michael, brother of jerry-第20节

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er　it　was　gone；　the　poor…　house；　or　death。　　I　had　already　resolved　upon　death　as　my　choice　rather　than　go　back　to　be　of　that　dolorous　company；　the　living　dead　of　the　poor…farm。　　But　I　did　not　go　back；　nor　did　I　die。　　The　gay　young　doctor's　blood　ran　warm　at　thought　of　the　South　Seas；　and　in　his　nostrils　I　distilled　all　the　scents　of　the　flower…　drenched　air　of　that　far…off　land；　and　in　his　eyes　I　builded　him　the　fairy　visions　of　the　tradewind　clouds；　the　monsoon　skies；　the　palm　isles　and　the　coral　seas。

〃He　was　a　gay；　mad　young　dog；　grandly　careless　of　his　largess；　fearless　as　a　lion's　whelp；　lithe　and　beautiful　as　a　leopard；　and　mad；　a　trifle　mad　of　the　deviltries　and　whimsies　that　tickled　in　that　fine　brain　of　his。　　Look　you；　steward。　　Before　we　sailed　in　the　Gloucester　fishing…schooner；　purchased　by　the　doctor；　and　that　was　like　a　yacht　and　showed　her　heels　to　most　yachts；　he　had　me　to　his　house　to　advise　about　personal　equipment。　　We　were　overhauling　in　a　gear…room；　when　suddenly　he　spoke：

〃'I　wonder　how　my　lady　will　take　my　long　absence。　　What　say　you？　Shall　she　go　along？'

〃And　I　had　not　known　that　he　had　any　wife　or　lady。　　And　I　looked　my　surprise　and　incredulity。

〃'Just　that　you　do　not　believe　I　shall　take　her　on　the　cruise；'　he　laughed；　wickedly；　madly；　in　my　astonished　face。　　'Come；　you　shall　meet　her。'

〃Straight　to　his　bedroom　and　his　bed　he　led　me；　and；　turning　down　the　covers；　showed　there　to　me；　asleep　as　she　had　slept　for　many　a　thousand　years；　the　mummy　of　a　slender　Egyptian　maid。

〃And　she　sailed　with　us　on　the　long　vain　voyage　to　the　South　Seas　and　back　again；　and；　steward；　on　my　honour；　I　grew　quite　fond　of　the　dear　maid　myself。

The　Ancient　Mariner　gazed　dreamily　into　his　glass；　and　Dag　Daughtry　took　advantage　of　the　pause　to　ask：

〃But　the　young　doctor？　　How　did　he　take　the　failure　to　find　the　treasure？〃

The　Ancient　Mariner's　face　lighted　with　joy。

〃He　called　me　a　delectable　old　fraud；　with　his　arm　on　my　shoulder　while　he　did　it。　　Why；　steward；　I　had　come　to　love　that　young　man　like　a　splendid　son。　　And　with　his　arm　on　my　shoulder；　and　I　know　there　was　more　than　mere　kindness　in　it；　he　told　me　we　had　barely　reached　the　River　Plate　when　he　discovered　me。　　With　laughter；　and　with　more　than　one　slap　of　his　hand　on　my　shoulder　that　was　more　caress　than　jollity；　he　pointed　out　the　discrepancies　in　my　tale　（which　I　have　since　amended；　steward；　thanks　to　him；　and　amended　well）；　and　told　me　that　the　voyage　had　been　a　grand　success；　making　him　eternally　my　debtor。

〃What　could　I　do？　　I　told　him　the　truth。　　To　him　even　did　I　tell　my　family　name；　and　the　shame　I　had　saved　it　from　by　forswearing　it。

〃He　put　his　arm　on　my　shoulder；　I　tell　you；　and　。　。　。　〃

The　Ancient　Mariner　ceased　talking　because　of　a　huskiness　in　his　throat；　and　a　moisture　from　his　eyes　trickled　down　both　cheeks。

Dag　Daughtry　pledged　him　silently；　and　in　the　draught　from　his　glass　he　recovered　himself。

〃He　told　me　that　I　should　come　and　live　with　him；　and；　to　his　great　lonely　house　he　took　me　the　very　day　we　landed　in　Boston。　Also；　he　told　me　he　would　make　arrangements　with　his　lawyersthe　idea　tickled　his　fancy'I　shall　adopt　you；'　he　said。　　'I　shall　adopt　you　along　with　Isthar'Isthar　was　the　little　maid's　name；　the　little　mummy's　name。

〃Here　was　I；　back　in　life；　steward；　and　legally　to　be　adopted。　But　life　is　a　fond　betrayer。　　Eighteen　hours　afterward；　in　the　morning；　we　found　him　dead　in　his　bed；　the　little　mummy　maid　beside　him。　　Heart…failure；　the　burst　of　some　blood…vessel　in　the　brainI　never　learned。

〃I　prayed　and　pleaded　with　them　for　the　pair　to　be　buried　together。　　But　they　were　a　hard；　cold；　New　England　lot；　his　cousins　and　his　aunts；　and　they　presented　Isthar　to　the　museum；　and　me　they　gave　a　week　to　be　quit　of　the　house。　　I　left　in　an　hour；　and　they　searched　my　small　baggage　before　they　would　let　me　depart。

〃I　went　to　New　York。　　It　was　the　same　game　there；　only　that　I　had　more　money　and　could　play　it　properly。　　It　was　the　same　in　New　Orleans；　in　Galveston。　　I　came　to　California。　　This　is　my　fifth　voyage。　　I　had　a　hard　time　getting　these　three　interested；　and　spent　all　my　little　store　of　money　before　they　signed　the　agreement。　　They　were　very　mean。　　Advance　any　money　to　me！　　The　very　idea　of　it　was　preposterous。　　Though　I　bided　my　time；　ran　up　a　comfortable　hotel　bill；　and；　at　the　very　last；　ordered　my　own　generous　assortment　of　liquors　and　cigars　and　charged　the　bill　to　the　schooner。　　Such　a　to…do！　　All　three　of　them　raged　and　all　but　tore　their　hair　。　。　。　and　mime。　　They　said　it　could　not　be。　　I　fell　promptly　sick。　　I　told　them　they　got　on　my　nerves　and　made　me　sick。　　The　more　they　raged；　the　sicker　I　got。　　Then　they　gave　in。　As　promptly　I　grew　better。　　And　here　we　are；　out　of　water　and　heading　soon　most　likely　for　the　Marquesas　to　fill　our　barrels。　Then　they　will　return　and　try　for　it　again！〃

〃You　think　so；　sir？〃

〃I　shall　remember　even　more　important　data；　steward；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　smiled。　　〃Without　doubt　they　will　return。　　Oh；　I　know　them　well。　　They　are　meagre；　narrow；　grasping　fools。〃

〃Fools！　all　fools！　a　ship　of　fools！〃　Dag　Daughtry　exulted；　repeating　what　he　had　expressed　in　the　hold；　as　he　bored　the　last　barrel；　listened　to　the　good　water　gurgling　away　into　the　bilge；　and　chuckled　over　his　discovery　of　the　Ancient　Mariner　on　the　same　lay　as　his　own。



CHAPTER　XIV



Early　next　morning；　the　morning　watch　of　sailors；　whose　custom　was　to　fetch　the　day's　supply　of　water　for　the　galley　and　cabin；　discovered　that　the　barrels　were　empty。　　Mr。　Jackson　was　so　alarmed　that　he　immediately　called　Captain　Doane；　and　not　many　minutes　elapsed　ere　Captain　Doane　had　routed　out　Grimshaw　and　Nishikanta　to　tell　them　the　disaster。

Breakfast　was　an　excitement　shared　in　peculiarly　by　the　Ancient　Mariner　and　Dag　Daughtry；　while　the　trio　of　partners　raged　and　bewailed。　　Captain　Doane　particularly　wailed。　　Simon　Nishikanta　was　fiendish　in　his　descriptions　of　whatever　miscreant　had　done　the　deed　and　of　how　he　should　be　made　to　suffer　for　it；　while　Grimshaw　clenched　and　repeatedly　clenched　his　great　hands　as　if　throttling　some　throat。

〃I　remember；　it　was　in　forty…sevennay；　forty…sixyes；　forty…　six；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　chattered。　　〃It　was　a　similar　and　worse　predicament。　　It　was　in　the　longboat；　sixteen　of　us。　　We　ran　on　Glister　Reef。　　So　named　it　was　after　our　pretty　little　craft　discovered　it　one　dark　night　and　left　her　bones　upon　it。　　The　reef　is　on　the　Admiralty　charts。　　Captain　Doane　will　verify　me　。　。　。　〃

No　one　listened；　save　Dag　Daughtry；　serving　hot　cakes　and　admiring。　　But　Simon　Nishikanta；　becoming　suddenly　aware　that　the　old　man　was　babbling；　bellowed　out　ferociously：

〃Oh；　shut　up！　　Close　your　jaw！　　You　make　me　tired　with　your　everlasting　'I　remember。'〃

The　Ancient　Mariner　was　guilelessly　surprised；　as　if　he　had　slipped　somewhere　in　his　narrative。

〃No；　I　assure　you；〃　he　continued。　　〃It　must　have　been　some　error　of　my　poor　old　tongue。　　It　was　not　the　Wide　Awake；　but　the　brig　Glister。　　Did　I　say　Wide　Awake？　　It　was　the　Glister；　a　smart　little　brig；　almost　a　toy　brig　in　fact；　copper…bottomed；　lines　like　a　dolphin；　a　sea…cutter　and　a　wind…eater。　　Handled　like　a　top。　　On　my　honour；　gentlemen；　it　was　lively　work　for　both　watches　when　she　went　about。　　I　was　supercargo。　　We　sailed　out　of　New　York；　ostensibly　for　the　north…west　coast；　with　sealed　orders〃

〃In　the　name　of　God；　peace；　peace！　　You　drive　me　mad　with　your　drivel！〃　　So　Nishikanta　cried　out　in　nervous　pain　that　was　real　and　quivering。　　〃Old　man；　have　a　heart。　　What　do　I　care　to　know　of　your　Glister　and　your　sealed　orders！〃

〃Ah；　sealed　orders；〃　the　Ancient　Mariner　went　on　beamingly。　　〃A　magic　phrase；　sealed　orders。〃　　He　rolled　it　off　his　tongue　with　unction。　　〃Those　were　the　days；　gentlemen；　when　ships　did　sail　with　sealed　orders。　　And　as　supercargo；　with　my　trifle　invested　in　the　adventure　and　my　share　in　the　gains；　I　commanded　the　captain。　Not　in　him；　but　in　me　were　reposed　the　sealed　orders。　　I　assure　you　I　did　not　know　myself　what　they　were。　　Not　until　we　were　around　old　Cape　Stiff；　fifty　to　fifty；　and　in　fifty　in　the　Pacific；　did　I　break　the　seal　and　learn　we　were　bound　for　Van　Dieman's　Land。　　They　called　it　Van　Dieman's　Land　in　those　days　。　。　。　〃

It　was　a　day　of　discoveries。　　Captain　Doane　caught　the　mate　stealing　the　ship's　position　from　his　desk　with　the　duplicate　key。　There　was　a　scene；　but　no　more；　for　the　Finn　was　too　huge　a　man　to　invite　personal　encounter；　and　Captain　Dome　could　only　stigmatize　his　conduct　to　a　running　reiteration　of　〃Yes；　sir；〃　and　〃No；　sir；〃　and　〃Sorry；　sir。〃

Perhaps　the　most　important　discovery；　although　he　did　not　know　it　at　the　time；　was　that　of　Dag　Daughtry。　　It　was　after　the　course　had　been　changed　and　all　sail　set；　and　after　the　Ancient　Mariner　had　privily　informed　him　that　Taiohae；　in　the　Marquesas；　was　their　objective；　that　Daughtry　gaily　proceeded　to　shave。　　But　one　trouble　was　on　his　mind。　　He　was　not　quite　sure；　in　such　an　out…　of…the…way　place　as　Taiohae；　that　good　beer　could　be　procured。

As　he　prepared　to　make　the　first　stroke　of　the　razor；　most　of　his　face　white　with　lather；　he　noticed　a　dark　patch　of　skin　on　his　forehead　just　between　the　eye…brows　and　above。　　Wh