the cruise of the jasper b.-第7节

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automobile。　　Turning；　he　saw　a　vehicle；　the　rather　long　body　of

which　was　covered　so　that　it　resembled　a　merchant's　delivery

wagon；　coming　along　the　road　from　Fairport。



It　stopped　opposite　the　Jasper　B。；　and　from　the　seat　beside　the

driver　leaped　lightly　the　most　beautiful　woman　Cleggett　had　ever

seen；　and　walked　hesitatingly　but　gracefully　towards　him。



She　was　agitated。　　She　was；　in　fact；　sobbing；　and　a　Pomeranian

dog　which　she　carried　in　her　arms　was　whimpering　excitedly　as　if

in　sympathy　with　its　mistress。　　Cleggett；　soul　of　chivalry　that

he　was；　born　cavalier　of　beauty　in　distress；　removed　his　hat　and

advanced　to　meet　her。



CHAPTER　V



BEAUTY　IN　DISTRESS



〃Can　you　tell　me　where　I　can　get　some　ice？　Can　you　sell　me　some

ice？〃　cried　the　lady　excitedly；　when　she　was　still　some　yards

distant　from　Cleggett。



〃Ice？〃　　The　request　was　so　unusual　that　Cleggett　was　not　certain

that　he　had　understood。



〃Yes；　ice！　　Ice！〃　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　genuine　character

of　her　eagerness；　if　she　had　been　begging　for　her　life　she　could

not　have　been　more　in　earnest。　　〃Don't　tell　me　that　you　have　none

on　your　boat。　　Don't　tell　me　that！　　Don't　tell　me　that！〃



And　suddenly；　like　a　woman　who　has　borne　all　that　she　can　bear；

she　burst　undisguisedly　into　a　paroxysm　of　weeping。　　Cleggett；

stirred　by　her　beauty　and　her　trouble；　stepped　nearer　to　her；　for

she　swayed　with　her　emotion　as　if　she　were　about　to　fall。　

Impulsively　she　put　a　hand　on　his　arm；　and　the　Pomeranian；

dropped　unceremoniously　to　the　ground；　sprang　at　Cleggett

snarling　and　snapping　as　if　sure　he　were　the　author　of　the　lady's

misfortunes。



〃You　will　think　I　am　mad；〃　said　the　lady；　endeavoring　to　control

her　tears；　〃but　I　MUST　have　ice。　　Don't　tell　me　that　you　have　no

ice！〃



〃My　dear　lady；〃　said　Cleggett；　unconsciously　clasping；　in　his

anxiety　to　reassure　her；　the　hand　that　she　had　laid　upon　his　arm；

〃I　have　iceyou　shall　have　all　the　ice　you　want！〃



〃Oh；〃　she　murmured；　leaning　towards　him；　〃you　cannot　know〃



But　the　rest　was　lost　in　an　incoherent　babble；　and　with　a　deep

sigh　she　fell　lax　into　Cleggett's　arms。　　The　reaction　from

despair　had　been　too　much　for　her；　it　had　come　too　suddenly；　at

the　first　word　of　reassurance；　at　the　first　ray　of　dawning　hope；

she　had　fainted。　　High…strung　natures；　intrepid　in　the　face　of

danger；　are　apt　to　such　collapses　in　the　moment　of　deliverance；

and；　whatever　the　nature　of　the　lady's　trouble；　Cleggett　gained

from　her　swoon　a　sharp　sense　of　its　intensity。



Cleggett　was　not　used　to　having　beautiful　women　faint　and　fall

into　his　arms；　and　he　was　too　much　of　a　gentleman　to　hold　one

there　a　single　moment　longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary。　　He

turned　his　head　rather　helplessly　towards　the　vehicle　in　which

the　lady　had　arrived。　　To　his　consternation　and　surprise　it　had

turned　around　and　the　chauffeur　was　in　the　act　of　starting　back

towards　Fairport。　　But　he　had　left　behind　him　a　large　zinc　bucket

with　a　cover　on　it；　a　long　unpainted；　oblong　box；　and　two　steamer

trunks；　on　the　oblong　box　sat　a　short；　squat　young　man　in　an

attitude　of　deep　dejection。



〃Hi　there！　　Stop！〃　cried　Cleggett　to　the　chauffeur。　　That　person

stopped　his　machine。　　He　did　more。　　He　arose　in　the　seat；　applied

his　thumb　to　his　nose；　and　vigorously　and　vivaciously　waggled　his

outspread　fingers　at　Cleggett　in　a　gesture；　derisive　and

inelegant；　that　is　older　than　the　pyramids。　　Then　he　started　his

machine　again　and　made　all　speed　in　the　direction　of　Fairport。



〃I　say；　you；　come　here！〃　Cleggett　called　to　the　squat　young　man。　

〃Can't　you　see　that　the　lady's　fainted？〃



The　squat　young　man；　thus　exhorted；　sadly　approached。



〃Can't　you　see　the　lady　has　fainted？〃　repeated　Cleggett。



〃Skoits　often　does；〃　said　the　squat　young　man；　looking　over　the

situation　in　a　detached；　judicial　manner。　　He　spoke　out　of　the

left　corner　of　his　mouth　in　a　hoarse　voice；　without　moving　the

right　side　of　his　face　at　all；　and　he　seemed　to　feel　that　the

responsibility　of　the　situation　was　Cleggett's。



〃But；　don't　you　know　her？　　Didn't　you　come　here　with　her？〃



The　squat　young　man　appeared　to　debate　some　moral　issue　inwardly

for　a　moment。　　And　then；　speaking　this　time　out　of　the　right

corner　of　his　mouth；　which　was　now　nearer　Cleggett；　without

disturbing　the　left　half　of　his　face；　he　pointed　towards　the

oblong　box　and　murmured　huskily：　〃That's　my　job。〃　　He　went　and

sat　down　on　the　box　again。



Without　more　ado　Cleggett　lifted　the　lady　and　bore　her　onto　the

Jasper　B。　She　was　a　heavy　　burden；　but　Cleggett　declined　the

assistance　of　Cap'n　Abernethy　and　George　the　Greek；　who　had　come

tardily　out　of　the　forecastle　and　now　offered　their　assistance。



〃Get　a　bottle　of　wine；〃　he　told　Yosh；　as　he　passed　the　Japanese

on　the　deck；　〃and　then　make　some　tea。〃



Cleggett　laid　the　lady　on　a　couch　in　the　cabin；　and　then　lighted

a　lamp；　as　it　got　dark　early　in　these　quarters。　　While　he　waited

for　Yoshahira　Kuroki　and　the　wine；　he　looked　at　her。　　In　her

appealing　helplessness　she　looked　even　more　beautiful　than　she

had　at　first。　　She　was　a　blonde；　with　eyebrows　and　lashes　darker

than　her　hair；　and；　even　in　her　swoon；　Cleggett　could　see　that

she　was　of　the　thin…skinned；　high…colored　type。　　Her　eyes；　as　he

had　seen　before　she　swooned；　were　of　a　deep；　dark　violet　color。　

She　was　no　chit　of　a　girl；　but　a　mature　woman；　tall　and　splendid

in　the　noble　fullness　of　her　contours。　　The　high　nose　spoke　of

love　of　activity　and　energy　of　character。　　The　full　mouth

indicated　warmth　of　heart；　the　chin　was　of　that　sort　which　we

have　been　taught　to　associate　with　determination。



The　Japanese　brought　the　wine；　and　Cleggett　poured　a　few

spoonfuls　down　the　lady's　throat。　Presently　she　sighed　and

stirred　and　began　to　show　signs　of　returning　animation。



The　Pomeranian；　which　had　followed　them　into　the　cabin；　and　which

now　lay　whimpering　at　her　feet；　also　seemed　to　feel　that　she　was

awakening；　and；　crawling　higher；　began　to　lick　one　of　her　hands。



〃Make　some　tea；　Yosh；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃What　is　it？〃



This　last　was　addressed　to　the　lady　herself。　　Her　eyes　had　opened

for　a　fleeting　instant　as　Cleggett　spoke　to　the　Japanese；　and　her

lips　had　moved。　Cleggett　bent　his　head　nearer；　while　Yosh　picked

up　the　dog；　which　violently　objected；　and　asked　again：　　〃What　is

it？〃



〃Orange　pekoe；　please；〃　the　lady　murmured；　dreamily。



And　then　she　sat　up　with　a　start；　struggled　to　recover　herself；

and　looked　about　her　wildly。



〃Where　am　I？〃　she　cried。　　〃What　has　happened？〃　　She　passed　her

hand　across　her　brow；　frowning。



〃You　fainted；　madam；〃　said　Cleggett。



〃Oh！〃　　Suddenly　recollection　came　to　her；　and　her　anxieties

rushed　upon　her　once　more。　　〃The　ice！　　The　ice！〃　　She　sprang　to

her　feet；　and　grasped　Cleggett　by　both　shoulders；　searching　his

face　with　eager　eyes。　　〃You　did　not　lie　to　me；　did　you？　　You

promised　me　ice！　　Where　is　the　ice？〃



〃You　shall　have　the　ice；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃at　once。〃



〃Thank　God！〃　she　said。　　And　then：　　〃Where　are　Elmer　and　the　box？〃



〃Elmer？　　Oh；　the　short　man！　　On　shore。　　I　believe　that　he　and

your　chauffeur　had　some　sort　of　an　altercation；　for　the　chauffeur

went　off　and　left　him。〃



〃Yes；〃　she　said；　simply；　as　they　passed　up　the　companionway　to

the　deck　together；　〃that　man；　the　driver；　refused　to　bring　us　any

farther。〃



Cleggett　must　have　looked　a　little　blank　at　that；　for　she

suddenly　threw　back　her　head　and　laughed　at　him。　　And　then；

sobering　instantly；　she　called　to　the　squat　young　man：



〃Elmer！　　Oh；　Elmer！　　You　may　bring　the　boxes　on　board！〃　　She

turned　to　Cleggett：　　〃He　may；　mayn't　he？　　Thank　youI　was　sure

you　would　say　he　might。　　And　if　one　of　your　men　could　just　give

him　a　lift？　　Andthe　ice？〃



〃George；〃　called　Cleggett；　〃help　the　man　get　the　boxes　aboard。　

Kuroki；　bring　fifty　pounds　of　ice　on　deck。〃



She　sighed　as　she　heard　him　give　these　orders；　but　it　was　a　sigh

of　satisfaction；　and　she　smiled　at　Cleggett　as　she　signed。　

Sometimes　a　great　deal　can　happen　in　a　very　short　space　of　time。　

Ten　minutes　before；　Cleggett　had　never　seen　this　lady；　and　now　he

was　giving　orders　at　her　merest　suggestion。　　But　in　those　ten

minutes　he　had　seen　her　weep；　he　had　seen　her　faint；　he　had　seen

her　recover　herself；　he　had　seen　her　emerge　from　the　depths　of

despair　into　something　more　like　self…control；　he　had　carried　her

in　his　arms；　she　had　laughed　at　him；　she　had　twice　impulsively

grasped　him　by　the　arm；　she　had　smiled　at　him　three　times；　she

had　sighed　twice；　she　had　frowned　once；　she　had　swept　upon　him

bringing　with　her　an　impression　of　the　mysterious。　　Many　men　are

married　to　women　for　years　without　seeing　their　wives　display　so

many　and　such　varied　phases；　to　Cleggett　it　seemed　not　so　much

that　he　was　making　a　new　acquaintance　as　renewing　one　that　had

been　broken　off　suddenly　at　some　distant　date。　　Cleggett；　lik