鲁宾孙飘流记 英文版 Robinson Crusoe
丹尼尔.笛福 Daniel Defoe
CHAPTER I - START IN LIFE Page 2
We worked on; but the water increasing in the hold, it was apparentthat the ship would founder; and though the storm began to abate alittle, yet it was not possible she could swim till we might runinto any port; so the master continued firing guns for help; and alight ship, who had rid it out just ahead of us, ventured a boatout to help us. It was with the utmost hazard the boat came nearus; but it was impossible for us to get on board, or for the boatto lie near the ship's side, till at last the men rowing veryheartily, and venturing their lives to save ours, our men cast thema rope over the stern with a buoy to it, and then veered it out agreat length, which they, after much labour and hazard, took holdof, and we hauled them close under our stern, and got all intotheir boat. It was to no purpose for them or us, after we were inthe boat, to think of reaching their own ship; so all agreed to lether drive, and only to pull her in towards shore as much as wecould; and our master promised them, that if the boat was stavedupon shore, he would make it good to their master: so partly rowingand partly driving, our boat went away to the northward, slopingtowards the shore almost as far as Winterton Ness.
We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our shiptill we saw her sink, and then I understood for the first time whatwas meant by a ship foundering in the sea. I must acknowledge Ihad hardly eyes to look up when the seamen told me she was sinking;for from the moment that they rather put me into the boat than thatI might be said to go in, my heart was, as it were, dead within me,partly with fright, partly with horror of mind, and the thoughts ofwhat was yet before me.
While we were in this condition - the men yet labouring at the oarto bring the boat near the shore - we could see (when, our boatmounting the waves, we were able to see the shore) a great manypeople running along the strand to assist us when we should comenear; but we made but slow way towards the shore; nor were we ableto reach the shore till, being past the lighthouse at Winterton,the shore falls off to the westward towards Cromer, and so the landbroke off a little the violence of the wind. Here we got in, andthough not without much difficulty, got all safe on shore, andwalked afterwards on foot to Yarmouth, where, as unfortunate men,we were used with great humanity, as well by the magistrates of thetown, who assigned us good quarters, as by particular merchants andowners of ships, and had money given us sufficient to carry useither to London or back to Hull as we thought fit.
Had I now had the sense to have gone back to Hull, and have gonehome, I had been happy, and my father, as in our blessed Saviour'sparable, had even killed the fatted calf for me; for hearing theship I went away in was cast away in Yarmouth Roads, it was a greatwhile before he had any assurances that I was not drowned.
But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obstinacy that nothingcould resist; and though I had several times loud calls from myreason and my more composed judgment to go home, yet I had no powerto do it. I know not what to call this, nor will I urge that it isa secret overruling decree, that hurries us on to be theinstruments of our own destruction, even though it be before us,and that we rush upon it with our eyes open. Certainly, nothingbut some such decreed unavoidable misery, which it was impossiblefor me to escape, could have pushed me forward against the calmreasonings and persuasions of my most retired thoughts, and againsttwo such visible instructions as I had met with in my firstattempt.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me before, and who was themaster's son, was now less forward than I. The first time he spoketo me after we were at Yarmouth, which was not till two or threedays, for we were separated in the town to several quarters; I say,the first time he saw me, it appeared his tone was altered; and,looking very melancholy, and shaking his head, he asked me how Idid, and telling his father who I was, and how I had come thisvoyage only for a trial, in order to go further abroad, his father,turning to me with a very grave and concerned tone "Young man,"says he, "you ought never to go to sea any more; you ought to takethis for a plain and visible token that you are not to be aseafaring man." "Why, sir," said I, "will you go to sea no more?""That is another case," said he; "it is my calling, and thereforemy duty; but as you made this voyage on trial, you see what a tasteHeaven has given you of what you are to expect if you persist.Perhaps this has all befallen us on your account, like Jonah in theship of Tarshish. Pray," continues he, "what are you; and on whataccount did you go to sea?" Upon that I told him some of my story;at the end of which he burst out into a strange kind of passion:"What had I done," says he, "that such an unhappy wretch shouldcome into my ship? I would not set my foot in the same ship withthee again for a thousand pounds." This indeed was, as I said, anexcursion of his spirits, which were yet agitated by the sense ofhis loss, and was farther than he could have authority to go.However, he afterwards talked very gravely to me, exhorting me togo back to my father, and not tempt Providence to my ruin, tellingme I might see a visible hand of Heaven against me. "And, youngman," said he, "depend upon it, if you do not go back, wherever yougo, you will meet with nothing but disasters and disappointments,till your father's words are fulfilled upon you."
We parted soon after; for I made him little answer, and I saw himno more; which way he went I knew not. As for me, having somemoney in my pocket, I travelled to London by land; and there, aswell as on the road, had many struggles with myself what course oflife I should take, and whether I should go home or to sea.
As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that offered to mythoughts, and it immediately occurred to me how I should be laughedat among the neighbours, and should be ashamed to see, not myfather and mother only, but even everybody else; from whence I havesince often observed, how incongruous and irrational the commontemper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that reason whichought to guide them in such cases - viz. that they are not ashamedto sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the actionfor which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamedof the returning, which only can make them be esteemed wise men.
In this state of life, however, I remained some time, uncertainwhat measures to take, and what course of life to lead. Anirresistible reluctance continued to going home; and as I stayedaway a while, the remembrance of the distress I had been in woreoff, and as that abated, the little motion I had in my desires toreturn wore off with it, till at last I quite laid aside thethoughts of it, and looked out for a voyage.