the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第25章
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with a piece of lemon peeling in it； please。〃
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Pierre served him deftly。 Cleggett stirred his drink and sipped it
slowly； gazing at the bartender； who elaborately avoided watching him。
But after a moment a little noise at his right attracted his attention。 Pierre；
with his hand cupped； had dashed it along a window pane and caught a big
stupid fly； abroad thus early in the year。 With a sense of almost
intolerable disgust； Cleggett saw the man； with a rapt smile on his face；
tear the insect's legs from it； and turn it loose。 If ever a creature rejoiced
in wickedness for its own sake； and as if its practice were an art in itself；
Pierre was that person； Cleggett concluded。 Knowing Pierre； one could
almost understand those cafes of Paris where the silly poets of degradation
ostentatiously affect the worship of all manner of devils。
An instant later； Pierre； as if he had been doing something quite
charming； looked at Cleggett with a grin； a grin that assumed that there
was some kind of an understanding between them concerning this
delightful pastime。 It was too much。 Cleggett； with an oathand never
stopping to reflect that it was perhaps just the sort of action which Pierre
hoped to provokegrasped his cane with the intention of laying it across
the fellow's shoulders half a dozen times； come what might； and leaving
the place。
But at that instant the door from the office opened and the man
whom he knew only as Loge entered the room。
Loge paused at the right of Cleggett； and then marched directly across
the room and sat down opposite the commander of the Jasper B。 at the
same table。 He was wearing the cutaway frock coat； and as he swung his
big frame into the seat one of his coat tails caught in the chair back and
was lifted。
Cleggett saw the steel butt of an army revolver。 Loge perceived by his
face that he had seen it； and laughed。
〃I've been wanting to talk to you；〃 he said； leaning across the table and
showing his yellow teeth in a smile which he perhaps intended to be
ingratiating。 Cleggett； looking Loge fixedly in the eye； withdrew his
right hand from beneath his coat； and laid his magazine pistol on the table
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
under his hand。
〃I am at your service；〃 he said； steadily； giving back unwavering gaze
for gaze。 〃I am looking for some information myself； and I am in exactly
the humor for a little comfortable chat。〃
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XI
REPARTEE AND PISTOLS
Loge dropped his gaze to the pistol； and the smile upon his lips slowly
turned into a sneer。 But when he lifted his eyes to Cleggett's again there
was no fear in them。
〃Put up your gun；〃 he said； easily enough。 〃You won't have any use
for it here。〃
〃Thank you for the assurance；〃 said Cleggett； 〃but it occurs to me that
it is in a very good place where it is。〃
〃Oh； if it amuses you to play with it〃 said Loge。
〃It does；〃 said Cleggett dryly。
〃It's an odd taste；〃 said Loge。
〃It's a taste I've formed during the last few days on board my ship；〃
said Cleggett meaningly。
〃Ship？〃 said Loge。 〃Oh； I beg your pardon。 You mean the old hulk
over yonder in the canal？〃
〃Over yonder in the canal；〃 said Cleggett； without relaxing his
vigilance。
〃You've been frightened over there？〃 asked Loge； showing his teeth in
a grin。
〃No；〃 said Cleggett。 〃I'm not easily frightened。〃
Loge looked at the pistol under Cleggett's hand； and from the pistol to
Cleggett's face； with ironical gravity； before he spoke。 〃I should have
thought； from the way you cling to that pistol； that perhaps your nerves
might be a little weak and shaky。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 said Cleggett； playing the game with a face like a
mask； 〃my nerves are so steady that I could snip that ugly…looking skull
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
off your cravat the length of this barroom away。〃
〃That would be mighty good shooting；〃 said Loge； turning in his chair
and measuring the distance with his eye。 〃I don't believe you could do it。
I don't mind telling you that _I_ couldn't。〃
〃While we are on the subject of your scarfpin；〃 said Cleggett； in whom
the slur on the Jasper B。 had been rankling； 〃I don't mind telling YOU that
I think that skull thing is in damned bad taste。 In fact； you are dressed
generally in damned bad taste。Who is your tailor？〃
Cleggett was gratified to see a dull flush spread over the other's face at
the insult。 Loge was silent a moment； and then he said； dropping his
bantering manner； which indeed sat rather heavily upon him： 〃I don't
know why you should want to shoot at my scarfpinor at me。 I don't
know why you should suddenly lay a pistol between us。 I don't； in short；
know why we should sit here paying each other left…handed compliments；
when it was merely my intention to make you a business proposition。〃
〃I have been waiting to hear what you had to say to me；〃 said Cleggett；
without being in the least thrown off his guard by the other's change of
manner。
〃If you had not chanced to drop in here today；〃 said Loge； 〃I had
intended paying you a visit。〃
〃I have had several visitors lately；〃 said Cleggett nonchalantly； 〃and I
think at least two of them can make no claim that they were not warmly
received。〃
〃Yes？〃 said Loge。 But if Cleggett's meaning reached him he was too
cool a hand to show it。 He persisted in his affectation of a businesslike
air。 〃Am I right in thinking that you have bought the boat？〃
〃You are。〃
〃To come to the point；〃 said Loge； 〃I want to buy her from you。
What will you take for her？〃
The proposition was unexpected to Cleggett； but he did not betray his
surprise。
〃You want to buy her？〃 he said。 〃You want to buy the old hulk over
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
yonder in the canal？〃 He laughed； but continued： 〃What on earth can
your interest be in her？〃
There was a trace of surliness in Loge's voice as he answered： 〃YOU
were enough interested in her to buy her； it seems。 Why shouldn't I have
the same interest？〃
Cleggett was silent a moment； and then he leaned across the table and
said with emphasis： 〃I have noticed your interest in the Jasper B。 since
the day I first set foot on her。 And let me warn you that unless you show
your curiosity in some other manner henceforth； you will seriously regret
it。 A couple of your men have repented of your interest already。〃
〃My men？ What do you mean by my men？ I haven't any men。〃
Loge's imitation of astonishment was a piece of art； but if anything he
overdid
