CHAPTER 5 THE STORM AND WHAT CAME OF IT 暴风雨及其后果

It was nearly three weeks after their landing that the Dawn Treader was towed out of Narrowhaven harbour.Very solemn farewells had been spoken and a great crowd had assembled to see her departure.There had been cheers,and tears too,when Caspian made his last speech to the Lone Islanders and parted from the Duke and his family,but as the ship,her purple sail still flapping idly,drew further from the shore,and the sound of Caspian’s trumpet from the poop came fainter across the water,everyone became silent.Then she came into the wind.The sail swelled out,the tug cast offand began rowing back,the　first real wave ran up under the Dawn Treader’s prow,and she was a live ship again.The men off duty went below,Drinian took the 　first watch on the poop,and she turned her head eastward round the south of Avra.

The next few days were delightful.Lucy thought she was the most fortunate girl in the world as she woke each morning to see the reflections of the sunlit water dancing on the ceiling of her cabin,and looked round on all the nice new things she had got in the Lone Islands—seaboots and buskins and cloaks and jerkins and scarves.And then she would go on deck and take a look from the forecastle at a sea which was a brighter blue each morning and drink in an air that was a little warmer day by day.After that came breakfast and such an appetite as one only has at sea.

She spent a good deal of time sitting on the little bench in the stern playing chess with Reepicheep.It was amusing to see him lifting the pieces,which were far too big for him,with both paws and standing on tiptoes if he made a move near the centre of the board.He was a good player and when he remembered what he was doing he usually won.But every now and then Lucy won because the Mouse did something quite ridiculous like sending a knight into the danger of a queen and castle combined.This happened because he had momentarily forgotten it was a game of chess and was thinking of a real battle and making the knight do what he would certainly have done in its place.For his mind was full of forlorn hopes,death-or-glory charges,and last stands.

But this pleasant time did not last.There came an evening when Lucy,gazing idly astern at the long furrow or wake they were leaving behind them,saw a great rack of clouds building itself up in the west with amazing speed.Then a gap was torn in it and a yellow sunset poured through the gap.All the waves behind them seemed to take on unusual shapes and the sea was a drab or yellowish colour like dirty canvas.The air grew cold.The ship seemed to move uneasily as if she felt danger behind her.The sail would be　flat and limp one minute and wildly full the next.While she was noting these things and wondering at a sinister change which had come over the very noise of 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 into 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 like 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.Up aloft the sailors were lying out along the yard desperately trying to get control of the sail.A broken rope stood out sideways in the wind as straight and stiff as if it were a poker.

"Get below,Ma’am," 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 then stand by while two men climbed up it,and then get down it as best she could.It was as well she was already holding on tight for at the foot of the ladder another wave roared 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 the 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:

September 3

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 can’t 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 there’s 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 (there’s only a stump left now),though I was not at all well,they forced me to come 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 doesn’t 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 sun’s out and we have all been jawing about what to do.We have food enough,pretty beastly stuffmost of it,to last for sixteen days.(The poultry were all washed overboard.Even if they hadn’t 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,we’ve got enough for twelve days.(There’s 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 there’s no sign of an east wind—in fact there’s no wind at all.As for rowing back,it would take far too long and Caspian says the men couldn’t row on half a pint of water a day.I’m 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 didn’t take any notice of this,which is always his way when he can’t 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 didn’t 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.

September 4

Still becalmed.Very short rations for dinner and I got less than anyone.Caspian is very clever at helping and thinks I don’t see!Lucy for some reason tried to make up to me by offering me some of hers but that interfering prig Edmund wouldn’t let her.Pretty hot sun.Terribly thirsty all evening.

September 5

Still becalmed and very hot.Feeling rotten all day and am sure I’ve got a temperature.Of course they haven’t the sense to keep a thermometer on board.

September 6

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 I’m 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 they’ve 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 I’d 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 comes 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 didn’t know what this meant till Edmund explained to me.It comes 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.

September 7

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.

September 8

Still sailing east.I stay in my bunk all day now and see no one except Lucy till the two fiends come to bed.Lucy gives me a little of her water ration.She says girls don’t get as thirsty as boys.I had often thought this but it ought to be more generally known at sea.

September 9

Land in sight;a very high mountain a long way offto the south-east.

September 10

The mountain is bigger and clearer but still a long way off.Gulls again today for the　first time since I don’t know how long.

September 11

Caught somefish 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 wouldn’t 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 time.

When morning came,with a low,grey sky but very hot,the adventurers found they were in a bay encircled by such cliffs and crags that it was like a Norwegian fjord.In front of them,at the head of the bay,there was some level land heavily overgrown with trees that appeared to be cedars,through which a rapid stream came out.Beyond that was a steep ascent ending in a jagged ridge and behind that a vague darkness of mountains which ran into dull-coloured clouds so that you could not see their tops.The nearer cliffs,at each side of the bay,were streaked here and there with lines of white which everyone knew to be waterfalls,though at that distance they did not show any movement or make any noise.Indeed the whole place was very silent and the water of the bay as smooth as glass.It reflected every detail of the cliffs.The scene would have been pretty in a picture but was rather oppressive in real life.It was not a country that welcomed visitors.

The whole ship’s company went ashore in two boatloads and everyone drank and washed deliciously in the river and had a meal and a rest before Caspian sent four men back to keep the ship,and the day’s work began.There was everything to be done.The casks must be brought ashore and the faulty ones mended if possible and all re　filled;a tree—a pine if they could get it—must be felled and made into a new mast;sails must be repaired;a hunting party organized to shoot any game the land might yield;clothes to be washed and mended;and countless small breakages on board to be set right.For the Dawn Treader herself—and this was more obvious now that they saw her at a distance—could hardly be recognized as the same gallant ship which had left Narrowhaven.She looked a crippled,discoloured hulk which anyone might have taken for a wreck.And her officers and crew were no better—lean,pale,red-eyed from lack of sleep,and dressed in rags.As Eustace lay under a tree and heard all these plans being discussed,his heart sank.Was there going to be no rest?It looked as if their 　first day on the longed-for land was going to be quite as hard work as a day at sea.Then a delightful idea occurred to him.Nobody was looking—they were all chattering about their ship as if they actually liked the beastly thing.Why shouldn’t he simply slip away?He would take a stroll inland,　find a cool,airy place up in the mountains,have a good long sleep,and not rejoin the others till the day’s work was over.He felt it would do him good.But he would take great care to keep the bay and the ship in sight so as to be sure of his way back.He wouldn’t like to be left behind in this country.

He at once put his plan into action.He rose quietly from his place and walked away among the trees,taking care to go slowly and in an aimless manner so that anyone who saw him would think he was merely stretching his legs.He was surprised to 　find how quickly the noise of conversation died away behind him and how very silent and warm and dark green the wood became.Soon he felt he could venture on a quicker and more determined stride.

This soon brought him out of the wood.The ground began sloping steeply up in front of him.The grass was dry and slippery but manageable if he used his hands as well as his feet,and though he panted and mopped his forehead a good deal,he plugged away steadily.This showed,by the way,that his new life,little as he suspected it,had already done him some good;the old Eustace,Harold and Alberta’s Eustace,would have given up the climb after about ten minutes.

Slowly,and with several rests,he reached the ridge.Here he had expected to have a view into the heart of the island,but the clouds had now come lower and nearer and a sea of fog was rolling to meet him.He sat down and looked back.He was now so high that the bay looked small beneath him and miles of sea were visible.Then the fog from the mountains closed in all round him,thick but not cold,and he lay down and turned this way and that to　find the most comfortable position to enjoy himself.

But he didn’t enjoy himself,or not for very long.He began,almost for the　first time in his life,to feel lonely.At　first this feeling grew very gradually.And then he began to worry about the time.There was not the slightest sound.Suddenly it occurred to him that he might have been lying there for hours.Perhaps the others had gone!Perhaps they had let him wander away on purpose simply in order to leave him behind!He leapt up in a panic and began the descent.

At　first he tried to do it too quickly,slipped on the steep grass,and slid for several feet.Then he thought this had carried him too far to the left—and as he came up he had seen precipices on that side.So he clambered up again,as near as he could guess to the place he had started from,and began the descent afresh,bearing to his right.After that things seemed to be going better.He went very cautiously,for he could not see more than a yard ahead,and there was still perfect silence all around him.It is very unpleasant to have to go cautiously when there is a voice inside you saying all the time,"Hurry,hurry,hurry." For every moment the terrible idea of being left behind grew stronger.If he had understood Caspian and the Pevensies at all he would have known,of course,that there was not the least chance of their doing any such thing.But he had persuaded himself that they were all fiends in human form.

"At last!" said Eustace as he came slithering down a slide of loose stones (scree,they call it) and found himself on the level."And now,where are those trees?There is something dark ahead.Why,I do believe the fog is clearing."

It was.The light increased every moment and made him blink.The fog lifted.He was in an utterly unknown valley and the sea was nowhere in sight.

中文阅读

他们上岸差不多三个星期之后，“黎明”号被拖出了窄港湾的港口。大家郑重地道别，一大群人前来为他们送行。卡斯宾向岛上居民发表了最后的演说，与公爵及其家人互道了珍重，人们又是欢呼，又是流泪。“黎明”号被拖着逐渐离开了海岸，船上的紫色风帆在无精打采地抖动着。随着船尾楼上的号角声越来越弱，每个人都安静了下来。接着，船的风帆鼓了起来，顺风行驶，于是拖船松开缆绳，划回了港口。这时，一个浪头冲着船首打来，“黎明”号又变成了一艘生龙活虎的大船。刚换班的水手们返回船舱，德利尼安在船尾楼上开始值第一个班。船绕过亚弗拉岛的南部，掉头向东驶去。

接下来的几天都很惬意。露西每天早上醒来，看到海水反射的阳光在舱室的天花板上跳动着，看着自己在孤独岛上得到的漂亮新礼物——长筒靴、半高筒靴、斗篷、无袖紧身短上衣和围巾，她觉得，自己是世界上最幸运的女孩子。起床后，她会来到甲板上，登上首楼眺望着每个清晨都变得越发蔚蓝的大海，呼吸一下日益变暖的空气。紧接着是吃早餐，只有在海上，人们的胃口才会如此之好。

坐在船尾的小长凳上，每天她都花很多时间与雷匹奇普下棋。每当雷匹奇普想把棋子挪动到棋盘中间的位置时，它都要踮起脚尖，用两只爪子捧着对它来说实在有点太大的棋子，那副模样真的很搞笑。雷匹奇普是个下棋高手，如果能记住自己所走的棋，它往往会赢。有时露西也会获胜，因为老鼠时常会走一步可笑的臭棋，比如把骑士送进女王与城堡结盟的虎口之中。这种事情之所以发生，是由于它一时忘记了是在下棋，误以为真的是在打仗，就让骑士做了它自己此时肯定会做的事情。它一心想的都是些难以实现的愿望，譬如冒死赢得荣誉的冲锋陷阵，以及殊死的抵抗。

但美好的时光并没有持续多久。一天晚上，露西站在船的尾部，悠闲地望着船后长长的尾流，她忽然看到，西边的天空正在快速生成厚厚的密云，密云中裂开了一道缝隙，落日的余晖从中倾泻出来。他们身后的海浪似乎呈现出异乎寻常的形状，海面看上去是淡褐色或淡黄色，就像是一块肮脏的画布。空气变得冷飕飕的。船在不安地颠簸着，好像预感到了后面的危险。风帆一会儿低垂，一会儿又被风鼓得满满的。露西正在观察这些现象，对风声带来的不祥变化进行猜测之际，德利尼安喊道：“全体人员到甲板上来。”顿时，大家狂乱地忙碌起来。封上舱口，熄灭厨房的火，有人爬到桅杆上收起风帆。一切还未准备完毕，暴风雨就来临了。在露西看来，船前面的巨浪排山倒海，“黎明”号照直冲了过去，跌进了低得不能再低的谷底。一排比桅杆还要高的、小山一般的灰色大浪迎面打来。看样子他们即将葬身海底，不料却又被抛到了浪尖上。船在不停地旋转，一道瀑布般的水流冲刷过甲板，船尾楼和首楼像是两座孤岛，中间隔着咆哮的大海。在高高的桅杆上，水手们在帆桁上被吹得东倒西歪，拼命想要收起风帆。一条断了的缆绳被风吹到一边，直愣愣的像是一根铁棍。

“快到下边去，女士。”德利尼安吼叫道。露西知道，不懂航海的男人——和女人——都是船员们的累赘，因此她马上遵命而行，但是却很不容易做到。“黎明”号向右舷倾斜得相当厉害，甲板倾斜的就像是房顶一般。她手脚并用，爬到梯子的顶部，抓住栏杆，给两个爬上来的水手让路，然后尽快地爬下梯子。她刚到达梯子底部，又一个大浪呼啸着冲过甲板，海水浇灌到她的肩膀上，好在她还紧紧地抓着梯子。她身上早已被浪花和雨水打湿，这一次她感到海水更加寒冷。她朝自己舱室的门猛冲过去，进去之后，暂时把他们快速陷入的可怕的黑暗景象关在了外面，但是却关不住外面乱糟糟的声音：吱吱嘎嘎声、哗哗啦啦声、*吟呻**声、断裂声、咆哮声与轰隆声，在下面听起来更加惊心动魄。

第二天和第三天都是这样度过的。暴风雨持续横施淫威，人们已经记不得风暴开始前的平静时光。船需要三个人来掌舵，至少三个人才能够保持航向。还要有人一直守在水泵旁抽水。谁都顾不上休息，没有办法做饭，也无法把衣服烘干，有个水手被冲到了海里。他们根本看不到太阳的踪影。

暴风雨过后，尤斯塔斯在日记中补写了以下的内容：

九月三日

过了好久才等来这么一天，终于能够写东西了。我们被飓风追逐着狂奔了十三个昼夜。其他人都说只有十二天。我之所以知道，是因为我认真地做了记录。与这些甚至不会数数的人一起从事危险的航行，可真够愉快的！我度过了一段恐怖的时光，每时每刻都有巨浪袭来，总是被浇得像个落汤鸡，没人打算给我们正儿八经地做顿饭吃。不用说船上没有无线电，就连火箭都没有，因此没有办法发信号求助。这一切都证实了我一再告诫他们的话，乘坐这样一个糟糕的小澡盆出海，实在是发疯。即使正派的人类也够呛，更何况这些人形恶魔呢。卡斯宾和埃德蒙对我十分粗暴。我们失去桅杆（如今只剩下一个残桩）的那一夜，尽管我浑身不舒服，他们还逼着我到甲板上，像个奴隶似的做苦工。露西还多嘴多舌地说，雷匹奇普迫不及待地想要干活，只是它的身量太小了。我心里纳闷，她居然没有看出来，那个小畜生所做的一切都是为了炫耀。在她这个年龄，应该有一些分辨能力了。今天，这个讨厌的小船终于稳定下来。太阳也露出脸来，人们都在喋喋不休地议论着该怎么办。我们有足够的食物，大部分都难吃得很，可以维持十六天。（饲养的家禽都被冲进了大海。即使没被冲走，这场暴风雨也会使它们停止下蛋。）真正的麻烦是淡水。有两个水桶给撞裂了，水都漏光了。（又一次显明纳尼亚人的低效率。）每人每天一瓶水，定量供给，也只够喝十二天。（还有许多朗姆酒和葡萄酒，但就连他们也意识到了，酒只会使人更加干渴。）

当然，如果可能的话，明智的做法是立刻返航西行，回到孤独群岛。但我们被狂风吹着疯狂奔驰，用了十八天才到达这里。即使我们能遇上东风，返程的时间也将远远超过十八天。目前，没有刮东风的迹象——事实上什么风都没有。如果划船回去，时间会更加漫长。卡斯宾说，靠着每天一瓶水，人们没有力气划船。我敢说，这种说法不对。我试图解释，汗水会使人变得凉爽，即使是出力干活，人们对水的需求也会减少。他对此置若罔闻。当他找不到解决问题的方法时，总是这个德行。其他人都一致赞成继续前进，希望能够发现陆地。我感到自己有责任指出，我们并不了解前方是否有陆地，想使他们明白异想天开的危险。他们不但想不出一个更好的方案，居然还有脸问我有什么高见。我冷静而镇定地向他们解释，没有得到我的同意，我就被劫持着参加了这个愚蠢的航行，他们如何脱离困境，与我毫不相干。

九月四日

仍然风平浪静。正餐每份数量很少，而我的一份比别人的更少。卡斯宾在分配时耍些小聪明，还以为我不知道！出于某种原因，露西想把她的那一份分给我一些，作为补偿。但那个爱管闲事的家伙埃德蒙不允许她这么做。太阳很毒。彻夜干渴难忍。

九月五日

依然酷热无风。一整天都很难受，相信自己在发烧。当然，他们绝不会想到在船上预备一只体温表。

九月六日

可怕的一天。夜间醒来，知道自己在发热，必须要喝点儿水。任何医生都会这么说。上天知道，我是一个最不愿得到非分利益的人。可是我做梦也没有想到，这种分配水的方法会用在病人身上。其实，我应该把别人叫醒，要一点水喝。我觉得，那样做有点自私。于是，我爬起身来，拿着自己的杯子，蹑手蹑脚地从我们睡觉的黑洞里走出来，小心翼翼，以免惊动卡斯宾和埃德蒙。由于天热和缺水，他们一直睡得很不踏实。不管他们对我是好是歹，我总是尽量为别人着想。我顺利地来到大房间，如果你们把那地方称作房间的话。那里有一排排划船时坐的长凳，还堆放着行李。水桶放在这一头。一切都进展顺利，但我还没来得及接满一杯水，就被那个小密探雷匹给逮住了。我试着跟它解释，自己是到甲板上透透气（水的事跟它毫不相干）。它问我为什么拿个杯子。它大喊大叫，把全船的人都惊动了。他们污蔑我偷水。我反问道，半夜三更雷匹奇普鬼鬼祟祟跑到水桶旁边做什么？我觉得，任何人都会这样发问。它答道，由于自己身材矮小，在甲板上帮不了忙，每夜就来水桶边站岗，好腾出一个人去睡觉。这时，他们又拿出那套极其不公平的做法：他们全都相信了它。真是岂有此理！

我只好表示道歉，否则那个危险的小畜生又会拿出剑来对着我。而卡斯宾则显露出残忍暴君的真实面目，他大声对众人说，今后若发现有人“偷水”，就要“挨二十四鞭”。我不明白那是什么意思，埃德蒙给我解释了一番。原来这出自珀文西家的孩子们所读的那一类书籍。

发出怯懦的威胁之后，卡斯宾改换了语气，开始以保护人自居，说他为我感到难过，但是每个人都像我一样干渴发热，我们只有竭尽全力战胜困难，等等，等等。可恶的傲慢的道学先生。今天一整天我都呆在床上。

九月七日

白天起了一阵风，但仍然是西风，吹动一部分风帆向东行驶了几英里。帆是悬在德利尼安所谓的应急桅杆上的——也就是说，将船首的第一斜桅拉直，绑（他们称之为“扎紧”）在桅杆的残桩上。我还是渴得难以忍受。

九月八日

继续向东行驶。我整天窝在铺位上，除了露西谁也不见，直到那两个恶魔回来睡觉。露西把她的那份水分给我一些。她说，女孩子不像男孩子那样容易口渴。我过去也经常这样想，在海上应该让更多的人知道这一点。

九月九日

看到陆地了。在远远的东南方向出现了一座高山。

九月十日

那座山越来越高大，越来越清晰，可是还有很远的一段路。我不知道，有多久没有看见海鸥了。今天再次看到了海鸥。

九月十一日

逮了一些鱼作午饭。晚上七点左右，船在这个多山海岛的一个海湾中抛锚，水深六英寻 [1] 。因为天色已晚，那个白痴卡斯宾不许我们上岸，他害怕会有野人或是野兽。今夜每人多发了一份水。

在这个海岛上等待着他们的，与尤斯塔斯的关系尤为密切，而他却无法用自己的话来叙述了。因为过了九月十一日，有很长一段时间，他都把写日记的事给忘了个一干二净。

早晨到来了，天空很低，灰蒙蒙的，但却酷热难当。探险者们发现，自己所在的海湾周围都是峭壁巉崖，跟挪威海岸的峡湾 [2] 很相像。在他们的前方，海湾的入口处，有一片平坦的陆地，上面覆盖着茂密的树木，看样子像是雪松，林中倾泻出一道湍急的溪流。那后面是一个陡峭的山坡，山顶是犬牙交错的山脊，山脊背后矗立着苍茫的山脉，云遮雾绕，使你无法看到其真面目。海湾两边比较近的悬崖上，疏疏落落地分布着一条条白练，人们晓得那些是瀑布。由于距离太远，他们看不到水的流动，也听不到隆隆的水声。的确，整个岛屿异常幽静，海湾波平如镜，映出悬崖的倒影。这种景色在图画中很优美，但在真实生活中，却让人感觉相当压抑。这不是一个好客的地方。

船上全部人员分乘两只小船登岸，大家在河中畅饮，痛痛快快地洗了一番。吃饭休息之后，卡斯宾派四个人回去看守大船，随即就开始了一天的工作。他们有那么多的事情要做：要把水桶弄到岸上，尽可能修补好破漏的水桶，重新装满水；要砍伐一棵树——最好是松树——制作一根新桅杆；要修补风帆；要组织一个打猎队，捕猎岛上的鸟兽；要洗涤缝补衣物；还要填补船上无数的小裂缝。至于“黎明”号——此刻远远望去，更是一目了然——他们简直都认不出了，这就是驶离窄港湾时的那艘华美的大船。它的躯壳暗淡无光，残破不全。人们也许会把它当做一艘失事船只的残骸。船员们的模样也好不到哪儿去——一个个衣衫褴褛，瘦削苍白，由于缺少睡眠而两眼通红。

尤斯塔斯躺在一棵树下，听到人们讨论所有这些计划，他的情绪变得越发消沉。难道就不能让人休息片刻吗？看来登上期盼已久的陆地的第一天，他们还要像在海上一样拼命地干活。他的脑海中突然浮现出一个好主意。既然没有人注意他——他们都在喋喋不休地谈论着船，好像他们真的喜欢那个讨厌的东西，为什么自己不趁机溜走呢？他可以在岛上散散步，在山上找个凉爽通风的地方，好好睡上一觉。等人们干完一天的活儿，他再回到他们中间去。他觉得这样做对自己有益。但他必须格外小心，不能走得太远，要看得到海湾和船，以确保自己能够返回。他可不想一个人留在这个地方。

他立刻将自己的计划付诸实施。他悄悄爬起身来，行走在树丛之中，尽量放慢脚步，好像只是漫无目的地在闲逛，倘若有人看见，会以为他不过是在活动一下腿脚。他惊讶地发现，谈话声很快就在自己身后消失了，到处都是满目苍翠，树林显得格外温暖宁静。没过多久，他就觉得，自己可以放开步伐，走得更快一些了。

不一会儿，他便走出了树林。前面的路开始变得陡峭起来，草地干枯直打滑，但还可以对付。他手足并用，一个劲儿地向上攀爬，一边呼哧呼哧地喘着粗气，不住地抹去额上的汗水。这也表明，尽管他自己还没有意识到，新生活已经对他产生了一些好处，以前的尤斯塔斯，哈罗德和艾伯塔的宝贝儿子，爬不了十分钟就会放弃。

他慢慢地爬，中间休息了几回，最后终于爬上了山脊。他原本期待着，在这里能够看到海岛的中心，但没想到，云层好像越来越低了，离他也越来越近，一大团浓雾朝着他袅袅升腾。他坐下来，朝身后望去。他所在的位置很高，海湾在下面显得很小，他可以看到几英里之外的大海。山上的云雾环绕在他的四周，浓密但并不寒冷。于是，他干脆躺了下来，在地上辗转反侧，想找一个最舒服的姿势，好好放松一下。

可是他并不开心，或者说并没有开心多久。他长这么大，破天荒头一回感到了孤独。起初，这种感觉是逐渐产生的。接下去，他开始担心时间。因为那里没有一丝声响。他突然想到，也许自己已经躺了好几个小时，说不定其他人都走啦！没准儿他们故意让他走开，为的是把他留在岛上！他惊慌地跳起身来，开始下山。

开头他下得太快了，顺着草地的斜坡一滑就是几英尺。随后，他觉得自己有点过于偏左——上山时，他曾看到左边的悬崖峭壁。于是，他又重新爬回他认为自己走偏的地方，尽量往右，小心谨慎地往下行走，因为他看不到一米以外的地方。他的周围仍然是一片死寂。当心里有个声音总是在催促着“快点，快点，快点”的时候，你却必须谨慎前行，那是一件令人很不爽的事情。每时每刻，那个被人遗弃的可怕念头变得越发强烈。如果他了解卡斯宾和珀文西家的孩子的话，他就会知道，他们根本不会做出这样的事情。可是他说服自己相信，他们都是些人形恶魔。

“终于下来了！”尤斯塔斯说道。他刚从一个满是石子（人们称为山麓堆积）的斜坡上滑下来，落到了平地上。“哎呀，那些树木跑哪儿去啦？前面有一团昏暗的东西。嗯，我相信雾气正在消散。”

的确是这样。光线越来越亮，他不禁眨起眼来。很快云开雾散，他到了一个完全陌生的峡谷里，根本看不到大海的影子。

[1] 一英寻合1.829米。——译者注

[2] 在高纬度地区，大陆冰川能伸入海洋，冰川谷地进入海平面以下，深掘并拓宽冰床。冰期后，海面上升，海水入侵，形成两岸陡峭、深度大的海湾，像是河流侵入大陆。——译者注