the cruise of the jasper b.-第15章

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Cleggett　strolled　into　the　barroom　and　took　a　seat　at　a　table　in

the　southeast　corner　of　it；　with　his　back　to　the　angle　of　the

walls。　　He　thus　commanded　a　view　of　the　bar　itself；　a　door　which

led；　as　he　conjectured；　into　the　kitchen；　the　door　communicating

with　the　office；　and　a　door　which　gave　upon　the　west

verandahall　this　easily；　and　without　turning　his　head。　　By

turning　his　head　ever　so　slightly　to　his　right；　he　could　command

a　view　of　the　door　leading　to　the　east　verandah。　　Unless　the

ceiling　suddenly　opened　above　him；　or　the　floor　beneath；　it　would

be　impossible　to　surprise　him。　　Cleggett　took　this　position　less

through　any　positive　fear　of　attack　than　because　he　possessed　the

instinct　of　the　born　strategist。　　Cleggett　was　like　Robert　E。　Lee

in　his　quick　grasp　of　a　situation　and；　indeed；　in　other

respectsalthough　Cleggett　would　never　under　any　circumstances

have　countenanced　human　slavery。



There　were　only　two　men　in　the　place　when　Cleggett　took　his　seat；

the　bartender　and　a　fellow　who　was　evidently　a　waiter。　　He　had

entered　the　west　door　and　walked　across　the　room　without　looking

at　them；　withholding　his　gaze　purposely。　　When　he　looked　towards

the　bar；　after　seating　himself；　the　waiter；　with　his　back　towards

Cleggett's　corner；　was　talking　in　a　low　tone　to　the　bartender。　

But　they　had　both　seen　him；　Cleggett　perceived　they　both　knew

him。



〃See　what　the　gentleman　wants；　Pierre；〃　said　the　bartender　in　a

voice　too　elaborately　casual　to　hide　his　surprise　at　seeing

Cleggett。



The　waiter　turned　and　came　towards　him；　and　Cleggett　saw　the

man's　face　for　the　first　time。　　It　was　a　face　that　Cleggett　never

forgot。　　Cleggett　judged　the　man　to　be　a　Frenchman；　he　was　dark

and　sallow；　with　nervous；　black　eyebrows；　and　a　smirk　that　came

and　went　quickly。　　But　the　unforgettable　feature　was　a　mole　that

grew　on　his　upper　lip；　on　the　right　side；　near　the　base　of　his

flaring　nostril。　　Many　moles　have　hairs　in　them；　Pierre's　mole

had　not　merely　half　a　dozen　hairs；　but　a　whole　crop。　　They　grew

thick　and　long；　and；　with　a　perversion　of　vanity　almost

inconceivable　in　a　sane　person；　Pierre　had　twisted　these　hairs

together；　as　a　man　twists　a　mustache；　and　had　trained　them　to

grow　obliquely　across　his　cheek　bone。　　He　was　a　big　fellow；　for　a

Frenchman；　and；　as　he　walked　towards　Cleggett　with　a　mincing

elasticity　of　gait；　he　smirked　and　caressed　this　whimsical

adornment。　　Cleggett；　fascinated；　stared　at　it　as　the　fellow

paused　before　him。　　Pierre；　evidently　gratified　at　the　sensation

he　was　creating；　continued　to　smirk　and　twist；　and　then；　seeing

that　he　held　his　audience；　he　took　from　his　waistcoat　pocket　a

little　piece　of　cosmetic　and；　as　a　final　touch　of　Gallic

grotesquerie；　waxed　the　thing。　　It　was　all　done　with　that　air　of

quiet　histrionicism；　and　with　that　sense　of　self…appreciation；

which　only　the　French　can　achieve　in　its　perfection。　　〃You

ordered；　M'sieur？〃　　Pierre；　having　produced　his　effect；　like　the

artist　（though　debased）　that　he　was；　did　not　linger　over　it。



〃Era　Scotch　highball；〃　said　Cleggett；　recovering　himself。　　〃And

with　a　piece　of　lemon　peeling　in　it；　please。〃



Pierre　served　him　deftly。　　Cleggett　stirred　his　drink　and　sipped

it　slowly；　gazing　at　the　bartender；　who　elaborately　avoided

watching　him。　　But　after　a　moment　a　little　noise　at　his　right

attracted　his　attention。　　Pierre；　with　his　hand　cupped；　had

dashed　it　along　a　window　pane　and　caught　a　big　stupid　fly；　abroad

thus　early　in　the　year。　　With　a　sense　of　almost　intolerable

disgust；　Cleggett　saw　the　man；　with　a　rapt　smile　on　his　face；

tear　the　insect's　legs　from　it；　and　turn　it　loose。　　If　ever　a

creature　rejoiced　in　wickedness　for　its　own　sake；　and　as　if　its

practice　were　an　art　in　itself；　Pierre　was　that　person；　Cleggett

concluded。　　Knowing　Pierre；　one　could　almost　understand　those

cafes　of　Paris　where　the　silly　poets　of　degradation

ostentatiously　affect　the　worship　of　all　manner　of　devils。



An　instant　later；　Pierre；　as　if　he　had　been　doing　something　quite

charming；　looked　at　Cleggett　with　a　grin；　a　grin　that　assumed

that　there　was　some　kind　of　an　understanding　between　them

concerning　this　delightful　pastime。　　It　was　too　much。　　Cleggett；

with　an　oathand　never　stopping　to　reflect　that　it　was　perhaps

just　the　sort　of　action　which　Pierre　hoped　to　provokegrasped

his　cane　with　the　intention　of　laying　it　across　the　fellow's

shoulders　half　a　dozen　times；　come　what　might；　and　leaving　the

place。



But　at　that　instant　the　door　from　the　office　　opened　and　the　man

whom　he　knew　only　as　Loge　entered　the　room。



Loge　paused　at　the　right　of　Cleggett；　and　then　marched　directly

across　the　room　and　sat　down　opposite　the　commander　of　the　Jasper

B。　at　the　same　table。　　He　was　wearing　the　cutaway　frock　coat；　and

as　he　swung　his　big　frame　into　the　seat　one　of　his　coat　tails

caught　in　the　chair　back　and　was　lifted。



Cleggett　saw　the　steel　butt　of　an　army　revolver。　Loge　perceived

by　his　face　that　he　had　seen　it；　and　laughed。



〃I've　been　wanting　to　talk　to　you；〃　he　said；　leaning　across　the

table　and　showing　his　yellow　teeth　in　a　smile　which　he　perhaps

intended　to　be　ingratiating。　　Cleggett；　looking　Loge　fixedly　in

the　eye；　withdrew　his　right　hand　from　beneath　his　coat；　and　laid

his　magazine　pistol　on　the　table　under　his　hand。



〃I　am　at　your　service；〃　he　said；　steadily；　giving　back　unwavering

gaze　for　gaze。　　〃I　am　looking　for　some　information　myself；　and　I

am　in　exactly　the　humor　for　a　little　comfortable　chat。〃





CHAPTER　XI



REPARTEE　AND　PISTOLS



Loge　dropped　his　gaze　to　the　pistol；　and　the　smile　upon　his　lips

slowly　turned　into　a　sneer。　　But　when　he　lifted　his　eyes　to

Cleggett's　again　there　was　no　fear　in　them。



〃Put　up　your　gun；〃　he　said；　easily　enough。　　〃You　won't　have　any

use　for　it　here。〃



〃Thank　you　for　the　assurance；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃but　it　occurs　to

me　that　it　is　in　a　very　good　place　where　it　is。〃



〃Oh；　if　it　amuses　you　to　play　with　it〃　said　Loge。



〃It　does；〃　said　Cleggett　dryly。



〃It's　an　odd　taste；〃　said　Loge。



〃It's　a　taste　I've　formed　during　the　last　few　days　on　board　my

ship；〃　said　Cleggett　meaningly。



〃Ship？〃　said　Loge。　　〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon。　You　mean　the　old　hulk

over　yonder　in　the　canal？〃



〃Over　yonder　in　the　canal；〃　said　Cleggett；　without　relaxing　his

vigilance。



〃You've　been　frightened　over　there？〃　asked　Loge；　showing　his

teeth　in　a　grin。



〃No；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃I'm　not　easily　frightened。〃



Loge　looked　at　the　pistol　under　Cleggett's　hand；　and　from　the

pistol　to　Cleggett's　face；　with　ironical　gravity；　before　he

spoke。　　〃I　should　have　thought；　from　the　way　you　cling　to　that

pistol；　that　perhaps　your　nerves　might　be　a　little　weak　and

shaky。〃



〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Cleggett；　playing　the　game　with　a　face

like　a　mask；　〃my　nerves　are　so　steady　that　I　could　snip　that

ugly…looking　skull　off　your　cravat　the　length　of　this　barroom

away。〃



〃That　would　be　mighty　good　shooting；〃　said　Loge；　turning　in　his

chair　and　measuring　the　distance　with　his　eye。　　〃I　don't　believe

you　could　do　it。　　I　don't　mind　telling　you　that　_I_　couldn't。〃



〃While　we　are　on　the　subject　of　your　scarfpin；〃　said　Cleggett；　in

whom　the　slur　on　the　Jasper　B。　had　been　rankling；　〃I　don't　mind

telling　YOU　that　I　think　that　skull　thing　is　in　damned　bad　taste。　

In　fact；　you　are　dressed　generally　in　damned　bad　taste。Who　is

your　tailor？〃



Cleggett　was　gratified　to　see　a　dull　flush　spread　over　the

other's　face　at　the　insult。　　Loge　was　silent　a　moment；　and　then

he　said；　dropping　his　bantering　manner；　which　indeed　sat　rather

heavily　upon　him：　　〃I　don't　know　why　you　should　want　to　shoot　at

my　scarfpinor　at　me。　　I　don't　know　why　you　should　suddenly　lay

a　pistol　between　us。　　I　don't；　in　short；　know　why　we　should　sit

here　paying　each　other　left…handed　compliments；　when　it　was

merely　my　intention　to　make　you　a　business　proposition。〃



〃I　have　been　waiting　to　hear　what　you　had　to　say　to　me；〃　said

Cleggett；　without　being　in　the　least　thrown　off　his　guard　by　the

other's　change　of　manner。



〃If　you　had　not　chanced　to　drop　in　here　today；〃　said　Loge；　〃I　had

intended　paying　you　a　visit。〃



〃I　have　had　several　visitors　lately；〃　said　Cleggett　nonchalantly；

〃and　I　think　at　least　two　of　them　can　make　no　claim　that　they

were　not　warmly　received。〃



〃Yes？〃　said　Loge。　　But　if　Cleggett's　meaning　reached　him　he　was

too　cool　a　hand　to　show　it。　　He　persisted　in　his　affectation　of　a

businesslike　air。　〃Am　I　right　in　thinking　that　you　have　bought

the　boat？〃



〃You　are。〃



〃To　come　to　the　point；〃　said　Loge；　〃I　want　to　buy　her　from　you。　

What　will　you　take　for　her？〃



The　proposition　was　unexpected　to　Cleggett；　but　he　did　not　betray

his　surprise。



〃You　want　to　buy　her？〃　he　said。　　〃You　want　to　buy　the　old　hulk

over　yonder　in　the　canal？〃　　He　laughed；　but　continued：　　〃What　on

earth　can　your　interest　be　in　her？〃



There　was　a　trace　of　surliness　in　Loge's　voice　as　he　answered：　

〃YOU　were　enough　interested　in　her　to　buy　her；　it　seems。　　Why

shouldn't　I　have　the　same　interest？〃



Cleggett　was　silent　a　moment；　and　then　he　leaned　across　the　table

and　said　with　emphasis：　　〃I　have　noticed　your　interest　in　the

Jasper　B。　since　the　day　I　first　set　foot　on　her。　　And　let　me　warn

you　that　unless　you　show　your　curiosity　in　some　other　manner

henceforth；　you　will　seriously　regret　it。　　A　couple　of　your　men

have　repented　of　your　interest　already。〃



〃My　men？　　What　do　you　mean　by　my　men？　　I　haven't　any　men。〃　

Loge's　imitation　of　astonishment　was　a　piece　of　art；　but　if

anything　he　overdid　it　a　trifle。　　He　frowned　in　a　puzzled

fashion；　and　then　said：　　〃You　talk　about　my　men；　you　speak

riddles　to　me；　you　appear　to　threaten　me；　but　after　all　I　have

only　made　you　a　plain　business　proposition。　　I　ask　you　again；

what　will　you　take　for　her？〃



〃She's　not　for　sale；〃　said　Cleggett　shortly。



Loge　did　not　speak　again　for　a　moment。　　Instead；　he　picked　up　the

spoon　with　which　Cleggett　had　stirred　his　highball　and　began　to

draw　characters　with　its　wet　point　upon　the　table。　　〃If　it's　a

question　of　price；〃　he　said　finally；　〃I'm　prepared　to　allow　you　a

handsome　profit。〃



Cleggett　determined　to　find　out　how　far　he　would　go。



〃You　might　be　willing　to　pay　as　much　as　5；000　for　herfor　the

old　hulk　over　there　in　the　canal？〃



Loge　stopped　playing　with　the　spoon　and　looked　searchingly　into

Cleggett's　face。　　Then　he　said：



〃I　will。　　Turn　her　over　to　me　the　way　she　was　the　day　you　bought

her；　and　I'll　give　you　5；000。〃　　He　paused；　and　then　repeated；

stressing　the　words：　〃MIND　YOU；　WITH　EVERYTHING　IN　HER　THE　WAY　IT

WAS　THE　DAY　YOU　BOUGHT　HER。〃



Cleggett　fumbled　with　his　fingers　in　a　waistcoat　pocket；　drew　out

the　torn　piece　of　counterfeit　money　which　he　had　taken　from　the

dead　hand；　and　flung　it　on　the　table。



〃Five　thousand　dollars；〃　he