the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第34章
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Barelegged； a red blanket fastened about his throat with a big brass safety
pin； a thermometer in one hand and a medicine bottle in the other； he
tottered； crazily and weakly between Loge and Barnstable； chanting a vers
libre poem in a shrill； insane voice。
Loge； who had extended himself in a vigorous lunge； was struck by
the weight of the young anarchist's body at the crook of the knees； and
came down on the deck at full length； his machete flying from his hand as
he fell。
Cleggett was upon the criminal in an instant； his hand at the outlaw's
throat。 They grappled and rolled upon the deck。 But in another second
Wilton Barnstable and Barton Ward； coming to Cleggett's assistance； had
snapped irons upon the president of the crime trust； hand and foot。
His overthrow was the signal of his men's defeat。 As he went down
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they hesitated and wavered。 The two great negroes； taking advantage of
this hesitation； burst among them with mighty blows and strange Afro…
American oaths； Castor and Pollux in bronze。 With a shout of 〃Banzai！〃
Kuroki rushed forward with his kris； the other defenders added weight and
fury to the rally。 Before the irons were on the wrists of Loge his men
were routed。 They leaped the rail and made off for their fleet of taxicabs；
flinging away their weapons as they ran。
Loge writhed and twisted and lashed the deck with his legs and body
for a moment； striving even against the bands of steel that bit into his
wrists and ankles。 And then he lay still with his face against the planks
as if in a vast and overwhelming bitterness of despair。
It had been Cleggett's earlier thought to take the man alive； if possible；
and turn him over to the authorities。 But now that Loge was taken he
burned with the wish for personal combat with him。 He desired to be the
agent of society； and put an end to Logan Black himself。
Cleggett； as he gazed at the fellow lying prone upon the deck； could
not repress a murmur of dissatisfaction。
〃We never fought it out；〃 he said。
Whether Loge heard him or not； the same thought was evidently
running is his mind。 He lifted his head。 A slow； malignant grin that
showed his yellow canine teeth lifted his upper lip。 He fixed his eyes on
Cleggett with a cold deadliness of hatred and said：
〃You are lucky。〃
Outwardly Cleggett remained calm； but inwardly he was shaken with
an intensity of passion that matched Loge's own。
〃Lucky？〃 he said quietly。 〃That is as may be。 And if； as I infer； you
desire a settlement of a more personal nature than the law recognizes； it is
still not too late to accommodate you。〃
〃Desire！〃 cried Loge； with a movement of his manacled hands。 〃I
would go to Hell happy if I sent you ahead of me！〃
〃Very well；〃 said Cleggett。 〃Since you have challenged me I will
fight you。 I will do you that honor。〃
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Loge was about to answer when Wilton Barnstable broke in：
〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 he said； 〃I scarcely understand you。 Are you
consenting to fight this man？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Cleggett。 〃He has challenged me。〃
〃A duel？〃 said Wilton Barnstable in astonishment。
〃A duel。〃
〃But that is impossible。 His life is forfeit to the law。 I hope； before
the year is out； to send him to the electric chair。 Under the circumstances；
a duel is an absurdity。〃
〃An absurdity？〃 Cleggett； with his hands on his hips； and a little
dancing light in his eyes； faced the great detective squarely。 〃You permit
yourself very peculiar expressions； Mr。 Barnstable！〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Wilton Barnstable。 〃I withdraw 'absurdity。'
But you must see yourself； Mr。 Cleggett； that a duel is useless； if nothing
else。 The man is our prisoner。 He belongs to the law。〃
Loge had struggled to a sitting posture； his back against the port
bulwark； and was listening with an odd look on his face。
〃The law？〃 said Cleggett。 〃I suppose； in one sense； that is true。 But
the matter has its personal element as well。〃
〃I must insist；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃that Logan Black is my
prisoner。〃
Cleggett was silent a moment。 Then he said firmly： 〃Mr。
Barnstable； it is painful to me to have to remind you of it； but your attitude
forces me to an equal directness。 The fact that Logan Black is now a
captive is due to his efforts to recover certain evidence which may be used
against him。 This evidence I discovered and defended； and this evidence
I now hold in my possession。〃
Wilton Barnstable was about to retort； perhaps heatedly； but Cleggett；
generous even while determined to have his own way； hastened to add：
〃Do not think； Mr。 Barnstable； that I minimize your work； or your
assistancebut； after all； what am I demanding that is unreasonable？ If
Logan Black dies by my hand； are not the ends of justice served as well as
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if he died in the electric chair？ And if I fall； the law may still take its
course。〃
Loge had listened to this speech attentively。 He lifted his head and
glanced about the deck； filling his lungs with a deep draft of air。
Something like a gleam of hope was visible in his features。
〃It is irregular；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； frowning； and not half
convinced。 〃And； in the name of Heaven； why imperil your life
needlessly？ Why expose yourself again to the power of this monstrous
criminal？〃
〃The fellow has challenged me； and I have granted him a meeting；〃
said Cleggett。 〃I hope there is such a thing as honor！〃
〃Clement！〃 It was Lady Agatha who spoke。 As she did so she laid
her hand on Cleggett's arm。 She had hearkened in silence to the colloquy
between him and Barnstable； as had the others。 She drew him out of
sight and hearing behind the cabin。〃
〃Clement；〃 she said with agitation； 〃do not fight this man！〃
〃I must；〃 he said simply。 It cut him to the heart to refuse the first
request that she had asked of him since his avowal of his love for her and
her tacit acceptance。 But； to a man of Cleggett's ideas； there was no
choice。
〃Clement；〃 she said in a low tone； 〃you have told me that you love
me。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he murmured brokenly。
〃And you know〃 she paused； as if she could not continue； but her
eyes and manner spoke the rest。 In a moment her lips spoke it too； she
was not the sort of woman who is afraid to avow the promptings of her
heart。 〃You know；〃 she said； 〃that I love you。〃
〃Agatha！〃 he cried again。 He could say no more。
〃Oh； Clement；〃 she said； 〃if you were killedkilled uselessly！now
that I have found you； I could not bear it。 Dear； I could not bear it！〃
Cleggett was profoundly moved。 He yearned to take her in his arms
to comfort her； and to promise anything she wished。 And the thought
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came to him too that； if he should perish； the one kiss； given and received
in the darkness and danger of fight and storm； would be all the brave
sweetness of her that he would know this side of the grave； the thought
came to him bitterly。 For an instant he wavered。
〃Agatha！〃 he said with dry lips。 〃I have already accepted the fellow's
challenge。〃
〃And what of that？〃 she cried。 〃Would you cling to a barren point of
honor in despite of love？〃
〃Even so；〃 he said； and sighed。
〃Oh； Clement；〃 she said； 〃I cannot bear it！ I cannot bear to lose you！
I always knew you were in the world somewhereand now that I have
found you it is only to give you up！ It is too much！〃
Cleggett was silent for a moment。 When he spoke it was slowly and
gently； but earnestly。
〃No point of honor is a barren one； dear；〃 he said。 〃What the man
lying there may be matters nothing。 It is not to him that I have given my
word； but to myself。 In our hurried modern life we are not punctilious
enough about these things。 Perhaps； in the old days； the men and women
were worse than we in many ways。 But they held to a few traditions； or
the best of them did； that make the loose and tawdry manners of this age
seem cheap indeed。 All my life I have known that there was something
shining and simple and precious concealed from the common herd of men
in this common age； which the brighter spirits of the old days lived by and
served and worshiped。 I have always seen it plainly； and always tried to
live by it； too。 Perhaps it was never； in any period； more than a dream；
but I have dreamed that dream。 And anyone who dreams that dream will
have a reverence for his spoken word no matter to whom it is passed。 I
may be a fool to fight this man； well then； that is the kind of fool I am！
Indeed； I know I am a fool by the judgments of this age。 But I have
never truly lived in this age。 I have lived in the past； I have held to the
dream； I have believed in the bright adventure； I have walked with the
generous； chivalric spirits of the great ages； they have come to me out of
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