“It’s wonderful. Grant,” she exclaimed. “This is the best day we’ve ever had on the Grey Lady. The wind’s getting up, too, isn’t it?”
“It’s freshening a little, I think,” Grant admitted. “Thank heavens, you’re all good sailors.”
“Upon me, when sailing,” Cornelius Blunn declared, “the sea has a pernicious and devastating4 effect. It gives me appetite, it gives me thirst, it fills me with the joy of life. Yet no sooner do I set my foot upon an ocean steamer than I am incapacitated. It is amazing!”
“I’m glad you mentioned that—the little matter of thirst,” Grant observed, smiling. “It is a long time between afternoon tea and cocktails5. We must introduce Baron6 Funderstrom to my famous Scotch7 whisky. Let’s go into the smoke room. They’ve got the fiddles8 on the table.”
Baron Funderstrom, a tall, gloomy man, grey-haired, grey-bearded, grey-visaged, of neutral outlook and tired manners, accepted the invitation without enthusiasm or demur9. He drank two whiskeys and sodas10 quite patiently.
“It is good whisky,” he pronounced.
“It is wonderful,” Blunn agreed. “It reminds me of what I used to drink in my younger days.”
“It is not SO potent12 as our own,” Baron Funderstrom remarked. “One could drink a great deal of this without discomfort13.”
His eyes were upon the decanter. Grant refilled their glasses,
“Wonderful!” Blunn repeated. “Mr. Slattery, you are the best host in the world. Never shall I forget our first picnic on board this yacht. It is amazing that you should invite us again so soon. Tell me—you will not think I am presuming, I am sure—but our invitation, as I received it, was a little vague. Do we dine on board to-night, or are we to be landed?”
“You dine on board most certainly,” Grant announced. “If this wind continues, we may not be able to land you until quite late in the evening. However, I think that I can promise that my larder14 and my cellar will be equal to any demands we can put upon them.”
“So far as one can judge,” the Scandinavian observed, “they are capable of anything. It is a great thing to own a yacht like this. It’s the acme15 of luxury. Speaking of returning, though, Mr. Slattery, you will not forget that we have to leave for Nice at nine o’clock to-morrow morning.”
“That’s all right,” Grant assured him. “The wind always goes down with the twilight16.”
“When shall we change our course?” Cornelius Blunn enquired17, looking out of the porthole.
“Presently. It’s pleasanter to make a straight run out.”
Prince von Diss swaggered into the smoke room. He seemed smaller than ever in his nautical18 blue serge, and he was perhaps not quite such a good sailor as the others. He was certainly looking a little pinched.
“Mr. Slattery,” he said, in a loud and important tone, “I have been talking to your navigator. Isn’t it almost time we altered our course? We have been out of sight of land for an hour and more.”
“I expect Captain Martin knows what he’s about,” Grant observed coolly. “Come and try this whisky. Prince, or would you prefer a brandy and soda11?”
“I never drink spirits,” was the prompt reply. “Wine, if you have any.”
“I have some Clicquot—a very excellent year.”
“I will drink some Clicquot,” Prince von Diss decided19.
They all sat down again while the steward20 produced an ice pail. There was a disposition21 on Blunn’s part to forget that they had been drinking whisky and soda. Grant managed to slip away. He reached the deck and sat down by Gertrude’s side.
“Really,” she observed, with her eyes fixed22 upon the horizon, “we might almost be taking that sea voyage.”
He smiled.
“A marvellously favourable23 wind!”
“Are they all right?” she asked, dropping her voice a little.
“Perfectly24 contented25, so far! They’ve begun on champagne26 now after whisky and soda. I’m hoping that they may feel like a nap before dinner.”
“Champagne!” she murmured. “That’s Otto, I’m sure. He never drinks anything else. I don’t think, though,” she went on, “that you’ll ever get him to drink enough to make him sleepy. When do you think the trouble will come?”
“Not until after dinner,” Grant assured her. “I shall set the course a little differently before then. As soon as it is necessary to get steam up, I shall be sent for down to the engine room.”
“Really, life might have been very amusing,” she sighed, “if only—”
“It will be amusing enough presently,” he interrupted. “I can see that your husband is already in rather an uncertain mood,—ready to make trouble at the slightest provocation27.”
“Our friend the Baron, I should think, will remain perfectly philosophical28, especially if he has already touched the fifty thousand pounds,” Gertrude declared. “He’s the most colourless person I have ever met.”
Cornelius Blunn came out of the smoking room and walked towards them. His expression was inclined to be thoughtful. He stood for a moment watching their course. Then he looked at the sun.
“You’ll have a long beat back,” he remarked to Grant.
“I shall steam back,” the latter told him. “We’re sailing now—for one thing, because it’s so much pleasanter, and the women enjoy it so.”
“I’m not a nautical man,” Blunn confessed, “but I presume it would be impossible to get back under canvas.”
“With this wind it would take us at least twenty-four hours,” Grant acknowledged. “I don’t think we should make it then. Nowadays every yacht of any size has auxiliary29 power of a sort.”
“We would wish to avoid even the appearance of interfering30 with your arrangements,” Blunn said, “but you will not forget that our friend, Baron Funderstrom, is a delegate; that means he must leave for Nice at nine o’clock to-morrow morning.”
“He’ll be back before midnight.”
“It is rather a pity Lord Yeovil was not able to join us. We should have felt quite safe with him here.”
“He and Lymane are hard at it, getting things ready for to-morrow,” Grant explained. “It isn’t very often he misses a day on the sea. What about a rubber of bridge before dinner. I’ll order a table.”
He strolled away. Blunn turned towards Gertrude. He looked at her for a moment thoughtfully.
“Has anything about this cruise struck you as being in any way peculiar31?” he asked.
“Why, no,” she replied. “It all seems very pleasant. Mr. Slattery is a wonderful host.”
“Marvellous!” he assented32. “Still, I don’t quite see why he’s standing33 such a long way out or why he was so particularly anxious to have Funderstrom as a guest. Funderstrom is not an attractive man.”
“As a matter of fact, it was I who suggested him,” she admitted. “And having once mentioned his name, I suppose Mr. Slattery was trying to be civil.”
“It was you who suggested him,” Blunn repeated thoughtfully. “Ah, well, we shall see. I expect I’m being very foolish. We shall soon know.”
“I don’t know about being foolish but you’re very mysterious,” Gertrude said, with slightly uplifted eyebrows34.
“It is because I am on the scent35 of a mystery,” he replied. “A crude mystery, a clumsy affair, without a doubt—but still a mystery. We shall see.”
It was a significant fact to Cornelius Blunn that cocktails were introduced before the accustomed time and pressed upon every one to the limits of hospitality. Grant, himself, who was, as a rule, exceedingly moderate, set an example by drinking one every time they came round, and when they descended36 into the saloon for dinner, there were magnums of champagne upon the table.
“When we get on deck after dinner,” he announced, “we shall be headed for the land and under steam.”
“At what time do you propose to get rid of us?” Gertrude asked.
“In time for a final flutter at the Casino, if you’re keen about it,” he assured her.
The service of dinner proceeded. The wine circulated, conversation, which had languished37 at first, soon became gay, even uproarious. Cornelius Blunn alone seemed to be scarcely in his usual spirits. He looked often out of the porthole; more than once he glanced at the clock.
“What about the course, now?” he asked his host once.
“We are round by this time,” Grant answered. “You’ll hear the engines directly.”
Another half an hour passed, however, and the engines remained silent. Then one of the junior officers came in and whispered in Grant’s ear. He laid down his table napkin.
“May I be excused for a minute?” he begged. “A matter of etiquette38. My engineer always has to consult me. A perfect bluff39, of course.”
He was gone about ten minutes. When he came back they all looked at him a little curiously40. It was Gertrude who became spokeswoman.
“Is anything wrong, Grant?” she asked. “We’re not going to be shipwrecked or anything, are we?”
“Not a chance of it,” he assured her. “I wish there were. I’d show you what an Admirable Crichton I should make. As a matter of fact, there’s a little trouble with one of the pistons41. We may not be able to get going for an hour or so.”
There was a brief silence. Then Susan laughed gaily42.
“What fun! Shall we have to sleep on board?”
“Not so bad as that, I don’t suppose,” was the cheerful reply. “If you do, though, I fancy we can manage to make you comfortable. Bad luck it’s a head wind, or we could beat in. We’re gaining a little all the time, as it is.”
Baron Funderstrom finished his glass of champagne and looked to see if there was any more in the nearest bottle.
“There will be no doubt, I trust, about my being landed in time to get to Nice to-morrow?” he enquired.
“Not the slightest,” Grant promised, making a sign to the steward. “Now, gentlemen, we must just finish this champagne. Then I’m going to introduce you to my Madeira. Vintage port I can’t offer you, but my Madeira—well, I bought it on the island myself, and I believe there is nothing else quite like it.”
They sat for the best part of an hour round the table. The women went out on deck, but Susan soon returned in glistening43 oilskins.
“Dark as pitch,” she declared, “and little spits of rain all the time. Really, Mr. Host, you do provide us with lots of variety, even in the way of weather.”
Grant rose to his feet.
“We’ll have a look round,” he proposed. “I thought we should have heard the engines before now.”
They trooped out on deck. One of the stewards44 was busy handing out oilskins and sou’westers. They walked up and down for a moment or two. There were no lights in sight, and they seemed to be doing little more than drift.
“I’ll go and have a talk to Captain Martin,” Grant suggested. “Perhaps I’d better look downstairs first, though, and see what Henderson can arrange, in case we have to give you a shakedown.”
“I’d like to come with you,” Cornelius Blunn, who had been curiously silent for some time, proposed. “Which way are your quarters?”
Grant led them along the oak-panelled passage and threw open the door of his own little suite45. Blunn, who was following close behind, suddenly pushed against him, so heavily that Grant slipped. The Prince, who had joined them on the stairs, slammed the door. Grant felt the cold pressure of a pistol against his forehead.
“If you utter a sound,” Blunn threatened, “as sure as I’m a living man, you’ll be a dead one. Hold up your hands and back away there.”
Grant held up one hand and stooped and picked up a cigar with the other.
“I give you my word of honour that I am not armed,” he said, “and I haven’t the faintest intention of quarrelling with a man who is. Now what’s it all about?”
“Will you give the order to start your engines?” Blunn demanded.
“I’ll see you damned first,” was the emphatic46 reply.
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收听单词发音
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1
Mediterranean
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| adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的 | |
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crested
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| adj.有顶饰的，有纹章的，有冠毛的v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的过去式和过去分词 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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devastating
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| adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的 | |
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cocktails
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| n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 )；餐前开胃菜；混合物 | |
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baron
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| n.男爵；(商业界等)巨头，大王 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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8
fiddles
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| n.小提琴( fiddle的名词复数 )；欺诈；（需要运用手指功夫的）细巧活动；当第二把手v.伪造( fiddle的第三人称单数 )；篡改；骗取；修理或稍作改动 | |
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demur
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| v．表示异议，反对 | |
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sodas
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| n.苏打( soda的名词复数 )；碱；苏打水；汽水 | |
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soda
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| n.苏打水；汽水 | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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discomfort
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| n.不舒服，不安，难过，困难，不方便 | |
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larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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acme
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| n.顶点，极点 | |
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twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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enquired
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| 打听( enquire的过去式和过去分词 )； 询问； 问问题； 查问 | |
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nautical
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| adj.海上的，航海的，船员的 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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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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disposition
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| n.性情，性格；意向，倾向；排列，部署 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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favourable
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| adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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champagne
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| n.香槟酒；微黄色 | |
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27
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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philosophical
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| adj.哲学家的，哲学上的，达观的 | |
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auxiliary
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| adj.辅助的，备用的 | |
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30
interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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scent
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| n.气味，香味，香水，线索，嗅觉；v.嗅，发觉 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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languished
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| 长期受苦( languish的过去式和过去分词 )； 受折磨； 变得（越来越）衰弱； 因渴望而变得憔悴或闷闷不乐 | |
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etiquette
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| n.礼仪，礼节；规矩 | |
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39
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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40
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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41
pistons
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| 活塞( piston的名词复数 ) | |
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42
gaily
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| adv.欢乐地，高兴地 | |
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glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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44
stewards
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| （轮船、飞机等的）乘务员( steward的名词复数 )； （俱乐部、旅馆、工会等的）管理员； （大型活动的）组织者； （私人家中的）管家 | |
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45
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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46
emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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