miss or mrs[1].(小姐还是夫人)-第7节
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forward part of the vessel。
Launce pursued his advantage。
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃Your father leaves us no alternative；〃 he said。 〃The door will be
closed against me as soon as we get on shore。 If I lose you； Natalie； I don't
care what becomes of me。 My profession may go to the devil。 I have
nothing left worth living for。〃
〃Hush！ hush！ don't talk in that way！〃
Launce tried the soothing influence of persuasion once more。
〃Hundreds and hundreds of people in our situation have married
privatelyand have been forgiven afterward；〃 he went on。 〃I won't ask you
to do anything in a hurry。 I will be guided entirely by your wishes。 All I
want to quiet my mind is to know that you are mine。 Do； do； do make me
feel sure that Richard Turlington can't take you away from me。〃
〃Don't press me； Launce。〃 She dropped on the locker。 〃See！〃 she said。
〃It makes me tremble only to think of it！〃
〃Who are you afraid of； darling？ Not your father； surely？〃
〃Poor papa！ I wonder whether he would be hard on me for the first
time in his life？〃 She stopped； her moistening eyes looked up imploringly
in Launce's face。 〃Don't press me！〃 she repeated faintly。 〃You know it's
wrong。 We should have to confess it and then what would happen？〃 She
paused again。 Her eyes wandered nervously to the deck。 Her voice
dropped to its lowest tones。 〃Think of Richard！〃 she said； and shuddered at
the terrors which that name conjured up。 Before it was possible to say a
quieting word to her； she was again on her feet。 Richard's name had
suddenly recalled to her memory Launce's mysterious allusion； at the
outset of the interview； to the owner of the yacht。 〃What was that you said
about Richard just now？〃 she asked。 〃You saw something （or heard
something） strange while papa was telling his story。 What was it？〃
〃I noticed Richard's face； Natalie； when your father told us that the
man overboard was not one of the pilot…boat's crew。 He turned ghastly pale。
He looked guilty〃
〃Guilty？ Of what？〃
〃He was presentI am certain of itwhen the sailor was thrown into
the sea。 For all I know； he may have been the man who did it。〃
Natalie started back in horror。
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Miss or Mrs。？
〃Oh； Launce！ Launce！ that is too bad。 You may not like Richard you
may treat Richard as your enemy。 But to say such a horrible thing of him
as that It's not generous。 It's not like _you_。〃
〃If you had seen him； you would have said it too。 I mean to make
inquiriesin your father's interests as well as in ours。 My brother knows
one of the Commissioners of Police； and my brother can get it done for me。
Turlington has not always been in the Levant tradeI know that already。〃
〃For shame； Launce！ for shame！〃
The footsteps on deck were audible coming back。 Natalie sprang to the
door leading into the cabin。 Launce stopped her； as she laid her hand on
the lock。 The footsteps went straight on toward the stern of the vessel。
Launce clasped both arms round her。 Natalie gave way。
〃Don't drive me to despair！〃 he said。 〃This is my last opportunity。 I
don't ask you to say at once that you will marry me； I only ask you to think
of it。 My darling！ my angel！ will you think of it？〃
As he put the question； they might have heard （if they had not been too
completely engrossed in each other to listen） the footsteps returningone
pair of footsteps only this time。 Natalie's prolonged absence had begun to
surprise her aunt； and had roused a certain vague distrust in Richard's
mind。 He walked back again along the deck by himself。 He looked
absently in the main cabin as he passed it。 The store…room skylight came
next。 In his present frame of mind； would he look absently into the store…
room too？
〃Let me go！〃 said Natalie。
Launce only answered； 〃Say yes；〃 and held her as if he would never let
her go again。
At the same moment Miss Lavinia's voice rose shrill from the deck
calling for Natalie。 There was but one way of getting free from him。 She
said； 〃I'll think of it。〃 Upon that； he kissed her and let her go。
The door had barely closed on her when the lowering face of Richard
Turlington appeared on a level with the side of the sky… light； looking
down into the store…room at Launce。
〃Halloo！〃 he called out roughly。 〃What are you doing in the steward's
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Miss or Mrs。？
room？〃
Launce took up a box of matches on the dresser。 〃I'm getting a light；〃
he answered readily。
〃I allow nobody below； forward of the main cabin； without my leave。
The steward has permitted a breach of discipline on board my vessel。 The
steward will leave my service。〃
〃The steward is not to blame。〃
〃I am the judge of that。 Not you。〃
Launce opened his lips to reply。 An outbreak between the two men
appeared to be inevitable； when the sailing…master of the yacht joined his
employer on deck； and directed Turlington's attention to a question which
is never to be trifled with at sea； the question of wind and tide。
The yacht was then in the Bristol Channel； at the entrance to Bideford
Bay。 The breeze； fast freshening； was also fast changing the direction from
which it blew。 The favorable tide had barely three hours more to run。
〃The wind's shifting； sir；〃 said the sailing…master。 〃I'm afraid we shan't
get round the point this tide； unless we lay her off on the other tack。〃
Turlington shook his head。
〃There are letters waiting for me at Bideford；〃 he said。 〃We have lost
two days in the calm。 I must send ashore to the post…office； whether we
lose the tide or not。〃
The vessel held on her course。 Off the port of Bideford； the boat was
sent ashore to the post…office； the yacht standing off and on； waiting the
appearance of the letters。 In the shortest time in which it was possible to
bring them on board the letters were in Turlington's hands。
The men were hauling the boat up to the davits； the yacht was already
heading off from the land； when Turlington startled everybody by one
peremptory word〃Stop！〃
He had thrust all his letters but one into the pocket of his sailing jacket；
without reading them。 The one letter which he had opened he held in his
closed hand。 Rage was in his staring eyes； consternation was on his pale
lips。
〃Lower the boat！〃 he shouted； 〃I must get to London to…night。〃 He
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Miss or Mrs。？
stopped Sir Joseph； approaching him with opened mouth。 〃There's no time
for questions and answers。 I must get back。〃 He swung himself over the
side of the yacht； and addressed the sailing…master from the boat。 〃Save
the tide if you can； if you can't； put them ashore to…morrow at Minehead or
Watchetwherever they like。〃 He beckoned to Sir Joseph to lean over the
bulwark； and hear something he had to say in private。 〃Remember what I
told you about Launcelot Linzie！〃 he whispered fiercely。 His parting look
was for Natalie。 He spoke to her with a strong constraint on himself； as
gently as he could。 〃Don't be alarmed； I shall see you in London。〃 He
seated himself in the boat and took the tiller。 The last words they heard
him say were words urging the men at the oars to lose no time。 He was
invariably brutal with the men。 〃Pull； you lazy beggars！〃 he exclaimed；
with an oath。 〃Pull for your lives！〃
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THIRD SCENE。
The Money Market。
Let us be serious。Business！
The new scene plunges us head foremost into the affairs of the Levant
trading…house of Pizzituti； Turlington & Branca。 What on earth do we
know about the Levant Trade？ Courage！ If we have eve
