by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第25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！
expression； 〃at my foolishness in saying you reminded me of the pirate。 I
meant nothing。〃
〃I know you're incapable of meaning anything but good to anybody；
Miss Nott； perhaps to me more than I deserve；〃 said Renshaw with a
sudden burst of feeling。 〃I wishI wishyou would do ME a favor。 YOU
asked me one just now。〃 He had taken her hand。 It seemed so like a mere
illustration of his earnestness； that she did not withdraw it。 〃Your father
83
… Page 84…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
tells you everything。 If he has any offer to dispose of the ship； will you
write to me at once before anything is concluded？〃 He winced a littlethe
sentence of Sleight； 〃What's the figure you and she have settled upon？〃
flashed across his mind。 He scarcely noticed that Rosey had withdrawn her
hand coldly。
〃Perhaps you had better speak to father； as it is HIS business。 Besides；
I shall not be here。 I shall be at the Ranch。〃
〃But you said you didn't want to go？〃
〃I've changed my mind；〃 said Rosey listlessly。 〃I shall go to… night。〃
She rose as if to indicate that the interview was ended。 With an
overpowering instinct that his whole future happiness depended upon his
next act； he made a step towards her； with eager outstretched hands。 But
she slightly lifted her own with a warning gesture； 〃I hear father coming
you will have a chance to talk BUSINESS with him；〃 she said； and
vanished into her state…room。
VI
The heavy tread of Abner Nott echoed in the passage。 Confused and
embarrassed； Renshaw remained standing at the door that had closed upon
Rosey as her father entered the cabin。 Providence； which always fostered
Mr。 Nott's characteristic misconceptions； left that perspicacious parent but
one interpretation of the situation。 Rosey had evidently just informed Mr。
Renshaw that she loved another！
〃I was just saying 'good…by' to Miss Nott；〃 said Renshaw； hastily
regaining his composure with an effort。 〃I am going to Sacramento to…
night； and will not return。 I〃
〃In course； in course；〃 interrupted Nott； soothingly； 〃that's wot you say
now； and that's what you allow to do。 That's wot they allus do。〃
〃I mean；〃 said Renshaw； reddening at what he conceived to be an
allusion to the absconding propensities of Nott's previous tenants；〃I
mean that you shall keep the advance to cover any loss you might suffer
through my giving up the rooms。〃
〃Certingly；〃 said Nott； laying his hand with a large sympathy on
Renshaw's shoulder； 〃but we'll drop that just now。 We won't swap hosses
84
… Page 85…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
in the middle of the river。 We'll square up accounts in your room；〃 he
added； raising his voice that Rosey might overhear him； after a
preliminary wink at the young man。 〃Yes； sir； we'll just square up and
settle in there。 Come along； Mr。 Renshaw。〃 Pushing him with paternal
gentleness from the cabin； with his hand still upon his shoulder； he
followed him into the passage。 Half annoyed at his familiarity； yet not
altogether displeased by this illustration of Rosey's belief of his preference；
Renshaw wonderingly accompanied him。 Nott closed the door； and
pushing the young man into a chair； deliberately seated himself at the table
opposite。 〃It's just as well that Rosey reckons that you and me is settlin'
our accounts；〃 he began； cunningly； 〃and mebbee it's just ez well ez she
should reckon you're goin' away。〃
〃But I AM going；〃 interrupted Renshaw； impatiently。 〃I leave to…
night。〃
〃Surely； surely；〃 said Nott； gently； 〃that's wot you kalkilate to do； that's
just nat'ral in a young feller。 That's about what I reckon I'D hev done to her
mother if anythin' like this hed ever cropped up； which it didn't。 Not but
what Almiry Jane had young fellers enough round her； but； 'cept ole Judge
Peter； ez was lamed in the War of 1812； there ain't no similarity ez I kin
see；〃 he added； musingly。
〃I am afraid I can't see any similarity either； Mr。 Nott；〃 said Renshaw；
struggling between a dawning sense of some impending absurdity and his
growing passion for Rosey。 〃For Heaven's sake speak out if you've got
anything to say。〃
Mr。 Nott leaned forward； and placed his large hand on the young man's
shoulder。 〃That's it。 That's what I sed to myself when I seed how things
were pintin'。 'Speak out；' sez I； 'Abner！ Speak out if you've got anything to
say。 You kin trust this yer Mr。 Renshaw。 He ain't the kind of man to creep
into the bosom of a man's ship for pupposes of his own。 He ain't a man
that would hunt round until he discovered a poor man's treasure； and then
try to rob'〃
〃Stop！〃 said Renshaw； with a set face and darkening eyes。 〃WHAT
treasure？ WHAT man are you speaking of？〃
〃Why Rosey and Mr。 Ferrers；〃 returned Nott； simply。
85
… Page 86…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
Renshaw sank into his seat again。 But the expression of relief which
here passed swiftly over his face gave way to one of uneasy interest as
Nott went on。
〃P'r'aps it's a little highfalutin talkin' of Rosey ez a treasure。 But；
considerin'； Mr。 Renshaw； ez she's the only prop'ty I've kept by me for
seventeen years ez hez paid interest and increased in valooe； it ain't sayin'
too much to call her so。 And ez Ferrers knows this； he oughter been
content with gougin' me in that horse… hair spec； without goin' for Rosey。
P'r'aps yer surprised at hearing me speak o' my own flesh and blood ez if I
was talkin' hoss…trade； but you and me is bus'ness men； Mr。 Renshaw； and
we discusses ez such。 We ain't goin' to slosh round and slop over in po'try
and sentiment；〃 continued Nott； with a tremulous voice； and a hand that
slightly shook on Renshaw's shoulder。 〃We ain't goin' to git up and sing；
'Thou'st larned to love another thou'st broken every vow we've parted from
each other and my bozom's lonely now oh is it well to sever such hearts as
ourn for ever kin I forget thee never farewell farewell farewell。' Ye never
happen'd to hear Jim Baker sing that at the moosic hall on Dupont Street；
Mr。 Renshaw；〃 continued Mr。 Nott； enthusiastically； when he had
recovered from that complete absence of punctuation which alone
suggested verse to his intellect。 〃He sorter struck water down here；〃
indicating his heart； 〃every time。〃
〃But what has Miss Nott to do with M。 de Ferrieres？〃 asked Renshaw；
with a faint smile。
Mr。 Nott regarded him with dumb； round； astonished eyes。 〃Hezn't she
told yer？〃
〃Certainly not。〃
〃And she didn't let on anythin' about him？〃 he continued； feebly。
〃She said she'd liked to know where〃 He stopped； with the reflection
that he was betraying her confidences。
A dim foreboding of some new form of deceit； to which even the man
before him was a consenting party； almost paralyzed Nott's faculties。
〃Then she didn't tell yer that she and Ferrers was sparkin' and keepin'
kimpany together； that she and him was engaged； and was kalkilatin' to
run away to furrin parts； that she cottoned to him more than to the ship or
86
… Page 87…
BY SHORE AND SEDGE
her father？〃
〃She certainly did not； and I shouldn't believe it；〃 said Renshaw；
quickly。
Nott smiled。 He was amused； he astutely recognized the usual
trustfulness of love and youth。 There was clearly no deceit here！
Renshaw's attentive eyes saw the smile； and his brow darkened。
〃I like to hear yer say that； Mr。 Renshaw；〃 said Nott； 〃and it's no more
than Rosey deserves； ez it's suthing onnat'ral and spell…like that's come
over her through Ferrers。 It ain't my Rosey。 But it's Gospel truth； whether
she's bewitched or not； whether it's them damn fool stories she readsand
i
