the pursuit of the house-boat-第8节

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　is　Socratic　in　its　wisdom；〃　smiled　Portia。

〃But　Xanthippic　in　its　origin；〃　returned　Xanthippe。　　〃No　man　ever　gave　me　my　ideas。〃

As　Xanthippe　spoke；　Lucretia　Borgia　burst　into　the　room。

〃Hurry　and　save　yourselves！〃　she　cried。　　〃The　boat　has　broken　loose　from　her　moorings；　and　is　floating　down　the　stream。　　If　we　don't　hurry　up　and　do　something；　we'll　drift　out　to　sea！〃

〃What！〃　cried　Cleopatra；　dropping　her　cue　in　terror；　and　rushing　for　the　stairs。　　〃I　was　certain　I　felt　a　slight　motion。　　You　said　it　was　the　wash　from　one　of　Charon's　barges；　Elizabeth。〃

〃I　thought　it　was；〃　said　Elizabeth；　following　closely　after。

〃Well；　it　wasn't；〃　moaned　Lucretia　Borgia。　　〃Calpurnia　just　looked　out　of　the　window　and　discovered　that　we　were　in　mid…stream。〃

The　ladies　crowded　anxiously　about　the　stair　and　attempted　to　ascend；　Cleopatra　in　the　van；　but　as　the　Egyptian　Queen　reached　the　doorway　to　the　upper　deck；　the　door　opened；　and　the　hard　features　of　Captain　Kidd　were　thrust　roughly　through；　and　his　strident　voice　rang　out　through　the　gathering　gloom。　　〃Pipe　my　eye　for　a　sardine　if　we　haven't　captured　a　female　seminary！〃　he　cried。

And　one　by　one　the　ladies；　in　terror；　shrank　back　into　the　billiard…　room；　while　Kidd；　overcome　by　surprise；　slammed　the　door　to；　and　retreated　into　the　darkness　of　the　forward　deck　to　consult　with　his　followers　as　to　〃what　next。〃



CHAPTER　V：　　A　CONFERENCE　ON　DECK



〃Here's　a　kettle　of　fish！〃　said　Kidd；　pulling　his　chin　whisker　in　perplexity　as　he　and　his　fellow…pirates　gathered　about　the　captain　to　discuss　the　situation。　　〃I'm　blessed　if　in　all　my　experience　I　ever　sailed　athwart　anything　like　it　afore！　　Pirating　with　a　lot　of　low…　down　ruffians　like　you　gentlemen　is　bad　enough；　but　on　a　craft　loaded　to　the　water's　edge　with　advanced　womenI've　half　a　mind　to　turn　back。〃

〃If　you　do；　you　swimwe'll　not　turn　back　with　you；〃　retorted　Abeuchapeta；　whom；　in　honor　of　his　prowess；　Kidd　had　appointed　executive　officer　of　the　House…boat。　　〃I　have　no　desire　to　be　mutinous；　Captain　Kidd；　but　I　have　not　embarked　upon　this　enterprise　for　a　pleasure　sail　down　the　Styx。　　I　am　out　for　business。　　If　you　had　thirty　thousand　women　on　board；　still　should　I　not　turn　back。〃

〃But　what　shall　we　do　with　'em？〃　pleaded　Kidd。　　〃Where　can　we　go　without　attracting　attention？　　Who's　going　to　feed　'em？　　Who's　going　to　dress　'em？　　Who's　going　to　keep　'em　in　bonnets？　　You　don't　know　anything　about　these　creatures；　my　dear　Abeuchapeta；　and；　by…the…way；　can't　we　arbitrate　that　name　of　yours？　　It　would　be　fearful　to　remember　in　the　excitement　of　a　fight。〃

〃Call　him　Ab；〃　suggested　Sir　Henry　Morgan；　with　an　ill…concealed　sneer；　for　he　was　deeply　jealous　of　Abeuchapeta's　preferral。

〃If　you　do　I'll　call　you　Morgue；　and　change　your　appearance　to　fit；〃　retorted　Abeuchapeta；　angrily。

〃By　the　beards　of　all　my　sainted　Buccaneers；〃　began　Morgan；　springing　angrily　to　his　feet；　〃I'll　have　your　life！〃

〃Gentlemen！　　Gentlemenmy　noble　ruffians！〃　expostulated　Kidd。　〃Come；　come；　this　will　never　do！　　I　must　have　no　quarrelling　among　my　aides。　　This　is　no　time　for　divisions　in　our　councils。　　An　entirely　unexpected　element　has　entered　into　our　affairs；　and　it　behooveth　us　to　act　in　concert。　　It　is　no　light　matter〃

〃Excuse　me；　captain；〃　said　Abeuchapeta；　〃but　that　is　where　you　and　I　do　not　agree。　　We've　got　our　ship　and　we've　got　our　crew；　and　in　addition　we　find　that　the　Fates　have　thrown　in　a　hundred　or　more　women　to　act　as　ballast。　　Now　I；　for　one；　do　not　fear　a　woman。　　We　can　set　them　to　work。　　There　is　plenty　for　them　to　do　keeping　things　tidy；　and　if　we　get　into　a　very　hard　fight；　and　come　out　of　the　melee　somewhat　the　worse　for　wear；　it　will　be　a　blessing　to　have　'em　along　to　mend　our　togas；　sew　buttons　on　our　uniforms；　and　darn　our　hosiery。〃

Morgan　laughed　sarcastically。　　〃When　did　you　flourish；　if　ever；　colonel？〃　he　asked。

〃Do　you　refer　to　me？〃　queried　Abeuchapeta；　with　a　frown。

〃You　have　guessed　correctly；〃　replied　Morgan；　icily。　　〃I　have　quite　forgotten　your　date；　were　you　a　success　in　the　year　one；　or　when？〃

〃Admiral　Abeuchapeta；　Sir　Henry；〃　interposed　Kidd；　fearing　a　further　outbreak　of　hostilities〃Admiral　Abeuchapeta　was　the　terror　of　the　seas　in　the　seventh　century；　and　what　he　undertook　to　do　he　did；　and　his　piratical　enterprises　were　carried　on　on　a　scale　of　magnificence　which　is　without　parallel　off　the　comic…opera　stage。　　He　never　went　forth　without　at　least　seventy　galleys　and　a　hundred　other　vessels。〃

Abeuchapeta　drew　himself　up　proudly。　　〃Six…ninety…eight　was　my　great　year；〃　he　said。

〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　said　Morgan。　　〃That　is　to　say；　you　got　your　ideas　of　women　twelve　hundred　years　ago；　and　the　ladies　have　changed　somewhat　since　that　time。　　I　have　great　respect　for　you；　sir；　as　a　ruffian。　　I　have　no　doubt　that　as　a　ruffian　you　are　a　complete　success；　but　when　it　comes　to　'feminology'　you　are　sailing　in　unknown　waters。　　The　study　of　women；　my　dear　Abeuchadnezzar〃

〃Peta；〃　retorted　Abeuchapeta；　irritably。

〃I　stand　corrected。　　The　study　of　women；　my　dear　Peter；〃　said　Morgan；　with　a　wink　at　Conrad；　which　fortunately　the　seventh…century　pirate　did　not　see；　else　there　would　have　been　an　open　break〃the　study　of　women　is　more　difficult　than　that　of　astronomy；　there　may　be　two　stars　alike；　but　all　women　are　unique。　　Because　she　was　this；　that；　or　the　other　thing　in　your　day　does　not　prove　that　she　is　any　one　of　those　things　in　our　dayin　fact；　it　proves　the　contrary。　　Why；　I　venture　even　to　say　that　no　individual　woman　is　alike。〃

〃That's　rather　a　hazy　thought；〃　said　Kidd；　scratching　his　head　in　a　puzzled　sort　of　way。

〃I　mean　that　she's　different　from　herself　at　different　times；〃　said　Morgan。　　〃What　is　it　the　poet　called　her？'an　infinite　variety　show；'　or　something　of　that　sort；　a　perpetual　vaudevillea　continuous　performance；　as　it　were；　from　twelve　to　twelve。〃

〃Morgan　is　right；　admiral！〃　put　in　Conrad　the　corsair；　acting　temporarily　as　bo'sun。　　〃The　times　are　sadly　changed；　and　woman　is　no　longer　what　she　was。　　She　is　hardly　what　she　is；　much　less　what　she　was。　　The　Roman　Gynaeceum　would　be　an　impossibility　to…day。　　You　might　as　well　expect　Delilah　to　open　a　barber…shop　on　board　this　boat　as　ask　any　of　these　advanced　females　below…stairs　to　sew　buttons　on　a　pirate's　uniform　after　a　fray；　or　to　keep　the　fringe　on　his　epaulets　curled。　　They're　no　longer　sewing…machinesthey　are　Keeley　motors　for　mystery　and　perpetual　motion。　　Women　have　views　now　they　are　no　longer　content　to　be　looked　at　merely；　they　must　see　for　themselves；　and　the　more　they　see；　the　more　they　wish　to　domesticate　man　and　emancipate　woman。　　It's　my　private　opinion　that　if　we　are　to　get　along　with　them　at　all　the　best　thing　to　do　is　to　let　'em　alone。　　I　have　always　found　I　was　better　off　in　the　abstract；　and　if　this　question　is　going　to　be　settled　in　a　purely　democratic　fashion　by　submitting　it　to　a　vote；　I'll　vote　for　any　measure　which　involves　leaving　them　strictly　to　themselves。　　They're　nothing　but　a　lot　of　ghosts　anyhow；　like　ourselves；　and　we　can　pretend　we　don't　see　them。〃

〃If　that　could　be；　it　would　be　excellent；〃　said　Morgan；　〃but　it　is　impossible。　　For　a　pirate　of　the　Byronic　order；　my　dear　Conrad；　you　are　strangely　unversed　in　the　ways　of　the　sex　which　cheers　but　not　inebriates。　　We　can　no　more　ignore　their　presence　upon　this　boat　than　we　can　expect　whales　to　spout　kerosene。　　In　the　first　place；　it　would　be　excessively　impolite　of　us　to　cut　themto　decline　to　speak　to　them　if　they　should　address　us。　　We　may　be　pirates；　ruffians；　cutthroats；　but　I　hope　we　shall　never　forget　that　we　are　gentlemen。〃

〃The　whole　situation　is　rather　contrary　to　etiquette；　don't　you　think？〃　suggested　Conrad。　　〃There's　nobody　to　introduce　us；　and　I　can't　really　see　how　we　can　do　otherwise　than　ignore　them。　　I　certainly　am　not　going　to　stand　on　deck　and　make　eyes　at　them；　to　try　and　pick　up　an　acquaintance　with　them；　even　if　I　am　of　a　Byronic　strain。〃


〃You　forget；〃　said　Kidd；　〃two　essential　features　of　the　situation。　These　women　are　at　presentor　shortly　will　be；　when　they　realize　their　situationin　distress；　and　a　true　gentleman　may　always　fly　to　the　rescue　of　a　distressed　female；　and；　the　second　point；　we　shall　soon　be　on　the　seas；　and　I　understand　that　on　the　fashionable　transatlantic　lines　it　is　now　considered　de　rigueur　to　speak　to　anybody　you　choose　to。　　The　introduction　business　isn't　going　to　stand　in　my　way。〃

〃Well；　may　I　ask；〃　put　in　Abeuchapeta；　〃just　what　it　is　that　is　worrying　you？　　You　said　something　about　feeding　them；　and　dressing　them；　and　keeping　them　in　bonnets。　　I　fancy　there's　fish　enough　in　the　sea　to　feed　'em；　and　as　for　their　gowns　and　hats；　they　can　make　'em　themselves。　　Every　woman　is　a　milliner　at　heart。〃

〃Exactly；　and　we'll　have　to　pay　the　milliners。　　That　is　what　bothers　me。　　I　was　going　to　lead　this　expedition　to　London；　Paris；　and　New　York；　admiral。　　That　is　where　the　money　is；　and　to　get　it　you've　got　to　go　ashore；　to　headquarters。　　You　cannot　nowadays　find　it　on　the　high　seas。　　Modern　civilization；〃　said　Kidd；　〃has　ruined　the　pirate's　business。　　The　latest　news　from　the　other　world　has　really　opened　my　eyes　to　certain　facts　that　I　never　dreamed　of。　　The　conditions　of　the　day　of　whic