the pursuit of the house-boat-第10节

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〃Oh；　for　an　axe！〃　moaned　Elizabeth；　again。

〃Excuse　me；　your　Majesty；〃　put　in　Xanthippe。　　〃You　said　that　before；　and　I　must　say　it　is　getting　tiresome。　　You　couldn't　do　anything　with　an　axe。　　Suppose　you　had　one。　　What　earthly　good　would　it　do　you；　who　were　accustomed　to　doing　all　your　killing　by　proxy？　　I　don't　believe；　if　you　had　the　unmannerly　person　who　slammed　the　door　in　your　face　lying　prostrate　upon　the　billiard…table　here；　you　could　hit　him　a　square　blow　in　the　neck　if　you　had　a　hundred　axes。　　Delilah　might　as　well　cry　for　her　scissors；　for　all　the　good　it　would　do　us　in　our　predicament。　　If　Cleopatra　had　her　asp　with　her　it　might　be　more　to　the　purpose。　　One　deadly　little　snake　like　that　let　loose　on　the　upper　deck　would　doubtless　drive　these　boors　into　the　sea；　and　even　then　our　condition　would　not　be　bettered；　for　there　isn't　any　of　us　that　can　sail　a　boat。　　There　isn't　an　old　salt　among　us。〃

〃Too　bad　Mrs。　Lot　isn't　along；〃　giggled　Marguerite　de　Valois；　whose　Gallic　spirits　were　by　no　means　overshadowed　by　the　unhappy　predicament　in　which　she　found　herself。

〃I'm　here；〃　piped　up　Mrs。　Lot。　　〃But　I'm　not　that　kind　of　a　salt。〃

〃I　am　present；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃Though　why　I　ever　came　I　don't　know；　for　I　vowed　the　minute　I　set　my　foot　on　Ararat　that　dry　land　was　good　enough　for　me；　and　that　I'd　never　step　aboard　another　boat　as　long　as　I　lived。　　If；　however；　now　that　I　am　here；　I　can　give　you　the　benefit　of　my　nautical　experience；　you　are　all　perfectly　welcome　to　it。〃

〃I'm　sure　we're　very　much　obliged　for　the　offer；〃　said　Portia；　〃but　in　the　emergency　which　has　arisen　we　cannot　say　how　much　obliged　we　are　until　we　know　what　your　experience　amounted　to。　　Before　relying　upon　you　we　ought　to　know　how　far　that　reliance　can　gonot　that　I　lack　confidence　in　you；　my　dear　madam；　but　that　in　an　hour　of　peril　one　must　take　care；　to　rely　upon　the　oak；　not　upon　the　reed。〃

〃The　point　is　properly　taken；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃and　I　wish　to　say　here　that　I　am　easier　in　my　mind　when　I　realize　that　we　have　with　us　so　level…headed　a　person　as　the　lady　who　has　just　spoken。　　She　has　spoken　truly　and　to　the　point。　　If　I　were　to　become　queen　again；　I　should　make　her　my　attorney…general。　　We　must　not　go　ahead　impulsively；　but　look　at　all　things　in　a　calm；　judicial　manner。〃

〃Which　is　pretty　hard　work　with　a　sea　like　this　on；〃　remarked　Ophelia；　faintly；　for　she　was　getting　a　trifle　sallow；　as　indeed　she　might；　for　the　House…boat　was　beginning　to　roll　tremendously　with　no　alleviation　save　an　occasional　pitch；　which　was　an　alleviation　only　in　the　sense　that　it　gave　variety　to　their　discomfort。　　〃I　don't　believe　a　chief…justice　could　look　at　things　calmly　and　in　a　judicial　manner　if　he　felt　as　I　do。〃

〃Poor　dear！〃　said　the　matronly　Mrs。　Noah；　sympathetically。　　〃I　know　exactly　how　you　feel。　　I　have　been　there　myself。　　The　fourth　day　out　I　and　my　whole　family　were　in　the　same　condition；　except　that　Noah；　my　husband；　was　so　very　far　gone　that　I　could　not　afford　to　yield。　　I　nursed　him　for　six　days　before　he　got　his　sea…legs　on；　and　then　succumbed　myself。〃

〃But；〃　gasped　Ophelia；　〃that　doesn't　help　me　…

〃It　did　my　husband；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah。

〃When　he　heard　that　the　boys　were　seasick　too；　he　actually　laughed　and　began　to　get　better　right　away。　　There　is　really　only　one　cure　for　the　mal　de　mer；　and　that　is　the　fun　of　knowing　that　somebody　else　is　suffering　too。　　If　some　of　you　ladies　would　kindly　yield　to　the　seductions　of　the　sea；　I　think　we　could　get　this　poor　girl　on　her　feet　in　an　instant。〃

Unfortunately　for　poor　Ophelia；　there　was　no　immediate　response　to　this　appeal；　and　the　unhappy　young　woman　was　forced　to　suffer　in　solitude。

〃We　have　no　time　for　untimely　diversions　of　this　sort；〃　snapped　Xanthippe；　with　a　scornful　glance　at　the　suffering　Ophelia；　who；　having　retired　to　a　comfortable　lounge　at　an　end　of　the　room；　was　evidently　improving。　　〃I　have　no　sympathy　with　this　habit　some　of　my　sex　seem　to　have　acquired　of　succumbing　to　an　immediate　sensation　of　this　nature。〃

〃I　hope　to　be　pardoned　for　interrupting；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　with　a　great　deal　of　firmness；　〃but　I　wish　Mrs。　Socrates　to　understand　that　it　is　rather　early　in　the　voyage　for　her　to　lay　down　any　such　broad　principle　as　that；　and　for　her　own　sake　to…morrow；　I　think　it　would　be　well　if　she　withdrew　the　sentiment。　　There　are　certain　things　about　a　sea…voyage　that　are　more　or　less　beyond　the　control　of　man　or　woman；　and　any　one　who　chides　that　poor　suffering　child　on　yonder　sofa　ought　to　be　more　confident　than　Mrs。　Socrates　can　possibly　be　that　within　an　hour　she　will　not　be　as　badly　off。　　People　who　live　in　glass　houses　should　not　throw　dice。〃

〃I　shall　never　yield　to　anything　so　undignified　as　seasickness；　let　me　tell　you　that；〃　retorted　Xanthippe。　　〃Furthermore；　the　proverb　is　not　as　the　lady　has　quoted　it。　　'People　who　live　in　glass　houses　should　not　throw　stones'　is　the　proper　version。〃

〃I　was　not　quoting；〃　returned　Mrs。　Noah；　calmly。　　〃When　I　said　that　people　who　live　in　glass　houses　should　not　throw　dice；　I　meant　precisely　what　I　said。　　People　who　live　in　glass　houses　should　not　take　chances。　　In　assuming　with　such　vainglorious　positiveness　that　she　will　not　be　seasick；　the　lady　who　has　just　spoken　is　giving　tremendous　odds；　as　the　boys　used　to　say　on　the　Ark　when　we　gathered　about　the　table　at　night　and　began　to　make　small　wagers　on　the　day's　run。〃

〃I　think　we　had　better　suspend　this　discussion；〃　suggested　Cleopatra。　〃It　is　of　no　immediate　interest　to　any　one　but　Ophelia；　and　I　fancy　she　does　not　care　to　dwell　upon　it　at　any　great　length。　　It　is　more　important　that　we　should　decide　upon　our　future　course　of　action。　　In　the　first　place；　the　question　is　who　these　people　up　on　deck　are。　　If　they　are　the　members　of　the　club；　we　are　all　right。　　They　will　give　us　our　scare；　and　land　us　safely　again　at　the　pier。　　In　that　event　it　is　our　womanly　duty　to　manifest　no　concern；　and　to　seem　to　be　aware　of　nothing　unusual　in　the　proceeding。　　It　would　never　do　to　let　them　think　that　their　joke　has　been　a　good　one。　　If；　on　the　other　hand；　as　I　fear；　we　are　the　victims　of　some　horde　of　ruffians；　who　have　pounced　upon　us　unawares；　and　are　going　into　the　business　of　abduction　on　a　wholesale　basis；　we　must　meet　treachery　with　treachery；　strategy　with　strategy。　　I；　for　one；　am　perfectly　willing　to　make　every　man　on　board　walk　the　plank；　having　confidence　in　the　seawomanship　of　Mrs。　Noah　and　her　ability　to　steer　us　into　port。〃

〃I　am　quite　in　accord　with　these　views；〃　put　in　Madame　Recamier；　〃and　I　move　you；　Mrs。　President；　that　we　organize　a　series　of　sub…　committeesone　on　treachery；　with　Lucretia　Borgia　and　Delilah　as　members；　one　on　strategy；　consisting　of　Portia　and　Queen　Elizabeth；　one　on　navigation；　headed　by　Mrs。　Noah；　with　a　final　sub…committee　on　reconnoitre；　with　Cassandra　to　look　forward；　and　Mrs。　Lot　to　look　aftall　of　these　subordinated　to　a　central　committee　of　safety　headed　by　Cleopatra　and　Calpurnia。　　The　rest　of　us　can　then　commit　ourselves　and　our　interests　unreservedly　to　these　ladies；　and　proceed　to　enjoy　ourselves　without　thought　of　the　morrow。〃

〃I　second　the　motion；〃　said　Ophelia；　〃with　the　amendment　that　Madame　Recamier　be　appointed　chair…lady　of　another　sub…committee；　on　entertainment。〃

The　amendment　was　accepted；　and　the　motion　put。　　It　was　carried　with　an　enthusiastic　aye；　and　the　organization　was　complete。

The　various　committees　retired　to　the　several　corners　of　the　room　to　discuss　their　individual　lines　of　action；　when　a　shadow　was　observed　to　obscure　the　moonlight　which　had　been　streaming　in　through　the　window。　　The　faces　of　Calpurnia　and　Cleopatra　blanched　for　an　instant；　as；　immediately　following　upon　this　apparition；　a　large　bundle　was　hurled　through　the　open　port　into　the　middle　of　the　room；　and　the　shadow　vanished。

〃Is　it　a　bomb？〃　cried　several　of　the　ladies　at　once。

〃Nonsense！〃　said　Madame　Recamier；　jumping　lightly　forward。　　〃A　man　doesn't　mind　blowing　a　woman　up；　but　he'll　never　blow　himself　up。　We're　safe　enough　in　that　respect。　　The　thing　looks　to　me　like　a　bundle　of　illustrated　papers。〃

〃That's　what　it　is；〃　said　Cleopatra　who　had　been　investigating。　〃It's　rather　a　discourteous　bit　of　courtesy；　tossing　them　in　through　the　window　that　way；　I　think；　but　I　presume　they　mean　well。　　Dear　me；〃　she　added；　as；　having　untied　the　bundle；　she　held　one　of　the　open　papers　up　before　her；　〃how　interesting！　　All　the　latest　Paris　fashions。　　Humph！　　Look　at　those　sleeves；　Elizabeth。　　What　an　impregnable　fortress　you　would　have　been　with　those　sleeves　added　to　your　ruffs！〃

〃I　should　think　they'd　be　very　becoming；〃　put　in　Cassandra；　standing　on　her　tip…toes　and　looking　over　Cleopatra's　shoulder。　　〃That　Watteau　isn't　bad；　either；　is　it；　now？〃

〃No；〃　remarked　Calpurnia。　　〃I　wonder　how　a　Watteau　back　like　that　would　go　on　my　blue　alpaca？〃

〃Very　nicely；〃　said　Elizabeth。　　〃How　many　gores　has　it？〃

〃Five；〃　observed　Calpurnia。　　〃One　more　than　Caesar's　toga。　　We　had　to　have　our　costumes　distinct　in　some　way。〃

〃A　remarkable　hat；　that；〃　nodded　Mrs。　Lot；　her　eye　catching　sight　of　a　Virot　creation　at　the　top　of　the　page。

〃Reminds　me　of　Eve's　description　of　an　autumn　scene　in　the　garden；〃　smiled　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃Gorgeous　in　its　foliage；　beaut