the cruise of the jasper b.-第15章

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strength；　he　perceived　subtly　that　Lady　Agatha　was　of　the　nature

to　appreciate　this　compliment。　　At　a　moment　when　her　fortunes

were　at　a　low　ebb　what　could　more　cheer　a　woman　and　hearten　her

than　such　a　mark　of　consideration？　　Already　Cleggett　found

himself　asking　what　would　please　Lady　Agatha。　





CHAPTER　VIII



A　FLAME　LEAPS　OUT　OF　THE　DARK



Kuroki　announced　dinner；　Cleggett　entered　the　captain's　mess　room

of　the　cabin；　where　the　cloth　was　laid；　and　a　moment　later　lady

Agatha　emerged　from　the　stateroom　and　gave　him　her　hand　with　a

smile。



If　he　had　thought　her　beautiful　before；　when　she　wore　her　plain

traveling　suit；　he　thought　her　radiant　now；　in　the　true　sense　of

that　much　abused　word。　　For　she　flung　forth　her　charm　in　vital

radiations。　If　Cleggett　had　possessed　a　common　mind　he　might　have

phrased　it　to　himself　that　she　hit　a　man　squarely　in　the　eyes。　　

Her　beauty　had　that　direct　and　almost　aggressive　quality　that　is

like　a　challenge；　and　with　sophisticated　feminine　art　she　had

contrived　that　the　dinner　gown　she　chose　for　that　evening　should

sound　the　keynote　of　her　personality　like　a　leitmotif　in　an

opera。　　The　costume　was　a　creation　of　white　satin；　the　folds

caught　here　and　there　with　strings　of　pearls。　　There　was　a　single

large　rose　of　pink　velvet　among　the　draperies　of　the　skirt；　a

looped　girdle　of　blue　velvet　was　the　only　other　splash　of　color。　

But　the　full…leaved；　expanded　and　matured　rose　became　the　vivid

epitome　and　illustration　of　the　woman　herself。　　A　rope　of　pearls

that　hung　down　to　her　waist　added　the　touch　of　soft　luster

essential　to　preserve　the　picture　from　the　reproach　of　being　too

obvious　an　assault　upon　the　senses；　Cleggett　reflected　that

another　woman　might　have　gone　too　far　and　spoiled　it　all　by

wearing　diamonds。　　Lady　Agatha　always　knew　where　to　stop。



〃I　have　not　been　so　hungry　since　I　was　in　Holloway　Jail；〃　said

Lady　Agatha。　　And　she　ate　with　a　candid　gusto　that　pleased

Cleggett；　who　loathed　in　a　woman　a　finical　affectation　of

indifference　to　food。



When　Kuroki　brought　the　coffee　she　took　up　her　own　story　again。　

There　was　little　more　to　　tell。



Dopey　Eddie　and　Izzy　the　Cat；　it　appeared；　had　mistaken　their

instructions。　　Two　nights　after　they　had　been　engaged　they　had

appeared　at　Lady　Agatha's　apartment　with　the　oblong　box。



〃The　horrid　creatures　brought　it　into　my　sitting…room　and　laid　it

on　the　floor　before　I　could　prevent　them；〃　said　Lady　Agatha。



〃'What　is　this？'　I　asked　them；　in　bewilderment。



〃They　replied　that　they　had　killed　Reginald　Maltravers　ACCORDING

TO　ORDERS；　and　had　brought　him　to　me。



〃'Orders！'　I　cried。　　'You　had　no　such　orders。'　　Elmer；　who　lived

on　the　same　floor；　was　absent　temporarily；　having　taken　Teddy　out

for　an　airing。　I　was　distracted。　　I　did　not　know　what　to　do。

'Your　orders；〃　I　said；　'were　toto'〃



She　broke　off。　　〃What　was　it　that　Elmer　told　them　to　do；　and　what

was　it　that　they　did？〃　she　mused；　perplexed。　　She　called　Elmer

into　the　cabin。



〃Elmer；〃　she　said；　〃exactly　what　was　it　that　you　told　your

friends　to　do　to　him？　　And　what　was　it　that　they　did？　　I　can

never　remember　the　words。〃



〃Poke　him；〃　said　Elmer；　addressing　Cleggett。　　〃I　tells　these

ginks　to　poke　him。　　But　these　ginks　tells　th'　little　dame　here

they　t'inks　I　has　said　to　croak　him。　　So　they　goes　an'　croaks

him。　　D'　youse　get　me？〃



Being　assured　that　they　got　him；　Elmer　downheartedly　withdrew。



〃At　any　rate；〃　continued　Lady　Agatha；　〃there　was　that　terrible

box　upon　my　sitting…room　floor；　and　there　were　those　two　degraded

wretches。　　The　callous　beasts　stood　above　the　box　apparently

quite　insensible　to　the　ethical　enormity　of　their　crime。　But　they

were　keen　enough　to　see　that　it　might　be　used　as　a　lever　with

which　to　force　more　money　from　me。　　For　when　I　demanded　that　they

take　the　box　away　with　them　and　dispose　of　it；　they　only　laughed

at　me。　　They　said　that　they　had　had　enough　of　that　box。　　They　had

delivered　the　goodsthat　was　the　phrase　they　usedand　they

wanted　more　money。　　And　they　said　they　would　not　leave　until　they

got　it。　　They　threatened；　unless　I　gave　them　the　money　at　once；

to　leave　the　place　and　get　word　to　the　police　of　the　presence　of

the　box　in　my　apartment。



〃I　was　in　no　mental　condition　to　combat　and　get　the　better　of

them。　　I　felt　myself　to　be　entirely　in　their　power。　　I　saw　only

the　weakness　of　my　own　position。　　I　could　not；　at　the　moment；　see

the　weak　spots　in　theirs。　　Elmer　might　have　advised　mebut　he

was　not　there。　　The　miserable　episode　ended　with　my　giving　them　a

thousand　dollars　each；　and　they　left。



〃Alone　with　that　box；　my　panic　increased。　　When　Elmer　returned

with　Teddy；　I　told　him　what　had　happened。　　He　wished　to　open　the

box；　having　a　vague　idea　that　perhaps　after　all　it　did　not　really

contain　what　they　had　said　was　in　it。　　But　I　could　not　bear　the

thought　of　its　being　opened。　　I　refused　to　allow　Elmer　to　look

into　it。



〃I　determined　that　I　would　ship　the　box　at　once　to　some

fictitious　personage；　and　then　take　the　next　ship　back　to

England。



〃I　hastily　wrote　a　card；　which　I　tacked　on　the　box；　consigning　it

to　Miss　Genevieve　Pringle；　Newark；　N。　J。　　The　name　was　the　first

invention　that　came　into　my　head。　　Newark　I　had　heard　of。　I　knew

vaguely　that　it　was　west　of　New　York；　but　whether　it　was　twenty

miles　west　or　two　thousand　miles；　I　did　not　stop　to　think。　　I　am

ignorant　of　American　geography。



〃But　no　sooner　had　the　box　been　taken　away　than　I　began　to　be

uneasy。　　I　was　more　frightened　with　it　gone　than　I　had　been　with

it　present。　　I　imagined　it　being　dropped　and　broken；　and

revealing　everything。　　And　then　it　occurred　to　me　that　even　if　I

should　get　out　of　the　country；　the　secret　was　bound　to　be

discovered　some　time。　　I　do　not　know　why　I　had　not　thought　of

that　beforebut　I　was　distracted。　　Having　got　rid　of　the　box；　I

was　already　wild　to　get　it　into　my　possession　again。



〃I　confided　my　fears　to　Elmer；　and　was　surprised　to　learn　from

him　that　Newark　is　very　near　New　York。　　We　took　a　taxicab　at

once；　and　were　waiting　at　the　freight　depot　in　Newark　when　the

thing　arrived。　　There　I　claimed　it　in　the　name　of　Miss　Genevieve

Pringle。



〃It　became　apparent　to　me　that　I　must　manage　its　final

disposition　myself。　　Elmer　hired　for　me　the　vehicle　in　which　we

arrived　here；　and　we　started　back　to　New　York。



〃But　the　driver；　from　the　first；　was　suspicious　of　the　box。　　His

suspicions　were　increased　when；　upon　returning　to　my　apartment

hotel；　where　I　now　decided　to　keep　the　box　until　I　could　think

out　a　coherent　plan　of　action；　the　manager　of　the　hotel　made

inquiries。　　The　manager　had　seen　the　box　brought　in；　and　taken

out　again；　before。　　Its　return　struck　him　as　odd。　　He　offered　to

store　it　for　me　in　the　basement。　　I　took　alarm　at　once。　

Naturally；　he　questioned　me　more　closely。　　I　was　unready　in　my

answers。　　His　inquiries　excited　and　alarmed　me。　　I　felt　that　any

instant　I　might　do　something　to　betray　myself。　　I　cut　the　manager

short；　paid　my　bill；　got　my　luggage；　and　ordered　the　chauffeur　to

drive　to　the　Grand　Central　Station。　　But　when　we　had　gone　three

or　four　blocks；　I　said　to　him：　'Stop！I　do　not　wish　to　go　to　the

Grand　Central　Station。　　Drive　me　to　Poughkeepsie！'　　I　wished　a

chance　to　think。　　I　knew　Poughkeepsie　was　not　far　from　New　York

City；　but　I　supposed　it　was　far　enough　to　give　me　a　chance　to

determine　what　to　do　next　by　the　time　we　arrived　there。



〃But　I　could　not　think　coherently。　　I　could　only　feel　and　fear。　

The　drive　was　longer　than　I　had　expected；　but　when　we　arrived　at

Poughkeepsie　and　the　chauffeur　asked　me　again　what　disposition　to

make　of　the　box；　I　was　unable　to　answer　him。　Thereupon　he

insolently　demanded　an　enormous　fare。



〃I　could　not　choose　but　pay　it。　　For　four　days　we　went　from　place

to　place；　in　and　about　New　York　City's　suburbsnow　in　town　and

now　in　the　countrycrossing　rivers　again　and　again　on

ferryboats