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by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第24部分

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     〃I   don't   think   that   was   the poor   woman's   name;〃   said Rosey  simply; 

〃she died of yellow fever at New Orleans as Signora somebody。〃 

     Her ignorance seemed to Mr。 Renshaw so plainly to partake more of 

the nun than the provincial that he hesitated to explain to her that he meant 

the heroine of an opera。 

     〃It seems dreadful to put on the poor thing's clothes; doesn't it?〃 she 

added。 

     Mr。 Renshaw's eyes showed so plainly that he thought otherwise; that 

she drew a little austerely towards the door of her state… room。 

     〃I must change these things before any one comes;〃 she said dryly。 

     〃That means I must go; I suppose。 But couldn't you let me wait here or 

in the gangway  until then;  Miss   Nott?   I am  going away to…   night;  and   I 

mayn't see you again。〃 He had not intended to say this; but it slipped from 

his embarrassed tongue。 She stopped with her hand on the door。 

     〃You are going away?〃 

     〃IthinkI   must   leave   to…night。   I   have   some   important   business   in 

Sacramento。〃 

     She    raised    her   frank   eyes    to   his。  The    unmistakable      look   of 

disappointment that he saw in them gave his heart a sudden throb and sent 

the quick blood to his cheeks。 

     〃It's too bad;〃 she said; abstractedly。 〃Nobody ever seems to stay here 

long。 Captain Bower promised to tell me all about the ship and he went 

away     the  second    week。    The   photographer     left  before   he  finished   the 

picture of the Pontiac; Monsieur de Ferrieres has only just gone; and now 

YOU are going。〃 

     〃Perhaps; unlike them; I have finished my season of usefulness here;〃 

he replied; with a bitterness he would have recalled the next moment。 But 



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Rosey; with a faint sigh; saying; 〃I won't be long;〃 entered the state…room 

and closed the door behind her。 

     Renshaw       bit  his  lip  and   pulled   at  the  long   silken   threads    of  his 

moustache until they smarted。 Why had he not gone at once? Why was it 

necessary  to   say  he   might   not   see   her   againand   if   he   had   said   it;   why 

should he add anything more? What was he waiting for now? To endeavor 

to prove to her that he really bore no resemblance to Captain Bower; the 

photographer; the crazy Frenchman de Ferrieres? Or would he be forced to 

tell her that he was running away from a conspiracy to defraud her father 

merely for something to say? Was there ever such folly? Rosey was 〃not 

long;〃   as   she   had   said;   but   he   was   beginning   to   pace   the   narrow   cabin 

impatiently when the door opened and she returned。 

     She     had   resumed     her   ordinary     calico   gown;     but   such   was    the 

impression left upon   Renshaw's fancy  that she seemed   to wear it with   a 

new grace。 At any other time he might have recognized the change as due 

to   a   new   corset;   which   strict   veracity   compels   me   to   record   Rosey   had 

adopted     for   the  first  time  that   morning。    Howbeit;     her   slight  coquetry 

seemed to have passed; for she closed the open trunk with a return of her 

old   listless   air;   and   sitting   on   it   rested   her   elbows   on   her  knees   and   her 

oval chin in her hands。 

     〃I wish you would do me a favor;〃 she said after a reflective pause。 

     〃Let    me   know    what    it  is  and  it  shall  be  done;〃    replied   Renshaw 

quickly。 

     〃If you should   come across Monsieur de Ferrieres; or   hear of him;  I 

wish you would let me know。 He was very poorly when he left here; and I 

should like to know if he was better。 He didn't say where he was going。 At 

least; he didn't tell father; but I fancy he and father don't agree。〃 

     〃I shall be very glad of having even THAT opportunity of making you 

remember me; Miss Nott;〃 returned Renshaw with a faint smile; 〃I don't 

suppose either that it would be very difficult to get news of your friend 

everybody seems to know him。〃 

     〃But not as I did;〃 said Rosey with an abstracted little sigh。 

     Mr。 Renshaw opened his brown eyes upon her。 Was he mistaken? was 

this romantic girl only a little coquette playing her provincial airs on him? 



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〃You   say   he   and   your   father   didn't   agree?   That   means;   I   suppose;   that 

YOU and he agreed?and that was the result。〃 

     〃I don't think father knew anything about it;〃 said Rosey simply。 

     Mr。   Renshaw   rose。 And   this   was   what   he   had   been   waiting   to   hear! 

〃Perhaps;〃 he said grimly; 〃you would also like news of the photographer 

and Captain Bower; or did your father agree with them better?〃 

     〃No;〃     said  Rosey    quietly。   She   remained     silent   for  a  moment;     and 

lifting   her   lashes   said;   〃Father   always   seemed   to   agree   with   YOU;   and 

that〃 she hesitated。 

     〃That's why YOU don't。〃 

     〃I   didn't   say   that;〃  said   Rosey     with   an   incongruous      increase    of 

coldness and color。 〃I only meant to say it was that which makes it seem 

so hard you should go now。〃 

     Notwithstanding   his   previous   determination   Renshaw   found   himself 

sitting down again。 Confused and pleased; wishing he had said moreor 

lesshe said nothing; and Rosey was forced to continue。 

     〃It's strange; isn't itbut father was urging me this morning to make a 

visit to some friends at the old Ranch。 I didn't want to go。 I like it much 

better here。〃 

     〃But you cannot bury yourself here forever; Miss Nott;〃 said Renshaw 

with   a   sudden   burst   of   honest   enthusiasm。   〃Sooner   or   later   you   will   be 

forced to go   where   you   will be properly  appreciated;  where   you   will be 

admired and courted; where your slightest wish will be law。 Believe me; 

without flattery; you don't know your own power。〃 

     〃It doesn't seem strong enough to keep even the little I like here;〃 said 

Rosey with a slight glistening of the eyes。 〃But;〃 she added hastily; 〃you 

don't know how much the dear old ship is to me。 It's the only home I think 

I ever had。〃 

     〃But the Ranch?〃 said Renshaw。 

     〃The Ranch seemed to be only the old wagon halted in the road。 It was 

a   very   little   improvement   on   outdoors;〃   said   Rosey   with   a   little   shiver。 

〃But this is so cozy and snug and yet so strange and foreign。 Do you know 

I think I began to understand why I like it so since you taught me so much 

about   ships   and   voyages。   Before   that   I   only  learned   from   books。   Books 



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deceive you; I think; more than people do。 Don't you think so?〃 

     She   evidently  did   not   notice   the   quick   flush   that   covered   his   cheeks 

and apparently dazzled his troubled eyelid for she went on confidentially。 

     〃I   was   thinking   of   you   yesterday。   I   was   sitting   by   the   galley   door; 

looking forward。 You remember the first day I saw you when you startled 

me by coming up out of the hatch?〃 

     〃I   wish     you   wouldn't      think   of   that;〃   said   Renshaw;       with   more 

earnestness than he would have made apparent。 

     〃I   don't   want   to   either;〃   said   Rosey;   gravely;   〃for   I've   had   a   strange 

fancy about it。 I saw once when I was younger; a picture in a print shop in 

Montgomery   Street   that   haunted   me。   I   think   it   was   called   'The   Pirate。' 

There was a number of wicked…looking sailors lying around the deck; and 

coming out of   a hatch   was one figure   with his   hands on the   deck and   a 

cutlass in his mouth。〃 

     〃Thank you;〃 said Renshaw。 

     〃You   don't   understand。   He   was   horrid…looking;   not   at   all   like   you。   I 

never thought of HIM when I first saw you; but the other day I thought 

how dreadful it would have been if some one like him and not like you 

had   come   up   then。   That   made   me   nervous   sometimes   of   being   alone。   I 

think   father   is   too。   He   often   goes   about   stealthily   at   night;   as   if   he   was 

watching for something。〃 

     Renshaw's face grew suddenly dark。 Could it be possible that Sleight 

had   always   suspected   him;   and   set   spies   to   watchor   was   he   guilty   of 

some double intrigue? 

     〃He   thinks;〃   continued   Rosey   with   a   faint   smile;   〃that   some   one   is 

looking around the ship; and talks of setting bear…traps。 I hope you're not 

mad;   Mr。   Renshaw;〃   she   added;   suddenly   catching   sight   of   his   changed 

expression; 〃a
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