onlythenhewouldstepoutonthepoop，acknowl—
　　edgingthehandraisedtothepeakofthecapwithamajesticandbenign"Goodmorningtoyou."Hewalkedthedecktilleightscrupulously.Sometimes，notabovetwiceayear，hehadtouseathickcudgel—likestickonaccountofastiffnessinthehip——aslighttouchofrheumatism，hesupposed.Otherwiseheknewnothingoftheillsoftheflesh.Attheringingofthebreakfastbellhewentbelowtofeedhiscanaries，windupthechronometers，andtaketheheadofthetable.Fromtherehehadbeforehiseyesthebigcarbonphotographsofhisdaughter，herhusband，andtwofat—leggedbabies——hisgrandchildren——setinblackframesintothemaple—
　　woodbulkheadsofthecuddy.Afterbreakfasthedustedtheglassovertheseportraitshimselfwithacloth，andbrushedtheoilpaintingofhiswifewithaplumatekeptsuspendedfromasmallbrasshookbythesideoftheheavygoldframe.Thenwiththedoorofhisstate—
　　roomshut，hewouldsitdownonthecouchundertheportraittoreadachapteroutofathickpocketBible——herBible.Butonsomedaysheonlysatthereforhalfanhourwithhisfingerbetweentheleavesandtheclosedbookrestingonhisknees.Perhapshehadre—
　　memberedsuddenlyhowfondofboat—sailingsheusedtobe.
　　Shehadbeenarealshipmateandatruewomantoo.
　　Itwaslikeanarticleoffaithwithhimthatthereneverhadbeen，andnevercouldbe，abrighter，cheerierhomeanywhereafloatorashorethanhishomeunderthepoop—
　　deckoftheCondor，withthebigmaincabinallwhiteandgold，garlandedasifforaperpetualfestivalwithanunfadingwreath.Shehaddecoratedthecenterofeverypanelwithaclusterofhomeflowers.Ittookheratwelvemonthtogoroundthecuddywiththislaboroflove.Tohimithadremainedamarvelofpainting，thehighestachievementoftasteandskill;andastooldSwinburne，hismate，everytimehecamedowntohismealshestoodtransfixedwithadmirationbeforetheprogressofthework.Youcouldalmostsmelltheseroses，hedeclared，sniffingthefaintflavorofturpentinewhichatthattimepervadedthesaloon，and（ashecon—
　　fessedafterwards）madehimsomewhatlessheartythanusualintacklinghisfood.Buttherewasnothingofthesorttointerferewithhisenjoymentofhersinging.
　　"Mrs.Whalleyisaregularout—and—outnightingale，sir，"hewouldpronouncewithajudicialairafterlisten—
　　ingprofoundlyovertheskylighttotheveryendofthepiece.Infineweather，intheseconddog—watch，thetwomencouldhearhertrillsandrouladesgoingontotheaccompanimentofthepianointhecabin.OntheverydaytheygotengagedhehadwrittentoLondonfortheinstrument;buttheyhadbeenmarriedforoverayearbeforeitreachedthem，comingoutroundtheCape.
　　ThebigcasemadepartofthefirstdirectgeneralcargolandedinHongkongharbor——aneventthattothemenwhowalkedthebusyquaysofto—dayseemedashazilyremoteasthedarkagesofhistory.ButCaptainWhal—
　　leycouldinahalfhourofsolitudeliveagainallhislife，withitsromance，itsidyl，anditssorrow.Hehadtoclosehereyeshimself.Shewentawayfromundertheensignlikeasailor’swife，asailorherselfatheart.
　　Hehadreadtheserviceoverher，outofherownprayer—
　　book，withoutabreakinhisvoice.WhenheraisedhiseyeshecouldseeoldSwinburnefacinghimwithhiscappressedtohisbreast，andhisrugged，weather—beaten，impassivefacestreamingwithdropsofwaterlikealumpofchippedredgraniteinashower.Itwasallverywellforthatoldsea—dogtocry.Hehadtoreadontotheend;butafterthesplashhedidnotremembermuchofwhathappenedforthenextfewdays.Anelderlysailorofthecrew，deftatneedlework，putto—
　　getheramourningfrockforthechildoutofoneofherblackskirts.
　　Hewasnotlikelytoforget;butyoucannotdamuplifelikeasluggishstream.Itwillbreakoutandflowoveraman’stroubles，itwillcloseuponasorrowliketheseauponadeadbody，nomatterhowmuchlovehasgonetothebottom.Andtheworldisnotbad.Peoplehadbeenverykindtohim;especiallyMrs.Gardner，thewifeoftheseniorpartnerinGardner，Patteson，&Co.，theownersoftheCondor.Itwasshewhovolunteeredtolookafterthelittleone，andinduecoursetookhertoEngland（somethingofajourneyinthosedays，evenbytheoverlandmailroute）withherowngirlstofinishhereducation.Itwastenyearsbeforehesawheragain.
　　Asalittlechildshehadneverbeenfrightenedofbadweather;shewouldbegtobetakenupondeckinthebosomofhisoilskincoattowatchthebigseashurlingthemselvesupontheCondor.Theswirlandcrashofthewavesseemedtofillhersmallsoulwithabreathlessde—
　　light."Agoodboyspoiled，"heusedtosayofherinjoke.HehadnamedherIvybecauseofthesoundoftheword，andobscurelyfascinatedbyavagueassocia—
　　tionofideas.Shehadtwinedherselftightlyroundhisheart，andheintendedhertoclingclosetoherfatherastoatowerofstrength;forgetting，whileshewaslittle，thatinthenatureofthingsshewouldprobablyelecttoclingtosomeoneelse.Buthelovedlifewellenoughforeventhateventtogivehimacertainsatisfaction，apartfromhismoreintimatefeelingofloss.
　　AfterhehadpurchasedtheFairMaidtooccupyhisloneliness，hehastenedtoacceptaratherunprofitablefreighttoAustraliasimplyfortheopportunityofseeinghisdaughterinherownhome.Whatmadehimdis—
　　satisfiedtherewasnottoseethatsheclungnowtosome—
　　bodyelse，butthatthepropshehadselectedseemedoncloserexamination"aratherpoorstick"——eveninthematterofhealth.Hedislikedhisson—in—law’sstudiedcivilityperhapsmorethanhismethodofhandlingthesumofmoneyhehadgivenIvyathermarriage.Butofhisapprehensionshesaidnothing.Onlyonthedayofhisdeparture，withthehall—dooropenalready，hold—
　　ingherhandsandlookingsteadilyintohereyes，hehadsaid，"Youknow，mydear，allIhaveisforyouandthechicks.Mindyouwritetomeopenly."Shehadansweredhimbyanalmostimperceptiblemovementofherhead.Sheresembledhermotherinthecolorofhereyes，andincharacter——andalsointhis，thatsheunder—
　　stoodhimwithoutmanywords.
　　Sureenoughshehadtowrite;andsomeoftheselettersmadeCaptainWhalleylifthiswhiteeye—brows.Fortherestheconsideredhewasreapingthetruerewardofhislifebybeingthusabletoproduceondemandwhat—
　　everwasneeded.Hehadnotenjoyedhimselfsomuchinawaysincehiswifehaddied.Characteristicallyenoughhisson—in—law’spunctualityinfailurecausedhimatadistancetofeelasortofkindnesstowardstheman.
　　Thefellowwassoperpetuallybeingjammedonaleeshorethattochargeitalltohisrecklessnavigationwouldbemanifestlyunfair.No，no！Heknewwellwhatthatmeant.Itwasbadluck.Hisownhadbeensimplymarvelous，buthehadseeninhislifetoomanygoodmen——seamenandothers——gounderwiththesheerweightofbadlucknottorecognizethefatalsigns.Forallthat，hewascogitatingonthebestwayoftyingupverystrictlyeverypennyhehadtoleave，when，withapreliminaryrumbleofrumors（whosefirstsoundreachedhiminShanghaiasithappened），theshockofthebigfailurecame;and，afterpassingthroughthephasesofstupor，ofincredulity，ofindignation，hehadtoacceptthefactthathehadnothingtospeakoftoleave.
　　Uponthat，asifhehadonlywaitedforthiscatas—
　　trophe，theunluckyman，awaythereinMelbourne，gaveuphisunprofitablegame，andsatdown——inaninvalid’sbath—chairatthattoo."Hewillneverwalkagain，"
　　wrotethewife.ForthefirsttimeinhislifeCaptainWhalleywasabitstaggered.
　　TheFairMaidhadtogotoworkinbitterearnestnow.
　　ItwasnolongeramatterofpreservingalivethememoryofDare—devilHarryWhalleyintheEasternSeas，orofkeepinganoldmaninpocket—moneyandclothes，with，perhaps，abillforafewhundredfirst—classcigarsthrowninattheendoftheyear.Hewouldhavetobuckle—to，andkeephergoinghardonascantallowanceofgiltfortheginger—breadscrollsatherstemandstern.
　　Thisnecessityopenedhiseyestothefundamentalchangesoftheworld.Ofhispastonlythefamiliarnamesremained，hereandthere，butthethingsandthemen，ashehadknownthem，weregone.ThenameofGardner，Patteson，&Co.wasstilldisplayedonthewallsofwarehousesbythewaterside，onthebrassplatesandwindow—panesinthebusinessquartersofmorethanoneEasternport，buttherewasnolongeraGardneroraPattesoninthefirm.Therewasnolonge...剩余内容请长按扫描二维码或下载丁香书院APP继续免费看：

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