the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第25章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
actually gained in girth and height。 The soul； in certain great moments；
seems to have power to expand the body and inform it with the quality of
immortality； Ajax； in his magnificent gesture of defiance； is all spirit。
Cleggett； with his hand on his hip； uttered these words； not without their
sublimity：
〃Whether the Jasper B。 sinks or swims； her commander will share her
fate。 I stay by my ship！〃
114
… Page 115…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XV
NIGHT； TEMPEST； LOVE AND
BATTLE
And； indeed； if Cleggett had been of a mind to abandon the vessel； he
could scarcely have done so now。 For his words were no more than
uttered when the sharp racket of a volley of pistol shots ripped its way
through the low…pitched roaring of the wind。
Loge had chosen the height of the storm to mask his approach。 He
attacked with the tempest。
Without a word Cleggett put out the light in the cabin。 His men
grasped their weapons and followed him to the deck。 A flash of lightning
showed him； through the driving rain； the enemy rushing towards the
Jasper B。； pistol in hand。 They were scarcely sixty yards away； and were
firing as they came。 Loge； a revolver in one hand； and Cleggett's own
sword cane in the other； was leading the rush。 Besides their firearms； each
of Loge's men carried a wicked…looking machete。
〃Fire！〃 shouted Cleggett。 〃Let them have it； men！〃 And the rifles
blazed from the deck of the Jasper B。 in a crashing volley。 Instantly the
world was dark again； it was impossible to determine whether the fire of
the Jasper B。 had taken effect。
〃To the starboard bulwark；〃 cried Cleggett； 〃and give them hell with
the next lightning flash！〃
It came as he spoke； with its vivid glare showing to Cleggett the
enemy magnified to a portentous bigness against a background of chaotic
night。 Two or three of them stood； leaning keenly forward； several of the
others had dropped to one knee； the rifle discharge had checked the rush；
115
… Page 116…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
and they also were waiting for the lightning。 Cleggett and his men threw
a second volley at this wavering silhouette of astonishment。
A cartridge jammed in the mechanism of Cleggett's gun。 With an
oath he flung the weapon to the deck。 A hand thrust another one into his
grasp； and Lady Agatha's voice said in his ear； 〃Take this oneit's loaded。〃
〃My God；〃 said Cleggett； 〃I thought you were in the cabin！〃
〃Not I！〃 she cried； 〃I'm loading！〃
Just then the lightning came again and showed her to him plainly。
Drenched； bare…armed； bareheaded； her hair down and rolling backward in
a rich wet mass； she knelt on the deck behind the bulwark。 Her eyes
blazed with excitement； and there was a smile upon her lips。 Beside her
was the zinc bucket half full of cartridges。 George tossed a rifle to her。
She flung him back a loaded one； and began methodically to fill the empty
one with cartridges。
〃Agatha；〃 shouted Cleggett； catching her by the wrist； 〃go to the cabin
at onceyou will get yourself killed！〃
〃I'll do nothing of the sort！〃 she shouted。
〃I love you！〃 cried Cleggett； beside himself with fear for her； and
scarcely knowing what his words were。 〃Do you hearI love you； and I
won't have you killed！〃
A bullet ripped its way through the bulwark； perforated the zinc bucket；
struck the gun which Lady Agatha was loading and knocked it from her
hands。
〃Go to the cabin yourself！〃 she shouted in Cleggett's ear。 〃As for me；
I like it！〃
〃I tell you；〃 shouted Cleggett； 〃I won't have you hereI won't have
you killed！〃
He rose to his feet； and attempted to draw her out of danger。 She rose
likewise and struggled with him in the dark。 She wrenched herself free；
and in doing so flung him back against the rail； it lightened again； and she
screamed。 Cleggett turned； and with the next flash saw that one of the
enemy； his face bloody from the graze of a bullet across his forehead； and
116
… Page 117…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
evidently crazed with excitement of fight and storm； was leaping towards
the rail of the vessel。
Cleggett stooped to pick up a gun； but as he stooped the madman
vaulted over the bulwark and landed upon him； bearing him to the deck。
As he struggled to his feet Lady Agatha； who had grasped a cutlass； cut the
fellow down。 The man fell back over the rail with a cry。
For a long moment there was one continuous electric flash from
horizon to horizon； and Cleggett saw her； with windblown hair and wide
eyes and parted lips； standing poised with the red blade in her hand
beneath the driving clouds； the figure of an antique goddess。
The next instant all was dark； her arms were around his neck in the
rain。 〃Oh； Clement；〃 she sobbed； 〃I've killed a man！ I've killed a man！〃
117
… Page 118…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XVI
ROMANCE REGNANT
Cleggett kissed her。 。 。 。
118
… Page 119…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XVII
MISS PRINGLE CALLS ON MR。
CLEGGETT
But the rushing onset of events struck them apart。 Out of the night
leaped danger； enhancing love and forbidding it。 From the starboard bow
Captain Abernethy shrilled a cry of warning； and the heavy； bellowing
voice of Loge shouted an answer of challenge and ferocity。 The wind
had fallen； but the lightning played from the clouds now almost without
intermission。 Cleggett saw Loge and his followers； machete in hand；
flinging themselves at the rail。 They lifted a hoarse cheer as they came。
The fire from the Jasper B。 had checked the assault temporarily； it had not
broken it up； once they found lodgment on the deck the superior numbers
of Loge's crowd must inevitably tell。
Loge was a dozen feet in advance of his men。 He had cast aside the
light sword which belonged to Cleggett； and now swung a grim machete
in his hand。 Cleggett flung down his gun； grasped a cutlass； and sprang
forward； his one idea to come to close quarters with that gigantic figure of
rage and power。
But before Loge reached the bulwark on one side； and while Cleggett
was bounding toward him on the other； this on…coming group of Cleggett's
foes were suddenly smitten in the rear as if by a thunderbolt。 Out of the
night and storm； mad with terror； screaming like fiends； with distended
nostrils and flying manes and flailing hoofs； there plunged into the midst
of the assaulting party a pair of snow…white horsesastounding； felling；
trampling； scattering； filling them with confusion。 A rocking carriage
leaped and bounded behind the furious animals； and as the horses struck
119
… Page 120…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
the bulwark and swerved aside； its weight and bulk； hurled like a missile
among Cleggett's staggered and struggling enemies； completed and
confirmed their panic。
No troops on earth can stand the shock of a cavalry charge in the rear
and flank； few can face surprise； the boarding party； convinced that they
had fallen into a trap； melted away。 One moment they were sweeping
forward； vicious and formidable； confident of victory； the next they were
floundering weaponless； scrambling anyhow for safety； multiplying and
transforming； with the quick imagination of panic terror； these two horses
into a troop of mounted men。
This sudden and almost spectral apparition of galloping steeds and
flying carriage； hurled upon the vessel out of the tempest； flung； a piece of
whirling chaos； from the chaotic skies； had almost as startling an effect
upon the defenders。 For a moment they paused； with weapons uplifted；
and stared。 Where an enemy had been； there was nothing。 So doubtful
Greeks or Trojans might have paused and stared upon the plains of Ilion
when some splenetic and fickle deity burst unannounced and
overwhelming into the central clamor of the battle。
But it is in these seconds of pause and doubt that great commanders
assert themselves； it is these electric seconds from which the hero gathers
his vital lightning and forges his mordant bolt。 Genius claims and rules
these instants； and the gods are on the side of those who boldly grasp loose
wisdom and bind it into sheaves of judgment。 Cleggett （whom Homer
would have loved） was the first to recover his poise。 He came to his
decision instantaneously。 A lesser man might have lost all by rushing
after his retreating enemies； a lesser man； carried away by excitement；
would have pursued。 Cleggett did not relax his grasp upon the situation； he
restrained his ardor。
〃Stand firm； men！ Do not leave the ship；〃 he shouted。 〃The day is
ours！〃
And then； turning to Captain Abernethy； he cried：
〃We have routed them！〃
120
… Page 121…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃Look at them crazy horses！〃 screamed the Captain in reply。
The animals were rearing and struggling among the ruins of the broken
gangplank。 As the Captain spoke； they plunged aboard the ship； and the
carriage； bounding after them； overtu
