第15章

Outside the saloon I hesitated, for Mrs.Peck's admonition made me feel for a moment that if I went up I should have entered in a manner into her little conspiracy.But the night was so warm and splendid that I had been intending to smoke a cigar in the air before going below, and I didn't see why I should deprive myself of this pleasure in order to seem not to mind Mrs.Peck.I mounted accordingly and saw a few figures sitting or moving about in the darkness.The ocean looked black and small, as it is apt to do at night, and the long mass of the ship, with its vague dim wings, seemed to take up a great part of it.There were more stars than one saw on land and the heavens struck one more than ever as larger than the earth.Grace Mavis and her companion were not, so far as I perceived at first, among the few passengers who lingered late, and I was glad, because Ihated to hear her talked about in the manner of the gossips I had left at supper.I wished there had been some way to prevent it, but I could think of none but to recommend her privately to reconsider her rule of discretion.That would be a very delicate business, and perhaps it would be better to begin with Jasper, though that would be delicate too.At any rate one might let him know, in a friendly spirit, to how much remark he exposed the young lady--leaving this revelation to work its way upon him.Unfortunately I couldn't altogether believe that the pair were unconscious of the observation and the opinion of the passengers.They weren't boy and girl; they had a certain social perspective in their eye.I was meanwhile at any rate in no possession of the details of that behaviour which had made them--according to the version of my good friends in the saloon--a scandal to the ship; for though I had taken due note of them, as will already have been gathered, I had taken really no such ferocious, or at least such competent, note as Mrs.Peck.

Nevertheless the probability was that they knew what was thought of them--what naturally would be--and simply didn't care.That made our heroine out rather perverse and even rather shameless; and yet somehow if these were her leanings I didn't dislike her for them.Idon't know what strange secret excuses I found for her.I presently indeed encountered, on the spot, a need for any I might have at call, since, just as I was on the point of going below again, after several restless turns and--within the limit where smoking was allowed--as many puffs at a cigar as I cared for, I became aware of a couple of figures settled together behind one of the lifeboats that rested on the deck.They were so placed as to be visible only to a person going close to the rail and peering a little sidewise.I don't think I peered, but as I stood a moment beside the rail my eye was attracted by a dusky object that protruded beyond the boat and that Isaw at a second glance to be the tail of a lady's dress.I bent forward an instant, but even then I saw very little more; that scarcely mattered however, as I easily concluded that the persons tucked away in so snug a corner were Jasper Nettlepoint and Mr.

Porterfield's intended.Tucked away was the odious right expression, and I deplored the fact so betrayed for the pitiful bad taste in it.

I immediately turned away, and the next moment found myself face to face with our vessel's skipper.I had already had some conversation with him--he had been so good as to invite me, as he had invited Mrs.

Nettlepoint and her son and the young lady travelling with them, and also Mrs.Peck, to sit at his table--and had observed with pleasure that his seamanship had the grace, not universal on the Atlantic liners, of a fine-weather manner.

"They don't waste much time--your friends in there," he said, nodding in the direction in which he had seen me looking.

"Ah well, they haven't much to lose."

"That's what I mean.I'm told SHE hasn't."I wanted to say something exculpatory, but scarcely knew what note to strike.I could only look vaguely about me at the starry darkness and the sea that seemed to sleep."Well, with these splendid nights and this perfect air people are beguiled into late hours.""Yes, we want a bit of a blow," the Captain said.

I demurred."How much of one?"

"Enough to clear the decks!"

He was after all rather dry and he went about his business.He had made me uneasy, and instead of going below I took a few turns more.

The other walkers dropped off pair by pair--they were all men--till at last I was alone.Then after a little I quitted the field.

Jasper and his companion were still behind their lifeboat.

Personally I greatly preferred our actual conditions, but as I went down I found myself vaguely wishing, in the interest of I scarcely knew what, unless it had been a mere superstitious delicacy, that we might have half a gale.

Miss Mavis turned out, in sea-phrase, early; for the next morning Isaw her come up only a short time after I had finished my breakfast, a ceremony over which I contrived not to dawdle.She was alone and Jasper Nettlepoint, by a rare accident, was not on deck to help her.

I went to meet her--she was encumbered as usual with her shawl, her sun-umbrella and a book--and laid my hands on her chair, placing it near the stern of the ship, where she liked best to be.But Iproposed to her to walk a little before she sat down, and she took my arm after I had put her accessories into the chair.The deck was clear at that hour and the morning light gay; one had an extravagant sense of good omens and propitious airs.I forget what we spoke of first, but it was because I felt these things pleasantly; and not to torment my companion nor to test her, that I couldn't help exclaiming cheerfully after a moment, as I have mentioned having done the first day: "Well, we're getting on, we're getting on!""Oh yes, I count every hour."

"The last days always go quicker," I said, "and the last hours--!""Well, the last hours?" she asked; for I had instinctively checked myself.