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！
casuist。
〃What I can't understand；〃 I insisted subtly； 〃is how on earth；
with this wind； she has managed to be just where she was when we
first made her out。 It is clear that she could not； and did not；
gain twelve miles on us during the night。 And there are other
impossibilities。 。 。 。〃
Dominic had been sitting motionless； like an inanimate black cone
posed on the stern deck； near the rudder…head； with a small tassel
fluttering on its sharp point； and for a time he preserved the
immobility of his meditation。 Then； bending over with a short
laugh； he gave my ear the bitter fruit of it。 He understood
everything now perfectly。 She was where we had seen her first； not
because she had caught us up； but because we had passed her during
the night while she was already waiting for us； hove…to； most
likely； on our very track。
〃Do you understand … already？〃 Dominic muttered in a fierce
undertone。 〃Already！ You know we left a good eight hours before
we were expected to leave； otherwise she would have been in time to
lie in wait for us on the other side of the Cape； and〃 … he snapped
his teeth like a wolf close to my face … 〃and she would have had us
like … that。〃
I saw it all plainly enough now。 They had eyes in their heads and
all their wits about them in that craft。 We had passed them in the
dark as they jogged on easily towards their ambush with the idea
that we were yet far behind。 At daylight； however； sighting a
balancelle ahead under a press of canvas； they had made sail in
chase。 But if that was so； then …
Dominic seized my arm。
〃Yes； yes！ She came out on an information … do you see； it？ … on
information。 。 。 。 We have been sold … betrayed。 Why？ How？ What
for？ We always paid them all so well on shore。 。 。 。 No！ But it
is my head that is going to burst。〃
He seemed to choke； tugged at the throat button of the cloak；
jumped up open…mouthed as if to hurl curses and denunciation； but
instantly mastered himself； and； wrapping up the cloak closer about
him； sat down on the deck again as quiet as ever。
〃Yes； it must be the work of some scoundrel ashore；〃 I observed。
He pulled the edge of the hood well forward over his brow before he
muttered：
〃A scoundrel。 。 。 。 Yes。 。 。 。 It's evident。〃
〃Well；〃 I said； 〃they can't get us； that's clear。〃
〃No；〃 he assented quietly； 〃they cannot。〃
We shaved the Cape very close to avoid an adverse current。 On the
other side； by the effect of the land； the wind failed us so
completely for a moment that the Tremolino's two great lofty sails
hung idle to the masts in the thundering uproar of the seas
breaking upon the shore we had left behind。 And when the returning
gust filled them again； we saw with amazement half of the new
mainsail； which we thought fit to drive the boat under before
giving way； absolutely fly out of the bolt…ropes。 We lowered the
yard at once； and saved it all； but it was no longer a sail； it was
only a heap of soaked strips of canvas cumbering the deck and
weighting the craft。 Dominic gave the order to throw the whole lot
overboard。
I would have had the yard thrown overboard； too； he said； leading
me aft again； 〃if it had not been for the trouble。 Let no sign
escape you；〃 he continued； lowering his voice； 〃but I am going to
tell you something terrible。 Listen： I have observed that the
roping stitches on that sail have been cut！ You hear？ Cut with a
knife in many places。 And yet it stood all that time。 Not enough
cut。 That flap did it at last。 What matters it？ But look！
there's treachery seated on this very deck。 By the horns of the
devil！ seated here at our very backs。 Do not turn； signorine。〃
We were facing aft then。
〃What's to be done？〃 I asked； appalled。
〃Nothing。 Silence！ Be a man； signorine。〃
〃What else？〃 I said。
To show I could be a man； I resolved to utter no sound as long as
Dominic himself had the force to keep his lips closed。 Nothing but
silence becomes certain situations。 Moreover； the experience of
treachery seemed to spread a hopeless drowsiness over my thoughts
and senses。 For an hour or more we watched our pursuer surging out
nearer and nearer from amongst the squalls that sometimes hid her
altogether。 But even when not seen； we felt her there like a knife
at our throats。 She gained on us frightfully。 And the Tremolino；
in a fierce breeze and in much smoother water； swung on easily
under her one sail； with something appallingly careless in the
joyous freedom of her motion。 Another half…hour went by。 I could
not stand it any longer。
〃They will get the poor barky；〃 I stammered out suddenly； almost on
the verge of tears。
Dominic stirred no more than a carving。 A sense of catastrophic
loneliness overcame my inexperienced soul。 The vision of my
companions passed before me。 The whole Royalist gang was in Monte
Carlo now； I reckoned。 And they appeared to me clear…cut and very
small； with affected voices and stiff gestures； like a procession
of rigid marionettes upon a toy stage。 I gave a start。 What was
this？ A mysterious； remorseless whisper came from within the
motionless black hood at my side。
〃IL FAUL LA TUER。〃
I heard it very well。
〃What do you say； Dominic？〃 I asked； moving nothing but my lips。
And the whisper within the hood repeated mysteriously； 〃She must be
killed。〃
My heart began to beat violently。
〃That's it；〃 I faltered out。 〃But how？〃
〃You love her well？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Then you must find the heart for that work too。 You must steer
her yourself； and I shall see to it that she dies quickly； without
leaving as much as a chip behind。〃
〃Can you？〃 I murmured； fascinated by the black hood turned
immovably over the stern； as if in unlawful communion with that old
sea of magicians； slave…dealers； exiles and warriors； the sea of
legends and terrors； where the mariners of remote antiquity used to
hear the restless shade of an old wanderer weep aloud in the dark。
〃I know a rock；〃 whispered the initiated voice within the hood
secretly。 〃But … caution！ It must be done before our men perceive
what we are about。 Whom can we trust now？ A knife drawn across
the fore halyards would bring the foresail down； and put an end to
our liberty in twenty minutes。 And the best of our men may be
afraid of drowning。 There is our little boat； but in an affair
like this no one can be sure of being saved。〃
The voice ceased。 We had started from Barcelona with our dinghy in
tow； afterwards it was too risky to try to get her in； so we let
her take her chance of the seas at the end of a com