“Have you reached a settlement, Mr. Meyer? Will the insurance be paid?”
“No,” roared the underwriter, in the ear of the puzzled old gentleman; while he slapped him vigorously on the back; “it will not be paid. You or I must have been ruined, Mr. Selfridge, and it has settled on you. I do not pay der Titan’s insurance — nor will der other insurers. On der contrary, as der collision clause in der policy is void with der rest, your company must reimburse2 me for der insurance which I must pay to der Royal Age owners — that is, unless our good friend here, Mr. Rowland, who was on der lookout3 at der time, will swear that her lights were out.”
“Not at all,” said Rowland. “Her lights were burning — look to the old gentleman,” be exclaimed. “Look out for him. Catch him!”
Mr. Selfridge was stumbling toward a chair. He grasped it, loosened his hold, and before anyone could reach him, fell to the floor, where be lay, with ashen4 lips and rolling eyes gasping5 convulsively.
Heart failure,” said Rowland, as he knelt by his side. “Send for a doctor.”
“Send for a doctor,” repeated Mr. Meyer through the door to his clerks; “and send for a carriage, quick. I don’t want him to die in der office.”
Captain Barry lifted the helpless figure to a couch, and they watched, while the convulsions grew easier, the breath shorter, and the lips from ashen gray to blue. Before a doctor or carriage had come, he had passed away.
“Sudden emotion of some kind,” said the doctor when he did arrive. “Violent emotion, too. Hear bad news?”
“Bad and good,” answered the underwriter. Good, in learning that this dear little girl was his granddaughter — bad, in learning that he was a ruined man. He was der heaviest stockholder in der Titan. One hundred thousand pounds, he owned, of der stock, all of which this poor, dear little child will not get.” Mr. Meyer looked sorrowful, as he patted Myra on the head.
Captain Barry beckoned6 to Rowland, who, slightly flushed, was standing7 by the still figure on the couch and watching the face of Mr. Meyer, on which annoyance8, jubilation9, and simulated shock could be seen in turn.
“Wait,” he said, as he turned to watch the doctor leave the room. “Is this so, Mr. Meyer,” he added to the underwriter, “that Mr. Selfridge owned Titan stock, and would have been ruined, had he lived, by the loss of the insurance money?”
“Yes, he would have been a poor man. He had invested his last farthing — one hundred thousand pounds. And if he had left any more it would be assessed to make good his share of what der company must pay for der Royal Age, which I also insured.”
“Was there a collision clause in the Titan’s policy?”
“Dere was.”
“And you took the risk, knowing that she was to run the Northern Lane at full speed through fog and snow?”
I did — so did others.
Then, Mr. Meyer, it remains10 for me to tell you that the insurance on the Titan will be paid, as well as any liabilities included in and specified11 by the collision clause in the policy. In short, I, the one man who can prevent it, refuse to testify.”
“What?”
Mr. Meyer grasped the back of a chair and, leaning over it, stared at Rowland.
“You will not testify? What you mean?”
“What I said; and I do not feel called upon to give you my reasons, Mr. Meyer.”
“My good friend,” said the underwriter, advancing with outstretched hands to Rowland, who backed away, and taking Myra by the hand, moved toward the door. Mr. Meyer sprang ahead, locked it and removed the key, and faced them.
“Oh, mine goot Gott,” he shouted, relapsing in his excitement into the more pronounced dialect of his race; “What I do to you, hey? Why you go pack on me, hey? Haf I not pay der doctor’s bill? Haf I not pay for der carriage? Haf I not treat you like one shentleman? Haf I not, hey? I sit you down in mine office and call you Mr. Rowland. Haf I not been one shentleman?”
“Open that door,” said Rowland, quietly.
“Yes, open it,” repeated Captain Barry, his puzzled face clearing at the prospect12 of action on his part. “Open it or I’ll kick it down.”
“But you, mine friend — heard der admission of der captain — of der drugging. One goot witness will do: two is petter. But you will swear, mine friend, you will not ruin me.”
“I stand by Rowland,” said the captain, grimly. “I don’t remember what was said, anyhow; got a blamed bad memory. Get away from that door.”
Grievous lamentation13 — weepings and wailings, and the most genuine gnashing of teeth — interspersed14 with the feebler cries of the frightened Myra and punctuated15 by terse16 commands in regard to the door, filled that private office, to the wonder of the clerks without, and ended, at last, with the crashing of the door from its hinges.
Captain Barry, Rowland, and Myra, followed by a parting, heart-borne malediction17 from the agitated18 underwriter, left the office and reached the street. The carriage that had brought them was still waiting.
“Settle inside,” called the captain to the driver. We’ll take another, Rowland.”
Around the first corner they found a cab, which they entered, Captain Barry giving the driver the directions — “Bark Peerless, East India Dock.”
“I think I understand the game, Rowland,” he said, as they started; “you don’t want to break this child.”
“That’s it,” answered Rowland, weakly, as he leaned back on the cushion, faint from the excitement of the last few moments. “And as for the right or wrong of the position I am in — why, we must go farther back for it than the question of lookouts19. The cause of the wreck20 was full speed in a fog. All hands on lookout could not have seen that berg. The underwriters knew the speed and took the risk. Let them pay.”
“Right — and I’m with you on it. But you must get out of the country. I don’t know the law on the matter, but they may compel you to testify. You can’t ship ‘fore the mast again — that’s settled. But you can have a berth21 mate with me as long as I sail a ship — if you’ll take it; and you’re to make my cabin your home as long as you like; remember that. Still, I know you want to get across with the kid, and if you stay around until I sail it may be months before you get to New York, with the chance of losing her by getting foul22 of English law. But just leave it to me. There are powerful interests at stake in regard to this matter.”
What Captain Barry had in mind, Rowland was too weak to inquire. On their arrival at the bark be was assisted by his friend to a couch in the cabin, where be spent the rest of the day, unable to leave it. Meanwhile, Captain Barry had gone ashore23 again.
Returning toward evening, he said to the man on the couch: “I’ve got your pay, Rowland, and signed a receipt for it to that attorney. He paid it out of his own pocket. You could have worked that company for fifty thousand, or more; but I knew you wouldn’t touch their money, and so, only struck him for your wages. You’re entitled to a month’s pay. Here it is — American money-about seventeen.” He gave Rowland a roll of bills.
“Now here’s something else, Rowland,” he continued, producing an envelope. “In consideration of the fact that you lost all your clothes and later, your arm, through the carelessness of the company’s officers, Mr. Thompson offers you this.” Rowland opened the envelope. In it were two first cabin tickets from Liverpool to New York. Flushing hotly, he said, bitterly:
“It seems that I’m not to escape it, after all.”
“Take ’em, old man, take ’em; in fact, I took ’em for you, and you and the kid are booked. And I made Thompson agree to settle your doctor’s bill and expenses with that Sheeny. ‘Tisn’t bribery25. I’d heel you myself for the run over, but, hang it, you’ll take nothing from me. You’ve got to get the young un over. You’re the only one to do it. The old gentleman was an American, alone here — hadn’t even a lawyer, that I could find. The boat sails in the morning and the night train leaves in two hours. Think of that mother, Rowland. Why, man, I’d travel round the world to stand in your shoes when you hand Myra over. I’ve got a child of my own.” The captain’s eyes were winking26 hard and fast, and Rowland’s were shining.
“Yes, I’ll take the passage,” he said, with a smile. I accept the bribe24.”
“That’s right. You’ll be strong and healthy when you land, and when that mother’s through thanking you, and you have to think of yourself, remember — I want a mate and will be here a month before sailing. Write to me, care o’ Lloyds, if you want the berth, and I’ll send you advance money to get back with.”
“Thank you, captain,” said Rowland, as he took the other’s hand and then glanced at his empty sleeve; “but my going to sea is ended. Even a mate needs two hands.”
“Well, suit yourself, Rowland; I’ll take you mate without any hands at all while you had your brains. It’s done me good to meet a man like you; and — say, old man, you won’t take it wrong from me, will you? It’s none o’ my business, but you’re too all-fired good a man to drink. You haven’t had a nip for two months. Are you going to begin?”
“Never again,” said Rowland, rising. “I’ve a future now, as well as a past.”
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收听单词发音
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1
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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reimburse
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| v.补偿，付还 | |
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3
lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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4
ashen
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| adj.灰的 | |
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5
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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6
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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7
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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8
annoyance
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| n.恼怒，生气，烦恼 | |
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9
jubilation
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| n.欢庆，喜悦 | |
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10
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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11
specified
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| adj.特定的 | |
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12
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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13
lamentation
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| n.悲叹，哀悼 | |
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14
interspersed
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| adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词 | |
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15
punctuated
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| v.（在文字中）加标点符号，加标点( punctuate的过去式和过去分词 )；不时打断某事物 | |
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16
terse
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| adj.(说话，文笔)精炼的，简明的 | |
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17
malediction
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| n.诅咒 | |
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18
agitated
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| adj.被鼓动的，不安的 | |
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19
lookouts
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| n.寻找（ 某人/某物）( lookout的名词复数 )；是某人（自己）的问题；警戒；瞭望台 | |
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20
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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21
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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22
foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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23
ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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24
bribe
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| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
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25
bribery
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| n.贿络行为，行贿，受贿 | |
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26
winking
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| n.瞬眼，目语v.使眼色( wink的现在分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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