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by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第29部分

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long; dark; heavily…wooded flank of Mount Tamalpais that rose from the 

valley a dozen miles away。 A cessation of the warm rain; a rift in the sky; 

and the rare spectacle of cloud scenery; combined with a certain sense of 

freedom;   restored   that   lighthearted   gayety   that   became   him   most。   At   a 

sudden turn of the road he caught sight of Rosey's figure coming towards 

him;   and   quickened   his   step   with   the   impulsiveness   of   a   boy。   But   she 

suddenly  disappeared;   and   when   he   again   saw   her   she   was   on   the   other 

side   of   the   trail   apparently   picking   the   leaves   of   a   manzanita。   She   had 

already seen him。 

     Somehow the frankness of his greeting was checked。 She looked up at 

him with cheeks that retained enough of their color to suggest why she had 

hesitated;   and   said;   〃YOU   here;   Mr。   Renshaw?   I   thought   you   were   in 

Sacramento。〃 

     〃And I thought YOU were in Petaluma;〃 he retorted gayly。 〃I have a 

letter from your father。 The fact is; one of those gentlemen who has been 

haunting the ship actually made an entry last night。 Who he was; and what 

he came for; nobody knows。 Perhaps your father gives you his suspicions。〃 

He   could   not   help   looking   at   her   narrowly   as   he   handed   her   the   note。 

Except     that   her  pretty   eyebrows      were   slightly   raised   in  curiosity    she 

seemed undisturbed as she opened the letter。 Presently she raised her eyes 

to his。 

     〃Is this all father gave you?〃 

     〃All。〃 

     〃You're sure you haven't dropped anything?〃 

     〃Nothing。 I have given you all he gave me。〃 



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     〃And that is all it is。〃 She exhibited the missive; a perfectly blank sheet 

of paper folded like a note! 

     Renshaw       felt   the   angry    blood     glow    in   his   cheeks。     〃This    is 

unpardonable! I   assure   you; Miss   Nott;  there   must be some   mistake。  He 

himself  has   probably  forgotten   the  inclosure;〃   he   continued;   yet   with   an 

inward   conviction that   the   act   was   perfectly  premeditated on   the   part of 

the old man。 

     The young girl held out her hand frankly。 〃Don't think any more of it; 

Mr。 Renshaw。 Father is forgetful at times。 But tell me about last night。〃 

     In a few words Mr。 Renshaw briefly but plainly related the details of 

the attempt upon the Pontiac; from the moment that he had been awakened 

by Nott;  to   his discovery  of   the unknown   trespasser's   flight by  the  open 

door   to   the   loft。   When   he   had   finished;   he   hesitated;   and   then   taking 

Rosey's hand;  said   impulsively;  〃You   will not be   angry  with   me   if   I   tell 

you all? Your father firmly believes that the attempt was made by the old 

Frenchman; de Ferrieres; with a view of carrying you off。〃 

     A dozen reasons other than the one her father would have attributed it 

to might have called the blood to her face。 But only innocence could have 

brought   the   look   of   astonished   indignation   to   her   eyes   as   she   answered 

quickly: 

     〃So THAT was what you were laughing at?〃 

     〃Not that; Miss Nott;〃 said the young man eagerly: 〃though I wish to 

God I could accuse myself of nothing more disloyal。 Do not speak; I beg;〃 

he added impatiently; as Rosey was about to reply。 〃I have no right to hear 

you; I have no right to even stand in your presence until I have confessed 

everything。 I came to the Pontiac; I made your acquaintance; Miss Nott; 

through a fraud as wicked as anything your father charges to de Ferrieres。 

I am not a contractor。 I never was an honest lodger in the Pontiac。 I was 

simply a spy。〃 

     〃But   you   didn't   mean   to   beit   was   some   mistake;   wasn't   it?〃   said 

Rosey; quite white; but more from sympathy with the offender's emotion 

than horror at the offense。 

     〃I am afraid I did mean it。 But bear with me for a few moments longer 

and you shall know all。 It's a long story。 Will you walk on; andtake my 



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arm? You do not shrink from me; Miss Nott。 Thank you。 I scarcely deserve 

the kindness。〃 

     Indeed   so   little   did   Rosey   shrink   that   he   was   conscious   of   a   slight 

reassuring pressure on his arm as they moved forward; and for the moment 

I   fear   the   young   man   felt   like   exaggerating   his   offense   for   the   sake   of 

proportionate sympathy。 〃Do you remember;〃 he continued; 〃one evening 

when I told you some sea tales; you said you always thought there must be 

some story about the Pontiac? There was a story of the Pontiac; Miss Nott… 

…a   wicked   storya   terrible   storywhich   I   might   have   told   you;   which   I 

OUGHT to have told youwhich was the story that brought me there。 You 

were right; too; in saying that you thought I had known the Pontiac before 

I stepped first on her deck that day。 I had。〃 

     He laid his disengaged hand across lightly on Rosey's; as if to assure 

himself that she was listening。 

     〃I was at that time a sailor。 I had been fool enough to run away from 

college;   thinking   it   a   fine   romantic   thing   to   ship   before   the   mast   for   a 

voyage round the world。 I was a little disappointed; perhaps; but I made 

the best of it; and in two years I was second mate of a whaler lying in a 

little harbor of one of the uncivilized islands of the Pacific。 While we were 

at anchor there a French trading vessel put in; apparently for water。 She 

had the dregs of a mixed crew of Lascars and Portuguese; who said they 

had lost the rest of their men by desertion; and that the captain and mate 

had been carried off by fever。 There was something so queer in their story 

that our skipper took the law in his own hands; and put me on board of her 

with   a   salvage   crew。   But   that   night   the   French   crew   mutinied;   cut   the 

cables; and would have got to sea if we had not been armed and prepared; 

and managed to drive them below。 When we had got them under hatches 

for   a   few   hours   they   parleyed;   and   offered   to   go   quietly   ashore。 As   we 

were short of hands and unable to take them with us; and as we had no 

evidence against them; we let them go; took the ship to Callao; turned her 

over   to   the   authorities;   lodged   a   claim   for   salvage;   and   continued   our 

voyage。 When we returned we found the truth of the story was known。 She 

had been a French trader from Marseilles; owned by her captain; her crew 

had mutinied in the Pacific; killed their officers and the only passenger 



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the owner of the cargo。 They had made away with the cargo and a treasure 

of   nearly    half  a  million    of  Spanish    gold   for   trading   purposes    which 

belonged to the passenger。 In course of time the ship was sold for salvage 

and    put   into  the  South    American      trade   until  the  breaking    out   of  the 

Californian      gold   excitement;    when     she  was    sent  with   a  cargo   to  San 

Francisco。 That ship was the Pontiac which your father bought。〃 

     A   slight   shudder   ran   through   the   girl's   frame。   〃I   wishI   wish   you 

hadn't told me;〃 she said。 〃I shall never close my eyes again comfortably 

on board of her; I know。〃 

     〃I would say that you had purified her of ALL stains of her past but 

there may be one that remains。 And THAT in most people's eyes would be 

no    detraction。   You    look   puzzled;    Miss   Nottbut    I  am   coming     to  the 

explanation and the end of my story。 A ship of war was sent to the island 

to punish the mutineers and pirates; for such they were; but they could not 

be   found。  A  private   expedition   was   sent   to   discover   the   treasure   which 

they were supposed to have buried; but in vain。 About two months ago Mr。 

Sleight told me one of his shipmates had sent him a Lascar sailor who had 

to dispose of a valuable secret regarding the Pontiac for a percentage。 That 

secret was that the treasure was never taken by the mutineers out of the 

Pontiac! They were about to land and bury it when we boarded them。 They 

took advantage of their imprisonment under hatches to BURY IT IN THE 

SHIP。   They   hid   it   in   the   hold   so   securely   and   safely   that   it   was   never 

detected   by   us   or   the   Callao   authorities。   I   was   then   asked;   as   one   who 

knew the vessel; to undertake a private examination of her; with a view of 

purchasing      her   from   your    father  without    awakening     
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