the patagonia-第13章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



of　leaving　home。　　I　asked　her　if　it　had　anything　to　do　with　her

prospects；　with　her　marriage；　whether　she　finds　as　this　draws　near

that　her　heart　isn't　in　it。　　I　told　her　she　mustn't　be　nervous；　that

I　could　enter　into　thatin　short　I　said　what　I　could。　　All　she

replied　was　that　she　IS　nervous；　very　nervous；　but　that　it　was

already　over；　and　then　she　jumped　up　and　kissed　me　and　went　away。

Does　she　look　as　if　she　has　been　crying？〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　wound　up。



〃How　can　I　tell；　when　she　never　quits　that　horrid　veil？　　It's　as　if

she　were　ashamed　to　show　her　face。〃



〃She's　keeping　it　for　Liverpool。　　But　I　don't　like　such　incidents；〃

said　Mrs。　Nettlepoint。　　〃I　think　I　ought　to　go　above。〃



〃And　is　that　where　you　want　me　to　help　you？〃



〃Oh　with　your　arm　and　that　sort　of　thing；　yes。　　But　I　may　have　to

look　to　you　for　something　more。　　I　feel　as　if　something　were　going　to

happen。〃



〃That's　exactly　what　I　said　to　Jasper　this　morning。〃



〃And　what　did　he　say？〃



〃He　only　looked　innocentas　if　he　thought　I　meant　a　fog　or　a　storm。〃



〃Heaven　forbidit　isn't　that！　　I　shall　never　be　good…natured　again；〃

Mrs。　Nettlepoint　went　on；　〃never　have　a　girl　put　on　me　that　way。　　You

always　pay　for　itthere　are　always　tiresome　complications。　　What　I'm

afraid　of　is　after　we　get　there。　　She'll　throw　up　her　engagement；

there　will　be　dreadful　scenes；　I　shall　be　mixed　up　with　them　and　have

to　look　after　her　and　keep　her　with　me。　　I　shall　have　to　stay　there

with　her　till　she　can　be　sent　back；　or　even　take　her　up　to　London。

Do　you　see　all　that？〃



I　listened　respectfully；　after　which　I　observed：　　〃You're　afraid　of

your　son。〃



She　also　had　a　pause。　　〃It　depends　on　how　you　mean　it。〃



〃There　are　things　you　might　say　to　himand　with　your　manner；　because

you　have　one；　you　know；　when　you　choose。〃



〃Very　likely；　but　what's　my　manner　to　his？　　Besides；　I　HAVE　said

everything　to　him。　　That　is　I've　said　the　great　thingthat　he's

making　her　immensely　talked　about。〃



〃And　of　course　in　answer　to　that　he　has　asked　you　how　you　know；　and

you've　told　him　you　have　it　from　me。〃



〃I've　had　to　tell　him；　and　he　says　it's　none　of　your　business。〃



〃I　wish　he'd　say　that；〃　I　remarked；　〃to　my　face。〃



〃He'll　do　so　perfectly　if　you　give　him　a　chance。　　That's　where　you

can　help　me。　　Quarrel　with　himhe's　rather　good　at　a　quarrel；　and

that　will　divert　him　and　draw　him　off。〃



〃Then　I'm　ready；〃　I　returned；　〃to　discuss　the　matter　with　him　for　the

rest　of　the　voyage。〃



〃Very　well；　I　count　on　you。　　But　he'll　ask　you；　as　he　asks　me；　what

the　deuce　you　want　him　to　do。〃



〃To　go　to　bed！〃and　I'm　afraid　I　laughed。



〃Oh　it　isn't　a　joke。〃



I　didn't　want　to　be　irritating；　but　I　made　my　point。　　〃That's　exactly

what　I　told　you　at　first。〃



〃Yes；　but　don't　exult；　I　hate　people　who　exult。　　Jasper　asks　of　me；〃

she　went　on；　〃why　he　should　mind　her　being　talked　about　if　she

doesn't　mind　it　herself。〃



〃I'll　tell　him　why；〃　I　replied；　and　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　said　she　should

be　exceedingly　obliged　to　me　and　repeated　that　she　would　indeed　take

the　field。



I　looked　for　Jasper　above　that　same　evening；　but　circumstances　didn't

favour　my　quest。　　I　found　himthat　is　I　gathered　he　was　again

ensconced　behind　the　lifeboat　with　Miss　Mavis；　but　there　was　a

needless　violence　in　breaking　into　their　communion；　and　I　put　off　our

interview　till　the　next　day。　　Then　I　took　the　first　opportunity；　at

breakfast；　to　make　sure　of　it。　　He　was　in　the　saloon　when　I　went　in

and　was　preparing　to　leave　the　table；　but　I　stopped　him　and　asked　if

he　would　give　me　a　quarter　of　an　hour　on　deck　a　little　laterthere

was　something　particular　I　wanted　to　say　to　him。　　He　said　〃Oh　yes；　if

you　like〃with　just　a　visible　surprise；　but　I　thought　with　plenty　of

assurance。　　When　I　had　finished　my　breakfast　I　found　him　smoking　on

the　forward…deck　and　I　immediately　began：　　〃I'm　going　to　say

something　you　won't　at　all　like；　to　ask　you　a　question　you'll

probably　denounce　for　impertinent。〃



〃I　certainly　shall　if　I　find　it　so；〃　said　Jasper　Nettlepoint。



〃Well；　of　course　my　warning　has　meant　that　I　don't　care　if　you　do。

I'm　a　good　deal　older　than　you　and　I'm　a　friendof　many　yearsof

your　mother。　　There's　nothing　I　like　less　than　to　be　meddlesome；　but

I　think　these　things　give　me　a　certain　righta　sort　of　privilege。

Besides　which　my　inquiry　will　speak　for　itself。〃



〃Why　so　many　damned　preliminaries？〃　my　young　man　asked　through　his

smoke。



We　looked　into　each　other's　eyes　a　moment。　　What　indeed　was　his

mother's　mannerher　best　mannercompared　with　his？　　〃Are　you

prepared　to　be　responsible？〃



〃To　you？〃



〃Dear　noto　the　young　lady　herself。　　I'm　speaking　of　course　of　Miss

Mavis。〃



〃Ah　yes；　my　mother　tells　me　you　have　her　greatly　on　your　mind。〃



〃So　has　your　mother　herselfnow。〃



〃She's　so　good　as　to　say　soto　oblige　you。〃



〃She'd　oblige　me　a　great　deal　more　by　reassuring　me。　　I　know

perfectly　of　your　knowing　I've　told　her　that　Miss　Mavis　is　greatly

talked　about。〃



〃Yes；　but　what　on　earth　does　it　matter？〃



〃It　matters　as　a　sign。〃



〃A　sign　of　what？〃



〃That　she's　in　a　false　position。〃



Jasper　puffed　his　cigar　with　his　eyes　on　the　horizon；　and　I　had；　a

little　unexpectedly；　the　sense　of　producing　a　certain　effect　on　him。

〃I　don't　know　whether　it's　YOUR　business；　what　you're　attempting　to

discuss　but　it　really　strikes　me　it's　none　of　mine。　　What　have　I　to

do　with　the　tattle　with　which　a　pack　of　old　women　console　themselves

for　not　being　sea…sick？〃



〃Do　you　call　it　tattle　that　Miss　Mavis　is　in　love　with　you？〃



〃Drivelling。〃



〃Then；〃　I　retorted；　〃you're　very　ungrateful。　　The　tattle　of　a　pack　of

old　women　has　this　importance；　that　she　suspects；　or　she　knows；　it

exists；　and　that　decent　girls　are　for　the　most　part　very　sensitive　to

that　sort　of　thing。　　To　be　prepared　not　to　heed　it　in　this　case　she

must　have　a　reason；　and　the　reason　must　be　the　one　I've　taken　the

liberty　to　call　your　attention　to。〃



〃In　love　with　me　in　six　days；　just　like　that？〃and　he　still　looked

away　through　narrowed　eyelids。



〃There's　no　accounting　for　tastes；　and　six　days　at　sea　are　equivalent

to　sixty　on　land。　　I　don't　want　to　make　you　too　proud。　　Of　course　if

you　recognise　your　responsibility　it's　all　right　and　I've　nothing　to

say。〃



〃I　don't　see　what　you　mean；〃　he　presently　returned。



〃Surely　you　ought　to　have　thought　of　that　by　this　time。　　She's

engaged　to　be　married；　and　the　gentleman　she's　engaged　to　is　to　meet

her　at　Liverpool。　　The　whole　ship　knows　itthough　_I_　didn't　tell

them！and　the　whole　ship's　watching　her。　　It's　impertinent　if　you

like；　just　as　I　am　myself；　but　we　make　a　little　world　here　together

and　we　can't　blink　its　conditions。　　What　I　ask　you　is　whether　you're

prepared　to　allow　her　to　give　up　the　gentleman　I've　just　mentioned

for　your　sake。〃



Jasper　spoke　in　a　moment　as　if　he　didn't　understand。　　〃For　my　sake？〃



〃To　marry　her　if　she　breaks　with　him。〃



He　turned　his　eyes　from　the　horizon　to　my　own；　and　I　found　a　strange

expression　in　them。　　〃Has　Miss　Mavis　commissioned　you　to　go　into

that？〃



〃Not　in　the　least。〃



〃Well　then；　I　don't　quite　see！〃



〃It　isn't　as　from　another　I　make　it。　　Let　it　come　from　yourselfTO

yourself。〃



〃Lord；　you　must　think　I　lead　myself　a　life！〃　he　cried　as　in

compassion　for　my　simplicity。　　〃That's　a　question　the　young　lady　may

put　to　me　any　moment　it　pleases　her。〃



〃Let　me　then　express　the　hope　that　she　will。　　But　what　will　you

answer？〃



〃My　dear　sir；　it　seems　to　me　that　in　spite　of　all　the　titles　you've

enumerated　you've　no　reason　to　expect　I'll　tell　you。〃　　He　turned

away；　and　I　dedicated　in　perfect　sincerity　a　deep　sore　sigh　to　the

thought　of　our　young　woman。　　At　this；　under　the　impression　of　it；　he

faced　me　again　and；　looking　at　me　from　head　to　foot；　demanded：　　〃What

is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃



〃I　put　it　to　your　mother　that