hard cash-第25章

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〃Unship　the　bars。　Way　aloft。　Loose　sails。　Let　fall。〃

The　ship　being　now　over　her　anchor；　and　the　top…sails　set；　the　capstan　bars　were　shipped　again；　the　men　all　heaved　with　a　will；　the　messenger　grinned；　the　anchor　was　torn　out　of　China　with　a　mighty　heave；　and　then　ran　up　with　a　luff　tackle　and　secured；　the　ship's　head　cast　to　port。

〃Up　with　the　jibman　the　taupsle　halliardsall　hands　make　sail。〃　Round　she　came　slow　and　majestically；　the　sails　filled；　and　the　good　ship　bore　away　for　England。

She　made　the　Bogue　forts　in　three　or　four　tacks；　and　there　she　had　to　come　to　again　for　another　chop；　China　being　a　place　as　hard　to　get　into　as　Heaven；　and　to　get　out　of　as　Chancery。　At　three　P。M。　she　was　at　Macao；　and　hove　to　four　miles　from　the　land　to　take　in　her　passengers。

A　gun　was　fired　from　the　forecastle。　No　boats　came　off。　Sharpe　began　to　fret；　for　the　wind；　though　light；　had　now　got　to　the　N。W。；　and　they　were　wasting　it。　After　a　while　the　captain　came　on　deck；　and　ordered　all　the　carronades　to　be　scaled。　The　eight　heavy　reports　bellowed　the　great　ship's　impatience　across　the　water　and　out　pulled　two　boats　with　the　passengers。　While　they　were　coming；　Dodd　sent　and　ordered　the　gunner　to　load　the　carronades　with　shot；　and　secure　and　apron　them。　The　first　boat　brought　Colonel　Kenealy；　Mr。　Fullalove；　and　a　prodigious　negro；　who　all　mounted　by　the　side…ropes。　But　the　whip　was　rigged　for　the　next　boat；　and　the　Honourable　Mrs。　Beresford　and　poodle　hoisted　on　board；　item　her　white　maid；　item　her　black　nurse；　item　her　little　boy　and　male　Oriental　in　charge　thereof；　the　strangest　compound　of　dignity　and　servility；　and　of　black　and　white；　being　clad　in　snowy　cotton　and　japanned　to　the　nine。

Mrs。　Beresford　was　the　wife　of　a　member　of　council　in　India。　She　had　been　to　Macao　for　her　boy's　health；　intending　to　return　to　Calcutta：　but　meantime　her　husband　was　made　a　director；　and　went　home：　so　she　was　going　to　join　him。　A　tall；　handsome　lady；　with　too　curved　a　nose。

Like　most　aquiline　women；　she　was　born　to　domineer　a　bit；　and；　for　the　last　ten　years；　Orientals　clinging　at　her　knee　and　Europeans　flattering　at　her　ear　had　nursed　this　quality　highs　and　spoiled　her　with　all　their　might。　A　similar　process　had　been　applied　to　her　boy　Frederick　from　infancy；　he　was　now　nearly　six。　Arrogance　and　caprice　shone　so　in　both　their　sallow　faces；　and　spoke　so　in　every　gesture；　that　as　they　came　on　board；　Sharpe；　a　reader　of　passengers；　whispered　the　second　mate：　〃Bayliss；　we　have　shipped　the　devil。〃

〃And　a　cargo　of　his　imps；〃　grunted　Mr。　Bayliss。

Mr。　Fullalove　was　a　Methodist　parsonto　the　naked　eye：　grave；　sober；　lean；　lank…haired。　But　some　men　are　hidden　fires。　Fullalove　was　one　of　the　extraordinary　products　of　an　extraordinary　nation；　the　United　States　of　America。　He　was　an　engineer　for　one　thing；　and　an　inventive　and　practical　mechanician；　held　two　patents　of　his　own　creating；　which　yielded　him　a　good　income　both　at　home　and　in　Great　Britain。　Such　results　are　seldom　achieved　without　deep　study　and　seclusion；　and；　accordingly；　Joshua　Fullalove；　when　the　inventive　fit　was　on；　would　be　buried　deep　as　Archimedes　for　a　twelvemonth；　burning　the　midnight　oil：　then；　his　active　element　predominating；　the　pale　student　would　dash　into　the　forest　or　the　prairie；　with　a　rifle　and　an　Indian；　and　come　out　bronzed；　and　more　or　less　be…panthered　or　be…buffaloed；　thence　invariably　to　sea　for　a　year　or　two。　There；　Anglo…Saxon　to　the　backbone；　his　romance　had　ever　an　eye　to　business；　he　was　always　after　foreign　mechanical　inventionshe　was　now　importing　a　excellent　one　from　Japanand　ready　to　do　lucrative　feats　of　knowledge：　thus　he　bought　a　Turkish　ship　at　the　bottom　of　the　Dardanelles　for　twelve　hundred　dollars；　raised　her　cargo　（hardware）；　and　sold　it　for　six　thousand　dollars；　then　weighed　the　empty　ship；　pumped　her；　repaired　he；　and　navigated　her　himself　into　Boston　harbour；　Massachusetts。　On　the　way　he　rescued；　with　his　late　drowned　ship；　a　Swedish　vessel；　and　received　salvage。　He　once　fished　eighty　elephants'　tusks　out　of　a　craft　foundered　in　the　Firth　of　Forth；　to　the　disgust　of　elder　Anglo…Saxons　looking　on　from　the　shore。　These　unusual　pursuits　were　varied　by　a　singular　recreation：　he　played　at　elevating　the　African　character　to　European　levels。　With　this　view　he　had　bought　Vespasian　for　eighteen　hundred　dollars；　whereof　anon。　America　is　fertile　in　mixtures：　what　do　we　not　owe　her？　Sherry　cobbler；　gin　sling；　cocktail；　mint　julep；　brandy　smash；　sudden　death；　eye　openers。　Well；　one　day　she　outdid　herself；　and　mixed　Fullalove：　Quaker；　Nimrod；　Archimedes；　Philanthropist；　decorous　Red　Rover；　and　What　Not

The　passenger　boats　cast　loose。

〃All　hands　make　sail。〃

The　boatswain　piped；　the　light…heeled　topsmen　sped　up　the　rathines　and　lay　out　the　yards；　while　all　on　deck　looked　up　as　usual　to　see　them　work。　Out　bellied　sail　after　sail　aloft；　the　ship　came　curtseying　round　to　the　southward；　spread　her　snowy　pinions　high　and　wide；　and　went　like　a　bird　over　the　wrinkled　seahomeward　bound。

It　was　an　exhilarating　start；　and　all　faces　were　brightbut　one。　The　captain　looked　somewhat　grave　and　thoughtful；　and　often　scanned　the　horizon　with　his　glass；　he　gave　polite　but　very　short　answers　to　his　friend　Colonel　Kenealy；　who　was　firing　nothings　in　his　ear；　and　sent　for　the　gunner。

While　that　personage；　a　crusty　old　Niler　called　Monk；　is　cleaning　himself　to　go　on　the　quarter…deck；　peep　we　into　captain　Dodd's　troubled　mind；　and　into　the　circumstances　which　connect　him　with　the　heart　of　this　story；　despite　the　twelve　thousand　miles　of　water　between　him　and　the　lovers　at　Barkington。

It　had　always　been　his　pride　to　lay　by　money　for　his　wife　and　children；　and；　under　advice　of　an　Indian　friend；　he　had；　during　the　last　few　years；　placed　considerable　sums；　at　intervals；　in　a　great　Calcutta　house；　which　gave　eight　per　cent　for　deposits：　swelled　by　fresh　capital　and　such　high　interest；　the　hoard　grew　fast。　When　his　old　ship；　sore　battered　off　the　Cape；　was　condemned　by　the　company's　agents　at　Canton；　he　sailed　to　Calcutta；　intending　to　return　thence　to　England　as　a　passenger。　But　while　he　was　at　Calcutta；　the　greatest　firm　there　suspended　payment　carrying　astonishment　and　dismay　into　a　hundred　families。　At　such　moments　the　press　and　the　fireside　ring　for　a　little　while　with　the　common…sense　cry；*　〃Good　interest　means　bad　security。〃　As　for　Dodd；　who　till　then　had　revered　all　these　great　houses　with　nautical　or　childlike　confidence；　a　blind　terror　took　the　place　of　blind　trust　in　him；　he　felt　guilty　towards　his　children　for　risking　their　money　（he　had　got　to　believe　it　was　theirs；　not　his）；　and　vowed；　if　he　could　only　get　hold　of　it　once　more；　he　would　never　trust　a　penny　of　it　out　of　his　own　hands　again；　except；　perhaps；　to　the　Bank　of　England。　But　should　he　ever　get　it？　It　was　a　large　sum。　He　went　to　Messrs。　Anderson　&　Anderson；　and　drew　for　his　fourteen　thousand　pounds。　To　his　dismay；　but　hardly　to　his　surprise；　the　clerks　looked　at　one　another；　and　sent　the　cheque　into　some　inner　department。　Dodd　was　kept　waiting。　His　heart　sank　with　him：　there　was　a　hitch。

*The　Duke　of　Wellington　（the　iron　one）　is　the　author　of　this　saying。

Meantime　came　a　Government　officer；　and　paid　in　an　enormous　sum　in　notes　and　mercantile　bills；　principally　the　latter。

Presently　Dodd　was　invited　into　the　manager's　room。

〃Leaving　the　country；　Captain　Dodd？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃You　had　better　take　some　of　your　money　in　bills　at　sight　on　London。〃

〃I　would　rather　have　notes；　sir；〃　faltered　Dodd。

〃Oh；　bills　by　Oliveira　upon　Baring　are　just　as　good；　even　without　our　endorsement。　However；　you　can　have　half　and　half。　Calcutta　does　but　little　in　English　bank…notes；　you　know。〃

They　gave　him　his　money。　The　bills　were　all　manifestly　good。　But　he　recognised　one　of　them　as　having　just　been　paid　in　by　the　civilian。　He　found　himself　somehow　safe　in　the　street　clutching　the　cash；　with　one　half　of　his　great　paternal　heart　on　fire；　and　the　other　half　freezing。　He　had　rescued　his　children's　fortune；　but　he　had　seen　destruction　graze　it。　The　natural　chill　at　being　scraped　by　peril　soon　passed；　the　triumphant　glow　remained。　The　next　sentiment　was　precaution：　he　filled　with　it　to　the　brim；　he　went　and　bought　a　great　broad　pocket…book　with　a　key　to　it；　though　he　was　on　dry　land；。　he　covered　it　with　oiled　silk　against　the　water；　and　sewed　the　whole　thing　to　his　flannel　waistcoat；　and　felt　for　it　with　his　hand　a　hundred　times　a　day：　the　fruit　of　his　own　toil；　his　children's　hoard；　the　rescued　treasure　he　was　to　have　the　joy　of　bringing　home　safe　to　the　dear　partner　of　all　his　joys。

Unexpectedly　he　was　ordered　out　to　Canton　to　sail　the　_Agra_　to　the　Cape。　Then　a　novel　and　strange　feeling　came　over　him　like　a　cloud；　that　feeling　was；　a　sense　of　personal　danger：　not　that　the　many　perils　of　the　deep　were　new　to　him：　he　had　faced　them　this　five…and…twenty　years：　but　till　now　they　were　little　present　to　his　imagination：　they　used　to　come；　be　encountered；　be　gone：　but　now；　though　absent；　they　darkened　the　way。　It　was　the　pocket…book。　The　material　treasure；　the　hard　cash；　which　had　lately　set　him　in　a　glow；　seemed　now　to　load　his　chest　and　hang　heavy　round　the　neck　of　his　heart。　Sailors　are　more　or　less　superstitious；　and　men　are　creatures　of　habit；　even　in　their　courage。　Now　David　had　never　gone　to　sea　with　a　lot　of　money　on　him　before。　As　he　was　a　stout…hearted　man；　these　vague　forebodings　would；　perhaps；　have　cleared　away　with　the　bustle；　when　the　_Agra_　set　her　studding　sails　off　Macao；　but　for　a　piece　of　positive　intelligence　he　had　picked　up　at　Lin…Tin。　The　Chinese　admiral　had　warned　him　of　a　pirate；　a　daring　pirate；　who　had　been　lately　cruising　in　these　waters：　first　heard　of　south　the　line；　but　had　since　taken　a　Russian　ship　at　the　very　mouth　of　the　Canton　river；　murdered　the　crew　in　sight　of　land；　and　sold　the　women　for　slaves；　or　worse。　Dodd　asked　for　particulars：　was　he　a　Ladroner；　a　Malay；　a　Bornese？　In　what　latitude　was　he　to　be　looked　for？　The　admiral　on　this　examined　his　memoranda：　by　these　it　appeared　little　was　known　as　yet　about　the　miscreant；　except　that　he　never　cruised　long　on　one　ground；　the　crew　was　a　mixed　one：　the　captain　was　believed　to　be　a　Portuguese；　and　to　have　a　consort　commanded　by　his　brother：　but　this　was　doubtful；　at　all　events；　the　pair　had　never　been　seen　at　work　together。


The　gunner　arrived　and　saluted　the　quarter…deck；　the　captain　on　this　saluted　him；　and　beckoned　him　to　the　weather　side。　On　this　the　other　officers　kept　religiously　to　leeward。

〃Mr。　Monk；〃　said　Dodd；　〃you　will　clean　and　prepare　all　the　small　arms　directly。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir；〃　said　the　old　Niler；　with　a　gleam　of　satisfaction。

〃How　many　of　your　deck…guns　are　serviceable？〃

This　simple　question　stirred　up　in　one　moment　all　the　bile　in　the　poor　old　gentleman's　nature。

〃My　deck…guns　serviceable！　how　the　　_can_　they　when　that　son　of　a　sea…cook　your　third　mate　has　been　and　lashed　the　water　butts　to　their　breechings；　and　jammed　his　gear　in　between　their　nozzles；　till　they　can't　breathe；　poor　things；　far　less　bark。　I　wish　_he_　was　lashed　between　the　devil's　hind…hocks　with　a　red　hot　cable　as　tight　as　he　has　jammed　my　guns。

〃Be　so　good　as　not　to　swear；　Mr。　Monk；〃　said　Dodd。　〃At　your　age　sir；　I　look　to　y