the pursuit of the house-boat-第23章

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n't　proper　for　a　woman　to　be　out　after　dark；　whether　she's　new　or　not。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Mrs。　Noah；〃　expostulated　Cleopatra；　〃what　will　become　of　the　ship？〃

〃I　guess　she'll　float　through　the　night　whether　we　are　on　deck　or　not；〃　said　the　commander。　　〃The　Ark　did；　why　not　this？　　Now；　girls；　these　new…fangled　yachting　notions　are　all　nonsense。　　It's　night；　and　there's　a　fog　as　thick　as　a　stone…wall　all　about　us。　　If　there　were　a　hundred　of　you　upon　deck　with　ten　eyes　apiece；　you　couldn't　see　anything。　　You　might　much　better　be　in　bed。　　As　your　captain；　chaperon；　and　grandmother；　I　command　you　to　stay　below。〃

〃Butwho　is　to　steer？〃　queried　Xanthippe。

〃What's　the　use　of　steering　until　we　can　see　where　to　steer　to？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃I　certainly　don't　intend　to　bother　with　that　tiller　until　some　reason　for　doing　it　arises。　　We　haven't　any　place　to　steer　to　yet；　we　don't　know　where　we　are　going。　　Now；　my　dear　children；　be　reasonable；　and　don't　worry　me。　　I've　had　a　very　hard　day　of　it；　and　I　feel　my　responsibilities　keenly。　　Just　let　me　manage；　and　we'll　come　out　all　right。　　I've　had　more　experience　than　any　of　you；　and　if〃

A　terrible　crash　interrupted　the　old　lady's　remarks。　　The　House…boat　shivered　and　shook；　careened　way　to　one　side；　and　as　quickly　righted　and　stood　still。　　A　mad　rush　up　the　gangway　followed；　and　in　a　moment　a　hundred　and　eighty…three　pale…faced；　trembling　women　stood　upon　the　deck；　gazing　with　horror　at　a　great　helpless　hulk　ten　feet　to　the　rear；　fastened　by　broken　ropes　and　odd　pieces　of　rigging　to　the　stern…posts　of　the　House…boat；　sinking　slowly　but　surely　into　the　sea。

It　was　the　Gehenna！

The　House…boat　had　run　her　down　and　her　last　hour　had　come；　but；　thanks　to　the　stanchness　of　her　build　and　wonderful　beam；　the　floating　club…house　had　withstood　the　shock　of　the　impact　and　now　rode　the　waters　as　gracefully　as　ever。

Portia　was　the　first　to　realize　the　extent　of　the　catastrophe；　and　in　a　short　while　chairs　and　life…preservers　and　tableseverything　that　could　floathad　been　tossed　into　the　sea　to　the　struggling　immortals　therein。　　On　board　the　Gehenna；　those　who　had　not　cast　themselves　into　the　waters；　under　the　cool　direction　of　Holmes　and　Bonaparte；　calmly　lowered　the　boats；　and　in　a　short　while　were　not　only　able　to　felicitate　themselves　upon　their　safety；　but　had　likewise　the　good　fortune　to　rescue　their　more　impetuous　brethren　who　had　preferred　to　swim　for　it。　　Ultimately；　all　were　brought　aboard　the　House…boat　in　safety；　and　the　men　in　Hades　were　once　more　reunited　to　their　wives；　daughters；　sisters；　and　fiancees；　and　Elizabeth　had　the　satisfaction　of　once　more　saving　the　life　of　Raleigh　by　throwing　him　her　ruff　as　she　had　done　a　year　or　so　previously；　when　she　and　her　brother　had　been　upset　in　the　swift　current　of　the　river　Styx。

Order　and　happiness　being　restored；　Holmes　took　command　of　the　House…　boat　and　soon　navigated　her　safely　back　into　her　old…time　berth。　　The　Gehenna　went　to　the　bottom　and　was　never　seen　again；　and　when　the　roll　was　called　it　was　found　that　all　who　had　set　out　upon　her　had　returned　in　safety　save　Shylock；　Kidd；　Sir　Henry　Morgan；　and　Abeuchapeta；　but　even　they　were　not　lost；　for；　five　weeks　later；　these　four　worthies　were　found　early　one　morning　drifting　slowly　up　the　river　Styx；　gazing　anxiously　out　from　the　top　of　a　water…cask　and　yelling　lustily　for　help。

And　here　endeth　the　chronicle　of　the　pursuit　of　the　good　old　House…　boat。　　Back　to　her　moorings；　the　even　tenor　of　her　ways　was　once　more　resumed；　but　with　one　slight　difference。

The　ladies　became　eligible　for　membership；　and；　availing　themselves　of　the　privilege；　began　to　think　less　and　less　of　the　advantages　of　being　men　and　to　rejoice　that；　after　all；　they　were　women；　and　even　Xanthippe　and　Socrates；　after　that　night　of　peril；　reconciled　their　differences；　and　no　longer　quarrel　as　to　which　is　the　more　entitled　to　wear　the　toga　of　authority。　　It　has　become　for　them　a　divided　skirt。

As　for　Kidd　and　his　fellows；　they　have　never　recovered　from　the　effects　of　their　fearful；　though　short；　exile　upon　Holmes　Island；　and　are　but　shadows　of　their　former　shades；　whereas　Mr。　Sherlock　Holmes　has　so　endeared　himself　to　his　new…found　friends　that　he　is　quite　as　popular　with　them　as　he　is　with　us；　who　have　yet　to　cross　the　dark　river　and　be　subjected　to　the　scrutiny　of　the　Committee　on　Membership　at　the　House…boat　on　the　Styx。

Even　Hawkshaw　has　been　able　to　detect　his　genius。





End