登陆注册
15456600000061

第61章 The Conversion of St Wilfrid(4)

'"Save what you can of the boat," said Meon; "we may need it," and we had to drench ourselves again, fishing out stray planks.'

'What for?' said Dan.

'For firewood. We did not know when we should get off. Eddi had flint and steel, and we found dry fuel in the old gulls' nests and lit a fire. It smoked abominably, and we guarded it with boat-planks up-ended between the rocks. One gets used to that sort of thing if one travels. Unluckily I'm not so strong as I was. I fear I must have been a trouble to my friends. It was blowing a full gale before midnight. Eddi wrung out his cloak, and tried to wrap me in it, but I ordered him on his obedience to keep it. However, he held me in his arms all the first night, and Meon begged his pardon for what he'd said the night before - about Eddi, running away if he found me on a sandbank, you remember.

'"You are right in half your prophecy," said Eddi. "I have tucked up my gown, at any rate." (The wind had blown it over his head.) "Now let us thank God for His mercies."

'"Hum!" said Meon. "If this gale lasts, we stand a very fair chance of dying of starvation."

'"If it be God's will that we survive, God will provide," said Eddi.

"At least help me to sing to Him." The wind almost whipped the words out of his mouth, but he braced himself against a rock and sang psalms.

'I'm glad I never concealed my opinion - from myself - that Eddi was a better man than I. Yet I have worked hard in my time - very hard! Yes - yess! So the morning and the evening were our second day on that islet. There was rain-water in the rock-pools, and, as a churchman, I knew how to fast, but I admit we were hungry. Meon fed our fire chip by chip to eke it out, and they made me sit over it, the dear fellows, when I was too weak to object. Meon held me in his arms the second night, just like a child. My good Eddi was a little out of his senses, and imagined himself teaching a York choir to sing. Even so, he was beautifully patient with them.

'I heard Meon whisper, "If this keeps up we shall go to our Gods. I wonder what Wotan will say to me. He must know I don't believe in him. On the other hand, I can't do what Ethelwalch finds so easy - curry favour with your God at the last minute, in the hope of being saved - as you call it. How do you advise, Bishop?"

'"My dear man," I said, "if that is your honest belief, I take it upon myself to say you had far better not curry favour with any God. But if it's only your Jutish pride that holds you back, lift me up, and I'll baptize you even now."

'"Lie still," said Meon. "I could judge better if I were in my own hall. But to desert one's fathers' Gods - even if one doesn't believe in them - in the middle of a gale, isn't quite - What would you do yourself?"

'I was lying in his arms, kept alive by the warmth of his big, steady heart. It did not seem to me the time or the place for subtle arguments, so I answered, "No, I certainly should not desert my God." I don't see even now what else I could have said.

'"Thank you. I'll remember that, if I live," said Meon, and I must have drifted back to my dreams about Northumbria and beautiful France, for it was broad daylight when I heard him calling on Wotan in that high, shaking heathen yell that I detest so.

'"Lie quiet. I'm giving Wotan his chance," he said. Our dear Eddi ambled up, still beating time to his imaginary choir.

'"Yes. Call on your Gods," he cried, "and see what gifts they will send you. They are gone on a journey, or they are hunting."

'I assure you the words were not out of his mouth when old Padda shot from the top of a cold wrinkled swell, drove himself over the weedy ledge, and landed fair in our laps with a rock-cod between his teeth. I could not help smiling at Eddi's face. "A miracle! A miracle!" he cried, and kneeled down to clean the cod.

'"You've been a long time finding us, my son," said Meon.

"Now fish - fish for all our lives. We're starving, Padda."

'The old fellow flung himself quivering like a salmon backward into the boil of the currents round the rocks, and Meon said, "We're safe. I'll send him to fetch help when this wind drops. Eat and be thankful."

'I never tasted anything so good as those rock-codlings we took from Padda's mouth and half roasted over the fire. Between his plunges Padda would hunch up and purr over Meon with the tears running down his face. I never knew before that seals could weep for joy - as I have wept.

'"Surely," said Eddi, with his mouth full, "God has made the seal the loveliest of His creatures in the water. Look how Padda breasts the current! He stands up against it like a rock; now watch the chain of bubbles where he dives; and now - there is his wise head under that rock-ledge! Oh, a blessing be on thee, my little brother Padda!"

'"You said he was a child of the Devil!" Meon laughed.

'"There I sinned," poor Eddi answered. "Call him here, and I will ask his pardon. God sent him out of the storm to humble me, a fool."

'"I won't ask you to enter into fellowships and understandings with any accursed brute," said Meon, rather unkindly. "Shall we say he was sent to our Bishop as the ravens were sent to your prophet Elijah?"

'"Doubtless that is so," said Eddi. "I will write it so if I live to get home."

'"No - no!" I said. "Let us three poor men kneel and thank God for His mercies."

'We kneeled, and old Padda shuffled up and thrust his head under Meon's elbows. I laid my hand upon it and blessed him. So did Eddi.

同类推荐
  • 双灯记

    双灯记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 紫阳真人悟真篇三注

    紫阳真人悟真篇三注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 留别吉州太守宗人迈

    留别吉州太守宗人迈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 淞隐漫录

    淞隐漫录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 沙弥罗经

    沙弥罗经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 做事要有分寸

    做事要有分寸

    本书取材于现实,以“做人要有分寸”为出发点,千诫读者做事应注意的方方面面。如果你仔细从头到尾阅读此书,就能从中得到大量有益的启示,大大改进你做事的能力。本书就是对生活中做事应该讲分寸的各个方面进行了最细致的归纳,用浅显易懂的语言说出深刻的大哲理,让读者有种耳目一新的感觉!
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 十方世界之净世卷

    十方世界之净世卷

    一个命格特异的少年,在颠沛流离之际,学会了一种以三魂七魄作体,灵修之术为用,窥入微、登堂奥,一击必杀的怪异玄功。于十方世界中开始了自己跌宕起伏的人生传奇。这里是神魔佛妖的至高战场,没有既定的游戏规则,也没有人为统一的修为境界,只有阴谋和热血,背叛与友情,无论圣、仙、王、祖,都将在最后的净世大战中接受化育天地、一元复始的考验……
  • 南风吹应是故人归

    南风吹应是故人归

    一段青葱往事,随风散了一地。如今故人重逢,却是另一番光景。她已为人妇,带着五岁大的女儿与他重逢。他事业有成,带着对她放不下的情感,回到T城,不愿意重逢,却还是重逢。冥冥之中自有天意,未完的缘分总是要续写。愿天下有缘人终成眷属,原错过的情侣都能重逢。
  • 强者的游戏

    强者的游戏

    这是一场强者的游戏,弱者只能被操控。作为一个来到异界大陆的人,林帆只想说,这一场游戏开始了就别在停止,弱者是没有发言权的。
  • 帝尊的绝色宠后

    帝尊的绝色宠后

    “好漂亮的大姐姐,好像天神啊!大姐姐,这娃娃是你的吗?你为什么把她放在楚伯伯家门口?你可不可以把她送给赟儿?赟儿好喜欢!”“我娘亲和我说男人就只能给自家的娘子买礼物。你要是愿意和我拜堂,做我娘子,我就帮你买。”“啊,瞎眼啦!娶了一个刁蛮的小婆娘!”“苓丫头,对不起。这可能是赟哥哥最后一次保护你了。日后苓丫头要学着自己坚强。”“丫头,好好活着!”“师妹,在我们那里,一个男人只能娶一个女人。若是师妹愿意,瑾瑜愿与师妹一夫一妻。”“师妹,地球是银河系中最美的星球。”“师妹,你知道什么是魂穿么?瑾瑜不是什么皇子。瑾瑜是千年以后,地球的中国人。”“若是有前生今世,瑾瑜前世,一定见过师妹……”
  • 元气来袭:冰山校草快到碗里来

    元气来袭:冰山校草快到碗里来

    他自从小时候亲眼目睹了自己母亲的死,他开始封闭自己的内心,他的父亲又娶了另外一个女人,他完全封闭了自己的内心,那年他十一岁,她十岁,他们相见,男孩给了女孩一条手帕作为他们长大后男孩娶女孩相认的信物,可不久女孩也不见了,他的心彻底被封闭了,变得冷冷的,那一年他十八岁,她十七岁,他们再次相见,不知道会发生什么好玩的事呢敬请期待。。
  • 何流探秘手记

    何流探秘手记

    作为一个记者,我见识过无数奇怪的事,但是自从发现了那个洞府,那个什么的文明被揭开了一角后,我踏上了这条揭秘的道路。奇怪的反重力铜片,巨型宏伟的史前建筑,不能理解的另一种文明。请随着我追寻那史前文明灿烂消亡的足迹!
  • 惑爱之吻:校草的甜心达令

    惑爱之吻:校草的甜心达令

    (推荐新书《神秘俏娇妻:纪少,别硬来》)某天,他霸道的对她说:“从今日起,你要要任我爱。”她愤怒的怒视着他,“想得美,我又不是你养的宠物。”他邪魅一笑,“但你已是我的女人。”(先虐后宠,先慢后热,超甜校园文。)
  • 快穿之乱穿一通

    快穿之乱穿一通

    本文都是自己一个字一个字码的,是我的心血,也是我一直以来的梦想,我不期待所有人喜欢它,但是还是希望多多支持我。片段一;“白菜,我要休假”蔡百百经历了几个任务后,开始抗议。“休假可以分为在空间内休息或者到原来任务世界休息”系统回答道。“去原来任务世界?”蔡百百好奇了。“确定去原来任务世界,随机选择,扣除金币100”“我%……*(……(&”这是一个宅女逆袭各种任务的励志故事,这是一个二笔少女携带高冷系统的穿越故事,新书开坑,欢迎挖坟。