the cruise of the jasper b.-第26节

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A　negro　driver；　whom　Cleggett　now　noticed　for　the　first　time；

shot　clear　of　the　mass　and　landed　on　the　deck　in　a　sitting

posture。



For　a　moment；　there　he　sat；　and　did　nothing　more。　　The　pole　broke

loose　from　the　carriage；　the　traces　parted；　and　the　two　big　white

horses；　still　kicking　and　plunging；　struggled　to　their　feet　and

free　from　the　wreckage。　　Still　side　by　side　they　leaped　the　port

bulwark；　splashed　into　the　canal；　and　swam　straight　across　it；　as

if　animated　with　the　instinct　of　going　straight　ahead　in　that

fashion　to　the　end　of　the　world。　　Cleggett　never　saw　or　heard　of

them　again。



〃Bring　a　lantern；〃　said　Cleggett　to　Abernethy。　〃Let's　see　if　this

man　is　badly　hurt。〃



But　the　negro　was　not　injured。　　He　rose　to　his　feet　as　the

Captain　brought　the　lightthe　storm　was　now　subsiding；　and　the

lightning　was　less　frequentand　stood　revealed　as　a　person　of

surprising　size　and　unusual　blackness。　　He　was；　in　fact；　so　black

that　it　was　no　wonder　that　Cleggett　had　not　seen　him　on　the　seat

of　the　carriage；　for　unless　one　turned　a　light　full　upon　him　his

face　could　not　be　seen　at　all　after　dark。　　He　was　in　a　blue

livery；　and　his　high；　cockaded　coachman's　hat　had　stayed　on　his

head　in　spite　of　everything。



Even　sitting　down　on　the　deck　he　had　possessed　an　air　of

patience。　　When　he　arose　and　the　Captain　flashed　the　light　upon

his　face；　it　revealed　a　countenance　full　of　dignified　good　humor。



〃Where　did　you　come　from？〃　asked　Cleggett。



The　negro　removed　the　hat　with　the　cockade　before　answering。　　He

did　it　politely。　　Even　ceremoniously。　　But　he　did　not　do　it

hastily。　　He　had　the　air　of　one　who　was　never　inclined　to　do

things　hastily。



〃From　Newahk；　sah；〃　he　said。　　〃Newahk；　New　Jehsey；　sah。〃



〃But　who　are　you？〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃How　did　you　get　here？〃



The　negro　was　gazing　reflectively　at　the　broken　carriage。



〃Ah　yo'　Mistah　Cleggett；　sah？　　Mistah　Clement　J。　Cleggett；　sah；

the　ownah　of　dis　hyeah　boat？〃



〃Yes。〃



The　negro　fumbled　in　an　inner　pocket　and　produced　a　card。　　He

gave　it　to　Cleggett　with　a　deferential　bow；　and　then　announced

sonorously：



〃Miss　Genevieve　Pringle；　sahin　de　cah…age；　saha　callin'　on

Mistah　Clement　J。　Cleggett。〃



He　completed　the　announcement　with　a　dignified　and　courtly

gesture；　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　he　was　presenting　the

ruined　carriage　itself　to　Cleggett。



〃You　don't　mean　in　that　carriage？〃　cried　Cleggett。



〃Yes；　sah；〃　said　the　negro。　　〃Leas'ways；　she　was；　sah；　some　time

back。　　Mah　time　an'　mah　'tention　done　been　so　tooken　up　wif　dem

incompatible　hosses　fo'　some　moments　past；　sah；　dat　I　cain't　say

fo'　suah　ef　she　adheahed；　or　ef　she　didn't　adheah。〃



He　glanced　speculatively　at　the　carriage　again。　　Cleggett　sprang

towards　the　broken　vehicle；　expecting　to　find　someone　seriously

injured　at　the　very　least。　　But；　from　the　ruin；　a　precise　and

high…pitched　feminine　voice　piped　out：



〃Jefferson！　　Kindly　assist　me　to　disentangle　myself！〃



〃Yassum；〃　said　the　negro；　moving　forward　in　a　leisurely　and

dignified　manner；　〃comin'；　ma'am。　　I　hopes　an'　trusts；　Miss

Pringle；　ma'am；　yo'　ain't　suffered　none　in　yo'　anatomy　an'

phlebotomy　from　dis　hyeah　runaway。〃



With　which　cheerful　wish　Jefferson　lifted　respectfully；　and　with

a　certain　calm　detachment；　the　figure　of　a　woman　from　the　debris。



〃Thank　you；　Jefferson；〃　she　said。　　〃I　fear　I　am　very　much　bruised

and　shaken；　but　I　have　been　feeling　all　my　bones　while　lying

there；　and　I　believe　that　I　have　sustained　no　fractures。〃



Miss　Pringle　was　a　woman　of　about　fifty；　small　and　prim。　　Prim

with　an　unconquerable　primness　that　neither　storm　nor　battle　nor

accident　could　shake。　　If　she　had　been　killed　in　the　runaway　she

would　have　looked　prim　in　death　while　awaiting　the　undertaker。　

She　must　have　been　wet　almost　to　those　unfractured　bones　which

she　had　been　feeling；　her　black　silk　dress；　with　its　white

ruching　about　the　neck；　was　torn　and　bedraggled；　her　black　hat；

with　its　jet　ornaments；　was　crushed　and　hung　askew　over　one　ear；

nevertheless；　Miss　Pringle　conveyed　at　once　and　definitely　an

impression　of　unassailable　respectability　and　strong　character。



〃Which　of　you　is　Mr。　Cleggett？〃　she　asked；　looking　about　her；　in

the　lantern　light；　at　the　crew　of　the　Jasper　B。；　as　she　leaned

upon　the　arm　of　Jefferson；　her　mannerly　and　deliberate　servitor。



〃I　am　Mr。　Cleggett。〃



〃Ah！〃　　Miss　Pringle　inspected　him　with　an　eye　which　gleamed　with

a　hint　of　latent　possibilities　of　belligerency。　　〃Mr。　Cleggett；〃

she　continued；　pursing　her　lips；　〃I　have　sought　an　interview　to

warn　you　that　you　are　harboring　an　impostor　on　your　ship。〃



At　that　moment　Lady　Agatha　joined　the　group。　As　the　light　fell

upon　her　Miss　Pringle　stepped　forward　and　thrust　an　accusing；　a

denunciatory　finger　at　the　Englishwoman。



〃You；〃　she　said；　〃call　yourself　Lady　Agatha　Fairhaven！〃



〃I　do；〃　said　Lady　Agatha。



〃Woman！〃　cried　Miss　Pringle；　shaking　with　the　stress　of　her　moral

wrath。　　〃Where　are　my　plum　preserves？〃



And　with　this　cryptic　utterance　the　little　lady；　having　come　to

the　end　of　her　strength；　primly　fainted。



Jefferson　picked　her　up　and　carried　her；　in　a　serene　and　stately

manner；　to　the　cabin。





CHAPTER　XVIII



THE　MAN　IN　THE　BLUE　PAJAMAS



The　rain　had　ceased　almost　as　Miss　Pringle　was　removed　to　the

cabin。　　The　storm　had　passed。　　Low　down　on　the　edges　of　the　world

there　were　still　a　few　dark　clouds；　there　was　still　an　occasional

glimmer　of　lightning；　but　overhead　the　mists　were　fleecy；　light

and　broken。　　A　few　stars　were　visible　here　and　there。



And　then　in　a　moment　more　a　full　moon　rose　high　and　serene　above

the　world。　　The　May　moon　is　often　very　brilliant　in　these

latitudes；　as　sailors　who　are　familiar　with　the　coasts　of　Long

Island　can　testify。　　This　moon　was　unusually　brilliant；　even　for

the　season　of　the　year　and　the　quarter　of　the　globe。　　It　lighted

up　earth　and　sky　so　that　it　was　（in　the　familiar　phrase）　almost

possible　to　read　by　it。　　Only　a　few　moments　had　elapsed　since　the

rout　of　Logan　Black's　ruffians；　but　in　the　vicinity　of　this

remarkable　island　such　sudden　meteorological　changes　are　anything

but　rare；　geographers　and　travelers　know。



Lady　Agatha　had　gone　into　the　cabin　to　resuscitate　Miss　Pringle

and；　as　she　said；　〃have　it　out　with　her。〃　　Cleggett；　gazing　from

the　deck　towards　Morris's；　in　the　strong　moonlight；　wondered　when

the　attack　would　be　renewed。　　He　thought；　on　the　whole；　that　it

was　improbable　that　Loge　would　return　to　the　assault　while　this

brightness　continued。



Suddenly　three　figures　appeared　within　his　range　of　vision。　　They

were　running。　　But　running　slowly；　painfully；　lamely。　　In　the

lead　were　the　two　men　whom　he　had　first　seen　hazed　up　and　down

the　bank　of　the　canal　by　Wilton　Barnstable；　and　whom　he　had　seen

the　second　time　chained　in　the　great　detective's　boat。



They　were　shackled　wrist　to　wrist　now。　　To　the　left　leg　of　one　of

them　was　attached　a　heavy　ball。　A　similar　ball　was　attached　to

the　right　leg　of　the　other。　　They　had　picked　these　balls　up　and

were　struggling　along　under　their　weight　at　a　gait　which　was　more

like　a　staggering　walk　than　a　trot。



They　were　pursued　by　the　man　whom　Cleggett　had　seen　attempt　to

escape　from　Morris's。　　This　man　still　wore　his　suit　of　baby　blue

pajamas。



He　wore　nothing　else。　　He　was　stiff。　　He　moved　as　if　the　ground

hurt　his　bare　feet。



He　especially　favored；　as　Cleggett　noticed；　the　foot　on　which

there　was　a　bunion。　　He　was　lame。　　He　crept　rather　than　ran。　　But

he　seemed　bitterly　intent　upon　reaching　the　two　men　in　irons　who

labored　along　twenty　or　thirty　feet　ahead　of　him。　　And　they；　on

their　part；　casting　now　and　then　backward　glances　over　their

shoulders　at　their　pursuer。



Cleggett　divined　that　the　men　in　irons　had　escaped　from　the

Annabel　Lee；　and　that　the　man　in　the　baby　blue　pajamas　was　loose

from　Morris's。　　But　why　the　man　in　the　pajamas　pursued　and　the

others　fled　he　could　not　guess。



They　passed　within　fifty　yards　of　the　Jasper　B。　　But　the　men　in

irons　were　so　intent　upon　their　own　troubles；　and　the　pursuer　was

so　keen　on　vengeance；　that　none　of　them　noticed　the　vessel。　　As

they　limped　along；　splashing　through　the　pools　the　rain　had　left；

the　pursuer　would　occasionally　pause　to　fling　stones　and　sticks

and　even　cakes　of　mud　at　the　fugitives；　who　were　whimpering　as

they　tottered　forward。



The　man　in　the　baby　blue　pajamas　was　cursing　in　a　high…pitched；

nasal；　querulous　voice。　　Cleggett　noticed　with　astonishment　that

a　single…barreled　eyeglass　was　screwed　into　one　of　his　eyes。　

Occasionally　it　dropped　to　the　ground；　and　he　would　stop　and

fumble　for　it　and　wipe　it　on　his　wet　sleeve　and　replace　it。　　Had

it　not　been　for　these　stops　he　would　have　overtaken　the　men　in

irons。



〃Clement！〃　Lady　Agatha　laid　her　hand　upon　his　arm。　　〃Miss　Pringle

wants　to　see　you　in　the　cabin。〃