masterman ready-第21部分

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〃Not　just　now；　Tommy；〃　said　Ready；　〃but　as　soon　as　your　mamma　can　spare　her　to　go　with　you。　Come；　sir；　a　few　hours　of　weather　like　this　is　not　to　be　lost；〃　continued　Ready；　〃we　shall　have　more　rain　before　the　day　is　over；　I　expect。　I　will　first　go　to　the　tent　for　the　shovels；　then　I　will　haul　the　boat　round　to　the　beach　and　meet　you　there。　You　and　William　can　take　some　cord；　tie　up　a　large　bundle　of　cocoa…nut　boughs；　sling　it　to　the　wheels；　and　draw　it　down　to　the　beach　and　meet　me。〃



Chapter　XXXI

As　so　many　cocoa…nut　trees　had　been　cut　down　to　build　the　house；　there　were　plenty　of　boughs　lying　in　every　direction；　and　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　had　soon　procured　sufficient。　In　a　very　short　time　the　boat　was　drawn　up　about　ten　yards　from　the　water's　edge；　which　Ready　said　was　quite　sufficient；　they　then　dug　from　under　with　their　shovels　until　the　boat　was　sunk　about　half　down　in　the　sand。

Having　filled　in　the　sand　all　round　her　up　to　her　gunnel；　the　boat　was　then　carefully　covered　over　with　the　boughs；　which　were　weighed　down　with　sand　that　they　might　not　be　blown　away。

〃I　don't　see　why　you　should　cover　the　boat　up　in　this　way；　Ready；　the　rain　won't　hurt　her；〃　observed　William。

〃No；　sir；　the　rain　won't　do　her　any　harm；　but　the　sun　will；　when　it　bursts　out　occasionally；　for　it's　very　powerful　when　it　does　shine；　and　it　would　split　her　all　to　pieces。〃

〃I　forgot　that；〃　replied　William。　〃What　shall　we　do　now？〃

〃Suppose；　as　we　have　two　hours　to　dinner…time；　you　run　for　the　lines；　William；　and　we'll　try　for　some　fish。〃

〃We　cannot　all　three　of　us　fish　with　only　two　lines；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃No；　sir；　and　as　William　knows　how　to　catch　them；　suppose　you　remain　with　him；　and　I　will　go　up　and　collect　wood　and　chips　for　Juno's　fire。　She　was　hard　pressed　for　it　this　morning；　it　was　so　wet；　but；　if　once　piled　up；　it　will　soon　be　dry。　Be　careful；　Mr。　Seagrave；　not　to　hold　the　lines　tight　in　your　hands；　or　you　may　be　jerked　into　the　water。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　were　very　fortunate；　before　the　two　hours　were　expired　they　had　caught　eight　large　fish；　which　they　brought　up　to　the　house　slung　on　the　boat…hook。　Tommy　hallooed　loudly　for　fish　for　dinner；　and　as　they　had　caught　so　many；　it　was　agreed　that　the　dinner　should　be　put　off　until　some　could　be　got　ready；　and　they　were　not　sorry　to　eat　them　instead　of　salt　pork。

They　had　hardly　sat　down　to　table；　when　the　rain　came　pattering　down　on　the　roof；　and　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour　the　storm　was　as　violent；　and　the　thunder　and　lightning　as　terrific　as　on　the　day　before。　All　outdoor　labour　was　again　suspended。　Mrs。　Seagrave；　Juno；　and　Caroline　took　their　work；　for　there　was　plenty　to　do　with　the　needle　and　thread；　and　Ready　soon　found　employment　for　the　rest。　William　and　Mr。　Seagrave　unlaid　some　thick　rope；　that　Ready　might　make　smaller　and　more　useful　rope　with　the　yarns。　Ready　took　up　his　sailing　needles；　and　worked　eyelet…holes　in　the　canvas　screens　（which　they　had　put　up　in　a　hurry）；　so　that　they　might　be　drawn　to　and　fro　as　required。

As　soon　as　Ready　had　hung　up　the　curtains；　he　looked　under　the　bedsteads　for　a　large　bundle；　and　said；　as　he　opened　it；　〃I　shall　now　decorate　Madam　Seagrave's　sleeping…place。　It　ought　to　be　handsomer　than　the　others。〃　The　bundle　was　composed　of　the　ship's　ensign；　which　was　red；　and　a　large；　square；　yellow　flag　with　the　name　of　the　ship　Pacific　in　large　black　letters　upon　it。　These　two　flags　Ready　festooned　and　tied　up　round　the　bed…place；　so　as　to　give　it　a　very　gay　appearance；　and　also　to　hide　the　rough　walls　of　the　cottage。

〃Indeed；　Ready；　I　am　much　obliged　to　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave；　when　he　had　finished；　〃it　is　really　quite　grand　for　this　place。〃

〃It's　the　best　use　we　can　put　them　to　now；　madam；〃　said　Ready。

〃I　am　afraid　so；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　thoughtfully。

〃Ready；〃　said　William；　after　the　candles　were　lighted；　〃you　once　half…promised　me　that　you　would　tell　me　your　history；　I　wish　you　would　tell　us　some　of　it　now；　as　it　will　pass　away　the　evening。〃

〃Well；　William；　I　did　say　so；　and　I　shall　keep　my　word。　When　you　have　heard　my　story；　you　will　say　that　I　have　been　very　foolish　in　my　time；　and　so　I　have；　but　if　it　proves　a　warning　to　you；　it　will；　at　all　events；　be　of　some　use。〃

Ready　then　commenced　his　history　as　follows：

History　of　Old　Ready。

〃Of　course；　you　wish　to　know　who　my　father　and　mother　were：　that　is　soon　told。　My　father　was　the　captain　of　a　merchant　vessel；　which　traded　from　South　Shields　to　Hamburg；　and　my　poor　mother；　God　bless　her；　was　the　daughter　of　a　half…pay　militia　captain；　who　died　about　two　months　after　their　marriage。　The　property　which　the　old　gentleman　had　bequeathed　to　my　mother　was　added　to　that　which　my　father　had　already　vested　in　the　brig；　and　he　then　owned　one…third　of　the　vessel；　the　other　two…thirds　were　the　property　of　a　very　rich　ship…builder　and　owner；　of　the　name　of　Masterman。　What　with　the　profits　of　the　share　he　held　of　the　vessel　and　his　pay　as　captain；　my　father　was　well　to　do。　Mr。　Masterman；　who　had　a　very　high　opinion　of　my　father；　and　gained　much　money　by　his　exertions　and　good　management；　was　present　at　the　marriage；　and　when　I　was　born；　about　a　year　afterwards；　he　stood　for　me　as　godfather。　Every　one　considered　that　this　was　a　most　advantageous　circumstance　for　me；　and　congratulated　my　father　and　mother；　for　Mr。　Masterman　was　a　bachelor；　of　nearly　sixty　years；　without　any　near　relations。　It　is　true；　that　he　was　very　fond　of　money；　but　that；　they　said；　was　all　the　better；　as　he　could　not　take　it　away　with　him　when　he　died。　An　end；　however；　was　soon　put　to　all　their　worldly　ideas；　for　a　year　after　I　was　born；　my　father　was　drowned　at　sea；　his　vessel　and　the　whole　of　her　crew　being　lost　on　the　Texel　sands；　and　my　mother　found　herself　a　widow；　with　a　child　scarcely　weaned；　when　she　was　but　twenty…two　years　of　age。

〃It　was　supposed　that　my　mother　would　still　have　sufficient　to　live　upon；　as　the　ship　had　been　insured　at　two…thirds　of　her　value；　but；　to　the　astonishment　of　everybody；　Mr。　Masterman　contrived　to　make　it　appear　that　it　was　his　two…thirds　of　the　vessel　which　had　been　insured。〃

〃What　is　insurance？〃　inquired　William。

〃Insurance；　my　dear　boy；　is　paying　a　certain　sum　to　people　who　are　called　underwriters；　that　in　case　the　vessel　or　cargo　is　lost　or　damaged；　the　loss　or　damage　is　made　good　to　the　owners　of　the　vessel　or　cargo。　You　pay　in　proportion　to　the　risk　incurred。　Supposing　you　wished　to　insure　one　thousand　pounds　on　a　vessel　or　cargo；　and　ten　per　cent　was　required；　you　would；　if　the　vessel　came　home　safe；　pay　the　underwriters　one　hundred　pounds；　if；　on　the　contrary；　the　vessel　was　lost；　the　underwriters　would　have　to　pay　you　one　thousand　pounds；　the　sum　which　you　had　insured。　I　beg　your　pardon　for　the　interruption；　Ready。〃

〃No　need；　Mr。　Seagrave；　we　never　should　lose　an　opportunity　of　teaching　the　young。　Well；　how　far　the　assertion　of　Mr。　Masterman　was　correct　or　not；　it　was　impossible　at　the　time　to　say；　but　I　do　know　that　everybody　cried　out　‘shame'；　and　that　if　he　did　deprive　the　widow；　he　had　much　to　answer　for；　for　the　Bible　says；　‘Pure　religion　is　to　visit　the　fatherless　and　the　widows　in　their　affliction；　and　to　keep　yourself　unspotted　in　the　world'。　The　consequence　was；　that　my　mother　had　little　or　nothing　to　live　upon；　but　she　found　friends　who　assisted　her；　and　she　worked　embroidery；　and　contrived　to　get　on　somehow　until　I　was　eight　or　nine　years　of　age。〃

〃But　did　not　your　godfather　come　forward　to　the　assistance　of　your　mother？〃　inquired　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃No；　sir；　strange　to　say；　he　did　not；　and　that　made　people　talk　the　more。　I　believe　it　was　the　abuse　of　him；　which　he　did　not　fail　to　hear；　and　which　he　ascribed　to　my　mother；　which　turned　him　away　from　us；　perhaps　it　was　his　own　conscience；　for　we　always　dislike　those　we　have　injured。〃

〃Unfortunately；　there　is　great　truth　in　that　remark　of　yours；　Ready；〃　observed　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃still；　it　is　strange　that　he　did　not　do　something。〃

〃It　was　very　strange；　sir；　…　at　least；　so　it　appeared　at　the　time；　but　he　was　very　fond　of　money；　and　irritated　at　the　reports　and　observations　which　were　made　about　him。　But；　to　go　on；　sir；　I　was　a　strong；　hardy　boy；　and；　whenever　I　could　escape　from　my　mother　or　school；　was　always　found　by　the　water…side　or　on　board　of　the　vessels。　In　the　summer…time　I　was　half　the　day　in　water；　and　was　a　very　good　swimmer。　My　mother　perceived　my　fondness　for　the　profession；　and　tried　all　she　could　to　divert　my　thoughts　some　other　way。　She　told　me　of　the　dangers　and　hardships　which　sailors　went　through；　and　always　ended　with　my　father's　death　and　a　flood　of　tears。

〃We　certainly　are　of　a　perverse　nature；　as　I　have　often　heard　the　clergyman　say；　for　it　appears　to　me　that　we　always　wish　to　do　that　which　we　are　told　not　to　do。　If　my　mother　had　not　been　always　persuading　me　against　going　to　sea；　I　really　believe　I　might　have　stayed　at　home。　I've　often　thought　since；　how　selfish　and　unfeeling　I　must　have　been。　I　was　too　young　to　know　what　pain　I　was　giving　my　mother；　and　how　anxiety　was　preying　upon　her；　all　on　my　account。　Children　cannot　feel　it；　if　they　did；　they　would　do　otherwise；　for　our　hearts　are　seldom　hard　until　we　grow　older。〃

〃I　agree　with　you；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。　〃If　children　really　knew　how　much　their　parents　suffer　when　they　behave　ill；　how　alarmed　they　are　at　any　proofs　of　wickedness　in　them；　they　would　be　much　better。〃

〃We　never　find　that　out；　sir；　till　it　is　too　late；〃　continued　Ready。　〃Well；　sir；　I　was　little　more　than　nine　years　old；　when；　on　a　very　windy　day；　and　the　water　rough；　a　hawser；　by　which　a　vessel　was　fast　to　the　wharf；　was　carried　away　with　a　violent　jerk；　and　the　broken　part；　as　it　flew　out；　struck　a　person　who　was　at　the　edge　of　the　wharf；　and　knocked　him　into　the　sea。　I　heard　the　crying　out；　and　the　men　from　the　wharf　and　from　the　ships　were　throwing　ropes　to　him；　but　he　could　not　catch　hold　of　them；　indeed；　he　could　not　swim　well；　and　the　water　was　rough。　I　caught　a　rope　that　had　been　hauled　in　again；　and　leapt　off　the　wharf。

〃Young　as　I　was；　I　swam　like　a　duck；　and　put　the　rope　into　his　hands　just　as　he　was　going　down。　He　clung　to　it　as　drowning　men　only　can　cling；　and　was　hauled　to　the　piles；　and　soon　afterwards　a　boat