the cruise of the jasper b.-第18部分

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evidently　intended　to　get　all　the　delight　possible　out　of　the

situation。



Cleggett's　own　pistol　was　within　an　inch　of　Loge's　stomach。



〃I　was　willing　to　pay　you　real　money；〃　said　Loge；　〃for　the　sake

of　peace。　　But　you're　a　damned　fool　if　you　think　you　can　throw　me

down　and　then　walk　straight　out　of　here　to　headquarters。〃　　Then

he　added；　showing　his　yellow　teeth：　　〃You　WOULD　bring　pistols

into　the　conversation；　you　know。　　That　was　YOUR　idea。　　And　now

you're　in　a　devil　of　a　fix。〃



The　man　certainly　had　an　iron　nerve；　he　spoke　as　calmly　as　if

Cleggett's　weapon　were　not　in　existence；　there　was　nothing　but

the　pressure　of　a　finger　wanting　to　send　both　him　and　Cleggett　to

eternity。　　Yet　he　jested；　he　laid　his　strong　and　devilish　will

across　Cleggett's　mentality；　it　was　a　duel　in　which　the　two　minds

met　and　tried　each　other　like　swords；　the　first　break　in

intention；　and　one　or　the　other　was　a　dead　man。　　Cleggett　felt

the　weight　of　that　powerful　and　evil　soul　upon　his　own　almost　as

if　it　were　a　physical　thing。



〃You　are　not　altogether　safe　yourself；〃　said　Cleggett　grimly；

with　his　eyes　fixed　on　Pierre's　and　his　pistol　touching　Loge's

waistband。　　〃If　Pierre　so　much　as　winks　an　eyeif　you　move　a

hair's　breadthI'll　put　a　stream　of　bullets　through　YOU。　

Understand？〃



How　long　this　singular　psychological　combat　might　have　lasted

before　a　nerve　quivered　somewhere　and　brought　the　denouement　of　a

double　death；　there　is　no　telling。　　For　accident　（or　fate）

intervened　to　pluck　these　antagonists　back　into　life　and　rob　the

gloating　Pierre　of　the　happiness　of　seeing　two　men　perish　without

danger　to　himself。　Something　of　uncertain　shape；　but　of　a　blue

color；　loomed　vaguely　behind　Pierre's　head；　loomed　and　suddenly

descended　to　the　accompaniment　of　a　piercing　shriek。　　Pierre's

pistol　went　off；　but　he　had　evidently　been　stricken　between　the

shoulders；　the　ball　went　wild；　and　the　pistol　itself　dropped　from

his　hand；　another　cartridge　exploding　as　it　hit　the　floor。　　The

next　instant　Pierre　tumbled　headlong　through　the　hole；　landing

upon　Loge；　who；　not　braced　for　the　shock；　went　down　himself。



As　the　two　men　struggled　to　rise　a　strange　figure　precipitated

itself　from　the　room　above；　feet　first；　and　hit　both　of　them；

knocking　them　down　again。　It　was　a　tall　man；　thin　and　lank；　clad

only　in　a　suit　of　silk　pajamas　of　the　color　known　as　baby　blue；

he　was　barefoot；　and　Cleggett；　with　that　lucid　grasp　of　detail

which　comes　to　men　oftener　in　nightmares　than　in　real　life；

noticed　that　he　had　a　bunion　at　the　large　joint　of　his　right

great　toe。



If　the　man　was　startling；　he　was　no　less　startled　himself。　

Leaping　from　the　struggling　forms　of　Pierre　and　Loge；　who

defeated　each　other's　frantic　efforts　to　rise；　he　was　across　the

barroom　in　three　wild　bounds；　shrieking　shrilly　as　he　leaped；　he

bolted　through　the　west　door　and　cleared　the　verandah　at　a　jump。



Loge；　gaining　his　feet；　was　after　the　man　in　blue　in　an　instant；

evidently　thinking　no　more　of　Cleggett　than　if　the　latter　had

been　in　Madagascar。　　And　as　for　Cleggett；　although　he　might　have

shot　down　Loge　a　dozen　times　over；　he　was　so　astonished　at　what

he　saw　that　the　thought　never　entered　his　head。　　He　had；　in　fact；

forgotten　that　he　held　a　pistol　in　his　hand。　　Pierre　scrambled　to

his　feet　and　followed　Loge。



Cleggett；　running　after　them；　saw　the　man　in　the　blue　pajamas

sprinting　along　the　sandy　margin　of　the　bay。　　But　Loge；　his　hat

gone；　his　coat　tails　level　in　the　wind　behind　him；　and　his　large

patent　leather　shoes　flashing　in　the　morning　sunlight；　was

overhauling　him　with　long　and　powerful　strides。　　Cleggett　saw　the

quarry　throw　a　startled　glance　over　his　shoulder；　he　was　no　match

for　the　terrible　Loge　in　speed；　and　he　must　have　realized　it　with

despair；　for　he　turned　sharply　at　right　angles　and　rushed　into

the　sea。　　Loge　unhesitatingly　plunged　after　him；　and　had　caught

him　by　the　shoulder　and　whirled　him　about　before　he　had　reached　a

swimming　depth。　　They　clinched；　in　water　mid…thigh　deep；　and　then

Cleggett　saw　Loge　plant　his　fist；　with　scientific　precision　and

awful　force；　upon　the　point　of　the　other's　jaw。　　The　man　in　the

blue　pajamas　collapsed；　he　would　have　dropped　into　the　water；　but

Loge　caught　him　as　he　fell；　threw　his　body　across　a　shoulder　with

little　apparent　effort；　and　trotted　back　into　the　house　with　him。



Cleggett　had　left　his　sword　cane　in　the　barroom；　but　he　judged　it

would　be　just　as　well　to　allow　it　to　remain　there　for　the

present。　　He　turned　and　walked　meditatively　across　the　sands

towards　the　Jasper　B。　





CHAPTER　XII



THE　SECOND　OBLONG　BOX



When　Cleggett　returned　to　the　ship　he　found　Captain　Abernethy　in

conversation　with　a　young　man　of　deprecating　manner　whom　the

Captain　introduced　as　the　Rev。　Simeon　Calthrop。



〃I　been　tellin'　him；〃　said　the　Cap'n；　pitching　his　voice　shrilly

above　the　din　the　workmen　made；　and　not　giving　the　Rev。　Mr。

Calthrop　an　opportunity　to　speak　for　himself；　〃I　been　tellin'　him

it　may　be　a　long　time　before　the　Jasper　B。　gets　to　the　Holy

Land。〃



〃Do　you　want　to　go　to　Palestine？〃　asked　Cleggett　of　Mr。　Calthrop；

who　stood　with　downcast　eyes　and　fingers　that　worked　nervously　at

the　lapels　of　his　rusty　black　coat。



〃I've　knowed　him　sence　he　was　a　boy。　　He's　in　disgrace；　Simeon

Calthrop　is；〃　shrieked　the　Captain；　preventing　the　preacher　from

answering　Cleggett's　question；　and　scorning　to　answer　it　directly

himself。　　〃Been　kicked　out　of　his　church　fur　kissin'　a　married

woman；　and　can't　get　another　one。〃　　（The　Cap'n　meant　another

church。）



The　preacher　merely　raised　his　eyes；　which　were　large　and　brown

and　slightly　protuberant；　and　murmured　with　a　kind　of　brave

humility：



〃It　is　true。〃



〃But　why　do　you　want　to　go　to　Palestine？〃　said　Cleggett。



〃She　sung　in　the　choir　and　she　had　three　children；〃　screamed

Cap'n　Abernethy；　〃and　she　limped　some。　　Folks　say　she　had　a　cork

foot。　　Hey；　Simeon；　DID　she　have　a　cork　foot？〃



Mr。　Calthrop　flushed　painfully；　but　he　forced　himself

courageously　to　answer。　　〃Mr。　Abernethy；　I　do　not　know；〃　he　said

humbly；　and　with　the　look　of　a　stricken　animal　in　his　big　brown

eyes。



He　was　a　handsome　young　fellow　of　about　thirtyor　he　would　have

been　handsome；　Cleggett　thought；　had　he　not　been　so　emaciated。　

His　hair　was　dark　and　brown　and　inclined　to　curl；　his　forehead

was　high　and　white　and　broad；　and　his　fingers　were　long　and　white

and　slender；　his　nose　was　well　modeled；　but　his　lips　were　a

trifle　too　full。　　Although　he　belonged　to　one　of　the　evangelical

denominations；　the　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　affected　clothing　very　like

the　regulation　costume　of　the　Episcopalian　clergy；　but　this

clothing　was　now　worn　and　torn　and　dusty。　　Buttons　were　gone　here

and　there；　the　knees　of　the　unpressed　trousers　were　baggy　and

beginning　to　be　ragged；　and　the　sole　of　one　shoe　flapped　as　he

walked。　　He　had　a　three　days'　growth　of　beard　and　no　baggage。



When　Cap'n　Abernethy　had　delivered　himself　and　walked　away；　the

Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　confirmed　the　story　of　his　own　disgrace；

speaking　in　a　low　but　clear　voice；　and　with　a　gentle　and　wistful

smile。



〃I　am　one　of　the　most　miserable　of　sinners；　Mr。　Cleggett；〃　he

said。　　〃I　have　proved　myself　to　be　that　most　despicable　thing；　an

unworthy　minister。　I　was　tempted　and　I　fell。〃



The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　seemed　to　find　the　sort　of　satisfaction　in

confessing　his　sins　to　the　world　that　the　medieval　flagellants

found　in　scoring　themselves　with　whips；　they　struck　their　bodies；

he　drew　forth　his　soul　and　beat　it　publicly。



Cleggett　learned　that　he　had　set　himself　as　a　punishment　and　a

mortification　the　task　of　obtaining　his　daily　bread　by　the　work

of　his　hands。　　It　was　his　intention　to　make　a　pilgrimage　to

Jerusalem；　refusing　all　assistance　except　that　which　he　earned　by

manual　labor。　　After　such　a　term　of　years　as　should　satisfy　all

men　（and　particularly　his　own　spiritual　sense）　of　the　genuineness

of　his　penitence；　he　would　apply　to　his　church　for　reinstatement；

and　ask　for　an　appointment　to　some　difficult　mission　in　a　wild

and　savage　country。　　The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　intimated　that　if　he

chose　to　accept　rehabilitation　on　less　arduous　terms；　he　might

obtain　it；　but　the　poignancy　of　his　own　sense　of　failure　drove

him　to　extremes。



〃Are　you　sure；〃　said　Cleggett　sternly；　〃that　you　are　not　making　a

luxury　of　this　very　penitence　itself？　　Are　you　sure　that　it　would

not　be　more　acceptable　to　Heaven　if　you　forgave　yourself　more

easily？〃



〃Alas；　yes；　I　am　sure！〃　said　Mr。　Calthrop；　with　a　sigh　and　his

calm　and　wistful　smile。　　〃I　know　myself　too　well！　　I　know　my　own

soul。　　I　am　cursed　with　a　fatal　magnetism　which　women　find　it

impossible　to　resist。　　And　I　am　continually　tempted　to　permit　it

to　exert　itself。　　This　is　the　cross　that　I　bear　through　life。〃



〃You　should　marry　some　good　woman；〃　said　Cleggett。



〃I　do　not　feel　that　I　am　worthy；〃　said　Mr。　Calthrop　meekly。　　〃And

think　of　the　pain　my　wife　would　experience　in　seeing　me

continually　tempted　by　some　woman　who　believed　herself　to　be　my

psychic　affinity！〃



〃You　are　a　thought　too　subtle；　Mr。　Calthrop；〃　said　Cleggett

bluntly。　　〃But　I　suppose　you　cannot　help　that。　　To　each　of　us　his

destiny。　　I　am　prepared；　until　I　see　some　evidence　to　the

contrary；　to　believe　your　repentance　to　be　genuine。　　In　the

meantime；　we　need　a　ship's　chaplain。　　If　your　conscience　permits；

you　may　have　the　postcombining　it；　however；　with　the　vocation

of　a　common　sailor　before　the　mast。　　I　am　inclined　to　agree　with

you　that　manual　labor　will　do　you　good。　　Some　time　or　another；　in

her　progress　around　the　world；　the　Jasper　B。　will　undoubtedly

touch　at　a　coast　within　walking　distance　of　Jerusalem。　　There　we

will　put　you　ashore。　　Before　we　sail　you　can　put　in　your　time

holystoning　the　deck。



〃The　deck　of　the　Jasper　B。；　said　Cleggett；　looking　at　it；　〃to　all

appearances；