the cruise of the jasper b.-第23章

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foot。　　Hey；　Simeon；　DID　she　have　a　cork　foot？〃



Mr。　Calthrop　flushed　painfully；　but　he　forced　himself

courageously　to　answer。　　〃Mr。　Abernethy；　I　do　not　know；〃　he　said

humbly；　and　with　the　look　of　a　stricken　animal　in　his　big　brown

eyes。



He　was　a　handsome　young　fellow　of　about　thirtyor　he　would　have

been　handsome；　Cleggett　thought；　had　he　not　been　so　emaciated。　

His　hair　was　dark　and　brown　and　inclined　to　curl；　his　forehead

was　high　and　white　and　broad；　and　his　fingers　were　long　and　white

and　slender；　his　nose　was　well　modeled；　but　his　lips　were　a

trifle　too　full。　　Although　he　belonged　to　one　of　the　evangelical

denominations；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　affected　clothing　very　like

the　regulation　costume　of　the　Episcopalian　clergy；　but　this

clothing　was　now　worn　and　torn　and　dusty。　　Buttons　were　gone　here

and　there；　the　knees　of　the　unpressed　trousers　were　baggy　and

beginning　to　be　ragged；　and　the　sole　of　one　shoe　flapped　as　he

walked。　　He　had　a　three　days'　growth　of　beard　and　no　baggage。



When　Cap'n　Abernethy　had　delivered　himself　and　walked　away；　the

Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　confirmed　the　story　of　his　own　disgrace；

speaking　in　a　low　but　clear　voice；　and　with　a　gentle　and　wistful

smile。



〃I　am　one　of　the　most　miserable　of　sinners；　Mr。　Cleggett；〃　he

said。　　〃I　have　proved　myself　to　be　that　most　despicable　thing；　an

unworthy　minister。　I　was　tempted　and　I　fell。〃



The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　seemed　to　find　the　sort　of　satisfaction　in

confessing　his　sins　to　the　world　that　the　medieval　flagellants

found　in　scoring　themselves　with　whips；　they　struck　their　bodies；

he　drew　forth　his　soul　and　beat　it　publicly。



Cleggett　learned　that　he　had　set　himself　as　a　punishment　and　a

mortification　the　task　of　obtaining　his　daily　bread　by　the　work

of　his　hands。　　It　was　his　intention　to　make　a　pilgrimage　to

Jerusalem；　refusing　all　assistance　except　that　which　he　earned　by

manual　labor。　　After　such　a　term　of　years　as　should　satisfy　all

men　（and　particularly　his　own　spiritual　sense）　of　the　genuineness

of　his　penitence；　he　would　apply　to　his　church　for　reinstatement；

and　ask　for　an　appointment　to　some　difficult　mission　in　a　wild

and　savage　country。　　The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　intimated　that　if　he

chose　to　accept　rehabilitation　on　less　arduous　terms；　he　might

obtain　it；　but　the　poignancy　of　his　own　sense　of　failure　drove

him　to　extremes。



〃Are　you　sure；〃　said　Cleggett　sternly；　〃that　you　are　not　making　a

luxury　of　this　very　penitence　itself？　　Are　you　sure　that　it　would

not　be　more　acceptable　to　Heaven　if　you　forgave　yourself　more

easily？〃



〃Alas；　yes；　I　am　sure！〃　said　Mr。　Calthrop；　with　a　sigh　and　his

calm　and　wistful　smile。　　〃I　know　myself　too　well！　　I　know　my　own

soul。　　I　am　cursed　with　a　fatal　magnetism　which　women　find　it

impossible　to　resist。　　And　I　am　continually　tempted　to　permit　it

to　exert　itself。　　This　is　the　cross　that　I　bear　through　life。〃



〃You　should　marry　some　good　woman；〃　said　Cleggett。



〃I　do　not　feel　that　I　am　worthy；〃　said　Mr。　Calthrop　meekly。　　〃And

think　of　the　pain　my　wife　would　experience　in　seeing　me

continually　tempted　by　some　woman　who　believed　herself　to　be　my

psychic　affinity！〃



〃You　are　a　thought　too　subtle；　Mr。　Calthrop；〃　said　Cleggett

bluntly。　　〃But　I　suppose　you　cannot　help　that。　　To　each　of　us　his

destiny。　　I　am　prepared；　until　I　see　some　evidence　to　the

contrary；　to　believe　your　repentance　to　be　genuine。　　In　the

meantime；　we　need　a　ship's　chaplain。　　If　your　conscience　permits；

you　may　have　the　postcombining　it；　however；　with　the　vocation

of　a　common　sailor　before　the　mast。　　I　am　inclined　to　agree　with

you　that　manual　labor　will　do　you　good。　　Some　time　or　another；　in

her　progress　around　the　world；　the　Jasper　B。　will　undoubtedly

touch　at　a　coast　within　walking　distance　of　Jerusalem。　　There　we

will　put　you　ashore。　　Before　we　sail　you　can　put　in　your　time

holystoning　the　deck。



〃The　deck　of　the　Jasper　B。；　said　Cleggett；　looking　at　it；　〃to　all

appearances；　has　not　been　holystoned　for　some　years。　　You　will

find　in　the　forecastle　several　holystones　that　have　never　been

used；　and　may　begin　at　once。〃



Cleggett；　if　his　tastes　had　not　inclined　him　towards　a　more

active　and　adventurous　life；　would　have　made　a　good　bishop；　for

he　knew　how　to　combine　justice　and　mercy。　　And　yet　few　bishops

have　possessed　his　rapidity　of　decision；　when　compelled；　upon　the

spur　of　the　moment；　to　become　the　physician　of　an　ailing　soul。　

He　had　determined　in　a　flash　to　make　the　man　ship's　chaplain；

that　Calthrop　might　come　into　close　contact　with　other　spiritual

organisms　and　not　think　too　exclusively　of　his　own。



The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　thanked　him　with　becoming　gratitude　and

departed　to　get　the　new　holystones。



By　three　o'clock　that　afternoon；　with　such　celerity　had　the　work

gone　forward；　Mr。　Watkins；　the　contractor；　announced　to　Cleggett

that　his　task　was　finished；　except　for　the　removal　of　the　rubbish

in　the　hold。　　Cleggett；　going　carefully　over　the　vessel；　and

examining　the　new　parts　with　a　brochure　on　the　construction　and

navigation　of　schooners　in　his　hand；　verified　the　statement。



〃She　is　ready　to　sail；〃　said　Cleggett；　standing　by　the　new　wheel

with　a　swelling　heart；　and　sweeping　the　vessel　from　bowsprit　to

rudder　with　a　gradual　glance。



It　was　a　look　almost　paternal　in　its　pride；　Cleggett　loved　the

Jasper　B。　　She　was　an　idea　that　no　one　else　but　Cleggett　could

have　had。



〃Sail？〃　said　Mr。　Watkins。



〃Why　not？〃　said　Cleggett；　puzzled　at　his　tone。



〃Oh；　nothing；〃　said　Mr。　Watkins。　　〃It's　none　of　my　business。　　My

business　was　to　do　the　work　I　was　hired　to　do　according　to

specifications。　　Further　than　that；　nothing。〃



〃But　why　did　you　think　I　was　having　the　work　done？〃



〃Can't　say　I　thought；〃　said　Mr。　Watkins。　　〃I　took　the　job；　and　I

done　it。　　Had　an　idea　mebby　you　were　in　the　movin'　picture　game。〃



Mr。　Watkins；　as　he　talked；　had　been　regarding　Cap'n　Abernethy；

who　in　turn　was　looking　at　the　mainmast。　　There　seemed　to　be

something　in　the　very　way　Cap'n　Abernethy　looked　at　the　mainmast

which　jarred　on　Mr。　Watkins。　　Mr。　Watkins　dropped　his　voice；

indicating　the　Cap'n　with　a　curved；　disparaging　thumb；　as　he

asked　Cleggett：



〃Is　HE　going　to　sail　her？〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃Ohnothing；　nothing　at　all；〃　said　Mr。　Watkins。　〃It's　none　o'　MY

business。〃



Cleggett　began　to　be　a　little　annoyed。　　〃Have　you；〃　he　said　with

dignity；　and　fixing　a　rather　stern　glance　upon　Mr。　Watkins；　〃have

you　any　reason　to　doubt　Cap'n　Abernethy's　ability　as　a　sailing

master？〃



〃No；　indeed；〃　said　Mr。　Watkins　cheerfully；　〃not　as　a　sailing

master。　　He　may　be　the　best　in　the　world；　for　all　I　know。　　_I_

never　seen　him　sail　anything。　　I　never　heard　him　play　the　violin；

neither；　for　that　matter；　and　he　may　be　a　regular　jim…dandy　on

the　violin　for　all　I　know。〃



〃You　are　facetious；〃　said　Cleggett　stiffly。



〃Meaning　I　ain't　paid　to　be　fresh；　eh？〃　said　Mr。　Watkins。　　〃And

right　you　are；　too。　　And　there's　all　that　junk　down　in　the　hold

to　pass　out　and　cart　away。〃



Cleggett　personally　supervised　this　removal；　standing　on　the　deck

by　the　hatchway　and　scanning　everything　that　was　handed　up。　　The

character　of　this　junk　has　already　been　described。　　Every　barrel

or　cask　that　was　placed　upon　the　deck　was　stove　in　with　an　ax

before　Cleggett's　eyes；　he　satisfied　himself　that　every　bottle

was　empty；　he　turned　over　the　broken　boxes　and　beer　cases　with

his　foot　to　see　that　they　contained　nothing。



But　the　work　was　three…quarters　done　before　he　found　what　he　was

looking　for。　　From　under　a　heap　of　debris；　which　had　completely

hidden　it；　towards　the　forward　part　of　the　vessel；　the　workmen

unearthed　an　unpainted　oblong　box；　almost　seven　feet　in　length。　

It　was　of　substantial　material　and　looked　newer　than　any　of　the

other　stuff。　　Cleggett　had　it　placed　on　one　side　of　the　hatchway

and　sat　down　on　it。　　It　was　tightly　nailed　up；　all　of　its

surfaces　were　sound。