登陆注册
22898500000040

第40章

Fix,as he bowed,had a stifled feeling,and going forward,where he ensconced himself,did not open his mouth for the rest of the day.

Meanwhile they were progressing famously,and John Bunsby was in high hope.He several times assured Mr Fogg that they would reach Shanghai in time;to which that gentleman responded that he counted upon it.The crew set to work in good earnest,inspired by the reward to be gained.There was not a sheet which was not tightened,not a sail which was not vigorously hoisted;not a lurch could be charged to the man at the helm.They worked as desperately as if they were contesting in a Royal Yacht regatta.

By evening,the log showed that two hundred and twenty miles had been accomplished from Hong Kong,and Mr Fogg might hope that he would be able to reach Yokohama without recording any delay in his journal;in which case,the only misadventure which had overtaken him since he left London would not seriously affect his journey.

TheTankadere'entered the Straits of Fo-Kien,which separate the island of Formosa from the Chinese coast,in the small hours of the night,and crossed the Tropic of Cancer.The sea was very rough in the straits,full of eddies formed by the counter currents,and the chopping waves broke her course,whilst it became very difficult to stand on deck.

At daybreak the wind began to blow hard again,and the heavens seemed to predict a gale.The barometer announced a speedy change,the mercury rising and falling capriciously;the sea also,in the south-east,raised long surges which indicated a tempest.The sun had set the evening before in a red mist,in the midst of the phosphorescent scintillations of the ocean.

John Bunsby long examined the threatening aspect of the heavens,muttering indistinctly between his teeth.At last he said in a low voice to Mr Fogg.Shall I speak out to your honour?

Of course.

Well,we are going to have a squall.

Is the wind north or south?asked Mr Fogg quietly.

South.Look!a typhoon is coming up.

Glad it's a typhoon from the south,for it will carry us forward.

Oh,if you take it that way,said John Bunsby,I've nothing more to say.'John Bunsby's suspicions were confirmed.At a less advanced season of the year the typhoon,according to a famous meteorologist,would have passed away like a luminous cascade of electric flame;but in the winter equinox,it was to be feared that it would burst upon them with great violence.

The pilot took his precautions in advance.He reefed all sail,the pole-masts were dispensed with;all hands went forward to the bows.A single triangular sail,of strong canvas,was hoisted as a storm-jib,so as to hold the wind from behind.Then they waited.

John Bunsby had requested his passengers to go below;but this imprisonment in so narrow a space,with little air,and the boat bouncing in the gale,was far from pleasant.Neither Mr Fogg,Fix,nor Aouda consented to leave the deck.

The storm of rain and wind descended upon them towards eight o'clock.With but its bit of sail,theTankadere'was lifted like a feather by a wind,an idea of whose violence can scarcely be given.To compare her speed to four times that of a locomotive going on full steam would be below the truth.

The boat scudded thus northward during the whole day,borne on by monstrous waves,preserving always,fortunately,a speed equal to theirs.Twenty times she seemed almost to be submerged by these mountains of water which rose behind her;but the adroit management of the pilot saved her.The passengers were often bathed in spray,but they submitted to it philosophically.Fix cursed it,no doubt;but Aouda,with her eyes fastened upon her protector,whose coolness amazed her,showed her-self worthy of h~,and bravely weathered the storm.As for Phileas Fogg,it seemed just as if the typhoon were a part of his programme.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 神兽养殖场

    神兽养殖场

    养宠物?out了!哥这都是神兽!【群:116545836】神马?F16战斗机?慢了!哥有金翅大鹏!神马?米国核潜艇?土了!哥有深海蛟龙!神马?你是小萝莉,喜欢小金鱼?木问题,叔叔我这里都是七彩小金鱼,会唱我爱怪叔叔主题曲呢!神马?你是警花?喜欢凶猛藏獒?木问题,哥哥我这里都是地狱三头犬,世界独有品种!动物园美女园长:沈先生,听说你的养殖水平很厉害,我们动物园的大熊猫生病了,你能不能帮我检查一下?沈鹏:咳咳……介个,大熊猫生病了为什么要帮……你检查,咳咳,好吧,我们进房间,好好检查!(本文与简介出入很大,请谨慎阅读!)
  • 民间鬼狐奇谈

    民间鬼狐奇谈

    1934年,张文生大学毕业,作为支援偏远山区的有志青年,被分配到苏北一个叫凤凰镇的地方。女鬼夜诉,阴兵抬棺,道观禁忌,明王祭祀……一连串的离奇事件,让走马上任的张文生措手不及!游离在生与死的边缘,张文生对所谓科学产生了深深的怀疑。
  • 将军装嫩:拐个媳妇儿来古代

    将军装嫩:拐个媳妇儿来古代

    一场车祸,夏语菡穿了。醒来后,夏语菡满世界找和一同出事的老公--蓝哲宇,人是找到了,原本二十几岁的老公变成了一千多岁的老妖精这就不说了。为毛他还不承认自己结婚了?还说不认识她!可是……“这个房间是我的,你不许进来!”“整个将军府都是我的,何况这一个房间?”“这个床是我的,你不许上来!”“这个房间都是我的,何况这一张床?”夏语菡翻了个白眼,反正床够大,又不是第一次了,他愿意躺就躺吧!不过……“蓝哲宇,你别对我动手动唔……”看磨人的老妖精和磨人的小妖精的爱情故事。身心干净一对一,男主女主双穿,呃……准确的说是男主本来是古代人,穿越到现代,又和女主一起穿越回了古代……
  • 蹡蹡四人行

    蹡蹡四人行

    我很不理解像我这样聪明的人类怎么会落得这步田地,想当年我可是幼儿园老师公认的乖宝宝,是小学数学竞赛的一等奖,初中全校有名的班干部,高中也是在各大活动中获得无数奖励的男人,就怎么会落得这步田地呢。
  • 海边的槟榔树

    海边的槟榔树

    我不知道我日后会如何——巫婆的六封信,微笑者的五个骨牌,先知鸟的足迹,总之在最后离开,为了继续生存。
  • 长夏魂离本

    长夏魂离本

    话说天下之势,素有神话,口耳相传,虽有不实,未离原意。然天帝之下,列有春夏长夏秋冬五季神者,鲜有所闻。何谓五季而非四时,是以天人合一,五季之分,五脏总司,五行孕育,天道为运,得以常轮。以中医基础的五行学说创建的五季神分别为春神东方木,夏神盛城,长夏姬长乐,秋神将无心,冬神雪未。本文将以长夏魂离本为线索,分别讲诉五个故事,每个故事独立又牵连。---------------------------------坑品保证,绝不太监,欢迎跳坑。可顺手加入书架~O(∩_∩)O~
  • 剑殇阿甘左

    剑殇阿甘左

    如果将DNF中的人物与爱情剥离整个游戏的情节。在另外的时空脱离他们应有的背景,还会延续怎样的故事?
  • 绝妃善类

    绝妃善类

    她,天真聪慧、无厘搞怪,却拥有正邪两面性格。他,冷酷魅惑,心机深重,从不把女人放在心上。奈何遇到她这么个亦正亦邪的女子,从此他的心只为她跳动!不过她可不是神马善类,想要成为她的男人,她可得细细考验!
  • 元始天

    元始天

    当这个残酷的世界面临毁灭之时,那世上幸存的人们,究竟是代表着正义?还是代表着邪恶?世代进行的征战,到底那一方才是正确的?少年突遭不幸,却因此探得生命的意义。在寻求生命意义的路途中,看少年如何绘出自己的轨迹?一切尽在本书!!!第一次写书,不足还请多多关照,谢谢了。
  • 舆卿和月就华阴

    舆卿和月就华阴

    金钗之年,她如同初醒的小鹿跌跌撞撞张扬不羁,只因她不俗容貌和那一身的名门气息。豆蔻年华,不曾想她那小小年纪便媚而不俗的皮相害惨了至亲哥哥毁了家族。而她,荣华失尽。背负了几百条人命的她踏上漫漫长路。南朝山清水秀的青璃镇,东朝巍峨的石河岭,西朝那了无人烟荒蛮之际的大漠。她几经生死,却依然风雨无阻。儿女情长缠缠绵绵她却果决狠厉。她最痴情又多情,世人说她纵情恣意风流潇洒。可谁又能知女儿心?解那女儿情?且听小女慢慢道来。