Some dreary1 days, and even weeks, passed by, and one evening Wallingford passed the captain's cabin on his way to his own. It had lately been rough, windy weather in the harbor, but that night the Ranger2 was on an even keel, and as steady as if she were a well-built house on shore.
The door was open. "Is that you, Mr. Wallingford? Come in, will you?" The captain gave his invitation the air of a command.
Wallingford obeyed, but stood reluctant before his superior.
"I thought afterward3 that you had gone off in something of a flurry, that night we dined together, and you have avoided any conversation with me since my return from Paris. I don't like your looks now. Has anything come between us? Do you repent4 your confidence?"
"No, I do not repent it," said the lieutenant5 slowly.
"Something has touched your happiness. Come, out with it! We were like brothers then. The steward6 caught us hand in hand; it is long since I have had so happy an evening. I am grateful for such friendship as you showed me, when we were together that night. God knows I have felt the lack of friendship these many days past. Come, sir, what's your grievance7 with me?"
"It is nothing that I should tell you. You must excuse me, sir."
The captain looked at him steadily8. "Had I some part in it? Then you are unjust not to speak."
There was great kindness, and even solicitude9, in Paul Jones's tone. Wallingford was moved. It was easier to find fault with the captain when his eyes were not upon one; they had great power over a man.
"Come, my dear fellow," he said again, "speak to me with frankness; you have no sincerer friend than I."
"It was the sight of the ring on your finger, then. I do not think you meant to taunt10 me, but to see it was enough to rob me of my hope, sir: that was all."
The captain colored and looked distressed11; then he covered his eyes, with an impatient gesture. He had not a guilty air, or even an air of provocation12; it struck Wallingford at the moment that he wore no look, either, of triumphant13 happiness, such as befitted the accepted lover of Mary Hamilton.
"You knew the ring?" asked the captain, looking up, after some moments of perplexing silence.
"I have always known it," answered Roger Wallingford; "we were very old friends. Of late I had been gathering14 hope, and now, sir, it seems that I must wish another man the joy I lived but to gain."
"Sit ye down," said the captain. "I thought once that I might gather hope, too. No man could wish for greater happiness on earth than the love of such a lady: we are agreed to that."
Then he was silent again. The beauty of Mary Hamilton seemed once more before his eyes, as if the dim-lighted cabin and the close-set timbers of the ship were all away, and he stood again on the terrace above the river with the pleading girl. She had promised that she would set a star in the sky for him; he should go back, one day, and lay his victories at her feet. How could a man tell if she really loved this young Wallingford? In the natural jealousy15 of that last moment when they were together, he had felt a fierce delight in bringing Wallingford away; she was far too good for him,—or for any man, when one came to that! Yet he had come himself to love the boy. If, through much suffering, the captain had not stood, that day, at the very height of his own character, with the endeavor to summon all his powers for a new effort, the scale at this moment would have turned.
"My dear lad, she is not mine," he said frankly16. "God knows I wish it might be otherwise! You forget I am a sailor." He laughed a little, and then grew serious. "'T is her ring, indeed, and she gave it me, but 't was a gift of friendship. See, I can kiss it on my finger with you looking on, and pray God aloud to bless the lovely giver. 'T will hold me to my best, and all the saints know how I stand in need of such a talisman17!"
"You do not mean it, sir?" faltered18 Roger. "Can you mean that"—
"Now are we friends again? Yes, I mean it! Let us be friends, Wallingford. No, no, there need be nothing said. I own that I have had my hopes, but Miss Hamilton gave me no promise. If you go home before me, or without me, as well may happen, you shall carry back the ring. Ah no, for 't is my charm against despair!" he said. "I am sore vexed19; I am too often the prey20 of my vulgar temper, but God knows I am sore vexed. Let us be friends. I must have some honest man believe in me, among these tricksters." The captain now bent21 to his writing, as if he could trust himself to say no more, and waved the lieutenant to be gone. "God help me, and I 'll win her yet!" he cried next moment, when he was alone again, and lifted his face as if Heaven must listen to the vow22. "Women like her are blessed with wondrous23 deep affections rather than quick passion," he said again softly. "'T is heaven itself within a heart like that, but Love is yet asleep."
The lights of Nantes and the lanterns of the shipping24 were all mirrored in the Loire, that night; there was a soft noise of the river current about the ship. The stars shone thick in the sky; they were not looking down on so happy a lover the world over as Roger Wallingford. He stood by the mainmast in the cold night air, the sudden turn of things bewildering his brain, his strong young heart beating but unsteadily. Alas25, it was weeks ago that a single, stiffly phrased letter had gone home to his mother, and Mary's own letter was at the bottom of the sea. There was a swift homeward-bound brig just weighing anchor that had ventured to sea in spite of foes26, and taken all the letters from the Ranger, and now it might be weeks before he could write again. Oh, distance, distance! how cruel are the long miles of sea that separate those who love, and long to be together!
Later that night, before they turned in, the officers and crew beheld27 Captain Paul Jones and his lately estranged28 lieutenant pacing the deck together. They were looked upon with pleasure by some who honored them both, but next day a new whispering was set forward; there was need of suspicion, since this new alliance might mean concerted betrayal, and Paul Jones himself was not above being won over to the Tories, being but an adventurer on his own account. Dickson was as busy as the devil in a gale29 of wind. His own plots had so far come to naught30; he had not set these officers to hate each other, or forced them to compass each other's downfall. On the contrary, they had never really been fast friends until now.
The only thing was to rouse public opinion against them both. It were easy enough: he had promised to meet again the man whom he had met in the tavern31 the day before,—that messenger of Thornton, who had given hints of great reward if any one would give certain information which was already in Dickson's keeping. That night he shook his fist at the two figures that paced the quarter-deck.
"One of you came out of pride and ambition," he muttered, "and the other to please his lady! We men are here for our own rights, and to show that the colonies mean business!"
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1
dreary
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| adj.令人沮丧的，沉闷的，单调乏味的 | |
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ranger
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| n.国家公园管理员，护林员；骑兵巡逻队员 | |
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3
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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repent
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| v.悔悟，悔改，忏悔，后悔 | |
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5
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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8
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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solicitude
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| n.焦虑 | |
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10
taunt
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| n.辱骂，嘲弄；v.嘲弄 | |
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11
distressed
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| 痛苦的 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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13
triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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14
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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15
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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16
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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talisman
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| n.避邪物，护身符 | |
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18
faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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19
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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prey
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| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
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21
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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shipping
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| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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foes
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| 敌人，仇敌( foe的名词复数 ) | |
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27
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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estranged
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| adj.疏远的，分离的 | |
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gale
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| n.大风，强风，一阵闹声（尤指笑声等） | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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tavern
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| n.小旅馆，客栈；小酒店 | |
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