英文读物The Secret SharerWord文档格式.docx

英文读物The Secret SharerWord文档格式.docx

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Chapter1

Onmyrighthandtherewerelinesoffishingstakesresemblingamysterioussystemofhalf-submergedbamboofences,incomprehensibleinitsdivisionofthedomainoftropicalfishes,andcrazyofaspectasifabandonedforeverbysomenomadtribeoffishermennowgonetotheotherendoftheocean;

fortherewasnosignofhumanhabitationasfarastheeyecouldreach.Totheleftagroupofbarrenislets,suggestingruinsofstonewalls,towers,andblockhouses,haditsfoundationssetinablueseathatitselflookedsolid,sostillandstablediditliebelowmyfeet;

eventhetrackoflightfromthewesteringsunshonesmoothly,withoutthatanimatedglitterwhichtellsofanimperceptibleripple.AndwhenIturnedmyheadtotakeapartingglanceatthetugwhichhadjustleftusanchoredoutsidethebar,Isawthestraightlineoftheflatshorejoinedtothestablesea,edgetoedge,withaperfectandunmarkedcloseness,inoneleveledfloorhalfbrown,halfblueundertheenormousdomeofthesky.Correspondingintheirinsignificancetotheisletsofthesea,twosmallclumpsoftrees,oneoneachsideoftheonlyfaultintheimpeccablejoint,markedthemouthoftheriverMeinamwehadjustleftonthefirstpreparatorystageofourhomewardjourney;

and,farbackontheinlandlevel,alargerandloftiermass,thegrovesurroundingthegreatPaknampagoda,wastheonlythingonwhichtheeyecouldrestfromthevaintaskofexploringthemonotonoussweepofthehorizon.Hereandtheregleamsasofafewscatteredpiecesofsilvermarkedthewindingsofthegreatriver;

andonthenearestofthem,justwithinthebar,thetugsteamingrightintothelandbecamelosttomysight,hullandfunnelandmasts,asthoughtheimpassiveearthhadswallowedherupwithoutaneffort,withoutatremor.Myeyefollowedthelightcloudofhersmoke,nowhere,nowthere,abovetheplain,accordingtothedeviouscurvesofthestream,butalwaysfainterandfartheraway,tillIlostitatlastbehindthemiter-shapedhillofthegreatpagoda.AndthenIwasleftalonewithmyship,anchoredattheheadoftheGulfofSiam.

Shefloatedatthestartingpointofalongjourney,verystillinanimmensestillness,theshadowsofhersparsflungfartotheeastwardbythesettingsun.AtthatmomentIwasaloneonherdecks.Therewasnotasoundinher—andaroundusnothingmoved,nothinglived,notacanoeonthewater,notabirdintheair,notacloudinthesky.Inthisbreathlesspauseatthethresholdofalongpassageweseemedtobemeasuringourfitnessforalongandarduousenterprise,theappointedtaskofbothourexistencestobecarriedout,farfromallhumaneyes,withonlyskyandseaforspectatorsandforjudges.

Theremusthavebeensomeglareintheairtointerferewithone’ssight,becauseitwasonlyjustbeforethesunleftusthatmyroamingeyesmadeoutbeyondthehighestridgesoftheprincipalisletofthegroupsomethingwhichdidawaywiththesolemnityofperfectsolitude.Thetideofdarknessflowedonswiftly;

andwithtropicalsuddennessaswarmofstarscameoutabovetheshadowyearth,whileIlingeredyet,myhandrestinglightlyonmyship’srailasifontheshoulderofatrustedfriend.But,withallthatmultitudeofcelestialbodiesstaringdownatone,thecomfortofquietcommunionwithherwasgoneforgood.Andtherewerealsodisturbingsoundsbythistime—voices,footstepsforward;

thestewardflittedalongthemain-deck,abusilyministeringspirit;

ahandbelltinkledurgentlyunderthepoopdeck....

Ifoundmytwoofficerswaitingformenearthesuppertable,inthelightedcuddy.Wesatdownatonce,andasIhelpedthechiefmate,Isaid:

“Areyouawarethatthereisashipanchoredinsidetheislands?

Isawhermastheadsabovetheridgeasthesunwentdown.”

Heraisedsharplyhissimpleface,overchargedbyaterriblegrowthofwhisker,andemittedhisusualejaculations:

“Blessmysoul,sir!

Youdon’tsayso!

”

Mysecondmatewasaround-cheeked,silentyoungman,gravebeyondhisyears,Ithought;

butasoureyeshappenedtomeetIdetectedaslightquiveronhislips.Ilookeddownatonce.Itwasnotmyparttoencouragesneeringonboardmyship.Itmustbesaid,too,thatIknewverylittleofmyofficers.Inconsequenceofcertaineventsofnoparticularsignificance,excepttomyself,Ihadbeenappointedtothecommandonlyafortnightbefore.NeitherdidIknowmuchofthehandsforward.Allthesepeoplehadbeentogetherforeighteenmonthsorso,andmypositionwasthatoftheonlystrangeronboard.Imentionthisbecauseithassomebearingonwhatistofollow.ButwhatIfeltmostwasmybeingastrangertotheship;

andifallthetruthmustbetold,Iwassomewhatofastrangertomyself.Theyoungestmanonboard（barringthesecondmate）,anduntriedasyetbyapositio