within the tides-第20节
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no one the worse for it。 That's the beauty of the thing。
〃George nearly cries。 I believe he did cry at odd times。 This
went on for weeks。 He couldn't quarrel with Cloete。 Couldn't pay
off his few hundreds； and besides； he was used to have him about。
Weak fellow； George。 Cloete generous； too。 。 。 Don't think of my
little pile； says he。 Of course it's gone when we have to shut up。
But I don't care； he says。 。 。 And then there was George's new
wife。 When Cloete dines there； the beggar puts on a dress suit；
little woman liked it； 。 。 。 Mr。 Cloete； my husband's partner； such
a clever man； man of the world； so amusing！ 。 。 。 When he dines
there and they are alone： Oh； Mr。 Cloete； I wish George would do
something to improve our prospects。 Our position is really so
mediocre。 。 。 And Cloete smiles； but isn't surprised； because he
had put all these notions himself into her empty head。 。 。 What
your husband wants is enterprise； a little audacity。 You can
encourage him best； Mrs。 Dunbar。 。 。 She was a silly； extravagant
little fool。 Had made George take a house in Norwood。 Live up to
a lot of people better off than themselves。 I saw her once； silk
dress； pretty boots； all feathers and scent； pink face。 More like
the Promenade at the Alhambra than a decent home； it looked to me。
But some women do get a devil of a hold on a man。〃
〃Yes； some do；〃 I assented。 〃Even when the man is the husband。〃
〃My missis；〃 he addressed me unexpectedly； in a solemn；
surprisingly hollow tone； 〃could wind me round her little finger。
I didn't find it out till she was gone。 Aye。 But she was a woman
of sense； while that piece of goods ought to have been walking the
streets； and that's all I can say。 。 。 You must make her up out of
your head。 You will know the sort。〃
〃Leave all that to me；〃 I said。
〃H'm！〃 he grunted； doubtfully； then going back to his scornful
tone： 〃A month or so afterwards the Sagamore arrives home。 All
very jolly at first。 。 。 Hallo； George boy！ Hallo； Harry； old man！
。 。 。 But by and by Captain Harry thinks his clever brother is not
looking very well。 And George begins to look worse。 He can't get
rid of Cloete's notion。 It has stuck in his head。 。 。 There's
nothing wrong … quite well。 。 。 Captain Harry still anxious。
Business going all right； eh？ Quite right。 Lots of business。
Good business。 。 。 Of course Captain Harry believes that easily。
Starts chaffing his brother in his jolly way about rolling in
money。 George's shirt sticks to his back with perspiration； and he
feels quite angry with the captain。 。 。 The fool； he says to
himself。 Rolling in money； indeed！ And then he thinks suddenly：
Why not？ 。 。 。 Because Cloete's notion has got hold of his mind。
〃But next day he weakens and says to Cloete 。 。 。 Perhaps it would
be best to sell。 Couldn't you talk to my brother？ and Cloete
explains to him over again for the twentieth time why selling
wouldn't do； anyhow。 No！ The Sagamore must be tomahawked … as he
would call it； to spare George's feelings； maybe。 But every time
he says the word； George shudders。 。 。 I've got a man at hand
competent for the job who will do the trick for five hundred； and
only too pleased at the chance； says Cloete。 。 。 George shuts his
eyes tight at that sort of talk … but at the same time he thinks：
Humbug！ There can be no such man。 And yet if there was such a man
it would be safe enough … perhaps。
〃And Cloete always funny about it。 He couldn't talk about anything
without it seeming there was a great joke in it somewhere。 。 。 Now；
says he； I know you are a moral citizen； George。 Morality is
mostly funk； and I think you're the funkiest man I ever came across
in my travels。 Why； you are afraid to speak to your brother。
Afraid to open your mouth to him with a fortune for us all in
sight。 。 。 George flares up at this： no； he ain't afraid； he will
speak； bangs fist on the desk。 And Cloete pats him on the back。 。
。 We'll be made men presently； he says。
〃But the first time George attempts to speak to Captain Harry his
heart slides down into his boots。 Captain Harry only laughs at the
notion of staying ashore。 He wants no holiday； not he。 But Jane
thinks of remaining in England this trip。 Go about a bit and see
some of her people。 Jane was the Captain's wife； round…faced；
pleasant lady。 George gives up that time； but Cloete won't let him
rest。 So he tries again； and the Captain frowns。 He frowns
because he's puzzled。 He can't make it out。 He has no notion of
living away from his Sagamore。 。 。
〃Ah！〃 I cried。 〃Now I understand。〃
〃No； you don't；〃 he growled； his black； contemptuous stare turning
on me crushingly。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 I murmured。
〃H'm！ Very well； then。 Captain Harry looks very stern； and George
crumples all up inside。 。 。 He sees through me； he thinks。 。 。 Of
course it could not be； but George； by that time； was scared at his
own shadow。 He is shirking it with Cloete； too。 Gives his partner
to understand that his brother has half a mind to try a spell on
shore； and so on。 Cloete waits； gnawing his fingers； so anxious。
Cloete really had found a man for the job。 Believe it or not； he
had found him inside the very boarding…house he lodged in …
somewhere about Tottenham Court Road。 He had noticed down…stairs a
fellow … a boarder and not a boarder … hanging about the dark …
part of the passage mostly； sort of 'man of the house；' a slinking
chap。 Black eyes。 White face。 The woman of the house … a widow
lady； she called herself … very full of Mr。 Stafford； Mr。 Stafford
this and Mr。 Stafford that。 。 。 Anyhow； Cloete one evening takes
him out to have a drink。 Cloete mostly passed away his evenings in
saloon bars。 No drunkard； though； Cloete； for company； liked to
talk to all sorts there； just habit； American fashion。
〃So Cloete takes that chap out more than once。 Not very good
company； though。 Little to say for himself。 Sits quiet and drinks
what's given to him； eyes always half closed； speaks sort of
demure。 。 。 I've had misfortunes； he says。 The truth was they had
kicked him out of a big steam…ship company for disgraceful conduct；
nothing to affect his certificate； you understand； and he had gone
down quite easily。 Liked it； I expect。 Anything's better than
work。 Lived on the widow lady who kept that boarding…house。〃
〃That's almost incredible；〃 I ventured to interrupt。 〃A man with a
master's certificate； do you mean？〃
〃I do； I've known them 'bus cads；〃 he growled； contemptuously。
〃Yes。 Swing on the tail…board by the strap and yell； 'tuppence all
the way。' Through drink。 But this Stafford was of another kind。
Hell's full of such Staffords； Cloete would make fun of him； and
then there would be a nasty gleam in the fellow's half…shut eye。
But Cloete was generally kind to him。 Cloete was a fellow that
would be kind to a mangy dog。 Anyhow； he used to stand drinks to
that object； and now and then gave him half a crown … because the
widow lady kept Mr。 Stafford short of pocket…money。 They had rows
almost every day down in the basement。 。 。
It was the fellow being a sailor that put into Cloete's mind the
first notion of doing away with the Sagamore。 He studies him a
bit； thinks there's enough devil in him yet to be tempted； and one
evening he says to him 。 。 。 I suppose you wouldn't mind going to
sea again； for a spell？ 。 。 。 The other never raises his eyes； says
it's scarcely worth one's while for the miserable salary one gets。
。 。 Well； but what do you say to captain's wages for a time； and a
couple of hundred extra if you are compelled to come home without
the ship。 Accidents will happen； says Cloete。 。 。 Oh！ sure to；
says that Stafford； and goes on taking sips of his drink as if he
had no interest in the matter。
〃Cloete presses him a bit； but the other observes； impudent and
languid like： You see； there's no future in a thing like that … is
there？ 。 。 Oh！ no； says Cloete。 Certainly not。 I don't mean this
to have any future … as far as you are concerned。 It's a 'once for
all' transaction。 Well； what do you estimate your future at？ he
asks。 。 。 The fellow more listless than ever … nearly asleep。 … I
believe the skunk was really too lazy to care。 Small cheating at
cards； wheedling or bullying his living out of some woman or other；
was more his style。 Cloete swears at him in whispers something
awful。 All this in the saloon bar of the Horse Shoe； Tottenham
Court Road。 Finally they agree； over the second sixpennyworth of
Scotch hot； on five hundred pounds as the price of tomahawking the
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