{"id":36,"date":"2021-04-06T15:47:51","date_gmt":"2021-04-06T19:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.ryerson.ca\/doctormoreau\/?post_type=chapter&p=36"},"modified":"2022-02-02T09:29:03","modified_gmt":"2022-02-02T14:29:03","slug":"chapter-5-the-man-who-had-nowhere-to-go","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/chapter\/chapter-5-the-man-who-had-nowhere-to-go\/","title":{"raw":"Chapter 5: The Man Who Had Nowhere to Go","rendered":"Chapter 5: The Man Who Had Nowhere to Go"},"content":{"raw":"In the early morning (it was the second morning after my recovery, and I believe the fourth after I was picked up), I awoke through an avenue of tumultuous dreams,\u2014dreams of guns and howling mobs,\u2014and became sensible of a hoarse shouting above me. I rubbed my eyes and lay listening to the noise, doubtful for a little while of my whereabouts. Then came a sudden pattering of bare feet, the sound of heavy objects being thrown about, a violent creaking and the rattling of chains. I heard the swish of the water as the ship was suddenly brought round, and a foamy yellow-green wave flew across the little round window and left it streaming. I jumped into my clothes and went on deck.\r\n\r\nAs I came up the ladder I saw against the flushed sky\u2014for the sun was just rising\u2014the broad back and red hair of the captain, and over his shoulder the puma spinning from a tackle rigged on to the mizzen spanker-boom.\r\n\r\nThe poor brute seemed horribly scared, and crouched in the bottom of its little cage.\r\n\r\n\u201cOverboard with \u2019em!\u201d bawled the captain. \u201cOverboard with \u2019em! We\u2019ll have a clean ship soon of the whole bilin\u2019 of \u2019em.\u201d\r\n\r\nHe stood in my way, so that I had perforce to tap his shoulder to come on deck. He came round with a start, and staggered back a few paces to stare at me. It needed no expert eye to tell that the man was still drunk.\r\n\r\n\u201cHullo!\u201d said he, stupidly; and then with a light coming into his eyes, \u201cWhy, it\u2019s Mister\u2014Mister?\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cPrendick,\u201d said I.\r\n\r\n\u201cPrendick be damned!\u201d said he. \u201cShut-up,\u2014that\u2019s your name. Mister Shut-up.\u201d\r\n\r\nIt was no good answering the brute; but I certainly did not expect his next move. He held out his hand to the gangway by which Montgomery stood talking to a massive grey-haired man in dirty-blue flannels, who had apparently just come aboard.\r\n\r\n\u201cThat way, Mister Blasted Shut-up! that way!\u201d roared the captain.\r\n\r\nMontgomery and his companion turned as he spoke.\r\n\r\n\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d I said.\r\n\r\n\u201cThat way, Mister Blasted Shut-up,\u2014that\u2019s what I mean! Overboard, Mister Shut-up,\u2014and sharp! We\u2019re cleaning the ship out,\u2014cleaning the whole blessed ship out; and overboard you go!\u201d\r\n\r\nI stared at him dumfounded. Then it occurred to me that it was exactly the thing I wanted. The lost prospect of a journey as sole passenger with this quarrelsome sot was not one to mourn over. I turned towards Montgomery.\r\n\r\n\u201cCan\u2019t have you,\u201d said Montgomery\u2019s companion, concisely.\r\n\r\n\u201cYou can\u2019t have me!\u201d said I, aghast. He had the squarest and most resolute face I ever set eyes upon.\r\n\r\n\u201cLook here,\u201d I began, turning to the captain.\r\n\r\n\u201cOverboard!\u201d said the captain. \u201cThis ship aint for beasts and cannibals and worse than beasts, any more. Overboard you go, Mister Shut-up. If they can\u2019t have you, you goes overboard. But, anyhow, you go\u2014with your friends. I\u2019ve done with this blessed island for evermore, amen! I\u2019ve had enough of it.\u201d\r\n\r\n\u201cBut, Montgomery,\u201d I appealed.\r\n\r\nHe distorted his lower lip, and nodded his head hopelessly at the grey-haired man beside him, to indicate his powerlessness to help me.\r\n\r\n\u201cI\u2019ll see to you<\/i>, presently,\u201d said the captain.\r\n\r\nThen began a curious three-cornered altercation. Alternately I appealed to one and another of the three men,\u2014first to the grey-haired man to let me land, and then to the drunken captain to keep me aboard. I even bawled entreaties to the sailors. Montgomery said never a word, only shook his head. \u201cYou\u2019re going overboard, I tell you,\u201d was the captain\u2019s refrain. \u201cLaw be damned! I\u2019m king here.\u201d At last I must confess my voice suddenly broke in the middle of a vigorous threat. I felt a gust of hysterical petulance, and went aft and stared dismally at nothing.\r\n\r\nMeanwhile the sailors progressed rapidly with the task of unshipping the packages and caged animals. A large launch, with two standing lugs, lay under the lee of the schooner; and into this the strange assortment of goods were swung. I did not then see the hands from the island that were receiving the packages, for the hull of the launch was hidden from me by the side of the schooner. Neither Montgomery nor his companion took the slightest notice of me, but busied themselves in assisting and directing the four or five sailors who were unloading the goods. The captain went forward interfering rather than assisting. I was alternately despairful and desperate. Once or twice as I stood waiting there for things to accomplish themselves, I could not resist an impulse to laugh at my miserable quandary. I felt all the wretcheder for the lack of a breakfast. Hunger and a lack of blood-corpuscles take all the manhood from a man. I perceived pretty clearly that I had not the stamina either to resist what the captain chose to do to expel me, or to force myself upon Montgomery and his companion. So I waited passively upon fate; and the work of transferring Montgomery\u2019s possessions to the launch went on as if I did not exist.\r\n\r\nPresently that work was finished, and then came a struggle. I was hauled, resisting weakly enough, to the gangway. Even then I noticed the oddness of the brown faces of the men who were with Montgomery in the launch; but the launch was now fully laden, and was shoved off hastily. A broadening gap of green water appeared under me, and I pushed back with all my strength to avoid falling headlong. The hands in the launch shouted derisively, and I heard Montgomery curse at them; and then the captain, the mate, and one of the seamen helping him, ran me aft towards the stern.\r\n\r\nThe dingey of the Lady Vain<\/i> had been towing behind; it was half full of water, had no oars, and was quite unvictualled. I refused to go aboard her, and flung myself full length on the deck. In the end, they swung me into her by a rope (for they had no stern ladder), and then they cut me adrift. I drifted slowly from the schooner. In a kind of stupor I watched all hands take to the rigging, and slowly but surely she came round to the wind; the sails fluttered, and then bellied out as the wind came into them. I stared at her weather-beaten side heeling steeply towards me; and then she passed out of my range of view.\r\n\r\nI did not turn my head to follow her. At first I could scarcely believe what had happened. I crouched in the bottom of the dingey, stunned, and staring blankly at the vacant, oily sea. Then I realised that I was in that little hell of mine again, now half swamped; and looking back over the gunwale, I saw the schooner standing away from me, with the red-haired captain mocking at me over the taffrail, and turning towards the island saw the launch growing smaller as she approached the beach.\r\n\r\nAbruptly the cruelty of this desertion became clear to me. I had no means of reaching the land unless I should chance to drift there. I was still weak, you must remember, from my exposure in the boat; I was empty and very faint, or I should have had more heart. But as it was I suddenly began to sob and weep, as I had never done since I was a little child. The tears ran down my face. In a passion of despair I struck with my fists at the water in the bottom of the boat, and kicked savagely at the gunwale. I prayed aloud for God to let me die.","rendered":"

In the early morning (it was the second morning after my recovery, and I believe the fourth after I was picked up), I awoke through an avenue of tumultuous dreams,\u2014dreams of guns and howling mobs,\u2014and became sensible of a hoarse shouting above me. I rubbed my eyes and lay listening to the noise, doubtful for a little while of my whereabouts. Then came a sudden pattering of bare feet, the sound of heavy objects being thrown about, a violent creaking and the rattling of chains. I heard the swish of the water as the ship was suddenly brought round, and a foamy yellow-green wave flew across the little round window and left it streaming. I jumped into my clothes and went on deck.<\/p>\n

As I came up the ladder I saw against the flushed sky\u2014for the sun was just rising\u2014the broad back and red hair of the captain, and over his shoulder the puma spinning from a tackle rigged on to the mizzen spanker-boom.<\/p>\n

The poor brute seemed horribly scared, and crouched in the bottom of its little cage.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverboard with \u2019em!\u201d bawled the captain. \u201cOverboard with \u2019em! We\u2019ll have a clean ship soon of the whole bilin\u2019 of \u2019em.\u201d<\/p>\n

He stood in my way, so that I had perforce to tap his shoulder to come on deck. He came round with a start, and staggered back a few paces to stare at me. It needed no expert eye to tell that the man was still drunk.<\/p>\n

\u201cHullo!\u201d said he, stupidly; and then with a light coming into his eyes, \u201cWhy, it\u2019s Mister\u2014Mister?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cPrendick,\u201d said I.<\/p>\n

\u201cPrendick be damned!\u201d said he. \u201cShut-up,\u2014that\u2019s your name. Mister Shut-up.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was no good answering the brute; but I certainly did not expect his next move. He held out his hand to the gangway by which Montgomery stood talking to a massive grey-haired man in dirty-blue flannels, who had apparently just come aboard.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat way, Mister Blasted Shut-up! that way!\u201d roared the captain.<\/p>\n

Montgomery and his companion turned as he spoke.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d I said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat way, Mister Blasted Shut-up,\u2014that\u2019s what I mean! Overboard, Mister Shut-up,\u2014and sharp! We\u2019re cleaning the ship out,\u2014cleaning the whole blessed ship out; and overboard you go!\u201d<\/p>\n

I stared at him dumfounded. Then it occurred to me that it was exactly the thing I wanted. The lost prospect of a journey as sole passenger with this quarrelsome sot was not one to mourn over. I turned towards Montgomery.<\/p>\n

\u201cCan\u2019t have you,\u201d said Montgomery\u2019s companion, concisely.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t have me!\u201d said I, aghast. He had the squarest and most resolute face I ever set eyes upon.<\/p>\n

\u201cLook here,\u201d I began, turning to the captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverboard!\u201d said the captain. \u201cThis ship aint for beasts and cannibals and worse than beasts, any more. Overboard you go, Mister Shut-up. If they can\u2019t have you, you goes overboard. But, anyhow, you go\u2014with your friends. I\u2019ve done with this blessed island for evermore, amen! I\u2019ve had enough of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, Montgomery,\u201d I appealed.<\/p>\n

He distorted his lower lip, and nodded his head hopelessly at the grey-haired man beside him, to indicate his powerlessness to help me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll see to you<\/i>, presently,\u201d said the captain.<\/p>\n

Then began a curious three-cornered altercation. Alternately I appealed to one and another of the three men,\u2014first to the grey-haired man to let me land, and then to the drunken captain to keep me aboard. I even bawled entreaties to the sailors. Montgomery said never a word, only shook his head. \u201cYou\u2019re going overboard, I tell you,\u201d was the captain\u2019s refrain. \u201cLaw be damned! I\u2019m king here.\u201d At last I must confess my voice suddenly broke in the middle of a vigorous threat. I felt a gust of hysterical petulance, and went aft and stared dismally at nothing.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile the sailors progressed rapidly with the task of unshipping the packages and caged animals. A large launch, with two standing lugs, lay under the lee of the schooner; and into this the strange assortment of goods were swung. I did not then see the hands from the island that were receiving the packages, for the hull of the launch was hidden from me by the side of the schooner. Neither Montgomery nor his companion took the slightest notice of me, but busied themselves in assisting and directing the four or five sailors who were unloading the goods. The captain went forward interfering rather than assisting. I was alternately despairful and desperate. Once or twice as I stood waiting there for things to accomplish themselves, I could not resist an impulse to laugh at my miserable quandary. I felt all the wretcheder for the lack of a breakfast. Hunger and a lack of blood-corpuscles take all the manhood from a man. I perceived pretty clearly that I had not the stamina either to resist what the captain chose to do to expel me, or to force myself upon Montgomery and his companion. So I waited passively upon fate; and the work of transferring Montgomery\u2019s possessions to the launch went on as if I did not exist.<\/p>\n

Presently that work was finished, and then came a struggle. I was hauled, resisting weakly enough, to the gangway. Even then I noticed the oddness of the brown faces of the men who were with Montgomery in the launch; but the launch was now fully laden, and was shoved off hastily. A broadening gap of green water appeared under me, and I pushed back with all my strength to avoid falling headlong. The hands in the launch shouted derisively, and I heard Montgomery curse at them; and then the captain, the mate, and one of the seamen helping him, ran me aft towards the stern.<\/p>\n

The dingey of the Lady Vain<\/i> had been towing behind; it was half full of water, had no oars, and was quite unvictualled. I refused to go aboard her, and flung myself full length on the deck. In the end, they swung me into her by a rope (for they had no stern ladder), and then they cut me adrift. I drifted slowly from the schooner. In a kind of stupor I watched all hands take to the rigging, and slowly but surely she came round to the wind; the sails fluttered, and then bellied out as the wind came into them. I stared at her weather-beaten side heeling steeply towards me; and then she passed out of my range of view.<\/p>\n

I did not turn my head to follow her. At first I could scarcely believe what had happened. I crouched in the bottom of the dingey, stunned, and staring blankly at the vacant, oily sea. Then I realised that I was in that little hell of mine again, now half swamped; and looking back over the gunwale, I saw the schooner standing away from me, with the red-haired captain mocking at me over the taffrail, and turning towards the island saw the launch growing smaller as she approached the beach.<\/p>\n

Abruptly the cruelty of this desertion became clear to me. I had no means of reaching the land unless I should chance to drift there. I was still weak, you must remember, from my exposure in the boat; I was empty and very faint, or I should have had more heart. But as it was I suddenly began to sob and weep, as I had never done since I was a little child. The tears ran down my face. In a passion of despair I struck with my fists at the water in the bottom of the boat, and kicked savagely at the gunwale. I prayed aloud for God to let me die.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":251,"menu_order":6,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[48],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-36","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry","chapter-type-numberless"],"part":3,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/36","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/251"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/36\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/36\/revisions\/37"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/3"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/36\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=36"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pressbooks.library.torontomu.ca\/doctormoreau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=36"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}