for the term of his natural life-第7章
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〃Ah！ Doctor； you don't mean that； I know；〃 said a rich soft voice at his elbow。
It was Sarah Purfoy emerging from her cabin。
〃Here is the wench！〃 cries Blunt。 〃We are talking of your eyes； my dear。〃 〃Well； they'll bear talking about； captain； won't they？〃 asked she； turning them full upon him。
〃By the Lord； they will！〃 says Blunt； smacking his hand on the table。 〃They're the finest eyes I've seen in my life； and they've got the reddest lips under 'm that〃
〃Let me pass； Captain Blunt； if you please。 Thank you； doctor。〃
And before the admiring commander could prevent her； she modestly swept out of the cuddy。
〃She's a fine piece of goods； eh？〃 asked Blunt； watching her。 〃A spice o' the devil in her； too。〃
Old Pine took a huge pinch of snuff。
〃Devil！ I tell you what it is； Blunt。 I don't know where Vickers picked her up； but I'd rather trust my life with the worst of those ruffians 'tween decks； than in her keeping； if I'd done her an injury。〃
Blunt laughed。
〃I don't believe she'd think much of sticking a man； either！〃 he said； rising。 〃But I must go on deck； doctor。〃 Pine followed him more slowly。 〃I don't pretend to know much about women；〃 he said to himself； 〃but that girl's got a story of her own； or I'm much mistaken。 What brings her on board this ship as lady's…maid is more than I can fathom。〃 And as； sticking his pipe between his teeth； he walked down the now deserted deck to the main hatchway； and turned to watch the white figure gliding up and down the poop…deck； he saw it joined by another and a darker one； he muttered； 〃She's after no good； I'll swear。〃
At that moment his arm was touched by a soldier in undress uniform； who had come up the hatchway。 〃What is it？〃
The man drew himself up and saluted。
〃If you please； doctor； one of the prisoners is taken sick； and as the dinner's over； and he's pretty bad； I ventured to disturb your honour。〃
〃You ass！〃 says Pinewho； like many gruff men； had a good heart under his rough shell〃why didn't you tell me before？〃 and knocking the ashes out of his barely…lighted pipe； he stopped that implement with a twist of paper and followed his summoner down the hatchway。
In the meantime the woman who was the object of the grim old fellow's suspicions was enjoying the comparative coolness of the night air。 Her mistress and her mistress's daughter had not yet come out of their cabin； and the men had not yet finished their evening's tobacco。 The awning had been removed； the stars were shining in the moonless sky； the poop guard had shifted itself to the quarter…deck； and Miss Sarah Purfoy was walking up and down the deserted poop； in close t阾e…？t阾e with no less a person than Captain Blunt himself。 She had passed and repassed him twice silently； and at the third turn the big fellow； peering into the twilight ahead somewhat uneasily； obeyed the glitter of her great eyes； and joined her。
〃You weren't put out； my wench；〃 he asked； 〃at what I said to you below？〃
She affected surprise。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Why； at myat what Iat my rudeness； there！ For I was a bit rude； I admit。〃
〃I？ Oh dear； no。 You were not rude。〃
〃Glad you think so！〃 returned Phineas Blunt； a little ashamed at what looked like a confession of weakness on his part。
〃You would have beenif I had let you。〃
〃How do you know？〃
〃I saw it in your face。 Do you think a woman can't see in a man's face when he's going to insult her？〃
〃Insult you； hey！ Upon my word！〃
〃Yes； insult me。 You're old enough to be my father； Captain Blunt； but you've no right to kiss me； unless I ask you。〃
〃Haw； haw！〃 laughed Blunt。 〃I like that。 Ask me！ Egad； I wish you would； you black…eyed minx！〃
〃So would other people； I have no doubt。〃 〃That soldier officer； for instance。 Hey； Miss Modesty？ I've seen him looking at you as though he'd like to try。〃
The girl flashed at him with a quick side glance。
〃You mean Lieutenant Frere； I suppose。 Are you jealous of him？〃
〃Jealous！ Why； damme； the lad was only breeched the other day。 Jealous！〃
〃I think you areand you've no need to be。 He is a stupid booby； though he is Lieutenant Frere。〃
〃So he is。 You are right there； by the Lord。〃
Sarah Purfoy laughed a low； full…toned laugh； whose sound made Blunt's pulse take a jump forward； and sent the blood tingling down to his fingers ends。
〃Captain Blunt；〃 said she； 〃you're going to do a very silly thing。〃
He came close to her and tried to take her hand。
〃What？〃
She answered by another question。
〃How old are you？〃
〃Forty…two； if you must know。〃
〃Oh！ And you are going to fall in love with a girl of nineteen。〃
〃Who is that？〃
〃Myself！〃 she said； giving him her hand and smiling at him with her rich red lips。
The mizen hid them from the man at the wheel； and the twilight of tropical stars held the main…deck。 Blunt felt the breath of this strange woman warm on his cheek； her eyes seemed to wax and wane； and the hard； small hand he held burnt like fire。
〃I believe you are right；〃 he cried。 〃I am half in love with you already。〃
She gazed at him with a contemptuous sinking of her heavily fringed eyelids； and withdrew her hand。
〃Then don't get to the other half； or you'll regret it。〃
〃Shall I？〃 asked Blunt。 〃That's my affair。 Come； you little vixen； give me that kiss you said I was going to ask you for below；〃 and he caught her in his arms。
In an instant she had twisted herself free； and confronted him with flashing eyes。
〃You dare！〃 she cried。 〃Kiss me by force！ Pooh！ you make love like a schoolboy。 If you can make me like you； I'll kiss you as often as you will。 If you can't； keep your distance； please。〃
Blunt did not know whether to laugh or be angry at this rebuff。 He was conscious that he was in rather a ridiculous position； and so decided to laugh。
〃You're a spitfire； too。 What must I do to make you like me？〃
She made him a curtsy。
〃That is your affair；〃 she said； and as the head of Mr。 Frere appeared above the companion； Blunt walked aft； feeling considerably bewildered； and yet not displeased。
〃She's a fine girl； by jingo；〃 he said； cocking his cap； 〃and I'm hanged if she ain't sweet upon me。〃
And then the old fellow began to whistle softly to himself as he paced the deck； and to glance towards the man who had taken his place with no friendly eyes。 But a sort of shame held him as yet； and he kept aloof。
Maurice Frere's greeting was short enough。
〃Well； Sarah；〃 he said； 〃have you got out of your temper？〃
She frowned。
〃What did you strike the man for？ He did you no harm。〃
〃He was out of his place。 What business had he to come aft？ One must keep these wretches down； my girl。〃
〃Or they will be too much for you； eh？ Do you think one man could capture a ship； Mr。 Maurice？〃
〃No； but one hundred might。〃
〃Nonsense！ What could they do against the soldiers？ There are fifty soldiers。〃
〃So there are； but〃
〃But what？〃
〃Well； never mind。 It's against the rules； and I won't have it。〃
〃'Not according to the King's Regulations；' as Captain Vickers would say。〃
Frere laughed at her imitation of his pompous captain。
〃You are a strange girl； I can't make you out。 Come；〃 and he took her hand； 〃tell me what you are really。〃
〃Will you promise not to tell？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃Upon your word？〃
〃Upon my word。〃
〃Well； thenbut you'll tell？〃
〃Not I。 Come； go on。〃
〃Lady's…maid in the family of a gentleman going abroad。〃
〃Sarah； you can't be serious？〃 〃I am serious。 That was the advertisement I answered。〃
〃But I mean what you have been。 You were not a lady's…maid all your life？〃
She pulled her shawl closer round her and shivered。
〃People are not born ladies' maids； I suppose？〃
〃Well； who are you； then？ Have you no friends？ What have you been？〃
She looked up into the young man's facea little less harsh at that moment than it was wont to beand creeping closer to him； whispered〃Do you love me； Maurice？〃
He raised one of the little hands that rested on the taffrail； and； under cover of the darkness； kissed it。
〃You know I do；〃 he said。 〃You may be a lady's…maid or what you like； but you are the lovelie
