CHAPTERFIVETHESTORMANDWHATCAMEOFIT
ITwashreeweeksaftertheirlandingthattheDawowedoutofNarrowhavenharbour。Verysolemnfareokenacrowdhadassembledtoseeherdeparture。Therehadbeeearstoo,iaspeechtotheLoneIslandersaheDukeandhisfamily,butastheship,herpurplesailstillflappingidly,drewfurtherfromtheshore,andthesoundofpetfromthepoopteracrossthewater,everyo。Thehewind。Thesailswelledout,thetugcastoffandbeganrowingback,thefirstrealureader'sprow,andshewasaliveshipagaiywentbelow,Driniawatthepoop,aurwardrouhofAvra。
&fewdaysweredelightful。Lucythoughtshewasthemirlintheworld;asshewokeeagtoseethereflesofthesunlitwaterdanthegofherdlookedroundonallthehiintheLoneIslasandbuskinsanddjerkinsahenshewouldgooakealookfromtheforecastleataseawhichwasabrighterblueeaganddrinkinanairthatwasalittlewarmerdaybyday。Afterthatcamebreakfastandsuappetiteasoneonlyhasatsea。
&agooddealoftimesittilebeernplayihReepicheep。Itwasamusiingthepieces,whichwerefartoobigforhim,withbothpawsandstandingontiptoesifhemadeamoveeroftheboard。Helayerandwhenherememberedwhathewasdoingheusuallywon。ButeverynowandthenLubecausetheMousedidsomethingquiteridiculouslikesendingaknightintothedangerofaqueenandbihishappenedbecausehehadmottenitwasagameofdwasthinkileandmakidowhathewouldlyhavedosplaindwasfullofforlorh-es,andlaststands。
Butthispleasalast。ThereeveningwhenLugidlyasternatthelongfurroworwaketheywereleavihem,sawagreatrackofcloudsbuildingitselfupihamazingspeed。
Thenagapwastorninitandayellowsuhroughthegap。Allthewavesbehiakeonunusualshapesandtheseawasadraboryellowishcolorlikedirtyvas。Theairgrewcold。Theshipseemedtomoveuneasilyasifshefeltdahesailwouldbeflatandlimpoeandwildlythe。Whileshewashingsaasinistergewhieovertheveryhewind,Driniancried,“Allhandsondeamomenteveryoicallybusy。Thehatcheswetbattehegalleyfireutout,metoreefthesail。Beforetheyhadfiruckthem。ItseemedtoLucythatagreatvalleyintheseaopebeforetheirbows,andtheyrusheddowninit,deeperdownthanshewouldhavebelievedpossible。Agreatgrayhillhertha,rushedtomeetthem;itlookeddeathbuttheyweretossedtothetopofit。Thentheshipseemedtospinround。Acataractofouredoverthedeck;thepoopalewereliketwoislandswithafierceseabetweethesailoutalongtheyarddesperatetryirolofthesail。Abrokeoodoutsidewaysinthewindasstraightandstiffasifitoker。
&below,Ma'am,”bawledDrinian。AndLugthatlandsmen—andlandswomen—areahecrew,begawasheDawnTreaderwaslistiostarboardandthedeckslopedliketheroofofahouse。Shehadtoclamberrouheladder,holdingontotherail,aandbywhiletwome,adowshecould。Itasalreadyholdingtightforatthefootoftheladderanotherwaveroaracrossthedeck,uptohershoulders。Shewasalreadyalmostwetthroughwithsprayandrainbutthiswascolder。Thenshemadeadashforthedotinandshutoutforamomenttheappallingsightofthespeedwithwhichtheywererushingintothedark,butnotofcoursethehorribles,groanings,snappings,gs,rsandboomingswhibelowthantheyhaddohepoop。
Adayawentoillonecouldhardlyeveimebeforeithadbegun。Andtherealwayshadtobethreemeilleranditwasasmuchasthreecoulddotokeepanykindofadtherealwayshadtobemenatthepump。Andtherewashardlyaforahingcouldbednothingcouldbedried,andonemanwaslostoverboard,ahesun。
&wasoverEustacemadethefollowiryinhisdiary。
&ember3。ThefirstdayfeswhenIhavebeee。Wehadbeendrivenbeforeahurrieforthirteendaysandnights。IknowthatbecauseIkeptacarefult,thoughtheothersallsayitwasonlytwelve。Pleasanttobeembarkedonadangerousvoyagewithpeoplewho'teventright!Ihavehadaghastlytime,upanddownenormouswaveshourafterhour,usuallywettotheskin,aemptatgivinguspropermeals。osaythere'snowirelessoreve,sonoallinganyoallprovesohem,themadiletublikethis。Itwouldbebadenoughevehdetpeopleinsteadoffiendsinhumanform。dEdmundaresimplybrutaltome。Theourmast(there'sonlyastumpleftnow),thoughIwasnotatallwell,theyforeondedworklikeaslave。LucyshovedheroarinbysayingthatReepicheepwaslongingtogoooosmall。Iwondershedoesn'tseethateverythingthatlittlebeastdoesisallforthesakeofshowiheragesheoughttohavethatamouodaythebeastlyboatislevelatlastandthesun'soutandwehaveallbeenjawingaboutwhattodo。Wehavefoodelystuffmostofit,tolastforsixteendays。(Thepoultrywereallwashedoverboard。Eveniftheyhadn'tbeeormedthemlayiroubleiswater。Twocasksseemtohavegotaleakkhemay。(Narnianeffi。)Onshortrations,halfapintadayeach,we'vegotenoughfortwelvedays。(There'sstilllotsofrumaevehatwouldohirstier。)
“Ifwecould,ofcourse,thesehingwouldbetoturondmakefortheLoneIslands。Butittookuseighteendaystogetwhereweare,ruhagalebehindus。Eveawinditmighttakeusfarletbadatpresentthere'snosigwind—infactthere'snowindatall。Asfback,itwouldtakefartoolongandsaysthemen'trointofwateraday。I'mprettysurethisiswrooexplaiionreallycoolspeopledown,sothemenwoulderiftheywerew。Hedidn'ttakeahis,whichisalhenhe'tthinkofahersallvoninthehopeoffindinglamydutytopointoutthatwedidn'tknowtherewasanylariedtogetthemtoseethedangersofwishfulthinking。Insteadabetterplaheeosed。SoIjustexplaineddquietlythatIhadbeenkidnappedandbroughtawayonthisidioticvoyagewithoutmyt,anditwashardlymybusihemoutoftheirscrape。
&ember4。Stillbecalmed。Veryshortrationsfotlessthananyone。isverycleverathelpingandthinksIdon'tsee!LuereasoomakeuptomebymesomeofhersbutthatinterferingprigEdmundwouldn'tlether。Prettyhotsuhirstyallevening。
&ember5。Stillbedveryhot。FeelingrottenalldayandamsureI'vegotatemperature。Ofcoursetheyhaven'tthesehermometeronboard。
&ember6。Ahorribleday。WokeupiknowingIwasfeverishandmusthaveadrinkofwater。Anydoctorwouldhavesaidso。HeavenknowsI'mthelastpersetanyunfairadvaIthiswater-rationingwouldbemeanttoapplytoasifactIwouldhavewokehersupandaskedforsomeonlyIthoughtitwouldbeselfishtowakethem。SoIgotupandtookmydtiptoedoutoftheBlackHolewesleptin,takiottodisturbdEdmund,forthey'vebeensleepingbadlysiheshan。Ialwaystrytosiderotherswhethertheyare。Igothtintothebigroom,ifyoucallitaroom,wheretherowiheluggageare。Thethihisend。Allwasgoiifully,butbeforeI'ddrafulwhoshouldcatchmebutthatlittlespyReep。ItriedtoexplainthatIwasgoingondeckforabreathofair(thebusithewaterhadnothingtodowithhim)andheaskedme。Hemadesuoisethatthewholeshipwasroused。Theytreatedmesdalously。Iasked,asIthinkanyonewouldhave,whyReepicheepwassneakingaboutthewaterthemiddleofthehatashewastoosmalltobeanyuseoryoverthewatereverynightsothatonemoremancouldgotosleep。heirrotteheyallbelievedhim。youbeatit?
“Ihadtoaperouslittlebrutewouldhavebeehhissword。Andthenshowedupinhistruecolorsasabrutaltyrantandsaidoutloudforeveryoaealiurewould“gettwodozen”。Ididn'tknowwhatthismeanttillEdmundexplaiesiofbooksthosePevensiekidsread。
&hiscowardlythreatgedhistuartedbeingpatronizing。SaidhewassorryformeandthateveryoasfeverishasIdidaallmakethebestofit,etc。,etc。Odiousstuck-upprig。Stayedinbedalldaytoday。
&ember7。Alittlewindtodaybutstillfromthewest。
Madeafewmileseastartofthesail,setonwhatDriniancallsthejury-mast-thatmeasetuprightaheycallit“lashed”)tothestumpoftherealmast。Stillterriblythirsty。
&ember8。StillsailiayinmybunkalldaynowandseeLucytillthetwofieobed。Lucygivesmealittleofherwaterration。Shesaysgirlsdon'tgetasthirstyasboys。Ihadoftenthoughtthisbutitoughttenerallykno>
&ember9。Landinsight;averyhighmountainalongwayofftothesouth-east。
&ember10。Themountainisbiggeraillalongwayoff。Gullsagaintodayforthefirsttimesin'tknowhowlong。
&ember11。efishandhadthemfordinner。Droppedanchoratabout7p。m。ihomsofwaterinabayofthismountainousisland。Thatidiotwouldn'tletusgoashorebecauseitwasgettingdarkandhewasafraidofsavagesarawaterrationtonight。”
WhatawaitedthemonthisislandwasgoingtoEustacemorethaitotbetoldinhiswordsbecauseafterSeptember11hefotaboutkeepinghisdiaryftime。
Whenmcame,withalow,grayskybutveryhot,theadventurersfoundtheywereinabayencircledbysuchdcragsthatitwaslikeaNianfjord。Infroheheadofthebay,therewassomelevellandheavilyrowappearedthidstreamcameout。Beyondthatasginajaggedridgeaavaguedarknessofmountainswhitodull-coloredcloudssothatyouotseetheirtops。Thenearercliffs,ateachsideofthebay,werestreakedhereahliewhiekerfalls,thoughatthatdistashowaormakeanynoise。Ihewholeplacewasverysileerofthebayassmoothasglass。Itreflectedeverydetailofthecliffs。Theserettyinapicturebutressiveinreallife。Itwasnotatrythatweledvisitors。
Thewholeship'spaashoreintwoboatloadsandeveryonedrankandwasheddelitheriverandhadamealabeforeseokeeptheship,andthedayan。Therewaseverythihecasksmustbebroughtashoreayonesmendedifpossibleandallrefilled;atree—apiheycouldgetit—mustbefelledaoa;sailsmustberepaired;ahuntingpartyaoshootahelandmightyield;clothestobewashedandmended;andtlesssmallbreakagesonboardtht。FortheDawnTreaderherself—andthiswasmoreobviousnowthattheysawheratadistance—couldhardlybereizedasthesamegallantshipwhichhadleftNarrowhaven。Shelookedacrippled,discoloredhulkwhiighthavetakenforawredheroffidcrewwereer—lean,pale,red-eyedfromlackofsleep,anddressedinrags。
&aderatreeaheseplansbeingdiscussedhisheartsank。Wastheregoi?Itlookedasiftheirfirstdayonthelonged-forlandwasgoieashardworkasadayatsea。Thefulideao。Nobodywaslookingtheywereallgabouttheirshipasiftheyactuallylikedthebeastlything。Whyshouldn'thesimplyslipaway?Hewouldtakeastrollinland,findacool,airyplathemountains,haveagoodlongsleep,aheotherstilltheday'sworkwasover。Hefeltitwoulddohimgood。Buthewouldtakegreatcaretokeepthebayandtheshipinsightsoastobesureofhiswayback。Hewouldn'tliketobeleftbehindinthistry。
&ohisplanintoa。Herosequietlyfromhispladwalkedawayamoakiogoslowlyandinanaimlessmaanyoneouldthinkhewasmerelystretghislegs。Herisedtofindhowquioiseofversationdiedawaybehindhiinaandwarmanddarkgreenthewoodbehefelthetureonaquidmoredetermiride。
Thisshthimoutofthewoanslopingsteeplyupinfrontofhim。Thegrasserybutmanageableifheusedhishandsaswellashisfeet,andthoughhepantedandmoppedhisfooddeal,hepluggedawaysteadily。Thisshowed,bytheway,thathisleashesuspectedit,hadalreadydonehimsomegood;theoldEustace,Haroldaa'sEustace,wouldhavegivenuptheclimbafterabouttenminutes。
Slowly,andwithseveralrests,hereachedtheridge。Herehehadexpectedtohaveaviewiheisland,butthecloudshadnowelowerandnearerandaseaofftomeethim。Hesatdownandlookedback。Hewasnowsohighthatthebaylookedsmallbehhimandmilesofseawerevisible。Thenthefogfromthemountainsallroundhim,thiotdhelaydownahiswayandthattofifortablepositiontoenjoyhimself。
Buthedidn'tenjoyhimself,orn。Hebegan,almostforthefirsttimeiofeellofirstthisfeelinggrewverygradually。Aoworryaboutthetime。Therewasestsouothathemighthavebeenlyingthereforhours。Perhapstheoheyhadlethimosesimplyioleavehimbehind!Heleapedupinapahedest。
Atfirsthetriedtodoittooquickly,slippedoeepgrass,andslidforseveralfeet。Thethishadcarriedhimtoofartotheleft—andashecameuphehadseenprethatside。Soheclamberedupagain,asnearashecouldguesstotheplacehehadstartedfrom,ahedestafresh,bearingtht。Afterthatthiobegoier。Heweiously,forheorethanayardahead,aillperfe。Itisveryuohavetogocautiouslywhenthereisavoisideyousayiime,“Hurry,hurry,hurry。”Foreverymomeerribleideaofbeibehironger。IfhehaduooddthePeveallhewouldhaveknown,ofcourse,thattherewasceanysug。Buthehadpersuadedhimselfthattheywereallfiendsinhumanform。
“Atlast!”saidEustaceashecameslitheringdownaslideofloosestoheycallit)andfouhelevel。“Andhosetrees?Thereissomethingdarkahead。Why,Idobelievethefogisg。”
Itwas。Thelightincreasedeverymomentandmadehimblied。Hewasinanutterlyunkheseawas。