the cruise of the jasper b.-第7章

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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。



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　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。〃



〃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　to　have　been　either　the　Chevalier　d'Artagnan　or　Theodore

Roosevelt。



〃He　is　a　great　man；〃　said　Cleggett。



But　the　lady；　with　her　second　cup　of　tea　in　her　hand；　was

evidently　thinking　of　something　else。　Leaning　back　in　her　chair；

she　said　to　Cleggett：



〃It　is　no　good　for　you　to　deny　that　you　think　I'm　a　horridly

unconventional　sort　of　person！〃



Cleggett　made　a　polite；　deprecatory　gesture。



〃Yes；　yes；　you　do；〃　she　said；　decidedly。　　〃And；　really；　I　am！　　I

am　impulsive！　　I　am　TOO　impulsive！〃　　She　raised　the　cup　to　her

lips；　drank；　and　looked　off　towards　the　western　horizon；　which

the　sun　was　beginning　to　paint　ruddily；　she　mused；　murmuring　as

if　to　herself：　　〃Sir　Archibald　always　thought　I　was　too

impulsive；　dear　man。〃



After　a　meditative　pause　she　said；　leaning　her　elbows　on　the

table　and　gazing　searchingly　into　Cleggett's　eyes：



〃I　am　going　to　trust　you。　　I　am　going　to　reward　your　kindness　by

telling　you　a　portion　of　my　strange　story。　　I　am　going　to　depend

upon　you　to　understand　it。〃



Cleggett　bowed　and　murmured　his　gratitude　at　the　compliment。　

Then　he　said：



〃You　could　trust　me　with〃　　But　he　stopped。　He　did　not　wish

to　be　premature。



〃With　my　life。　　I　could　trust　you　with　my　life；〃　finished　the

lady；　gravely。　　〃I　know　that。　　I　believe　that。　　I　feel　it；

somehow。　　It　is　because　I　do　feel　it　that　I　tell　you〃　　She

paused；　as　if；　after　all；　she　lacked　the　courage。　　Cleggett　said

nothing。　He　was　too　fine　in　grain　to　force　a　confidence。　After　a

moment　she　continued：　　〃I　can　tell　you　this；〃　she　said；　with　a

catch　in　her　voice　that　was　almost　a　sob；　〃that　I　am　practically

friendless。　When　you　call　a　taxicab　for　me　in　a　few　moments；　and

I　leave　you；　with　Elmer　and　my　boxes；　I　shall　have　no　place　to

go。〃



〃But；　surely；　madam〃



〃Do　not　call　me　madam。　　Call　me　Lady　Agatha。　I　am　Lady　Agatha

Fairhaven。　　What　is　your　name？〃



Cleggett　told　her。



〃You　have　heard　of　me？〃　asked　Lady　Agatha。



Cleggett　was　obliged　to　confess　that　he　had　not。　He　thought　that

a　shade　of　disappointment　passed　over　the　lady's　face；　but　in　a

moment　she　smiled　and　remarked：



〃How　relative　a　thing　is　fame！　　You　have　never　heard　of　me！　　And

yet　I　can　assure　you　that　I　am　well　enough　known　in　England。　　I

was　one　of　the　very　first　militant　suffragettes　to　break　a

windowif　not　the　very　first。　　The　point　is；　indeed；　in　dispute。



And　were　it　not　for　my　devotion　to　the　cause　I　would　not　now　be

in　my　present　terrible　plightdoomed　to　wander　from　pillar　to

post　with　that　thing〃　（she　pointed　with　a　shudder　to　the　box　into

which　Elmer　was　still　gloomily　poking　ice）…〃chained　to　me　like

alike　a〃　She　hesitated　for　a　word；　and　Cleggett；　tactlessly

enough；　with　some　vague　recollection　of　a　classical　tale　in　his

mind；　suggested：



〃Like　a　corpse。〃



Lady　Agatha　turned　pale。　　She　gazed　at　Cleggett　with

terror…stricken　eyes；　her　beautiful　face　became　almost　haggard　in

an　instant；　he　thought　she　was　about　to　faint　again；　but　she　did

not。　　As　he　looked　upon　the　change　his　words　had　wrought；　filled

with　wonder　and　compunction；　Cleggett　suddenly　divined　that　her

occasional　flashes　of　gayety　had　been；　all　along；　merely　the

forced　vivacity　of　a　brave　and　clever　woman　who　was　making　a

gallant　fight　against　total　collapse。



〃Mr。　Cleggett；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　that　was　scarcely　louder

than　a　whisper；　〃I　am　going　to　confide　everything　to　youthe

whole　truth。　　I　will　spare　myself　nothing；　I　will　throw　myself

upon　your　mercy。



〃I　firmly　believe；　Mr。　CleggettI　am　practically　certainthat

the　box　there；　upon　which　Elmer　is　sitting；　contains　the　body　of

Reginald　Maltravers；　natural　son　of　the　tenth　Earl　of　Claiborne；

and　the　cousin　of　my　late　husband；　Sir　Archibald　Fairhaven。〃





CHAPTER　VI



LADY　AGATHA'S　STORY



It　was　with　the　greatest　difficulty　that　Cleggett　repressed　a

start。　　Another　man　might　have　shown　the　shock　he　felt。　　But

Cleggett　had　the　iron　nerve　of　a　Bismarck　and　the　fine　manner　of

a　Richelieu。　　He　did　not　even　permit　his　eyes　to　wander　towards

the　box　in　question。　　He　merely　sat　and　waited。



Lady　Agatha；　having　brought　herself　to　the　point　of　revelation；

seemed　to　find　a　difficulty　in　proceeding。　　Cleggett；　mutely

asking　permission；　lighted　a　cigarette。



〃Ohif　you　will！〃　said　Lady　Agatha；　extending　her　hand　towards

the　case。　　He　passed　it　over；　and　when　she　had　chosen　one　of　the

little　r