the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第19节
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snuggled against Elmer's feet； but； as if a prey to frightful nightmares； the
little dog twitched and whined in his sleep from time to time。 These
were the apparent facts； and these facts were set to a melancholy tune by
the long…drawn； dismal snores of Cap'n Abernethy； which rose and fell；
and rose and fell； and rose again like the sad and wailing song of some
strange bird bereft of a beloved mate。 They were the music for； and the
commentary on； what Cleggett beheld； Cap'n Abernethy seemed to be
saying； with these snores： 〃If you was to ask me； I'd say it ain't a
cheerful ship this mornin'； Mr。 Cleggett； it ain't a cheerful ship。〃
But Cleggett's nature was too lively and vigorous to remain clouded
for long。 By the time the red disk of the sun had crept above the eastern
horizon he had shaken off his fit of the blues。
The sun looked large and bland and friendly； and； somehow； the
partisan of integrity and honor。 He drew strength from it。 Cleggett； like
all poetic souls； was responsive to these familiar recurrent phenomena of
nature。
The sun did him another office。 It showed him a peculiar tableau
vivant on the eastern bank of the canal； near the house boat Annabel Lee。
This consisted of three men； two of them naked except for bathing trunks
of the most abbreviated sort； running swiftly and earnestly up and down
the edge of the canal。 He saw with astonishment that the two men in
bathing suits were handcuffed together； the left wrist of one to the right
wrist of the other。 A rope was tied to the handcuffs； and the other end of
it was held by the third man； who was dressed in ordinary tweeds。 The
third man had a magazine rifle over one shoulder。 He followed about
twenty feet behind the two men in bathing suits and drove them。
Cleggett perceived that the man who was doing the driving was the
same who had watched the Jasper B。 so persistently the day before from
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
the deck of the Annabel Lee。 He was middle…sized； and inclined to be
stout； and yet he followed his strange team with no apparent effort。
Cleggett saw through the glass that he had a rather heavy black mustache；
and was again struck by something vaguely familiar about him。 The two
men in bathing suits were slender and undersized； they did not look at all
like athletes； and although they moved as fast as they could it was
apparent that they got no pleasure out of it。 They ran with their heads
hanging down； and it seemed to Cleggett that they were quarreling as they
ran； for occasionally one of them would give a vicious jerk to the
handcuffs that would almost upset the other； and that must have hurt the
wrists of both of them。
As Cleggett watched； the driver pulled them up short； and waved them
towards the canal。 They stopped； and it was apparent that they were
balking and expostulating。 But the driver was inexorable。 He went near
to them and threatened their bare backs with the slack of the rope。
Gingerly and shiveringly they stepped into the cold water； while the driver
stood on the bank。 The water was up to their waists and he had to
threaten them again with his rope before they would duck their heads
under。
When he allowed them on shore again they needed no urging； it was
evident； to make them hit up a good rate of speed； and back and forth
along the bank they sprinted。 But the cold bath had not improved their
temper； for suddenly one of them leaped and kicked sidewise at the other；
with the result that both toppled to the ground。 The stout man was upon
them in an instant； hazing them with the rope end。 He drove them； still
lashing out at each other with their bare feet； into the water again； and
after a more prolonged ducking whipped them； at a plunging gallop； upon
the Annabel Lee； where they disappeared from Cleggett's view。
While Cleggett was still wondering what significance could underlie
this unusual form of matutinal exercise； Dr。 Farnsworth came out of the
forecastle and beckoned to him。 The young Doctor had a red Vandyck
beard sedulously cultivated in the belief that it would make him look older
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
and inspire the confidence of patients； and a shock of dark red hair which
he rumpled vigorously when he was thinking。 He was rumpling it now。
〃Who's 'Loge'？〃 he demanded。
〃Loge？〃 repeated Cleggett。
〃You don't know anyone named 'Loge；' or Logan？〃
〃No。 Why？〃
〃Whoever he is； 'Loge' is very much on the mind of our young friend
in there；〃 said Farnsworth； with a movement of his head towards the
forecastle。 〃And I wouldn't be surprised； to judge from the boy's
delirium； if 'Loge' had something to do with all the hell that's been raised
around your ship。 Come in and listen to this fellow。〃
Miss Medley； the nurse； was sitting beside the wounded youth's bunk；
endeavoring to soothe and restrain him。 The young anarchist； whose
eyes were bright with fever； was talking rapidly in a weak but high…pitched
singsong voice。
〃He's off on the poems again；〃 said the Doctor； after listening a
moment。 〃But wait； he'll get back to Loge。 It's been one or the other
for an hour now。〃
〃I spit upon your flag；〃 shrilled Giuseppe Jones； feebly declamatory。
〃'I spitI spitbut； as I spit； I weep。'〃 He paused for a moment； and then
began at the beginning and repeated all of the lines which Cleggett had
read from the little book。 One gathered that it was Giuseppe's favorite
poem。
〃'I spit upon the whole damned thing！'〃 he shrilled； and then with a sad
shake of his head： 〃But； as I spit； I weep！〃
If the poem was Giuseppe's favorite poem； this was evidently his
favorite line； for he said it over and over again〃'But； as I spit； I weep'〃
in a breathless babble that was very wearing on the nerves。
But suddenly he interrupted himself； the poems seemed to pass from
his mind。 〃Loge！〃 he said； raising himself on his elbow and staring； with
a frown not at； but through； Cleggett： 〃Loganit isn't square！〃
There was suffering and perplexity in his gaze； he was evidently living
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
over again some painful scene。
〃I'm a revolutionist； Loge； not a crook！ I won't do it； Loge！〃
Watching him； it was impossible not to understand that the struggle；
which his delirium made real and present again； had stamped itself into the
texture of his spirit。 〃You shouldn't ask it； Loge；〃 he said。 The crisis of
the conflict which he was living over passed presently； and he murmured；
with contracted brows； and as if talking to himself： 〃Is Loge a crook？ A
crook？〃
But after a moment of this he returned again to a rapid repetition of the
phrase： 〃I'm a revolutionist； not a crook…not a crooknot a crooka
revolutionist； not a crook； Loge； not a crook〃 Once he varied it；
crying with a quick； hot scorn： 〃I'll cut their throats and be damned to
them； but don't ask me to steal。〃 And then he was off again to declaiming
his poetry： 〃I spit； but； as I spit； I weep！〃
But as Cleggett and the Doctor listened to him the youth's ravings
suddenly took a new form。 He ceased to babble； terror expanded the
pupils of his eyes and he pointed at vacancy with a shaking finger。 〃Stop
it！〃 he cried in a croaking whisper。 〃Stop it！ It's his skullit's Loge's
skull come alive。 Stop it； I say； it's come alive and getting bigger。〃
With a violent effort he raised himself before the nurse could prevent him；
