THE hour-hand of the watch that hung at Sister Julia's belt had just reached three as she put the last touch to the table; that last touch consisted in placing, at each seat, a card bearing the name of the person who was to occupy it. Sister Julia had herself prepared the cards in the little leisure she could spare from hospital duties. On each she had painted some little emblem1 of the sea—a shell, or a spray of seaweed—introducing the name in odd-shaped letters.
Then on the reverse side she had enrolled2 the entire party in the order of their seats at the table, knowing that some of their number would cherish those little cards as precious souvenirs for many a long year to come.
The soup was on the table, and Mrs. Murray having instructed the woman who had been helping3 her just how to bring the dishes to the table, laid aside her great gingham apron4, and gave the signal to sit down.
“Dear me, why so there is!” exclaimed Sister Julia. “How did that ever happen?”
“Why, it happened just this way,” answered a familiar voice; no one could tell just where the voice came from, but all knew whose it was. “It happened just this way. I telegraphed Sister Julia yesterday that if she would put off the dinner till three o'clock I could get through my sermon in time to come, and so here I am, you see,” and Mr. Vale appeared in the door-way, having waited a moment in the vestibule to hang up his coat.
The presence of Mr. Vale was just the one thing needed to complete that Thanksgiving dinner in everyone's estimation.
Even the men, whose knowledge of English was limited to the parrot-learned “Thank you,” brightened when they saw him. There are faces which bear so plainly the imprint6 of love and sympathy, one does not need to speak a common language to comprehend them.
“You have come at the right moment,” said Sister Julia, and Mr. Vale, knowing what she meant, bowed his head and asked a blessing7. It was a prayer as well as a blessing—a prayer for the future of these sailors, who were so soon again to give their lives to the keeping of the sea; and a prayer for the future of the children, that the whole volume of their life might remain as pure and unsullied as the pages of their childhood—nor did he forget the captain lying on his cot in the little vestry room. His voice seemed to gather additional earnestness as he prayed that he might be restored to perfect health, and take up his life again with a divine trust and courage which should be able to grapple victoriously8 with misfortune and despair, should he again be called to meet them.
At the close of the blessing Sister Julia thought she heard a low fervent9 “Amen” from the recesses10 of the little vestry room.
No doubt it was but natural that everyone at that long table should realise that it was no ordinary occasion. Never did a stranger company sit down to a Thanksgiving dinner under stranger circumstances, but they enjoyed it heartily11, notwithstanding the strangeness.
Somehow or other, Mr. Vale knew just the way to draw everybody out, and thanks to him the party, that otherwise might easily have found itself a little stiff and embarrassed, became a very merry one.
Captain Murray enlivened the table with two or three old sea yarns12, and while they were waiting for the dessert to be brought in Mr. Vale induced the sailors to give them two or to be going on, on every side.
When at last Mrs. Murray lifted an all-on-fire plum pudding to the table, one of the younger sailors, who was little more than a boy, clapped his hands from sheer delight, and, fired by his enthusiasm, all at the table followed his example. The colour came into Mrs. Murray's round face; she considered the demonstration13 as a compliment to herself, as was quite right she should, three Spanish songs which they were accustomed to sing together at sea. Meanwhile, Nan had travelled into the vestry with the captain's dinner, of clam14 broth15 and dainty little crackers16; delicious broth, which Sister Julia had herself prepared, and crackers which Nan's own little hands had toasted to a most inviting17 brownness. It did Nan's heart good to see how the captain enjoyed eating them, and it did the captain's heart good to see how much she enjoyed seeing him eat them; and so it was that all through that Thanksgiving Day a constant process of doing hearts good seemed for no little raisin-stoning and washing of currants had gone toward the concoction18 of that great brown pudding, about which the blue flames were now curling so beautifully.
At last the supreme19 moment for “all hands” arrived, when, at a signal from Sister Julia, Regie, as chairman of the finance committee, produced the budget of envelopes, and handed them to one and another as fast as he could make out the names written on the backs of them.
Meanwhile, Mr. Vale stood up, and explained that each envelope contained a gift of money, and though by no means a large amount, the giver hoped it might stand them in good stead, and that each would kindly20 accept it with her best wishes.
At the words “her best wishes,” the eyes of the crew, as by common consent, turned toward Sister Julia, so that she had right away to deny having had any part in the transaction.
“No, indeed,” she said, “you must not thank me for this; Mr. Vale's sister is the good friend to whom you are indebted.”
In the absence of their captain the men looked to their first mate to express their gratitude21. Mr. Vale would have given a great deal if his sister could have heard the few earnest words which the first mate spoke22 from a full heart, and could have seen the sturdy fellow as he spoke them.
And so the dinner was ended. It had grown quite dark in the chapel23, for the early November twilight24 had deepened landward and seaward.
“Before we separate,” said Mr. Vale, “I wish Regie would sing the German evening hymn25 from the Children's Hymnal.”
Regie needed no urging, and took his stand beside Sister Julia at the organ, while the others still kept their places. He loved to sing, throwing his whole soul into it, and in that lay half his power to please.
Clear and sweet rang out the words of the simple hymn, and at its close more than one sleeve was brushed across misty26 eyes, and tears stole from under the captain's eyelids27 as he lay in the little vestry—lying there alone, why need he strive to hide them?—besides, what was there to be ashamed of in such tears as those?
These had been days of new and strange experiences to those Spanish sailors, and they had learned some of life's best lessons for the first time.
“Senorita, that is because our hearts are kinder,” one of the men had answered.
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1
emblem
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| n.象征，标志；徽章 | |
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enrolled
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| adj.入学登记了的v.[亦作enrol]( enroll的过去式和过去分词 )；登记，招收，使入伍（或入会、入学等），参加，成为成员；记入名册；卷起，包起 | |
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3
helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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harry
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| vt.掠夺，蹂躏，使苦恼 | |
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imprint
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| n.印痕，痕迹；深刻的印象；vt.压印，牢记 | |
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7
blessing
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| n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿 | |
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8
victoriously
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| adv.获胜地，胜利地 | |
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fervent
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| adj.热的，热烈的，热情的 | |
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10
recesses
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| n.壁凹( recess的名词复数 )；（工作或业务活动的）中止或暂停期间；学校的课间休息；某物内部的凹形空间v.把某物放在墙壁的凹处( recess的第三人称单数 )；将（墙）做成凹形，在（墙）上做壁龛；休息，休会，休庭 | |
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11
heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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12
yarns
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| n.纱( yarn的名词复数 )；纱线；奇闻漫谈；旅行轶事 | |
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13
demonstration
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| n.表明，示范，论证，示威 | |
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14
clam
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| n.蛤，蛤肉 | |
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broth
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| n.原(汁)汤(鱼汤、肉汤、菜汤等) | |
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crackers
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| adj.精神错乱的，癫狂的n.爆竹( cracker的名词复数 )；薄脆饼干；（认为）十分愉快的事；迷人的姑娘 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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concoction
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| n.调配(物)；谎言 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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23
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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24
twilight
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| n.暮光，黄昏；暮年，晚期，衰落时期 | |
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25
hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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26
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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27
eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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