the woman-haters-第33部分

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spokes　for　dear　life。

〃II　ain't　dropped　it；　Seth；〃　she　declared。　　〃Truly　I　ain't。〃

〃All　right。　　You　can　drop　it　now。　　I'll　take　it　myself。　　You　set
down　and　rest。〃

He　took　the　wheel　and　she　collapsed；　breathless；　against　the　rail。
After　a　time　she　ventured　to　ask　a　question。

〃Seth！〃　she　said；　〃how　do　you　know　which　way　to　steer？〃

〃I　don't；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃All　I'm　tryin'　to　do　is　keep　her　afore
it。　　If　this　no'theast　wind　would　hold；　we'd　be　all　right；　but　it's
dyin'　fast。　　And　the　tide　must　be　at　flood；　if　not　startin'　to　go
out。　　With　no　wind；　and　no　anchor；　and　the　kind　of　ebb　tide　there'll
be　pretty　soonwell；　if　we　don't　drift　out　to　sea　we'll　be
lucky。　。　。　。　　Pump！　pump！　you　son　of　a　roustabout。　　If　I　hear　you
stoppin'　for　a　second　I'll　come　for'ard　and　murder　you。〃

Bennie　D。；　who　had　ventured　to　rest　for　a　moment；　bent　his　aching
back　to　the　task。　　Was　this　man…slaughtering　tyrant　his　mild…
mannered；　meek　brother…in…law；　the　creature　whom　he　had　brow…beaten
so　often　and　managed　so　effectively？　　He　could　not　understandbut
he　pumped。

Perhaps　Seth　did　not　understand；　either；　perhaps　he　did　not　try　to。
Yet　the　explanation　was　simple　and　natural。　　The　sea；　the　emergency；
the　danger；　his　own　deck　beneath　his　feetthese　were　like　old
times；　here　was　a　situation　he　knew　how　to　handle。　　He　forgot　that
he　was　a　lightkeeper　absent　from　duty；　forgot　that　one　of　his
passengers　was　the　wife　he　had　run　away　from；　and　the　other　his
bugbear；　the　dreaded　and　formidable　Bennie　D。　　He　forgot　all　this
and　was　again　the　able　seaman；　the　Tartar　skipper　who；　in　former
days；　made　his　crews　fear；　respect；　and　swear　by　him。

And　he　reveled　in　his　authority。　　Once　Mrs。　Bascom　rose　to　peer　over
the　rail。

〃Emeline；〃　he　snapped；　〃didn't　I　tell　you　to　set　down　and　set　still？
Must　I　give　orders　twice？　　SET　DOWN！〃

Emeline　〃set。〃

The　wind　died　to　fitful　gusts。　　The　schooner　barely　moved。　　The　fog
was　as　thick　as　ever。　　Still　Seth　did　not　lose　courage。　　When　the
housekeeper　ventured　to　murmur　that　she　was　certain　they　would
drown；　he　reassured　her。

〃Keep　your　pennant　mast…high；　Emeline；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　　〃We
ain't　out　at　sea；　that's　sure　and　sartin。　　And；　until　we　get　in　the
breakers；　we're　safe　enough。　　The　old　gal　leaks　some；　she　ain't　as
dry　as　a　Good…Templar　prayer　meetin'；　but　she's　afloat。　　And　when
I'm　afloat　I　ain't　afraid；　and　you　needn't　be。〃

Some　time　after　that　he　asked　a　question　in　his　turn。

〃Emeline；〃　he　said；　〃what　in　the　world　are　you　doin'　here；　on　my
schooner？〃

〃Your　schooner；　Seth？　　Yours？　　Is　this　dreadfulis　this　boat
yours？〃

〃Yup。　　She's　mine。　　I　bought　her　just　for　fun　a　long　spell　ago；　and
I've　been　fussin'　with　her　ever　since。　　But　I　did　it　FOR　fun；　I
never　s'posed　she'd　take　a　cruiselike　this。　　And　what　are　you　and
himdoin'　on　her？〃

Mrs。　Bascom　hesitated。　　〃It　was　all　an　accident；　Seth；〃　she
explained。　　〃This　has　been　an　awful　nightand　day。　　Bennie　and　I
was　out　ridin'　together；　and　we　took　the　wrong　road。　　We　got　lost；
and　the　rain　was　awful。　　We　got　out　of　the　buggy　to　stand　under　some
trees　where　'twas　drier。　　The　horse　got　scared　at　some　limbs　fallin'
and　run　off。　　Then　it　was　most　dark；　and　we　got　down　to　the　shore
and　saw　this　boat。　　There　wa'n't　any　water　round　her　then。　　Bennie；
he　climbed　aboard　and　said　the　cabin　was　dry；　so　we　went　into　it　to
wait　for　the　storm　to　let　up。　　But　it　kept　gettin'　worse。　　When　we
came　out　of　the　cabin　it　was　all　fog　like　this　and　water　everywhere。
Bennie　was　afraid　to　wade；　for　we　couldn't　see　the　shore；　so　we　went
back　into　the　cabin　again。　　And　then；　all　at　once；　there　was　a　bump
that　knocked　us　both　sprawlin'。　　The　lantern　went　out；　and　when　we
come　on　deck　we　were　afloat。　　It　was　terrible。　　And　thenand　then
you　came；　Seth；　and　saved　our　lives。〃

〃Humph！　　Maybe　they　ain't　saved　yet。　。　。　。　　Emeline；　where　was　you
drivin'　to？〃

〃Why；　we　was　drivin'　home；　or　thought　we　was。〃

〃Home？〃

〃Yes；　homeback　to　the　bungalow。〃

〃You　was？〃

〃Yes。〃

A　pause。　　Then：　〃Emeline；　there's　no　use　your　tellin'　me　what　ain't
so。　　I　know　more　than　you　think　I　do；　maybe。　　If　you　was　drivin'
home　why　did　you　take　the　Denboro　road？〃

〃The　Denboro　road？　　Why；　we　only　went　on　that　a　ways。　　Then　we
turned　off　on　what　we　thought　was　the　road　to　the　Lights。　　But　it
wa'n't；　it　must　have　been　the　other；　the　one　that　goes　along　by　the
edge　of　the　Back　Harbor　and　the　Slough；　the　one　that's　hardly　ever
used。　　Seth；〃　indignantly；　〃what　do　you　mean　by　sayin'　that　I　told
you　what　wa'n't　so？　　Do　you　think　I　lie？〃

〃No。　　No　more　than　you　thought　I　lied　about　that　Christy　critter。〃

〃Seth；　I　was　always　sorry　for　that。　　I　knew　you　didn't　lie。　　At
least　I　ought　to　have　known　you　didn't。　　I〃

〃Wait。　　What　did　you　take　the　Denboro　road　at　all　for？〃

〃Whywhy　　Well；　Seth；　I'll　tell　you。　　Bennie　wanted　to　talk　to
me。　　He　had　come　on　purpose　to　see　me；　and　he　wanted　me　to　do
somethin'　thatthat　。　。　。　　Anyhow；　he'd　come　to　see　me。　　I　didn't
know　he　was　comin'。　　I　hadn't　heard　from　him　for　two　years。　　That
letter　I　got　thisyesterday　mornin'　was　from　him；　and　it　most
knocked　me　over。〃

〃You　hadn't　HEARD　from　him？　　Ain't　he　been　writin'　you　right　along？〃

〃No。　　The　fact　is　he　left　me　two　years　ago　without　even　sayin'　good…
by；　andand　I　thought　he　had　gone　for　good。　　But　he　hadn't；〃　with　a
sigh；　〃he　hadn't。　　And　he　wanted　to　talk　with　me。　　That's　why　he
took　the　other　roadso's　he'd　have　more　time　to　talk；　I　s'pose。〃

〃Humph！　　Emeline；　answer　me　true：　Wa'n't　you　goin'　to　Denboro　to
getto　get　a　divorce　from　me？〃

〃A　divorce？　　A　divorce　from　YOU？　　Seth　Bascom；　I　never　heard　such〃

She　rose　from　her　seat　against　the　rail。

〃Set　down；〃　ordered　her　husband　sharply。　　〃You　set　down　and　keep
down。〃

She　stared；　gasped；　and　resumed　her　seat。　　Seth　gazed　straight　ahead
into　the　blackness。　　He　swallowed　once　or　twice；　and　his　hands
tightened　on　the　spokes　of　the　wheel。

〃Thatthat　feller　there；〃　nodding　grimly　toward　the　groaning　figure
at　the　pumps；　〃told　me　himself　that　him　and　you　had　agreed　to　get　a
divorce　from　meto　get　it　right　off。　　He　give　me　to　understand　that
you　expected　him；　'twas　all　settled　and　that　was　why　he'd　come　to
Eastboro。　　That's　what　he　told　me　this　afternoon　on　the　depot
platform。〃

Mrs。　Bascom　again　sprang　up。

〃Set　down！〃　commanded　Seth。

〃I　won't。〃

〃Yes；　you　will。　　Set　down。〃　　And　she　did。

〃Seth；〃　she　cried；　〃did　hedid　Bennie　tell　you　that？　　Did　he？　　Why；
I　never　heard　such　aI　never！　　Seth；　it　ain't　true；　not　a　word　of
it。　　Did　you　think　I'd　get　a　divorce？　　Me？　　A　self…respectin'　woman？
And　from　you？〃

〃You　turned　me　adrift。〃

〃I　didn't。　　You　turned　yourself　adrift。　　I　was　in　trouble；　bound　by
a　promise　I　give　my　dyin'　husband；　to　give　his　brother　a　home　while
I　had　one。　　I　didn't　want　to　do　it；　I　didn't　want　him　with　us
there；　where　we'd　been　so　happy。　　But　I　couldn't　say　anything。　　I
couldn't　turn　him　out。　　And　you　wouldn't；　you〃

She　was　interrupted。　　From　beneath　the　Daisy　M。's　keel　came　a　long；
scraping　noise。　　The　little　schooner　shook；　and　then　lay　still。　　The
waves；　no　longer　large；　slapped　her　sides。

Mrs。　Bascom；　startled；　uttered　a　little　scream。　　Bennie　D。；　knocked
to　his　knees；　roared　in　fright。　　Seth　alone　was　calm。　　Nothing；　at
that　moment；　could　alarm　or　even　surprise　him。

〃Humph！〃　he　observed；　〃we're　aground　somewheres。　　And　in　the　Harbor。
We're　safe　and　sound　now；　I　cal'late。　　Emeline；　go　below　where　it's
dry　and　stay　there。　　Don't　talkgo。　　As　for　you；〃　leaving　the　wheel
and　striding　toward　the　weary　inventor；　〃you　can　stop　pumpin'
unless；〃　with　a　grim　smile；　〃you　like　it　too　well　to　quitand　set
down　right　where　you　be。　　Right　where　you　be；　I　said！　　Don't　you
move　till　I　say　the　word。　　WHEN　I　say　it；　jump！〃

He　went　forward；　lowered　the　jib；　and　coiled　the　halliards。　　Then；
lantern　in　hand；　he　seated　himself　in　the　bows。　　After　a　time　he
filled　his　pipe；　lit　it　by　the　aid　of　the　lantern；　and　smoked。
There　was　silence　aboard　the　Daisy　M。

The　wind　died　away　altogether。　　The　fog　gradually　disappeared。　　From
somewhere　not　far　away　a　church　clock　struck　the　hour。　　Seth　heard
it　and　smiled。　　Turning　his　head　he　saw　in　the　distance　the　Twin…
Lights　burning　steadily。　　He　smiled　again。

Gradually；　slowly；　the　morning　came。　　The　last　remnant　of　low…
hanging　mist　drifted　away。　　Before　the　bows　of　the　stranded　schooner
appeared　a　flat　shore　with　a　road；　still　partially　covered　by　the
receding　tide；　along　its　border。　　Fish　houses　and　anchored　dories
became　visible。　　Behind　them　were　hills；　and　over　them　roofs　and
trees　and　steeples。

A　step　sounded　behind　the　watcher　in　the　bows。　　Mrs。　Bascom　was　at
his　elbow。

〃Why；　Seth！〃　she　cried；　〃why；　Seth！　it's　Eastboro；　ain't　it？　　We're
close　to　Eastboro。〃

Seth　nodded。　　〃It's　Eastboro；〃　he　said。　　〃I　cal'lated　we　must　be
there　or　thereabouts。　　With　that　no'theast　breeze　to　help　us　we
couldn't　do　much　else　but　fetch　up　at　the　inner　end　of　the　Back
Harbor。〃

She　laid　her　hand　timidly　on　his　arm。

〃Seth；〃　she　whispered；　〃what　should　we　have　done　without　you？　　You
saved　our　lives。〃

He　swung　about　and　faced　her。　　〃Emeline；〃　he　said；　〃we've　both　been
awful　fools。　　I've　been　the　biggest　one；　I　guess。　　But　I've　learned
my　lessonI've　swore　offI　told　you　I'd　prove　I　was　a　man。　　Do　you
think　I've　been　one　tonight？〃

〃Seth！〃

〃Well；　do　you？　　Or；〃　with　a　gesture　toward　the　〃genius〃　who　was
beginning　to　take　an　interest　in　his　surroundings；　〃do　you　like　that
kind　better？〃

〃Seth；〃　reproachfully；　〃I　never　liked　him　better。　　If　you　had〃

She　was　interrupted　by　her　brother…in…law；　who　came　swaggering
toward　them。　　With　the　sight　of　land　and　safety；　Bennie　D。's　courage
returned；　also；　his　old　assurance。

〃Humph！〃　he　observed。　　〃Well；　sister；　we　are　safe；　I　really　believe。
In　spite　of；〃　with　a　glare　at　the　lightkeeper；　〃this　person's　insane
recklessness　and　brutality。　　Now　I　will　take　you　ashore　and　out　of
his　presence。〃

Seth　rose　to　his　feet。

〃Didn't　I　tell　you；〃　he　demanded；　〃not　to　move　till　I　said　the　word？
Emeline；　stay　right　here。〃

Bennie　D。　stared　at　the　speaker；　then　at　his　sister…in…law。

〃Sister；〃　he　cried；　in　growing　alarm；　〃sister；　come