按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
standing on the quay； and became aware of muffled figures making
toward it from various directions。 Pilots of the Third Company
hastening to embark。 Too sleepy to be talkative； they step on
board in silence。 But a few low grunts and an enormous yawn are
heard。 Somebody even ejaculates： 〃Ah！ Coquin de sort！〃 and sighs
wearily at his hard fate。
The patron of the Third Company （there were five companies of
pilots at that time； I believe） is the brother…in…law of my
friend Solary （Baptistin）； a broad…shouldered； deep chested man
of forty； with a keen； frank glance which always seeks your eyes。
He greets me by a low； hearty 〃He； l'ami。 Comment va？〃 With his
clipped mustache and massive open face； energetic and at the same
time placid in expression； he is a fine specimen of the
southerner of the calm type。 For there is such a type in which
the volatile southern passion is transmuted into solid force。 He
is fair； but no one could mistake him for a man of the north even
by the dim gleam of the lantern standing on the quay。 He is
worth a dozen of your ordinary Normans or Bretons； but then； in
the whole immense sweep of the Mediterranean shores； you could
not find half a dozen men of his stamp。
Standing by the tiller； he pulls out his watch from under a thick
jacket and bends his head over it in the light cast into the
boat。 Time's up。 His pleasant voice commands； in a quiet
undertone； 〃Larguez。〃 A suddenly projected arm snatches the
lantern off the quayand； warped along by a line at first； then
with the regular tug of four heavy sweeps in the bow； the big
half…decked boat full of men glides out of the black； breathless
shadow of the fort。 The open water of the avant…port glitters
under the moon as if sown over with millions of sequins； and the
long white break water shines like a thick bar of solid silver。
With a quick rattle of blocks and one single silky swish； the
sail is filled by a little breeze keen enough to have come
straight down from the frozen moon； and the boat； after the
clatter of the hauled…in sweeps； seems to stand at rest；
surrounded by a mysterious whispering so faint and unearthly that
it may be the rustling of the brilliant； overpowering moon rays
breaking like a rain…shower upon the hard； smooth； shadowless
sea。
I may well remember that last night spent with the pilots of the
Third Company。 I have known the spell of moonlight since； on
various seas and coastscoasts of forests； of rocks； of sand
dunesbut no magic so perfect in its revelation of unsuspected
character； as though one were allowed to look upon the mystic
nature of material things。 For hours I suppose no word was spoken
in that boat。 The pilots； seated in two rows facing each other；
dozed； with their arms folded and their chins resting upon their
breasts。 They displayed a great variety of caps： cloth； wool；
leather； peaks； ear…flaps； tassels； with a picturesque round
beret or two pulled down over the brows； and one grandfather；
with a shaved； bony face and a great beak of a nose； had a cloak
with a hood which made him look in our midst like a cowled monk
being carried off goodness knows where by that silent company of
seamenquiet enough to be dead。
My fingers itched for the tiller； and in due course my friend；
the patron； surrendered it to me in the same spirit in which the
family coachman lets a boy hold the reins on an easy bit of road。
There was a great solitude around us； the islets ahead； Monte
Cristo and the Chateau daft in full light； seemed to float toward
usso steady； so imperceptible was the progress of our boat。
〃Keep her in the furrow of the moon；〃 the patron directed me； in
a quiet murmur； sitting down ponderously in the stern…sheets and
reaching for his pipe。
The pilot station in weather like this was only a mile or two to
the westward of the islets； and presently； as we approached the
spot； the boat we were going to relieve swam into our view
suddenly； on her way home； cutting black and sinister into the
wake of the moon under a sable wing； while to them our sail must
have been a vision of white and dazzling radiance。 Without
altering the course a hair's breadth we slipped by each other
within an oar's length。 A drawling； sardonic hail came out of
her。 Instantly； as if by magic； our dozing pilots got on their
feet in a body。 An incredible babel of bantering shouts burst
out； a jocular； passionate； voluble chatter； which lasted till
the boats were stern to stern； theirs all bright now； and； with a
shining sail to our eyes； we turned all black to their vision；
and drew away from them under a sable wing。 That extraordinary
uproar died away almost as suddenly as it had begun； first one
had enough of it and sat down； then another； then three or four
together； and when all had left off with mutters and growling
half…laughs the sound of hearty chuckling became audible；
persistent； unnoticed。 The cowled grandfather was very much
entertained somewhere within his hood。
He had not joined in the shouting of jokes； neither had he moved
the least bit。 He had remained quietly in his place against the
foot of the mast。 I had been given to understand long before
that he had the rating of a second…class able seaman （matelot
leger） in the fleet which sailed from Toulon for the conquest of
Algeria in the year of grace 1830。 And； indeed； I had seen and
examined one of the buttons of his old brown； patched coat； the
only brass button of the miscellaneous lot； flat and thin； with
the words Equipages de ligne engraved on it。 That sort of
button； I believe； went out with the last of the French Bourbons。
〃I preserved it from the time of my navy service；〃 he explained；
nodding rapidly his frail； vulture…like head。 It was not very
likely that he had picked up that relic in the street。 He looked
certainly old enough to have fought at Trafalgaror； at any
rate； to have played his little part there as a powder monkey。
Shortly after we had been introduced he had informed me in a
Franco…Provencal jargon； mumbling tremulously with his toothless
jaws； that when he was a 〃shaver no higher than that〃 he had seen
the Emperor Napoleon returning from Elba。 It was at night； he
narrated vaguely； without animation； at a spot between Frejus and
Antibes； in the open country。 A big fire had been lit at the
side of the cross…roads。 The population from several villages
had collected there； old and youngdown to the very children in
arms； because the women had refused to stay at home。 Tall
soldiers wearing high； hairy caps stood in a circle； facing the
people silently； and their stern eyes and big mustaches were
enough to make everybody keep at a distance。 He； 〃being an
impudent little shaver；〃 wriggled out of the crowd； creeping on
his hands and knees as near as he dared to the grenadiers' legs；
and peeping through discovered； standing perfectly still in the
light of the fire； 〃a little fat fellow in a three…cornered hat；
buttoned up in a long straight coat； with a big； pale face
inclined on one shoulder； looking something like a priest。 His
hands were clasped behind his back。 。 。 。 It appears that this
was the Emperor；〃 the ancient commented； with a faint sigh。 He
was staring from the ground with all his might； when 〃my poor
father；〃 who had been searching for his boy frantically every
where； pounced upon him and hauled him away by the ear。
The tale seems an authentic recollection。 He related it to me
many times； using the very same words。 The grandfather honoured
me by a special and somewhat embarrassing predilection。 Extremes
touch。 He was the oldest member by a long way in that company；
and I was； if I may say so； its temporarily adopted baby。 He had
been a pilot longer than any man in the boat could remember；
thirtyforty years。 He did not seem certain himself； but it
could be found out； he suggested； in the archives of the
Pilot…office。 He had been pensioned off years before； but he
went out from force of habit； and； as my friend the patron of the
company once confided to me in a whisper； 〃the old chap did no
harm。 He was not in the way。〃 They treated him with rough
deference。 One and another would address some insignificant
remark to him now and again； but nobody really took any notice of
what he had to say。 He had survived his strength； his