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！
orrow rather than for conversation。 They smoked their cigars in moody silence； and at midnight shook hands with a sigh and parted。 That sigh meant to say that in the morning all would be over。
They turned in； but； ere either of them was asleep； suddenly the captain's cabin seemed to fill with roars and shrieks of wild beasts； that made the whole ship ring in the silent night The savage cries were answered on deck by shouts of dismay and many pattering feet making for the companion ladder； but the nearest persons to the cabin； and the first to reach it； were Kenealy and Fullalove； who burst in； the former with a drawn sword； the latter with a revolver； both in their nightgowns； and there saw a sight that took their breath away。
The surgeon was not there； and two black men； one with a knife； and one with his bare claws； were fighting and struggling and trampling all over the cabin at once； and the dying man sitting up in his cot； pale； and glaring at them。
CHAPTER XI
THE two supple dusky forms went whirling so fast； there was no grasping them to part them。 But presently the negro seized the Hindoo by the throat； the Hindoo just pricked him in the arm with his knife； and the next moment his own head was driven against the side of the cabin with a stunning crack； and there he was； pinned； and wriggling； and bluish with fright； whereas the other swart face close against his was dark…grey with rage； and its two fireballs of eyes rolled fearfully； as none but African eyes can roll。
Fullalove pacified him by voice and touch； he withdrew his iron grasp with sullen and lingering reluctance； and glared like a disappointed mastiff： The cabin was now full； and Sharpe was for putting both the blacks in irons。 No splitter of hairs was he。 But Fullalove suggested there might be a moral distinction between things that looked equally dark to the eye。
〃Well； then； speak quick； both of you；〃 said Sharpe； 〃or I'll lay ye both by the heels。 Ye black scoundrels； what business have you in the captain's cabin； kicking up the devil's delight？〃
Thus threatened； Vespasian panted out his tale； he had discovered this nigger； as he persisted in calling the Hindoo； eternally prowling about the good captain's door； and asking stupid questions： he had watched him； and； on the surgeon coming out with the good news that the captain was better； in had crawled 〃this yar abominable egotisk。〃 And he raised a ponderous fist to point the polysyllables： with this aid the sarcasm would doubtless have been crushing； but Fullalove hung on the sable orator's arm； and told him drily to try and speak without gesticulating。 〃The darned old cuss；〃 said Vespasian； with a pathetic sigh at not being let hit him。 He resumed and told how he had followed the Hindoo stealthily； and found him with a knife uplifted over the captaina tremor ran through all presentrobbing him。 At this a loud murmur filled the room； a very ugly one； the sort of snarl with which dogs fly at dogs' throats with their teeth； and men fly at men's throats with a cord。
〃Be quiet；〃 said Sharpe imperiously。 〃I'll have no lynching in a vessel I command。 Now then； you； sir； how do you know he was robbing the captain？〃
〃How do I know！ Yah！ yah！ Cap'n； if you please you tell dis unskeptical gemman whether you don't miss a lilly book out of your bosom！〃
During this extraordinary scene； Dodd had been looking from one speaker to another in great surprise and some confusion； but at the negro's direct appeal； his hand went to his breast and clutched it with a feeble but heartrending cry。
〃Oh； him not gone far。 Yah！ yah！〃 and Vespasian stooped； and took up an oilskin packet off the floor； and laid it on the bed。 〃Dis child seen him in dat ar niggar's hand； and heard him go whack on de floor。〃
Dodd hurried the packet into his bosom； then turned all gratitude to his sable friend： 〃Now God bless you！ God bless you！ Give me your honest hand！ You don't know what you have done for me and mine。〃
And； sick as he was； he wrung Vespasian's hand with convulsive strength； and would not part with it。 Vespasian patted him soothingly all over； and whimpered out： 〃Nebber you mind； cap'n！ You bery good man： this child bery fond of you a long time ago。 You bery good man； outrageous good man！ dam good man！ I propose your health： invalesee directly！〃
While Dodd was speaking； the others were silent out of respect； but now Sharpe broke in； and； with the national desire to hear both sides； called on Ramgolam for his version。 The Hindoo was now standing with his arms crossed on his breast； looking all the martyr； meek and dignified。 He inquired of Sharpe； in very broken English； whether he spoke Hindostanee。
〃Not I： nor don't act it neither；〃 said Sharpe。
At this confession Ramgolam looked down on him with pity and mild contempt。
Mr。 Tickell was put forward as interpreter。
_Ramgolam （in Hindostanee）。_ He whom Destiny； too strong for mortals； now oppresses with iron hand and feeds with the bread of affliction
_Mr。 Tickell （translating）。_ He who by bad luck has got into trouble
_Ramgolam。_ Has long observed the virtues that embellish the commander of this ship resembling a mountain； and desired to imitate them
_Tickell。_ Saw what a good man the captain is； and wanted to be like him
_Vespasian。_ The darned old cuss。
_Ramgolam。_ Seeing him often convey his hand to his bosom； I ascribed his unparalleled excellence to the possession of some sovereign talisman。 （Tickell managed to translate this sentence all but the word talisman； which he renderedwith all a translator's caution〃article。〃） Finding him about to depart to the regions of the blessed； where such auxiliaries are not needed； and being eager to emulate his perfections here below； I came softly to the place where he lay
_Tickell。_ When I saw him going to slip his cable； I wanted to be as good a fellow as he is； so I crept alongside
_Ramgolam。_ And gently； and without force； made myself proprietor of the amulet and inheritor of a good man's qualities
_Tickell。_ And quietly boned the article； and the captain's virtues。 I don't know what the beggar means。
_Ramgolam。_ Then a traitor with a dark skin； but darker soul
_Tickell。_ Then another black…hearted nigger
_Ramgolam。_ Came furiously and misappropriated the charm thus piously obtained
_Tickell。_ Ran in and stole it from me。
_Ramgolam。_ And bereft me of the excellences I was inheriting： and
Here Sharpe interrupted the dialogue by putting the misappropriator of other men's virtues in irons； and the surgeon insisted on the cabin being cleared。 But Dodd would not part with the three friends yet； he begged them to watch him； and see nobody else came to take his children's fortune。
〃I'll sink or swim with it； but oh！ I doubt we shall have no luck while it is aboard me。 I never had a pirate alongside before； in all these years。 What is this？here's something in it nowsomething hardsomething heavy： andwhy； it's a bullet！〃
On this announcement； an eager inspection took place： and； sure enough； a bullet had passed through Dodd's coat and waistcoat； &c。； and through the oilskin and the leather pocketbook； and just dented the 〃Hard Cash；〃 no more。
There was a shower of comments and congratulations。
The effect of this discovery on the sick man's spirits was remarkable。 〃I was a villain to belie it；〃 said he。 〃It is my wife's and my children's； and it has saved my life for them。〃
He kissed it and placed it in his bosom； and soon after sunk into a peaceful slumber。 The excitement had not the ill effect the surgeon feared： it somewhat exhausted him； and he slept long； but on awakening； was pronounced out of danger。 To tell the truth； the tide had turned in his favour overnight； and it was to convey the good news on deck the surgeon had left him。
While Dodd was recovering； the _Agra_ was beating westward with light but contrary winds； and a good month elapsed without any incident affecting the Hard Cash； whose singular adventures I have to record。 In this dearth； please put up with a little characteristic trifle； which did happen one moonlight night。 Mr。 Fullalove lay coiled below decks in deep abstraction meditating a patent； and being in shadow and silent； he saw Vespasian in the moonlight creeping on all fours like a guilty thing into the bedroom of Colonel Kenealy； then fast asleep。 A horrible suspicion thrilled through Fullalove： a suspicion he waited grimly to verify。
The transatlantic Mixture； Fullalove； was not merely an inventor； a philanthrope； a warrior； a preacher； a hunter； a swimmer； a fiddler； a sharp fellow； a good fellow； a Puritan； and a Bohemian； he was also a Theorist： and his Theory； which dub we
THE AFRICAN THEORY；
had two branches。 1。 That the races of men started equal； but accident upon accident had walked some tribes up a ladder of civilisation； and kicked others down it； and left others； standing at the foot。
2。 That the good work of centuries could be done； at a pinch； in a few generations； by artificial condensation of the favourable circumstances。 For instance； secure this worker in Ebony 150 years' life； and he would sign a penal bond to produce Negroes of the fourth descent equal in mind to the best contemporary