masterman ready-第24章

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he　works　of　the　Deity。　Tell　me　some　other　prominent　feature　in　creation。〃

〃One　of　the　most　remarkable；　William；　is　order。〃

〃Point　out　to　me；　papa；　where　and　in　what　that　quality　is　most　observable。〃

〃Everywhere　and　in　everything；　my　dear　boy；　whether　we　cast　our　eyes　up　to　the　heavens　above　us；　or　penetrate　into　the　bowels　of　the　earth；　the　principle　of　order　is　everywhere　…　everything　is　governed　by　fixed　laws；　which　cannot　be　disobeyed：　we　have　order　in　the　seasons；　in　the　tides；　in　the　movement　of　the　heavenly　bodies；　in　the　instinct　of　animals；　in　the　duration　of　life　assigned　to　each；　from　the　elephant　who　lives　more　than　a　century；　to　the　ephemeral　fly；　whose　whole　existence　is　limited　to　an　hour。

〃Inanimate　nature　is　subject　to　the　same　unvarying　laws。　Metals；　and　rocks；　and　earths；　and　all　the　mineral　kingdom　follow　one　law　in　their　crystallization；　never　varying　from　the　form　assigned　to　them；　each　atom　depositing　itself　in　the　allotted　place；　until　that　form　is　complete：　we　have　order　in　production；　order　in　decay；　but　all　is　simple　to　him　by　whom　the　planets　were　thrown　out　into　space；　and　were　commanded　to　roll　in　their　eternal　orbits。〃

〃Yes；　the　stars　in　the　heavens　are　beautiful；〃　said　William；　〃but　they　are　not　placed　there　in　order。〃

〃The　fixed　stars　do　not　appear　to　us　to　be　in　order　…　that　is；　they　do　not　stud　the　heavens　at　equal　distances　from　each　other　as　we　view　them；　but　you　must　recollect　that　they　are　at　very　different　distances　from　this　earth；　spreading　over　all　infinity　of　space；　and　we　have　reason　to　suppose　that　this　our　earth　is　but　a　mere　unit　in　the　multitude　of　created　worlds；　only　one　single　portion　of　an　infinite　whole。　As　the　stars　now　appear　to　us；　they　are　useful　to　the　mariner；　enabling　him　to　cross　the　trackless　seas；　and　to　the　astronomer；　who　calculates　the　times　and　seasons。〃

〃What　do　you　mean；　papa；　by　saying　that　this　world　of　ours　is　supposed　to　be　but　one　of　a　multitude　of　created　worlds？〃

〃Our　little　knowledge　is　bounded　to　this　our　own　earth；　which　we　have　ascertained　very　satisfactorily　to　be　but　one　of　several　planets　revolving　round　our　own　sun。　I　say　our　own　sun；　because　we　have　every　reason　to　suppose　that　each　of　those　fixed　stars；　and　myriads　now　not　visible　to　the　naked　eye；　are　all　suns；　bright　and　glorious　as　our　own；　and　of　course　throwing　light　and　heat　upon　unseen　planets　revolving　round　them。　Does　not　this　give　you　some　idea　of　the　vastness；　the　power；　and　the　immensity　of　God？〃

〃One　almost　loses　one's　self　in　the　imagination；〃　said　Mrs。　Seagrave。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃and　it　has　been　surmised　by　some；　who　have　felt　in　their　hearts　the　magnificence　of　the　Great　Architect；　that　there　must　be　some　point　of　view　in　space　where　all　those　glorious　suns；　which　seem　to　us　confused　in　the　heavens　above　us；　will　appear　all　symmetrically　arranged；　will　there　be　viewed　in　regular　order；　whirling　round　in　one　stupendous　and　perfect　system　of　beauty　and　design；　and　where　can　that　be；　if　it　is　not　in　that　heaven　which　we　hope　to　gain？〃

There　was　a　silence　for　a　few　moments；　when　William　said；　〃They　say　that　there　are　people　who　are　atheists；　papa。　How　can　they　be　so　if　they　only　look　around　them？　I　am　sure　a　mere　examination　of　the　works　of　God　ought　to　make　them　good　Christians。〃

〃No；　my　child；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃there　you　are　in　error。　Few　deny　the　existence　of　a　Deity；　and　an　examination　of　his　works　may　make　them　good　and　devout　men；　but　not　Christians。　There　are　good　men　to　be　found　under　every　denomination；　whether　they　be　Jews；　Mahomedans；　or　Pagans；　but　they　are　not　Christians。〃

〃Very　true；　papa。〃

〃Faith　in　things　seen；　if　I　may　use　the　term；　my　dear　child；　may　induce　men　to　acknowledge　the　power　and　goodness　of　the　Almighty；　but　it　will　not　make　them　wise　to　salvation；　for　that　end；　it　is　necessary；　as　the　Apostle　saith；　to　have　faith　in　things　not　seen。〃



Chapter　XXXVI

〃Well；　Ready；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave；　after　breakfast；　〃which　is　to　be　our　next　job？〃

〃Why；　sir；　I　think　we　had　better　all　set　to；　to　collect　the　branches　and　ends　of　the　cocoa…nut　trees　cut　down；　and　stack　them　for　fuel。　Tommy　and　Juno　have　already　made　a　good　large　pile；　and　I　think；　by　to…night；　we　shall　have　made　the　stack；　and　so　arranged　it　that　the　rain　will　not　get　into　it　much。　After　that；　as　the　weather　will　not　permit　us　to　leave　the　house　for　any　time；　we　will　cut　our　salt…pan　and　make　our　fish…pond；　they　will　take　a　week　at　least；　and　then　we　shall　have　little　more　to　do　near　home。　I　think　the　strength　of　the　rains　is　over　already；　and　perhaps　in　a　fortnight　we　may　venture　to　walk　through　the　wood；　and　examine　what　we　have　saved　from　the　wreck。〃

〃And　we　are　to　explore　the　island；　are　we　not；　Ready？〃　said　William。　〃I　long　to　do　that。〃

〃Yes；　William；　but　that　must　be　almost　the　last　job；　for　we　shall　be　away　for　two　or　three　nights；　perhaps；　and　we　must　look　out　for　fine　weather。　We　will；　however；　do　that　before　we　bring　the　stores　round　in　the　boat。〃

〃But　how　are　we　to　make　the　salt…pan；　Ready？　We　must　cut　it　out　of　the　solid　rock。〃

〃Yes；　William；　but　I　have　three　or　four　of　what　they　call　cold　chisels；　and　with　one　of　them　and　a　hammer；　we　shall　get　on　faster　than　you　think；　for　the　coral　rock；　although　hard　at　the　surface；　is　soft　a　little　below　it。〃

The　whole　of　that　day　was　employed　in　piling　up　the　cocoa…nut　branches　and　wood。　Ready　made　a　square　stack；　like　a　haystack；　with　a　gable　top；　over　which　he　tied　the　long　branches；　so　that　the　rain　would　pour　off　it。

〃There；〃　said　Ready；　as　he　came　down　the　ladder；　〃that　will　be　our　provision　for　next　year；　we　have　quite　enough　left　to　go　on　with　till　the　rainy　season　is　over；　and　we　shall　have　no　difficulty　in　collecting　it　afterwards　when　the　weather　is　dry。〃

Mr。　Seagrave　sighed　and　looked　grave；　Ready　observed　it；　and　said；　〃Mr。　Seagrave；　it　is　not　that　we　may　want　it；　but　still　we　must　prepare　for　the　next　rainy　season；　in　case　we　do　want　it。　That　Captain　Osborn；　if　he　lives；　will　send　to　look　for　us；　I　have　no　doubt；　nay；　I　believe　that　Mackintosh　will　do　the　same；　but　still　you　must　not　forget　that　they　all　may　have　perished；　although　we　have　been　so　mercifully　preserved。　We　must　put　our　trust　in　God；　sir。〃

〃We　must；　Ready；　and　if　it　is　his　will；　we　must　not　murmur。　I　have　schooled　myself　as　much　as　possible；　but　thoughts　will　come　in　spite　of　my　endeavours　to　restrain　them。〃

〃Of　course　they　will；　sir；　that's　natural：　however；　sir；　you　must　hope　for　the　best；　fretting　is　no　good；　and　it　is　sinful。〃

〃I　feel　it　is；　Ready；　and　when　I　see　how　patient；　and　even　happy；　my　wife　is　under　such　privations；　I　am　angry　with　myself。〃

〃A　woman；　sir；　bears　adversity　better　than　a　man。　A　woman　is　all　love；　and　if　she　has　but　her　husband　and　children　with　her；　and　in　good　health；　she　will　make　herself　happy　almost　anywhere：　but　men　are　different：　they　cannot　bear　being　shut　out　of　the　world　as　you　are　now。〃

〃It　is　our　ambition　which　makes　us　unhappy；　Ready；〃　replied　Mr。　Seagrave；　〃but　let　us　say　no　more　about　it：　God　must　dispose　of　me　as　he　thinks　fit。〃

After　supper；　Ready；　being　requested　by　William；　continued　his　narrative。

〃I　left　off；　if　I　recollect　right；　William；　just　as　the　Hottentot；　with　the　cattle　under　his　care；　had　frightened　away　the　baboons　who　were　tormenting　us。　Well；　we　came　out　of　the　cave　and　sat　down　under　the　rock；　so　that　the　Hottentot　could　not　see　us；　and　we　had　a　sort　of　council　of　war。　Romer　was　for　going　back　and　giving　ourselves　up　again；　for　he　said　it　was　ridiculous　to　be　wandering　about　without　any　arms　to　defend　ourselves　against　wild　beasts；　and　that　we　might　fall　in　with　something　worse　than　the　baboons　very　soon；　and　he　was　right。　It　would　have　been　the　wisest　thing　which　we　could　have　done；　but　Hastings　said；　that　if　we　went　back　we　should　be　laughed　at；　and　the　idea　of　being　laughed　at　made　us　all　agree　that　we　would　not。　Bear　this　in　mind；　William；　and　never　let　the　fear　of　ridicule　induce　you　to　do　what　is　wrong；　or　if　you　have　done　wrong；　prevent　you　from　returning　to　what　is　your　duty。〃

〃Many　thanks　for　your　advice；　Ready；　I　hope　William　will　not　forget　it；〃　said　Mr。　Seagrave。

〃Well；　sir；　such　was　our　reason　for　not　giving　up　our　mad　scheme；　and　having　so　decided；　the　next　point　of　consultation　between　us　was；　how　we　were　to　procure　arms　and　ammunition；　which　we　could　not　do　without。　As　we　were　talking　this　over；　I　peeped　from　behind　the　rock　to　see　where　the　Hottentot　might　be；　I　perceived　that　he　had　laid　himself　down；　and　wrapped　himself　up　in　his　kross；　a　mantle　of　sheep…skins　which　they　always　wear。　Now　we　had　observed　that　he　carried　his　musket　in　his　hand；　when　we　first　saw　him；　as　the　Hottentots　always　go　out　armed；　and　I　pointed　out　to　Hastings　and　Romer　that　if　he　was　asleep；　we　might　get　possession　of　his　musket　without　his　perceiving　it。　This　was　a　good　idea；　and　Hastings　said　he　would　crawl　to　him　on　his　hands　and　knees；　while　we　remained　behind　the　rock。　He　did　so　very　cautiously；　and　found　the　man's　head　covered　up　in　his　kross　and　fast　asleep；　so　there　was　no　fear；　for　the　Hottentots　are　very　hard　to　wake　at　any　time；　that　we　knew　well。　Hastings　first　took　the　musket　and　carried　it　away　out　of　the　reach　of　the　Hottentot；　and　then　he　returned　to　him；　cut　the　leather　thong　which　slung　his　powder…horn　and　ammunition；　and　retreated　with　all　of　them　without　disturbing　the　man　from　his　sleep。　We　were　quite　overjoyed　at　this　piece　of　good　luck；　and　determined　to　walk　very　cautiously　some　distance　from　where　the　Hottentot　lay；　that　in　case　he　awoke　he　should　not　see　us。　Keeping　our　eyes　about　in　every　direction；　lest　we　should　meet　with　anybody　else；　we　proceeded　nearly　a　mile　towards　Table　Bay；　when　we　fell　in　with　a　stream　of　water。　This　was　another　happy　discovery；　for　we　were　very　thirsty；　so　we　concealed　ourselves　near　the　stream　after　we　had　quenched　our　thirst；　and　made　a　dinner　off　the　provisions　we　had　brought　with　us。〃

〃But；　Ready；　did　you　not　do　wrong　to　steal　the　Hottentot's　musket？〃

〃No；　William；　in　that　instance　it　could　not　be　considered　as　a　theft。　We　were　in　an　enemy's　country；　trying　to　escape；　we　were　therefore　just　as　much　at　war　with　the　country　as　we　were　when　they　took　us　prisoners；　and　we　no　more　stole　the　musket　than　they　could　be　said　to　have　stolen　our　ship。　Am　I　not　right；　Mr。　Seagrave？〃

〃I　believe　you　are　justified　in　what　may　seem　extreme　acts　for　the　recovery　of　your　liberty；　after　you　have　been　made　prisoners。　It　has　always　been　so　considered。〃

〃Well；　sir；　to　go　on：　we　waited　till　dusk；　and　then　we　continued　our　march　towards　False　Bay　as　fast　as　we　could。　We　knew　that　there　were　farmers　down　in　the　valley；　or　rather　on　the　sides　of　the　hills；　and　we　hoped　to　obtain；　by　some　means　or　other；　two　more　muskets。　It　was　near　twelve　o'clock　at　night；　with　a　bright　moon；　when　we　had　a　sight　of　the　water　in　False　Bay；　and　soon　afterwards　we　heard　the　baying　of　a　large　dog；　and　not　far　from　us　we　distinguished　two　or　three　farmhouses；　with　their　cattle…folds　and　orchards。　We　then　looked　for　a　hiding…place；　where　we　might　remain　till　the　morning；　we　found　one　between　some　large　pieces　of　rock。　We　agreed　that　one　should　watch　while　the　other　two　slept；　this　Hastings　undertook　to　do；