by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第23节
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Adios。〃
When the door had closed behind him Mr。 Sleight summoned his
clerk。
〃Is that petition for grading Pontiac Street ready？〃
〃I've seen the largest property holders； sir； they're only waiting for you
to sign first。〃 Mr。 Sleight paused and then affixed his signature to the
paper his clerk laid before him。 〃Get the other names and send it up at
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once。〃
〃If Mr。 Nott doesn't sign； sir？〃
〃No matter。 He will be assessed all the same。〃 Mr。 Sleight took up his
hat。
〃The Lascar seaman that was here the other day has been wanting to
see you； sir。 I said you were busy。〃
Mr。 Sleight put down his hat。 〃Send him up。〃
Nevertheless Mr。 Sleight sat down and at once abstracted himself so
completely as to be apparently in utter oblivion of the man who entered。
He was lithe and Indian…looking； bearing in dress and manner the careless
slouch without the easy frankness of a sailor。
〃Well！〃 said Sleight without looking up。
〃I was only wantin' to know ef you had any news for me； boss？〃
〃News？〃 echoed Sleight as if absently； 〃news of what？〃
〃That little matter of the Pontiac we talked about； boss；〃 returned the
Lascar with an uneasy servility in the whites of his teeth and eyes。
〃Oh；〃 said Sleight； 〃that's played out。 It's a regular fraud。 It's an old
forecastle yarn； my man； that you can't reel off in the cabin。〃
The sailor's face darkened。
〃The man who was looking into it has thrown the whole thing up。 I tell
you it's played out！〃 repeated Sleight； without raising his head。
〃It's true； bossevery word；〃 said the Lascar； with an appealing
insinuation that seemed to struggle hard with savage earnestness。 〃You can
swear me； boss； I wouldn't lie to a gentleman like you。 Your man hasn't
half looked； or elseit must be there； or〃
〃That's just it；〃 said Sleight slowly； 〃who's to know that your friends
haven't been there already？that seems to have been your style。〃
〃But no one knew it but me； until I told you； I swear to God。 I ain't
lying； boss； and I ain't drunk。 Saydon't give it up； boss。 That man of
yours likely don't believe it； because he don't know anything about it。 I
DOI could find it。〃
A silence followed。 Mr。 Sleight remained completely absorbed in his
papers for some moments。 Then glancing at the Lascar； he took his pen；
wrote a hurried note； folded it； addressed it； and； holding it between his
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fingers； leaned back in his chair。
〃If you choose to take this note to my man； he may give it another
show。 Mind； I don't say that he WILL。 He's going to Sacramento to…night；
but you could go down there and find him before he starts。 He's got a
room there； I believe。 While you're waiting for him； you might keep your
eyes open to satisfy yourself。〃
〃Ay； ay； sir；〃 said the sailor； eagerly endeavoring to catch the eye of his
employer。 But Mr。 Sleight looked straight before him； and he turned to go。
〃The Sacramento boat goes at nine；〃 said Mr。 Sleight quietly。 This time
their glances met； and the Lascar's eye glistened with subtle intelligence。
The next moment he was gone； and Mr。 Sleight again became absorbed in
his papers。
Meanwhile Renshaw was making his way back to the Pontiac with that
light…hearted optimism that had characterized his parting with Sleight。 It
was this quality of his nature； fostered perhaps by the easy civilization in
which he moved； that had originally drawn him into relations with the man
he had just quitted； a quality that had been troubled and darkened by those
relations； yet； when they were broken； at once returned。 It consequently
did not occur to him that he had only selfishly compromised with the
difficulty； it seemed to him enough that he had withdrawn from a compact
he thought dishonorable； he was not called upon to betray his partner in
that compact merely to benefit others。 He had been willing to incur
suspicion and loss to reinstate himself in his self…respect； more he could
not do without justifying that suspicion。 The view taken by Sleight was；
after all； that which most business men would takewhich even the
unbusiness…like Nott would takewhich the girl herself might be tempted
to listen to。 Clearly he could do nothing but abandon the Pontiac and her
owner to the fate he could not in honor avert。 And even that fate was
problematical。 It did not follow that the treasure was still concealed in the
Pontiac； nor that Nott would be willing to sell her。 He would make some
excuse to Notthe smiled to think he would probably be classed in the
long line of absconding tenantshe would say good…by to Rosey； and
leave for Sacramento that night。 He ascended the stairs to the gangway
with a freer breast than when he first entered the ship。
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Mr。 Nott was evidently absent； and after a quick glance at the half…
open cabin door； Renshaw turned towards the galley。 But Miss Rosey was
not in her accustomed haunt； and with a feeling of disappointment； which
seemed inconsistent with so slight a cause； he crossed the deck impatiently
and entered his room。 He was about to close the door when the prolonged
rustle of a trailing skirt in the passage attracted his attention。 The sound
was so unlike that made by any garment worn by Rosey that he remained
motionless； with his hand on the door。 The sound approached nearer； and
the next moment a white veiled figure with a trailing skirt slowly swept
past the room。 Renshaw's pulses halted for an instant in half superstitious
awe。 As the apparition glided on and vanished in the cabin door he could
only see that it was the form of a beautiful and graceful womanbut
nothing more。 Bewildered and curious； he forgot himself so far as to
follow it； and impulsively entered the cabin。 The figure turned； uttered a
little cry； threw the veil aside； and showed the half troubled； half blushing
face of Rosey。
〃Ibegyour pardon；〃 stammered Renshaw； 〃I didn't know it was
you。〃
〃I was trying on some things；〃 said Rosey； recovering her composure
and pointing to an open trunk that seemed to contain a theatrical
wardrobe〃some things father gave me long ago。 I wanted to see if there
was anything I could use。 I thought I was all alone in the ship； but
fancying I heard a noise forward I came out to see what it was。 I suppose it
must have been you。〃
She raised her clear eyes to his； with a slight touch of womanly reserve
that was so incompatible with any vulgar vanity or girlish coquetry that he
became the more embarrassed。 Her dress； too； of a slightly antique shape；
rich but simple； seemed to reveal and accent a certain repose of
gentlewomanliness； that he was now wishing to believe he had always
noticed。 Conscious of a superiority in her that now seemed to change their
relations completely； he alone remained silent； awkward； and embarrassed
before the girl who had taken care of his room； and who cooked in the
galley！ What he had thoughtlessly considered a merely vulgar business
intrigue against her stupid father； now to his extravagant fancy assumed
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the proportions of a sacrilege to herself。
〃You've had your revenge； Miss Nott； for the fright I once gave you；〃
he said a little uneasily； 〃for you quite startled me just now as you passed。
I began to think the Pontiac was haunted。 I thought you were a ghost。 I
don't know why such a ghost should FRIGHTEN anybody；〃 he went on
with a desperate attempt to recover his position by gallantry。 〃Let me see
that's Donna Elvira's dressis it not？〃
〃I don't think that was the poor woman's name；〃 said Rosey simply；
〃she died of yellow fever at New Orleans as Signora somebody
