His voice, startling the others, made them stir. They moved their heads stiffly, or turning with difficulty, looked at him with surprise, with fear, or in grave silence. He chattered at the setting sun, nodding his head, while the big seas began to roll across the crimson disc; and over miles of turbulent waters the shadows of high waves swept with a running darkness the faces of men. A crested roller broke with a loud hissing roar, and the sun, as if put out disappeared. The chattering voice faltered, went out together with the light. There were sighs. In the sudden lull that follows the crash of a broken sea a man said wearily, ‘Here's that bloomin' Dutchman gone off his chump.’ A seaman, lashed by the middle, tapped the deck with his open hand with unceasing quick flaps. In the gathering greyness of twilight a bulky form was seen rising aft, and began marching on all fours with the movements of some big cautious beast. It was Mr. Baker passing along the line of men. He grunted encouragingly over every one, felt their fastenings. Some, with half-open eyes, puffed like men oppressed by heat; others, mechanically and in dreamy voices answered him, ‘Aye! aye! sir!’ He went from one to another grunting, ‘ Ough!....See her through it yet;’ and unexpectedly, Page 56with loud angry outbursts, blew up Knowles for cutting off a long piece from the fall of the relieving tackle. ‘Ough! -- Ashamed of yourself -- Relieving tackle -- Don't you know better! -- Ough! -- Able seaman!
Ough!’ The lame man was crushed. He muttered, ‘Get som'think for a lashing for myself, sir.’ -- ‘Ough!Lashing -- yourself. Are you a tinker or a sailor -- What?Ough! -- May want that tackle directly -- Ough!More use to the ship than your lame carcass. Ough!
-- Keep it!Keep it, now you've done it.’ He crawled away slowly, muttering to himself about some men being ‘worse than children.’It had been a comforting row. Low exclamations were heard: ‘Hallo....Hallo....’Those who had been painfully dozing asked with convulsive starts, ‘What's up?....What is it?’ The answers came with unexpected cheerfulness:‘The mate is going bald-headed for lame Jack about something or other.’‘No!....’‘What 'as he done?’ Some even chuckled. It was like a whiff of hope, like a reminder of safe days.
Donkin, who had been stupefied with fear, revived suddenly and began to shout: -- ‘'Ear 'im; that's the way they tawlk to hus. Vy donch 'ee 'it 'im -- one ov yer? 'It 'im. 'It 'im! Comin' the mate hover hus.
We are as good men as 'ee! We're hall goin' to 'ell now. We 'ave been starved in this rotten ship, an' now we're goin' to be drowned for them black-'earted bullies! 'it 'im!’ He shrieked in the deepening gloom, he blubbered and sobbed, screaming: -- ‘'It 'im! 'It 'im!’ The rage and fear of his disregarded right to live tried the steadfastness of hearts more than the menacing shadows of the night that advanced through the unceasing clamor of the gale. From aft Mr. Baker was heard: -- ‘Is one of you men going to stop him -- must I come along?cq. ‘Shut up!....’‘Keep quiet!’ cried various voices, exasperated, trembling with cold. -- ‘You'll get one across the mug from me directly.’said an invisible seaman, in a weary tone, ‘I won't let the mate have the trouble.’ He ceased and lay still with the silence of despair. On the black sky the stars, coming out, gleamed over an inky sea that, speckled with foam, flashed back at them the evanescent and pale light of a dazzling whiteness born from the black turmoil of the waves.
Remote in the eternal calm they glittered hard and cold above the uproar of the earth; they surrounded the vanquished and tormented ship on all sides: more pitiless than the eyes of a triumphant mob and as unapproachable as the hearts of men.
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