within the tides-第22节
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hours of Sunday； and so the newspaper men had time to put in some
of their work。 Columns of it。 Lifeboat out twice。 Captain and
crew remain by the ship。 Tugs summoned to assist。 If the weather
improves； this well…known fine ship may yet be saved。 。 。 You know
the way these chaps put it。 。 。 Mrs。 Harry there on her way to
catch a train from Cannon Street。 Got an hour to wait。
〃Cloete takes George aside and whispers： Ship saved yet！ Oh；
damn！ That must never be； you hear？ But George looks at him
dazed； and Mrs。 Harry keeps on sobbing quietly： 。 。 。 I ought to
have been with him。 But I am going to him。 。 。 We are all going
together； cries Cloete； all of a sudden。 He rushes out； sends the
woman a cup of hot bovril from the shop across the road； buys a rug
for her； thinks of everything； and in the train tucks her in and
keeps on talking； thirteen to the dozen； all the way； to keep her
spirits up； as it were； but really because he can't hold his peace
for very joy。 Here's the thing done all at once； and nothing to
pay。 Done。 Actually done。 His head swims now and again when he
thinks of it。 What enormous luck！ It almost frightens him。 He
would like to yell and sing。 Meantime George Dunbar sits in his
corner； looking so deadly miserable that at last poor Mrs。 Harry
tries to comfort him； and so cheers herself up at the same time by
talking about how her Harry is a prudent man； not likely to risk
his crew's life or his own unnecessarily … and so on。
〃First thing they hear at Westport station is that the life…boat
has been out to the ship again； and has brought off the second
officer； who had hurt himself； and a few sailors。 Captain and the
rest of the crew； about fifteen in all； are still on board。 Tugs
expected to arrive every moment。
〃They take Mrs。 Harry to the inn； nearly opposite the rocks； she
bolts straight up…stairs to look out of the window； and she lets
out a great cry when she sees the wreck。 She won't rest till she
gets on board to her Harry。 Cloete soothes her all he can。 。 。 All
right； you try to eat a mouthful； and we will go to make inquiries。
〃He draws George out of the room： Look here； she can't go on
board； but I shall。 I'll see to it that he doesn't stop in the
ship too long。 Let's go and find the coxswain of the life…boat。 。
。 George follows him； shivering from time to time。 The waves are
washing over the old pier； not much wind； a wild； gloomy sky over
the bay。 In the whole world only one tug away off； heading to the
seas； tossed in and out of sight every minute as regular as
clockwork。
〃They meet the coxswain and he tells them： Yes！ He's going out
again。 No； they ain't in danger on board … not yet。 But the
ship's chance is very poor。 Still； if the wind doesn't pipe up
again and the sea goes down something might be tried。 After some
talk he agrees to take Cloete on board； supposed to be with an
urgent message from the owners to the captain。
〃Whenever Cloete looks at the sky he feels comforted； it looks so
threatening。 George Dunbar follows him about with a white face and
saying nothing。 Cloete takes him to have a drink or two； and by
and by he begins to pick up。 。 。 That's better； says Cloete； dash
me if it wasn't like walking about with a dead man before。 You
ought to be throwing up your cap； man。 I feel as if I wanted to
stand in the street and cheer。 Your brother is safe； the ship is
lost； and we are made men。
〃Are you certain she's lost？ asks George。 It would be an awful
blow after all the agonies I have gone through in my mind； since
you first spoke to me； if she were to be got off … and … and … all
this temptation to begin over again。 。 。 For we had nothing to do
with this； had we？
〃Of course not； says Cloete。 Wasn't your brother himself in
charge？ It's providential。 。 。 Oh！ cries George； shocked。 。 。
Well； say it's the devil； says Cloete； cheerfully。 I don't mind！
You had nothing to do with it any more than a baby unborn； you
great softy； you。 。 。 Cloete has got so that he almost loved George
Dunbar。 Well。 Yes。 That was so。 I don't mean he respected him。
He was just fond of his partner。
〃They go back； you may say fairly skipping； to the hotel； and find
the wife of the captain at the open window； with her eyes on the
ship as if she wanted to fly across the bay over there。 。 。 Now
then； Mrs。 Dunbar； cries Cloete； you can't go； but I am going。 Any
messages？ Don't be shy。 I'll deliver every word faithfully。 And
if you would like to give me a kiss for him； I'll deliver that too；
dash me if I don't。
〃He makes Mrs。 Harry laugh with his patter。 。 。 Oh； dear Mr。
Cloete； you are a calm； reasonable man。 Make him behave sensibly。
He's a bit obstinate； you know； and he's so fond of the ship； too。
Tell him I am here … looking on。 。 。 Trust me； Mrs。 Dunbar。 Only
shut that window； that's a good girl。 You will be sure to catch
cold if you don't； and the Captain won't be pleased coming off the
wreck to find you coughing and sneezing so that you can't tell him
how happy you are。 And now if you can get me a bit of tape to
fasten my glasses on good to my ears； I will be going。 。 。
〃How he gets on board I don't know。 All wet and shaken and excited
and out of breath； he does get on board。 Ship lying over；
smothered in sprays； but not moving very much； just enough to jag
one's nerve a bit。 He finds them all crowded on the deck…house
forward； in their shiny oilskins； with faces like sick men。
Captain Harry can't believe his eyes。 What！ Mr。 Cloete！ What are
you doing here； in God's name？ 。 。 。 Your wife's ashore there；
looking on； gasps out Cloete； and after they had talked a bit；
Captain Harry thinks it's uncommonly plucky and kind of his
brother's partner to come off to him like this。 Man glad to have
somebody to talk to。 。 。 It's a bad business； Mr。 Cloete； he says。
And Cloete rejoices to hear that。 Captain Harry thinks he had done
his best； but the cable had parted when he tried to anchor her。 It
was a great trial to lose the ship。 Well； he would have to face
it。 He fetches a deep sigh now and then。 Cloete almost sorry he
had come on board； because to be on that wreck keeps his chest in a
tight band all the time。 They crouch out of the wind under the
port boat； a little apart from the men。 The life…boat had gone
away after putting Cloete on board； but was coming back next high
water to take off the crew if no attempt at getting the ship afloat
could be made。 Dusk was falling； winter's day； black sky； wind
rising。 Captain Harry felt melancholy。 God's will be done。 If
she must be left on the rocks … why； she must。 A man should take
what God sends him standing up。 。 。 Suddenly his voice breaks； and
he squeezes Cloete's arm： It seems as if I couldn't leave her； he
whispers。 Cloete looks round at the men like a lot of huddled
sheep and thinks to himself： They won't stay。 。 。 Suddenly the
ship lifts a little and sets down with a thump。 Tide rising。
Everybody beginning to look out for the life…boat。 Some of the men
made her out far away and also two more tugs。 But the gale has
come on again； and everybody knows that no tug will ever dare come
near the ship。
〃That's the end； Captain Harry says； very low。 。 。 。 Cloete thinks
he never felt so cold in all his life。 。 。 And I feel as if I
didn't care to live on just now； mutters Captain Harry 。 。 。 Your
wife's ashore； looking on； says Cloete 。 。 。 Yes。 Yes。 It must be
awful for her to look at the poor old ship lying here done for。
Why； that's our home。
〃Cloete thinks that as long as the Sagamore's done for he doesn't
care； and only wishes himself somewhere else。 The slightest
movement of the ship cuts his breath like a blow。 And he feels
excited by the danger； too。 The captain takes him aside。 。 。 The
life…boat can't come near us for more than an hour。 Look here；
Cloete； since you are here； and such a plucky one … do something
for me。 。 。 He tells him then that down in his cabin aft in a
certain drawer there is a bundle of important papers and some sixty
sovereigns in a small canvas bag。 Asks Cloete to go and get these
things out。 He hasn't been below since the ship struck； and it
seems to him that if he were to take his eyes off her she would
fall to pieces。 And then the men … a scared lot by this time … if
he were to leave them by themselves they would attempt to launch
one of the ship's boats in a panic at some heavier thump … and then
some of them bound to get drowned。 。 。 There are two or three boxes
of matches about my shelves in my cabin if you want a light； sa
