captains courageous-第29部分

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you　could　hear　hard　breathing　all　over　the　benches。

　
〃And　when　the　boats　of　Brixham　
Go　out　to　face　the　gales；　　
Think　of　the　love　that　travels　　
Like　light　upon　their　sails！〃

There　was　very　little　applause　when　she　finished。　The　women
were　looking　for　their　handkerchiefs；　and　many　of　the　men　stared
at　the　ceiling　with　shiny　eyes。

〃H'm；〃　said　Salters；　〃that　'u'd　cost　ye　a　dollar　to　hear　at　any
theatre…maybe　two。　Some　folk；　I　presoom；　can　afford　it。　'Seems
downright　waste　to　me。　。　。　。　Naow；　how　in　Jerusalem　did　Cap。　Bart
Edwardes　strike　adrift　here？〃

〃No　keepin'　him　under；〃　said　an　Eastport　man　behind。　〃He's　a　poet；
an'　he's　baound　to　say　his　piece。　'Comes　from　daown　aour　way；
too。〃

He　did　not　say　that　Captain　B。　Edwardes　had　striven　for　five
consecutive　years　to　be　allowed　to　recite　a　piece　of　his　own
composition　on　Gloucester　Memorial　Day。　An　amused　and
exhausted　cornmittee　had　at　last　given　him　his　desire。　The
simplicity　and　utter　happiness　of　the　old　man；　as　he　stood　up　in　his
very　best　Sunday　clothes；　won　the　audience　ere　he　opened　his
mouth。　They　sat　unmurmuring　through　seven…and…thirty　
hatchet…made　verses　describing　at　fullest　length　the　loss　of　the
schooner　Joan　Hasken　off　the　Georges　in　the　gale　of　1867；　and
when　he　came　to　an　end　they　shouted　with　one　kindly　throat。

A　far…sighted　Boston　reporter　slid　away　for　a　full　copy　of　the　epic
and　an　interview　with　the　author；　so　that　earth　had　nothing　more　to
offer　Captain　Bart　Edwardes；　ex…whaler；　shipwright；
master…fisherman；　and　poet；　in　the　seventy…third　year　of　his　age。

〃Naow；　I　call　that　sensible；〃　said　the　Eastport　man。　〃I've　bin　over
that　graound　with　his　writin'；　jest　as　he　read　it；　in　my　two　hands；
and　I　can　testily　that　he's　got　it　all　in。〃

〃If　Dan　here　couldn't　do　better'n　that　with　one　hand　before
breakfast；　he　ought　to　be　switched；〃　said　Salters；　upholding　the
honor　of　Massachusetts　on　general　principles。　〃Not　but　what　I'm
free　to　own　he's　considerable　litt'ery…fer　Maine。　Still　〃

〃Guess　Uncle　Salters's　goin'　to　die　this　trip。　Fust　compliment　he's
ever　paid　me；〃　Dan　sniggered。　〃What's　wrong　with　you；　Harve？
You　act　all　quiet　and　you　look　greenish。　Feelin'　sick？〃

〃Don't　know　what's　the　matter　with　me；〃　Harvey　implied。〃　'Seems
if　my　insides　were　too　big　for　my　outsides。　I'm　all　crowded　up　and
shivery。〃

〃Dispepsy？　Pshaw…too　bad。　We'll　wait　for　the　readin'；　an'　then　we'll
quit；　an'　catch　the　tide。〃

The　widows…they　were　nearly　all　of　that　season's　making…braced
themselves　rigidly　like　people　going　to　be　shot　in　cold　blood；　for
they　knew　what　was　coming。　The　summer…boarder　girls　in　pink
and　blue　shirt…waists　stopped　tittering　over　Captain　Edwardes's
wonderful　poem；　and　looked　back　to　see　why　all　was　silent。　The
fishermen　pressed　forward　a~　that　town　official　who　had　talked　to
Cheyne　bobbed　up　on　the　platform　and　began　to　read　the　year's　list
of　losses；　dividing　them　into　months。　Last　September's　casualties
were　mostly　single　men　and　strangers；　but　his　voice　rang　very　loud
in　the　stillness　of　the　hall。

〃September　9th。Schooner　Florrie　Anderson　lost；　with　all　aboard；
off　the　Georges。

〃Reuben　Pitman；　master；　50；　single；　Main　Street；　City。　　　

〃Emil　Olsen；　19；　single；　329　Hammond　Street；　City。　Denmark。　　　

〃Oscar　Standberg；　single；　25。　Sweden。　　　

〃CarJ　Stanberg；　single；　28；　Main　Street。　City。

〃Pedro；　supposed　Madeira；　single；　Keene's　boardinghouse。　City。　　　

〃Joseph　Welsh；　alias　Joseph　Wright；　30；　St。　John's；
Newfoundland。〃

〃No…Augusty；　Maine；〃　a　voice　cried　from　the　body　of　the　hall。

〃He　shipped　from　St。　John's；〃　said　the　reader；　looking　to　see。

〃I　know　it。　He　belongs　in　Augusty。　My　nevvy。〃

The　reader　made　a　pencilled　correction　on　the　margin　of　the　list；
and　resumed

　　



〃Same　schooner；　Charlie　Ritchie；　Liverpool；　Nova　Scotia；　33；
single。　　　



〃Albert　May；　267　Rogers　Street；　City；　27；　single。　　　

〃September　27th。…Orvin　Dollard；　30；　married；　drowned　in　dorv　off
Eastern　Point。〃

That　shot　went　home；　for　one　of　the　widows　flinched　where　she
sat；　clasping　and　unclasping　her　hands。　Mrs。　Cheyne；　who　had
been　listening　with　wide…opened　eyes；　threw　up　her　head　and
choked。　Dan's　mother；　a　few　seats　to　the　right；　saw　and　heard　and
quickly　moved　to　her　side。　The　reading　went　on。　By　the　time　they
reached　the　January　and　February　wrecks　the　shots　were　falling
thick　and　fast；　and　the　widows　drew　breath　between　their　teeth。
　　
〃February　l4th。…Schooner　Harry　Randolph　dismasted　on　the　way
home　from　Newfoundland；　Asa　Musie；　married；　32；　Main　Street；
City；　lost　overboard。　　　

〃February　23d。…Schooner　Gilbert　Hope；　went　astray　in　dory；　Robert
Beavon；　29；　married；　native　of　Pubnico；　Nova　Scotia。〃　　

But　his　wife　was　in　the　hall。　They　heard　a　low　cry；　as　though　a
little　animal　had　been　hit。　It　was　stifled　at　once；　and　a　girl
staggered　out　of　the　hall。　She　had　been　hoping　against　hope　for
months；　because　some　who　have　gone　adrift　in　dories　have　been
miraculously　picked　up　by　deep…sea　sailing…ships。　Now　she　had　her
certainty；　and　Harvey　could　see　the　policeman　on　the　sidewalk
hailing　a　hack　for　her。　〃It's　fifty　cents　to　the　depot〃…the　driver
began；　but　the　policeman　held　up　his　hand…〃but　I'm　goin'　there
anyway。　Jump　right　in。　Look　at　here；　All；　you　don't　pull　me　next
time　my　lamps　ain't　lit。　See？〃

The　side…door　closed　on　the　patch　of　bright　sunshine；　and　Harvey's
eyes　turned　again　to　the　reader　and　his　endless　list。

〃April　1　9th…Schooner　Mamie　Douglas　lost　on　the　Banks　with　all
hands。　　　

〃Edward　Canton；　43；　master；　married；　City。　　　

〃D。　Hawkins；　alias　Williams；　34；　married；　Shelbourne；　Nova
Scotia。　　　

〃G。　W。　Clay；　coloured；　28；　married；　City。〃

And　so　on；　and　so　on。　Great　lumps　were　rising　in　Harvey's　throat；
and　his　stomach　reminded　him　of　the　day　when　he　fell　from　the
liner。

〃May　l0th。…Schooner　We're　Here　＇the　blood　tingled　all　over　hi~。
Otto　Svendson；　20；　single；　City；　lost　overboard。〃

Once　more　a　low；　tearing　cry　from　somewhere　at　the　back　of　the
hall。

〃She　shouldn't　ha'　come。　She　shouldn't　ha'　come；〃　said　Long　Jack；
with　a　cluck　of　pity。

〃Don't　scrowge；　Harve；〃　grunted　Dan。　Harvey　heard　that　much；　but
the　rest　was　all　darkness　spotted　with　fiery　wheels。　Disko　leaned
forward　and　spoke　to　his　wife；　where　she　sat　with　one　arm　round
Mrs。　Cheyne；　and　the　other　holding　down　the　snatching；　catching；
ringed　hands。

〃Lean　your　head　daown…right　daown！〃　slie　whispered。　〃It'll　go　off
in　a　minute。〃

〃I　ca…an't！　I　do…don't！　Oh；　let　me…〃　Mrs。　Cheyne　did　not　at　all　know
what　she　said。

〃You　must；〃　Mrs。　Troop　repeated。　〃Your　boy's　jest　fainted　dead
away。　They　do　that　some　when　they're　gettin'　their　growth。　'Wish　to
tend　to　him？　We　can　git　aout　this　side。　Quite　quiet。　You　come　right
along　with　me。　Psha'；　my　dear；　we're　both　women；　I　guess。　We
must　tend　to　aour　men…folk。　Come！〃

The　We're　Heres　promptly　went　through　the　crowd　as　a
body…guard；　and　it　was　a　very　white　and　shaken　Harvey　that　they
propped　up　on　a　bench　in　an　anteroom。

〃Favours　his　ma；〃　was　Mrs。　Troop's　ouly　comment；　as　the　mother
bent　over　her　boy。

〃How　d'you　suppose　he　could　ever　stand　it？〃　she　cried　indignantly
to　Cheyne；　who　had　said　nothing　at　all。　〃It　was　horrible…horrible！
We　shouldn't　have　come。　It's　wrong　and　wicked！　It…it　isn't　right！
Why…why　couldn't　they　put　these　things　in　the　papers；　where　they
belong？　Are　you　better；　darling？〃

That　made　Harvey　very　properly　ashamed。　〃Oh；　I'm　all　right；　I
guess；〃　he　said；　struggling　to　his　feet；　with　a　broken　giggle。　〃Must
ha'　been　something　I　ate　for　breakfast〃

〃Coffee；　perhaps；〃　said　Cheyne；　whose　face　was　all　in　hard　lines；
as　though　it　had　been　cut　out　of　bronze。　〃We　won't　go　back　again。〃

〃Guess　'twould　be　'baout's　well　to　git　daown　to　the　wharf；〃　said
Disko。　〃It's　close　in　along　with　them　Dagoes；　an'　the　fresh　air　will
fresh　Mrs。　Cheyne　up。〃

Harvey　announced　that　he　never　felt　better　in　his　life；　but　it　was
not　till　he　saw　the　We're　Here；　fresh　from　the　lumper's　hands；　at
Wouverman's　wharf；　that　he　lost　his　all…overish　feelings　in　a　queer
mixture　of　pride　and　sorrowfulness。　Other　people　summer
boarders　and　such…like…played　about　in　cat…boats　or　looked　at　the
sea　from　pier…heads；　but　he　understood　things　from　the　inside
more　things　than　he　could　begin　to　think　about　None　the　less；　he
could　have　sat　down　and　howled　because　the　little　schooner　was
going　off。　Mrs。　Cheyne　simply　cried　and　cried　every　step　of　the
way　and　said　most　extraordinary　things　to　Mrs。　Troop；　who
〃babied〃　her　till　Dan；　who　had　not　been　〃babied〃　since　he　was　six；
whistled　aloud。

And　so　the　old　crowd…Harvey　felt　like　the　most　ancient　of　mariners
dropped　into　the　old　schooner　among　the　battered　dories；　while
Harvey　slipped　the　stern…fast　from　the　pier…head；　and　they　slid　her
along　the　wharf…side　with　their　hands。　Every　one　wanted　to　say　so
much　that　no　one　said　anything　in　particular。　Harvey　bade　Dan
take　care　of　Uncle　Salters's　sea…boots　and　Penn's　dory…anchor；　and
Long　Jack　entreated　Harvey　to　remember　his　lessons　in
seamanship；　but　the　jokes　fell　flat　in　the　presence　of　the　two
women；　and　it　is　hard　to　be　funny　with　green　harbour…water
widening　between　good　friends。

〃Up　jib　and　fores'l！〃　shouted　Disko；　getting　to　the　wheel；　as　the
wind　took　her。　〃　'See　you　later；　Harve。　Dunno　but　I　come　near
thinkin'　a　heap　o'　you　an'　your　folks。〃

Then　she　glided　beyond　ear…shot；　and　they　sat　down　to　watch　her
up　the　harbour；　And　still　Mrs。　Cheyne　wept。

〃Pshaw；　my　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Troop：　〃we're　both　women；　I　guess。
Like's　not　it'll　ease　your　heart　to　hey　your　cry　aout。　God　He　knows
it　never　done　me　a　mite　o'　good；　but　then　He　knows　I've　had
something　to　cry　fer！〃

　Now　it　was　a　few　years　later；　and　upon　the　other　edge　of　America；
that　a　young　man　came　through　the　clammy　sea　fog　up　a　windy
street　which　is　flanked　with　most　expensive　houses　built　of　wood
to　imitate　stone。　To　him；　as　he　was　standing　by　a　hammered　iron
gate；　entered　on　horseback…and　the　horse　would　have　been　cheap　at
a　thousand　dollars…another　young　man。　And　this　is　what　they　said：

〃Hello；　Dan！〃

〃Hello；　Harve！〃

〃What's　the　best　with　you？〃

〃Well；　I'm　so's　to　be　that　kind　o'　animal　called　second　mate　this
tri