Captain Rombold and Colonel Passford remained in the cabin all the rest of the day; but the next morning both of them went on deck to take the fresh air. Christy and Mr. Gilfleur were in the waist, and noticed them as soon as they appeared. They had had some conversation the evening 170 before in regard to confronting the two most important prisoners, though without arriving at a conclusion.
"Of course I must meet my uncle," said Christy. "I am not inclined to skulk4 and keep out of sight rather than meet him. Though I have assisted in doing him and his cause a great deal of mischief5, I have done it in the service of my country; and I have no excuses to offer, and no apologies to make."
"I was not thinking of excusing myself, or apologizing for what I have done," replied the detective quite earnestly. "That is not the point I desire to make. Since I went to New York I have looked upon your country as my own; and I would do as much to serve her as I ever would have done for France."
"What is your point, Mr. Gilfleur?" asked Christy.
"I do not object to your fraternizing with your uncle, Mr. Passford, if you are so disposed," continued the Frenchman; "but the case is quite different with me. In the hotel at St. George's you were not presented to Captain Rombold, and you did not allow the Confederate commissioner6 to see 171 and identify you. Neither of these gentlemen recognized you; but the captain of the Dornoch would certainly know me, for I talked with him a long time."
"Suppose both of them know us: what difference will that make?" demanded the young lieutenant7.
"It will explain to them in what manner we obtained our knowledge of the force and weight of metal of the Dornoch. While we had as good a right to be on shore in the Bermudas as the Confederates, if we were recognized our method of operations would be betrayed, and in my opinion that would be very bad policy, especially as we are to adopt the same strategy in the Bahamas."
"I see; and I agree with you, Mr. Gilfleur, that it will be good policy to keep our own counsel in regard to what we have done in the islands," added Christy, as he saw Captain Chantor approaching him.
"Good-morning, Mr. Passford. You and your uncle do not appear to be on very friendly terms, for I notice that you do not speak to each other."
"Our relations have always been friendly, even while I was in a rebel prison; but I have not happened 172 to meet him since he came on board of the Chateaugay."
"I will present you to him as his nephew, if you desire me to do so," continued the commander with a smile.
"I thank you, Captain: I intended to speak to him when an opportunity came. But you will pardon me if I make a suggestion without being asked to do so," said Christy, speaking in a low tone; and he proceeded to state what had passed between him and Mr. Gilfleur. "I hope you have not mentioned the fact that Mr. Gilfleur and myself have been in the Bermudas."
"I have not, for it came to my mind that it would be very unwise to do so," replied the captain. "Besides, I was not at all inclined to tell Captain Rombold that I knew all about his ship, her size, the number of her ship's company, and the weight of his guns. A man does not feel just right when he finds he has been made the victim of a bit of strategy; and I was disposed to spare his feelings. He charges his misfortune altogether to his antiquated8 steamer, her failure in her promised speed, and the neglect of the Confederate commissioners9 to provide him with a suitable vessel10."
173 "Mr. Gilfleur will keep out of the captain's sight during the run to New York; but I was acting11 as a servant when we met him, and did not sit at the same table. I will speak to my uncle now."
Captain Chantor attended him to the quarter-deck, where the commissioner was taking his morning walk. They fell in behind him as he was moving aft, so that he did not observe his nephew.
"Colonel Passford, I have a young gentleman on board of my ship who bears your name; allow me to present to you Lieutenant Christopher Passford, who is simply a passenger on the Chateaugay," said the captain, directing the attention of the commissioner to the young man.
"My nephew!" exclaimed Colonel Passford, as he recognized Christy, and extended his hand to him.
"I am very glad to see you, Uncle Homer, though I am sorry to meet you under present circumstances," replied the nephew, taking the offered hand. "I hope you are very well, sir."
"Not very well, Christy; and I am not likely to improve in health in a Yankee prison," answered the colonel with a very sickly smile.
"Probably my father will be able to obtain a 174 parole for you, and he will be extremely glad to have you with him at Bonnydale," added Christy.
"The last time I met you, Christy, you looked upon me as a non-combatant, released me, and sent me on shore."
"I am not sure that I did wisely at that time."
"I was not taken in arms; and I could hardly be regarded as a prisoner of war."
"But you were engaged in the Confederate service, Uncle Homer, for you were shipping12 cotton for the benefit of the cause."
"But I was merely a passenger on board of the Dornoch."
"Yet you are a Confederate commissioner, seeking a passage in some vessel bound to England, for the purpose of purchasing steamers to serve in your navy," added Christy with considerable energy, and without thinking that he was in danger of compromising himself and his companion in the visit to the Bermudas.
Colonel Passford stopped short, and gazed into the face of his nephew. He appeared to be utterly13 confounded by the statement, though he did not deny the truth of it.
"Without admitting the truth of what you say, 175 Christy, I desire to ask upon what your statement is founded," said the commissioner, after some hesitation14.
"As you are on one side in this great conflict, and I am on the other, you must excuse me for not answering your question," replied Christy very promptly15, and declining to commit himself any farther.
"It is very sad to have our family divided so that we should be enemies, however friendly we may be personally," added Colonel Passford in a tone that indicated his profound grief and sorrow.
"I know how useless it is for us to discuss the question, Uncle Homer, for I am sure you are as honest in your views as my father is in his."
"I have no desire to argue the question; but I believe the North will come to its senses in good time—when the grass grows in the streets of New York, if not before."
"You will have an opportunity to see for yourself, Uncle Homer, that New York was never so busy, never so prosperous, as at the present time; and the same may be truthfully said of all the cities of the North," replied Christy with spirit.
"Sail, ho!" shouted the lookout16 forward.
176 An hour later the sail was reported to be a steamer, bound to the westward18, and her streak19 of black smoke indicated that she was English. She was low in the water, had two smoke-stacks, and presented a very rakish appearance. She was a vessel of not more than eight hundred tons, and her build was quite peculiar20. It was evident that she was a very fast steamer. But she seemed to have no suspicions in regard to the character of the Chateaugay.
Christy left his uncle, and went to the ward17 room, where he found Mr. Gilfleur in his stateroom. He desired the advice of the Frenchman before he said anything to the captain in regard to the approaching sail. Together they had looked over all the steamers in the harbor of St. George's, and those on board of them were not disposed to conceal21 the fact that they were to run the blockade as soon as they could get over to the coast of the United States.
"What have you been doing to yourself, Mr. Gilfleur?" asked Christy, as soon as he discovered the detective, for he had completely changed his appearance, and looked like an elderly gentleman of fifty, with a full beard, grizzled with the snows of many winters.
177 "I don't care to be shut up in this stateroom during the voyage to New York," replied the Frenchman with a pleasant laugh. "This is one of my useful costumes, and I don't believe Captain Rombold will recognize me now."
"I am very sure he will not," added Christy, looking him over, and wondering at the skill which could so completely change his appearance.
"I want you to see the steamer which is approaching, bound to the westward. If I am not mistaken, we have seen her before."
"I am all ready, and I will go on deck with you; but you must contrive22 to let the captain know who I am, or he will order me below, or have too much to say about me," replied the detective, as he followed Christy to the quarter-deck.
Colonel Passford and Captain Rombold had seated themselves abaft23 the mizzenmast, and seemed to be interested in the reports respecting the approaching steamer. Christy called Captain Chantor to the rail, and explained what the commander had already scented24 as a mystery in regard to the gentleman with the grizzled beard. He laughed heartily25 as he gazed at the apparent stranger, and declared that he thought he might 178 be another Confederate commissioner, for he looked respectable and dignified26 enough to be one.
"I think that steamer is the Cadet, Captain Chantor; and I have brought Mr. Gilfleur on deck to take a look at her."
The Frenchman had no doubt the steamer was the Cadet, for she was peculiar enough in her build to be identified among a thousand vessels27 of her class. For some time they discussed the character of the vessel, and minutely examined her build and rig. Neither of them had any doubt as to her identity, and the passenger reported the result of the conference to the commander, who immediately ordered the American flag to be displayed at the peak; and gave the command to beat to quarters.
"We are over six hundred miles from any Confederate port, Mr. Passford," said the captain. "I should not like to have one of my captures surrendered to her owners."
"Of course you have your law books in your cabin, Captain; but I have studied them so much that I can quote literally28 from one bearing on this case," continued Christy. "'The sailing for a blockaded port, knowing it to be blockaded, is, it 179 seems, such an act as may charge the party with a breach29 of the blockade.' Besides the evidence of her course, and that of the nature of her cargo, there are two witnesses to the declaration of the captain that he was intending to run into Wilmington."
"She has come about, and is running away from you, Captain!" exclaimed the passenger, who was the first on the quarter-deck to notice this change.
The commander ordered a gun to be fired across her bow, for the Cadet was hardly more than a quarter of a mile from the Chateaugay. No notice was taken of the shot, and a moment later the midship gun sent a shot which carried away her pilot-house and disabled the wheel.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
complement
|
|
| n.补足物，船上的定员；补语；vt.补充，补足 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
cargo
|
|
| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
prey
|
|
| n.被掠食者，牺牲者，掠食；v.捕食，掠夺，折磨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
skulk
|
|
| v.藏匿；潜行 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
mischief
|
|
| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
commissioner
|
|
| n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
lieutenant
|
|
| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
antiquated
|
|
| adj.陈旧的，过时的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
commissioners
|
|
| n.专员( commissioner的名词复数 )；长官；委员；政府部门的长官 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
vessel
|
|
| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
acting
|
|
| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
shipping
|
|
| n.船运（发货，运输，乘船） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
utterly
|
|
| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
promptly
|
|
| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
lookout
|
|
| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
ward
|
|
| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
westward
|
|
| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
streak
|
|
| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
peculiar
|
|
| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
conceal
|
|
| v.隐藏，隐瞒，隐蔽 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
contrive
|
|
| vt.谋划，策划；设法做到；设计，想出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
abaft
|
|
| prep.在…之后；adv.在船尾，向船尾 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
scented
|
|
| adj.有香味的；洒香水的；有气味的v.嗅到(scent的过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
heartily
|
|
| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
dignified
|
|
| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
vessels
|
|
| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
literally
|
|
| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
breach
|
|
| n.违反，不履行；破裂；vt.冲破，攻破 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |