下载辰思小说免费APP
Afterthisafrigatecameintoview——theEuryalus——sailinginthesamedirection。Annesatdown，andhereyesneverlefttheships。
’TellmemoreabouttheVictory，’shesaid。
’Sheisthebestsailerintheservice，andshecarriesahundredguns。Theheaviestbeonthelowerdeck，thenextsizeonthemiddledeck，thenextonthemainandupperdecks。MysonNed’splaceisonthelowerdeck，becausehe’sshort，andtheyputtheshortmenbelow。’
Bob，thoughnottall，wasnotlikelytobespeciallyselectedforshortness。Shepicturedhimontheupperdeck，inhissnow-whitetrousersandjacketofnavyblue，lookingperhapstowardstheverypointoflandwhereshethenwas。
Thegreatsilentship，withherpopulationofblue-jackets，marines，officers，captain，andtheadmiralwhowasnottoreturnalive，passedlikeaphantomthemeridianoftheBill。Sometimesheraspectwasthatofalargewhitebat，sometimesthatofagreyone。
Inthecourseoftimethewatchinggirlsawthattheshiphadpassedhernearestpoint；thebreadthofhersailsdiminishedbyforeshortening，tillsheassumedtheformofaneggonend。Afterthissomethingseemedtotwinkle，andAnne，whohadpreviouslywithdrawnfromtheoldsailor，wentbacktohim，andlookedagainthroughtheglass。Thetwinklingwasthelightfallinguponthecabinwindowsoftheship’sstern。Sheexplainedittotheoldman。
’Thenweseenowwhattheenemyhaveseenbutonce。Thatwasinseventy-nine，whenshesightedtheFrenchandSpanishfleetoffScilly，andsheretreatedbecauseshefearedalanding。Well，’tisabraveshipandshecarriesbravemen！’
Anne’stenderbosomheaved，butshesaidnothing，andagainbecameabsorbedincontemplation。
TheVictorywasfastdroppingaway。Shewasonthehorizon，andsoonappearedhulldown。Thatseemedtobelikethebeginningofagreaterendthanherpresentvanishing。AnneGarlandcouldnotstaybythesailoranylonger，andwentaboutastone’s-throwoff，whereshewashiddenbytheinequalityoftheclifffromhisview。Thevesselwasnowexactlyendon，andstoodoutinthedirectionoftheStart，herwidthhavingcontractedtotheproportionofafeather。
Shesatdownagain，andmechanicallytookoutsomebiscuitsthatshehadbrought，foreseeingthatherwaitingmightbelong。Butshecouldnoteatoneofthem；eatingseemedtojarwiththementaltensenessofthemoment；andherundeviatinggazecontinuedtofollowthelessenedshipwiththefidelityofabalancedneedletoamagneticstone，allelseinherbeingmotionless。
ThecoursesoftheVictorywereabsorbedintothemain，thenhertopsailswent，andthenhertop-gallants。Shewasnownomorethanadeadfly’swingonasheetofspider’sweb；andeventhisfragmentdiminished。Annecouldhardlybeartoseetheend，andyetsheresolvednottoflinch。Theadmiral’sflagsankbehindthewateryline，andinaminutetheverytruckofthelasttopmaststoleaway。
TheVictorywasgone。
Anne’slipquiveredasshemurmured，withoutremovingherweteyesfromthevacantandsolemnhorizon，’“Theythatgodowntotheseainships，thatdobusinessingreatwaters——“’
’“TheseseetheworksoftheLord，andHiswondersinthedeep，“’
wasreturnedbyaman’svoicefrombehindher。
Lookingroundquickly，shesawasoldierstandingthere；andthegraveeyesofJohnLovedaybentonher。
’’TiswhatIwasthinking，’shesaid，tryingtobecomposed。
’Youweresayingit，’heansweredgently。
’WasI？——Ididnotknowit……Howcameyouhere？’shepresentlyadded。
’Ihavebeenbehindyouagoodwhile；butyouneverturnedround。’
’Iwasdeeplyoccupied，’shesaidinanundertone。
’Yes——Itoocametoseehimpass。IheardthismorningthatLordNelsonhadembarked，andIknewatoncethattheywouldsailimmediately。TheVictoryandEuryalusaretojointherestofthefleetatPlymouth。Therewasagreatcrowdofpeopleassembledtoseetheadmiraloff；theycheeredhimandtheshipasshedroppeddown。Hetookhiscoffinonboardwithhim，theysay。’
’Hiscoffin！’saidAnne，turningdeadlypale。’Somethingterrible，then，ismeantbythat！O，whywouldBobgointhatship？doomedtodestructionfromtheverybeginninglikethis！’
’ItwashisdeterminationtosailunderCaptainHardy，andundernooneelse，’saidJohn。’Theremaybehotwork；butwemusthopeforthebest。’Andobservinghowwretchedshelooked，headded，’Butwon’tyouletme
