第38章

believeImaybeinapositiontobeofsomeservicetoafriendofyours——togivehim，atleast，someverywelcomeinformation。”

Thelastclausewasasoptomyconscience：Icouldnotpretend，eventomyself，eitherthepowerorthewilltoserveMr。Carthew；butIfeltsurehewouldliketoheartheFlyingScudwasburned。

“Idon’tknow——I——Idon’tunderstandyou。”stammeredmyvictim。“Idon’thaveanyfriendsinHonolulu，don’tyouknow？”

“ThefriendtowhomIreferisEnglish。”Ireplied。“ItisMr。

Carthew，whomyoupickedupatMidway。Myfirmhasboughtthewreck；Iamjustreturnedfrombreakingherup；and——tomakemybusinessquitecleartoyou——IhaveacommunicationitisnecessaryIshouldmake；andhavetotroubleyouforMr。Carthew’saddress。”

ItwillbeseenhowrapidlyIhaddroppedallhopeofinterestingthefrigidBritishbear。He，onhisside，wasplainlyonthornsatmyinsistence；IjudgedhewassufferingtormentsofalarmlestIshouldproveanundesirableacquaintance；diagnosedhimforashy，dull，vain，unamiableanimal，withoutadequatedefence——

asortofdishousedsnail；andconcluded，rightlyenough，thathewouldconsenttoanythingtobringourinterviewtoaconclusion。Amomentlater，hehadfled，leavingmewithasheetofpaper，thusinscribed：——

NorrisCarthew，Stallbridge-le-Carthew，Dorset。

Imighthavecriedvictory，thefieldofbattleandsomeoftheenemy’sbaggageremaininginmyoccupation。Asamatteroffact，mymoralsufferingsduringtheengagementhadrivalledthoseofMr。Sebright；Iwasleftincapableoffreshhostilities；I

ownedthatthenavyofoldEnglandwas(forme)invincibleasofyore；andgivingupallthoughtofthedoctor，inclinedtosaluteherveteranflag，inthefuture，fromaprudentdistance。

Suchwasmyinclination，whenIretiredtorest；andmyfirstexperiencethenextmorningstrengthenedittocertainty。ForI

hadthepleasureofencounteringmyfairantagonistonhiswayonboard；andhehonouredmewitharecognitionsodisgustinglydry，thatmyimpatienceoverflowed，and(recallingthetacticsofNelson)Ineglectedtoperceiveortoreturnit。

Judgeofmyastonishment，somehalf-hourlater，toreceiveanoteofinvitationfromtheTempest。

“DearSir。”itbegan，“weareallnaturallyverymuchinterestedinthewreckoftheFlyingScud，andassoonasImentionedthatIhadthepleasureofmakingyouracquaintance，averygeneralwishwasexpressedthatyouwouldcomeanddineonboard。Itwillgiveusallthegreatestpleasuretoseeyouto-night，orincaseyoushouldbeotherwiseengaged，toluncheoneitherto-morroworto-day。”Anoteofthehoursfollowed，andthedocumentwoundupwiththenameof“J。

LascellesSebright。”underanundeniablestatementthathewassincerelymine。

“No，Mr。LascellesSebright。”Ireflected，“youarenot，butI

begintosuspectthat(liketheladyinthesong)youareanother’s。Youhavementionedyouradventure，myfriend；youhavebeenblownup；youhavegotyourorders；thisnotehasbeendictated；andIamaskedonboard(inspiteofyourmelancholyprotests)nottomeetthemen，andnottotalkabouttheFlyingScud，buttoundergothescrutinyofsomeoneinterestedinCarthew：thedoctor，forawager。Andforasecondwager，allthisspringsfromyourfacilityingivingtheaddress。”Ilostnotimeinansweringthebillet，electingfortheearliestoccasion；andattheappointedhour，asomewhatblackguard-lookingboat’screwfromtheNorahCreinaconveyedmeunderthegunsoftheTempest。

Theward-roomappearedpleasedtoseeme；Sebright’sbrotherofficers，incontrasttohimself，tookaboyishinterestinmycruise；andmuchwastalkedoftheFlyingScud；ofhowshehadbeenlost，ofhowIhadfoundher，andoftheweather，theanchorage，andthecurrentsaboutMidwayIsland。Carthewwasreferredtomorethanoncewithoutembarrassment；theparallelcaseofalateEarlofAberdeen，whodiedmateonboardaYankeeschooner，wasadduced。Iftheytoldmelittleoftheman，itwasbecausetheyhadnotmuchtotell，andonlyfeltaninterestinhisrecognitionandpityforhisprolongedill-

health。Icouldneverthinkthesubjectwasavoided；anditwasclearthattheofficers，farfrompractisingconcealment，hadnothingtoconce

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