the cruise of the jasper b.-第23部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



crazed　with　excitement　of　fight　and　storm；　was　leaping　towards

the　rail　of　the　vessel。



Cleggett　stooped　to　pick　up　a　gun；　but　as　he　stooped　the　madman

vaulted　over　the　bulwark　and　landed　upon　him；　bearing　him　to　the

deck。　　As　he　struggled　to　his　feet　Lady　Agatha；　who　had　grasped　a

cutlass；　cut　the　fellow　down。　　The　man　fell　back　over　the　rail

with　a　cry。



For　a　long　moment　there　was　one　continuous　electric　flash　from

horizon　to　horizon；　and　Cleggett　saw　her；　with　windblown　hair　and

wide　eyes　and　parted　lips；　standing　poised　with　the　red　blade　in

her　hand　beneath　the　driving　clouds；　the　figure　of　an　antique

goddess。



The　next　instant　all　was　dark；　her　arms　were　around　his　neck　in

the　rain。　　〃Oh；　Clement；〃　she　sobbed；　〃I've　killed　a　man！　　I've

killed　a　man！〃





CHAPTER　XVI



ROMANCE　REGNANT



Cleggett　kissed　her。　。　。　。





CHAPTER　XVII



MISS　PRINGLE　CALLS　ON　MR。　CLEGGETT



But　the　rushing　onset　of　events　struck　them　apart。　　Out　of　the

night　leaped　danger；　enhancing　love　and　forbidding　it。　　From　the

starboard　bow　Captain　Abernethy　shrilled　a　cry　of　warning；　and

the　heavy；　bellowing　voice　of　Loge　shouted　an　answer　of　challenge

and　ferocity。　　The　wind　had　fallen；　but　the　lightning　played　from

the　clouds　now　almost　without　intermission。　　Cleggett　saw　Loge

and　his　followers；　machete　in　hand；　flinging　themselves　at　the

rail。　　They　lifted　a　hoarse　cheer　as　they　came。　　The　fire　from

the　Jasper　B。　had　checked　the　assault　temporarily；　it　had　not

broken　it　up；　once　they　found　lodgment　on　the　deck　the　superior

numbers　of　Loge's　crowd　must　inevitably　tell。



Loge　was　a　dozen　feet　in　advance　of　his　men。　　He　had　cast　aside

the　light　sword　which　belonged　to　Cleggett；　and　now　swung　a　grim

machete　in　his　hand。　　Cleggett　flung　down　his　gun；　grasped　a

cutlass；　and　sprang　forward；　his　one　idea　to　come　to　close

quarters　with　that　gigantic　figure　of　rage　and　power。



But　before　Loge　reached　the　bulwark　on　one　side；　and　while

Cleggett　was　bounding　toward　him　on　the　other；　this　on…coming

group　of　Cleggett's　foes　were　suddenly　smitten　in　the　rear　as　if

by　a　thunderbolt。　　Out　of　the　night　and　storm；　mad　with　terror；

screaming　like　fiends；　with　distended　nostrils　and　flying　manes

and　flailing　hoofs；　there　plunged　into　the　midst　of　the

assaulting　party　a　pair　of　snow…white　horsesastounding；

felling；　trampling；　scattering；　filling　them　with　confusion。　　A

rocking　carriage　leaped　and　bounded　behind　the　furious　animals；

and　as　the　horses　struck　the　bulwark　and　swerved　aside；　its

weight　and　bulk；　hurled　like　a　missile　among　Cleggett's　staggered

and　struggling　enemies；　completed　and　confirmed　their　panic。



No　troops　on　earth　can　stand　the　shock　of　a　cavalry　charge　in　the

rear　and　flank；　few　can　face　surprise；　the　boarding　party；

convinced　that　they　had　fallen　into　a　trap；　melted　away。　　One

moment　they　were　sweeping　forward；　vicious　and　formidable；

confident　of　victory；　the　next　they　were　　floundering　weaponless；

scrambling　anyhow　for　safety；　multiplying　and　transforming；　with

the　quick　imagination　of　panic　terror；　these　two　horses　into　a

troop　of　mounted　men。



This　sudden　and　almost　spectral　apparition　of　galloping　steeds

and　flying　carriage；　hurled　upon　the　vessel　out　of　the　tempest；

flung；　a　piece　of　whirling　chaos；　from　the　chaotic　skies；　had

almost　as　startling　an　effect　upon　the　defenders。　　For　a　moment

they　paused；　with　weapons　uplifted；　and　stared。　Where　an　enemy

had　been；　there　was　nothing。　　So　doubtful　Greeks　or　Trojans　might

have　paused　and　stared　upon　the　plains　of　Ilion　when　some

splenetic　and　fickle　deity　burst　unannounced　and　overwhelming

into　the　central　clamor　of　the　battle。



But　it　is　in　these　seconds　of　pause　and　doubt　that　great

commanders　assert　themselves；　it　is　these　electric　seconds　from

which　the　hero　gathers　his　vital　lightning　and　forges　his　mordant

bolt。　　Genius　claims　and　rules　these　instants；　and　the　gods　are

on　the　side　of　those　who　boldly　grasp　loose　wisdom　and　bind　it

into　sheaves　of　judgment。　　Cleggett　（whom　Homer　would　have　loved）

was　the　first　to　recover　his　poise。　　He　came　to　his　decision

instantaneously。　　A　lesser　man　might　have　lost　all　by　rushing

after　his　retreating　enemies；　a　lesser　man；　carried　away　by

excitement；　would　have　pursued。　Cleggett　did　not　relax　his　grasp

upon　the　situation；　he　restrained　his　ardor。



〃Stand　firm；　men！　　Do　not　leave　the　ship；〃　he　shouted。　　〃The　day

is　ours！〃



And　then；　turning　to　Captain　Abernethy；　he　cried：



〃We　have　routed　them！〃



〃Look　at　them　crazy　horses！〃　screamed　the　Captain　in　reply。



The　animals　were　rearing　and　struggling　among　the　ruins　of　the

broken　gangplank。　　As　the　Captain　spoke；　they　plunged　aboard　the

ship；　and　the　carriage；　bounding　after　them；　overturned　on　the

deckhorses　and　carriage　came　down　together　in　a　welter　of

splintering　wheels　and　broken　harness　and　crashing　wood。



A　negro　driver；　whom　Cleggett　now　noticed　for　the　first　time；

shot　clear　of　the　mass　and　landed　on　the　deck　in　a　sitting

posture。



For　a　moment；　there　he　sat；　and　did　nothing　more。　　The　pole　broke

loose　from　the　carriage；　the　traces　parted；　and　the　two　big　white

horses；　still　kicking　and　plunging；　struggled　to　their　feet　and

free　from　the　wreckage。　　Still　side　by　side　they　leaped　the　port

bulwark；　splashed　into　the　canal；　and　swam　straight　across　it；　as

if　animated　with　the　instinct　of　going　straight　ahead　in　that

fashion　to　the　end　of　the　world。　　Cleggett　never　saw　or　heard　of

them　again。



〃Bring　a　lantern；〃　said　Cleggett　to　Abernethy。　〃Let's　see　if　this

man　is　badly　hurt。〃



But　the　negro　was　not　injured。　　He　rose　to　his　feet　as　the

Captain　brought　the　lightthe　storm　was　now　subsiding；　and　the

lightning　was　less　frequentand　stood　revealed　as　a　person　of

surprising　size　and　unusual　blackness。　　He　was；　in　fact；　so　black

that　it　was　no　wonder　that　Cleggett　had　not　seen　him　on　the　seat

of　the　carriage；　for　unless　one　turned　a　light　full　upon　him　his

face　could　not　be　seen　at　all　after　dark。　　He　was　in　a　blue

livery；　and　his　high；　cockaded　coachman's　hat　had　stayed　on　his

head　in　spite　of　everything。



Even　sitting　down　on　the　deck　he　had　possessed　an　air　of

patience。　　When　he　arose　and　the　Captain　flashed　the　light　upon

his　face；　it　revealed　a　countenance　full　of　dignified　good　humor。



〃Where　did　you　come　from？〃　asked　Cleggett。



The　negro　removed　the　hat　with　the　cockade　before　answering。　　He

did　it　politely。　　Even　ceremoniously。　　But　he　did　not　do　it

hastily。　　He　had　the　air　of　one　who　was　never　inclined　to　do

things　hastily。



〃From　Newahk；　sah；〃　he　said。　　〃Newahk；　New　Jehsey；　sah。〃



〃But　who　are　you？〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃How　did　you　get　here？〃



The　negro　was　gazing　reflectively　at　the　broken　carriage。



〃Ah　yo'　Mistah　Cleggett；　sah？　　Mistah　Clement　J。　Cleggett；　sah；

the　ownah　of　dis　hyeah　boat？〃



〃Yes。〃



The　negro　fumbled　in　an　inner　pocket　and　produced　a　card。　　He

gave　it　to　Cleggett　with　a　deferential　bow；　and　then　announced

sonorously：



〃Miss　Genevieve　Pringle；　sahin　de　cah…age；　saha　callin'　on

Mistah　Clement　J。　Cleggett。〃



He　completed　the　announcement　with　a　dignified　and　courtly

gesture；　which　seemed　to　indicate　that　he　was　presenting　the

ruined　carriage　itself　to　Cleggett。



〃You　don't　mean　in　that　carriage？〃　cried　Cleggett。



〃Yes；　sah；〃　said　the　negro。　　〃Leas'ways；　she　was；　sah；　some　time

back。　　Mah　time　an'　mah　'tention　done　been　so　tooken　up　wif　dem

incompatible　hosses　fo'　some　moments　past；　sah；　dat　I　cain't　say

fo'　suah　ef　she　adheahed；　or　ef　she　didn't　adheah。〃



He　glanced　speculatively　at　the　carriage　again。　　Cleggett　sprang

towards　the　broken　vehicle；　expecting　to　find　someone　seriously

injured　at　the　very　least。　　But；　from　the　ruin；　a　precise　and

high…pitched　feminine　voice　piped　out：



〃Jefferson！　　Kindly　assist　me　to　disentangle　myself！〃



〃Yassum；〃　said　the　negro；　moving　forward　in　a　leisurely　and

dignified　manner；　〃comin'；　ma'am。　　I　hopes　an'　trusts；　Miss

Pringle；　ma'am；　yo'　ain't　suffered　none　in　yo'　anatomy　an'

phlebotomy　from　dis　hyeah　runaway。〃



With　which　cheerful　wish　Jefferson　lifted　respectfully；　and　with

a　certain　calm　detachment；　the　figure　of　a　woman　from　the　debris。



〃Thank　you；　Jefferson；〃　she　said。　　〃I　fear　I　am　very　much　bruised

and　shaken；　but　I　have　been　feeling　all　my　bones　while　lying

there；　and　I　believe　that　I　have　sustained　no　fractures。〃



Miss　Pringle　was　a　woman　of　about　fifty；　small　and　prim。　　Prim

with　an　unconquerable　primness　that　neither　storm　nor　battle　nor

accident　could　shake。　　If　she　had　been　killed　in　the　runaway　she

would　have　looked　prim　in　death　while　awaiting　the　undertaker。　

She　must　have　been　wet　almost　to　those　unfractured　bones　which

she　had　been　feeling；　her　black　silk　dress；　with　its　white

ruching　about　the　neck；　was　torn　and　bedraggled；　her　black　hat；

with　its　jet　ornaments；　was　crushed　and　hung　askew　over　one　ear；

nevertheless；　Miss　Pringle　conveyed　at　once　and　definitely　an

impression　of　unassailable　respectability　and　strong　character。



〃Which　of　you　is　Mr。　Cleggett？〃　she　asked；　looking　about　her；　in

the　lantern　light；　at　the　crew　of　the　Jasper　B。；　as　she　leaned

upon　the　arm　of　Jefferson；　her　mannerly　and　deliberate　servitor。



〃I　am　Mr。　Cleggett。〃



〃Ah！〃　　Miss　Pringle　inspected　him　with　an　eye　which　gleamed　with

a　hint　of　latent　possibilities　of　belligerency。　　〃Mr。　Cleggett；〃

she　continued；　pursing　her　lips；　〃I　have　sought　an　interview　to

warn　you　that　you　are　harboring　an　impostor　on　your　ship。〃



At　that　moment　Lady　Agatha　joined　the　group。　As　the　light　fell

upon　her　Miss　Pringle　stepped　forward　and　thrust　an　accusing；　a

denunciatory　finger　at　the　Englishwoman。



〃You；〃　she　said；　〃call　yourself　Lady　Agatha　Fairhaven！〃



〃I　do；〃　said　Lady　Agatha。



〃Woman！〃　cried　Miss　Pringle；　shaking　with　the　stress　of　her　moral