the story of a bad boy-第24节

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f　the　Nutter　House。

〃You　see；　I'm　only　an　uneddicated　man；〃　he　remarked　to　my　grandfather；　by　way　of　explanation。







Chapter　Sixteen

In　Which　Sailor　Ben　Spins　a　Yarn



Of　course　we　were　all　very　curious　to　learn　what　had　befallen　Sailor　Ben　that　morning　long　ago；　when　he　bade　his　little　bride　goodby　and　disappeared　so　mysteriously。

After　tea；　that　same　evening；　we　assembled　around　the　table　in　the　kitchen…the　only　place　where　Sailor　Ben　felt　at　home3/4to　hear　what　he　had　to　say　for　himself。

The　candles　were　snuffed；　and　a　pitcher　of　foaming　nut…brown　ale　was　set　at　the　elbow　of　the　speaker；　who　was　evidently　embarrassed　by　the　respectability　of　his　audience；　consisting　of　Captain　Nutter；　Miss　Abigail；　myself；　and　Kitty；　whose　face　shone　with　happiness　like　one　of　the　polished　tin　platters　on　the　dresser。

〃Well；　my　hearties；〃　commenced　Sailor　Ben…then　he　stopped　short　and　turned　very　red；　as　it　struck　him　that　maybe　this　was　not　quite　the　proper　way　to　address　a　dignitary　like　the　Captain　and　a　severe　elderly　lady　like　Miss　Abigail　Nutter；　who　sat　bolt　upright　staring　at　him　as　she　would　have　stared　at　the　Tycoon　of　Japan　himself。

〃I　ain't　much　of　a　hand　at　spinnin'　a　yarn；〃　remarked　Sailor　Ben；　apologetically；　〃'specially　when　the　yarn　is　all　about　a　man　as　has　made　a　fool　of　hisself；　an'　'specially　when　that　man's　name　is　Benjamin　Watson。〃

〃Bravo！〃　cried　Captain　Nutter；　rapping　on　the　table　encouragingly。

〃Thankee；　sir；　thankee。　I　go　back　to　the　time　when　Kitty　an'　me　was　livin'　in　lodgin's　by　the　dock　in　New　York。　We　was　as　happy；　sir；　as　two　porpusses；　which　they　toil　not　neither　do　they　spin。　But　when　I　seed　the　money　gittin'　low　in　the　locker…Kitty's　starboard　stockin'；　savin'　your　presence；　marm…I　got　down…hearted　like；　seem'　as　I　should　be　obleeged　to　ship　agin；　for　it　didn't　seem　as　I　could　do　much　ashore。　An'　then　the　sea　was　my　nat'ral　spear　of　action。　I　wasn't　exactly　born　on　it；　look　you；　but　I　fell　into　it　the　fust　time　I　was　let　out　arter　my　birth。　My　mother　slipped　her　cable　for　a　heavenly　port　afore　I　was　old　enough　to　hail　her；　so　I　larnt　to　look　on　the　ocean　for　a　sort　of　step…mother…an'　a　precious　hard　one　she　has　been　to　me。

〃The　idee　of　leavin'　Kitty　so　soon　arter　our　marriage　went　agin　my　grain　considerable。　I　cruised　along　the　docks　for　some…thin'　to　do　in　the　way　of　stevedore：　an'　though　I　picked　up　a　stray　job　here　and　there；　I　didn't　am　enough　to　buy　ship…bisket　for　a　rat；　let　alone　feedin'　two　human　mouths。　There　wasn't　nothin'　honest　I　wouldn't　have　turned　a　hand　to；　but　the　'longshoremen　gobbled　up　all　the　work；　an'　a　outsider　like　me　didn't　stand　a　show。

〃Things　got　from　bad　to　worse；　the　month's　rent　took　all　our　cash　except　a　dollar　or　so；　an'　the　sky　looked　kind　o'　squally　fore　an'　aft。　Well；　I　set　out　one　mornin'…that　identical　unlucky　mornin'…determined　to　come　back　an'　toss　some　pay　into　Kitty's　lap；　if　I　had　to　sell　my　jacket　for　it。　I　spied　a　brig　unloadin'　coal　at　pier　No。　47…how　well　I　remembers　it！　I　hailed　the　mate；　an'　offered　myself　for　a　coal…heaver。　But　I　wasn't　wanted；　as　he　told　me　civilly　enough；　which　was　better　treatment　than　usual。　As　I　turned　off　rather　glum　I　was　signalled　by　one　of　them　sleek；　smooth…spoken　rascals　with　a　white　hat　an'　a　weed　on　it；　as　is　always　goin'　about　the　piers　a…seekin'　who　they　may　devower。

〃We　sailors　know　'em　for　rascals　from　stem　to　starn；　but　somehow　every　fresh　one　fleeces　us　jest　as　his　mate　did　afore　him。　We　don't　lam　nothin'　by　exper'ence；　we're　jest　no　better　than　a　lot　of　babys　with　no　brains。

〃'Good　mornin'；　my　man；'　sez　the　chap；　as　iley　as　you　please。

〃'Mornin'；　sir；'　sez　I。

〃'Lookin'　for　a　job？'　sez　he。

〃'Through　the　big　end　of　a　telescope；'　sez　1…meanin'　that　the　chances　for　a　job　looked　very　small　from　my　pint　of　view。

〃'You're　the　man　for　my　money；'　sez　the　sharper；　smilin'　as　innocent　as　a　cherubim；　'jest　step　in　here；　till　we　talk　it　over。'

〃So　I　goes　with　him　like　a　nat'ral…born　idiot；　into　a　little　grocery…shop　near　by；　where　we　sets　down　at　a　table　with　a　bottle　atween　us。　Then　it　comes　out　as　there　is　a　New　Bedford　whaler　about　to　start　for　the　fishin'　grounds；　an'　jest　one　able…bodied　sailor　like　me　is　wanted　to　make　up　the　crew。　Would　I　go？　Yes；　I　wouldn't　on　no　terms。

〃'I'll　bet　you　fifty　dollars；'　sez　he；　'that　you'll　come　back　fust　mate。'

〃'I'll　bet　you　a　hundred；'　sez　I；　'that　I　don't；　for　I've　signed　papers　as　keeps　me　ashore；　an'　the　parson　has　witnessed　the　deed。'

〃So　we　sat　there；　he　urgin'　me　to　ship；　an'　I　chaffin'　him　cheerful　over　the　bottle。

〃Arter　a　while　I　begun　to　feel　a　little　queer；　things　got　foggy　in　my　upper　works；　an'　I　remembers；　faint…like；　of　signin'　a　paper；　then　I　remembers　bein'　in　a　small　boat；　an'　then　I　remembers　nothin'　until　I　heard　the　mate's　whistle　pipin'　all　hands　on　deck。　I　tumbled　up　with　the　rest；　an'　there　I　was…on　board　of　a　whaler　outward　bound　for　a　three　years'　cruise；　an'　my　dear　little　lass　ashore　awaitin'　for　me。〃

〃Miserable　wretch！〃　said　Miss　Abigail；　in　a　voice　that　vibrated　among　the　tin　platters　on　the　dresser。　This　was　Miss　Abigail's　way　of　testifying　her　sympathy。

〃Thankee；　marm；〃　returned　Sailor　Ben；　doubtfully。

〃No　talking　to　the　man　at　the　wheel；〃　cried　the　Captain。　Upon　which　we　all　laughed。　〃Spin！〃　added　my　grandfather。

Sailor　Ben　resumed：

〃I　leave　you　to　guess　the　wretchedness　as　fell　upon　me；　for　I've　not　got　the　gift　to　tell　you。　There　I　was　down　on　the　ship's　books　for　a　three　years'　viage；　an'　no　help　for　it。　I　feel　nigh　to　six　hundred　years　old　when　I　think　how　long　that　viage　was。　There　isn't　no　hour…glass　as　runs　slow　enough　to　keep　a　tally　of　the　slowness　of　them　fust　hours。　But　I　done　my　duty　like　a　man；　seem'　there　wasn't　no　way　of　gettin'　out　of　it。　I　told　my　shipmates　of　the　trick　as　had　been　played　on　me；　an　they　tried　to　cheer　me　up　a　bit；　but　I　was　sore　sorrowful　for　a　long　spell。　Many　a　night　on　watch　I　put　my　face　in　my　hands　and　sobbed　for　thinkin'　of　the　little　woman　left　among　the　land…sharks；　an'　no　man　to　have　an　eye　on　her；　God　bless　her！〃

Here　Kitty　softly　drew　her　chair　nearer　to　Sailor　Ben；　and　rested　one　hand　on　his　arm。

〃Our　adventures　among　the　whales；　I　take　it；　doesn't　consarn　the　present　company　here　assembled。　So　I　give　that　the　go　by。　There's　an　end　to　everythin'；　even　to　a　whalin'　viage。　My　heart　all　but　choked　me　the　day　we　put　into　New　Bedford　with　our　cargo　of　ile。　I　got　my　three　years'　pay　in　a　lump；　an'　made　for　New　York　like　a　flash　of　lightuin'。　The　people　hove　to　and　looked　at　me；　as　I　rushed　through　the　streets　like　a　madman；　until　I　came　to　the　spot　where　the　lodgin'…house　stood　on　West　Street。　But；　Lord　love　ye；　there　wasn't　no　sech　lodgin'…house　there；　but　a　great　new　brick　shop。

〃I　made　bold　to　go　in　an'　ask　arter　the　old　place；　but　nobody　knowed　nothin'　about　it；　save　as　it　had　been　torn　down　two　years　or　more。　I　was　adrift　now；　for　I　had　reckoned　all　them　days　and　nights　on　gittin'　word　of　Kitty　from　Dan　Shackford；　the　man　as　kept　the　lodgin'。

〃As　I　stood　there　with　all　the　wind　knocked　out　of　my　sails；　the　idee　of　runnin'　alongside　the　perlice…station　popped　into　my　head。　The　perlice　was　likely　to　know　the　latitude　of　a　man　like　Dan　Shackford；　who　wasn't　over　an'　above　respecktible。　They　did　know…he　had　died　in　the　Tombs　jail　that　day　twelvemonth。　A　coincydunce；　wasn't　it？　I　was　ready　to　drop　when　they　told　me　this；　howsomever；　I　bore　up　an'　give　the　chief　a　notion　of　the　fix　I　was　in。　He　writ　a　notice　which　I　put　into　the　newspapers　every　day　for　three　months；　but　nothin'　come　of　it。　I　cruised　over　the　city　week　in　and　week　out　I　went　to　every　sort　of　place　where　they　hired　women　hands；　I　didn't　leave　a　think　undone　that　a　uneddicated　man　could　do。　But　nothin'　come　of　it。　I　don't　believe　there　was　a　wretcheder　soul　in　that　big　city　of　wretchedness　than　me。　Sometimes　I　wanted　to　lay　down　in　the　sheets　and　die。

〃Drif　tin'　disconsolate　one　day　among　the　shippin'；　who　should　I　overhaul　but　the　identical　smooth…spoken　chap　with　a　white　hat　an'　a　weed　on　it！　I　didn't　know　if　there　was　any　spent　left　in　me；　till　I　clapped　eye　on　his　very　onpleasant　countenance。　'You　villain！'　sez　I；　'where's　my　little　Irish　lass　as　you　dragged　me　away　from？'　an'　I　lighted　on　him；　hat　and　all；　like　that！〃

Here　Sailor　Ben　brought　his　fist　down　on　the　deal　table　with　the　force　of　a　sledge…hammer。　Miss　Abigail　gave　a　start；　and　the　ale　leaped　up　in　the　pitcher　like　a　miniature　fountain。

〃I　begs　your　parden；　ladies　and　gentlemen　all；　but　the　thought　of　that　feller　with　his　ring　an'　his　watch…chain　an'　his　walrus　face；　is　alus　too　many　for　me。　I　was　for　pitchin'　him　into　the　North　River；　when　a　perliceman　prevented　me　from　benefitin'　the　human　family。　I　had　to　pay　five　dollars　for　hittin'　the　chap　（they　said　it　was　salt　and　buttery）；　an'　that's　what　I　call　a　neat；　genteel　luxury。　It　was　worth　double　the　money　jest　to　see　that　white　hat；　with　a　weed　on　it；　layin'　on　the　wharf　like　a　busted　accordiun。

〃Arter　months　of　useless　sarch；　I　went　to　sea　agin。　I　never　got　into　a　foren　port　but　I　kept　a　watch　out　for　Kitty。　Once　I　thought　I　seed　her　in　Liverpool；　but　it　was　only　a　gal　as　looked　like　her。　The　numbers　of　women　in　different　parts　of　th