章节正文
remember me now. You will never forget that kiss."
"Fare you well, Ylga," I cried. "May the High Gods keep you
entirely in their holy care."
But no reply came back. She had gone off into the forest.
And so I turned down to the beach, and splashed into the water, and
climbed on board the ship up the steering oars. Tob gave the word
to haul-to the anchor, and get her away from the beach.
"Greeting, my lord," said he, "but I'd have been pleased to
see you earlier. We've small enough force and slow enough heels in
this vessel, and it's my idea that the sooner we're away from here
and beyond range of pursuit, the safer it will be for my woman and
brats who are in that hutch of an after-castle. It's long enough
since I sailed in such a small old-fashioned ship as this. She's
no machines, and she's not even a steering mannikin. Look at the
meanness of her furniture and (in your ear) I've suspicions that
there's rottenness in her bottom. But she's the best I'd the means
to buy, and if she reaches the place at the farther end I've got my
eye on, we shall have to make a home there, or be content to die,
for she'll never have strength to carry us farther or back. She's
been a ship in the Egypt trade, and you know what that is for
getting worm and rot in the wood."
"You'd enough hands for your scheme before I came?"
"Oh yes. I've fifty stout lads and eight women packed in the
ship somehow, and trouble enough I've had to get them away from the
city. That thief of a port-captain wellnigh skinned us clean
before he could see it lawful that so many useful fighting men
might go out of harbour. Times are not what they were, I tell you,
and the sea trade's about done. All sailor men of any skill have
taken a woman or two and gone out in companies to try their
fortunes in other lands. Why, I'd trouble enough to get half a
score to help me work this ship. All my balance are just landsmen
raw and simple, and if I land half of them alive at the other end,
we shall be doing well."
"Still with luck and a few good winds it should not take long
to get across to Europe."
Tob slapped his leg. "No savage Europe for me, my lord. Now,
see the advantage of being a mariner. I found once some islands to
the north of Europe, separated from the main by a strait, which I
called the Tin Islands, seeing that tin ore litters many of the
beaches. I was driven there by storm, and said no word of the find
when I got back, and here you see it comes in useful. There's no
one in all Atlantis but me knows of those Tin Islands to-day, and
we'll go and fight honestly for our ground, and build a town and a
kingdom on it."
"With Tob for king?"
"Well, I have figured it out as such for many a day, but I
know when I meet my better, and I'm content to serve under
Deucalion. My lord would have done wiser to have brought a wife
with him, though, and I thought it was understood by the good lady
that spoke to me down at the harbour, or I'd have mentioned it
earlier. The savages in my Tin Islands go naked and stain
themselves blue with woad, and are very filthy and brutish to look
upon. They are sturdy, and should make good slaves, but one would
have to get blunted in the taste before one could wish to be father
to their children."
"I am still husband to Phorenice."
Tob grinned. "The Gods give you joy of her. But it is part
of a mariner's creed--and you will grow to be a mariner here--that
wedlock does not hold across the seas. However, that matter may
rest. But, coming to my Tin Islands again: they'll delight you.
And I tell you, a kingdom will not be so hard to carve out as it
was in Egypt, or as you found in Yucatan. There are beasts there,
of course, and no one who can hunt need ever go hungry. But the
greater beasts are few. There are cave-bears and cave-tigers in
small numbers, to be sure, and some river-horses and great snakes.
But the greater lizards seem to avoid the land; and as for birds,
there is rarely seen one that can hurt a grown man. Oh, I tell
you, it will be a most desirable kingdom."
"Tob seems to have imagined himself king of the Tin Islands
with much reality."
He sighed a little. "In truth I did, and there is no denying
it, and I tell you plain, there is not another man living that I
would have broken this voyage for but Deucalion. But don't think
I regret it, and don't think I want to push myself above my place.
This breeze and the ebb are taking the old ship finely along her
ways. See those fire baskets on the harbour forts? We're abreast
of them now. We'll have dropped them and the city out of sight by
daylight, and the flood will not begin to run up till then. But I
fear unless the wind hardens down with the dawn we'll have to bring
up to an anchor when the flood makes. Tides run very hard in these
narrow seas. Aye, and there are some shrewdish tide-rips round my
Tin Islands, as you shall see when we reach them."
There were many fearful glances backwards when day came and
showed the waters, and the burning mountains that hemmed them in
beyond the shores. All seemed to expect some navy of Phorenice to
come surging up to take them back to servitude and starvation in
the squalid wards of the city; and I confess ingenuously that I was
with them in all truth when they swore they would fight the ship
till she sank beneath them, before they would obey another of the
commands of Phorenice. However, their brave heroics were displayed
to no small purpose. For the full flow of the tide we hung in our
place, barely moving past the land, but yet not seeing either oar
or sail; and then, when the tide turned, away we went once more
with speed, mightily comforted.
Tob's woman must needs bring drink on deck, and bid all pour
libations to her as a future queen. But Tob cuffed her back into
the after-castle, slamming to the hatch behind her heels, and
bidding the crew send the liquor down their dusty throats. "We are
done with that foolery," said he. "My Lord Deucalion will be king
of this new kingdom we shall build in the Tin Islands, and a right
proper king he'll make, as you untravelled ones would know, if
you'd sailed the outer seas with him as I have done." Beneath
which I read a regret, but said nothing, having made my plans from
the moment of stepping on board, as will appear on a later sheet.
So on down the great estuary we made our way, and though it
pleasured the others on board when they saw that the seas were
desolate of sails, it saddened me when I recalled how once the
waters had been whitened with the glut of shipping.
They had started off on their voyage with a bare two days'
provision in their equipment, and so, of necessity even after
leaving the great estuary, we were forced to voyage coastwise,
putting into every likely river and sheltered beach to slay fish
and meat for future victualling. "And when the winter comes," said
Tob, "as its gales will be heavier than this old ship can stomach,
I had determined to haul up and make a permanent camp ashore, and
get a crop of grain grown and threshed before setting sail again.
It is the usual custom in these voyages. And I shall do it still,
subject to my lord's better opinion."
So here, having by this time completed a two months' leisurely
journey from the city, I saw my opportunity to speak what I had
always carried in my mind. "Tob," I said, "I am a poor, weak,
defenceless man, and I am quite at your mercy, but what if I do not
voyage all the way to the Tin Islands, and oust you of this
kingship?"
He brightened perceptibly. "Aye," he grunted, "you are very
weak, my lord, and mighty defenceless. We know all about that.
But what's else? You must tell all your meaning plain. I'm a
common mariner, and understand little of your fancy talk."
"Why, this. That it is not my wish to leave the continent of
Atlantis. If you will put me down on any part of this side that
faces Europe, I will commend you strongly to the Gods. I would I
could give you money, or (better still) articles that would be
useful to you in your colonising; but as it is, you see me
destitute."
"As to that, you owe me nothing, having done vastly more than
your share each time we have put in shore for the hunting. But it
will not do, this plan of yours. I will shamedly confess that the
sound of that kingship in my Tin Islands sounds sweet to me. But
no, my lord, it will not do. You are no mariner yet, and
understand little of geography, but I must tell you that the part
of Atlantis there"--he jerked his thumb towards the line of trees,
and the mountains which lay beyond the fringe of surf--"is called
the Dangerous Lands, and a man must needs be a salamander and be
learned in magic (so I am told) before he can live there."
I laughed. "We of the Priests' Clan have some education, Tob,
though it may not be on the same lines as your own. In fact, I may
say I was taught in the colleges concerning the boundaries and the
contents of our continent with a nicety that would surprise you.
And once ashore, my fate will still be under the control of the
most High Gods."
He muttered something in his profane seaman's way about
preferring to keep his own fate under control of his own most
strong right arm, but saying that he would keep the matter in his
thoughts, he excused himself hurriedly to go and see to somewhat
concerning the working of the ship, and there left me.
But I think the sweets of kingly rule were a strong argument
in favour of letting me have my way (which I should have had
otherwise if it had not been given peacefully), and on the third
day after our talk he put the ship inshore again for
re-victualling. We lurched into a river-mouth, half swamped over
a roaring bar, and ran up against the bank and made fast there to
trees, but booming ourselves a safe distance off with oars and
poles, so that no beast could leap on board out of the thicket.
Fish-spearing and meat-hunting were set about with
promptitude, and on the second day we were happy enough to slay a
yearling river-horse, which gave provisions in all sufficiency. A
space was cleared on the bank, fires were lit, and the meat hung
over the smoke in strips, and when as much was cured as the ship
would carry, the shipmen made a final gorge on what remained,
filled up a great stack of hollow reeds with drinking water, and
were ready to continue the voyage.
With sturdygenerosity did Tob again attempt to make me sail
on with them as their future king, and as steadfastly did I make
refusal; and at last stood alone on the bank amongst the gnawed
bones of their feast, with my weapons to bear me company, and he,
and his men, and the women stood in the little old ship, ready to
drop down river with the current.
"At least," said Tob, "we'll carry your memory with us, and
make it big in the Tin Islands for everlasting."
"Forget me," I said, "I am nothing. I am merely an incident
that has come in your way. But if you want to carry some memory
with you that shall endure, preserve the cult of the most High Gods
as it was taught to you when you were children here in Atlantis.
And afterwards, when your colony grows in power, and has come to
sufficient magnificence, you may send to the old country for a
priest."
"We want no priest, except one we shall make ourselves, and
that will be me. And as for the old Gods--well, I have laid my
ideas before the fellows here, and they agree to this: We are done
with those old Gods for always. They seem worn out, if one may
judge from Their present lack of usefulness in Atlantis, and,
anyway, there will be no room for Them on the Tin Islands.--Let go
those warps there aft, and shove her head out.--We are under weigh
now, my lord, and beyond recall, and so I am free to tell you what
we have decided upon for our religious exercises. We shall set up
the memory of a living Hero on earth, and worship that. And when
in years to come the picture of his face grows dim, we shall
doubtless make an image of him, as accurate as our art permits, and
build him a temple for shelter, and bring there our offerings and
prayers. And as I say, my lord, I shall be priest, and when I am
dead, the sons of my body shall be priests after me, and the eldest
"Fare you well, Ylga," I cried. "May the High Gods keep you
entirely in their holy care."
But no reply came back. She had gone off into the forest.
And so I turned down to the beach, and splashed into the water, and
climbed on board the ship up the steering oars. Tob gave the word
to haul-to the anchor, and get her away from the beach.
"Greeting, my lord," said he, "but I'd have been pleased to
see you earlier. We've small enough force and slow enough heels in
this vessel, and it's my idea that the sooner we're away from here
and beyond range of pursuit, the safer it will be for my woman and
brats who are in that hutch of an after-castle. It's long enough
since I sailed in such a small old-fashioned ship as this. She's
no machines, and she's not even a steering mannikin. Look at the
meanness of her furniture and (in your ear) I've suspicions that
there's rottenness in her bottom. But she's the best I'd the means
to buy, and if she reaches the place at the farther end I've got my
eye on, we shall have to make a home there, or be content to die,
for she'll never have strength to carry us farther or back. She's
been a ship in the Egypt trade, and you know what that is for
getting worm and rot in the wood."
"You'd enough hands for your scheme before I came?"
"Oh yes. I've fifty stout lads and eight women packed in the
ship somehow, and trouble enough I've had to get them away from the
city. That thief of a port-captain wellnigh skinned us clean
before he could see it lawful that so many useful fighting men
might go out of harbour. Times are not what they were, I tell you,
and the sea trade's about done. All sailor men of any skill have
taken a woman or two and gone out in companies to try their
fortunes in other lands. Why, I'd trouble enough to get half a
score to help me work this ship. All my balance are just landsmen
raw and simple, and if I land half of them alive at the other end,
we shall be doing well."
"Still with luck and a few good winds it should not take long
to get across to Europe."
Tob slapped his leg. "No savage Europe for me, my lord. Now,
see the advantage of being a mariner. I found once some islands to
the north of Europe, separated from the main by a strait, which I
called the Tin Islands, seeing that tin ore litters many of the
beaches. I was driven there by storm, and said no word of the find
when I got back, and here you see it comes in useful. There's no
one in all Atlantis but me knows of those Tin Islands to-day, and
we'll go and fight honestly for our ground, and build a town and a
kingdom on it."
"With Tob for king?"
"Well, I have figured it out as such for many a day, but I
know when I meet my better, and I'm content to serve under
Deucalion. My lord would have done wiser to have brought a wife
with him, though, and I thought it was understood by the good lady
that spoke to me down at the harbour, or I'd have mentioned it
earlier. The savages in my Tin Islands go naked and stain
themselves blue with woad, and are very filthy and brutish to look
upon. They are sturdy, and should make good slaves, but one would
have to get blunted in the taste before one could wish to be father
to their children."
"I am still husband to Phorenice."
Tob grinned. "The Gods give you joy of her. But it is part
of a mariner's creed--and you will grow to be a mariner here--that
wedlock does not hold across the seas. However, that matter may
rest. But, coming to my Tin Islands again: they'll delight you.
And I tell you, a kingdom will not be so hard to carve out as it
was in Egypt, or as you found in Yucatan. There are beasts there,
of course, and no one who can hunt need ever go hungry. But the
greater beasts are few. There are cave-bears and cave-tigers in
small numbers, to be sure, and some river-horses and great snakes.
But the greater lizards seem to avoid the land; and as for birds,
there is rarely seen one that can hurt a grown man. Oh, I tell
you, it will be a most desirable kingdom."
"Tob seems to have imagined himself king of the Tin Islands
with much reality."
He sighed a little. "In truth I did, and there is no denying
it, and I tell you plain, there is not another man living that I
would have broken this voyage for but Deucalion. But don't think
I regret it, and don't think I want to push myself above my place.
This breeze and the ebb are taking the old ship finely along her
ways. See those fire baskets on the harbour forts? We're abreast
of them now. We'll have dropped them and the city out of sight by
daylight, and the flood will not begin to run up till then. But I
fear unless the wind hardens down with the dawn we'll have to bring
up to an anchor when the flood makes. Tides run very hard in these
narrow seas. Aye, and there are some shrewdish tide-rips round my
Tin Islands, as you shall see when we reach them."
There were many fearful glances backwards when day came and
showed the waters, and the burning mountains that hemmed them in
beyond the shores. All seemed to expect some navy of Phorenice to
come surging up to take them back to servitude and starvation in
the squalid wards of the city; and I confess ingenuously that I was
with them in all truth when they swore they would fight the ship
till she sank beneath them, before they would obey another of the
commands of Phorenice. However, their brave heroics were displayed
to no small purpose. For the full flow of the tide we hung in our
place, barely moving past the land, but yet not seeing either oar
or sail; and then, when the tide turned, away we went once more
with speed, mightily comforted.
Tob's woman must needs bring drink on deck, and bid all pour
libations to her as a future queen. But Tob cuffed her back into
the after-castle, slamming to the hatch behind her heels, and
bidding the crew send the liquor down their dusty throats. "We are
done with that foolery," said he. "My Lord Deucalion will be king
of this new kingdom we shall build in the Tin Islands, and a right
proper king he'll make, as you untravelled ones would know, if
you'd sailed the outer seas with him as I have done." Beneath
which I read a regret, but said nothing, having made my plans from
the moment of stepping on board, as will appear on a later sheet.
So on down the great estuary we made our way, and though it
pleasured the others on board when they saw that the seas were
desolate of sails, it saddened me when I recalled how once the
waters had been whitened with the glut of shipping.
They had started off on their voyage with a bare two days'
provision in their equipment, and so, of necessity even after
leaving the great estuary, we were forced to voyage coastwise,
putting into every likely river and sheltered beach to slay fish
and meat for future victualling. "And when the winter comes," said
Tob, "as its gales will be heavier than this old ship can stomach,
I had determined to haul up and make a permanent camp ashore, and
get a crop of grain grown and threshed before setting sail again.
It is the usual custom in these voyages. And I shall do it still,
subject to my lord's better opinion."
So here, having by this time completed a two months' leisurely
journey from the city, I saw my opportunity to speak what I had
always carried in my mind. "Tob," I said, "I am a poor, weak,
defenceless man, and I am quite at your mercy, but what if I do not
voyage all the way to the Tin Islands, and oust you of this
kingship?"
He brightened perceptibly. "Aye," he grunted, "you are very
weak, my lord, and mighty defenceless. We know all about that.
But what's else? You must tell all your meaning plain. I'm a
common mariner, and understand little of your fancy talk."
"Why, this. That it is not my wish to leave the continent of
Atlantis. If you will put me down on any part of this side that
faces Europe, I will commend you strongly to the Gods. I would I
could give you money, or (better still) articles that would be
useful to you in your colonising; but as it is, you see me
destitute."
"As to that, you owe me nothing, having done vastly more than
your share each time we have put in shore for the hunting. But it
will not do, this plan of yours. I will shamedly confess that the
sound of that kingship in my Tin Islands sounds sweet to me. But
no, my lord, it will not do. You are no mariner yet, and
understand little of geography, but I must tell you that the part
of Atlantis there"--he jerked his thumb towards the line of trees,
and the mountains which lay beyond the fringe of surf--"is called
the Dangerous Lands, and a man must needs be a salamander and be
learned in magic (so I am told) before he can live there."
I laughed. "We of the Priests' Clan have some education, Tob,
though it may not be on the same lines as your own. In fact, I may
say I was taught in the colleges concerning the boundaries and the
contents of our continent with a nicety that would surprise you.
And once ashore, my fate will still be under the control of the
most High Gods."
He muttered something in his profane seaman's way about
preferring to keep his own fate under control of his own most
strong right arm, but saying that he would keep the matter in his
thoughts, he excused himself hurriedly to go and see to somewhat
concerning the working of the ship, and there left me.
But I think the sweets of kingly rule were a strong argument
in favour of letting me have my way (which I should have had
otherwise if it had not been given peacefully), and on the third
day after our talk he put the ship inshore again for
re-victualling. We lurched into a river-mouth, half swamped over
a roaring bar, and ran up against the bank and made fast there to
trees, but booming ourselves a safe distance off with oars and
poles, so that no beast could leap on board out of the thicket.
Fish-spearing and meat-hunting were set about with
promptitude, and on the second day we were happy enough to slay a
yearling river-horse, which gave provisions in all sufficiency. A
space was cleared on the bank, fires were lit, and the meat hung
over the smoke in strips, and when as much was cured as the ship
would carry, the shipmen made a final gorge on what remained,
filled up a great stack of hollow reeds with drinking water, and
were ready to continue the voyage.
With sturdygenerosity did Tob again attempt to make me sail
on with them as their future king, and as steadfastly did I make
refusal; and at last stood alone on the bank amongst the gnawed
bones of their feast, with my weapons to bear me company, and he,
and his men, and the women stood in the little old ship, ready to
drop down river with the current.
"At least," said Tob, "we'll carry your memory with us, and
make it big in the Tin Islands for everlasting."
"Forget me," I said, "I am nothing. I am merely an incident
that has come in your way. But if you want to carry some memory
with you that shall endure, preserve the cult of the most High Gods
as it was taught to you when you were children here in Atlantis.
And afterwards, when your colony grows in power, and has come to
sufficient magnificence, you may send to the old country for a
priest."
"We want no priest, except one we shall make ourselves, and
that will be me. And as for the old Gods--well, I have laid my
ideas before the fellows here, and they agree to this: We are done
with those old Gods for always. They seem worn out, if one may
judge from Their present lack of usefulness in Atlantis, and,
anyway, there will be no room for Them on the Tin Islands.--Let go
those warps there aft, and shove her head out.--We are under weigh
now, my lord, and beyond recall, and so I am free to tell you what
we have decided upon for our religious exercises. We shall set up
the memory of a living Hero on earth, and worship that. And when
in years to come the picture of his face grows dim, we shall
doubtless make an image of him, as accurate as our art permits, and
build him a temple for shelter, and bring there our offerings and
prayers. And as I say, my lord, I shall be priest, and when I am
dead, the sons of my body shall be priests after me, and the eldest
- anchor [´æŋkə]
n.锚 v.抛锚 (初中英语单词) - vessel [´vesəl] n.容器；船；脉管 (初中英语单词)
- pursuit [pə´sju:t] n.追踪；追击；事务 (初中英语单词)
- old-fashioned [´əuld´feʃənd] a.老式的；过时的 (初中英语单词)
- scheme [ski:m] n.计划；阴谋，诡计 (初中英语单词)
- savage [´sævidʒ] a.野蛮的 n.蛮人 (初中英语单词)
- advantage [əd´vɑ:ntidʒ] n.优势；利益 (初中英语单词)
- driven [´driv(ə)n] drive 的过去分词 (初中英语单词)
- honestly [´ɔnistli] ad.诚实地，老实地 (初中英语单词)
- rarely [´reəli] ad.难得；非凡地 (初中英语单词)
- desirable [di´zaiərəbəl] a.向往的；极好的 (初中英语单词)
- voyage [´vɔi-idʒ] n.&vi.航海；航程；旅行 (初中英语单词)
- breeze [bri:z] n.微风；不费力的事 (初中英语单词)
- fearful [´fiəfəl] a.可怕的；担心的 (初中英语单词)
- confess [kən´fes] vt.供认；坦白；承认 (初中英语单词)
- barely [´beəli] ad.公开地；仅仅 (初中英语单词)
- liquor [´likə] n.酒类；(溶)液 (初中英语单词)
- equipment [i´kwipmənt] n.装备，设备 (初中英语单词)
- permanent [´pə:mənənt] a.永久的；不变的 (初中英语单词)
- ashore [ə´ʃɔ:] ad.向岸上 (初中英语单词)
- continent [´kɔntinənt] n.大陆，陆地 (初中英语单词)
- strongly [´strɔŋli] ad.强烈地；强有力地 (初中英语单词)
- working [´wə:kiŋ] a.工人的；劳动的 (初中英语单词)
- endure [in´djuə] vt.忍耐，忍受；坚持 (初中英语单词)
- preserve [pri´zə:v] v.保藏 n.保藏物 (初中英语单词)
- priest [pri:st] n.教士；牧师；神父 (初中英语单词)
- worship [´wə:ʃip] n.&v.崇拜；敬仰 (初中英语单词)
- accurate [´ækjurət] a.准确的；精密的 (初中英语单词)
- temple [´tempəl] n.庙宇；寺院；太阳穴 (初中英语单词)
- mariner [´mærinə] n.海员；水手 (高中英语单词)
- strait [streit] n.海峡 (高中英语单词)
- seeing [si:iŋ] see的现在分词 n.视觉 (高中英语单词)
- sturdy [´stə:di] a.坚强的；坚定的 (高中英语单词)
- finely [´fainli] ad.美好地；精细地 (高中英语单词)
- mighty [´maiti] a.强有力的 ad.很 (高中英语单词)
- commend [kə´mend] vt.把...交托给；称赞 (高中英语单词)
- geography [dʒi´ɔgrəfi] n.地理(学) (高中英语单词)
- fringe [´frindʒ] n.穗；边缘；刘海 (高中英语单词)
- concerning [kən´sə:niŋ] prep.关于 (高中英语单词)
- saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
- generosity [,dʒenə´rɔsiti] n.慷慨；慷慨的行为 (高中英语单词)
- amongst [ə´mʌŋst] prep.其中之一 =among (高中英语单词)
- decided [di´saidid] a.明显的；决定的 (高中英语单词)
- eldest [´eldist] a.最年长的 (高中英语单词)
- lawful [´lɔ:fəl] a.合法的，守法的 (英语四级单词)
- filthy [´filθi] a.污秽的，肮脏的 (英语四级单词)
- starvation [stɑ:´veiʃən] n.饥饿；饿死 (英语四级单词)
- setting [´setiŋ] n.安装；排字；布景 (英语四级单词)
- vastly [´vɑ:stli, ´væstli] ad.巨大地；广阔地 (英语四级单词)
- profane [prə´fein] a.亵渎的 vt.玷污 (英语四级单词)
- hurriedly [´hʌridli] ad.仓促地，忙乱地 (英语四级单词)
- kingly [´kiŋli] a.国王的 ad.国王似地 (英语四级单词)
- magnificence [mæg´nifisns] n.壮丽；宏伟；豪华 (英语四级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- backwards [´bækwədz] ad.向后 a.向后的 (英语六级单词)
- servitude [´sə:vitju:d] n.奴隶状态；苦役 (英语六级单词)
- hunting [´hʌntiŋ] n.打猎 (英语六级单词)
- usefulness [´ju:sfəlnis] n.有用(性)；有益(性) (英语六级单词)
文章标签:名著
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