by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第16节
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auction； on specand they didn't realize the cost of drayage。〃
A slight color mounted to Rosey's face。 〃No；〃 she said； hastily； 〃not
that。〃 Hesitating a moment she then drew softly to his side； and； placing
her arms around his neck； turned his broad； foolish face towards her own。
〃Father；〃 she began； 〃when mother died； would YOU have liked anybody
to take her trunks and paw around her things and wear them？〃
〃When your mother died； just this side o' Sweetwater； Rosey；〃 said Mr。
Nott； with beaming unconsciousness； 〃she hadn't any trunks。 I reckon she
hadn't even an extra gown hanging up in the wagin； 'cept the petticoat ez
she had wrapped around yer。 It was about ez much ez we could do to
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skirmish round with Injins； alkali； and cold； and we sorter forgot to dress
for dinner。 She never thought； Rosey； that you and me would live to be
inhabitin' a paliss of a real ship。 Ef she had she would have died a proud
woman。〃
He turned his small； loving； boar…like eyes upon her as a
preternaturally innocent and trusting companion of Ulysses might have
regarded the transforming Circe。 Rosey turned away with the faintest sigh。
The habitual look of abstraction returned to her eyes as if she had once
more taken refuge in her own ideal world。 Unfortunately the change did
not escape either the sensitive observation or the fatuous misconception of
the sagacious parent。 〃Ye'll be mountin' a few furbelows and fixins； Rosey；
I reckon； ez only natural。 Mabbee ye'll have to prink up a little now that
we've got a gentleman contractor in the ship。 I'll see what I kin pick up in
Montgomery Street。〃 And indeed he succeeded a few hours later in
accomplishing with equal infelicity his generous design。 When she
returned from her household tasks she found on her berth a purple velvet
bonnet of extraordinary make； and a pair of white satin slippers。 〃They'll
do for a start off； Rosey；〃 he explained； 〃and I got 'em at my figgers。〃
〃But I go out so seldom； father； and a bonnet〃
〃That's so；〃 interrupted Mr。 Nott； complacently； 〃it might be jest ez
well for a young gal like yer to appear ez if she DID go out； or would go
out if she wanted to。 So you kin be wearin' that ar headstall kinder like this
evening when the contractor's here； ez if you'd jest come in from a pasear。〃
Miss Rosey did not however immediately avail herself of her father's
purchase； but contented herself with the usual scarlet ribbon that like a
snood confined her brown hair； when she returned to her tasks。 The space
between the galley and the bulwarks had been her favorite resort in
summer when not actually engaged in household work。 It was now lightly
roofed over with boards and tarpaulin against the winter rain； but still
afforded her a veranda…like space before the gallery door； where she could
read or sew； looking over the bow of the Pontiac to the tossing bay or the
further range of the Contra Costa hills。
Hither Miss Rosey brought the purple prodigy； partly to please her
father； partly with a view of subjecting it to violent radical changes。 But
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after trying it on before the tiny mirror in the galley once or twice； her
thoughts wandered away； and she fell into one of her habitual reveries
seated on a little stool before the galley door。
She was roused from it by the slight shaking and rattling of the doors
of a small hatch on the deck； not a dozen yards from where she sat。 It had
been evidently fastened from below during the wet weather； but as she
gazed； the fastenings were removed； the doors were suddenly lifted； and
the head and shoulders of a young man emerged from the deck。 Partly
from her father's description； and partly from the impossibility of its being
anybody else； she at once conceived it to be the new lodger。 She had time
to note that he was young and good…looking； graver perhaps than became
his sudden pantomimic appearance； but before she could observe him
closely； he had turned； closed the hatch with a certain familiar dexterity；
and walked slowly towards the bows。 Even in her slight bewilderment； she
observed that his step upon the deck seemed different to her father's or the
photographer's； and that he laid his hand on various objects with a half…
caressing ease and habit。 Presently he paused and turned back； and
glancing at the galley door for the first time encountered her wondering
eyes。
It seemed so evident that she had been a curious spectator of his abrupt
entrance on deck that he was at first disconcerted and confused。 But after a
second glance at her he appeared to resume his composure； and advanced
a little defiantly towards the galley。
〃I suppose I frightened you； popping up the fore hatch just now？〃
〃The what？〃 asked Rosey。
〃The fore hatch；〃 he repeated impatiently； indicating it with a gesture。
〃And that's the fore hatch？〃 she said abstractedly。 〃You seem to know
ships。〃
〃Yesa little；〃 he said quietly。 〃I was below； and unfastened the hatch
to come up the quickest way and take a look round。 I've just hired a room
here；〃 he added explanatorily。
〃I thought so；〃 said Rosey simply； 〃you're the contractor？〃
〃The contractor！oh； yes！ You seem to know it all。〃
〃Father's told me。〃
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〃Oh； he's your fatherNott？ Certainly。 I see now；〃 he continued；
looking at her with a half repressed smile。 〃Certainly； Miss Nott； good
morning；〃 he half added and walked towards the companion way。
Something in the direction of his eyes as he turned away made Rosey lift
her hands to her head。 She had forgotten to remove her father's baleful
gift。
She snatched it off and ran quickly to the companion way。
〃Sir！〃 she called。
The young man turned half way down the steps and looked up。 There
was a faint color in her cheeks； and her pretty brown hair was slightly
disheveled from the hasty removal of the bonnet。
〃Father's very particular about strangers being on this deck；〃 she said a
little sharply。
〃OhahI'm sorry I intruded。〃
〃IIthought I'd tell you；〃 said Rosey； frightened by her boldness into
a feeble anti…climax。
〃Thank you。〃
She came back slowly to the galley and picked up the unfortunate
bonnet with a slight sense of remorse。 Why should she feel angry with her
poor father's unhappy offering？ And what business had this strange young
man to use the ship so familiarly？ Yet she was vaguely conscious that she
and her father； with all their love and their domestic experience of it；
lacked a certain instinctive ease in its possession that the half indifferent
stranger had shown on first treading its deck。 She walked to the hatchway
and examined it with a new interest。 Succeeding in lifting the hatch； she
gazed at the lower deck。 As she already knew the ladder had long since
been removed to make room for one of the partitions； the only way the
stranger could have reached it was by leaping to one of the rings。 To make
sure of this she let herself down holding on to the rings； and dropped a
couple of feet to the deck below。 She was in the narrow passage her father
had penetrated the previous night。 Before her was the door leading to de
Ferrieres's loft； always locked。 It was silent within； it was the hour when
the old Frenchman made his habitual promenade in the city。 But the light
from the newly…opened hatch allowed her to see more of the mysterious
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recesses of the forward bulkhead than she had known before； and she was
startled by observing another yawning hatch…way at her feet from which
the closely…fitting door had been lifted； and which the new lodger had
evidently forgotten to close again。 The young girl stooped dow
