the patagonia-第14章

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is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃



〃I　put　it　to　your　mother　that　you　ought　to　go　to　bed。〃



〃You　had　better　do　that　yourself！〃　he　replied。



This　time　he　walked　off；　and　I　reflected　rather　dolefully　that　the

only　clear　result　of　my　undertaking　would　probably　have　been　to　make

it　vivid　to　him　that　she　was　in　love　with　him。　　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　came

up　as　she　had　announced；　but　the　day　was　half　over：　　it　was　nearly

three　o'clock。　　She　was　accompanied　by　her　son；　who　established　her

on　deck；　arranged　her　chair　and　her　shawls；　saw　she　was　protected

from　sun　and　wind；　and　for　an　hour　was　very　properly　attentive。

While　this　went　on　Grace　Mavis　was　not　visible；　nor　did　she　reappear

during　the　whole　afternoon。　　I　hadn't　observed　that　she　had　as　yet

been　absent　from　the　deck　for　so　long　a　period。　　Jasper　left　his

mother；　but　came　back　at　intervals　to　see　how　she　got　on；　and　when

she　asked　where　Miss　Mavis　might　be　answered　that　he　hadn't　the　least

idea。　　I　sat　with　my　friend　at　her　particular　request：　　she　told　me

she　knew　that　if　I　didn't　Mrs。　Peck　and　Mrs。　Gotch　would　make　their

approach；　so　that　I　must　act　as　a　watch…dog。　　She　was　flurried　and

fatigued　with　her　migration；　and　I　think　that　Grace　Mavis's　choosing

this　occasion　for　retirement　suggested　to　her　a　little　that　she　had

been　made　a　fool　of。　　She　remarked　that　the　girl's　not　being　there

showed　her　for　the　barbarian　she　only　could　be；　and　that　she　herself

was　really　very　good　so　to　have　put　herself　out；　her　charge　was　a

mere　bore：　　that　was　the　end　of　it。　　I　could　see　that　my　companion's

advent　quickened　the　speculative　activity　of　the　other　ladies　they

watched　her　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　deck；　keeping　their　eyes

fixed　on　her　very　much　as　the　man　at　the　wheel　kept　his　on　the　course

of　the　ship。　　Mrs。　Peck　plainly　had　designs；　and　it　was　from　this

danger　that　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　averted　her　face。



〃It's　just　as　we　said；〃　she　remarked　to　me　as　we　sat　there。　　〃It's

like　the　buckets　in　the　well。　　When　I　come　up　everything　else　goes

down。〃



〃No；　not　at　all　everything　elsesince　Jasper　remains　here。〃



〃Remains？　　I　don't　see　him。〃



〃He　comes　and　goesit's　the　same　thing。〃



〃He　goes　more　than　he　comes。　　But　n'en　parlons　plus；　I　haven't　gained

anything。　　I　don't　admire　the　sea　at　allwhat　is　it　but　a　magnified

water…tank？　　I　shan't　come　up　again。〃



〃I've　an　idea　she'll　stay　in　her　cabin　now；〃　I　said。　　〃She　tells　me

she　has　one　to　herself。〃　　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　replied　that　she　might　do

as　she　liked；　and　I　repeated　to　her　the　little　conversation　I　had　had

with　Jasper。



She　listened　with　interest；　but　〃Marry　her？　　Mercy！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃I　like　the　fine　freedom　with　which　you　give　my　son　away。〃



〃You　wouldn't　accept　that？〃



〃Why　in　the　world　should　I？〃



〃Then　I　don't　understand　your　position。〃



〃Good　heavens；　I　HAVE　none！　　It　isn't　a　position　to　be　tired　of　the

whole　thing。〃



〃You　wouldn't　accept　it　even　in　the　case　I　put　to　himthat　of　her

believing　she　had　been　encouraged　to　throw　over　poor　Porterfield？〃



〃Not　evennot　even。　　Who　can　know　what　she　believes？〃



It　brought　me　back　to　where　we　had　started　from。　　〃Then　you　do

exactly　what　I　said　you　wouldyou　show　me　a　fine　example　of　maternal

immorality。〃



〃Maternal　fiddlesticks！　　It　was　she　who　began　it。〃



〃Then　why　did　you　come　up　today？〃　I　asked。



〃To　keep　you　quiet。〃



Mrs。　Nettlepoint's　dinner　was　served　on　deck；　but　I　went　into　the

saloon。　　Jasper　was　there；　but　not　Grace　Mavis；　as　I　had　half…

expected。　　I　sought　to　learn　from　him　what　had　become　of　her；　if　she

were　illhe　must　have　thought　I　had　an　odious　pertinacityand　he

replied　that　he　knew　nothing　whatever　about　her。　　Mrs。　Peck　talked　to

meor　tried　toof　Mrs。　Nettlepoint；　expatiating　on　the　great

interest　it　had　been　to　see　her；　only　it　was　a　pity　she　didn't　seem

more　sociable。　　To　this　I　made　answer　that　she　was　to　be　excused　on

the　score　of　health。



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　she's　sick　on　this　pond？〃



〃No；　she's　unwell　in　another　way。〃



〃I　guess　I　know　the　way！〃　Mrs。　Peck　laughed。　　And　then　she　added：　　〃I

suppose　she　came　up　to　look　after　her　pet。〃



〃Her　pet？〃　I　set　my　face。



〃Why　Miss　Mavis。　　We've　talked　enough　about　that。〃



〃Quite　enough。　　I　don't　know　what　that　has　had　to　do　with　it。　　Miss

Mavis；　so　far　as　I've　noticed；　hasn't　been　above　today。〃



〃Oh　it　goes　on　all　the　same。〃



〃It　goes　on？〃



〃Well；　it's　too　late。〃



〃Too　late？〃



〃Well；　you'll　see。　　There'll　be　a　row。〃



This　wasn't　comforting；　but　I　didn't　repeat　it　on　deck。　　Mrs。

Nettlepoint　returned　early　to　her　cabin；　professing　herself

infinitely　spent。　　I　didn't　know　what　〃went　on；〃　but　Grace　Mavis

continued　not　to　show。　　I　looked　in　late；　for　a　good…night　to　my

friend；　and　learned　from　her　that　the　girl　hadn't　been　to　her。　　She

had　sent　the　stewardess　to　her　room　for　news；　to　see　if　she　were　ill

and　needed　assistance；　and　the　stewardess　had　come　back　with　mere

mention　of　her　not　being　there。　　I　went　above　after　this；　the　night

was　not　quite　so　fair　and　the　deck　almost　empty。　　In　a　moment　Jasper

Nettlepoint　and　our　young　lady　moved　past　me　together。　　〃I　hope

you're　better！〃　　I　called　after　her；　and　she　tossed　me　over　her

shoulder〃Oh　yes；　I　had　a　headache；　but　the　air　now　does　me　good！〃



I　went　down　againI　was　the　only　person　there　but　they；　and　I　wanted

not　to　seem　to　dog　their　stepsand；　returning　to　Mrs。　Nettlepoint's

room；　found　（her　door　was　open　to　the　little　passage）　that　she　was

still　sitting　up。



〃She's　all　right！〃　I　said。　　〃She's　on　the　deck　with　Jasper。〃



The　good　lady　looked　up　at　me　from　her　book。　　〃I　didn't　know　you

called　that　all　right。〃



〃Well；　it's　better　than　something　else。〃



〃Than　what　else？〃



〃Something　I　was　a　little　afraid　of。〃　　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　continued　to

look　at　me；　she　asked　again　what　that　might　be。　　〃I'll　tell　you　when

we're　ashore；〃　I　said。



The　next　day　I　waited　on　her　at　the　usual　hour　of　my　morning　visit；

and　found　her　not　a　little　distraught。　　〃The　scenes　have　begun；〃　she

said；　〃you　know　I　told　you　I　shouldn't　get　through　without　them！　　You

made　me　nervous　last　nightI　haven't　the　least　idea　what　you　meant；

but　you　made　me　horribly　nervous。　　She　came　in　to　see　me　an　hour　ago；

and　I　had　the　courage　to　say　to　her：　　'I　don't　know　why　I　shouldn't

tell　you　frankly　that　I've　been　scolding　my　son　about　you。'　　Of

course　she　asked　what　I　meant　by　that；　and　I　let　her　know。　　'It　seems

to　me　he　drags　you　about　the　ship　too　much　for　a　girl　in　your

position。　　He　has　the　air　of　not　remembering　that　you　belong　to　some

one　else。　　There's　a　want　of　taste　and　even　a　want　of　respect　in　it。'

That　brought　on　an　outbreak：　　she　became　very　violent。〃



〃Do　you　mean　indignant？〃



〃Yes；　indignant；　and　above　all　flustered　and　excitedat　my　presuming

to　suppose　her　relations　with　my　son　not　the　very　simplest　in　the

world。　　I　might　scold　him　as　much　as　I　likedthat　was　between

ourselves；　but　she　didn't　see　why　I　should　mention　such　matters　to

herself。　　Did　I　think　she　allowed　him　to　treat　her　with　disrespect？

That　idea　wasn't　much　of　a　compliment　to　either　of　them！　　He　had

treated　her　better　and　been　kinder　to　her　than　most　other　people

there　were　very　few　on　the　ship　who　hadn't　been　insulting。　　She

should　be　glad　enough　when　she　got　off　it；　to　her　own　people；　to　some

one　whom　nobody　would　have　a　right　to　speak　of。　　What　was　there　in

her　position　that　wasn't　perfectly　natural？　what　was　the　idea　of

making　a　fuss　about　her　position？　　Did　I　mean　that　she　took　it　too

easilythat　she　didn't　think　as　much　as　she　ought　about　Mr。

Porterfield？　　Didn't　I　believe　she　was　attached　to　himdidn't　I

believe　she　was　just　counting　the　hours　till　she　saw　him？　　That　would

be　the　happiest　moment　of　her　life。　　It　showed　how　little　I　knew　her

if　I　thought　anything　else。〃



〃All　that　must　have　been　rather　fineI　should　have　liked　to　hear

it；〃　I　said　afte