the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第7章
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walked hesitatingly but gracefully towards him。
She was agitated。 She was； in fact； sobbing； and a Pomeranian dog
which she carried in her arms was whimpering excitedly as if in sympathy
with its mistress。 Cleggett； soul of chivalry that he was； born cavalier of
beauty in distress； removed his hat and advanced to meet her。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER V
BEAUTY IN DISTRESS
〃Can you tell me where I can get some ice？ Can you sell me some
ice？〃 cried the lady excitedly； when she was still some yards distant from
Cleggett。
〃Ice？〃 The request was so unusual that Cleggett was not certain that
he had understood。
〃Yes； ice！ Ice！〃 There was no mistaking the genuine character of
her eagerness； if she had been begging for her life she could not have been
more in earnest。 〃Don't tell me that you have none on your boat。 Don't
tell me that！ Don't tell me that！〃
And suddenly； like a woman who has borne all that she can bear； she
burst undisguisedly into a paroxysm of weeping。 Cleggett； stirred by her
beauty and her trouble； stepped nearer to her； for she swayed with her
emotion as if she were about to fall。 Impulsively she put a hand on his
arm； and the Pomeranian； dropped unceremoniously to the ground； sprang
at Cleggett snarling and snapping as if sure he were the author of the
lady's misfortunes。
〃You will think I am mad；〃 said the lady； endeavoring to control her
tears； 〃but I MUST have ice。 Don't tell me that you have no ice！〃
〃My dear lady；〃 said Cleggett； unconsciously clasping； in his anxiety
to reassure her； the hand that she had laid upon his arm； 〃I have iceyou
shall have all the ice you want！〃
〃Oh；〃 she murmured； leaning towards him； 〃you cannot know〃
But the rest was lost in an incoherent babble； and with a deep sigh she
fell lax into Cleggett's arms。 The reaction from despair had been too
much for her； it had come too suddenly； at the first word of reassurance； at
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
the first ray of dawning hope； she had fainted。 High…strung natures；
intrepid in the face of danger； are apt to such collapses in the moment of
deliverance； and； whatever the nature of the lady's trouble； Cleggett gained
from her swoon a sharp sense of its intensity。
Cleggett was not used to having beautiful women faint and fall into his
arms； and he was too much of a gentleman to hold one there a single
moment longer than was absolutely necessary。 He turned his head rather
helplessly towards the vehicle in which the lady had arrived。 To his
consternation and surprise it had turned around and the chauffeur was in
the act of starting back towards Fairport。 But he had left behind him a
large zinc bucket with a cover on it； a long unpainted； oblong box； and two
steamer trunks； on the oblong box sat a short； squat young man in an
attitude of deep dejection。
〃Hi there！ Stop！〃 cried Cleggett to the chauffeur。 That person
stopped his machine。 He did more。 He arose in the seat； applied his
thumb to his nose； and vigorously and vivaciously waggled his outspread
fingers at Cleggett in a gesture； derisive and inelegant； that is older than
the pyramids。 Then he started his machine again and made all speed in
the direction of Fairport。
〃I say； you； come here！〃 Cleggett called to the squat young man。
〃Can't you see that the lady's fainted？〃
The squat young man； thus exhorted； sadly approached。
〃Can't you see the lady has fainted？〃 repeated Cleggett。
〃Skoits often does；〃 said the squat young man； looking over the
situation in a detached； judicial manner。 He spoke out of the left corner
of his mouth in a hoarse voice； without moving the right side of his face at
all； and he seemed to feel that the responsibility of the situation was
Cleggett's。
〃But； don't you know her？ Didn't you come here with her？〃
The squat young man appeared to debate some moral issue inwardly
for a moment。 And then； speaking this time out of the right corner of his
mouth； which was now nearer Cleggett； without disturbing the left half of
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
his face； he pointed towards the oblong box and murmured huskily：
〃That's my job。〃 He went and sat down on the box again。
Without more ado Cleggett lifted the lady and bore her onto the Jasper
B。 She was a heavy burden； but Cleggett declined the assistance of Cap'n
Abernethy and George the Greek； who had come tardily out of the
forecastle and now offered their assistance。
〃Get a bottle of wine；〃 he told Yosh； as he passed the Japanese on the
deck； 〃and then make some tea。〃
Cleggett laid the lady on a couch in the cabin； and then lighted a lamp；
as it got dark early in these quarters。 While he waited for Yoshahira
Kuroki and the wine； he looked at her。 In her appealing helplessness she
looked even more beautiful than she had at first。 She was a blonde； with
eyebrows and lashes darker than her hair； and； even in her swoon； Cleggett
could see that she was of the thin…skinned； high…colored type。 Her eyes；
as he had seen before she swooned； were of a deep； dark violet color。
She was no chit of a girl； but a mature woman； tall and splendid in the
noble fullness of her contours。 The high nose spoke of love of activity
and energy of character。 The full mouth indicated warmth of heart； the
chin was of that sort which we have been taught to associate with
determination。
The Japanese brought the wine； and Cleggett poured a few spoonfuls
down the lady's throat。 Presently she sighed and stirred and began to show
signs of returning animation。
The Pomeranian； which had followed them into the cabin； and which
now lay whimpering at her feet； also seemed to feel that she was
awakening； and； crawling higher； began to lick one of her hands。
〃Make some tea； Yosh；〃 said Cleggett。 〃What is it？〃
This last was addressed to the lady herself。 Her eyes had opened for
a fleeting instant as Cleggett spoke to the Japanese； and her lips had
moved。 Cleggett bent his head nearer； while Yosh picked up the dog；
which violently objected； and asked again： 〃What is it？〃
〃Orange pekoe； please；〃 the lady murmured； dreamily。
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And then she sat up with a start； struggled to recover herself； and
looked about her wildly。
〃Where am I？〃 she cried。 〃What has happened？〃 She passed her
hand across her brow； frowning。
〃You fainted； madam；〃 said Cleggett。
〃Oh！〃 Suddenly recollection came to her； and her anxieties rushed
upon her once more。 〃The ice！ The ice！〃 She sprang to her feet； and
grasped Cleggett by both shoulders； searching his face with eager eyes。
〃You did not lie to me； did you？ You promised me ice！ Where is the
ice？〃
〃You shall have the ice；〃 said Cleggett； 〃at once。〃
〃Thank God！〃 she said。 And then： 〃Where are Elmer and the box？〃
〃Elmer？ Oh； the short man！ On shore。 I believe that he and your
chauffeur had some sort of an altercation； for the chauffeur went off and
left him。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； simply； as they passed up the companionway to the
deck together； 〃that man； the driver； refused to bring us any farther。〃
Cleggett must have looked a little blank at that； for she suddenly threw
back her head and laughed at him。 And then； sobering instantly； she
called to the squat young man：
〃Elmer！ Oh； Elmer！ You may bring the boxes on board！〃 She
turned to Cleggett： 〃He may； mayn't he？ Thank youI was sure you
would say he might。 And if one of your men could just give him a lift？
Andthe ice？〃
〃George；〃 called Cleggett； 〃help the man get the boxes aboard。
Kuroki； bring fifty pounds of ice on deck。〃
She sighed as she heard him give these orders； but it was a sigh of
satisfaction； and she smiled at Cleggett as she signed。 Sometimes a great
deal can happen in a very short space of time。 Ten minutes before；
Cleggett had never seen this lady； and now he was giving orders at her
merest suggestion。 But in those ten minutes he had seen her weep； he
had seen her faint； he had seen her recover herself； he had seen her emerge
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
from the depths of despair into something more like self…control； he had
carried her in his arms； she had laughed at him； she had twice impulsively
grasped him by the arm； she had smiled at him three times； she had sighed
twice； she had frowned once； she had swept upon him bringing with her an
impression of the mysterious。 Many men are married to women for years
without seeing their wives display so many and such varied phases； to
Cleggett it seemed not so much that he was making a new acquaintance as
renewing one that had been broken off suddenly at some distant date。
Cleggett； like the true…hearted gentleman and born romanticist that he was；
resolved to serve her without question until such time as she chose to
make known to him her motives for her actions。
〃Do you know；〃 she sa
