The storm continued for many days. Sometimeswe sailed on a short distance,but often the windbeat us back. On the ninth day we were north -west of So otland. We were not far from the land.
The coast was wild and there were rocks everywhere. It was a dangerous position.
The officers held a discussion,and the shipturned south to sail with the wind. Next day the seawas calmer,but a thick wet white fog hid everythingfrom sight .
Night came,and I was serving the meal to thecaptain and Mr Riach. Suddenly the brig structsomething with a loud crash,and we heard voicescrying out.
“We ’ve s truck a rock!”cried Mr Riach.
“No,s ir ,”Hoseason replied,“we ’ve run into aboa t. ”
He was right. We had hit a small boat in the
风暴持续了好多天。有时我们也能向前航行一段距离,但是大风常常迫使我们后退。第九天时,我们位于苏格兰西北方向离陆地不远的洋面上。海岩上荒无人烟,怪石嶙峋。这是一个危险的地段。
船长和大副、二副商量了一下,决定调转航向,顺风朝南而行。第二天,风浪减小了一点,可是,海上升起潮湿的白色浓雾,我们什么也看不见。
天黑了。我正伺候船长和里亚契先生吃晚饭时,突然一声巨响,船跟什么东西撞上了。接着,我们听见了喊叫声。
里亚契先生大声说:“咱们触礁啦!”
“不,先生,咱们是撞上了一条小船。”霍西森回答说。
他说对了,我们在迷雾中撞上
fog. It had broken in two pieces and gove down. Allthe men on it lost their lives,except one. This manwas sitting at some distance from the others. Whenthe accident happened,the blow threw him into theair. The man was wearing a long overcoat,but hejumped into the sea.
了一只小船。小船被撞成两段,沉入海底。小船上的人只有一个还活着,其余的都淹死了。这位幸存者当时没有与其他人坐在一起。两条船相撞时,他被抛到半空。他穿着一件长大衣,但还是跳进海里。
At the front of the brig there was a spar whichheld the sails. The man caught hold of the spar andsaved his life. It showed he was quick and strongand lucky. Yet when the captain brought him intothe round - house,he was quite calm.
His body was small and neat,and he movedquickly. His face was honest,his eyes were verylight and wild. He took off his overcoat and laid twofine pistols on the table. Their handles were of silver.
A great sword hung from his belt. He was verypolite to the captain,and accepted a drink. Ithought he could be a good friend,not a terrible enemy.
The captain was examining the stranger ’sclothes. He had a hat with feathers,a red waistcoat,and black breeches of good cloth. With themhe wore a short blue coat with silver buttons.
“I am s orry,s ir,a bout the boa t”,the captainsaid.
“I ha ve los t some good frie nds in it,”the stran-
那人一把抓住双桅船船头的一根帆桅,脱了险。这说明他动作敏捷,身体强壮,也很走运。船长把他带到后甲板室时,他显得十分冷静。
这人身材瘦小结实,行动很利落。他面貌很诚恳,双眼炯炯有神。
他脱下大衣,把一对精致的手枪放在桌上,枪把是银制的。他的腰带上还挂着一口大刀。他对船长彬彬有礼,接过了递给他的一杯酒。我心想,这个人可以成为一位好朋友,不会是一个凶狠的敌人。
船长在打量这位陌生人的打扮。他头戴一顶插着羽毛的帽子,身穿一件红色坎肩和用上等料子做成的黑色马裤,外面套着一件钉有很钮扣的蓝色短上衣。
“对不起,先生,小船被我们撞沉了。”船长说。
“船上我的几个好朋友死了。”
ger said.
“I ha ve be e n in Fra nce ,s ir,”Hoseason said“You a re we a ring a Fre nch coa t a nd bre e che s . Youunde rs ta nd my me a ning.”
陌生人回答说。
“我到过法国,先生,你穿的是法国式的上衣和马裤。我的话你懂了吧?”霍西森说。
“Oh !”the stranger said. He put his handsquickly on his sword and pistols.
“Wa it a minute ,”the captain said.“I am not aJ a cobite ,it is true . But I ca n be s orry for a ma n inda ng e r.”
“We ll,s ir ,”the Jacobite said,“I a m a n hone s tge ntlema n. I ha ve fought for the S tua rt kings a n d Iha ve be e n in Fra nce . The re d - c oa ts a re no frie ndsof mine . A F re nc h s hip wa s going to me e t me he re ,but she los t he r wa y in the fog. If you c a n ta ke me toFra nc e ,I will pa y you we ll for it.”
“No. s ir,I ca nnot ta ke you to Fra n ce ,but pe rhaps I ca n la nd you somewhe re he re .”
Just then Hoseason noticed me standing in mycorner. He sent me to get a meal for the gentleman.
“啊!”陌生人叫了一声,立即手按佩刀,抓起他的手枪。
“慢着,我不是约各党人,这是事实。可是我对一个身处危险境地的人,却深感惋惜。”船长说。
那位约各党人说:“先生,我是个堂堂正正的绅士,一直在为斯图尔特王朝打仗,住在法国。那些红外套是我的敌人。一条法国船本来准备在这里接我,可是在大雾中迷失了方向。要是你们能把我带到法国,我一定重金酬谢。”
“不行,先生,我不能送你去法国。不过,我也许可以在附近送你上岸。”
霍西森说过后,看见我站在舱内一个角落里,便派我去给那位先生弄点饭吃。
When I came back,the Jacobite was taking offa money - belt. He poured a few guineas on the table.
The captain looked at the gold and the beltwith greedy eyes.
“Give me ha lf of it,”he said,“a nd I will a gre e .”
等我回到后甲板室时,那位约各党人正在解下一条装着金币的腰带。他往桌子上倒了几枚金几尼。
船长贪婪地望着金币和腰带说:
“分给我一半,我就答应你的要求。”
The other pushed the money back into hisbelt,and put the belt on again.
“The mone y is not mine ,s ir ,”he said.“It be -long s to my chie f. I will pa y you s ixty guine a s on ly,tola nd me a t the Linnhe Loch .”
“And if I give you to th e s oldie rs ?”Hoseasonasked.
“If you give me to the re d - coa ts ,”the strangerreplied,“the gove rnme nt will ta ke the mo ne y. Youwill ge t no thing.”
“True ,s ir,”the captain said.“But if I do not te llthem a bout it,I c a n ke e p it.”
“If you do not te ll,I will do so,s ir,”the gentlemancried.
“We ll,the n ,s ir,”the captain said,“I a gre e . Fo rs ixty guine a s I will la nd you .”
The two men shook hands,and the captainquickly left the round - house.
那位先生把钱拨进他的腰带里,把腰带又系在腰部,说道:
“先生,这些钱是我们首领的,不归我有。送我到林霍湾上岸,我只能给你六十个金几尼。”
“那么,我要是把你交给那些士兵呢?”霍西森问道。
“你要是把我交给红外套,政府会把这些钱弄走,你一分钱也拿不到。”陌生人回答说。
“那倒是真的,先生,可我要是不告诉他们,这笔钱就归我了。”船长说。
“先生,你不说,我会说的。”那位先生大声说。
“噢,好吧,先生,一言为定。给我六十个金几尼,我送你上岸。”船长说。
他们两人握了握手。船长随即匆匆离开后甲板室。