《THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER》

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THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER- 第9部分


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r change which had  e over the very noise the wind; drinian cried; 〃all hands on deck。〃 in a moment  everyone became frantically busy。 the hatches wet battened down; the galley fire was put  out; men went aloft to reef the sail。 before they had finished the storm struck them。 it  seemed to lucy that a great valley in the sea opened just before their bows; and they  rushed down in it; deeper down than she would have believed possible。 a great grey hill of  water; far higher than the mast; rushed to meet them; it looked certain death but they were  tossed to the top of it。 then the ship seemed to spin round。 a cataract of water poured over  the deck; the poop and forecastle were like two islands with a fierce sea between them。  aloft the sailors were lying out along the yard desperate trying to get control of the sail。  a broken rope stood out sideways in the wind as straight and stiff as if it was poker。

〃get below; maam;〃 bawled drinian。 and lucy knowing that landsmen … and landswomen … are a nuisance to the crew; began to obey。 it was not easy。  the dawn treader was listing terribly to starboard and the deck sloped like the roof  of a house。 she had to clamber round to the top of the ladder; holding on to the rail; and  the stand by while two men climbed up it; and then get down as best she could。 it was  well she was already holding tight for at the foot of the ladder another wave roar  across the deck; up to her shoulders。 she was already almost wet through with spray and rain but  this was colder。 then she made a dash for the cabin door and got in and shut out for  a moment the appalling sight of the speed with which they were rushing into the dark;  but not of course the horrible confusion of creakings; groanings; snappings; clatterings;  roarings and boomings which only sounded more alarming below than they had done on the  poop。

and all next day and all the next it went on。 it went on till one could  hardly even remember a time before it had begun。 and there always had to be three men  at the tiller and it was as much as three could do to keep any kind of a course。 and  there always had to be men at the pump。 and there was hardly any rest for anyone; and  nothing could be cooked and nothing could be dried; and one man was lost overboard; and they  never saw the sun。

when it was over eustace made the following entry in his diary。

〃3 september。 the first day for ages when i have been able to write。 we had  been driven before a hurricane for thirteen days and nights。 i know that because i kept  a careful count; though the others all say it was only twelve。 pleasant to be embarked on a  dangerous voyage with people who cant even count right! i have had a ghastly time;  up and down enormous waves hour after hour; usually wet to the skin; and not even an  attempt at giving us proper meals。 needless to say theres no wireless or even a  rocket; so no chance of signalling anyone for help。 it all proves what i keep on telling them;  the madness of setting out in a rotten little tub like this。 it would be bad enough even  if one was with  

decent people instead of fiends in human form。 caspian and edmund are  simply brutal to me。 the night we lost our mast (theres only a stump left now); though i  was not at all well; they forced me to e on deck and work like a slave。 lucy shoved her  oar in by saying that reepicheep was longing to go only he was too small。 i wonder  she doesnt see that everything that little beast does is all for the sake of showing off。  even at her age she ought to have that amount of sense。 today the beastly boat is level at last  and the suns out and we have all been jawing about what to do。 we have food enough;  pretty beastly stuff most of it; to last for sixteen days。 (the poultry were all washed  overboard。 even if they hadnt been; the storm would have stopped them laying。) the real  trouble is water。

two casks seem to have got a leak knocked in them and are empty。 (narnian  efficiency again。) on short rations; half a pint a day each; weve got enough for  twelve days。

(theres still lots of rum and wine but even they realize that would only  make them thirstier。)

〃if we could; of course; the sensible thing would be to turn west at once  and make for the lone islands。 but it took us eighteen days to get where we are; running  like mad with a gale behind us。 even if we got an east wind it might take us far longer to  get back。 and at present theres no sign of an east wind … in fact theres no wind at all。  as for rowing back; it would take far too long and caspian says the men couldnt row on half a  pint of water a day。 im pretty sure this is wrong。 i tried to explain that perspiration  really cools people down; so the men would need less water if they were working。 he didnt take  any notice of this; which is always his way when he cant think of an answer。 the  others all voted for going on in the hope of finding land。 i felt it my duty to point out  that we didnt know there was any land ahead and tried to get them to see the dangers of  wishful thinking。

instead of producing a better plan they had the cheek to ask me what i  proposed。 so i just explained coolly and quietly that i had been kidnapped and brought away on  this idiotic voyage without my consent; and it was hardly my business to get them out of  their scrape。

〃4 september。 still becalmed。 very short rations for dinner and i got less  than anyone。

caspian is very clever at helping and thinks i dont see! lucy for some  reason tried to make up to me by offering me some of hers but that interfering prig edmund  wouldnt let her。 pretty hot sun。 terribly thirsty all evening。

〃5 september。 still becalmed and very hot。 feeling rotten all day and am  sure ive got a temperature。 of course they havent the sense to keep a thermometer on  board。

〃6 september。 a horrible day。 woke up in the night knowing i was feverish  and must have a drink of water。 any doctor would have said so。 heaven knows im the  last person to try to get any unfair advantage but i never dreamed that this water… rationing would be meant to apply to a sick man。 in fact i would have woken the others up and  asked for some only i thought it would be selfish to wake them。 so i got up and took  my cup and tiptoed out of the black hole we slept in; taking great care not to disturb  caspian and edmund; for theyve been sleeping badly since the heat and the short water  began。 i always try to consider others whether they are nice to me or not。 i got out  all right into the big room; if you can call it a room; where the rowing benches and the  luggage are。 the  

thing of water is at this end。 all was going beautifully; but before id  drawn a cupful who should catch me but that little spy reep。 i tried to explain that i was  going on deck for a breath of air (the business about the water had nothing to do with him) and  he asked me why i had a cup。 he made such a noise that the whole ship was roused。 they  treated me scandalously。 i asked; as i think anyone would have; why reepicheep was  sneaking about the water cask in the middle of the night。 he said that as he was too small  to be any use on deck; he did sentry over the water every night so that one more man  could go to sleep。

now es their rotten unfairness: they all believed him。 can you beat it?

〃i had to apologize or the dangerous little brute would have been at me  with his sword。

and then caspian showed up in his true colours as a brutal tyrant and said  out loud for everyone to hear that anyone found 〃stealing〃 water in future would 〃get  two dozen〃。 i didnt know what this meant till edmund explained to me。 it es in the  sort of books those pevensie kids read。

〃after this cowardly threat caspian changed his tune and started being  patronizing。 said he was sorry for me and that everyone felt just as feverish as i did and we  must all make the best of it; etc。; etc。 odious stuck…up prig。 stayed in bed all day  today。

〃7 september。 a little wind today but still from the west。

made a few miles eastward with part of the sail; set on what drinian calls  the jury…mast…that means the bowsprit set upright and tied (they call it 〃lashed〃) to the  stump of the real mast。 still terribly thirsty。

〃8 september。 still sailing east。 i stay in my bunk all day now and see no  one except lucy till the two fiends e to bed。 lucy gives me a little of her water  ration。 she says girls dont get as thirsty as boys。 i had often thought this but it ought  to be more generally known at sea。

〃9 september。 land in sight; a very high mountain a long way off to the  south…east。

〃10 september。 the mountain is bigger and clearer but still a long way off。  gulls again today for the first time since i dont know how long。

〃11 september。 caught some fish and had them for dinner。 dropped anchor at  about 7 p。m。 in three fathoms of water in a bay of this mountainous island。 that  idiot caspian wouldnt let us go ashore because it was getting dark and he was afraid of  savages and wild beasts。 extra water ration tonight。”

what awaited them on this island was going to concern eustace more than  anyone else; but it cannot be told in his words because after september 11 he forgot  about keeping his diary for a long tim
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