岩岛奇遇 An Adventure on Island Rock

露西·莫德·蒙哥马利/Lucy Maud Montgomery

露西·莫德·蒙哥马利（Lucy Maud Montgomery，1874—1942），加拿大作家。露西是个才华横溢的多产作家，创作了500多篇短篇故事、诗和小说，其中最著名的作品《清秀佳人》让她一举成名。

“Who was the man I saw talking to you in the hayfeld?”asked Aunt Kate, as Uncle Richard came to dinner.

“Bob Marks，”said Uncle Richard briefy.“Ive sold Laddie to him.”

Ernest Hughes, the twelve-year-old orphan boy whom Uncle“boarded and kept”for the chores he did, suddenly stopped eating.

“Oh, Mr. Lawson, youre not going to sell Laddie！”he cried chokingly.

Uncle Richard stared at him. Never before, in the fve years that Ernest had lived with him, had the quiet little fellow spoken without being spoken to, much less ventured to protest against anything Uncle Richard might do.

“Certainly I am.”answered the latter curtly.“Bob offered me twenty dollars for the dog, and hes coming after him next week.”

“Oh, Mr. Lawson，”said Ernest, rising to his feet, his small, freckled face crimson.“Oh, don‘t sell Laddie！Please, Mr. Lawson, don’t sell him！”

“What nonsense is this?”said Uncle Richard sharply. He was a man who brooked no opposition from anybody, and who never changed his mind when it was once made up.

“Dont sell Laddie！”pleaded Ernest miserably.“He is the only friend I have got. I can‘t live if Laddie goes away. Oh, don’t sell him, Mr. Lawson！”

“Sit down and hold your tongue.”said Uncle Richard sternly.“The dog is mine, and I shall do with him as I think ft. He is sold, and that is all there is about it. Go on with your dinner.”

But Ernest for the first time did not obey. He snatched his cap from the back of his chair, dashed it down over his eyes, and ran from the kitchen with a sob choking his breath. Uncle Richard looked angry, but Aunt Kate hastened to soothe him.

“Dont be vexed with the boy, Richard，”she said.“You know he is very fond of Laddie. He‘s had to do with him ever since he was a pup, and no doubt he feels badly at the thought of losing him. I’m rather sorry myself that you have sold the dog.”

“Well, he is sold and there‘s an end of it. I don’t say but that the dog is a good dog. But he is of no use to us, and twenty dollars will come in mighty handy just now. He‘s worth that to Bob, for he is a good watch dog, so we’ve both made a fair bargain.”

Nothing more was said about Ernest or Laddie. I had taken no part in the discussion, for I felt no great interest in the matter. Laddie was a nice dog；Ernest was a quiet, inoffensive little fellow, fve yearsyounger than myself；that was all I thought about either of them.

I was spending my vacation at Uncle Richards farm on the Nova Scotian Bay of Fundy shore. I was a great favourite with Uncle Richard, partly because he had been much attached to my mother, his only sister, partly because of my strong resemblance to his only son, who had died several years before. Uncle Richard was a stern, undemonstrative man, but I knew that he entertained a deep and real affection for me, and I always enjoyed my vacation sojourns at his place.

“What are you going to do this afternoon, Ned?”he asked, after the disturbance caused by Ernests outbreak had quieted down.

“I think Ill row out to Island Rock，”I replied.“I want to take some views of the shore from it.”

Uncle Richard nodded. He was much interested in my new camera.

“If you‘re on it about four o’clock, you‘ll get a fne view of theHole in the Wall’when the sun begins to shine on the water through it，”he said.“Ive often thought it would make a handsome picture.”

“After I‘ve fnished taking the pictures, I think I’ll go down shore to Uncle Adams and stay all night，”I said.“Jims dark room is more convenient than mine, and he has some pictures he is going to develop tonight, too.”

I started for the shore about two o‘clock. Ernest was sitting on the woodpile as I passed through the yard, with his arms about Laddie’s neck and his face buried in Laddies curly hair. Laddie was a handsome and intelligent black-and-white Newfoundland, with a magnifcent coat. He and Ernest were great chums. I felt sorry for the boy who was to lose his pet.

“Dont take it so hard, Ern，”I said, trying to comfort him.“Unclewill likely get another pup.”

“I dont want any other pup！”Ernest blurted out.“Oh, Ned, won‘t you try and coax your uncle not to sell him?Perhaps he’d listen to you.”

I shook my head. I knew Uncle Richard too well to hope that.

“Not in this case, Ern，”I said.“He would say it did not concern me, and you know nothing moves him when he determines on a thing. You‘ll have to reconcile yourself to losing Laddie, I’m afraid.”

Ernest‘s tow-coloured head went down on Laddie’s neck again, and I, deciding that there was no use in saying anything more, proceeded towards the shore, which was about a mile from Uncle Richard‘s house. The beach along his farm and for several farms along shore was a lonely, untenanted one, for the fisher-folk all lived two miles further down, at Rowley’s Cove. About three hundred yards from the shore was the peculiar formation known as Island Rock. This was a large rock that stood abruptly up out of the water. Below, about the usual water-line, it was seamed and fssured, but its summit rose up in a narrow, fat-topped peak. At low tide twenty feet of it was above water, but at high tide it was six feet and often more under water.

I pushed Uncle Richards small flat down the rough path and rowed out to Island Rock. Arriving there, I thrust the painter deep into a narrow cleft. This was the usual way of mooring it, and no doubt of its safety occurred to me.

I scrambled up the rock and around to the eastern end, where there was a broader space for standing and from which some capital views could be obtained. The sea about the rock was calm, but there was quite a swell on and an off-shore breeze was blowing. There were no boats visible. The tide was low, leaving bare the curious caves and headlands along shore, and I secured a number of excellent snapshots. It was now three oclock. I must wait another hour yet before I could get the best view of the“Hole in the Wall”-a huge, arch-like opening through a jutting headland to the west of me. I went around to look at it, when I saw a sight that made me stop short in dismay. This was nothing less than the fat, drifting outward around the point. The swell and suction of the water around the rock must have pulled her loose-and I was a prisoner！At frst my only feeling was one of annoyance. Then a thought fashed into my mind that made me dizzy with fear. The tide would be high that night. If I could not escape from Island Rock I would inevitably be drowned.

I sat down limply on a ledge and tried to look matters fairly in the face. I could not swim；calls for help could not reach anybody；my only hope lay in the chance of somebody passing down the shore or of some boat appearing.

I looked at my watch. It was a quarter past three. The tide would begin to turn about fve, but it would be at least ten before the rock would be covered. I had, then, little more than six hours to live unless rescued.

The fat was by this time out of sight around the point. I hoped that the sight of an empty flat drifting down shore might attract someone‘s attention and lead to investigation. That seemed to be my only hope. No alarm would be felt at Uncle Richard’s because of my non-appearance. They would suppose I had gone to Uncle Adams.

I have heard of time seeming long to a person in my predicament, but to me it seemed fairly to fly, for every moment decreased my chance of rescue. I determined I would not give way to cowardly fear, so, with a murmured prayer for help, I set myself to the task of waiting for death as bravely as possible. At intervals I shouted as loudly as I could and, when the sun came to the proper angle for the best view ofthe“Hole in the Wall，”I took the picture. It afterwards turned out to be a great success, but I have never been able to look at it without a shudder.

At five the tide began to come in. Very, very slowly the water rose around Island Rock. Up, up, up it came, while I watched it with fascinated eyes, feeling like a rat in a trap. The sun fell lower and lower；at eight oclock the moon rose large and bright；at nine it was a lovely night, dear, calm, bright as day, and the water was swishing over the highest ledge of the rock. With some difficulty I climbed to the top and sat there to await the end. I had no longer any hope of rescue but, by a great effort, I preserved self-control. If I had to die, I would at least face death staunchly. But when I thought of my mother at home, it tasked all my energies to keep from breaking down utterly.

Suddenly I heard a whistle. Never was sound so sweet. I stood up and peered eagerly shoreward. Coming around the“Hole in the Wall”headland, on top of the cliffs, I saw a boy and a dog. I sent a wild halloo ringing shoreward.

The boy started, stopped and looked out towards Island Rock. The next moment he hailed me. It was Ernests voice, and it was Laddie who was barking beside him.

“Ernest，”I shouted wildly，“run for help-quick! quick！The tide will be over the rock in half an hour！Hurry, or you will be too late！”

Instead of starting off at full speed, as I expected him to do, Ernest stood still for a moment, and then began to pick his steps down a narrow path over the cliff, followed by Laddie.

“Ernest，”I shouted frantically，“what are you doing?Why dont you go for help?”

Ernest had by this time reached a narrow ledge of rock just above the water-line. I noticed that he was carrying something over his arm.“It would take too long，”he shouted.“By the time I got to the Cove and a boat could row back here, you‘d be drowned. Laddie and I will save you. Is there anything there you can tie a rope to?I’ve a coil of rope here that I think will be long enough to reach you. Ive been down to the Cove and Alec Martin sent it up to your uncle.”

I looked about me；a smooth, round hole had been worn clean through a thin part of the apex of the rock.

“I could fasten the rope if I had it！”I called.“But how can you get it to me?”

For answer Ernest tied a bit of driftwood to the rope and put it into Laddies mouth. The next minute the dog was swimming out to me. As soon as he came close I caught the rope. It was just long enough to stretch from shore to rock, allowing for a couple of hitches which Ernest gave around a small boulder on the ledge. I tied my camera case on my head by means of some string I found in my pocket, then I slipped into the water and, holding to the rope, went hand over hand to the shore with Laddie swimming beside me. Ernest held on to the shoreward end of the rope like grim death, a task that was no light one for his small arms. When I finally scrambled up beside him, his face was dripping with perspiration and he trembled like a leaf.

“Ern, you are a brick！”I exclaimed.“Youve saved my life！”

“No, it was Laddie.”said Ernest, refusing to take any credit at all.

We hurried home and arrived at Uncle Richards about ten, just as they were going to bed. When Uncle Richard heard what had happened, he turned very pale, and murmured，“Thank God！”Aunt Kate got me out of my wet clothes as quickly as possible, put me away to bed in hot blankets and dosed me with ginger tea. I slept like a topand felt none the worse for my experience the next morning.

At the breakfast table Uncle Richard scarcely spoke. But, just as we fnished, he said abruptly to Ernest，“I‘m not going to sell Laddie. You and the dog saved Ned’s life between you, and no dog who helped do that is ever going to be sold by me. Henceforth he belongs to you. I give him to you for your very own.”

“Oh, Mr. Lawson！”said Ernest, with shining eyes.

I never saw a boy look so happy. As for Laddie, who was sitting beside him with his shaggy head on Ernests knee, I really believe the dog understood, too. The look in his eyes was almost human. Uncle Richard leaned over and patted him.“Good dog！”he said.“Good dog！”

理查德舅舅进来吃饭时，凯特舅妈问他：“今天我看见的那个在干草地上和你说话的人是谁？”

“鲍勃·马克斯，”理查德舅舅答道，“我把莱迪卖给他了。”

欧内斯特·休斯，那个靠给理查德舅舅做些零工而寄宿在他家的12岁孤儿，听到这些突然停止了吃饭。

他哽咽地哭喊着说：“噢，劳森先生，您别卖掉莱迪！”

理查德舅舅吃惊地看着这个和他一起生活了五年的小男孩，在此之前，欧内斯特一直都沉默寡言，从未主动开口要求过什么，更不必说试图反抗自己的命令了。

“我当然会卖掉，”理查德舅舅决然说道，“鲍勃肯出20块钱买下那只狗，他下个星期就来领走它。”

“噢，劳森先生，”欧内斯特说着站了起来，皱巴巴的小脸涨得通红，“别卖莱迪了，求求你，劳森先生，别卖它！”

“少废话！”理查德舅舅狠狠地说，他是那种不会顾及他人感受的人，他一旦决定的事情，就没人能改变。

“别把莱迪卖掉好吗？”欧内斯特恳求着，“我就这么一个朋友，没了它，我自己还有什么意思？噢，劳森先生，求求你了，别卖了！”

“你给我闭嘴，坐下！”理查德舅舅更严厉了，“狗是我的，我想怎么处置就怎么处置，卖了就卖了，快吃你的饭吧！”

但是，欧内斯特并没有坐下吃饭，这也是他第一次违背叔叔的命令。他猛地拿起椅背后面挂着的帽子，将帽檐拉到眼睛下面，带着哭腔从厨房跑了出去。舅舅看上去很生气，于是凯特赶忙安慰他：

“理查德，别生这个孩子的气了，”她说，“你知道他有多喜欢莱迪。他从小狗出生不久就一直和它玩耍，就这样失去莱迪，他当然会很伤心。听到你要把狗卖掉，就连我都觉得难过。”

“这狗已经卖给人家了，这事到此为止。我嘴上虽没说，可我心里清楚，它真是一条好狗。但它对我们毫无用处。而20美元对我们来说，太有用了。它是只不错的看门狗，对鲍勃是有价值的，我们做了一笔公平、互利的交易。”

之后，我们再也没有谈论过有关莱迪和欧内斯特的话题。我没有参与这次争论，因为我对这件事情毫无兴趣。莱迪是条好狗，欧内斯特是个安静而温顺的小家伙，他比我小五岁，仅此而已。

理查德舅舅的农场位于芬迪湾的新斯科舍海湾，当时的我正在那儿度假。舅舅格外偏爱我。一方面，是因为我的妈妈是他唯一的亲姐姐；另一方面，是因为我长得很像他几年前去世的独生子。舅舅是个不苟言笑的人。但我知道他非常疼爱我，在他家，我总是过得很开心。

“奈德，你今天下午准备干点儿什么？”在刚才有关小狗的争吵平息了一会儿后，舅舅问我。

“我想划船去岩岛玩，”我说，“想在那里拍一些海景的照片。”

理查德舅舅点了点头，他对我的新相机很感兴趣。

“如果你四点能到那里，当阳光透过水面时，你就能看到那个美丽的景观——墙之洞，我总是在想，如果能把这个景象拍成照片，一定很迷人。”

“等我照完了，我想去亚当叔叔那儿住一晚。”我说，“吉姆的暗房用起来比我的方便多了，正好今天晚上吉姆也有一些照片要洗。”

大约两点的时候，我从岸边出发，穿过院子时，我看见欧内斯特坐在树桩上，抱着莱迪的脖子，把头深埋在莱迪的卷毛里。莱迪是一只黑白相间的纽芬兰狗，漂亮而又聪明，而且还有一身美丽的毛发，它是欧内斯特的好伙伴。看到他即将失去自己心爱的宠物，我的心中一阵难过。

“别太伤心了，欧内斯特，”我试着安慰他说，“没准儿舅舅会再买一只小狗，也说不定。”

“我不要什么其他小狗，”欧内斯特喊道，“哦，奈德，你能不能试着劝劝你舅舅，让他别卖掉莱迪？兴许他会听你的！”

我摇了摇头，我太了解舅舅了。这根本不可能。

“欧内斯特，这件事一定不行，”我说，“他会说这跟我无关，你也知道他的脾气，谁都无法改变他的决定。你恐怕只能让自己接受即将失去这只小狗的事实了。”

欧内斯特再次将他那浅黄色的头发深埋在莱迪的脖子里，而我，决定不再多说什么，继续走向海边。那儿离舅舅的房子大约一英里。环绕舅舅农场的海岸还没有被充分开发，一片荒凉。渔民们都住在两英里开外的罗利小海湾。距海岸的300码处，是著名而又奇特的岩岛。它是一块水中突起的巨石。从水面上看，它严丝合缝，紧密相连，但它的顶端又窄又平。落潮的时候，露出水面的岩石部分是20英尺，涨潮时仅有6英尺，有时甚至更少。

我将理查德舅舅那条平底船推过弯弯曲曲的小路，乘着它划向岩岛。到达了目的地后，我把船索深卡在一条岩石缝中。通常我都是这样固定它的，从来也没怀疑过这有什么安全隐患。

我爬上了岩石，走到了小岛的最东边，那里有一大片空地可以让我驻足眺望，而从那里看到的景色也更美。岩石周围的海是宁静的，但还是会有大的浪花打过来，还有从岸边吹来的微风，看不到有其他任何船只。现在是落潮的时候，岸边几乎没有任何奇怪突兀的山洞或是海岬。因此，我看到了极美的景色。现在是下午三点，我还要再等一个小时才能看到岩岛最美的风景，就是传说中的那个“墙之洞”，即一个巨大的、弓形的图案穿过一个海岬，向西边延伸过来。我打算在岛上四处走走，随便看看，而突然看到的一幕让我大吃一惊。我的小船附近的石头全都不见了，小船也越漂越远。一定是大浪和岩石周围水的吸力把船索弄松了——我被困在这儿了。起初，我只是感到很恼火。后来，当我突然意识到这真正意味着什么的时候，顿时吓呆了。因为晚上海水会涨潮，如果我逃不出这个岛，就一定会被海水淹死。

我瘫坐在礁石上，试图理清脑海中混乱的思绪。我不会游泳，呼救也不会有人听到；我唯一的希望，就是祈祷谁能从岸边经过或者开船路过这里。

我看了眼手表，现在是三点一刻。五点开始涨潮，等到十点，这个小岛也许就会被完全淹没，也就是说，如果没人救我，我的生命就只剩六个小时多一点儿了。

这时，我已经看不见我的小船了。真希望它能自己漂到岸边，引起人们的注意，这样，大家就会开始搜寻它的来源，继而找到我。这似乎是我唯一的希望。因为理查德舅舅不会因为我没回家而有所警觉，他们会以为我去了亚当叔叔家。

我听说，困境中的人们会觉得时间像坐牢一样难熬，但此时的我感觉时间过得飞快。每过一秒，我生存的希望就减少一分。我下定决心，一定不能向恐惧屈服。我一边默默祈祷，一边随时准备勇敢地面对死亡。偶尔，我还大声呼救，当太阳转到了一定的角度，即那个观赏“墙之洞”的最佳角度时，我拍下了这一美景。事后证明，这些照片拍得非常棒，但我每次看到它们都感到不寒而栗。

五点时，开始涨潮了。海水慢慢地、慢慢地漫过小岛的海岸线。海平面越来越高！我眼睁睁看着海浪越来越近，感觉自己就像一只困在笼子里的老鼠。太阳西下，逐渐地沉入地平线。八点时，月亮升起来了，又大又圆；九点了，多么美好的夜晚，美妙而静谧，明亮宛如白昼。眼看海水就要漫过岩石最高的那一边。我费劲地爬到最高点，等待死亡的降临。我没有希望了。但我努力克制自己，即使要死，也要坚强地面对死亡。可一想到家里的妈妈，我彻底崩溃了。

突然，我听到了口哨声，我从未听到过如此动听的口哨声。我站了起来，盯着岸边看，声音源于那个“墙之洞”，就是那块海岬的顶上。我看到一个男孩和一条狗，我朝他们大喊着。

那个男孩有点儿吃惊，停下来，向我这边张望着。接着，他也冲我喊话，是欧内斯特的声音，坐在他身边的正是莱迪，它正大叫不已。

“欧内斯特，”我大声喊着，“快，快，快去喊人来救我，再过半小时，这里就完全被淹没了。快，不然就来不及了。”

欧内斯特在那里愣住了，而不是向我所预想的那样迅速跑去找救兵。接着，他沿着一条狭窄的岸边小路向我这边走来，莱迪跟在他身后。

“欧内斯特，”我发疯似的冲他喊道，“你干什么？你怎么不去找人来救我呢？”

这时，欧内斯特跑到了岩石的一个窄边上，水刚刚漫过那里，我注意到他手里拿着什么东西。

“那样的话，时间肯定不够。”他回答，“如果我回到小海湾，再划着船过来，你就淹死了。我和莱迪来救你。你那儿有什么东西可以拴住绳子吗？我这有一捆绳子，长度应该能够到你那儿，我刚才去小海湾的时候，亚力克·马丁正好让我把这个捎给你舅舅。”

我环顾一周，发现在岩石顶部较薄的地方，有一个天然的穿孔。

“如果能拿到绳子，我可以找地方固定它，”我喊道，“但是，你怎么把它递给我呢？”

欧内斯特在绳子上拴了一块浮木，让莱迪叼住它，以此作为对我的回答。一会儿，莱迪开始向我游过来。当它靠近我时，我抓住了那根绳子，长度正好够从岸边到这块岩石。欧内斯特将绳子的另一端在岸边的一块大圆石上绕了几圈，自己紧紧拉住。我从口袋摸出一些线绳，用它们把相机绑在我头上，然后我滑进水里，手紧紧地拽着绳子一点一点地往前挪。莱迪在我身边游着。欧内斯特在岸边死死地拉住绳子，不松手。对他的小身板来说，这真是个力气活。当我最终爬到他身边时，他满脸是汗，全身发抖，就像是一片在风中摇摆不定的树叶。

“欧内斯特，你太能干了！”我大声呼喊，“你救了我一命！”

“不，是莱迪。”欧内斯特说，他不想抢占哪怕一丝的功劳。

我们匆忙往家赶，回到理查德舅舅家时，已经是晚上十点了。他们正要上床睡觉。当舅舅听完刚才惊心动魄的那一幕，他的脸都吓白了，嘴里嘟囔着“感谢上帝”。凯特舅妈赶快帮我脱掉湿透的衣服，把我放到**，捂上热毯子，让我喝了些姜茶。我睡得特别香甜。第二天早上起来，就感觉好多了。

吃早餐时，理查德舅舅都没怎么说话。就在我们吃完饭时，他突然对欧内斯特说：“我不想卖掉莱迪了。你和它救了奈德的命，我怎么能卖掉这么好的一条狗呢？从今以后，这狗归你了，我把它送给你！”

“哦，劳森先生！”欧内斯特瞪大了眼睛兴奋地说。

我从没见过一个男孩如此开心，当时莱迪蹲坐在他的旁边，头搭在他的膝盖上。我真的相信这狗听懂了舅舅的话。它的眼神简直和人的一模一样。理查德舅舅探过身去，拍了拍它，“真是条好狗！”他说，“真是条好狗！”

知识点

一般认为，玛丽·雪莱是最早将科学幻想元素引进小说创作中来的人。她在1818年发表的《弗兰肯斯坦》被许多评论家和爱好者“追认”为世界上第一部科幻小说。（关于这一点历来存在争论，也有人认为这部小说还不具备科幻小说基本的科学精神，只是把科学当成了另一种魔法）

W词汇笔记

vexed[vekst]adj.生气的；烦恼的

例 She was very vexed that I was late.

我迟到了，她很生气。

sojourn[s?d??n]n.逗留；旅居

例 During his sojourn in Africa he learned much about native customs.

他在旅居非洲期间，学到了许多当地的风俗。

coax[k?uks]v.劝；哄诱；轻轻将……弄好

例 He coaxed his daughter to take some medicine.

他哄着女儿吃药。

S小试身手

他是那种不会顾及他人感受的人。

译________________________________________

看到他即将失去自己心爱的宠物，我的心中一阵难过。

译________________________________________

多么美好的夜晚，美妙而静谧，明亮宛如白昼。

译________________________________________

P短语家族

I was a great favourite with Uncle Richard, partly because he had been much attached to my mother, his only sister……

be attached to：喜爱；附属于

造________________________________________

The tide was low, leaving bare the curious caves and headlands along shore, and I secured a number of excellent snapshots.

a number of：许多的；一些

造________________________________________