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！
〃That's all right。〃 And I followed the young lady's excellent
example。
The next morning； while I dressed； the steward of my side of the ship
came to me as usual to see what I wanted。 But the first thing he
said to； me was： 〃Rather a bad job； sira passenger missing。〃 And
while I took I scarce know what instant chill from it； 〃A lady； sir；〃
he went on〃whom I think you knew。 Poor Miss Mavis； sir。〃
〃MISSING？〃 I criedstaring at him and horror…stricken。
〃She's not on the ship。 They can't find her。〃
〃Then where to God is she？〃
I recall his queer face。 〃Well sir； I suppose you know that as well
as I。〃
〃Do you mean she has jumped overboard？〃
〃Some time in the night； siron the quiet。 But it's beyond every
one； the way she escaped notice。 They usually sees 'em； sir。 It
must have been about half…past two。 Lord； but she was sharp； sir。
She didn't so much as make a splash。 They say she 'AD come against
her will； sir。〃
I had dropped upon my sofaI felt faint。 The man went on； liking to
talk as persons of his class do when they have something horrible to
tell。 She usually rang for the stewardess early； but this morning of
course there had been no ring。 The stewardess had gone in all the
same about eight o'clock and found the cabin empty。 That was about
an hour previous。 Her things were there in confusionthe things she
usually wore when she went above。 The stewardess thought she had
been a bit odd the night before； but had waited a little and then
gone back。 Miss Mavis hadn't turned upand she didn't turn up。 The
stewardess began to look for hershe hadn't been seen on deck or in
the saloon。 Besides； she wasn't dressednot to show herself； all
her clothes were in her room。 There was another lady； an old lady；
Mrs。 NettlepointI would know herthat she was sometimes with； but
the stewardess had been with HER and knew Miss Mavis hadn't come near
her that morning。 She had spoken to HIM and they had taken a quiet
lookthey had hunted everywhere。 A ship's a big place； but you did
come to the end of it； and if a person wasn't there why there it was。
In short an hour had passed and the young lady was not accounted for：
from which I might judge if she ever would be。 The watch couldn't
account for her； but no doubt the fishes in the sea couldpoor
miserable pitiful lady！ The stewardess and he had of course thought
it their duty to speak at once to the Doctor； and the Doctor had
spoken immediately to the Captain。 The Captain didn't like itthey
never did； but he'd try to keep it quietthey always did。
By the time I succeeded in pulling myself together and getting on；
after a fashion； the rest of my clothes I had learned that Mrs。
Nettlepoint wouldn't yet have been told； unless the stewardess had
broken it to her within the previous few minutes。 Her son knew； the
young gentleman on the other side of the shiphe had the other
steward； my man had seen him come out of his cabin and rush above；
just before he came in to me。 He HAD gone above； my man was sure； he
hadn't gone to the old lady's cabin。 I catch again the sense of my
dreadfully seeing something at that moment； catch the wild flash；
under the steward's words； of Jasper Nettlepoint leaping； with a mad
compunction in his young agility； over the side of the ship。 I
hasten to add； however； that no such incident was destined to
contribute its horror to poor Grace Mavis's unwitnessed and unlighted
tragic act。 What followed was miserable enough； but I can only
glance at it。 When I got to Mrs。 Nettlepoint's door she was there
with a shawl about her； the stewardess had just told her and she was
dashing out to come to me。 I made her go backI said I would go for
Jasper。 I went for him but I missed him； partly no doubt because it
was really at first the Captain I was after。 I found this personage
and found him highly scandalised； but he gave me no hope that we were
in error； and his displeasure； expressed with seamanlike strength；
was a definite settlement of the question。 From the deck； where I
merely turned round and looked； I saw the light of another summer
day； the coast of Ireland green and near and the sea of a more
charming colour than it had shown at all。 When I came below again
Jasper had passed back； he had gone to his cabin and his mother had
joined him there。 He remained there till we reached LiverpoolI
never saw him。 His mother； after a little； at his request； left him
alone。 All the world went above to look at the land and chatter
about our tragedy； but the poor lady spent the day； dismally enough；
in her room。 It seemed to me； the dreadful day； intolerably long； I
was thinking so of vague； of inconceivable yet inevitable
Porterfield； and of my having to face him somehow on the morrow。 Now
of course I knew why she had asked me if I should recognise him； she
had delegated to me mentally a certain pleasant office。 I gave Mrs。
Peck and Mrs。 Gotch a wide berthI couldn't talk to them。 I could；
or at least I did a little； to Mrs。 Nettlepoint； but with too many
reserves for comfort on either side； since I quite felt how little it
would now make for ease to mention Jasper to her。 I was obliged to
assume by my silence that he had had nothing to do with what had
happened； and of course I never really ascertained what he HAD had to
do。 The secret of what passed between him and the strange girl who
would have sacrificed her marriage to him on so short an acquaintance
remains shut up in his breast。 His mother； I know； went to his door
from time to time； but he refused her admission。 That evening； to be
human at a venture； I requested the steward to go in and ask him if
he should care to see me； and the good man returned with an answer
which he candidly transmitted。 〃Not in the least！〃Jasper
apparently was almost as scandalised as the Captain。
At Liverpool； at the dock； when we had touched； twenty people came on
board and I had already made out Mr。 Porterfield at a distance。 He
was looking up at the side of the great vessel with disappointment
writtenfor my strained eyesin his face； disappointment at not
seeing the woman he had so long awaited lean over it and wave her
handkerchief to him。 Every one was looking at him； every one but
shehis identity flew about in a momentand I wondered if it didn't
strike him。 He used to be gaunt and angular； but had grown almost
fat and stooped a little。 The interval between us diminishedhe was
on the plank and then on the deck with the jostling agents of the
Customs； too soon for my equanimity。 I met him instantly； however；
to save him from exposurelaid my hand on him and drew him away；
though I was sure he had no impression of having seen me before。 It
was not till afterwards that I thought this rather characteristically
dull of him。 I drew him far awayI was conscious of Mrs。 Peck and
Mrs。 Gotch； looking at us as we passedinto the empty stale smoking…
room： he remained speechless； and that struck me as like him。 I had
to speak first； he couldn't even relieve me by saying 〃Is anything
the matter？〃 I broke ground by putting it； feebly； that she was ill。
It was a dire moment。
End