The Wreck of the Golden Mary 金玛丽号的沉没英文版.docx
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TheWreckoftheGoldenMary金玛丽号的沉没英文版
TheWreckoftheGoldenMary金玛丽号的沉没(英文版)
CharlesDickens
TheWreck
IwasapprenticedtotheSeawhenIwastwelveyearsold,andIhaveencounteredagreatdealofroughweather,bothliteralandmetaphorical.IthasalwaysbeenmyopinionsinceIfirstpossessedsuchathingasanopinion,thatthemanwhoknowsonlyonesubjectisnexttiresometothemanwhoknowsnosubject.Therefore,inthecourseofmylifeIhavetaughtmyselfwhateverIcould,andalthoughIamnotaneducatedman,Iamable,Iamthankfultosay,tohaveanintelligentinterestinmostthings.
Apersonmightsuppose,fromreadingtheabove,thatIaminthehabitofholdingforthaboutnumberone.Thatisnotthecase.JustasifIwastocomeintoaroomamongstrangers,andmusteitherbeintroducedorintroducemyself,soIhavetakenthelibertyofpassingthesefewremarks,simplyandplainlythatitmaybeknownwhoandwhatIam.IwilladdnomoreofthesortthanthatmynameisWilliamGeorgeRavender,thatIwasbornatPenrithhalfayearaftermyownfatherwasdrowned,andthatIamontheseconddayofthispresentblessedChristmasweekofonethousandeighthundredandfifty-six,fifty-sixyearsofage.
WhentherumourfirstwentflyingupanddownthattherewasgoldinCalifornia—which,asmostpeopleknow,wasbeforeitwasdiscoveredintheBritishcolonyofAustralia—IwasintheWestIndies,tradingamongtheIslands.Beingincommandandlikewisepart-ownerofasmartschooner,Ihadmyworkcutoutforme,andIwasdoingit.Consequently,goldinCaliforniawasnobusinessofmine.
But,bythetimewhenIcamehometoEnglandagain,thethingwasasclearasyourhandheldupbeforeyouatnoon-day.TherewasCaliforniangoldinthemuseumsandinthegoldsmiths’shops,andtheveryfirsttimeIwentupon‘Change,Imetafriendofmine(aseafaringmanlikemyself),withaCaliforniannuggethangingtohiswatch-chain.Ihandledit.Itwasaslikeapeeledwalnutwithbitsunevenlybrokenoffhereandthere,andthenelectrotypedallover,aseverIsawanythinginmylife.
Iamasingleman(shewastoogoodforthisworldandforme,andshediedsixweeksbeforeourmarriage-day),sowhenIamashore,IliveinmyhouseatPoplar.MyhouseatPoplaristakencareofandkeptship-shapebyanoldladywhowasmymother’smaidbeforeIwasborn.Sheisashandsomeandasuprightasanyoldladyintheworld.Sheisasfondofmeasifshehadeverhadanonlyson,andIwashe.WelldoIknowwhereverIsailthatsheneverlaysdownherheadatnightwithouthavingsaid,“MercifulLord!
blessandpreserveWilliamGeorgeRavender,andsendhimsafehome,throughChristourSaviour!
”Ihavethoughtofitinmanyadangerousmoment,whenithasdonemenoharm,Iamsure.
InmyhouseatPoplar,alongwiththisoldlady,Ilivedquietforbestpartofayear:
havinghadalongspellofitamongtheIslands,andhaving(whichwasveryuncommoninme)takenthefeverratherbadly.Atlast,beingstrongandhearty,andhavingreadeverybookIcouldlayholdof,rightout,IwaswalkingdownLeadenhallStreetintheCityofLondon,thinkingofturning-toagain,whenImetwhatIcallSmithickandWatersbyofLiverpool.Ichancedtoliftupmyeyesfromlookinginataship’schronometerinawindow,andIsawhimbearingdownuponme,headon.
Itis,personally,neitherSmithick,norWatersby,thatIheremention,norwasIeveracquaintedwithanymanofeitherofthosenames,nordoIthinkthattherehasbeenanyoneofeitherofthosenamesinthatLiverpoolHouseforyearsback.But,itisinrealitytheHouseitselfthatIreferto;andawisermerchantoratruergentlemanneverstepped.
“MydearCaptainRavender,”sayshe.“Ofallthemenonearth,Iwantedtoseeyoumost.Iwasonmywaytoyou.”
“Well!
”saysI.“Thatlooksasifyouweretoseeme,don’tit?
”WiththatIputmyarminhis,andwewalkedontowardstheRoyalExchange,andwhenwegotthere,walkedupanddownatthebackofitwheretheClock-Toweris.Wewalkedanhourandmore,forhehadmuchtosaytome.HehadaschemeforcharteringanewshipoftheirowntotakeoutcargotothediggersandemigrantsinCalifornia,andtobuyandbringbackgold.IntotheparticularsofthatschemeIwillnotenter,andIhavenorighttoenter.AllIsayofitis,thatitwasaveryoriginalone,averyfineone,averysoundone,andaverylucrativeonebeyonddoubt.
HeimpartedittomeasfreelyasifIhadbeenapartofhimself.Afterdoingso,hemademethehandsomestsharingofferthateverwasmadetome,boyorman—orIbelievetoanyothercaptainintheMerchantNavy—andhetookthisroundturntofinishwith:
“Ravender,youarewellawarethatthelawlessnessofthatcoastandcountryatpresent,isasspecialasthecircumstancesinwhichitisplaced.Crewsofvess