hard cash-第31节

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！


yment　carrying　astonishment　and　dismay　into　a　hundred　families。　At　such　moments　the　press　and　the　fireside　ring　for　a　little　while　with　the　common…sense　cry；*　〃Good　interest　means　bad　security。〃　As　for　Dodd；　who　till　then　had　revered　all　these　great　houses　with　nautical　or　childlike　confidence；　a　blind　terror　took　the　place　of　blind　trust　in　him；　he　felt　guilty　towards　his　children　for　risking　their　money　（he　had　got　to　believe　it　was　theirs；　not　his）；　and　vowed；　if　he　could　only　get　hold　of　it　once　more；　he　would　never　trust　a　penny　of　it　out　of　his　own　hands　again；　except；　perhaps；　to　the　Bank　of　England。　But　should　he　ever　get　it？　It　was　a　large　sum。　He　went　to　Messrs。　Anderson　&　Anderson；　and　drew　for　his　fourteen　thousand　pounds。　To　his　dismay；　but　hardly　to　his　surprise；　the　clerks　looked　at　one　another；　and　sent　the　cheque　into　some　inner　department。　Dodd　was　kept　waiting。　His　heart　sank　with　him：　there　was　a　hitch。

*The　Duke　of　Wellington　（the　iron　one）　is　the　author　of　this　saying。

Meantime　came　a　Government　officer；　and　paid　in　an　enormous　sum　in　notes　and　mercantile　bills；　principally　the　latter。

Presently　Dodd　was　invited　into　the　manager's　room。

〃Leaving　the　country；　Captain　Dodd？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃You　had　better　take　some　of　your　money　in　bills　at　sight　on　London。〃

〃I　would　rather　have　notes；　sir；〃　faltered　Dodd。

〃Oh；　bills　by　Oliveira　upon　Baring　are　just　as　good；　even　without　our　endorsement。　However；　you　can　have　half　and　half。　Calcutta　does　but　little　in　English　bank…notes；　you　know。〃

They　gave　him　his　money。　The　bills　were　all　manifestly　good。　But　he　recognised　one　of　them　as　having　just　been　paid　in　by　the　civilian。　He　found　himself　somehow　safe　in　the　street　clutching　the　cash；　with　one　half　of　his　great　paternal　heart　on　fire；　and　the　other　half　freezing。　He　had　rescued　his　children's　fortune；　but　he　had　seen　destruction　graze　it。　The　natural　chill　at　being　scraped　by　peril　soon　passed；　the　triumphant　glow　remained。　The　next　sentiment　was　precaution：　he　filled　with　it　to　the　brim；　he　went　and　bought　a　great　broad　pocket…book　with　a　key　to　it；　though　he　was　on　dry　land；。　he　covered　it　with　oiled　silk　against　the　water；　and　sewed　the　whole　thing　to　his　flannel　waistcoat；　and　felt　for　it　with　his　hand　a　hundred　times　a　day：　the　fruit　of　his　own　toil；　his　children's　hoard；　the　rescued　treasure　he　was　to　have　the　joy　of　bringing　home　safe　to　the　dear　partner　of　all　his　joys。

Unexpectedly　he　was　ordered　out　to　Canton　to　sail　the　_Agra_　to　the　Cape。　Then　a　novel　and　strange　feeling　came　over　him　like　a　cloud；　that　feeling　was；　a　sense　of　personal　danger：　not　that　the　many　perils　of　the　deep　were　new　to　him：　he　had　faced　them　this　five…and…twenty　years：　but　till　now　they　were　little　present　to　his　imagination：　they　used　to　come；　be　encountered；　be　gone：　but　now；　though　absent；　they　darkened　the　way。　It　was　the　pocket…book。　The　material　treasure；　the　hard　cash；　which　had　lately　set　him　in　a　glow；　seemed　now　to　load　his　chest　and　hang　heavy　round　the　neck　of　his　heart。　Sailors　are　more　or　less　superstitious；　and　men　are　creatures　of　habit；　even　in　their　courage。　Now　David　had　never　gone　to　sea　with　a　lot　of　money　on　him　before。　As　he　was　a　stout…hearted　man；　these　vague　forebodings　would；　perhaps；　have　cleared　away　with　the　bustle；　when　the　_Agra_　set　her　studding　sails　off　Macao；　but　for　a　piece　of　positive　intelligence　he　had　picked　up　at　Lin…Tin。　The　Chinese　admiral　had　warned　him　of　a　pirate；　a　daring　pirate；　who　had　been　lately　cruising　in　these　waters：　first　heard　of　south　the　line；　but　had　since　taken　a　Russian　ship　at　the　very　mouth　of　the　Canton　river；　murdered　the　crew　in　sight　of　land；　and　sold　the　women　for　slaves；　or　worse。　Dodd　asked　for　particulars：　was　he　a　Ladroner；　a　Malay；　a　Bornese？　In　what　latitude　was　he　to　be　looked　for？　The　admiral　on　this　examined　his　memoranda：　by　these　it　appeared　little　was　known　as　yet　about　the　miscreant；　except　that　he　never　cruised　long　on　one　ground；　the　crew　was　a　mixed　one：　the　captain　was　believed　to　be　a　Portuguese；　and　to　have　a　consort　commanded　by　his　brother：　but　this　was　doubtful；　at　all　events；　the　pair　had　never　been　seen　at　work　together。


The　gunner　arrived　and　saluted　the　quarter…deck；　the　captain　on　this　saluted　him；　and　beckoned　him　to　the　weather　side。　On　this　the　other　officers　kept　religiously　to　leeward。

〃Mr。　Monk；〃　said　Dodd；　〃you　will　clean　and　prepare　all　the　small　arms　directly。〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir；〃　said　the　old　Niler；　with　a　gleam　of　satisfaction。

〃How　many　of　your　deck…guns　are　serviceable？〃

This　simple　question　stirred　up　in　one　moment　all　the　bile　in　the　poor　old　gentleman's　nature。

〃My　deck…guns　serviceable！　how　the　　_can_　they　when　that　son　of　a　sea…cook　your　third　mate　has　been　and　lashed　the　water　butts　to　their　breechings；　and　jammed　his　gear　in　between　their　nozzles；　till　they　can't　breathe；　poor　things；　far　less　bark。　I　wish　_he_　was　lashed　between　the　devil's　hind…hocks　with　a　red　hot　cable　as　tight　as　he　has　jammed　my　guns。

〃Be　so　good　as　not　to　swear；　Mr。　Monk；〃　said　Dodd。　〃At　your　age　sir；　I　look　to　you　to　set　an　example　to　the　petty　officers。〃

〃Well；　I　won't　swear　no　more；　sir；　dd　if　I　do！〃　He　added　very　loudly；　and　with　a　seeming　access　of　ire；　〃And　I　ax　your　pardon；　captain；　and　the　deck's。〃

When　a　man　has　a　deep　anxiety；　some　human　midge　or　mosquito　buzzes　at　him。　It　is　a　rule。　To　Dodd；　heavy　with　responsibility；　and　a　dark　misgiving　he　must　not　communicate；　came　delicately；　and　by　degrees；　and　with　a　semigenuflexion　every　three　steps；　one　like　a　magpie；　and；　putting　his　hands　together；　as　our　children　do　to　approach　the　Almighty；　delivered　himself　thus；　in　modulated　tones；　and　good　Hindostanee。　〃The　Daughter　of　light；　in　whose　beams　I；　Ramgolam；　bask；　glows　with　an　amicable　desire　to　see　the　lord　commander　of　the　ship　resembling　a　mountain；　and　to　make　a　communication。〃

Taught　by　sad　experience　how　weighty　are　the　communications　the　daughters　of　light　pour　into　nautical　commanders　at　sea；　Dodd　hailed　Mr。　Tickell；　a　midshipman；　and　sent　him　down　to　the　lady's　cabin。　Mr。　Tickell　soon　came　back　reddish；　but　grinning；　to　say　that　nothing　less　than　the　captain　would　do。

Dodd　sighed；　and　dismissed　Monk　with　a　promise　to　inspect　the　gun…deck　himself；　then　went　down　to　Mrs。　Beresford　and　found　her　indignant。　Why　had　he　stopped　the　ship　miles　and　miles　from　Macao；　and　given　her　the　trouble　and　annoyance　of　a　voyage　in　that　nasty　little　boat？　Dodd　opened　his　great　brown　eyes；　〃Why；　madam；　it　is　shoal　water　off　Macao；　we　dare　not　come　in。〃

〃No　evasion；　sir。　What　have　I　to　do　with　your　shoal　water？　It　was　laziness；　and　want　of　consideration　for　a　lady　who　has　rented　half　your　ship。〃

〃Nothing　of　the　kind；　madam；　I　assure　you。〃

〃Are　you　the　person　they　call　Gentleman　Dodd？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Then　don't　contradict　a　lady；　or　I　shall　take　the　liberty　to　dispute　your　title。〃

Dodd　took　no　notice　of　this；　and　with　a　patience　few　nautical　commanders　would　have　shown；　endeavoured　to　make　her　see　that　he　was　obliged　to　give　Macao　shoals　a　wide　berth；　or　cast　away　the　ship。　She　would　not　see　it。　When　Dodd　saw　she　wanted；　not　an　explanation；　but　a　grievance；　he　ceased　to　thwart　her。　〃I　am　neglecting　my　duties　to　no　purpose；〃　said　he；　and　left　her　without　ceremony。　This　was　a　fresh　offence；　and；　as　he　went　out；　she　declared　open　war。　And　she　made　it　too　from　that　hour：　a　war　of　pins　and　needles。

Dodd　went　on　the　gun…deck　and　found　that　the　defence　of　the　ship　had；　as　usual　in　these　peaceful　days；　been　sacrificed　to　the　cargo。　Out　of　twenty　eighteen…pounders　she　carried　on　that　deck；　he　cleared　three；　and　that　with　difficulty。　To　clear　any　more　he　must　have　sacrificed　either　merchandise　or　water：　and　he　was　not　the　man　to　do　either　on　the　mere　chance　of　a　danger　so　unusual　as　an　encounter　with　a　pirate。　He　was　a　merchant　captain；　not　a　warrior。

Meantime　the　_Agra_　had　already　shown　him　great　sailing　qualities：　the　log　was　hove　at　sundown　and　gave　eleven　knots；　so　that　with　a　good　breeze　abaft；　few　fore…and…aft　rigged　pirates　could　overhaul　her。　And　this　wind　carried　her　swiftly　past　one　nest　of　them；　at　all　events：　the　Ladrone　isles。　At　nine　P。M。；　all　the　lights　were　ordered　out。　Mrs。　Beresford　had　brought　a　novel　on　board；　and　refused　to　comply；　the　master…at…arms　insisted；　she　threatened　him　with　the　vengeance　of　the　Company；　the　premier；　and　the　nobility　and　gentry　of　the　British　realm。　The　master…at…arms；　finding　he　had　no　chance　in　argument；　doused　the　glimpitiable　resource　of　a　weak　disputantthen　basely　fled　the　rhetorical　consequences。


The　northerly　breeze　died　out；　and　light　variable　winds　baffled　the　ship。　It　was　the　6th　April　ere　she　passed　the　Macclesfield　Bank　in　latitude　16。　And　now　they　sailed　for　many　days　out　of　sight　of　land。　Dodd's　chest　expanded：　his　main　anxiety　at　this　part　of　the　voyage　lay　in　the　state　cabin；　of　all　the　perils　of　the　sea；　none　shakes　a　sailor　like　fire。　He　set　a　watch　day　and　night　on　that　spoiled　child。


On　the　1st　May　they　passed　the　great　Nantuna；　and　got　among　the　Bornese　and　Malay　islands：　at　which　the　captain's　glass　began　to　sweep　the　horizon　again；　and　night　and　day　at　the　dizzy　foretop　gallant　mast…head　he　perched　an　Eye。

They　cross