the cruise of the jasper b.-第13节

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really　FRIGHTFUL　people！〃



〃There　is　good　in　all　men；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃even　in　those　whom

the　stern　necessities　of　idealism　sentence　to　death。　　And　I　have

no　doubt　that　many　a　Chinese　pirate　would；　under　other

circumstances；　have　developed　into　a　very　contented　and　useful

laundry…man。〃



Lady　Agatha　studied　him　intently　for　a　moment。　〃Mr。　Cleggett；〃

she　said；　〃if　you　will　permit　me　to　say　so；　a　great　suffragist

leader　was　lost　when　fate　made　you　a　man。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Cleggett；　bowing　again。



He　dispatched　Georgea　person　of　address　as　well　as　a　fighter　in

whom　the　blood　of　ancient　Greece　ran　quick　and　strongon　a

humanitarian　mission。　　George　was　to　walk　a　mile　to　the　trolley

line；　go　to　Fairport；　hire　a　taxicab；　and　make　all　possible　speed

into　Manhattan。　　There　he　was　to　　communicate　with　a　young

physician　of　Cleggett's　acquaintance；　Dr。　Harry　Farnsworth。



Dr。　Farnsworth；　as　Cleggett　knew；　was　just　out　of　medical　school。　

He　had　his　degree；　but　no　patients。　　But　he　was　bold　and　ready。　

He　was；　in　short；　just　the　lad　to　welcome　with　enthusiasm　such　a

chance　for　active　service　as　the　cruise　of　the　Jasper　B。　promised

to　afford。



It　was　something　of　a　risk　to　weaken　his　little　party　by　sending

George　away　for　several　hours。　But　Cleggett　did　not　hesitate。　　He

was　not　the　man　to　allow　considerations　of　personal　safety　to

outweigh　his　devotion　to　an　ideal。



〃And　now；〃　said　Cleggett；　turning　to　Lady　Agatha；　who　had

hearkened　to　his　orders　to　George　with　a　bright　smile　of

approval；　〃we　will　dine；　and　I　will　hear　the　rest　of　your　story；

which　was　so　rudely　interrupted。　　It　is　possible　that　together　we

may　be　able　to　find　some　solution　of　your　problem。〃



〃Dine！〃　exclaimed　Lady　Agatha；　eagerly。　　〃Yes；　let　us　dine！　　It

may　sound　incredible　to　you；　Mr。　Cleggett；　that　the　daughter　of

an　English　peer　and　the　widow　of　a　baronet　should　confess　that；

except　for　your　tea；　she　has　scarcely　eaten　for　twenty…four

hoursbut　it　is　so！〃



Then　she　said；　sadly；　with　a　sign　and　sidelong　glance　at　the　box

of　Reginald　Maltravers　which　stood　near　the　cabin　companionway

dripping　coldly：　　〃Until　now；　Mr。　Cleggettuntil　your　aid　had

given　me　fresh　hope　and　strengthI　had；　indeed；　very　little

appetite。〃



Cleggett　followed　her　gaze；　and　it　must　be　admitted　that　he

himself　experienced　a　momentary　sense　of　depression　at　the　sight

of　the　box　of　Reginald　Maltravers。　　It　looked　so　damp；　it　looked

so　chill；　it　looked　so　starkly　and　patiently　and　malevolently

watchful　of　himself　and　Lady　Agatha。　　In　a　flash　his　lively　fancy

furnished　him　with　a　picture　of　the　box　of　Reginald　Maltravers

suddenly　springing　upright　and　hopping　towards　him　on　one　end

with　a　series　of　stiff　jumps　that　would　send　drops　of　moisture

flying　from　the　cracks　and　seams　and　make　the　ice　inside　of　it

clink　and　tinkle。　　And　the　mournful　Elmer；　now　drowsing　callously

over　his　charge；　was　not　an　invitation　to　be　blithe。　　If　Cleggett

himself　were　so　affected　（he　mused）　what　must　be　the　effect　of

the　box　of　Reginald　Maltravers　upon　sensibilities　as　fine　and

delicate　as　those　of　a　woman　like　Lady　Agatha　Fairhaven？



〃Could　Iif　I　might〃　Lady　Agatha　hesitated；　with　a　glance

towards　the　cabin。　　Cleggett　instantly　divined　her　thought；　for

brief　as　was　their　acquaintance；　there　was　an　almost　psychic

accord　between　his　mind　and　hers；　and　he　felt　himself　already

answering　to　her　unspoken　wish　as　a　ship　to　its　rudder。



〃The　cabin　is　at　your　service；〃　said　Cleggett；　for　he　understood

that　she　wished　to　dress　for　dinner。　　He　conducted　her；　with　a

touch　of　formality；　to　his　own　room　in　the　cabin；　which　he　put　at

her　disposal；　ordering　her　steamer　trunks　to　be　placed　in　it。　

Then；　taking　with　him　some　necessaries　of　his　own；　he　withdrew　to

the　forecastle　to　make　a　careful　toilet。



It　might　not　have　occurred　to　another　man　to　dress　for　dinner；

but　Cleggett's　character　was　an　unusual　blend　of　delicacy　and

strength；　he　perceived　subtly　that　Lady　Agatha　was　of　the　nature

to　appreciate　this　compliment。　　At　a　moment　when　her　fortunes

were　at　a　low　ebb　what　could　more　cheer　a　woman　and　hearten　her

than　such　a　mark　of　consideration？　　Already　Cleggett　found

himself　asking　what　would　please　Lady　Agatha。　





CHAPTER　VIII



A　FLAME　LEAPS　OUT　OF　THE　DARK



Kuroki　announced　dinner；　Cleggett　entered　the　captain's　mess　room

of　the　cabin；　where　the　cloth　was　laid；　and　a　moment　later　lady

Agatha　emerged　from　the　stateroom　and　gave　him　her　hand　with　a

smile。



If　he　had　thought　her　beautiful　before；　when　she　wore　her　plain

traveling　suit；　he　thought　her　radiant　now；　in　the　true　sense　of

that　much　abused　word。　　For　she　flung　forth　her　charm　in　vital

radiations。　If　Cleggett　had　possessed　a　common　mind　he　might　have

phrased　it　to　himself　that　she　hit　a　man　squarely　in　the　eyes。　　

Her　beauty　had　that　direct　and　almost　aggressive　quality　that　is

like　a　challenge；　and　with　sophisticated　feminine　art　she　had

contrived　that　the　dinner　gown　she　chose　for　that　evening　should

sound　the　keynote　of　her　personality　like　a　leitmotif　in　an

opera。　　The　costume　was　a　creation　of　white　satin；　the　folds

caught　here　and　there　with　strings　of　pearls。　　There　was　a　single

large　rose　of　pink　velvet　among　the　draperies　of　the　skirt；　a

looped　girdle　of　blue　velvet　was　the　only　other　splash　of　color。　

But　the　full…leaved；　expanded　and　matured　rose　became　the　vivid

epitome　and　illustration　of　the　woman　herself。　　A　rope　of　pearls

that　hung　down　to　her　waist　added　the　touch　of　soft　luster

essential　to　preserve　the　picture　from　the　reproach　of　being　too

obvious　an　assault　upon　the　senses；　Cleggett　reflected　that

another　woman　might　have　gone　too　far　and　spoiled　it　all　by

wearing　diamonds。　　Lady　Agatha　always　knew　where　to　stop。



〃I　have　not　been　so　hungry　since　I　was　in　Holloway　Jail；〃　said

Lady　Agatha。　　And　she　ate　with　a　candid　gusto　that　pleased

Cleggett；　who　loathed　in　a　woman　a　finical　affectation　of

indifference　to　food。



When　Kuroki　brought　the　coffee　she　took　up　her　own　story　again。　

There　was　little　more　to　　tell。



Dopey　Eddie　and　Izzy　the　Cat；　it　appeared；　had　mistaken　their

instructions。　　Two　nights　after　they　had　been　engaged　they　had

appeared　at　Lady　Agatha's　apartment　with　the　oblong　box。



〃The　horrid　creatures　brought　it　into　my　sitting…room　and　laid　it

on　the　floor　before　I　could　prevent　them；〃　said　Lady　Agatha。



〃'What　is　this？'　I　asked　them；　in　bewilderment。



〃They　replied　that　they　had　killed　Reginald　Maltravers　ACCORDING

TO　ORDERS；　and　had　brought　him　to　me。



〃'Orders！'　I　cried。　　'You　had　no　such　orders。'　　Elmer；　who　lived

on　the　same　floor；　was　absent　temporarily；　having　taken　Teddy　out

for　an　airing。　I　was　distracted。　　I　did　not　know　what　to　do。

'Your　orders；〃　I　said；　'were　toto'〃



She　broke　off。　　〃What　was　it　that　Elmer　told　them　to　do；　and　what

was　it　that　they　did？〃　she　mused；　perplexed。　　She　called　Elmer

into　the　cabin。



〃Elmer；〃　she　said；　〃exactly　what　was　it　that　you　told　your

friends　to　do　to　him？　　And　what　was　it　that　they　did？　　I　can

never　remember　the　words。〃



〃Poke　him；〃　said　Elmer；　addressing　Cleggett。　　〃I　tells　these

ginks　to　poke　him。　　But　these　ginks　tells　th'　little　dame　here

they　t'inks　I　has　said　to　croak　him。　　So　they　goes　an'　croaks

him。　　D'　youse　get　me？〃



Being　assured　that　they　got　him；　Elmer　downheartedly　withdrew。



〃At　any　rate；〃　continued　Lady　Agatha；　〃there　was　that　terrible

box　upon　my　sitting…room　floor；　and　there　were　those　two　degraded

wretches。　　The　callous　beasts　stood　above　the　box　apparently

quite　insensible　to　the　ethical　enormity　of　their　crime。　But　they

were　keen　enough　to　see　that　it　might　be　used　as　a　lever　with

which　to　force　more　money　from　me。　　For　when　I　demanded　that　they

take　the　box　away　with　them　and　dispose　of　it；　they　only　laughed

at　me。　　They　said　that　they　had　had　enough　of　that　box。　　They　had

delivered　the　goodsthat　was　the　phrase　they　usedand　they

wanted　more　money。　　And　they　said　they　would　not　leave　until　they

got　it。　　They　threatened；　unless　I　gave　them　the　money　at　once；

to　leave　the　place　and　get　word　to　the　police　of　the　presence　of

the　box　in　my　apartment。



〃I　was　in　no　mental　condition　to　combat　and　get　the　better　of

them。　　I　felt　myself　to　be　entirely　in　their　power。　　I　saw　only

the　weakness　of　my　own　position。　　I　could　not；　at　the　moment；　see

the　weak　spots　in　theirs。　　Elmer　might　have　advised　mebut　he

was　not　there。　　The　miserable　episode　ended　with　my　giving　them　a

thousand　dollars　each；　and　they　left。



〃Alone　with　that　box；　my　panic　increased。　　When　Elmer　returned

with　Teddy；　I　told　him　what　had　happened。　　He　wished　to　open　the

box；　having　a　vague　idea　that　perhaps　after　all　it　did　not　really

contain　what　they　had　said　was　in　it。　　But　I　could　not　bear　the

thought　of　its　being　opened。　　I　refused　to　allow　Elmer　to　look

into　it。



〃I　determined　that　I　wo