太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > the secret sharer >

第8节

the secret sharer-第8节

小说: the secret sharer 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!




slippers on my bare feet) I stopped at the open pantry door and spoke

to the steward。  He was doing something there with his back to me。

At the sound of my voice he nearly jumped out of his skin;

as the saying is; and incidentally broke a cup。



〃What on earth's the matter with you?〃  I asked; astonished。



He was extremely confused。  〃Beg your pardon; sir。  I made sure

you were in your cabin。〃



〃You see I wasn't。〃



〃No; sir。  I could have sworn I had heard you moving in there not

a moment ago。  It's most extraordinary 。 。 。 very sorry; sir。〃



I passed on with an inward shudder。  I was so identified

with my secret double that I did not even mention

the fact in those scanty; fearful whispers we exchanged。

I suppose he had made some slight noise of some kind or other。

It would have been miraculous if he hadn't at one time or another。

And yet; haggard as he appeared; he looked always perfectly

self…controlled; more than calmalmost invulnerable。

On my suggestion he remained almost entirely in

the bathroom; which; upon the whole; was the safest place。

There could be really no shadow of an excuse for anyone ever

wanting to go in there; once the steward had done with it。

It was a very tiny place。  Sometimes he reclined on

the floor; his legs bent; his head sustained on one elbow。

At others I would find him on the campstool; sitting in his gray

sleeping suit and with his cropped dark hair like a patient;

unmoved convict。  At night I would smuggle him into my bed place;

and we would whisper together; with the regular footfalls of

the officer of the watch passing and repassing over our heads。

It was an infinitely miserable time。  It was lucky that some

tins of fine preserves were stowed in a locker in my stateroom;

hard bread I could always get hold of; and so he lived on stewed

chicken; PATE DE FOIE GRAS; asparagus; cooked oysters; sardines

on all sorts of abominable sham delicacies out of tins。

My early…morning coffee he always drank; and it was all I

dared do for him in that respect。



Every day there was the horrible maneuvering to go through so that my room

and then the bathroom should be done in the usual way。  I came to hate

the sight of the steward; to abhor the voice of that harmless man。

I felt that it was he who would bring on the disaster of discovery。

It hung like a sword over our heads。



The fourth day out; I think (we were then working down the east side

of the Gulf of Siam; tack for tack; in light winds and smooth water)

the fourth day; I say; of this miserable juggling with the unavoidable;

as we sat at our evening meal; that man; whose slightest movement

I dreaded; after putting down the dishes ran up on deck busily。

This could not be dangerous。  Presently he came down again;

and then it appeared that he had remembered a coat of mine

which I had thrown over a rail to dry after having been wetted

in a shower which had passed over the ship in the afternoon。

Sitting stolidly at the head of the table I became terrified at

the sight of the garment on his arm。  Of course he made for my door。

There was no time to lose。



〃Steward;〃 I thundered。  My nerves were so shaken that I

could not govern my voice and conceal my agitation。

This was the sort of thing that made my terrifically

whiskered mate tap his forehead with his forefinger。

I had detected him using that gesture while talking on deck

with a confidential air to the carpenter。  It was too far

to hear a word; but I had no doubt that this pantomime could

only refer to the strange new captain。



〃Yes; sir;〃 the pale…faced steward turned resignedly to me。

It was this maddening course of being shouted at; checked without

rhyme or reason; arbitrarily chased out of my cabin; suddenly called

into it; sent flying out of his pantry on incomprehensible errands;

that accounted for the growing wretchedness of his expression。



〃Where are you going with that coat?〃



〃To your room; sir。〃



〃Is there another shower coming?〃



〃I'm sure I don't know; sir。  Shall I go up again and see; sir?〃



〃No! never mind。〃



My object was attained; as of course my other self in there would have heard

everything that passed。  During this interlude my two officers never raised

their eyes off their respective plates; but the lip of that confounded cub;

the second mate; quivered visibly。



I expected the steward to hook my coat on and come out at once。

He was very slow about it; but I dominated my nervousness

sufficiently not to shout after him。  Suddenly I became aware

(it could be heard plainly enough) that the fellow for some reason

or other was opening the door of the bathroom。  It was the end。

The place was literally not big enough to swing a cat in。

My voice died in my throat and I went stony all over。

I expected to hear a yell of surprise and terror; and made

a movement; but had not the strength to get on my legs。

Everything remained still。  Had my second self taken the poor

wretch by the throat?  I don't know what I could have done

next moment if I had not seen the steward come out of my room;

close the door; and then stand quietly by the sideboard。



〃Saved;〃 I thought。  〃But; no!  Lost!  Gone!  He was gone!〃



I laid my knife and fork down and leaned back in my chair。  My head swam。

After a while; when sufficiently recovered to speak in a steady voice;

I instructed my mate to put the ship round at eight o'clock himself。



〃I won't come on deck;〃 I went on。  〃I think I'll turn in; and unless

the wind shifts I don't want to be disturbed before midnight。

I feel a bit seedy。〃



〃You did look middling bad a little while ago;〃 the chief mate remarked

without showing any great concern。



They both went out; and I stared at the steward clearing the table。

There was nothing to be read on that wretched man's face。

But why did he avoid my eyes; I asked myself。  Then I thought I

should like to hear the sound of his voice。



〃Steward!〃



〃Sir!〃  Startled as usual。



〃Where did you hang up that coat?〃



〃In the bathroom; sir。〃  The usual anxious tone。

〃It's not quite dry yet; sir。〃



For some time longer I sat in the cuddy。  Had my double vanished

as he had come?  But of his coming there was an explanation;

whereas his disappearance would be inexplicable。  。 。 。 I went

slowly into my dark room; shut the door; lighted the lamp;

and for a time dared not turn round。  When at last I did I

saw him standing bolt…upright in the narrow recessed part。

It would not be true to say I had a shock; but an irresistible

doubt of his bodily existence flitted through my mind。

Can it be; I asked myself; that he is not visible to other eyes

than mine?  It was like being haunted。  Motionless; with a

grave face; he raised his hands slightly at me in a gesture

which meant clearly; 〃Heavens! what a narrow escape!〃

Narrow indeed。  I think I had come creeping quietly as near

insanity as any man who has not actually gone over the border。

That gesture restrained me; so to speak。



The mate with the terrific whiskers was now putting the ship

on the other tack。  In the moment of profound silence

which follows upon the hands going to their stations I heard

on the poop his raised voice:  〃Hard alee!〃 and the distant

shout of the order repeated on the main…deck。 The sails;

in that light breeze; made but a faint fluttering noise。

It ceased。  The ship was coming round slowly:  I held my breath

in the renewed stillness of expectation; one wouldn't have

thought that there was a single living soul on her decks。

A sudden brisk shout; 〃Mainsail haul!〃 broke the spell;

and in the noisy cries and rush overhead of the men running away

with the main brace we two; down in my cabin; came together

in our usual position by the bed place。



He did not wait for my question。  〃I heard him fumbling here and just

managed to squat myself down in the bath;〃 he whispered to me。

〃The fellow only opened the door and put his arm in to hang the coat up。

All the same〃



〃I never thought of that;〃 I whispered back; even more appalled

than before at the closeness of the shave; and marveling at

that something unyielding in his character which was carrying

him through so finely。  There was no agitation in his whisper。

Whoever was being driven distracted; it was not he。  He was sane。

And the proof of his sanity was continued when he took up

the whispering again。



〃It would never do for me to come to life again。〃



It was something that a ghost might have said。  But what he was alluding

to was his old captain's reluctant admission of the theory of suicide。

It would obviously serve his turnif I had understood at all the view

which seemed to govern the unalterable purpose of his action。



〃You must maroon me as soon as ever you can get amongst these islands

off the Cambodge shore;〃 he went on。



〃Maroon you!  We are not living in a boy's adventure tale;〃 I protested。


返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 2 1

你可能喜欢的