the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第9节
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eyebrows and lashes darker than her hair； and； even in her swoon； Cleggett
could see that she was of the thin…skinned； high…colored type。 Her eyes；
as he had seen before she swooned； were of a deep； dark violet color。
She was no chit of a girl； but a mature woman； tall and splendid in the
noble fullness of her contours。 The high nose spoke of love of activity
and energy of character。 The full mouth indicated warmth of heart； the
chin was of that sort which we have been taught to associate with
determination。
The Japanese brought the wine； and Cleggett poured a few spoonfuls
down the lady's throat。 Presently she sighed and stirred and began to show
signs of returning animation。
The Pomeranian； which had followed them into the cabin； and which
now lay whimpering at her feet； also seemed to feel that she was
awakening； and； crawling higher； began to lick one of her hands。
〃Make some tea； Yosh；〃 said Cleggett。 〃What is it？〃
This last was addressed to the lady herself。 Her eyes had opened for
a fleeting instant as Cleggett spoke to the Japanese； and her lips had
moved。 Cleggett bent his head nearer； while Yosh picked up the dog；
which violently objected； and asked again： 〃What is it？〃
〃Orange pekoe； please；〃 the lady murmured； dreamily。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
And then she sat up with a start； struggled to recover herself； and
looked about her wildly。
〃Where am I？〃 she cried。 〃What has happened？〃 She passed her
hand across her brow； frowning。
〃You fainted； madam；〃 said Cleggett。
〃Oh！〃 Suddenly recollection came to her； and her anxieties rushed
upon her once more。 〃The ice！ The ice！〃 She sprang to her feet； and
grasped Cleggett by both shoulders； searching his face with eager eyes。
〃You did not lie to me； did you？ You promised me ice！ Where is the
ice？〃
〃You shall have the ice；〃 said Cleggett； 〃at once。〃
〃Thank God！〃 she said。 And then： 〃Where are Elmer and the box？〃
〃Elmer？ Oh； the short man！ On shore。 I believe that he and your
chauffeur had some sort of an altercation； for the chauffeur went off and
left him。〃
〃Yes；〃 she said； simply； as they passed up the companionway to the
deck together； 〃that man； the driver； refused to bring us any farther。〃
Cleggett must have looked a little blank at that； for she suddenly threw
back her head and laughed at him。 And then； sobering instantly； she
called to the squat young man：
〃Elmer！ Oh； Elmer！ You may bring the boxes on board！〃 She
turned to Cleggett： 〃He may； mayn't he？ Thank youI was sure you
would say he might。 And if one of your men could just give him a lift？
Andthe ice？〃
〃George；〃 called Cleggett； 〃help the man get the boxes aboard。
Kuroki； bring fifty pounds of ice on deck。〃
She sighed as she heard him give these orders； but it was a sigh of
satisfaction； and she smiled at Cleggett as she signed。 Sometimes a great
deal can happen in a very short space of time。 Ten minutes before；
Cleggett had never seen this lady； and now he was giving orders at her
merest suggestion。 But in those ten minutes he had seen her weep； he
had seen her faint； he had seen her recover herself； he had seen her emerge
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
from the depths of despair into something more like self…control； he had
carried her in his arms； she had laughed at him； she had twice impulsively
grasped him by the arm； she had smiled at him three times； she had sighed
twice； she had frowned once； she had swept upon him bringing with her an
impression of the mysterious。 Many men are married to women for years
without seeing their wives display so many and such varied phases； to
Cleggett it seemed not so much that he was making a new acquaintance as
renewing one that had been broken off suddenly at some distant date。
Cleggett； like the true…hearted gentleman and born romanticist that he was；
resolved to serve her without question until such time as she chose to
make known to him her motives for her actions。
〃Do you know；〃 she said； softly and gravely to Cleggett as George and
Elmer deposited the oblong box upon a spot which she indicated near the
cabin； 〃I have met very few men in my life who are capable of what you
are doing？〃
〃I？〃 said Cleggett； surprised。 〃I have done nothing。〃
〃You have found a woman in a strange positionan unusual position；
indeed！and you have helped her without persecuting her with questions。〃
〃It is nothing；〃 murmured Cleggett。
〃Would you think me too impulsive；〃 she said； with a rare smile； 〃if I
told you that you are the sort of man whom women are ready to trust
implicitly almost at first sight？〃
Cleggett did not permit himself to speak for fear that the thrill which
her words imparted to him would carry him too far。 He bowed。
〃But I think you mentioned tea？〃 she said。 〃Did I hear you say it was
orange pekoe； or did I dream that？ And couldn't we have it on deck？〃
While Kuroki was bringing a table and chairs on deck and busying
himself about that preparation of tea； Cleggett watched Elmer； the squat
young man； with a growing curiosity。 George and Cap'n Abernethy were
also watching Elmer from a discreet distance。 Even Kuroki； silent； swift；
and well…trained Kuroki； could not but steal occasional glances at Elmer。
Had Cleggett been of a less lofty and controlled spirit he would certainly
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
have asked questions。
For Elmer； having uncovered the zinc can and taken from it a hammer
and a large tin funnel； proceeded to break the big chunk of ice which
Kuroki had brought him； into half a dozen smaller pieces。 These smaller
lumps； with the exception of two； he put into the zinc bucket； wrapped
around with pieces of coffee sacking。 Then he put the cover on the
bucket to exclude the air。
The zinc bucket was thus a portable refrigerator； or rather； ice house。
Taking one of the lumps of ice which he had left out of the zinc bucket
for immediate use； Elmer carefully and methodically broke it into still
smaller piecespieces about the size of an English walnut； but irregular in
shape。 Then he inserted the tin funnel into a small hole in the uppermost
surface of the unpainted； oblong box and dropped in twenty or more of the
little pieces of ice。 When a piece proved to be too big to go through the
funnel Elmer broke it again。
Cleggett noticed that there were five of these small holes in the box；
and that Elmer was slowly working his way down the length of it from
hole to hole； sitting astride of it the while。
From the way in which he worked； and the care with which he
conserved every smallest particle of ice； Elmer's motto seemed to 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 wa
