the patagonia-第9章

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sense　of　good　omens　and　propitious　airs。　　I　forget　what　we　spoke　of

first；　but　it　was　because　I　felt　these　things　pleasantly；　and　not　to

torment　my　companion　nor　to　test　her；　that　I　couldn't　help　exclaiming

cheerfully　after　a　moment；　as　I　have　mentioned　having　done　the　first

day：　　〃Well；　we're　getting　on；　we're　getting　on！〃



〃Oh　yes；　I　count　every　hour。〃



〃The　last　days　always　go　quicker；〃　I　said；　〃and　the　last　hours！〃



〃Well；　the　last　hours？〃　she　asked；　for　I　had　instinctively　checked

myself。



〃Oh　one's　so　glad　then　that　it's　almost　the　same　as　if　one　had

arrived。　　Yet　we　ought　to　be　grateful　when　the　elements　have　been　so

kind　to　us；〃　I　added。　　〃I　hope　you'll　have　enjoyed　the　voyage。〃



She　hesitated　ever　so　little。　　〃Yes；　much　more　than　I　expected。〃



〃Did　you　think　it　would　be　very　bad？〃



〃Horrible；　horrible！〃



The　tone　of　these　words　was　strange；　but　I　hadn't　much　time　to

reflect　upon　it；　for　turning　round　at　that　moment　I　saw　Jasper

Nettlepoint　come　toward　us。　　He　was　still　distant　by　the　expanse　of

the　white　deck；　and　I　couldn't　help　taking　him　in　from　head　to　foot

as　he　drew　nearer。　　I　don't　know　what　rendered　me　on　this　occasion

particularly　sensitive　to　the　impression；　but　it　struck　me　that　I　saw

him　as　I　had　never　seen　him　before；　saw　him；　thanks　to　the　intense

sea…light；　inside　and　out；　in　his　personal；　his　moral　totality。　　It

was　a　quick；　a　vivid　revelation；　if　it　only　lasted　a　moment　it　had　a

simplifying　certifying　effect。　　He　was　intrinsically　a　pleasing

apparition；　with　his　handsome　young　face　and　that　marked　absence　of

any　drop　in　his　personal　arrangements　which；　more　than　any　one　I've

ever　seen；　he　managed　to　exhibit　on　shipboard。　　He　had　none　of　the

appearance　of　wearing　out　old　clothes　that　usually　prevails　there；

but　dressed　quite　straight；　as　I　heard　some　one　say。　　This　gave　him

an　assured；　almost　a　triumphant　air；　as　of　a　young　man　who　would　come

best　out　of　any　awkwardness。　　I　expected　to　feel　my　companion's　hand

loosen　itself　on　my　arm；　as　an　indication　that　now　she　must　go　to

him；　and　I　was　almost　surprised　she　didn't　drop　me。　　We　stopped　as　we

met　and　Jasper　bade　us　a　friendly　good…morning。　　Of　course　the　remark

that　we　had　another　lovely　day　was　already　indicated；　and　it　led　him

to　exclaim；　in　the　manner　of　one　to　whom　criticism　came　easily；　〃Yes；

but　with　this　sort　of　thing　consider　what　one　of　the　others　would

do！〃



〃One　of　the　other　ships？〃



〃We　should　be　there　now；　or　at　any　rate　tomorrow。〃



〃Well　then　I'm　glad　it　isn't　one　of　the　others〃and　I　smiled　at　the

young　lady　on　my　arm。　　My　words　offered　her　a　chance　to　say　something

appreciative；　and　gave　him　one　even　more；　but　neither　Jasper　nor

Grace　Mavis　took　advantage　of　the　occasion。　　What　they　did　do；　I

noticed；　was　to　look　at　each　other　rather　fixedly　an　instant；　after

which　she　turned　her　eyes　silently　to　the　sea。　　She　made　no　movement

and　uttered　no　sound；　contriving　to　give　me　the　sense　that　she　had

all　at　once　become　perfectly　passive；　that　she　somehow　declined

responsibility。　　We　remained　standing　there　with　Jasper　in　front　of

us；　and　if　the　contact　of　her　arm　didn't　suggest　I　should　give　her

up；　neither　did　it　intimate　that　we　had　better　pass　on。　　I　had　no

idea　of　giving　her　up；　albeit　one　of　the　things　I　seemed　to　read　just

then　into　Jasper's　countenance　was　a　fine　implication　that　she　was

his　property。　　His　eyes　met　mine　for　a　moment；　and　it　was　exactly　as

if　he　had　said　to　me　〃I　know　what　you　think；　but　I　don't　care　a　rap。〃

What　I　really　thought　was　that　he　was　selfish　beyond　the　limits：

that　was　the　substance　of　my　little　revelation。　　Youth　is　almost

always　selfish；　just　as　it　is　almost　always　conceited；　and；　after

all；　when　it's　combined　with　health　and　good　parts；　good　looks　and

good　spirits；　it　has　a　right　to　be；　and　I　easily　forgive　it　if　it　be

really　youth。　　Still　it's　a　question　of　degree；　and　what　stuck　out　of

Jasper　Nettlepointif；　of　course；　one　had　the　intelligence　for　it

was　that　his　egotism　had　a　hardness；　his　love　of　his　own　way　an

avidity。　　These　elements　were　jaunty　and　prosperous；　they　were

accustomed　to　prevail。　　He　was　fond；　very　fond；　of　women；　they　were

necessary　to　himthat　was　in　his　type；　but　he　wasn't　in　the　least　in

love　with　Grace　Mavis。　　Among　the　reflexions　I　quickly　made　this　was

the　one　that　was　most　to　the　point。　　There　was　a　degree　of

awkwardness；　after　a　minute；　in　the　way　we　were　planted　there；　though

the　apprehension　of　it　was　doubtless　not　in　the　least　with　himself。

To　dissimulate　my　own　share　in　it；　at　any　rate；　I　asked　him　how　his

mother　might　be。



His　answer　was　unexpected。　　〃You　had　better　go　down　and　see。〃



〃Not　till　Miss　Mavis　is　tired　of　me。〃



She　said　nothing　to　this　and　I　made　her　walk　again。　　For　some　minutes

she　failed　to　speak；　then；　rather　abruptly；　she　began：　　〃I've　seen

you　talking　to　that　lady　who　sits　at　our　tablethe　one　who　has　so

many　children。〃



〃Mrs。　Peck？　　Oh　yes；　one　has　inevitably　talked　with　Mrs。　Peck。〃



〃Do　you　know　her　very　well？〃



〃Only　as　one　knows　people　at　sea。　　An　acquaintance　makes　itself。　　It

doesn't　mean　very　much。〃



〃She　doesn't　speak　to　meshe　might　if　she　wanted。〃



〃That's　just　what　she　says　of　youthat　you　might　speak　to　her。〃



〃Oh　if　she's　waiting　for　that！〃　said　my　companion　with　a　laugh。　　Then

she　added：　　〃She　lives　in　our　street；　nearly　opposite。〃



〃Precisely。　　That's　the　reason　why　she　thinks　you　coy　or　haughty。

She　has　seen　you　so　often　and　seems　to　know　so　much　about　you。〃



〃What　does　she　know　about　me？〃



〃Ah　you　must　ask　herI　can't　tell　you！〃



〃I　don't　care　what　she　knows；〃　said　my　young　lady。　　After　a　moment

she　went　on：　　〃She　must　have　seen　I　ain't　very　sociable。〃　　And　then；

〃What　are　you　laughing　at？〃　she　asked。



〃Well〃my　amusement　was　difficult　to　explain〃you're　not　very

sociable；　and　yet　somehow　you　are。　　Mrs。　Peck　is；　at　any　rate；　and

thought　that　ought　to　make　it　easy　for　you　to　enter　into　conversation

with　her。〃



〃Oh　I　don't　care　for　her　conversationI　know　what　it　amounts　to。〃　　I

made　no　replyI　scarcely　knew　what　reply　to　makeand　the　girl　went

on：　　〃I　know　what　she　thinks　and　I　know　what　she　says。〃　　Still　I　was

silent；　but　the　next　moment　I　saw　my　discretion　had　been　wasted；　for

Miss　Mavis　put　to　me　straight：　　〃Does　she　make　out　that　she　knows　Mr。

Porterfield？〃



〃No；　she　only　claims　she　knows　a　lady　who　knows　him。〃



〃Yes；　that's　itMrs。　Jeremie。　　Mrs。　Jeremie's　an　idiot！〃　　I　wasn't

in　a　position　to　controvert　this；　and　presently　my　young　lady　said

she　would　sit　down。　　I　left　her　in　her　chairI　saw　that　she

preferred　itand　wandered　to　a　distance。　　A　few　minutes　later　I　met

Jasper　again；　and　he　stopped　of　his　own　accord　to　say：　　〃We　shall　be

in　about　six　in　the　evening　of　our　eleventh　daythey　promise　it。〃



〃If　nothing　happens；　of　course。〃



〃Well；　what's　going　to　happen？〃



〃That's　just　what　I'm　wondering！〃　　And　I　turned　away　and　went　below

with　the　foolish　but　innocent　satisfaction　of　thinking　I　had

mystified　him。







CHAPTER　IV







〃I　don't　know　what　to　do；　and　you　must　help　me；〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint

said　to　me；　that　evening；　as　soon　as　I　looked　in。



〃I'll　do　what　I　canbut　what's　the　matter？〃



〃She　has　been　crying　here　and　going　onshe　has　quite　upset　me。〃



〃Crying？　　She　doesn't　look　like　that。〃



〃Exactly；　and　that's　what　startled　me。　　She　came　in　to　see　me　this

afternoon；　as　she　has　done　before；　and　we　talked　of　the　weather　and

the　run　of　the　ship　and　the　manners　of　the　stewardess　and　other　such

trifles；　and　then　suddenly；　in　the　midst　of　it；　as　she　sat　there；　on

no　visible　pretext；　she　burst　into　tears。　　I　asked　her　what　ailed　her

and　tried　to　comfort　her；　but　she　didn't　explain；　she　said　it　was

nothing；　the　effect　of　the　sea；　of　the　monotony；　of　the　excitement；

of　leaving　home。　　I　asked　her　if　it　had　anything　to　do　with　her

prospects；　with　her　marriage；　whether　she　finds　as　this　draws　near

that　her　heart　isn't　in　it。　　I　told　her　she　mustn't　be　nervous；　that

I　could　enter　into　thatin　short　I　said　what　I　could。　　All　she

replied　was　that　she　IS　nervous；　very　nervous；　but　that　it　was

already　over；　and　then　she　jumped　up　and　kissed　me　and　went　away。

Does　she　look　as　if　she　has　been　crying？〃　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　wound　up。



〃How　can　I　tell；　when　she　never　quits　that　horrid　veil？　　It's　as　if

she　were　ashamed　to　show　her　face。〃



〃She's　keeping　it　for　Liverpool。　　But　I　don't　like　such　incidents；〃

said　Mrs。　Nettlepoint。　　〃I　think　I　ought　to　go　above。〃



〃And　is　that　where　you　want　me　to　help　you？〃



〃Oh　with　your　arm　and　that　sort　of　thing；　yes。　　But　I　may　have　to

look　to　you　for　something　more。　　I　feel　as　if　something　were　going　to

happen。〃



〃That's　exactly　what　I　said　to　Jasper　this　morning。〃



〃And　what　did　he　say？〃



〃He　only　looked　innocentas　if　he　thought　I　meant　a　fog　or　a　storm。〃



〃Heaven　forbidit　isn't　that！　　I　shall　never　be　good…natured　again；〃

Mrs。　Nettlepoint　went　on；　〃never　have　a　girl　put　on　me　that　way。　　You

always　pay　for　itthere　are　always　tiresome　complications。　　What　I'm

afraid　of　is　after　we　get　there。　　She'll　throw　up　her　engagement；

there　will　be　dreadful　scenes；　I　shall　be　mixed　up　with　them　and　have

to　look　after　her　and　keep　her　with　me。　　I　shall　have　to　stay　there

with　her　till　she　can　be　sent　back；　or　even　take　her　up　to　London。

Do　you　see　all　that？〃



I　listened　respectfully；　after　which　I　observed：　　〃You're　afraid　of

your　son。〃



She　also　had　a　pause。　　〃It　depends　on　how　you　mean　it。〃



〃There　are　things　you　might　say　to　himand　with　your　manner；　because

you　have　one；　you　know；　when　you　choose。〃



〃Very　likely；　but　what's　my　manner　to　his？　　Besides；　I　HAVE　said

everything　to　him。　　That　is　I've　said　the　great　thingthat　he's

making　her　immensely　talked　about。〃



〃And　of　course　in　answer　to　that　he　has　asked　you　how　you　know；　and

you've　told　him　you　have　it　from　me。〃



〃I've　had　to　tell　him；　and　he　says　it's　none　of　your　business。〃



〃I　wish　he'd　say　that；〃　I　remarked；　〃to　my　face。〃



〃He'll　do　so　perfectly　if　you　give　him　a　chance。　　That's　where　you

can　help　me。　　Quarrel　with　himhe's　rather　good　at　a　quarrel；　and

that　will　divert　him　and　draw　him　off。〃



〃Then　I'm　ready；〃　I　returned；　〃to　discuss　the　matter　with　him　for　the

rest　of　the　voyage。〃



〃Very　well；　I　count　on　you。　　But　he'll　ask　you；　as　he　asks　me；　what

the　deuce　you　want　him　to　do。〃



〃To　go　to　bed！〃and　I'm　afraid　I　laughed。



〃Oh　it　isn't　a　joke。〃



I　didn't　want　to　be　irritating；　but　I　made　my　point。　　〃That's　exactly

what　I　told　you　at　first。〃



〃Yes；　but　don't　exult；　I　hate　people　who　exult。　　Jasper　asks　of　me；〃

she　went　on；　〃why　he　should　mind　her　being　talked　about　if　she

doesn't　mind　it　herself。〃



〃I'll　tell　him　why；〃　I　replied；　and　Mrs。　Nettlepoint　said　she　should

be　exceedingly　obliged　to　me