villa rubein and other stories-第40章

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family。'



〃'Captain　Jan　Pearse；　as　sure　as　I　stand　here；　you　and　your　breed

will　get　your　punishment　of　God。'　　Old　Pearse　smiled。



〃'Mr。　John　Ford；　that's　as　may　be；　but　sure　as　I　lie　here　we　won't

take　it　of　you。　　You　can't　punish　unless　you　make　to　feel；　and　that

you　can't　du。'〃



And　that　is　truth！



Dan　went　on　again：



〃'You　won't　tell　me　where　your　son　is！'　but　old　Pearse　never　blinked。



〃'I　won't；'　he　said；　'and　now　you　may　get　out。　　I　lie　here　an　old　man

alone；　with　no　use　to　my　legs；　night　on　night；　an'　the　house　open；

any　rapscallion　could　get　in；　d'　ye　think　I'm　afraid　of　you？'



〃We　were　beat；　and　walked　out　without　a　word。　　But　that　old　man；　I've

thought　of　him　a　lotninety…two；　and　lying　there。　　Whatever　he's

been；　and　they　tell　you　rum　things　of　him；　whatever　his　son　may　be；

he's　a　man。　　It's　not　what　he　said；　nor　that　there　was　anything　to　be

afraid　of　just　then；　but　somehow　it's　the　idea　of　the　old　chap　lying

there。　　I　don't　ever　wish　to　see　a　better　plucked　one。。。。〃



We　sat　silent　after　that；　out　of　doors　the　light　began　to　stir　among

the　leaves。　　There　were　all　kinds　of　rustling　sounds；　as　if　the　world

were　turning　over　in　bed。



Suddenly　Dan　said：



〃He's　cheated　me。　　I　paid　him　to　clear　out　and　leave　her　alone。

D'　you　think　she's　asleep？〃　　He's　made　no　appeal　for　sympathy；　he'd

take　pity　for　an　insult；　but　he　feels　it　badly。



〃I'm　tired　as　a　cat；〃　he　said　at　last；　and　went　to　sleep　on　my　bed。



It's　broad　daylight　now；　I　too　am　tired　as　a　cat。。。。









V



〃Saturday；　6tb　August　。



。。。。。。。I　take　up　my　tale　where　I　left　off　yesterday。。。。　　Dan　and　I

started　as　soon　as　we　could　get　Mrs。　Hopgood　to　give　us　coffee。　　The

old　lady　was　more　tentative；　more　undecided；　more　pouncing；　than　I

had　ever　seen　her。　　She　was　manifestly　uneasy：　Ha…apgoodwho　〃don't

slape　〃don't　he；　if　snores　are　any　criterionhad　called　out　in　the

night；　〃Hark　to　th'　'arses'　'oofs！〃　　Had　we　heard　them？　　And　where

might　we　be　going　then？　　'Twas　very　earrly　to　start；　an'　no

breakfast。　　Haapgood　had　said　it　was　goin'　to　shaowerr。　　Miss

Pasiance　was　not　to　'er　violin　yet；　an'　Mister　Ford　'e　kept　'is　room。

Was　it？would　there　be？　　〃Well；　an'　therr's　an　'arvest　bug；　'tis

some　earrly　for　they！〃　　Wonderful　how　she　pounces　on　all　such

creatures；　when　I　can't　even　see　them。　　She　pressed　it　absently

between　finger　and　thumb；　and　began　manoeuvring　round　another　way。

Long　before　she　had　reached　her　point；　we　had　gulped　down　our　coffee；

and　departed。　　But　as　we　rode　out　she　came　at　a　run；　holding　her

skirts　high　with　either　hand；　raised　her　old　eyes　bright　and　anxious

in　their　setting　of　fine　wrinkles；　and　said：



〃'Tidden　sorrow　for　her？〃



A　shrug　of　the　shoulders　was　all　the　answer　she　got。　　We　rode　by　the

lanes；　through　sloping　farmyards；　all　mud　and　pigs；　and　dirty　straw；

and　farmers　with　clean…shaven　upper　lips　and　whiskers　under　the　chin；

past　fields　of　corn；　where　larks　were　singing。　　Up　or　down；　we　didn't

draw　rein　till　we　came　to　Dan's　hotel。



There　was　the　river　gleaming　before　us　under　a　rainbow　mist　that

hallowed　every　shape。　　There　seemed　affinity　between　the　earth　and

the　sky。　　I've　never　seen　that　particular　soft　unity　out　of　Devon。

And　every　ship；　however　black　or　modern；　on　those　pale　waters；　had

the　look　of　a　dream　ship。　　The　tall　green　woods；　the　red　earth；　the

white　houses；　were　all　melted　into　one　opal　haze。　　It　was　raining；

but　the　sun　was　shining　behind。　　Gulls　swooped　by　usghosts　of　the

old　greedy　wanderers　of　the　sea。



We　had　told　our　two　boatmen　to　pull　us　out　to　the　Pied　Witcb！　　They

started　with　great　resolution；　then　rested　on　their　oars。



〃The　Pied　Witch；　zurr？〃　asked　one　politely；　〃an'　which　may　her　be？〃



That's　the　West　countryman　all　over！　　Never　say　you　〃nay；〃　never　lose

an　opportunity；　never　own　he　doesn't　know；　or　can't　do　anything

independence；　amiability；　and　an　eye　to　the　main　chance。　　We

mentioned　Pearse's　name。



〃Capt'n　Zach'ry　Pearse！〃　　They　exchanged　a　look　half…amused；　half…

admiring。



〃The　Zunflaower；　yu　mane。　　That's　her。　　Zunflaower；　ahoy！〃　　As　we

mounted　the　steamer's　black　side　I　heard　one　say：



〃Pied　Witch！　　A　pra…aper　name　thata　dandy　name　for　her！〃　　They

laughed　as　they　made　fast。



The　mate　of　the　Sunflower；　or　Pied　Witcb；　or　whatever　she　was　called；

met　usa　tall　young　fellow　in　his　shirtsleeves；　tanned　to　the　roots

of　his　hair；　with　sinewy；　tattooed　arms；　and　grey　eyes；　charred　round

the　rims　from　staring　at　weather。



〃The　skipper　is　on　board；〃　he　said。　　〃We're　rather　busy；　as　you　see。

Get　on　with　that；　you　sea…cooks；〃　he　bawled　at　two　fellows　who　were

doing　nothing。　　All　over　the　ship；　men　were　hauling；　splicing；　and

stowing　cargo。



〃To…day's　Friday：　we're　off　on　Wednesday　with　any　luck。　　Will　you

come　this　way？〃　　He　led　us　down　the　companion　to　a　dark　hole　which　he

called　the　saloon。　　〃Names？　　What！　are　you　Mr。　Treffry？　　Then　we're

partners！〃　　A　schoolboy's　glee　came　on　his　face。



〃Look　here！〃　he　said；　〃I　can　show　you　something；〃　and　he　unlocked　the

door　of　a　cabin。　　There　appeared　to　be　nothing　in　it　but　a　huge　piece

of　tarpaulin；　which　depended；　bulging；　from　the　topmost　bunk。　　He

pulled　it　up。　　The　lower　bunk　had　been　removed；　and　in　its　place　was

the　ugly　body　of　a　dismounted　Gatling　gun。



〃Got　six　of　them；〃　he　whispered；　with　unholy　mystery；　through　which

his　native　frankness　gaped　out。　　〃Worth　their　weight　in　gold　out

there　just　now；　the　skipper　says。　　Got　a　heap　of　rifles；　too；　and

lots　of　ammunition。　　He's　given　me　a　share。　　This　is　better　than　the

P。　and　O。；　and　playing　deck　cricket　with　the　passengers。　　I'd　made　up

my　mind　already　to　chuck　that；　and　go　in　for　plantin'　sugar；　when　I

ran　across　the　skipper。　　Wonderful　chap；　the　skipper！　　I'll　go　and

tell　him。　　He's　been　out　all　night；　only　came　aboard　at　four　bells；

having　a　nap　now；　but　he　won't　mind　that　for　you。〃



Off　he　went。　　I　wondered　what　there　was　in　Zachary　Pearse　to　attract

a　youngster　of　this　sort；　one　of　the　customary　twelve　children　of

some　country　parson；　no　doubt…burning　to　shoot　a　few　niggers；　and　for

ever　frank　and　youthful。



He　came　back　with　his　hands　full　of　bottles。



〃What'll　you　drink？　　The　skipper'll　be　here　in　a　jiffy。　　Excuse　my

goin'　on　deck。　　We're　so　busy。〃



And　in　five　minutes　Zachary　Pearse　did　come。　　He　made　no　attempt　to

shake　hands；　for　which　I　respected　him。　　His　face　looked　worn；　and

more　defiant　than　usual。



〃Well；　gentlemen？〃　he　said。



〃We've　come　to　ask　what　you're　going　to　do？〃　said　Dan。



〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Pearse；　〃that　that's　any　of　your　business。〃



Dan's　little　eyes　were　like　the　eyes　of　an　angry　pig。



〃You've　got　five　hundred　pounds　of　mine；〃　he　said；　〃why　do　you　think

I　gave　it　you？〃



Zachary　bit　his　fingers。



〃That's　no　concern　of　mine；〃　he　said。　　〃I　sail　on　Wednesday。　　Your

money's　safe。〃



〃Do　you　know　what　I　think　of　you？〃　said　Dan。



〃No；　and　you'd　better　not　tell　me！〃　　Then；　with　one　of　his　peculiar

changes；　he　smiled：　〃As　you　like；　though。〃



Dan's　face　grew　very　dark。　　〃Give　me　a　plain　answer；〃　he　said：　〃What

are　you　going　to　do　about　her？〃



Zachary　looked　up　at　him　from　under　his　brows。



〃Nothing。〃



〃Are　you　cur　enough　to　deny　that　you've　married　her？〃



Zachary　looked　at　him　coolly。　　〃Not　at　all；〃　he　said。



〃What　in　God's　name　did　you　do　it　for？〃



〃You've　no　monopoly　in　the　post　of　husband；　Mr。　　Treffry。〃



〃To　put　a　child　in　that　positionD！　　Haven't　you　the　heart　of　a　man？

What　d'　ye　come　sneaking　in　at　night　for？　　By　Gad！　　Don't　you　know

you've　done　a　beastly　thing？〃



Zachary's　face　darkened；　he　clenched　his　fists。　　Then　he　seemed　to

shut　his　anger　into　himself。



〃You　wanted　me　to　leave　her　to　you；〃　he　sneered。　　〃I　gave　her　my

promise　that　I'd　take　her　out　there；　and　we'd　have　gone　off　on

Wednesday　quietly　enough；　if　you　hadn't　come　and　nosed　th