第 15 节
作者:孤独半圆      更新:2021-02-24 22:24      字数:9322
  seemed to have taken a fancy to Giuseppe Jones。
  〃Listen;〃 said Cleggett; and read:
  〃As for your flag; I spit upon your flag!                   I spit upon your
  organized      society   anywhere      and   everywhere;             I   spit  upon    your
  churches;                          I   spit   upon     your   capitalistic    institutions;
  I   spit   upon   your   laws;              I   spit   upon   the   whole   damned   thing!
  But; as I spit; I weep!      I weep!〃
  〃How silly!〃 said Lady Agatha。           〃What does it mean?〃
  〃It   means〃     began     Cleggett;    and   then    stopped。    The    book    of
  revolutionary verse; taken in conjunction with the red flag that had been
  displayed   and   then   withdrawn;   made   him   wonder   if   Morris's   were   the
  headquarters of some band of anarchists。
  But; if so; why should this band show such an interest in the Jasper B。 ?
  An interest so hostile to her present owner and his men?
  〃If you   was   to ask   me   what it   means;〃   said Captain Abernethy;  who
  had   taken   the   book   and   was   fingering   it;   〃I'd   say   it   means   young   Jones
  here has fell into bad company。           That don't explain how he sneaked into
  the hold of the Jasper B。; nor what for。          But he orter have a doctor。〃
  〃He   shall   have   a   physician;〃   said   Cleggett。   〃In   fact;   the   Jasper   B。
  needs a ship's doctor。〃
  〃It looks to me;〃 said Captain Abernethy; 〃as if she did。                And if you
  was to go further; Mr。 Cleggett; and say that it looks as if she was liable to
  need a couple o' trained nurses; too; I'd say to you that if they's goin' to be
  many o' these kind o' goin's…on aboard of her she DOES need a couple of
  trained nurses。〃
  〃Captain;〃 said Cleggett; 〃you are a humane man let me shake your
  hand。     You have voiced my very thought!〃
  Long ago Cleggett had resolved that if Chance or Providence should
  ever gratify his secret wish to participate in stirring adventures; he would
  see to it that all his wounded enemies; no matter how many there might be
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  of    them;    received    adequate     medical     attention。     He    had    often   been
  shocked at the callousness with which so many of the heroes of romance
  dash    blithely    into  the   next   adventurethough       those    whom     they   have
  seriously injured lie on all sides of them as thick as autumn leaveswith
  only    the   most   perfunctory      consideration     of  these   victims;    sometimes;
  indeed; with no thought of them at all。
  〃Something   tells   me;〃   said   Cleggett   seriously;   〃that   this   intrusion   of
  armed     men    is  only   a  prelude。    I   have   little  doubt   of  the   hostility   of
  Morris's;   I   am   sure   that   the   men   who   hid   in   the hold   are   spies   from
  Morris's。     I do not yet know the motive for this hostility。             But the Jasper
  B。 is in the midst of dangers and mysteries。              There is before us an affair
  of some magnitude。          Ere the Jasper B。 sets sail for the China Seas; there
  may be many wounds。〃
  And then he began to outline a plan that had flashed; full formed; into
  his mind。      It was to rent; or purchase; the buildings at Parker's Beach; and
  fit them up as a field hospital; with three or four nurses in charge。                  Lady
  Agatha; who had been listening intently; interrupted。
  〃Butthe China Seas;〃          she said。     〃Did I understand you to say that
  you intend to set sail for the China Seas?〃
  〃That is the ultimate destination of the Jasper B。〃 said Cleggett。
  〃I   have   heardit    seems    to  me   that   I  have   heardthat    it's  a  very
  dangerous place;〃 ventured Lady Agatha。               〃Pirates; you know; and all that
  sort of thing。〃
  〃Pirates;〃 said Cleggett; 〃abound。〃
  〃Well;    then;〃   persisted    Lady    Agatha;     〃you   are   going   out   to  fight
  them?〃
  〃I   should    not   be  surprised;〃    said   Cleggett;    folding    his  arms;   and
  standing with his feet spread just a trifle wider than usual; 〃if the Jasper B。
  had a brush or two with them。           A brush or two!〃
  Lady Agatha regarded him speculatively。               But admiringly; too。
  〃But   those   nurses〃   she   said。   〃If   you're   going   to   the   China   Seas
  you can't very well take Parker's Beach along。〃
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  THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
  〃I   was   coming     to  that;〃   said  Cleggett;    bowing。     〃I  contemplate      a
  hospital shipa  vessel   supplied   with   nurses   and   lint   and   medicines;   that
  will accompany the Jasper B。; and fly the Red Cross flag。〃
  〃But    they   are   frightful   people;   really;   those   Chinese     pirates;  you
  know;〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃Do you think they'll quite appreciate a hospital
  ship?〃
  〃It is my duty;〃 said Cleggett; simply。          〃Whether they appreciate it or
  not; a hospital ship they shall have。          This is the twentieth century。         And
  although the great spirits of other days had much to commend them; it is
  not to be denied that they knew little of our modern humanitarianism。                     It
  has remained for the twentieth century to develop that。                 And one owes a
  duty to one's epoch as well as to one's individuality。〃
  〃But;〃 repeated Lady Agatha; with a meditative frown; 〃they are really
  FRIGHTFUL people!〃
  〃There   is   good   in   all   men;〃   said   Cleggett;   〃even   in   those   whom   the
  stern necessities of idealism sentence to death。             And I have no doubt that
  many a Chinese pirate would; under other circumstances; have developed
  into a very contented and useful laundry…man。〃
  Lady Agatha   studied him  intently for   a moment。  〃Mr。 Cleggett;〃 she
  said;  〃if   you   will   permit   me   to   say  so;  a   great suffragist   leader   was   lost
  when fate made you a man。〃
  〃Thank you;〃 said Cleggett; bowing again。
  He   dispatched   Georgea   person   of   address   as   well   as   a   fighter   in
  whom       the   blood     of   ancient    Greece     ran   quick    and    strongon     a
  humanitarian mission。         George was to walk a mile to the trolley line; go
  to   Fairport;   hire   a   taxicab;   and   make   all   possible   speed   into   Manhattan。
  There     he  was    to  communicate        with   a  young    physician     of  Cleggett's
  acquaintance; Dr。 Harry Farnsworth。
  Dr。 Farnsworth; as Cleggett knew; was just out of medical school。                  He
  had his degree; but no patients。          But he was bold and ready。           He was; in
  short;  just   the   lad to   welcome   with   enthusiasm  such   a   chance   for   active
  service as the cruise of the Jasper B。 promised to afford。
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  It was something of a risk to weaken his little party by sending George
  away   for   several   hours。   But   Cleggett   did   not   hesitate。   He   was   not   the
  man to allow considerations of personal safety to outweigh his devotion to
  an ideal。
  〃And now;〃 said Cleggett; turning to Lady Agatha; who had hearkened
  to his orders to George with a bright smile of approval; 〃we will dine; and
  I will hear the rest of your story; which was so rudely interrupted。                    It is
  possible   that    together   we    may   be   able   to  find  some    solution    of  your
  problem。〃
  〃Dine!〃 exclaimed Lady Agatha; eagerly。                〃Yes; let us dine!       It may
  sound incredible to you; Mr。 Cleggett; that the daughter of an English peer
  and the widow of a baronet should confess that; except for your tea; she
  has scarcely eaten for twenty…four hoursbut it is so!〃
  Then   she   said;   sadly;   with   a   sign   and   sidelong   glance   at   the   box   of
  Reginald Maltravers which stood near the cabin companionway dripping
  coldly:     〃Until now; Mr。 Cleggettuntil your aid had given me fresh hope
  and strengthI had; indeed; very little appetite。〃
  Cleggett   followed   her   gaze;   and   it   must   be   admitted   that   he   himself
  experienced   a   momentary  sense   of   depression   at   the sight   of   the   box   of
  Reginald Maltravers。          It looked so damp; it looked so chill; it looked so
  starkly    and   patiently    and   malevolently      watchful    of   himself   and    Lady
  Agatha。      In   a   flash   his   lively  fancy  furnished   him  with   a   picture