the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第8章
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make known to him her motives for her actions。
〃Do you know；〃 she said； softly and gravely to Cleggett as George and
Elmer deposited the oblong box upon a spot which she indicated near the
cabin； 〃I have met very few men in my life who are capable of what you
are doing？〃
〃I？〃 said Cleggett； surprised。 〃I have done nothing。〃
〃You have found a woman in a strange positionan unusual position；
indeed！and you have helped her without persecuting her with questions。〃
〃It is nothing；〃 murmured Cleggett。
〃Would you think me too impulsive；〃 she said； with a rare smile； 〃if I
told you that you are the sort of man whom women are ready to trust
implicitly almost at first sight？〃
Cleggett did not permit himself to speak for fear that the thrill which
her words imparted to him would carry him too far。 He bowed。
〃But I think you mentioned tea？〃 she said。 〃Did I hear you say it was
orange pekoe； or did I dream that？ And couldn't we have it on deck？〃
While Kuroki was bringing a table and chairs on deck and busying
himself about that preparation of tea； Cleggett watched Elmer； the squat
young man； with a growing curiosity。 George and Cap'n Abernethy were
also watching Elmer from a discreet distance。 Even Kuroki； silent； swift；
and well…trained Kuroki； could not but steal occasional glances at Elmer。
Had Cleggett been of a less lofty and controlled spirit he would certainly
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
have asked questions。
For Elmer； having uncovered the zinc can and taken from it a hammer
and a large tin funnel； proceeded to break the big chunk of ice which
Kuroki had brought him； into half a dozen smaller pieces。 These smaller
lumps； with the exception of two； he put into the zinc bucket； wrapped
around with pieces of coffee sacking。 Then he put the cover on the
bucket to exclude the air。
The zinc bucket was thus a portable refrigerator； or rather； ice house。
Taking one of the lumps of ice which he had left out of the zinc bucket
for immediate use； Elmer carefully and methodically broke it into still
smaller piecespieces about the size of an English walnut； but irregular in
shape。 Then he inserted the tin funnel into a small hole in the uppermost
surface of the unpainted； oblong box and dropped in twenty or more of the
little pieces of ice。 When a piece proved to be too big to go through the
funnel Elmer broke it again。
Cleggett noticed that there were five of these small holes in the box；
and that Elmer was slowly working his way down the length of it from
hole to hole； sitting astride of it the while。
From the way in which he worked； and the care with which he
conserved every smallest particle of ice； Elmer's motto seemed to be：
〃Haste not； waste not。〃 But he did not appear to derive any great
satisfaction from his task； let alone joy。 In fact； Elmer seemed to be a
joyless individual； one who habitually looked forward to the worst。 On his
broad face； of the complexion described in police reports as 〃pasty；〃
melancholy sat enthroned。 His nose was flat and broad； and flat and broad
were his cheek bones； too。 His hair was cut very short everywhere
except in front； in front it hung down to his eyebrows in a straggling black
fringe or 〃bang。〃 Not that the fringe would have covered the average
person's forehead； this 〃bang〃 was not long； but the truth is that Elmer's
forehead was lower than the average person's and therefore easily covered。
He had what is known in certain circles as a cauliflower； or
chrysanthemum； ear。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
But melancholy as he looked； Elmer had evidently had his moments of
struggle against dejection。 One of these moments had been when he
bought the clothes he was wearing。 His hat had a bright； red and black
band around it； his tweed suit was of a startling light gray； marked off into
checks with stripes of green； his waistcoat was of lavender； and his hose
were likewise of lavender； but red predominated in both his shirt and his
necktie。 His collar was too high for his short neck； and seemed to cause
him discomfort。 But this attempt at gayety of dress was of no avail； one
felt at once that it was a surface thing and had no connection with Elmer's
soul； it stood out in front of the background of his sorrowful personality；
accentuating the gloom； as a blossom may grow upon a bleak rock。 As
Elmer carefully dropped ice； piece by piece； into the oblong box；
progressing slowly from hole to hole； Cleggett thought he had never seen
a more depressed young man。
Captain Abernethy approached Cleggett。 There was hesitation in the
brown old man's feet； there was doubt upon his wrinkled brow； but there
was the consciousness of duty in the poise of his shoulders； there was
determination in his eyes。
The blonde lady laughed softly as the sailing…master of the Jasper B。
saluted the owner of the vessel。
〃He is going to tell you；〃 she said to Cleggett； including the Captain
himself in her flashing look and her remark； 〃he is going to tell you that
you really should get rid of me and my boxes at onceI can see it in his
face！〃
Captain Abernethy stopped short at this； and stared。 It was precisely
what he HAD planned to say after drawing Cleggett discreetly aside。 But
it is rather startling to have one's thoughts read in this manner。
He frowned at the lady。 She smiled at him。 The smile seemed to say
to the Cap'n： 〃You ridiculous old dear； you！ You KNOW that's what
you were going to advise； so why deny it？ I've found you out； but we
both might just as well be good…humored about it； mightn't we？〃
〃Ma'am；〃 said the Cap'n； evidently struggling between a suddenly born
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
desire to quit frowning and a sense that he had a perfect right to frown as
much as he wished； 〃Ma'am； if you was to ask me； I'd say ridin' on
steamships and ridin' on sailin' vessels is two different matters entirely。〃
〃Cap'n Abernethy；〃 said Cleggett； attempting to indicate that his
sailing master's advice was not absolutely required； 〃if you have
something to say to me； perhaps later will do just as well。〃
〃As fur as the Jasper B。 is concerned；〃 said the Cap'n； ignoring
Cleggett's remark； and still addressing the lady； 〃I dunno as you could call
her EITHER a sailin' vessel； OR a steamship； as at present constituted。〃
〃You want to get me off your boat at once；〃 said the lady。 〃You know
you do。〃 And her manner added： 〃CAN'T you act like a good… natured
old dear？ You really are one； you know！〃
The Cap'n became embarrassed。 He began to fuss with his necktie；
as if tying it tighter would assist him to hold on to his frown。 He felt the
frown slipping； but it was a point of honor with him to retain it。
〃She WILL be a sailin' vessel when she gets her sticks into her；〃 said
the Cap'n； fumbling with his neckwear。
〃Let me fix that for you；〃 said the lady。 And before the Cap'n could
protest she was arranging his tie for him。 〃You old sea captains！〃
she said； untying the scarf and making the ends even。 〃As if anyone could
possibly be afraid to sail in anything one of YOU had charge of！〃 She
gave the necktie a little final pat。 〃There； now！〃
The Captain's frown was gone past replacement。 But he still felt that
he owed something to himself。
〃If you was to ask me；〃 he said； turning to Cleggett； 〃whether what I'd
got to say to you would do later； or whether it wouldn't do later； I'd answer
you it would； or it wouldn't； all accordin' to whether you wanted to hear it
now； or whether you wanted to hear it later。 And as far as SAILIN' her is
concerned； Mr。 Cleggett； I'll SAIL her； whether you turn her into a
battleship or into one of these here yachts。 I come of a seafarin' fambly。〃
And then he said to the lady； indicating the tie and bobbing his head
forward with a prim little bow： 〃Thank ye； ma'am。〃
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃Isn't he a duck！〃 said the lady； following him with her eyes； as he
went behind the cabin。 There the Cap'n chewed； smoked； and fished；
earnestly and simultaneously； for ten minutes。
Indeed； the blonde lady； from the moment when Elmer began to put
ice into the box； seemed to have regained her spirits。 The little dog；
which was an indicator of her moods； had likewise lost its nervousness。
When Kuroki had tea ready； the dog lay down at his mistress' feet； beside
the table。
〃Dear little Teddy；〃 said the lady； patting the animal upon the head。
〃Teddy？〃 said Cleggett。
〃I have named him；〃 she said； 〃after a great American。 To my mind；
the greatestTheodore Roosevelt。 His championship of the cause of
votes for women at a time when mere politicians were afraid to commit
themselves is enough in itself to gain him a place in history。〃
She spoke with a kindling eye； and Cleggett had no doubt that there
was before him one of those remarkable women who make the early part
of the twentieth century so different from any other historical period。
And he was one with her in her admiration for Roosevelta man whose
facility in finding adventures and whose behavior when he had found them
had always made a strong appeal to Cleggett。 If he could not have been
Cleggett he would have liked
