within the tides-第24节
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minute or so passes。 This won't do； mutters the coxswain。
Suddenly Stafford speaks up in a sort of hollow voice： I was by
when he told Mr。 Cloete here that he didn't know how he would ever
have the courage to leave the old ship； didn't he； now？ 。 。 。 And
Cloete feels his arm being gripped quietly in the dark。 。 。 Didn't
he now？ We were standing together just before you went over； Mr。
Cloete？ 。 。 。
〃Just then the coxswain cries out： I'm going on board to see。 。 。
Cloete tears his arm away： I am going with you。 。 。
〃When they get aboard； the coxswain tells Cloete to go aft along
one side of the ship and he would go along the other so as not to
miss the captain。 。 。 And feel about with your hands； too； says he；
he might have fallen and be lying insensible somewhere on the deck。
。 。 When Cloete gets at last to the cabin companion on the poop the
coxswain is already there； peering down and sniffing。 I detect a
smell of smoke down there； says he。 And he yells： Are you there；
sir？ 。 。 。 This is not a case for shouting； says Cloete； feeling
his heart go stony； as it were。 。 。 Down they go。 Pitch dark； the
inclination so sharp that the coxswain； groping his way into the
captain's room； slips and goes tumbling down。 Cloete hears him cry
out as though he had hurt himself； and asks what's the matter。 And
the coxswain answers quietly that he had fallen on the captain；
lying there insensible。 Cloete without a word begins to grope all
over the shelves for a box of matches； finds one； and strikes a
light。 He sees the coxswain in his cork jacket kneeling over
Captain Harry。 。 。 Blood； says the coxswain； looking up； and the
match goes out。 。 。
〃Wait a bit； says Cloete； I'll make paper spills。 。 。 He had felt
the back of books on the shelves。 And so he stands lighting one
spill from another while the coxswain turns poor Captain Harry
over。 Dead； he says。 Shot through the heart。 Here's the
revolver。 。 。 He hands it up to Cloete； who looks at it before
putting it in his pocket； and sees a plate on the butt with H。
DUNBAR on it。 。 。 His own； he mutters。 。 。 Whose else revolver did
you expect to find？ snaps the coxswain。 And look； he took off his
long oilskin in the cabin before he went in。 But what's this lot
of burnt paper？ What could he want to burn the ship's papers for？
。 。 。
Cloete sees all； the little drawers drawn out； and asks the
coxswain to look well into them。 。 。 There's nothing； says the man。
Cleaned out。 Seems to have pulled out all he could lay his hands
on and set fire to the lot。 Mad … that's what it is … went mad。
And now he's dead。 You'll have to break it to his wife。 。 。
〃I feel as if I were going mad myself； says Cloete； suddenly； and
the coxswain begs him for God's sake to pull himself together； and
drags him away from the cabin。 They had to leave the body； and as
it was they were just in time before a furious squall came on。
Cloete is dragged into the life…boat and the coxswain tumbles in。
Haul away on the grapnel； he shouts； the captain has shot himself。
。 。
〃Cloete was like a dead man … didn't care for anything。 He let
that Stafford pinch his arm twice without making a sign。 Most of
Westport was on the old pier to see the men out of the life…boat；
and at first there was a sort of confused cheery uproar when she
came alongside； but after the coxswain has shouted something the
voices die out； and everybody is very quiet。 As soon as Cloete has
set foot on something firm he becomes himself again。 The coxswain
shakes hands with him： Poor woman； poor woman； I'd rather you had
the job than I。 。 。
〃Where's the mate？〃 asks Cloete。 He's the last man who spoke to
the master。 。 。 Somebody ran along … the crew were being taken to
the Mission Hall； where there was a fire and shake…downs ready for
them … somebody ran along the pier and caught up with Stafford。 。 。
Here！ The owner's agent wants you。 。 。 Cloete tucks the fellow's
arm under his own and walks away with him to the left； where the
fishing…harbour is。 。 。 I suppose I haven't misunderstood you。 You
wish me to look after you a bit； says he。 The other hangs on him
rather limp； but gives a nasty little laugh： You had better； he
mumbles； but mind； no tricks； no tricks； Mr。 Cloete； we are on land
now。
〃There's a police office within fifty yards from here； says Cloete。
He turns into a little public house； pushes Stafford along the
passage。 The landlord runs out of the bar。 。 。 This is the mate of
the ship on the rocks； Cloete explains； I wish you would take care
of him a bit to…night。 。 。 What's the matter with him？ asks the
man。 Stafford leans against the wall in the passage； looking
ghastly。 And Cloete says it's nothing … done up； of course。 。 。 I
will be responsible for the expense； I am the owner's agent。 I'll
be round in an hour or two to see him。
And Cloete gets back to the hotel。 The news had travelled there
already； and the first thing he sees is George outside the door as
white as a sheet waiting for him。 Cloete just gives him a nod and
they go in。 Mrs。 Harry stands at the head of the stairs； and； when
she sees only these two coming up； flings her arms above her head
and runs into her room。 Nobody had dared tell her； but not seeing
her husband was enough。 Cloete hears an awful shriek。 。 。 Go to
her； he says to George。
〃While he's alone in the private parlour Cloete drinks a glass of
brandy and thinks it all out。 Then George comes in。 。 。 The
landlady's with her； he says。 And he begins to walk up and down
the room； flinging his arms about and talking； disconnected like；
his face set hard as Cloete has never seen it before。 。 。 What must
be； must be。 Dead … only brother。 Well； dead … his troubles over。
But we are living； he says to Cloete； and I suppose； says he；
glaring at him with hot； dry eyes； that you won't forget to wire in
the morning to your friend that we are coming in for certain。 。 。
〃Meaning the patent…medicine fellow。 。 。 Death is death and
business is business； George goes on； and look … my hands are
clean； he says； showing them to Cloete。 Cloete thinks： He's going
crazy。 He catches hold of him by the shoulders and begins to shake
him： Damn you … if you had had the sense to know what to say to
your brother； if you had had the spunk to speak to him at all； you
moral creature you； he would be alive now； he shouts。
〃At this George stares； then bursts out weeping with a great
bellow。 He throws himself on the couch； buries his face in a
cushion； and howls like a kid。 。 。 That's better； thinks Cloete；
and he leaves him； telling the landlord that he must go out； as he
has some little business to attend to that night。 The landlord's
wife； weeping herself； catches him on the stairs： Oh； sir； that
poor lady will go out of her mind。 。 。
〃Cloete shakes her off； thinking to himself： Oh no！ She won't。
She will get over it。 Nobody will go mad about this affair unless
I do。 It isn't sorrow that makes people go mad； but worry。
〃There Cloete was wrong。 What affected Mrs。 Harry was that her
husband should take his own life； with her； as it were； looking on。
She brooded over it so that in less than a year they had to put her
into a Home。 She was very； very quiet； just gentle melancholy。
She lived for quite a long time。
〃Well； Cloete splashes along in the wind and rain。 Nobody in the
streets … all the excitement over。 The publican runs out to meet
him in the passage and says to him： Not this way。 He isn't in his
room。 We couldn't get him to go to bed nohow。 He's in the little
parlour there。 We've lighted him a fire。 。 。 You have been giving
him drinks too； says Cloete； I never said I would be responsible
for drinks。 How many？ 。 。 。 Two； says the other。 It's all right。
I don't mind doing that much for a shipwrecked sailor。 。 。 Cloete
smiles his funny smile： Eh？ Come。 He paid for them。 。 。 The
publican just blinks。 。 。 Gave you gold； didn't he？ Speak up！ 。 。
。 What of that！ cries the man。 What are you after； anyway？ He had
the right change for his sovereign。
〃Just so； says Cloete。 He walks into the parlour； and there he
sees our Stafford； hair all up on end； landlord's shirt and pants
on； bare feet in slippers； sitting by the fire。 When he sees
Cloete he casts his eyes down。
〃You didn't mean us ever to meet again； Mr。 Cloete； Stafford says；
demurely。 。 。 That fellow； when he had the drink he wanted … he
wasn't a drunkard … would put on this sort of sly； modest air。 。 。
But since the captain committed suicide； he says； I have been
sitting here t
