the story of a bad boy-第22部分

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yself　for　a　coal…heaver。　But　I　wasn't　wanted；　as　he　told　me　civilly　enough；　which　was　better　treatment　than　usual。　As　I　turned　off　rather　glum　I　was　signalled　by　one　of　them　sleek；　smooth…spoken　rascals　with　a　white　hat　an'　a　weed　on　it；　as　is　always　goin'　about　the　piers　a…seekin'　who　they　may　devower。

〃We　sailors　know　'em　for　rascals　from　stem　to　starn；　but　somehow　every　fresh　one　fleeces　us　jest　as　his　mate　did　afore　him。　We　don't　lam　nothin'　by　exper'ence；　we're　jest　no　better　than　a　lot　of　babys　with　no　brains。

〃'Good　mornin'；　my　man；'　sez　the　chap；　as　iley　as　you　please。

〃'Mornin'；　sir；'　sez　I。

〃'Lookin'　for　a　job？'　sez　he。

〃'Through　the　big　end　of　a　telescope；'　sez　1…meanin'　that　the　chances　for　a　job　looked　very　small　from　my　pint　of　view。

〃'You're　the　man　for　my　money；'　sez　the　sharper；　smilin'　as　innocent　as　a　cherubim；　'jest　step　in　here；　till　we　talk　it　over。'

〃So　I　goes　with　him　like　a　nat'ral…born　idiot；　into　a　little　grocery…shop　near　by；　where　we　sets　down　at　a　table　with　a　bottle　atween　us。　Then　it　comes　out　as　there　is　a　New　Bedford　whaler　about　to　start　for　the　fishin'　grounds；　an'　jest　one　able…bodied　sailor　like　me　is　wanted　to　make　up　the　crew。　Would　I　go？　Yes；　I　wouldn't　on　no　terms。

〃'I'll　bet　you　fifty　dollars；'　sez　he；　'that　you'll　come　back　fust　mate。'

〃'I'll　bet　you　a　hundred；'　sez　I；　'that　I　don't；　for　I've　signed　papers　as　keeps　me　ashore；　an'　the　parson　has　witnessed　the　deed。'

〃So　we　sat　there；　he　urgin'　me　to　ship；　an'　I　chaffin'　him　cheerful　over　the　bottle。

〃Arter　a　while　I　begun　to　feel　a　little　queer；　things　got　foggy　in　my　upper　works；　an'　I　remembers；　faint…like；　of　signin'　a　paper；　then　I　remembers　bein'　in　a　small　boat；　an'　then　I　remembers　nothin'　until　I　heard　the　mate's　whistle　pipin'　all　hands　on　deck。　I　tumbled　up　with　the　rest；　an'　there　I　was…on　board　of　a　whaler　outward　bound　for　a　three　years'　cruise；　an'　my　dear　little　lass　ashore　awaitin'　for　me。〃

〃Miserable　wretch！〃　said　Miss　Abigail；　in　a　voice　that　vibrated　among　the　tin　platters　on　the　dresser。　This　was　Miss　Abigail's　way　of　testifying　her　sympathy。

〃Thankee；　marm；〃　returned　Sailor　Ben；　doubtfully。

〃No　talking　to　the　man　at　the　wheel；〃　cried　the　Captain。　Upon　which　we　all　laughed。　〃Spin！〃　added　my　grandfather。

Sailor　Ben　resumed：

〃I　leave　you　to　guess　the　wretchedness　as　fell　upon　me；　for　I've　not　got　the　gift　to　tell　you。　There　I　was　down　on　the　ship's　books　for　a　three　years'　viage；　an'　no　help　for　it。　I　feel　nigh　to　six　hundred　years　old　when　I　think　how　long　that　viage　was。　There　isn't　no　hour…glass　as　runs　slow　enough　to　keep　a　tally　of　the　slowness　of　them　fust　hours。　But　I　done　my　duty　like　a　man；　seem'　there　wasn't　no　way　of　gettin'　out　of　it。　I　told　my　shipmates　of　the　trick　as　had　been　played　on　me；　an　they　tried　to　cheer　me　up　a　bit；　but　I　was　sore　sorrowful　for　a　long　spell。　Many　a　night　on　watch　I　put　my　face　in　my　hands　and　sobbed　for　thinkin'　of　the　little　woman　left　among　the　land…sharks；　an'　no　man　to　have　an　eye　on　her；　God　bless　her！〃

Here　Kitty　softly　drew　her　chair　nearer　to　Sailor　Ben；　and　rested　one　hand　on　his　arm。

〃Our　adventures　among　the　whales；　I　take　it；　doesn't　consarn　the　present　company　here　assembled。　So　I　give　that　the　go　by。　There's　an　end　to　everythin'；　even　to　a　whalin'　viage。　My　heart　all　but　choked　me　the　day　we　put　into　New　Bedford　with　our　cargo　of　ile。　I　got　my　three　years'　pay　in　a　lump；　an'　made　for　New　York　like　a　flash　of　lightuin'。　The　people　hove　to　and　looked　at　me；　as　I　rushed　through　the　streets　like　a　madman；　until　I　came　to　the　spot　where　the　lodgin'…house　stood　on　West　Street。　But；　Lord　love　ye；　there　wasn't　no　sech　lodgin'…house　there；　but　a　great　new　brick　shop。

〃I　made　bold　to　go　in　an'　ask　arter　the　old　place；　but　nobody　knowed　nothin'　about　it；　save　as　it　had　been　torn　down　two　years　or　more。　I　was　adrift　now；　for　I　had　reckoned　all　them　days　and　nights　on　gittin'　word　of　Kitty　from　Dan　Shackford；　the　man　as　kept　the　lodgin'。

〃As　I　stood　there　with　all　the　wind　knocked　out　of　my　sails；　the　idee　of　runnin'　alongside　the　perlice…station　popped　into　my　head。　The　perlice　was　likely　to　know　the　latitude　of　a　man　like　Dan　Shackford；　who　wasn't　over　an'　above　respecktible。　They　did　know…he　had　died　in　the　Tombs　jail　that　day　twelvemonth。　A　coincydunce；　wasn't　it？　I　was　ready　to　drop　when　they　told　me　this；　howsomever；　I　bore　up　an'　give　the　chief　a　notion　of　the　fix　I　was　in。　He　writ　a　notice　which　I　put　into　the　newspapers　every　day　for　three　months；　but　nothin'　come　of　it。　I　cruised　over　the　city　week　in　and　week　out　I　went　to　every　sort　of　place　where　they　hired　women　hands；　I　didn't　leave　a　think　undone　that　a　uneddicated　man　could　do。　But　nothin'　come　of　it。　I　don't　believe　there　was　a　wretcheder　soul　in　that　big　city　of　wretchedness　than　me。　Sometimes　I　wanted　to　lay　down　in　the　sheets　and　die。

〃Drif　tin'　disconsolate　one　day　among　the　shippin'；　who　should　I　overhaul　but　the　identical　smooth…spoken　chap　with　a　white　hat　an'　a　weed　on　it！　I　didn't　know　if　there　was　any　spent　left　in　me；　till　I　clapped　eye　on　his　very　onpleasant　countenance。　'You　villain！'　sez　I；　'where's　my　little　Irish　lass　as　you　dragged　me　away　from？'　an'　I　lighted　on　him；　hat　and　all；　like　that！〃

Here　Sailor　Ben　brought　his　fist　down　on　the　deal　table　with　the　force　of　a　sledge…hammer。　Miss　Abigail　gave　a　start；　and　the　ale　leaped　up　in　the　pitcher　like　a　miniature　fountain。

〃I　begs　your　parden；　ladies　and　gentlemen　all；　but　the　thought　of　that　feller　with　his　ring　an'　his　watch…chain　an'　his　walrus　face；　is　alus　too　many　for　me。　I　was　for　pitchin'　him　into　the　North　River；　when　a　perliceman　prevented　me　from　benefitin'　the　human　family。　I　had　to　pay　five　dollars　for　hittin'　the　chap　（they　said　it　was　salt　and　buttery）；　an'　that's　what　I　call　a　neat；　genteel　luxury。　It　was　worth　double　the　money　jest　to　see　that　white　hat；　with　a　weed　on　it；　layin'　on　the　wharf　like　a　busted　accordiun。

〃Arter　months　of　useless　sarch；　I　went　to　sea　agin。　I　never　got　into　a　foren　port　but　I　kept　a　watch　out　for　Kitty。　Once　I　thought　I　seed　her　in　Liverpool；　but　it　was　only　a　gal　as　looked　like　her。　The　numbers　of　women　in　different　parts　of　the　world　as　looked　like　her　was　amazin'。　So　a　good　many　years　crawled　by；　an'　I　wandered　from　place　to　place；　never　givin'　up　the　sarch。　I　might　have　been　chief　mate　scores　of　times；　maybe　master；　but　I　hadn't　no　ambition。　I　seed　many　strange　things　in　them　years…outlandish　people　an'　cities；　storms；　shipwracks；　an'　battles。　I　seed　many　a　true　mate　go　down；　an'　sometimes　I　envied　them　what　went　to　their　rest。　But　these　things　is　neither　here　nor　there。

〃About　a　year　ago　I　shipped　on　board　the　Belphcebe　yonder；　an'　of　all　the　strange　winds　as　ever　blowed；　the　strangest　an'　the　best　was　the　wind　as　blowed　me　to　this　here　blessed　spot。　I　can't　be　too　thankful。　That　I'm　as　thankful　as　it　is　possible　for　an　uneddicated　man　to　be；　He　knows　as　reads　the　heart　of　all。〃

Here　ended　Sailor　Ben's　yarn；　which　I　have　written　down　in　his　own　homely　words　as　nearly　as　I　can　recall　them。　After　he　had　finished；　the　Captain　shook　hands　with　him　and　served　out　the　ale。

As　Kitty　was　about　to　drink；　she　paused；　rested　the　cup　on　her　knee；　and　asked　what　day　of　the　month　it　was。

〃The　twenty…seventh；〃　said　the　Captain；　wondering　what　she　was　driving　at。

〃Then；〃　cried　Kitty；　〃it's　ten　years　this　night　sence…〃

〃Since　what？〃　asked　my　grandfather。

〃Sence　the　little　lass　and　I　got　spliced！〃　roared　Sailor　Ben。　〃There's　another　coincydunce　for　you！〃

On　hearing　this　we　all　clapped　hands；　and　the　Captain；　with　a　degree　of　ceremony　that　was　almost　painful；　drank　a　bumper　to　the　health　and　happiness　of　the　bride　and　bridegroom。

It　was　a　pleasant　sight　to　see　the　two　old　lovers　sitting　side　by　side；　in　spite　of　all；　drinking　from　the　same　little　cup…a　battered　zinc　dipper　which　Sailor　Ben　had　unslung　from　a　strap　round　his　waist。　I　think　I　never　saw　him　without　this　dipper　and　a　sheath…knife　suspended　just　back　of　his　hip；　ready　for　any　convivial　occasion。

We　had　a　merry　time　of　it。　The　Captain　was　in　great　force　this　evening；　and　not　only　related　his　famous　exploit　in　the　War　of　1812；　but　regaled　the　company　with　a　dashing　sea…song　from　Mr。　Shakespeare's　play　of　The　Tempest。　He　had　a　mellow　tenor　voice　（not　Shakespeare；　but　the　Captain）；　and　rolled　out　the　verse　with　a　will：



〃The　master；　the　swabber；　the　boatswain；　and　I；

The　gunner；　and　his　mate；

Lov'd　Mall；　Meg；　and　Marian；　and　Margery；

But　none　of　us　car'd　for　Kate。〃



〃A　very　good　song；　and　very　well　sung；〃　says　Sailor　Ben；　〃but　some　of　us　does　care　for　Kate。　Is　this　Mr。　Shawkspear　a　seafarm'　man；　sir？〃　〃Not　at　present；〃　replied　the　Captain；　with　a　monstrous　twinkle　in　his　eye。

The　clock　was　striking　ten　when　the　party　broke　up。　The　Captain　walked　to　the　〃Mariner's　Home〃　with　his　guest；　in　order　to　question　him　regarding　his　future　movements。

〃Well；　sir；〃　said　he；　〃I　ain't　as　young　as　I　was；　an'　I　don't　cal'ulate　to　go　to　sea　no　more。　I　proposes　to　drop　anchor　here；　an'　hug　the　land　until　the　old　hulk　goes　to　pieces。　I've　got　two　or　three　thousand　dollars　in　the　locker；　an'　expects　to　get　on　uncommon　comfortable　without　askin'　no　odds　from　the　Assylum　for　Decayed　Mariners。〃

My　grandfather　indorsed　the　plan　warmly；　and　Sailor　Ben　did　drop　anchor　in　Rivermouth；　where　he　speedily　became　one　of　the　institutions　of　the　town。

His　first　step　was　to　buy　a　small　one…story　cottage　located　at　the　head　of　the　wharf；　within　gun…shot　of　the　Nutter　House。　To　the　great　amusement　of　my　grandfather；　Sailor　Ben　painted　the　cottage　a　light　sky…blue；　and　ran　a　broad　black　stripe　around　it　just　under　the　eaves。　In　this　stripe　he　painted　white　port…holes；　at　regular　distances；　making　his　residence　look　as　much　like　a　man…of…war　as　possible。　With　a　short　flag…staff　projecting　over　the　door　like　a　bowsprit；　the　effect　was　quite　magical。　My　description　of　the　exterior　of　this　palatial　residence　is　complete　when　I　add　that　the　proprietor　nailed　a　horseshoe　against　the　front　door　to　keep　off　the　witches…a　very　necessary　precaution　in　these　latitudes。

The　inside　of　Sailor　Ben's　abode　was　not　less　striking　than　the　outside。　The　cottage　contained　two　rooms；　the　one　op