the crusade of the excelsior-第6部分

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a　lurch　of　the　ship　through　an　open　hatchway：　the　shock　renders　you

insensible　until　you　are　discovered　and　restored。〃



〃And　who　will　believe　this　pretty　story？〃　said　the　young　man

scornfully。



〃The　honest　sailor　who　picked　you　up；　who　has　related　it　in　his　own

picturesque　tongue　to　ME；　who　will　in　turn　interpret　it　to　the

captain　and　the　other　passengers；〃　replied　Senor　Perkins　blandly。



〃And　what　of　the　two　mates　who　were　here？〃　said　the　prisoner

hesitatingly。



〃They　are　two　competent　officers；　who　are　quite　content　to　carry

out　the　orders　of　their　superiors；　and　who　understand　their　duty

too　well　to　interfere　with　the　reports　of　their　subordinates；　on

which　these　orders　are　based。　　Mr。　Brooks；　the　first　officer；

though　fairly　intelligent　and　a　good　reader　of　history；　is　only

imperfectly　acquainted　with　the　languages；　and　Mr。　M'Carthy's

knowledge　of　Spanish　is　confined　to　a　few　objurgations　which

generally　preclude　extended　conversation。〃



〃And　who　are　you；〃　said　Hurlstone；　more　calmly；　〃who　are　willing　to

do　this　for　a　stranger？〃



〃A　friendequally　of　yours；　the　captain's；　and　the　other

passengers'；〃　replied　Senor　Perkins　pleasantly。　　〃A　man　who

believes　you；　my　dear　sir；　and；　even　if　he　did　not；　sees　no　reason

to　interrupt　the　harmony　that　has　obtained　in　our　little　community

during　our　delightful　passage。　　Were　any　scandal　to　occur；　were　you

to　carry　out　your　idea　of　throwing　yourself　overboard；　it　would；　to

say　nothing　of　my　personal　regret；　produce　a　discord　for　which

there　is　no　necessity；　and　from　which　no　personal　good　can　be

derived。　　Here　at　least　your　secret　is　secure；　for　even　I　do　not

ask　what　it　is；　we　meet　here　on　an　equality；　based　on　our　own

conduct　and　courtesy　to　each　other；　limited　by　no　antecedent

prejudice；　and　restrained　by　no　thought　of　the　future。　　In　a　little

while　we　shall　be　separatedwhy　should　it　not　be　as　friends？　　Why

should　we　not　look　back　upon　our　little　world　of　this　ship　as　a

happy　one？〃



Hurlstone　gazed　at　the　speaker　with　a　troubled　air。　　It　was　once

more　the　quaint　benevolent　figure　whom　he　had　vaguely　noted　among

the　other　passengers；　and　as　vaguely　despised。　　He　hesitated　a

moment；　and　then；　half　timidly；　half　reservedly；　extended　his　hand。



〃I　thank　you；〃　he　said；　〃at　least　for　not　asking　my　secret。

Perhaps；　if　it　was　only〃



〃Your　ownyou　might　tell　it；〃　interrupted　the　Senor；　gayly。　　〃I

understand。　　I　see　you　recognize　my　principle。　　There　is　no

necessity　of　your　putting　yourself　to　that　pain；　or　another　to　that

risk。　　And　now；　my　young　friend；　time　presses。　　I　must　say　a　word

to　our　friends　above；　who　are　waiting；　and　I　shall　see　that　you　are

taken　privately　to　your　state…room　while　most　of　the　other

passengers　are　still　on　deck。　　If　you　would　permit　yourself　the

weakness　of　allowing　the　steward　to　carry　or　assist　you　it　would　be

better。　　Let　me　advise　you　that　the　excitement　of　the　last　three

hours　has　not　left　you　in　your　full　strength。　　You　must　really　give

ME　the　pleasure　of　spreading　the　glad　tidings　of　your　safety　among

the　passengers；　who　have　been　so　terribly　alarmed。〃



〃They　will　undoubtedly　be　relieved；〃　said　Hurlstone；　with　ironical

bitterness。



〃You　wrong　them；〃　returned　the　Senor；　with　gentle　reproach；

〃especially　the　ladies。〃



The　voice　of　the　first　mate　from　above　here　checked　his　further

speech；　and；　perhaps；　prevented　him；　as　he　quickly　reascended　the

upper　deck；　from　noticing　the　slight　embarrassment　of　his　prisoner。



The　Senor's　explanations　to　the　mate　were　evidently　explicit　and

brief。　　In　a　few　moments　he　reappeared　with　the　steward　and　his

assistant。



〃Lean　on　these　men；〃　he　said　to　Hurlstone　significantly；　〃and　do

not　overestimate　your　strength。　　Thank　Heaven；　no　bones　are　broken；

and　you　are　only　bruised　by　the　fall。　　With　a　little　rest；　I　think

we　can　get　along　without　laying　the　captain's　medicine…chest　under

contribution。　　Our　kind　friend　Mr。　Brooks　has　had　the　lower　deck

cleared；　so　that　you　may　gain　your　state…room　without　alarming　the

passengers　or　fatiguing　yourself。〃



He　pressed　Hurlstone's　hand　as　the　latter　resigned　himself　to　the

steward；　and　was　half　led；　half　supported；　through　the　gloom　of　the

lower　deck。　　Senor　Perkins　remained　for　an　instant　gazing　after　him

with　even　more　than　his　usual　benevolence。　　Suddenly　his　arm　was

touched　almost　rudely。　　He　turned；　and　encountered　the　lowering

eyes　of　the　Peruvian　sailor。



〃And　what　is　to　be　done　for　me？〃　said　the　man　roughly；　in　Spanish。



〃You？〃



〃Yes。　　Who's　to　pay　for　this？〃　he　pointed　to　his　bandaged　head。



Without　changing　his　bland　expression；　Senor　Perkins　apparently

allowed　his　soft　black　eyes　to　rest；　as　if　fondly；　on　the　angry

pupils　of　the　Peruvian。　　The　eyes　of　the　latter　presently　sought

the　ground。



〃My　dear　Yoto；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　softly；　〃I　scarcely　think　that

this　question　of　personal　damage　can　be　referred　to　the　State。　　I

will；　however；　look　into　it。　　Meantime；　let　me　advise　you　to

control　your　enthusiasm。　　Too　much　zeal　in　a　subordinate　is　even

more　fatal　than　laxity。　　For　the　rest；　son；　be　vigilantand

peaceful。　　Thou　hast　meant　well；　much　shall　beforgiven　thee。　　For

the　present；　vamos！〃



He　turned　on　his　heel；　and　ascended　to　the　upper　deck。　　Here　he

found　the　passengers　thrilling　with　a　vague　excitement。　　A　few

brief　orders；　a　few　briefer　explanations；　dropped　by　the　officers；

had　already　whetted　curiosity　to　the　keenest　point。　　The　Senor　was

instantly　beset　with　interrogations。　　Gentle；　compassionate；　with

well…rounded　periods；　he　related　the　singular　accident　that　had

befallen　Mr。　Hurlstone；　and　his　providential　escape　from　almost

certain　death。　　〃At　the　most；　he　has　now　only　the　exhaustion　of　the

shock；　from　which　a　day　of　perfect　rest　will　recover　him；　but；〃　he

added　deprecatingly；　〃at　present　he　ought　not　to　be　disturbed　or

excited。〃



The　story　was　received　by　those　fellow…passengers　who　had　been

strongest　in　their　suspicions　of　Hurlstone's　suicide　or　flight；

with　a　keen　sense　of　discomfiture；　only　mitigated　by　a　humorous

perception　of　the　cause　of　the　accident。　　It　was　agreed　that　a　man

whose　ludicrous　infirmity　had　been　the　cause　of　putting　the　ship

out　of　her　course；　and　the　passengers　out　of　their　comfortable

security；　could　not　be　wronged　by　attributing　to　him　manlier　and

more　criminal　motives。　　A　somnambulist　on　shipboard　was　clearly　a

humorous　object；　who　might；　however；　become　a　bore。　　〃It　all

accounts　for　his　being　so　deuced　quiet　and　reserved　in　the

daytime；〃　said　Crosby　facetiously；　〃he　couldn't　keep　it　up　the

whole　twenty…four　hours。　　If　he'd　only　given　us　a　little　more　of

his　company　when　he　was　awake；　he　wouldn't　have　gallivanted　round

at　night；　and　we'd　have　been　thirty　miles　nearer　port。〃　　Equal

amusement　was　created　by　the　humorous　suggestion　that　the

unfortunate　man　had　never　been　entirely　awake　during　the　voyage；

and　that　he　would　now；　probably　for　the　first　time；　really　make　the

acquaintance　of　his　fellow…voyagers。　　Listening　to　this　badinage

with　bland　tolerance；　Senor　Perkins　no　doubt　felt　that；　for　the

maintenance　of　that　perfect　amity　he　so　ardently　apostrophized；　it

was　just　as　well　that　Hurlstone　was　in　his　state…room；　and　out　of

hearing。



He　would　have　been　more　satisfied；　however；　had　he　been　permitted

to　hear　the　feminine　comments　on　this　incident。　　In　the　eyes　of　the

lady　passengers　Mr。　Hurlstone　was　more　a　hero　than　ever；　his

mysterious　malady　invested　him　with　a　vague　and　spiritual　interest；

his　escape　from　the　awful　fate　reserved　to　him；　in　their　excited

fancy；　gave　him　the　eclat　of　having　ACTUALLY　survived　it；　while　the

supposed　real　incident　of　his　fall　through　the　hatchway　lent　him

the　additional　lustre　of　a　wounded　and　crippled　man。　　That

prostrate　condition　of　active　humanity；　which　so　irresistibly

appeals　to　the　feminine　imagination　as　segregating　their　victim

from　the　distractions　of　his　own　sex；　and；　as　it　were；　delivering

him　helpless　into　their　hands；　was　at　once　their　opportunity；　and

his。　　All　the　ladies　volunteered　to　nurse　him；　it　was　with

difficulty　that　Mrs。　Brimmer　and　Mrs。　Markham；　reinforced　with

bandages；　flannels；　and　liniments；　and　supported　by　different

theories；　could　be　kept　from　the　door　of　his　state…room。　　Jellies；

potted　meats；　and　delicacies　from　their　private　stores　appeared　on

trays　at　his　bedside；　to　be　courteously　declined　by　the　Senor

Perkins；　in　his　new　functions　of　a　benevolent　type　of　Sancho　Panza

physician。　　To　say　that　this　pleased　the　gentle　optimism　of　the

Senor　is　unnecessary。　　Even　while　his　companion　writhed　under　the

sting　of　this　enforced　compassion；　the　good　man　beamed　philosophically

upon　him。



〃Take　care；　or　I　shall　end　this　cursed　farce　in　my　own　way；〃　said

Hurlstone　ominously；　his　eyes　again　filming　with　a　vague

desperation。



〃My　dear　boy；〃　returned　the　Senor　gently；　〃reflect　upon　the

situation。　　Your　suffering；　real　or　implied；　produces　in　the　hearts

of　these　gentle　creatures　a　sympathy　which　not　only　exalts　and

sustains　their　higher　natures；　but；　I　conscientiously　believe；

gratifies　and　pleases　their　lower　ones。　　Why　should　you　deny　them

this　opportunity　of　indulging　their　twofold　organisms；　and

beguiling　the　tedium　of　the　voyage；　merely　because　of　some

erroneous　exhibition　of　fact？〃



Later；　Senor　Perkins　might　have　added　to　this　exposition　the

singularly　stimulating　effect　which　Hurlstone's　supposed　peculiarity

had　upon　the　feminine　imagination。　　But　there　were　some　secrets

which　were　not　imparted　even　to　him；　and　it　was　only　to　each　other

that　the　ladies　confided　certain　details　and　reminiscences。　　For　it

now　appeared　that　they　had　all　heard　strange　noises　and　stealthy

steps　at　night；　and　Mrs。　Brimmer　was　quite　sure　that　on　one　occasion

the　handle　of　her　state…room　door　was　softly　turned。　　Mrs。　Markham

also　remembered　distinctly　that　only　a　w