the secret sharer-第3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！



He　was　hanging　on　to　my　bunk；　staring　into　my　face　out　of　his　sou'wester。



〃‘Mr。　Leggatt；　you　have　killed　a　man。　　You　can　act　no　longer

as　chief　mate　of　this　ship。'〃



His　care　to　subdue　his　voice　made　it　sound　monotonous。

He　rested　a　hand　on　the　end　of　the　skylight　to　steady　himself　with；

and　all　that　time　did　not　stir　a　limb；　so　far　as　I　could　see。

〃Nice　little　tale　for　a　quiet　tea　party；〃　he　concluded

in　the　same　tone。



One　of　my　hands；　too；　rested　on　the　end　of　the　skylight；　neither　did　I　stir

a　limb；　so　far　as　I　knew。　　We　stood　less　than　a　foot　from　each　other。

It　occurred　to　me　that　if　old　〃Bless　my　soulyou　don't　say　so〃

were　to　put　his　head　up　the　companion　and　catch　sight　of　us；

he　would　think　he　was　seeing　double；　or　imagine　himself　come

upon　a　scene　of　weird　witchcraft；　the　strange　captain　having

a　quiet　confabulation　by　the　wheel　with　his　own　gray　ghost。

I　became　very　much　concerned　to　prevent　anything　of　the　sort。

I　heard　the　other's　soothing　undertone。



〃My　father's　a　parson　in　Norfolk；〃　it　said。　　Evidently　he　had

forgotten　he　had　told　me　this　important　fact　before。

Truly　a　nice　little　tale。



〃You　had　better　slip　down　into　my　stateroom　now；〃　I　said；

moving　off　stealthily。　　My　double　followed　my　movements；

our　bare　feet　made　no　sound；　I　let　him　in；　closed　the　door

with　care；　and；　after　giving　a　call　to　the　second　mate；

returned　on　deck　for　my　relief。



〃Not　much　sign　of　any　wind　yet；〃　I　remarked　when　he　approached。



〃No；　sir。　　Not　much；〃　he　assented；　sleepily；　in　his　hoarse　voice；

with　just　enough　deference；　no　more；　and　barely　suppressing　a　yawn。



〃Well；　that's　all　you　have　to　look　out　for。　　You　have　got　your　orders。〃



〃Yes；　sir。〃



I　paced　a　turn　or　two　on　the　poop　and　saw　him　take　up　his　position　face

forward　with　his　elbow　in　the　ratlines　of　the　mizzen　rigging　before　I

went　below。　　The　mate's　faint　snoring　was　still　going　on　peacefully。

The　cuddy　lamp　was　burning　over　the　table　on　which　stood　a　vase

with　flowers；　a　polite　attention　from　the　ship's　provision　merchant

the　last　flowers　we　should　see　for　the　next　three　months　at　the　very　least。

Two　bunches　of　bananas　hung　from　the　beam　symmetrically；　one　on　each

side　of　the　rudder　casing。　　Everything　was　as　before　in　the　ship

except　that　two　of　her　captain's　sleeping　suits　were　simultaneously

in　use；　one　motionless　in　the　cuddy；　the　other　keeping　very　still

in　the　captain's　stateroom。



It　must　be　explained　here　that　my　cabin　had　the　form　of　the　capital

letter　L；　the　door　being　within　the　angle　and　opening　into　the　short　part

of　the　letter。　　A　couch　was　to　the　left；　the　bed　place　to　the　right；

my　writing　desk　and　the　chronometers'　table　faced　the　door。

But　anyone　opening　it；　unless　he　stepped　right　inside；　had　no

view　of　what　I　call　the　long　（or　vertical）　part　of　the　letter。

It　contained　some　lockers　surmounted　by　a　bookcase；　and　a　few　clothes；

a　thick　jacket　or　two；　caps；　oilskin　coat；　and　such　like；　hung　on　hooks。

There　was　at　the　bottom　of　that　part　a　door　opening　into　my　bathroom；

which　could　be　entered　also　directly　from　the　saloon。

But　that　way　was　never　used。



The　mysterious　arrival　had　discovered　the　advantage　of　this　particular　shape。

Entering　my　room；　lighted　strongly　by　a　big　bulkhead　lamp　swung　on　gimbals

above　my　writing　desk；　I　did　not　see　him　anywhere　till　he　stepped　out　quietly

from　behind　the　coats　hung　in　the　recessed　part。



〃I　heard　somebody　moving　about；　and　went　in　there　at　once；〃　he　whispered。



I；　too；　spoke　under　my　breath。



〃Nobody　is　likely　to　come　in　here　without　knocking　and　getting　permission。〃



He　nodded。　　His　face　was　thin　and　the　sunburn　faded；　as　though

he　had　been　ill。　　And　no　wonder。　　He　had　been；　I　heard　presently；

kept　under　arrest　in　his　cabin　for　nearly　seven　weeks。

But　there　was　nothing　sickly　in　his　eyes　or　in　his　expression。

He　was　not　a　bit　like　me；　really；　yet；　as　we　stood　leaning

over　my　bed　place；　whispering　side　by　side；　with　our　dark　heads

together　and　our　backs　to　the　door；　anybody　bold　enough　to　open

it　stealthily　would　have　been　treated　to　the　uncanny　sight

of　a　double　captain　busy　talking　in　whispers　with　his　other　self。



〃But　all　this　doesn't　tell　me　how　you　came　to　hang　on　to　our　side　ladder；〃

I　inquired；　in　the　hardly　audible　murmurs　we　used；　after　he　had　told

me　something　more　of　the　proceedings　on　board　the　Sephora　once　the　bad

weather　was　over。



〃When　we　sighted　Java　Head　I　had　had　time　to　think　all　those　matters

out　several　times　over。　　I　had　six　weeks　of　doing　nothing　else；

and　with　only　an　hour　or　so　every　evening　for　a　tramp　on　the　quarter…deck。〃



He　whispered；　his　arms　folded　on　the　side　of　my　bed　place；　staring　through

the　open　port。　　And　I　could　imagine　perfectly　the　manner　of　this　thinking　out

a　stubborn　if　not　a　steadfast　operation；　something　of　which　I　should　have

been　perfectly　incapable。



〃I　reckoned　it　would　be　dark　before　we　closed　with　the　land；〃

he　continued；　so　low　that　I　had　to　strain　my　hearing　near

as　we　were　to　each　other；　shoulder　touching　shoulder　almost。

〃So　I　asked　to　speak　to　the　old　man。　　He　always　seemed

very　sick　when　he　came　to　see　meas　if　he　could　not　look

me　in　the　face。　　You　know；　that　foresail　saved　the　ship。

She　was　too　deep　to　have　run　long　under　bare　poles。

And　it　was　I　that　managed　to　set　it　for　him。　　Anyway；　he　came。

When　I　had　him　in　my　cabinhe　stood　by　the　door　looking

at　me　as　if　I　had　the　halter　round　my　neck　already

I　asked　him　right　away　to　leave　my　cabin　door　unlocked

at　night　while　the　ship　was　going　through　Sunda　Straits。

There　would　be　the　Java　coast　within　two　or　three　miles；

off　Angier　Point。　　I　wanted　nothing　more。　　I've　had　a　prize

for　swimming　my　second　year　in　the　Conway。〃



〃I　can　believe　it；〃　I　breathed　out。



〃God　only　knows　why　they　locked　me　in　every　night。

To　see　some　of　their　faces　you'd　have　thought　they

were　afraid　I'd　go　about　at　night　strangling　people。

Am　I　a　murdering　brute？　　Do　I　look　it？　　By　Jove！　　If　I　had　been

he　wouldn't　have　trusted　himself　like　that　into　my　room。

You'll　say　I　might　have　chucked　him　aside　and　bolted　out；

there　and　thenit　was　dark　already。　　Well；　no。　　And　for

the　same　reason　I　wouldn't　think　of　trying　to　smash　the　door。

There　would　have　been　a　rush　to　stop　me　at　the　noise；

and　I　did　not　mean　to　get　into　a　confounded　scrimmage。

Somebody　else　might　have　got　killedfor　I　would　not　have

broken　out　only　to　get　chucked　back；　and　I　did　not　want　any

more　of　that　work。　　He　refused；　looking　more　sick　than　ever。

He　was　afraid　of　the　men；　and　also　of　that　old　second　mate　of　his

who　had　been　sailing　with　him　for　yearsa　gray…headed　old　humbug；

and　his　steward；　too；　had　been　with　him　devil　knows　how　long

seventeen　years　or　morea　dogmatic　sort　of　loafer　who　hated

me　like　poison；　just　because　I　was　the　chief　mate。　　No　chief

mate　ever　made　more　than　one　voyage　in　the　Sephora；　you　know。

Those　two　old　chaps　ran　the　ship。　　Devil　only　knows　what　the　skipper

wasn't　afraid　of　（all　his　nerve　went　to　pieces　altogether

in　that　hellish　spell　of　bad　weather　we　had）of　what　the　law

would　do　to　himof　his　wife；　perhaps。　　Oh；　yes！　she's　on　board。

Though　I　don't　think　she　would　have　meddled。　　She　would　have

been　only　too　glad　to　have　me　out　of　the　ship　in　any　way。

The　‘brand　of　Cain'　business；　don't　you　see。　　That's　all　right。

I　was　ready　enough　to　go　off　wandering　on　the　face　of　the　earth

and　that　was　price　enough　to　pay　for　an　Abel　of　that　sort。

Anyhow；　he　wouldn't　listen　to　me。　　'This　thing　must　take　its　course。

I　represent　the　law　here。'　　He　was　shaking　like　a　leaf。

‘So　you　won't？'　‘No！'　'Then　I　hope　you　will　be　able　to　sleep　on　that；'

I　said；　and　turned　my　back　on　him。　　‘I　wonder　that　you　can；'

cries　he；　and　locks　the　door。



〃Well　after　that；　I　couldn't。　Not　very　well。

That　was　three　weeks　ago。　　We　have　had　a　slow　passage

through　the　Java　Sea；　drifted　about　Carimata　for　ten　days。

When　we　anchored　here　they　thought；　I　suppose；　it　was　all　right。

The　nearest　land　（and　that's　five　miles）　is　the　ship's　destination；

the　consul　would　soon　set　about　catching　me；　and　there　would

have　been　no　object　in　bolding　to　these　islets　there。

I　don't　suppose　there's　a　drop　of　water　on　them。　　I　don't　know

how　it　was；　but　tonight　that　steward；　after　bringing　me　my　supper；

went　out　to　let　me　eat　it；　and　left　the　door　unlocked。

And　I　ate　itall　there　was；　too。　　After　I　had　finished　I　strolled

out　on　the　quarter…deck。　I　don't　know　that　I　meant　to　do　anything。

A　breath　of　fresh　air　was　all　I　wanted；　I　believe。

Then　a　sudden　temptation　came　over　me。　　I　kicked　off　my　slippers

and　was　in　the　water　before　I　had　made　up　my　mind　fairly。

Somebody　heard　the　splash　and　they　raised　an　awful　hullabaloo。

‘He's　gone！　　Lower　the　boats！　　He's　committed　suicide！

No；　he's　swimming。'　　Certainly　I　was　swimming。　　It's　not

so　easy　for　a　swimmer　like　me　to　commit　suicide　by　drowning。

I　landed　on　the　nearest　islet　before　the　boat　left　the　ship's　side。

I　heard　them　pulling　about　in　the　dark；　hailing；　and　so　on；　but　after

a　bit　they　gave　up。　　Everything　quieted　down　and　the　anchorage

became　still　as　death。　　I　sat　down　on　a　stone　and　began　to　think。

I　felt　certain　they　would　start　searching　for　me　at　daylight。

There　was　no　place　to　hide　on　those　stony　things

and　if　there　had　been；　what　would　have　been　the　good？

But　now　I　was　clear　of　that　ship；　I　was　not　going　back。

So　after　a　while　I　took　off　all　my　clothes；　tied　them　up　in　a

bundle　with　a　stone　inside；　and　dropped　them　in　the　deep　water

on　the　outer　side　of　that　islet。　　That　was　suicide　enough　for　me。

Let　them　think　what　they　liked；　but　I　didn't　mean　to　drown　myself。

I　meant　to　swim　till　I　sankbut　that's　not　the　same　thing。

I　struck　out　for　another　of　these　little　islands；　and　it

was　from　that　one　that　I　first　saw　your　riding　light。

Something　to　swim　for。　　I　went　on　easily；　and　on　the　way　I　came

upon　a　flat　rock　a　foot　or　two　above　water。　　In　the　daytime；

I　dare　say；　you　might　make　it　out　with　a　glass　from　your　poop。

I　scrambled　up　on　it　and　rested　myself　for　a　bit。

Then　I　made　another　start。　　That　last　spell　must　have　been

over　a　mile。〃



His　whisper　was　getting　fainter　and　fainter；　and　all　the　time

he　stared　straight　out　through　the　porthole；　in　which　there

was　not　even　a　star　to　be　seen。　　I　had　not　interrupted　him。

There　was　something　that　made　comment　impossible　in　his　narrative；

or　perhaps　in　himself；　a　sort　of　feeling；　a　quality；　which　I　can't　find

a　name　for。　　And　when　he　ceased；　all　I　found　was　a　futile　whisper：

〃So　you　swam　for　our　light？〃



〃Yesstraight　for　it。　　It　was　something　to　swim　for。

I　couldn't　see　any　stars　low　down　because　the　coast　was　in　the　way；

and　I　couldn't　see　the　land；　either。　　The　water　was　like　glass。

One　might　have　been　swimming　in　a　confounded　thousand…feet　deep

cistern　with　no　place　for　scrambling　out　anywhere；　but　what　I　didn't

like　was　the