the pursuit of the house-boat-第13节

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ke。　　Observe　whence　it　comes。　　Not　from　the　Azores　quarter；　but　as　if　instead　of　steering　a　straight　course　thither　the　House…boat　had　taken　a　sharp　turn　to　the　north…east；　and　was　making　for　Havre；　or；　in　other　words；　Paris　instead　of　London　seems　to　have　become　their　destination。〃

Demosthenes　looked　at　Holmes　with　blank　amazement；　and；　to　keep　from　stammering　out　the　exclamation　of　wonder　that　rose　to　his　lips；　he　opened　his　bonbonniere　and　swallowed　a　pebble。

〃You　don't　happen　to　have　a　cocaine　tablet　in　your　box；　do　you？〃　queried　Holmes。

〃No；〃　returned　the　Greek。　　〃Cocaine　makes　me　flighty　and　nervous；　but　these　pebbles　sort　of　ballast　me　and　hold　me　down。　　How　on　earth　do　you　know　that　that　bubble　comes　from　the　wake　of　the　House…boat？〃

〃By　my　chemical　knowledge；　merely；〃　replied　Holmes。　　〃A　merely　worldly　vessel　leaves　a　phosphorescent　bubble　in　its　wake。　　That　one　we　have　just　discovered　is　not　so；　but　sulphurescent；　if　I　may　coin　a　word　which　it　seems　to　me　the　English　language　is　very　much　in　need　of。　　It　proves；　then；　that　the　bubble　is　a　portion　of　the　wake　of　a　Stygian　craft；　and　the　only　Stygian　craft　that　has　cleared　the　Cimmerian　Harbor　for　years　is　the　House…boatQ。　E。　D。〃

〃We　can　go　back　until　we　find　the　ripple　again；　and　follow　that；　I　presume；〃　sneered　Le　Coq；　who　did　not　take　much　stock　in　the　theories　of　his　great　rival；　largely　because　he　was　a　detective　by　intuition　rather　than　by　study　of　the　science。

〃You　can　if　you　want　to；　but　it　is　better　not　to；〃　rejoined　Holmes；　simply；　as　though　not　observing　the　sneer；　〃because　the　ripple　represents　the　outer　lines　of　the　angle　of　disturbance　in　the　water；　and　as　any　one　of　the　sides　to　an　angle　is　greater　than　the　perpendicular　from　the　hypothenuse　to　the　apex；　you'd　merely　be　going　the　long　way。　　This　is　especially　important　when　you　consider　the　formation　of　the　bow　of　the　House…boat；　which　is　rounded　like　the　stern　of　most　vessels；　and　comes　near　to　making　a　pair　of　ripples　at　an　angle　of　ninety　degrees。〃

〃Then；〃　observed　Sir　Walter；　with　a　sigh　of　disappointment；　〃we　must　change　our　course　and　sail　for　Paris？〃

〃I　am　afraid　so；〃　said　Holmes；　〃but　of　course　it's　by　no　means　certain　as　yet。　　I　think　if　Columbus　would　go　up　into　the　mizzentop　and　look　about　him；　he　might　discover　something　either　in　confirmation　or　refutation　of　the　theory。〃

〃He　couldn't　discover　anything；〃　put　in　Pinzon。　　〃He　never　did。〃

〃Well；　I　like　that！〃　retorted　Columbus。　　〃I'd　like　to　know　who　discovered　America。〃

〃So　should　I；〃　observed　Leif　Ericson；　with　a　wink　at　Vespucci。

〃Tut！〃　retorted　Columbus。　　〃I　did　it；　and　the　world　knows　it；　whether　you　claim　it　or　not。〃

〃Yes；　just　as　Noah　discovered　Ararat；〃　replied　Pinzon。　　〃You　sat　upon　the　deck　until　we　ran　plumb　into　an　island；　after　floating　about　for　three　months；　and　then　you　couldn't　tell　it　from　a　continent；　even　when　you　had　it　right　before　your　eyes。　　Noah　might　just　as　well　have　told　his　family　that　he　discovered　a　roof　garden　as　for　you　to　go　back　to　Spain　telling　'em　all　that　San　Salvador　was　the　United　States。〃

〃Well；　I　don't　care；〃　said　Columbus；　with　a　short　laugh。　　〃I'm　the　one　they　celebrate；　so　what's　the　odds？　　I'd　rather　stay　down　here　in　the　smoking…room　enjoying　a　small　game；　anyhow；　than　climb　up　that　mast　and　strain　my　eyes　for　ten　or　a　dozen　hours　looking　for　evidence　to　prove　or　disprove　the　correctness　of　another　man's　theory。　　I　wouldn't　know　evidence　when　I　saw　it；　anyhow。　　Send　Judge　Blackstone。〃

〃I　draw　the　line　at　the　mizzentop；〃　observed　Blackstone。　　〃The　dignity　of　the　bench　must　and　shall　be　preserved；　and　I'll　never　consent　to　climb　up　that　rigging；　getting　pitch　and　paint　on　my　ermine；　no　matter　who　asks　me　to　go。〃

〃Whomsoever　I　tell　to　go；　shall　go；〃　put　in　Holmes；　firmly。　　〃I　am　commander　of　this　ship。　　It　will　pay　you　to　remember　that；　Judge　Blackstone。〃

〃And　I　am　the　Court　of　Appeals；〃　retorted　Blackstone；　hotly。　　〃Bear　that　in　mind；　captain；　when　you　try　to　send　me　up。　　I'll　issue　a　writ　of　habeas　corpus　on　my　own　body；　and　commit　you　for　contempt。〃

〃There's　no　use　of　sending　the　Judge；　anyhow；〃　said　Raleigh；　fearing　by　the　glitter　that　came　into　the　eye　of　the　commander　that　trouble　might　ensue　unless　pacificatory　measures　were　resorted　to。　　〃He's　accustomed　to　weighing　everything　carefully；　and　cannot　be　rushed　into　a　decision。　　If　he　saw　any　evidence；　he'd　have　to　sit　on　it　a　week　before　reaching　a　conclusion。　　What　we　need　here　more　than　anything　else　is　an　expert　seaman；　a　lookout；　and　I　nominate　Shem。　He　has　sailed　under　his　father；　and　I　have　it　on　good　authority　that　he　is　a　nautical　expert。〃

Holmes　hesitated　for　an　instant。　　He　was　considering　the　necessity　of　disciplining　the　recalcitrant　Blackstone；　but　he　finally　yielded。

〃Very　well；〃　he　said。　　〃Shem　be　it。　　Bo'sun；　pipe　Shem　on　deck；　and　tell　him　that　general　order　number　one　requires　him　to　report　at　the　mizzentop　right　away；　and　that　immediately　he　sees　anything　he　shall　come　below　and　make　it　known　to　me。　　As　for　the　rest　of　us；　having　a　very　considerable　appetite；　I　do　now　decree　that　it　is　dinner…time。　Shall　we　go　below？〃

〃I　don't　think　I　care　for　any；　thank　you；〃　said　Raleigh。　　〃Fact　is　ahI　dined　last　week；　and　am　not　hungry。〃

Noah　laughed。　　〃Oh；　come　below　and　watch　us　eat；　then；〃　he　said。　〃It'll　do　you　good。〃

But　there　was　no　reply。　　Raleigh　had　plunged　head　first　into　his　state…room；　which　fortunately　happened　to　be　on　the　upper　deck。　　The　rest　of　the　spirits　repaired　below　to　the　saloon；　where　they　were　soon　engaged　in　an　animated　discussion　of　such　viands　as　the　larder　provided。

〃This；〃　said　Dr。　Johnson；　from　the　head　of　the　table；　〃is　what　I　call　comfort。　　I　don't　know　that　I　am　so　anxious　to　recover　the　House…　boat；　after　all。〃

〃Nor　I；〃　said　Socrates；　〃with　a　ship　like　this　to　go　off　cruising　on；　and　with　such　a　larder。　　Look　at　the　thickness　of　that　puree；　Doctor…　…〃

〃Excuse　me；〃　said　Boswell；　faintly；　〃but　II've　left　my　notebub　book　upstairs；　Doctor；　and　I'd　like　to　go　up　and　get　it。〃

〃Certainly；〃　said　Dr。　Johnson。　　〃I　judge　from　your　color；　which　is　highly　suggestive　of　a　modern　magazine　poster；　that　it　might　be　well　too　if　you　stayed　on　deck　for　a　little　while　and　made　a　few　entries　in　your　commonplace　book。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Boswell；　gratefully。　　〃Shall　you　say　anything　clever　during　dinner；　sir？　　If　so；　I　might　be　putting　it　down　while　I'm　up〃

〃Get　out！〃　roared　the　Doctor。　　〃Get　up　as　high　as　you　canget　up　with　Shem　on　the　mizzentop〃

〃Very　good；　sir；〃　replied　Boswell；　and　he　was　off。

〃You　ought　to　be　more　lenient　with　him；　Doctor；〃　said　Bonaparte；　〃he　means　well。〃

〃I　know　it；〃　observed　Johnson；　〃but　he's　so　very　previous。　　Last　winter；　at　Chaucer's　dinner　to　Burns；　I　made　a　speech；　which　Boswell　printed　a　week　before　it　was　delivered；　with　the　words　'laughter'　and　'uproarious　applause'　interspersed　through　it。　　It　placed　me　in　a　false　position。〃

〃How　did　he　know　what　you　were　going　to　say？〃　queried　Demosthenes。

〃Don't　know；〃　replied　Johnson。　　〃Kind　of　mind…reader；　I　fancy；〃　he　added；　blushing　a　trifle。　　〃But；　Captain　Holmes；　what　do　you　deduce　from　your　observation　of　the　wake　of　the　House…boat？　　If　she's　going　to　Paris；　why　the　change？〃

〃I　have　two　theories；〃　replied　the　detective。

〃Which　is　always　safe；〃　said　Le　Coq。

〃Always；　it　doubles　your　chances　of　success；〃　acquiesced　Holmes。　〃Anyhow；　it　gives　you　a　choice；　which　makes　it　more　interesting。　　The　change　of　her　course　from　Londonward　to　Parisward　proves　to　me　either　that　Kidd　is　not　satisfied　with　the　extent　of　the　revenge　he　has　already　taken；　and　wishes　to　ruin　you　gentlemen　financially　by　turning　your　wives；　daughters；　and　sisters　loose　on　the　Parisian　shops；　or　that　the　pirates　have　themselves　been　overthrown　by　the　ladies；　who　have　decided　to　prolong　their　cruise　and　get　some　fun　out　of　their　misfortune。〃

〃And　where　else　than　to　Paris　would　any　one　in　search　of　pleasure　go？〃　asked　Bonaparte。

〃I　had　more　fun　a　few　miles　outside　of　Brussels；〃　said　Wellington；　with　a　sly　wink　at　Washington。

〃Oh；　let　up　on　that！〃　retorted　Bonaparte。　　〃It　wasn't　you　beat　me　at　Waterloo。　　You　couldn't　have　beaten　me　at　a　plain　ordinary　game　of　old…maid　with　a　stacked　pack　of　cards；　much　less　in　the　game　of　war；　if　you　hadn't　had　the　elements　with　you。〃

〃Tut！〃　snapped　Wellington。　　〃It　was　clear　science　laid　you　out；　Boney。〃

〃Taisey…voo！〃　shouted　the　irate　Corsican。　　〃Clear　science　be　hanged！　Wet　science　was　what　did　it。　　If　it　hadn't　been　for　the　rain；　my　little　Duke；　I　should　have　been　in　London　within　a　week；　my　grenadiers　would　have　been　camping　in　your　Rue　Peekadeely；　and　the　Old　Guard　all　over　everywhere　else。〃

〃You　must　have　had　a　gay　army；　then；〃　　laughed　Caesar。　　〃What　are　French　soldiers　made　of；　that　they　can't　stand　the　wetunshrunk　linen　or　flannel？〃

〃Bah！〃　observed　Napoleon；　shrugging　his　shoulders　and　walking　a　few　paces　away。　　〃You　do　not　understand　the　French。　　The　Frenchman　is　not　a　pell…mell　soldier　like　you　Romans；　he　is　the　poet　of　arms；　he　does　not　go　in　for　glory　at　the　expense　of　his　dignity；　style；　form；　is　dearer　to　him　than　honor；　and　he　has　no　use　for　fighting　in　the　wet　and　coming　out　of　the　fight　conspicuous　as　a　victor　with　the　curl　o