the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第32节
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With which cheerful wish Jefferson lifted respectfully； and with a
certain calm detachment； the figure of a woman from the debris。
〃Thank you； Jefferson；〃 she said。 〃I fear I am very much bruised and
shaken； but I have been feeling all my bones while lying there； and I
believe that I have sustained no fractures。〃
Miss Pringle was a woman of about fifty； small and prim。 Prim with
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an unconquerable primness that neither storm nor battle nor accident could
shake。 If she had been killed in the runaway she would have looked prim
in death while awaiting the undertaker。 She must have been wet almost
to those unfractured bones which she had been feeling； her black silk dress；
with its white ruching about the neck； was torn and bedraggled； her black
hat； with its jet ornaments； was crushed and hung askew over one ear；
nevertheless； Miss Pringle conveyed at once and definitely an impression
of unassailable respectability and strong character。
〃Which of you is Mr。 Cleggett？〃 she asked； looking about her； in the
lantern light； at the crew of the Jasper B。； as she leaned upon the arm of
Jefferson； her mannerly and deliberate servitor。
〃I am Mr。 Cleggett。〃
〃Ah！〃 Miss Pringle inspected him with an eye which gleamed with a
hint of latent possibilities of belligerency。 〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 she continued；
pursing her lips； 〃I have sought an interview to warn you that you are
harboring an impostor on your ship。〃
At that moment Lady Agatha joined the group。 As the light fell upon
her Miss Pringle stepped forward and thrust an accusing； a denunciatory
finger at the Englishwoman。
〃You；〃 she said； 〃call yourself Lady Agatha Fairhaven！〃
〃I do；〃 said Lady Agatha。
〃Woman！〃 cried Miss Pringle； shaking with the stress of her moral
wrath。 〃Where are my plum preserves？〃
And with this cryptic utterance the little lady； having come to the end
of her strength； primly fainted。
Jefferson picked her up and carried her； in a serene and stately manner；
to the cabin。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XVIII
THE MAN IN THE BLUE
PAJAMAS
The rain had ceased almost as Miss Pringle was removed to the cabin。
The storm had passed。 Low down on the edges of the world there were
still a few dark clouds； there was still an occasional glimmer of lightning；
but overhead the mists were fleecy； light and broken。 A few stars were
visible here and there。
And then in a moment more a full moon rose high and serene above
the world。 The May moon is often very brilliant in these latitudes； as
sailors who are familiar with the coasts of Long Island can testify。 This
moon was unusually brilliant； even for the season of the year and the
quarter of the globe。 It lighted up earth and sky so that it was （in the
familiar phrase） almost possible to read by it。 Only a few moments had
elapsed since the rout of Logan Black's ruffians； but in the vicinity of this
remarkable island such sudden meteorological changes are anything but
rare； geographers and travelers know。
Lady Agatha had gone into the cabin to resuscitate Miss Pringle and；
as she said； 〃have it out with her。〃 Cleggett； gazing from the deck
towards Morris's； in the strong moonlight； wondered when the attack
would be renewed。 He thought； on the whole； that it was improbable that
Loge would return to the assault while this brightness continued。
Suddenly three figures appeared within his range of vision。 They
were running。 But running slowly； painfully； lamely。 In the lead were
the two men whom he had first seen hazed up and down the bank of the
canal by Wilton Barnstable； and whom he had seen the second time
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
chained in the great detective's boat。
They were shackled wrist to wrist now。 To the left leg of one of them
was attached a heavy ball。 A similar ball was attached to the right leg of
the other。 They had picked these balls up and were struggling along
under their weight at a gait which was more like a staggering walk than a
trot。
They were pursued by the man whom Cleggett had seen attempt to
escape from Morris's。 This man still wore his suit of baby blue pajamas。
He wore nothing else。 He was stiff。 He moved as if the ground hurt
his bare feet。
He especially favored； as Cleggett noticed； the foot on which there was
a bunion。 He was lame。 He crept rather than ran。 But he seemed
bitterly intent upon reaching the two men in irons who labored along
twenty or thirty feet ahead of him。 And they； on their part； casting now
and then backward glances over their shoulders at their pursuer。
Cleggett divined that the men in irons had escaped from the Annabel
Lee； and that the man in the baby blue pajamas was loose from Morris's。
But why the man in the pajamas pursued and the others fled he could not
guess。
They passed within fifty yards of the Jasper B。 But the men in irons
were so intent upon their own troubles； and the pursuer was so keen on
vengeance； that none of them noticed the vessel。 As they limped along；
splashing through the pools the rain had left； the pursuer would
occasionally pause to fling stones and sticks and even cakes of mud at the
fugitives； who were whimpering as they tottered forward。
The man in the baby blue pajamas was cursing in a high…pitched； nasal；
querulous voice。 Cleggett noticed with astonishment that a single…
barreled eyeglass was screwed into one of his eyes。 Occasionally it
dropped to the ground； and he would stop and fumble for it and wipe it on
his wet sleeve and replace it。 Had it not been for these stops he would
have overtaken the men in irons。
〃Clement！〃 Lady Agatha laid her hand upon his arm。 〃Miss Pringle
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
wants to see you in the cabin。〃
〃Wellimposter！〃 laughed Cleggett。 〃Is she able to talk to you yet？
And what on earth did she mean by her plum preserves？〃
〃That is what she wants to tell； evidently；〃 said Lady Agatha。 And
she went aft with him。
Miss Pringle； who had been rubbed dry by Lady Agatha； and was now
dressed in some articles of that lady's clothing； which were much too large
for her； sat on the edge of the bed in Lady Agatha's stateroom and awaited
them。 Her appearance was scarcely conventional； and she seemed to feel
it； nevertheless； she had a duty to perform； and her innate propriety still
triumphed over her situation and habiliments。
〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 she said； pointing to the box which contained the
evidence against Logan Black； which was exactly similar to the box of
Reginald Maltravers； and which had been placed in this inner room for
safe…keeping； 〃what does that box contain？〃
Cleggett was startled。 He and Lady Agatha exchanged glances。
〃What do you think it contains？〃 he asked。
〃That box；〃 she said； 〃was shipped to me from Flatbush； and was
claimed in my namein the name of Genevieve Pringleat the freight
depot at Newark； New Jersey； by this lady here。 Deny it if you can！〃
〃I do deny it； Miss Pringle；〃 said Lady Agatha； accompanying her
words with a winsome smile。 But Miss Pringle was not to be won over
so easily as all that； she met the smile with a look of steady reprobation。
And then she turned to Cleggett again。
〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 she said； 〃my birthday occurred a few days ago。 It
wasI have nothing to conceal； Mr。 Cleggettit was my forty…ninth
birthday。 Every year； for many years past； a nie
