the crusade of the excelsior-第4节

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forecastle　among　live　men　as　it　does　in　the　cabin　with　a　lot　of

women。　　You'll　more　likely　find　that　he's　been　some　sort　of　steward

on　a　steamer；　and　he's　working　his　passage　with　us。　　That's　where

he　gets　that　smooth；　equally…attentive…to…anybody　sort　of　style。

The　way　he　skirmished　around　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Mrs。　Markham　with　a

basin　the　other　day　when　it　was　so　rough　convinced　ME。　　It　was　a

little　too　professional　to　suit　my　style。〃



〃I　suppose　that　was　the　reason　why　you　went　below　so　suddenly；〃

rejoined　Brace；　whose　too　sensitive　blood　was　beginning　to　burn　in

his　cheeks　and　eyes。



〃It's　a　shame　to　stay　below　this　morning；〃　said　Miss　Keene；

instinctively　recognizing　the　cause　of　the　discord　and　its　remedy。

〃I'm　going　on　deck　againif　I　can　manage　to　get　there。〃



The　three　gentlemen　sprang　to　accompany　her；　and；　in　their　efforts

to　keep　their　physical　balance　and　hers　equally；　the　social

equilibrium　was　restored。



By　noon；　however；　the　heavy　cross…sea　had　abated；　and　the　Excelsior

bore　west。　　When　she　once　more　rose　and　fell　regularly　on　the　long

rhythmical　swell　of　the　Pacific；　most　of　the　passengers　regained

the　deck。　　Even　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Miss　Chubb　ventured　from　their

staterooms；　and　were　conveyed　to　and　installed　in　some　state　on　a

temporary　divan　of　cushions　and　shawls　on　the　lee　side。　　For　even

in　this　small　republic　of　equal　cabin　passengers　the　undemocratic

and　distinction…loving　sex　had　managed　to　create　a　sham

exclusiveness。　　Mrs。　Brimmer；　as　the　daughter　of　a　rich　Bostonian；

the　sister　of　a　prominent　lawyer；　and　the　wife　of　a　successful　San

Francisco　merchant；　who　was　popularly　supposed　to　be　part…owner　of

the　Excelsior；　was　recognized；　and　alternately　caressed　and　hated

as　their　superior。　　A　majority　of　the　male　passengers；　owning　no

actual　or　prospective　matrimonial　subjection　to　those　charming

toad…eaters；　I　am　afraid　continued　to　enjoy　a　mild　and　debasing

equality　among　themselves；　mitigated　only　by　the　concessions　of

occasional　gallantry。　　To　them；　Mrs。　Brimmer　was　a　rather　pretty；

refined；　well…dressed　woman；　whose　languid　pallor；　aristocratic

spareness；　and　utter　fastidiousness　did　not；　however；　preclude　a

certain　nervous　intensity　which　occasionally　lit　up　her　weary　eyes

with　a　dangerous　phosphorescence；　under　their　brown　fringes。

Equally　acceptable　was　Miss　Chubb；　her　friend　and　traveling

companion；　a　tall；　well…bred　girl；　with　faint　salmon…pink　hair　and

complexion；　that　darkened　to　a　fiery　brown　in　her　shortsighted

eyes。



Between　these　ladies　and　Mrs。　Markham　and　Miss　Keene　existed　an

enthusiastic　tolerance；　which；　however；　could　never　be　mistaken　for

a　generous　rivalry。　　Of　the　greater　popularity　of　Miss　Keene　as　the

recognized　belle　of　the　Excelsior　there　could　be　no　question；　nor

was　there　any　from　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　her　friend。　　The　intellectual

preeminence　of　Mrs。　Markham　was　equally；　and　no　less　ostentatiously；

granted。　　〃Mrs。　Markham　is　so　clever；　I　delight　to　hear　you　converse

together；〃　Mrs。　Brimmer　would　say　to　Senor　Perkins；　〃though　I'm　sure

I　hardly　dare　talk　to　her　myself。　　She　might　easily　go　into　the

lecture…fieldperhaps　she　expects　to　do　so　in　California。　　My　dear

Clarissa〃to　Miss　Chubb〃don't　she　remind　you　a　little　of　Aunt

Jane　Winthrop's　governess；　whom　we　came　so　near　taking　to　Paris　with

us；　but　couldn't　on　account　of　her　defective　French？〃



When　〃The　Excelsior　Banner　and　South　Sea　Bubble〃　was　published　in

lat。　15　N。　and　long。　105　W。；　to　which　Mrs。　Markham　contributed　the

editorials　and　essays；　and　Senor　Perkins　three　columns　of

sentimental　poetry；　Mrs。　Brimmer　did　not　withhold　her　praise　of　the

fair　editor。　　When　the　Excelsior　〃Recrossed　the　Line；〃　with　a

suitable　tableau　vivant　and　pageant；　and　Miss　Keene　as　California；

in　white　and　blue；　welcomed　from　the　hands　of　Neptune　（Senor

Perkins）　and　Amphitrite　（Mrs。　Markham）　her　fair　sister；

Massachusetts　（Mrs。　Brimmer）；　and　New　York　（Miss　Chubb）；　Mrs。

Brimmer　was　most　enthusiastic　of　the　beauty　of　Miss　Keene。



On　the　present　morning　Mr。　Banks　found　his　disappointment　at　not

going　into　Mazatlan　languidly　shared　by　Mrs。　Brimmer。　　That　lady

even　made　a　place　for　him　on　the　cushions　beside　her；　as　she

pensively　expressed　her　belief　that　her　husband　would　be　still　more

disappointed。



〃Mr。　Brimmer；　you　know；　has　correspondents　at　Mazatlan；　and　no

doubt　he　has　made　particular　arrangements　for　our　reception　and

entertainment　while　there。　　I　should　not　wonder　if　he　was　very

indignant。　　And　if；　as　I　fear；　the　officials　of　the　place；　knowing

Mr。　Brimmer's　positionand　my　own　connectionshave　prepared　to

show　us　social　courtesies；　it　may　be　a　graver　affair。　　I　shouldn't

be　surprised　if　our　Government　were　obliged　to　take　notice　of　it。

There　is　a　Captain…General　of　portisn't　there？　　I　think　my

husband　spoke　of　him。〃



〃Oh；　he's　probably　been　shot　long　ago；〃　broke　in　Mr。　Crosby

cheerfully。　　〃They　put　in　a　new　man　every　revolution。　　If　the　wrong

party's　got　in；　they've　likely　shipped　your　husband's　correspondent

too；　and　might　be　waiting　to　get　a　reception　for　you　with　nigger

soldiers　and　ball　cartridges。　　Shouldn't　wonder　if　the　skipper　got

wind　of　something　of　the　kind；　and　that's　why　he　didn't　put　in。　　If

your　husband　hadn't　been　so　well　known；　you　see；　we　might　have

slipped　in　all　right。〃



Mrs。　Brimmer　received　this　speech　with　the　languid　obliviousness　of

perception　she　usually　meted　out　to　this　chartered　jester。



〃Do　you　really　think　so；　Mr。　Crosby？　　And　would　you　have　been

afraid　to　leave　your　cabinor　are　you　joking？　　You　know　I　never

know　when　you　are。　　It　is　very　dreadful；　either　way。〃



But　here　Miss　Chubb；　with　ready　tact；　interrupted　any　possible

retort　from　Mr。　Crosby。



〃Look；〃　she　said；　pointing　to　some　of　the　other　passengers；　who；　at

a　little　distance；　had　grouped　about　the　first　mate　in　animated

discussion。　　〃I　wonder　what　those　gentlemen　are　so　interested

about。　　Do　go　and　see。〃



Before　he　could　reply；　Mr。　Winslow；　detaching　himself　from　the

group；　hurried　towards　them。



〃Here's　a　row：　Hurlstone　is　missing！　　Can't　be　found　anywhere！

They　think　he's　fallen　overboard！〃



The　two　frightened　exclamations　from　Miss　Chubb　and　Mrs。　Brimmer

diverted　attention　from　the　sudden　paleness　of　Miss　Keene；　who　had

impulsively　approached　them。



〃Impossible！〃　she　said　hurriedly。



〃I　fear　it　is　so；〃　said　Brace；　who　had　followed　Winslow；　〃although；〃

he　added　in　a　lower　tone；　with　an　angry　glance　at　the　latter；　〃that

brute　need　not　have　blustered　it　out　to　frighten　everybody。　　They're

searching　the　ship　again；　but　there　seems　no　hope。　　He　hasn't　been

seen　since　last　night。　　He　was　supposed　to　be　in　his　state…roombut

as　nobody　missed　himyou　know　how　odd　and　reserved　he　wasit　was

only　when　the　steward　couldn't　find　him；　and　began　to　inquire；　that

everybody　remembered　they　hadn't　seen　him　all　day。　　You　are

frightened；　Miss　Keene；　pray　sit　down。　　That　fellow　Winslow　ought　to

have　had　more　sense。〃



〃It　seems　so　horrible　that　nobody　knew　it；〃　said　the　young　girl；

shuddering；　〃that　we　sat　here　laughing　and　talking；　while　perhaps

he　was　　Good　heavens！　what's　that？〃



A　gruff　order　had　been　given：　in　the　bustle　that　ensued　the　ship

began　to　fall　off　to　leeward；　a　number　of　the　crew　had　sprung　to

the　davits　of　the　quarter　boat。



〃We're　going　about；　and　they're　lowering　a　boat；　that's　all；　but

it's　as　good　as　hopeless；〃　said　Brace。　　〃The　accident　must　have

happened　before　daylight；　or　it　would　have　been　seen　by　the　watch。

It　was　probably　long　before　we　came　on　deck；〃　he　added　gently；　〃so

comfort　yourself；　Miss　Keene；　you　could　have　seen　nothing。〃



〃It　seems　so　dreadful；〃　murmured　the　young　girl；　〃that　he　wasn't

even　missed。　　Why；〃　she　said；　suddenly　raising　her　soft　eyes　to

Brace；　〃YOU　must　have　noticed　his　absence；　why；　even　I〃　　She

stopped　with　a　slight　confusion；　that　was；　however；　luckily

diverted　by　the　irrepressible　Winslow。



〃The　skipper's　been　routed　out　at　last；　and　is　giving　orders。　　He

don't　look　as　if　his　hat　fitted　him　any　too　comfortably　this

morning；　does　he？〃　he　laughed；　as　a　stout；　grizzled　man；　with

congested　face　and　eyes；　and　a　peremptory　voice　husky　with

alcoholic　irritation；　suddenly　appeared　among　the　group　by　the

wheel。　　〃I　reckon　he's　cursing　his　luck　at　having　to　heave…to　and

lose　this　wind。〃



〃But　for　a　human　creature's　life！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Markham　in

horror。



〃That's　just　it。　　Laying…to　now　ain't　going　to　save　anybody's　life；

and　he　knows　it。　　He's　doin'　it　for　show；　just　for　a　clean　record

in　the　log；　and　to　satisfy　you　people　here；　who'd　kick　up　a　row　if

he　didn't。〃



〃Then　you　believe　he's　lost？〃　said　Miss　Keene；　with　glistening

eyes。



〃There　ain't　a　doubt　of　it；〃　returned　Winslow　shortly。



〃I　don't　agree　with　you；〃　said　a　gentle　voice。



They　turned　quickly　towards　the　benevolent　face　of　Senor　Perkins；

who　had　just　joined　them。