the mirror of the sea-第34节
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Don Carlos； no doubt； must have had many queer friends （it is the
common lot of all Pretenders）； but amongst them none more
extravagantly fantastic than the Tremolino Syndicate； which used to
meet in a tavern on the quays of the old port。 The antique city of
Massilia had surely never； since the days of the earliest
Phoenicians； known an odder set of ship…owners。 We met to discuss
and settle the plan of operations for each voyage of the Tremolino。
In these operations a banking…house； too； was concerned … a very
respectable banking…house。 But I am afraid I shall end by saying
too much。 Ladies； too； were concerned （I am really afraid I am
saying too much） … all sorts of ladies； some old enough to know
better than to put their trust in princes； others young and full of
illusions。
One of these last was extremely amusing in the imitations； she gave
us in confidence； of various highly…placed personages she was
perpetually rushing off to Paris to interview in the interests of
the cause … POR EL REY！ For she was a Carlist； and of Basque blood
at that； with something of a lioness in the expression of her
courageous face （especially when she let her hair down）； and with
the volatile little soul of a sparrow dressed in fine Parisian
feathers； which had the trick of coming off disconcertingly at
unexpected moments。
But her imitations of a Parisian personage； very highly placed
indeed； as she represented him standing in the corner of a room
with his face to the wall； rubbing the back of his head and moaning
helplessly； 〃Rita； you are the death of me！〃 were enough to make
one （if young and free from cares） split one's sides laughing。 She
had an uncle still living； a very effective Carlist； too； the
priest of a little mountain parish in Guipuzcoa。 As the sea…going
member of the syndicate （whose plans depended greatly on Dona
Rita's information）； I used to be charged with humbly affectionate
messages for the old man。 These messages I was supposed to deliver
to the Arragonese muleteers （who were sure to await at certain
times the Tremolino in the neighbourhood of the Gulf of Rosas）； for
faithful transportation inland； together with the various unlawful
goods landed secretly from under the Tremolino's hatches。
Well； now； I have really let out too much （as I feared I should in
the end） as to the usual contents of my sea…cradle。 But let it
stand。 And if anybody remarks cynically that I must have been a
promising infant in those days； let that stand； too。 I am
concerned but for the good name of the Tremolino； and I affirm that
a ship is ever guiltless of the sins； transgressions； and follies
of her men。
XLII。
It was not Tremolino's fault that the syndicate depended so much on
the wit and wisdom and the information of Dona Rita。 She had taken
a little furnished house on the Prado for the good of the cause …
POR EL REY！ She was always taking little houses for somebody's
good； for the sick or the sorry； for broken…down artists； cleaned…
out gamblers； temporarily unlucky speculators … VIEUX AMIS … old
friends； as she used to explain apologetically； with a shrug of her
fine shoulders。
Whether Don Carlos was one of the 〃old friends；〃 too； it's hard to
say。 More unlikely things have been heard of in smoking…rooms。
All I know is that one evening； entering incautiously the salon of
the little house just after the news of a considerable Carlist
success had reached the faithful； I was seized round the neck and
waist and whirled recklessly three times round the room； to the
crash of upsetting furniture and the humming of a valse tune in a
warm contralto voice。
When released from the dizzy embrace； I sat down on the carpet …
suddenly； without affectation。 In this unpretentious attitude I
became aware that J。 M。 K。 B。 had followed me into the room；
elegant； fatal； correct and severe in a white tie and large shirt…
front。 In answer to his politely sinister； prolonged glance of
inquiry； I overheard Dona Rita murmuring； with some confusion and
annoyance； 〃VOUS ETES BETE MON CHER。 VOYONS！ CA N'A AUCUNE
CONSEQUENCE。〃 Well content in this case to be of no particular
consequence； I had already about me the elements of some worldly
sense。
Rearranging my collar； which； truth to say； ought to have been a
round one above a short jacket； but was not； I observed
felicitously that I had come to say good…bye； being ready to go off
to sea that very night with the Tremolino。 Our hostess； slightly
panting yet； and just a shade dishevelled； turned tartly upon J。 M。
K。 B。； desiring to know when HE would be ready to go off by the
Tremolino； or in any other way； in order to join the royal
headquarters。 Did he intend； she asked ironically； to wait for the
very eve of the entry into Madrid？ Thus by a judicious exercise of
tact and asperity we re…established the atmospheric equilibrium of
the room long before I left them a little before midnight； now
tenderly reconciled； to walk down to the harbour and hail the
Tremolino by the usual soft whistle from the edge of the quay。 It
was our signal； invariably heard by the ever…watchful Dominic； the
PADRONE。
He would raise a lantern silently to light my steps along the
narrow； springy plank of our primitive gangway。 〃And so we are
going off；〃 he would murmur directly my foot touched the deck。 I
was the harbinger of sudden departures； but there was nothing in
the world sudden enough to take Dominic unawares。 His thick black
moustaches； curled every morning with hot tongs by the barber at
the corner of the quay； seemed to hide a perpetual smile。 But
nobody； I believe； had ever seen the true shape of his lips。 From
the slow； imperturbable gravity of that broad…chested man you would
think he had never smiled in his life。 In his eyes lurked a look
of perfectly remorseless irony； as though he had been provided with
an extremely experienced soul； and the slightest distension of his
nostrils would give to his bronzed face a look of extraordinary
boldness。 This was the only play of feature of which he seemed
capable； being a Southerner of a concentrated； deliberate type。
His ebony hair curled slightly on the temples。 He may have been
forty years old； and he was a great voyager on the inland sea。
Astute and ruthless； he could have rivalled in resource the
unfortunate son of Laertes and Anticlea。 If he did not pit his
craft and audacity against the very gods； it is only because the
Olympian gods are dead。 Certainly no woman could frighten him。 A
one…eyed giant would not have had the ghost of a chance against
Dominic Cervoni； of Corsica； not Ithaca； and no king； son of kings；
but of very respectable family … authentic Caporali； he affirmed。
But that is as it may be。 The Caporali families date back to the
twelfth century。
For want of more exalted adversaries Dominic turned his audacity
fertile in impious stratagems against the powers of the earth； as
represented by the institution of Custom…houses and every mortal
belonging thereto … scribes； officers； and guardacostas afloat and
ashore。 He was the very man for us； this modern and unlawful
wanderer with his own legend of loves； dangers； and bloodshed。 He
told us bits of it sometimes in measured； ironic tones。 He spoke
Catalonian； the Italian of Corsica and the French of Provence with
the same easy naturalness。 Dressed in shore…togs； a white starched
shirt； black jacket； and round hat； as I took him once to see Dona
Rita； he was extremely presentable。 He could make himself
interesting by a tactful and rugged reserve set off by a grim；
almost imperceptible； playfulness of tone and manner。
He had the physical assurance of strong…hearted men。 After half an
hour's interview in the dining…room； during which they got in touch
with each other in an amazing way； Rita told us in her best GRANDE
DAME manner： 〃MAIS IL ESI PARFAIT； CET HOMME。〃 He was perfect。
On board the Tremolino； wrapped up in a black CABAN； the
picturesque cloak of Mediterranean seamen； with those massive
moustaches and his remorseless eyes set off by the shadow of the
deep hood； he looked piratical and monkish and darkly initiated
into the most awful mysteries of the sea。
XLIII。
Anyway； he was perfect； as Dona Rita had declared。 The only thing
unsatisfactory （and even inexplicable） about our Dominic was his
nephew； Cesar。 It was startling to see a desolate expression of
shame veil the remorseless audacity in the eyes of that man
superior to all scruples and terrors。
〃I would never have dare
