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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 and repeated that she would indeed take
the field。
I looked for Jasper above that same evening； but circumstances didn't
favour my quest。 I found himthat is I gathered he was again
ensconced behind the lifeboat with Miss Mavis； but there was a
needless violence in breaking into their communion； and I put off our
interview till the next day。 Then I took the first opportunity； at
breakfast； to make sure of it。 He was in the saloon when I went in
and was preparing to leave the table； but I stopped him and asked if
he would give me a quarter of an hour on deck a little laterthere
was something particular I wanted to say to him。 He said 〃Oh yes； if
you like〃with just a visible surprise； but I thought with plenty of
assurance。 When I had finished my breakfast I found him smoking on
the forward…deck and I immediately began： 〃I'm going to say
something you won't at all like； to ask you a question you'll
probably denounce for impertinent。〃
〃I certainly shall if I find it so；〃 said Jasper Nettlepoint。
〃Well； of course my warning has meant that I don't care if you do。
I'm a good deal older than you and I'm a friendof many yearsof
your mother。 There's nothing I like less than to be meddlesome； but
I think these things give me a certain righta sort of privilege。
Besides which my inquiry will speak for itself。〃
〃Why so many damned preliminaries？〃 my young man asked through his
smoke。
We looked into each other's eyes a moment。 What indeed was his
mother's mannerher best mannercompared with his？ 〃Are you
prepared to be responsible？〃
〃To you？〃
〃Dear noto the young lady herself。 I'm speaking of course of Miss
Mavis。〃
〃Ah yes； my mother tells me you have her greatly on your mind。〃
〃So has your mother herselfnow。〃
〃She's so good as to say soto oblige you。〃
〃She'd oblige me a great deal more by reassuring me。 I know
perfectly of your knowing I've told her that Miss Mavis is greatly
talked about。〃
〃Yes； but what on earth does it matter？〃
〃It matters as a sign。〃
〃A sign of what？〃
〃That she's in a false position。〃
Jasper puffed his cigar with his eyes on the horizon； and I had； a
little unexpectedly； the sense of producing a certain effect on him。
〃I don't know whether it's YOUR business； what you're attempting to
discuss but it really strikes me it's none of mine。 What have I to
do with the tattle with which a pack of old women console themselves
for not being sea…sick？〃
〃Do you call it tattle that Miss Mavis is in love with you？〃
〃Drivelling。〃
〃Then；〃 I retorted； 〃you're very ungrateful。 The tattle of a pack of
old women has this importance； that she suspects； or she knows； it
exists； and that decent girls are for the most part very sensitive to
that sort of thing。 To be prepared not to heed it in this case she
must have a reason； and the reason must be the one I've taken the
liberty to call your attention to。〃
〃In love with me in six days； just like that？〃and he still looked
away through narrowed eyelids。
〃There's no accounting for tastes； and six days at sea are equivalent
to sixty on land。 I don't want to make you too proud。 Of course if
you recognise your responsibility it's all right and I've nothing to
say。〃
〃I don't see what you mean；〃 he presently returned。
〃Surely you ought to have thought of that by this time。 She's
engaged to be married； and the gentleman she's engaged to is to meet
her at Liverpool。 The whole ship knows itthough _I_ didn't tell
them！and the whole ship's watching her。 It's impertinent if you
like； just as I am myself； but we make a little world here together
and we can't blink its conditions。 What I ask you is whether you're
prepared to allow her to give up the gentleman I've just mentioned
for your sake。〃
Jasper spoke in a moment as if he didn't understand。 〃For my sake？〃
〃To marry her if she breaks with him。〃
He turned his eyes from the horizon to my own； and I found a strange
expression in them。 〃Has Miss Mavis commissioned you to go into
that？〃
〃Not in the least。〃
〃Well then； I don't quite see！〃
〃It isn't as from another I make it。 Let it come from yourselfTO
yourself。〃
〃Lord； you must think I lead myself a life！〃 he cried as in
compassion for my simplicity。 〃That's a question the young lady may
put to me any moment it pleases her。〃
〃Let me then express the hope that she will。 But what will you
answer？〃
〃My dear sir； it seems to me that in spite of all the titles you've
enumerated you've no reason to expect I'll tell you。〃 He turned
away； and I dedicated in perfect sincerity a deep sore sigh to the
thought of our young woman。 At this； under the impression of it； he
faced me again and； looking at me from head to foot； demanded： 〃What
is it you want me to do？〃
〃I put it to your mother that