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〃Tired of me； I'm afraid。〃
〃No； not yet。〃
〃I'm like you；〃 I confessed。 〃I should like it to go on and on。〃
She had begun to walk along the deck to the companionway and I went
with her。 〃Well； I guess _I_ wouldn't； after all！〃
I had taken her shawl from her to carry it； but at the top of the
steps that led down to the cabins I had to give it back。 〃Your
mother would be glad if she could know；〃 I observed as we parted。
But she was proof against my graces。 〃If she could know what？〃
〃How well you're getting on。〃 I refused to be discouraged。 〃And
that good Mrs。 Allen。〃
〃Oh mother； mother！ She made me come； she pushed me off。〃 And
almost as if not to say more she went quickly below。
I paid Mrs。 Nettlepoint a morning visit after luncheon and another in
the evening； before she 〃turned in。〃 That same day； in the evening；
she said to me suddenly： 〃Do you know what I've done？ I've asked
Jasper。〃
〃Asked him what？〃
〃Why； if SHE asked him； you understand。〃
I wondered。 〃DO I understand？〃
〃If you don't it's because you 'regular' won't； as she says。 If that
girl really asked himon the balconyto sail with us。〃
〃My dear lady； do you suppose that if she did he'd tell you？〃
She had to recognise my acuteness。 〃That's just what he says。 But
he says she didn't。〃
〃And do you consider the statement valuable？〃 I asked； laughing out。
〃You had better ask your young friend herself。〃
Mrs。 Nettlepoint stared。 〃I couldn't do that。〃
On which I was the more amused that I had to explain I was only
amused。 〃What does it signify now？〃
〃I thought you thought everything signified。 You were so full；〃 she
cried； 〃of signification！〃
〃Yes； but we're further out now； and somehow in mid…ocean everything
becomes absolute。〃
〃What else CAN he do with decency？〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint went on。 〃If；
as my son； he were never to speak to her it would be very rude and
you'd think that stranger still。 Then YOU would do what he does； and
where would be the difference？〃
〃How do you know what he does？ I haven't mentioned him for twenty…
four hours。〃
〃Why； she told me herself。 She came in this afternoon。〃
〃What an odd thing to tell you！〃 I commented。
〃Not as she says it。 She says he's full of attention； perfectly
devotedlooks after her all the time。 She seems to want me to know
it； so that I may approve him for it。〃
〃That's charming； it shows her good conscience。〃
〃Yes； or her great cleverness。〃
Something in the tone in which Mrs。 Nettlepoint said this caused me
to return in real surprise： 〃Why what do you suppose she has in her
mind？〃
〃To get hold of him； to make him go so far he can't retreat。 To
marry him perhaps。〃
〃To marry him？ And what will she do with Mr。 Porterfield？〃
〃She'll ask me just to make it all right to himor perhaps you。〃
〃Yes； as an old friend〃and for a moment I felt it awkwardly
possible。 But I put to her seriously： 〃DO you see Jasper caught
like that？〃
〃Well； he's only a boyhe's younger at least than she。〃
〃Precisely； she regards him as a child。 She remarked to me herself
today； that is； that he's so much younger。〃
Mrs。 Nettlepoint took this in。 〃Does she talk of it with you？ That
shows she has a plan； that she has thought it over！〃
I've sufficiently expressedfor the interest of my anecdotethat I
found an oddity in one of our young companions； but I was far from
judging her capable of laying a trap for the other。 Moreover my
reading of Jasper wasn't in the least that he was catchablecould be
made to do a thing if he didn't want to do it。 Of course it wasn't
impossible that he might be inclined； that he might take itor
already have taken itinto his head to go further with his mother's
charge； but to believe this I should require still more proof than
his always being with her。 He wanted at most to 〃take up with her〃
for the voyage。 〃If you've questioned him perhaps you've tried to
make him feel responsible；〃 I said to my fellow critic。
〃A little； but it's very difficult。 Interference makes him perverse。
One has to go gently。 Besides； it's too absurdthink of her age。
If she can't take care of herself！〃 cried Mrs。 Nettlepoint。
〃Yes； let us keep thinking of her age； though it's not so prodigious。
And if things get very bad you've one resource left；〃 I added。
She wondered。 〃To lock her up in her cabin？〃
〃Noto come out of yours。〃
〃Ah never； never！ If it takes that to save her she must be lost。
Besides； what good would it do？ If I were to go above she could come
below。〃
〃Yes； but you could keep Jasper with you。〃
〃COULD I？〃 Mrs。 Nettlepoint demanded in the manner of a woman who
knew her son。
In the saloon the next day； after dinner； over the red cloth of the
tables； beneath the swinging lamps and the racks of tumblers；
decanters and wine…glasses； we sat down to whist； Mrs。 Peck； to
oblige； taking a hand in the game。 She played very badly and talked
too much； and when the rubber was over assuaged her discomfiture
（though not minewe had been partners） with a Welsh rabbit and a
tumbler of something hot。 We had done with the cards； but while she
waited for this refreshment she sat with her elbows on the table
shuffling a pack。
〃She hasn't spoken to me yetshe won't do it；〃 she remarked in a
moment。
〃Is it possible there's any one on the ship who hasn't spoken to
you？〃
〃Not that girlshe knows too well！〃 Mrs。 Peck looked round our
little circle with a smile of intelligenceshe had familiar
communicative eyes。 Several of our company had assembled； according
to the wont； the last thing in the evening； of those who are cheerful
at sea； for the consumption of grilled sardines and devilled bones。
〃What then does she know？〃
〃Oh she knows _I_ know。〃
〃Well； we know what Mrs。 Peck knows；〃 one of the ladies of the group
observed to me with an air of privilege。
〃Well； you wouldn't know if I hadn't told youfrom the way she
acts；〃 said our friend with a laugh of small charm。
〃She's going out to a gentleman who lives over therehe's waiting
there to marry her；〃 the other lady went on； in the tone of authentic
information。 I remember that her name was Mrs。 Gotch and that her
mouth looked always as if she were whistling。
〃Oh he knowsI've told him；〃 said Mrs。 Peck。
〃Well； I presume every one knows；〃 Mrs。 Gotch contributed。
〃Dear madam； is it every one's business？〃 I asked。
〃Why； don't you think it's a peculiar way to act？〃and Mrs。 Gotch
was evidently surprised at my little protest。
〃Why it's right therestraight in front of you； like a play at the
theatreas if you had paid to see it；〃 said Mrs。 Peck。 〃If you
don't call it public！〃
〃Aren't you mixing things up？ What do you call public？〃
〃Why the way they go on。 They're up there now。〃
〃They cuddle up there half the night；〃 said Mrs。 Gotch。 〃I don't
know when they come down。 Any hour they like。 When all the lights
are out they're up there still。〃
〃Oh you can't tire them out。 They don't want relieflike the ship's
watch！〃 laughed one of the gentlemen。
〃Well； if they enjoy each other's society what's the harm？〃 another
asked。 〃They'd do just the same on land。〃
〃They wouldn't do it on the public streets； I presume；〃 said Mrs。
Peck。 〃And they wouldn't do it if Mr。 Porterfield was round！〃
〃Isn't that just where your confusion comes in？〃 I made answer。
〃It's public enough that Miss Mavis and Mr。 Nettlepoint are always
together； but it isn't in the least public that she's going to be
married。〃
〃Why how can you saywhen the very sailors know it！ The Captain
knows it and all the officers know it。 They see them there；
especially at night； when they're sailing the ship。〃
〃I thought there was some rule！〃 submitted Mrs。 Gotch。
〃Well； there isthat you've got to behave yourself；〃 Mrs。 Peck
explained。 〃So the Captain told mehe said they have some rule。 He
said they have to have； when people are too undignified。〃
〃Is that the term he used？〃 I inquired。
〃Well； he may have said when they attract too much attention。〃
I ventured to discriminate。 〃It's we who attract the attentionby
talking about what doesn't concern us and about what we really don't
know。〃
〃She said the Captain said he'd tell on her as soon as ever we
arrive；〃 Mrs。 Gotch none the less serenely pursued。
〃SHE said？〃 I repeated； bewildered。
〃Well； he did say so； that he'd think it his duty to inform Mr。
Porterfield when he comes on to meet herif they keep it up in the
same way；〃 said Mrs。 Peck。
〃Oh they'll keep it up； don't you fear！〃 one of the gentlemen
exclaimed。
〃Dear madam； the Captain's having his joke on you；〃 was； however； my
own congruous reply。
〃No； he ain'the's right down scandalised。 He sa