the mirror of the sea-第36节

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Where　the　fellow　had　gone；　and　why；　we　could　not　imagine。　　The



usual　surmises　in　the　case　of　a　missing　seaman　did　not　apply　to



Cesar's　absence。　　He　was　too　odious　for　love；　friendship；　gambling；



or　even　casual　intercourse。　　But　once　or　twice　he　had　wandered　away



like　this　before。







Dominic　went　ashore　to　look　for　him；　but　returned　at　the　end　of　two



hours　alone　and　very　angry；　as　I　could　see　by　the　token　of　the



invisible　smile　under　his　moustache　being　intensified。　　We　wondered



what　had　become　of　the　wretch；　and　made　a　hurried　investigation



amongst　our　portable　property。　　He　had　stolen　nothing。







〃He　will　be　back　before　long；〃　I　said　confidently。







Ten　minutes　afterwards　one　of　the　men　on　deck　called　out　loudly：







〃I　can　see　him　coming。〃







Cesar　had　only　his　shirt　and　trousers　on。　　He　had　sold　his　coat；



apparently　for　pocket…money。







〃You　knave！〃　was　all　Dominic　said；　with　a　terrible　softness　of



voice。　　He　restrained　his　choler　for　a　time。　　〃Where　have　you　been；



vagabond？〃　he　asked　menacingly。







Nothing　would　induce　Cesar　to　answer　that　question。　　It　was　as　if



he　even　disdained　to　lie。　　He　faced　us；　drawing　back　his　lips　and



gnashing　his　teeth；　and　did　not　shrink　an　inch　before　the　sweep　of



Dominic's　arm。　　He　went　down　as　if　shot；　of　course。　　But　this　time



I　noticed　that；　when　picking　himself　up；　he　remained　longer　than



usual　on　all　fours；　baring　his　big　teeth　over　his　shoulder　and



glaring　upwards　at　his　uncle　with　a　new　sort　of　hate　in　his　round；



yellow　eyes。　　That　permanent　sentiment　seemed　pointed　at　that



moment　by　especial　malice　and　curiosity。　　I　became　quite



interested。　　If　he　ever　manages　to　put　poison　in　the　dishes；　I



thought　to　myself；　this　is　how　he　will　look　at　us　as　we　sit　at　our



meal。　　But　I　did　not；　of　course；　believe　for　a　moment　that　he　would



ever　put　poison　in　our　food。　　He　ate　the　same　things　himself。



Moreover；　he　had　no　poison。　　And　I　could　not　imagine　a　human　being



so　blinded　by　cupidity　as　to　sell　poison　to　such　an　atrocious



creature。















XLIV。















We　slipped　out　to　sea　quietly　at　dusk；　and　all　through　the　night



everything　went　well。　　The　breeze　was　gusty；　a　southerly　blow　was



making　up。　　It　was　fair　wind　for　our　course。　　Now　and　then　Dominic



slowly　and　rhythmically　struck　his　hands　together　a　few　times；　as



if　applauding　the　performance　of　the　Tremolino。　　The　balancelle



hummed　and　quivered　as　she　flew　along；　dancing　lightly　under　our



feet。







At　daybreak　I　pointed　out　to　Dominic；　amongst　the　several　sail　in



view　running　before　the　gathering　storm；　one　particular　vessel。



The　press　of　canvas　she　carried　made　her　loom　up　high；　end…on；　like



a　gray　column　standing　motionless　directly　in　our　wake。







〃Look　at　this　fellow；　Dominic；〃　I　said。　　〃He　seems　to　be　in　a



hurry。〃







The　Padrone　made　no　remark；　but；　wrapping　his　black　cloak　close



about　him；　stood　up　to　look。　　His　weather…tanned　face；　framed　in



the　hood；　had　an　aspect　of　authority　and　challenging　force；　with



the　deep…set　eyes　gazing　far　away　fixedly；　without　a　wink；　like　the



intent；　merciless；　steady　eyes　of　a　sea…bird。







〃CHI　VA　PIANO　VA　SANO；〃　he　remarked　at　last；　with　a　derisive　glance



over　the　side；　in　ironic　allusion　to　our　own　tremendous　speed。







The　Tremolino　was　doing　her　best；　and　seemed　to　hardly　touch　the



great　burst　of　foam　over　which　she　darted。　　I　crouched　down　again



to　get　some　shelter　from　the　low　bulwark。　　After　more　than　half　an



hour　of　swaying　immobility　expressing　a　concentrated；　breathless



watchfulness；　Dominic　sank　on　the　deck　by　my　side。　　Within　the



monkish　cowl　his　eyes　gleamed　with　a　fierce　expression　which



surprised　me。　　All　he　said　was：







〃He　has　come　out　here　to　wash　the　new　paint　off　his　yards；　I



suppose。〃







〃What？〃　I　shouted；　getting　up　on　my　knees。　　〃Is　she　the



guardacosta？〃







The　perpetual　suggestion　of　a　smile　under　Dominic's　piratical



moustaches　seemed　to　become　more　accentuated　…　quite　real；　grim；



actually　almost　visible　through　the　wet　and　uncurled　hair。　　Judging



by　that　symptom；　he　must　have　been　in　a　towering　rage。　　But　I　could



also　see　that　he　was　puzzled；　and　that　discovery　affected　me



disagreeably。　　Dominic　puzzled！　　For　a　long　time；　leaning　against



the　bulwark；　I　gazed　over　the　stern　at　the　gray　column　that　seemed



to　stand　swaying　slightly　in　our　wake　always　at　the　same　distance。







Meanwhile　Dominic；　black　and　cowled；　sat　cross…legged　on　the　deck；



with　his　back　to　the　wind；　recalling　vaguely　an　Arab　chief　in　his



burnuss　sitting　on　the　sand。　　Above　his　motionless　figure　the



little　cord　and　tassel　on　the　stiff　point　of　the　hood　swung　about



inanely　in　the　gale。　　At　last　I　gave　up　facing　the　wind　and　rain；



and　crouched　down　by　his　side。　　I　was　satisfied　that　the　sail　was　a



patrol　craft。　　Her　presence　was　not　a　thing　to　talk　about；　but



soon；　between　two　clouds　charged　with　hail…showers；　a　burst　of



sunshine　fell　upon　her　sails；　and　our　men　discovered　her　character



for　themselves。　　From　that　moment　I　noticed　that　they　seemed　to



take　no　heed　of　each　other　or　of　anything　else。　　They　could　spare



no　eyes　and　no　thought　but　for　the　slight　column…shape　astern　of



us。　　Its　swaying　had　become　perceptible。　　For　a　moment　she　remained



dazzlingly　white；　then　faded　away　slowly　to　nothing　in　a　squall；



only　to　reappear　again；　nearly　black；　resembling　a　post　stuck



upright　against　the　slaty　background　of　solid　cloud。　　Since　first



noticed　she　had　not　gained　on　us　a　foot。







〃She　will　never　catch　the　Tremolino；〃　I　said　exultingly。







Dominic　did　not　look　at　me。　　He　remarked　absently；　but　justly；　that



the　heavy　weather　was　in　our　pursuer's　favour。　　She　was　three　times



our　size。　　What　we　had　to　do　was　to　keep　our　distance　till　dark；



which　we　could　manage　easily；　and　then　haul　off　to　seaward　and



consider　the　situation。　　But　his　thoughts　seemed　to　stumble　in　the



darkness　of　some　not…solved　enigma；　and　soon　he　fell　silent。　　We



ran　steadily；　wing…and…wing。　　Cape　San　Sebastian　nearly　ahead



seemed　to　recede　from　us　in　the　squalls　of　rain；　and　come　out　again



to　meet　our　rush；　every　time　more　distinct　between　the　showers。







For　my　part　I　was　by　no　means　certain　that　this　GABELOU　（as　our　men



alluded　to　her　opprobriously）　was　after　us　at　all。　　There　were



nautical　difficulties　in　such　a　view　which　made　me　express　the



sanguine　opinion　that　she　was　in　all　innocence　simply　changing　her



station。　　At　this　Dominic　condescended　to　turn　his　head。







〃I　tell　you　she　is　in　chase；〃　he　affirmed　moodily；　after　one　short



glance　astern。







I　never　doubted　his　opinion。　　But　with　all　the　ardour　of　a　neophyte



and　the　pride　of　an　apt　learner　I　was　at　that　time　a　great　nautical



casuist。







〃What　I　can't　understand；〃　I　insisted　subtly；　〃is　how　on　earth；



with　this　wind；　she　has　managed　to　be　just　where　she　was　when　we



first　made　her　out。　　It　is　clear　that　she　could　not；　and　did　not；



gain　twelve　miles　on　us　during　the　night。　　And　there　are　other



impossibilities。　。　。　。〃







Dominic　had　been　sitting　motionless；　like　an　inanimate　black　cone



posed　on　the　stern　deck；　near　the　rudder…head；　with　a　small　tassel



fluttering　on　its　sharp　point；　and　for　a　time　he　preserved　the



immobility　of　his　meditation。　　Then；　bending　over　with　a　short



laugh；　he　gave　my　ear　the　bitter　fruit　of　it。　　He　understood



everything　now　perfectly。　　She　was　where　we　had　seen　her　first；　not



because　she　had　caught　us　up；　but　because　we　had　passed　her　during



the　night　while　she　was　already　waiting　for　us；　hove…to；　most



likely；　on　our　very　track。







〃Do　you　understand　…　already？〃　Dominic　　muttered　in　a　fierce



undertone。　　〃Already！　　You　know　we　left　a　good　eight　hours　before



we　were　expected　to　leave；　otherwise　she　would　have　been　in　time　to



lie　in　wait　for　us　on　the　other　side　of　the　Cape；　and〃　…　he　snapped



his　teeth　like　a　wolf　close　to　my　face　…　〃and　she　would　have　had　us



like　…　that。〃







I　saw　it　all　plainly　enough　now。　　They　had　eyes　in　their　heads　and



all　their　wits　about　them　in　that　craft。　　We　had　passed　them　in　the



dark　as　they　jogged　on　easily　towards　their　ambush　with　the　idea



that　we　were　yet　far　behind。　　At　daylight；　however；　sighting　a



balancelle　ahead　under　a　press　of　canvas；　they　had　made　sail　in



chase。　　But　if　that　was　so；　then　…







Dominic　seized　my　arm。







〃Yes；　yes！　　She　came　out　on　an　information　…　do　you　see；　it？　…　on



information。　。　。　。　We　have　been　sold　…　betrayed。　　Why？　　How？　　What



for？　　We　always　paid　them　all　so　well　on　shore。　。　。　。　No！　　But　it



is　my　head　that　is　going　to　burst。〃







He　seemed　to　choke；　tugged　at　the　throat　button　of　the　cloak；



jumped　up　open…mouthed　as　if　to