the make-believe man-第6部分

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under　protest。　　I　am　here　to　protect　you　and　Stumps。　　I　am　under
obligation　to　no　one。　　I'm〃

〃Can　you　row？〃　I　asked。

〃Why　don't　you　ask　your　pal？〃　he　demanded　savagely；　〃he　rowed　on
last　year's　crew。〃

〃Phil！〃　cried　Lady　Moya。　　Her　voice　suggested　a　temper　I　had　not
suspected。　　〃You　will　row　or　you　can　get　out　and　walk！　　Take　the
oars；〃　she　commanded；　〃and　be　civil！〃　　Lady　Moya；　with　the　tiller
in　her　hand；　sat　in　the　stern；　Stumps；　with　Kinney　huddled　at　his
knees；　was　stowed　away　forward。　　I　took　the　stroke　and　Aldrich　the
bow　oars。

〃We　will　make　for　the　Connecticut　shore；〃　I　said；　and　pulled　from
under　the　stern　of　the　Patience。

In　a　few　minutes　we　had　lost　all　sight　and；　except　for　her　whistle；
all　sound　of　her；　and　we　ourselves　were　lost　in　the　fog。　　There　was
another　eloquent　and　embarrassing　silence。　　Unless；　in　the　panic；
they　trampled　upon　each　other；　I　had　no　real　fear　for　the　safety　of
those　on　board　the　steamer。　　Before　we　had　abandoned　her　I　had
heard　the　wireless　frantically　sputtering　the　〃standby〃　call；　and　I
was　certain　that　already　the　big　boats　of　the　Fall　River；
Providence；　and　Joy　lines；　and　launches　from　every　wireless　station
between　Bridgeport　and　Newport；　were　making　toward　her。　　But　the
margin　of　safety；　which　to　my　thinking　was　broad　enough　for　all　the
other　passengers；　for　the　lovely　lady　was　in　no　way　sufficient。
That　mob…swept　deck　was　no　place　for　her。　　I　was　happy　that；　on　her
account；　I　had　not　waited　for　a　possible　rescue。　　In　the　yawl　she
was　safe。　　The　water　was　smooth；　and　the　Connecticut　shore　was；　I
judged；　not　more　than　three　miles　distant。　　In　an　hour；　unless　the
fog　confused　us；　I　felt　sure　the　lovely　lady　would　again　walk
safely　upon　dry　land。　　Selfishly；　on　Kinney's　account　and　my　own；　I
was　delighted　to　find　myself　free　of　the　steamer；　and　from　any
chance　of　her　landing　us　where　police　waited　with　open　arms。　　The
avenging　angel　in　the　person　of　Aldrich　was　still　near　us；　so　near
that　I　could　hear　the　water　dripping　from　his　clothes；　but　his
power　to　harm　was　gone。　　I　was　congratulating　myself　on　this　when
suddenly　he　undeceived　me。　　Apparently　he　had　been　considering　his
position　toward　Kinney　and　myself；　and；　having　arrived　at　a
conclusion；　was　anxious　to　announce　it。

〃I　wish　to　repeat；〃　he　exclaimed　suddenly；　〃that　I'm　under
obligations　to　nobody。　　Just　because　my　friends；〃　he　went　on
defiantly；　〃choose　to　trust　themselves　with　persons　who　ought　to　be
in　jail；　I　can't　desert　them。　　It's　all　the　more　reason　why　I
SHOULDN'T　desert　them。　　That's　why　I'm　here！　　And　I　want　it
understood　as　soon　as　I　get　on　shore　I'm　going　to　a　police　station
and　have　those　persons　arrested。〃


Rising　out　of　the　fog　that　had　rendered　each　of　us　invisible　to　the
other；　his　words　sounded　fantastic　and　unreal。　　In　the　dripping
silence；　broken　only　by　hoarse　warnings　that　came　from　no
direction；　and　within　the　mind　of　each　the　conviction　that　we　were
lost；　police　stations　did　not　immediately　concern　us。　　So　no　one
spoke；　and　in　the　fog　the　words　died　away　and　were　drowned。　　But　I
was　glad　he　had　spoken。　　At　least　I　was　forewarned。　　I　now　knew
that　I　had　not　escaped；　that　Kinney　and　I　were　still　in　danger。　　I
determined　that　so　far　as　it　lay　with　me；　our　yawl　would　be　beached
at　that　point　on　the　coast　of　Connecticut　farthest　removed；　not
only　from　police　stations；　but　from　all　human　habitation。

As　soon　as　we　were　out　of　hearing　of　the　Patience　and　her　whistle；
we　completely　lost　our　bearings。　　It　may　be　that　Lady　Moya　was　not
a　skilled　coxswain；　or　it　may　be　that　Aldrich　understands　a　racing
scull　better　than　a　yawl；　and　pulled　too　heavily　on　his　right；　but
whatever　the　cause　we　soon　were　hopelessly　lost。　　In　this
predicament　we　were　not　alone。　　The　night　was　filled　with　fog…
horns；　whistles；　bells；　and　the　throb　of　engines；　but　we　never　were
near　enough　to　hail　the　vessels　from　which　the　sounds　came；　and
when　we　rowed　toward　them　they　invariably　sank　into　silence。　　After
two　hours　Stumps　and　Kinney　insisted　on　taking　a　turn　at　the　oars；
and　Lady　Moya　moved　to　the　bow。　　We　gave　her　our　coats；　and；　making
cushions　of　these；　she　announced　that　she　was　going　to　sleep。
Whether　she　slept　or　not；　I　do　not　know；　but　she　remained　silent。
For　three　more　dreary　hours　we　took　turns　at　the　oars　or　dozed　at
the　bottom　of　the　boat　while　we　continued　aimlessly　to　drift　upon
the　face　of　the　waters。　　It　was　now　five　o'clock；　and　the　fog　had
so　far　lightened　that　we　could　see　each　other　and　a　stretch　of　open
water。　　At　intervals　the　fog…horns　of　vessels　passing　us；　but
hidden　from　us；　tormented　Aldrich　to　a　state　of　extreme
exasperation。　　He　hailed　them　with　frantic　shrieks　and　shouts；　and
Stumps　and　the　Lady　Moya　shouted　with　him。　　I　fear　Kinney　and
myself　did　not　contribute　any　great　volume　of　sound　to　the　general
chorus。　　To　be　〃rescued〃　was　the　last　thing　we　desired。　　The　yacht
or　tug　that　would　receive　us　on　board　would　also　put　us　on　shore；
where　the　vindictive　Aldrich　would　have　us　at　his　mercy。　　We
preferred　the　freedom　of　our　yawl　and　the　shelter　of　the　fog。　　Our
silence　was　not　lost　upon　Aldrich。　　For　some　time　he　had　been
crouching　in　the　bow；　whispering　indignantly　to　Lady　Moya；　now　he
exclaimed　aloud：

〃What　did　I　tell　you？〃　he　cried　contemptuously；　〃they　got　away　in
this　boat　because　they　were　afraid　of　ME；　not　because　they　were
afraid　of　being　drowned。　　If　they've　nothing　to　be　afraid　of；　why
are　they　so　anxious　to　keep　us　drifting　around　all　night　in　this
fog？　　Why　don't　they　help　us　stop　one　of　those　tugs？〃

Lord　Ivy　exploded　suddenly。

〃Rot！〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃If　they're　afraid　of　you；　why　did　they　ask
you　to　go　with　them？〃

〃They　didn't！〃　cried　Aldrich；　truthfully　and　triumphantly。　　〃They
kidnapped　you　and　Moya　because　they　thought　they　could　square
themselves　with　YOU。　　But　they　didn't　want　ME！〃　　The　issue　had　been
fairly　stated；　and　no　longer　with　self…respect　could　I　remain
silent。

〃We　don't　want　you　now！〃　I　said。　　〃Can't　you　understand；〃　I　went　on
with　as　much　self…restraint　as　I　could　muster；　〃we　are　willing　and
anxious　to　explain　ourselves　to　Lord　Ivy；　or　even　to　you；　but　we
don't　want　to　explain　to　the　police？　　My　friend　thought　you　and
Lord　Ivy　were　crooks；　escaping。　　You　think　WE　are　crooks；　escaping。
You　both〃

Aldrich　snorted　contemptuously。

〃That's　a　likely　story！〃　he　cried。　　〃No　wonder　you　don't　want　to
tell　THAT　to　the　police！〃

From　the　bow　came　an　exclamation；　and　Lady　Moya　rose　to　her　feet。

〃Phil！〃　she　said；　〃you　bore　me！〃　She　picked　her　way　across　the
thwart　to　where　Kinney　sat　at　the　stroke　oar。

〃My　brother　and　I　often　row　together；〃　she　said；　〃I　will　take　your
place。〃

When　she　had　seated　herself　we　were　so　near　that　her　eyes　looked
directly　into　mine。　　Drawing　in　the　oars；　she　leaned　upon　them　and
smiled。

〃Now；　then；〃　she　commanded；　〃tell　us　all　about　it。〃

Before　I　could　speak　there　came　from　behind　her　a　sudden　radiance；
and　as　though　a　curtain　had　been　snatched　aside；　the　fog　flew
apart；　and　the　sun；　dripping；　crimson；　and　gorgeous；　sprang　from
the　waters。　　From　the　others　there　was　a　cry　of　wonder　and　delight；
and　from　Lord　Ivy　a　shriek　of　incredulous　laughter。

Lady　Moya　clapped　her　hands　joyfully　and　pointed　past　me。　　I　turned
and　looked。　　Directly　behind　me；　not　fifty　feet　from　us；　was　a
shelving　beach　and　a　stone　wharf；　and　above　it　a　vine…covered
cottage；　from　the　chimney　of　which　smoke　curled　cheerily。　　Had　the
yawl；　while　Lady　Moya　was　taking　the　oars；　NOT　swung　in　a　circle；
and　had　the　sun　NOT　risen；　in　three　minutes　more　we　would　have
bumped　ourselves　into　the　State　of　Connecticut。　　The　cottage　stood
on　one　horn　of　a　tiny　harbor。　　Beyond　it；　weather…beaten　shingled
houses；　sail…lofts；　and　wharfs　stretched　cosily　in　a　half…circle。
Back　of　them　rose　splendid　elms　and　the　delicate　spire　of　a　church；
and　from　the　unruffled　surface　of　the　harbor　the　masts　of　many
fishing…boats。　　Across　the　water；　on　a　grass…grown　point；　a
whitewashed　light…house　blushed　in　the　crimson　glory　of　the　sun。
Except　for　an　oyster…man　in　his　boat　at　the　end　of　the　wharf；　and
the　smoke　from　the　chimney　of　his　cottage；　the　little　village
slept；　the　harbor　slept。　　It　was　a　picture　of　perfect　content；
confidence；　and　peace。　　〃Oh！〃　cried　the　Lady　Moya；　〃how　pretty；　how
pretty！〃

Lord　Ivy　swung　the　bow　about　and　raced　toward　the　wharf。　　The
others　stood　up　and　cheered　hysterically。

At　the　sound　and　at　the　sight　of　us　emerging　so　mysteriously　from
the　fog；　the　man　in　the　fishing…boat　raised　himself　to　his　full
height　and　stared　as　incredulously　as　though　he　beheld　a　mermaid。
He　was　an　old　man；　but　straight　and　tall；　and　the　oysterman's　boots
stretching　to　his　hips　made　him　appear　even　taller　than　he　was。　　He
had　a　bristling　white　beard　and　his　face　was　tanned　to　a　fierce
copper　color；　but　his　eyes　were　blue　and　young　and　gentle。　　They
lit　suddenly　with　excitement　and　sympathy。

〃Are　you　from　the　Patience？〃　he　shouted。　　In　chorus　we　answered
that　we　were；　and　Ivy　pulled　the　yawl　alongside　the　fisherman's
boat。

But　already　the　old　man　had　turned　and；　making　a　megaphone　of　his
hands；　was　shouting　to　the　cottage。

〃Mother！〃　he　cried；　〃mother；　here　are　folks　from　the　wreck。　　Get
coffee　and　blankets　andand　baconand　eggs！〃

〃May　the　Lord　bless　him！〃　exclaimed　the　Lady　Moya　devoutly。

But　Aldrich；　excited　and　eager；　pulled　out　a　roll　of　bills　and
shook　them　at　the　man。

〃Do　you　want　to　earn　ten　dollars？〃　he　demanded；　〃then　chase
yourself　to　the　village　and　bring　the　constable。〃

Lady　Moya　exclaimed　bitterly；　Lord　Ivy　swore；　Kinney　in　despair
uttered　a　dismal　howl　and　dropped　his　head　in　his　hands。

〃It's　no　use；　Mr。　Aldrich；〃　I　said。　　Seated　in　the　stern；　the
others　had　hidden　me　from　the　fisherman。　　Now　I　stood　up　and　he　saw
me。　　I　laid　one　hand　on　his；　and　pointed　to　the　tin　badge　on　his
suspender。

〃He　is　the　village　constable　himself；〃　I　explained。　　I　turned　to
the　lovely　lady。　　〃Lady　Moya；〃　I　said；　〃I　want　to　introduce　you　to
my　father！〃　　I　pointed　to　the　vine…covered　cottage。　　〃That's　my
home；〃　I　said。　　I　pointed　to　the　sleeping　town。　　〃That；〃　I　told
her；　〃is　the　village　of　Fairport。　　Most　of　it　belongs　to　father。