the pursuit of the house-boat-第14部分

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ter　Raleigh；　never　even　hinted　at　any　such　plan；　and　usually　he　asked　my　advice　in　matters　of　so　great　importance。〃

〃That　is　easily　accounted　for；　madame；〃　retorted　Kidd。　　〃Sir　Walter　intended　this　as　a　little　surprise　for　you；　that　is　all。　　The　arrangements　were　all　placed　in　his　hands；　and　it　was　he　who　bound　us　all　to　secrecy。　　None　of　the　ladies　were　to　be　informed　of　it。〃

〃It　does　not　sound　altogether　plausible；〃　interposed　Portia。　　〃If　you　ladies　do　not　object；　I　should　like　to　cross…examine　thisah　gentleman。〃

Kidd　paled　visibly。　　He　was　not　prepared　for　any　such　trial；　however；　he　put　as　good　a　face　on　the　matter　as　he　could；　and　announced　his　willingness　to　answer　any　questions　that　he　might　be　asked。

〃Shall　we　put　him　under　oath？〃　asked　Cleopatra。

〃As　you　please；　ladies；〃　said　the　pirate。　　〃A　pirate's　word　is　as　good　as　his　bond；　but　I'll　take　an　oath　if　you　choosea　half…dozen　of　'em；　if　need　be。〃

〃I　fancy　we　can　get　along　without　that；〃　said　Portia。　　〃Now；　Captain　Kidd；　who　first　proposed　this　plan？〃

〃Socrates；〃　said　Kidd；　unblushingly　with　a　sly　glance　at　Xanthippe。

〃What？〃　cried　Xanthippe。　　〃My　husband　propose　anything　that　would　contribute　to　my　pleasure　or　intellectual　advancement？　　Bah！　　Your　story　is　transparently　false　at　the　outset。〃

〃Nevertheless；〃　said　Kidd；　〃the　scheme　was　proposed　by　Socrates。　　He　said　a　trip　of　that　kind　for　Xanthippe　would　be　very　restful　and　health…giving。〃

〃For　me？〃　cried　Xanthippe；　sceptically。

〃No；　madame；　for　him；〃　retorted　Kidd。

〃Ahho…ho！　　That's　the　way　of　it；　eh？〃　said　Xanthippe；　flushing　to　the　roots　of　her　hair。　　〃Very　likely。　　Youahyou　will　excuse　my　doubting　your　word；　Captain　Kidd；　a　moment　since。　　I　withdraw　my　remark；　and　in　order　to　make　fullest　reparation；　I　beg　to　assure　these　ladies　that　I　am　now　perfectly　convinced　that　you　are　telling　the　truth。　　That　last　observation　is　just　like　my　husband；　and　when　I　get　back　home　again；　if　I　ever　do；　wellha；　ha！we'll　have　a　merry　time；　that's　all。〃

〃And　what　wasahBassanio's　connection　with　this　affair？〃　added　Portia；　hesitatingly。

〃He　was　not　informed　of　it；〃　said　Kidd；　archly。　　〃I　am　not　acquainted　with　Bassanio；　my　lady；　but　I　overheard　Sir　Walter　enjoining　upon　the　others　the　absolute　necessity　of　keeping　the　whole　affair　from　Bassanio；　because　he　was　afraid　he　would　not　consent　to　it。　'Bassanio　has　a　most　beautiful　wife；　gentlemen；'　said　Sir　Walter；　'and　he　wouldn't　think　of　parting　with　her　under　any　circumstances；　therefore　let　us　keep　our　intentions　a　secret　from　him。'　　I　did　not　hear　whom　the　gentleman　married；　madame；　but　the　others；　Prince　Hamlet；　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　and　Louis　the　Fourteenth；　all　agreed　that　Mrs。　Bassanio　was　too　beautiful　a　person　to　be　separated　from；　and　that　it　was　better；　therefore；　to　keep　Bassanio　in　the　dark　as　to　their　little　enterprise　until　it　was　too　late　for　him　to　interfere。〃

A　pink　glow　of　pleasure　suffused　the　lovely　countenance　of　the　cross…　examiner；　and　it　did　not　require　a　very　sharp　eye　to　see　that　the　wily　Kidd　had　completely　won　her　over　to　his　side。　　On　the　other　hand；　Elizabeth's　brow　became　as　corrugated　as　her　ruff；　and　the　spirit　of　the　pirate　shivered　to　the　core　as　he　turned　and　gazed　upon　that　glowering　face。

〃Sir　Walter　agreed　to　that；　did　he？〃　snapped　Elizabeth。　　〃And　yet　he　was　willing　to　part　withahhis　sister。〃

〃Well；　your　Majesty；〃　began　Kidd；　hesitatingly；　〃you　see　it　was　this　way：　　Sir　Waltererdid　say　that；　butahheahbut　he　added　that　he　of　course　merely　judgederthis　man　Bassanio's　feelings　by　his　own　in　parting　from　his　sister〃

〃Did　he　say　sister？〃　cried　Elizabeth。

〃Wellnonot　in　those　words；〃　shuffled　Kidd；　perceiving　quickly　wherein　his　error　lay；　〃butahI　jumped　at　the　conclusion；　seeing　his　intense　enthusiasm　for　the　lady's　beauty　anderintellectual　qualities；　that　he　referred　to　you；　and　it　is　from　yourself　that　I　have　gained　my　knowledge　as　to　the　fraternal；　not　to　say　sororal；　relationship　that　exists　between　you。〃

〃That　man's　a　diplomat　from　Diplomaville！〃　muttered　Sir　Henry　Morgan；　who；　with　Abeuchapeta　and　Conrad；　was　listening　at　the　port　without。

〃He　is　that；〃　said　Abeuchapeta；　〃but　he　can't　last　much　longer。　　He's　perspiring　like　a　pitcher　of　ice…water　on　a　hot　day；　and　a　spirit　of　his　size　and　volatile　nature　can't　stand　much　of　that　without　evaporating。　　If　you　will　observe　him　closely　you　will　see　that　his　left　arm　already　has　vanished　into　thin　air。〃

〃By　Jove！〃　whispered　Conrad；　〃that's　a　fact！　　If　they　don't　let　up　on　him　he'll　vanish。　　He's　getting　excessively　tenuous　about　the　top　of　his　head。〃

All　of　which　was　only　too　true。　　Subjected　to　a　scrutiny　which　he　had　little　expected；　the　deceitful　ambassador　of　the　thieving　band　was　rapidly　dissipating；　and；　as　those　without　had　so　fearsomely　noted；　was　in　imminent　danger　of　complete　sublimation；　which；　in　the　case　of　one　possessed　of　so　little　elementary　purity；　meant　nothing　short　of　annihilation。　　Fortunately　for　Kidd；　however；　his　wonderful　tact　had　stemmed　the　tide　of　suspicion。　　Elizabeth　was　satisfied　with　his　explanation；　and　in　the　minds　of　at　least　three　of　the　most　influential　ladies　on　board；　Portia；　Xanthippe；　and　Elizabeth；　he　had　become　a　creature　worthy　of　credence；　which　meant　that　he　had　nothing　more　to　fear。

〃I　am　prepared；　your　Majesty；〃　said　Elizabeth；　addressing　Cleopatra；　〃to　accept　from　this　time　on　the　gentleman's　word。　　The　little　that　he　has　already　told　us　is　hall…marked　with　truth。　　I　should　like　to　ask；　however；　one　more　question；　and　that　is　how　our　gentleman　friends　expected　to　embark　us　upon　this　voyage　without　letting　us　into　the　secret？〃

〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　replied　Kidd；　with　a　deep…drawn　sigh　of　relief；　for　he　too　had　noticed　the　gradual　evaporation　of　his　arm　and　the　incipient　etherization　of　his　cranium〃as　for　that；　it　was　simple　enough。　　There　was　to　have　been　a　day　set　apart　for　ladies'　day　at　the　club；　and　when　you　were　all　on　board　we　were　quietly　to　weigh　anchor　and　start。　　The　fact　that　you　had　anticipated　the　day；　of　your　own　volition；　was　telephoned　by　my　scouts　to　me　at　my　headquarters；　and　that　news　was　by　me　transmitted　by　messenger　to　Sir　Walter　at　Charon's　Glen　Island；　where　the　long…talked…of　fight　between　Samson　and　Goliath　was　taking　place。　　Raleigh　immediately　replied；　'Good！　Start　at　once。　　Paris　first。　　Unlimited　credit。　　Love　to　Elizabeth。'　Wherefore；　ladies；〃　he　added；　rising　from　his　chair　and　walking　to　the　door〃wherefore　you　are　here　and　in　my　care。　　Make　yourselves　comfortable；　and　with　the　aid　of　the　fashion　papers　which　you　have　already　received　prepare　yourselves　for　the　joys　that　await　you。　With　the　aid　of　Madame　Recamier　and　Baedeker's　Paris；　which　you　will　find　in　the　library；　it　will　be　your　own　fault　if　when　you　arrive　there　you　resemble　a　great　many　less　fortunate　women　who　don't　know　what　they　want。〃

With　these　words　Kidd　disappeared　through　the　door；　and　fainted　in　the　arms　of　Sir　Henry　Morgan。　　The　strain　upon　him　had　been　too　great。

〃A　charming　fellow；〃　said　Portia；　as　the　pirate　disappeared。

〃Most　attractive；〃　said　Elizabeth。

〃Handsome；　too；　don't　you　think？〃　asked　Helen　of　Troy。

〃And　truthful　beyond　peradventure；〃　observed　Xanthippe；　as　she　reflected　upon　the　words　the　captain　had　attributed　to　Socrates。　　〃I　didn't　believe　him　at　first；　but　when　he　told　me　what　my　sweet…　tempered　philosopher　had　said；　I　was　convinced。〃

〃He's　a　sweet　child；〃　interposed　Mrs。　Noah；　fondly。　　〃One　of　my　favorite　grandchildren。〃

〃Which　makes　it　embarrassing　for　me　to　say；〃　cried　Cassandra；　starting　up　angrily；　〃that　he　is　a　base　caitiff！〃

Had　a　bomb　been　dropped　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　it　could　not　have　created　a　greater　sensation　than　the　words　of　Cassandra。

〃What？〃　cried　several　voices　at　once。　　〃A　caitiff？〃

〃A　caitiff　with　a　capital　K；〃　retorted　Cassandra。　　〃I　know　that；　because　while　he　was　telling　his　story　I　was　listening　to　it　with　one　ear　and　looking　forward　into　the　middle　of　next　week　with　the　other　I　mean　the　other　eyeand　I　saw〃

〃Yes；　you　saw？〃　cried　Cleopatra。

〃I　saw　that　he　was　deceiving　us。　　Mark　my　words；　ladies；　he　is　a　base　caitiff；〃　replied　Cassandra〃a　base　caitiff。〃

〃What　did　you　see？〃　cried　Elizabeth；　excitedly。

〃This；〃　said　Cassandra；　and　she　began　a　narration　of　future　events　which　I　must　defer　to　the　next　chapter。　　Meanwhile　his　associates　were　endeavoring　to　restore　the　evaporated　portions　of　the　prostrated　Kidd's　spirit　anatomy　by　the　use　of　a　steam…atomizer；　but　with　indifferent　success。　　Kidd's　training　had　not　fitted　him　for　an　intellectual　combat　with　superior　women；　and　he　suffered　accordingly。



CHAPTER　X：　　A　WARNING　ACCEPTED



〃It　is　with　no　desire　to　interrupt　my　friend　Cassandra　unnecessarily；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　as　the　prophetess　was　about　to　narrate　her　story；　〃that　I　rise　to　beg　her　to　remember　that；　as　an　ancestress　of　Captain　Kidd；　I　hope　she　will　spare　a　grandmother's　feelings；　if　anything　in　the　story　she　is　about　to　tell　is　improper　to　be　placed　before　the　young。　　I　have　been　so　shocked　by　the　stories　of　perfidy　and　baseness　generally　that　have　been　published　of　late　years；　that　I　would　interpose　a　protest　while　there　is　yet　time　if　there　is　a　line　in　Cassandra's　story　which　ought　to　be　withheld　from　the　public；　a　protest　based　upon　my　affection　for　posterity；　and　in　the　interests　of　morality　everywhere。〃

〃You　may　rest　easy　upon　that　score；　my　dear　Mrs。　Noah；〃　said　the　prophetess。　　〃What　I　have　to　say　would　commend　itself；　I　am　sure；　even　to　the　ears　of　a　British　matron；　and　while　it　is　as　complete　a　demonstration　of　man's　perfidy　as　ever　was；　it　is　none　the　less　as　harmless　a　little　tale　as　the　Dottie　Dimple　books　or　any　other　more　recent　study　of　New　England　character。〃

〃Thank　you　for　the　load　your　words　have　lifted　from　my　mind；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　settling　back　in　her　chair；　a　satisfied　expression　upon　her　gentle　countenance。　　〃I　hope　you　will　understand　why　I　spoke；　and　withal　why　modern　literature　generally　has　been　so　distressful　to　me。　When　you　reflect　that　the　world　is　satisfied　that　most　of　man's　criminal　instincts　are　the　result　of　heredity；　and　that　Mr。　Noah　and　I　are　unable　to　shift　the　responsibility　for　posterity　to　other　shoulders　than　our　own；　you　will　understand　my　position。