michael, brother of jerry-第17章

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ng　fools。〃

〃Fools！　all　fools！　a　ship　of　fools！〃　Dag　Daughtry　exulted；　repeating　what　he　had　expressed　in　the　hold；　as　he　bored　the　last　barrel；　listened　to　the　good　water　gurgling　away　into　the　bilge；　and　chuckled　over　his　discovery　of　the　Ancient　Mariner　on　the　same　lay　as　his　own。



CHAPTER　XIV



Early　next　morning；　the　morning　watch　of　sailors；　whose　custom　was　to　fetch　the　day's　supply　of　water　for　the　galley　and　cabin；　discovered　that　the　barrels　were　empty。　　Mr。　Jackson　was　so　alarmed　that　he　immediately　called　Captain　Doane；　and　not　many　minutes　elapsed　ere　Captain　Doane　had　routed　out　Grimshaw　and　Nishikanta　to　tell　them　the　disaster。

Breakfast　was　an　excitement　shared　in　peculiarly　by　the　Ancient　Mariner　and　Dag　Daughtry；　while　the　trio　of　partners　raged　and　bewailed。　　Captain　Doane　particularly　wailed。　　Simon　Nishikanta　was　fiendish　in　his　descriptions　of　whatever　miscreant　had　done　the　deed　and　of　how　he　should　be　made　to　suffer　for　it；　while　Grimshaw　clenched　and　repeatedly　clenched　his　great　hands　as　if　throttling　some　throat。

〃I　remember；　it　was　in　forty…sevennay；　forty…sixyes；　forty…　six；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　chattered。　　〃It　was　a　similar　and　worse　predicament。　　It　was　in　the　longboat；　sixteen　of　us。　　We　ran　on　Glister　Reef。　　So　named　it　was　after　our　pretty　little　craft　discovered　it　one　dark　night　and　left　her　bones　upon　it。　　The　reef　is　on　the　Admiralty　charts。　　Captain　Doane　will　verify　me　。　。　。　〃

No　one　listened；　save　Dag　Daughtry；　serving　hot　cakes　and　admiring。　　But　Simon　Nishikanta；　becoming　suddenly　aware　that　the　old　man　was　babbling；　bellowed　out　ferociously：

〃Oh；　shut　up！　　Close　your　jaw！　　You　make　me　tired　with　your　everlasting　'I　remember。'〃

The　Ancient　Mariner　was　guilelessly　surprised；　as　if　he　had　slipped　somewhere　in　his　narrative。

〃No；　I　assure　you；〃　he　continued。　　〃It　must　have　been　some　error　of　my　poor　old　tongue。　　It　was　not　the　Wide　Awake；　but　the　brig　Glister。　　Did　I　say　Wide　Awake？　　It　was　the　Glister；　a　smart　little　brig；　almost　a　toy　brig　in　fact；　copper…bottomed；　lines　like　a　dolphin；　a　sea…cutter　and　a　wind…eater。　　Handled　like　a　top。　　On　my　honour；　gentlemen；　it　was　lively　work　for　both　watches　when　she　went　about。　　I　was　supercargo。　　We　sailed　out　of　New　York；　ostensibly　for　the　north…west　coast；　with　sealed　orders〃

〃In　the　name　of　God；　peace；　peace！　　You　drive　me　mad　with　your　drivel！〃　　So　Nishikanta　cried　out　in　nervous　pain　that　was　real　and　quivering。　　〃Old　man；　have　a　heart。　　What　do　I　care　to　know　of　your　Glister　and　your　sealed　orders！〃

〃Ah；　sealed　orders；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　went　on　beamingly。　　〃A　magic　phrase；　sealed　orders。〃　　He　rolled　it　off　his　tongue　with　unction。　　〃Those　were　the　days；　gentlemen；　when　ships　did　sail　with　sealed　orders。　　And　as　supercargo；　with　my　trifle　invested　in　the　adventure　and　my　share　in　the　gains；　I　commanded　the　captain。　Not　in　him；　but　in　me　were　reposed　the　sealed　orders。　　I　assure　you　I　did　not　know　myself　what　they　were。　　Not　until　we　were　around　old　Cape　Stiff；　fifty　to　fifty；　and　in　fifty　in　the　Pacific；　did　I　break　the　seal　and　learn　we　were　bound　for　Van　Dieman's　Land。　　They　called　it　Van　Dieman's　Land　in　those　days　。　。　。　〃

It　was　a　day　of　discoveries。　　Captain　Doane　caught　the　mate　stealing　the　ship's　position　from　his　desk　with　the　duplicate　key。　There　was　a　scene；　but　no　more；　for　the　Finn　was　too　huge　a　man　to　invite　personal　encounter；　and　Captain　Dome　could　only　stigmatize　his　conduct　to　a　running　reiteration　of　〃Yes；　sir；〃　and　〃No；　sir；〃　and　〃Sorry；　sir。〃

Perhaps　the　most　important　discovery；　although　he　did　not　know　it　at　the　time；　was　that　of　Dag　Daughtry。　　It　was　after　the　course　had　been　changed　and　all　sail　set；　and　after　the　Ancient　Mariner　had　privily　informed　him　that　Taiohae；　in　the　Marquesas；　was　their　objective；　that　Daughtry　gaily　proceeded　to　shave。　　But　one　trouble　was　on　his　mind。　　He　was　not　quite　sure；　in　such　an　out…　of…the…way　place　as　Taiohae；　that　good　beer　could　be　procured。

As　he　prepared　to　make　the　first　stroke　of　the　razor；　most　of　his　face　white　with　lather；　he　noticed　a　dark　patch　of　skin　on　his　forehead　just　between　the　eye…brows　and　above。　　When　he　had　finished　shaving　he　touched　the　dark　patch；　wondering　how　he　had　been　sunburned　in　such　a　spot。　　But　he　did　not　know　he　had　touched　it　in　so　far　as　there　was　any　response　of　sensation。　　The　dark　place　was　numb。

〃Curious；〃　he　thought；　wiped　his　face；　and　forgot　all　about　it。

No　more　than　he　knew　what　horror　that　dark　spot　represented；　did　he　know　that　Ah　Moy's　slant　eyes　had　long　since　noticed　it　and　were　continuing　to　notice　it；　day　by　day；　with　secret　growing　terror。

Close…hauled　on　the　south…east　trades；　the　Mary　Turner　began　her　long　slant　toward　the　Marquesas。　　For'ard；　all　were　happy。　　Being　only　seamen；　on　seamen's　wages；　they　hailed　with　delight　the　news　that　they　were　bound　in　for　a　tropic　isle　to　fill　their　water…　barrels。　　Aft；　the　three　partners　were　in　bad　temper；　and　Nishikanta　openly　sneered　at　Captain　Doane　and　doubted　his　ability　to　find　the　Marquesas。　　In　the　steerage　everybody　was　happyDag　Daughtry　because　his　wages　were　running　on　and　a　further　supply　of　beer　was　certain；　Kwaque　because　he　was　happy　whenever　his　master　was　happy；　and　Ah　Moy　because　he　would　soon　have　opportunity　to　desert　away　from　the　schooner　and　the　two　lepers　with　whom　he　was　domiciled。

Michael　shared　in　the　general　happiness　of　the　steerage；　and　joined　eagerly　with　Steward　in　learning　by　heart　a　fifth　song。　This　was　〃Lead；　kindly　Light。〃　　In　his　singing；　which　was　no　more　than　trained　howling　after　all；　Michael　sought　for　something　he　knew　not　what。　　In　truth；　it　was　the　LOST　PACK；　the　pack　of　the　primeval　world　before　the　dog　ever　came　in　to　the　fires　of　men；　and；　for　that　matter；　before　men　built　fires　and　before　men　were　men。

He　had　been　born　only　the　other　day　and　had　lived　but　two　years　in　the　world；　so　that；　of　himself；　he　had　no　knowledge　of　the　lost　pack。　　For　many　thousands　of　generations　he　had　been　away　from　it；　yet；　deep　down　in　the　crypts　of　being；　tied　about　and　wrapped　up　in　every　muscle　and　nerve　of　him；　was　the　indelible　record　of　the　days　in　the　wild　when　dim　ancestors　had　run　with　the　pack　and　at　the　same　time　developed　the　pack　and　themselves。　　When　Michael　was　asleep；　then　it　was　that　pack…memories　sometimes　arose　to　the　surface　of　his　subconscious　mind。　　These　dreams　were　real　while　they　lasted；　but　when　he　was　awake　he　remembered　them　little　if　at　all。　　But　asleep；　or　singing　with　Steward；　he　sensed　and　yearned　for　the　lost　pack　and　was　impelled　to　seek　the　forgotten　way　to　it。

Waking；　Michael　had　another　and　real　pack。　　This　was　composed　of　Steward；　Kwaque；　Cocky；　and　Scraps；　and　he　ran　with　it　as　ancient　forbears　had　ran　with　their　own　kind　in　the　hunting。　　The　steerage　was　the　lair　of　this　pack；　and；　out　of　the　steerage；　it　ranged　the　whole　world；　which　was　the　Mary　Turner　ever　rocking；　heeling；　reeling　on　the　surface　of　the　unstable　sea。

But　the　steerage　and　its　company　meant　more　to　Michael　than　the　mere　pack。　　It　was　heaven　as　well；　where　dwelt　God。　　Man　early　invented　God；　often　of　stone；　or　clod；　or　fire；　and　placed　him　in　trees　and　mountains　and　among　the　stars。　　This　was　because　man　observed　that　man　passed　and　was　lost　out　of　the　tribe；　or　family；　or　whatever　name　he　gave　to　his　group；　which　was；　after　all；　the　human　pack。　　And　man　did　not　want　to　be　lost　out　of　the　pack。　　So；　of　his　imagination；　he　devised　a　new　pack　that　would　be　eternal　and　with　which　he　might　for　ever　run。　　Fearing　the　dark；　into　which　he　observed　all　men　passed；　he　built　beyond　the　dark　a　fairer　region；　a　happier　hunting…ground；　a　jollier　and　robuster　feasting…hall　and　wassailing…place；　and　called　it　variously　〃heaven。〃

Like　some　of　the　earliest　and　lowest　of　primitive　men；　Michael　never　dreamed　of　throwing　the　shadow　of　himself　across　his　mind　and　worshipping　it　as　God。　　He　did　not　worship　shadows。　　He　worshipped　a　real　and　indubitable　god；　not　fashioned　in　his　own　four…legged；　hair…covered　image；　but　in　the　flesh…and…blood　image；　two…legged；　hairless；　upstanding；　of　Steward。



CHAPTER　XV



Had　the　trade　wind　not　failed　on　the　second　day　after　laying　the　course　for　the　Marquesas；　had　Captain　Doane；　at　the　mid…day　meal；　not　grumbled　once　again　at　being　equipped　with　only　one　chronometer；　had　Simon　Nishikanta　not　become　viciously　angry　thereat　and　gone　on　deck　with　his　rifle　to　find　some　sea…denizen　to　kill；　and　had　the　sea…denizen　that　appeared　close　alongside　been　a　bonita；　a　dolphin；　a　porpoise；　an　albacore；　or　anything　else　than　a　great；　eighty…foot　cow　whale　accompanied　by　her　nursing　calfhad　any　link　been　missing　from　this　chain　of　events；　the　Mary　Turner　would　have　undoubtedly　reached　the　Marquesas；　filled　her　water…barrels；　and　returned　to　the　treasure…hunting；　and　the　destinies　of　Michael；　Daughtry；　Kwaque；　and　Cocky　would　have　been　quite　different　and　possibly　less　terrible。

But　every　link　was　present　for　the　occasion。　　The　schooner；　in　a　dead　calm；　was　rolling　over　the　huge；　smooth　seas；　her　boom　sheets　and　tackles　crashing　to　the　hollow　thunder　of　her　great　sails；　when　Simon　Nishikanta　put　a　bullet　into　the　body　of　the　little　whale　calf。　　By　an　almost　miracle　of　chance；　the　shot　killed　the　calf。　　It　was　equivalent　to　killing　an　elephant　with　a　pea…rifle。　Not　at　once　did　the　calf　die。　　It　merely　immediately　ceased　its　gambols　and　for　a　while　lay　quivering　on　the　surface　of　the　ocean。　The　mother　was　beside　it　the　moment　after　it　was　struck；　and　to　those　on　board；　looking　almost　directly　down　upon　her；　her　dismay　and　alarm　were　very　patent。　　She　would　nudge　the　calf　with　her　huge　shoulder；　circle　around　and　around　it；　then　range　up　alongside　and　repeat　her　nudgings　and　shoulderings。

All　on　the　Mary　Turner；　fore　and　aft；　lined　the　rail　and　stared　down　apprehensively　at　the　leviathan　that　was　as　long　as　the　schooner。

〃If　she　should　do　to　us；　sir；　what　that　other　one　did　to　the　Essex；〃　Dag　Daughtry　observed　to　the　Ancient　Mariner。

〃It　would　be　no　more　than　we　deserve；〃　was　the　response。　　〃It　was　uncalled…fora　wanton；　cruel　act。〃

Michael；　aware　of　the　excitement　overside　but　unable　to　see　because　of　the　rail；　leaped　on　top　of　the　cabin　and　at　sight　of　the　monster　barked　defiantly。　　Every　eye　turned　on　him　in　startlement　and　fear；　and　Steward　hushed　him　with　a　whispered　command。

〃This　is　the　last　time；〃　Grimshaw　muttered　in　a　low　voice；　tense　with　anger；　to　Nishikanta。　　〃If　ever　again；　on　this　voyage；　you　take　a　shot　at　a　whale；　I'll　wring　your　dirty　neck　for　you。　　Get　me。　　I　mean　it。　　I'll　choke　your　eye…balls　out　of　you。〃

The　Jew　smiled　in　a　sickly　way　and　whined；　〃There　ain't　nothing　going　to　happen。　　I　don't　believe　that　Essex　ever　was　sunk　by　a　whale。〃

Urged　on　by　its　mother；　the　dying　calf　made　spasmodic　efforts　to　swim　that　were　futile　and　caused　it　to　veer　and　wallow　from　side　to　side。

In　the　course　of　circling　about　it；　the　mother　accidentally　brushed　her　shoulder　under　the　port　quarter　of　the　Mary　Turner；　and　the　Mary　Turner　listed　to　starboard　as　her　stern　was　lifted　a　yard　or　more。　　Nor　was　this　unintentional；　gentle　impact　all。　　The　instant　after　her　shoulder　had　touched；　startled　by　the　contact；　she　flailed　out　with　her　tail。　　The　blow　smote　the　rail