CHAPTER XL. CAPTAIN SMITH.

Hattie—or, as we should call her in her own home, Georgiana Lonsdale—with her force of character, knew that it was wrong to give way to unavailing grief, and with a strong effort she aroused herself to the action so necessary after her mother’s death.

 

The family physician, and the attorney who had done her father’s business for years before he died—both old and true friends—and the clergyman also, offered all the aid in their power, and the funeral ceremonies were arranged according to the desire of the deceased lady as expressed in her will, found where she had told her daughter it was, almost with her last breath.

 

As we already know, Miss Lonsdale, under her own initials, telegraphed to Mr. W—— the moment she was able to think what she could and should do.

 

After her mother was buried by the side of her father in the family cemetery¹, Georgiana at once began to arrange everything for an absence again, for a time, from her home. She caused two bequests² of her mother, to charitable institutions, to be paid, even before the legal steps of administration were complied with, so anxious was she to carry out her mother’s desire.

 

Leaving the care of the estate to the long tried and faithful attorney, she arranged that with only servants to keep the house in order, and ready for her occupancy when she came, the old housekeeper³ should remain there. The carriages were stored in[194] the carriage-house, and the horses all sent off to be kept on a farm near Amherst, which belonged to the estate, the old family coachman going along to take care of them until he should be wanted again on Beacon⁴ Hill.

 

Georgiana took sufficient time for all these details, for she felt at rest in her mind after she received the telegram from Mr. W——.

 

When everything was arranged to suit her, dressed plainly but very neatly⁵ in her mourning garments, she made ready to return to her humble⁶ position, and to carry out the plans which she had laid down.

 

Captain Smith, standing⁷ by the gangway-plank of his steamer, was surprised one day to see her come on board, and grasping her extended hand, he cried out:

 

“Heaven bless you, young lady. There’s a little woman who never goes to bed at night now, without a thankful prayer on her lips for Miss Hattie Butler, who saved a loving husband for her. And a girl, almost as old as you, but not half as handsome, and four other children, who have your name on their lips, and who speak of nothing but the hope that they will some day meet you and be able to thank you for keeping a father on earth for them, through the mercy of the Father above.”

 

All this the captain was saying as he led our heroine to the best state-room on the boat, and told her, too, that there was every promise of a beautiful night ahead, and a fine run.

 

“You found that my card took the place of tickets, didn’t you?” he asked, as he called the chambermaid to wait on one whom he considered a guest rather than a passenger.

 

[195]

 

“You’ll forgive me, captain, I know,” she answered, “when I tell you I gave your card to a poor weeping widow woman whose pocket had been picked in the depot⁸, and who had not even a ticket to come on with.”

 

Georgiana did not add that she gave the poor woman fifty dollars in cash also.

 

“It was just like you, and I can’t blame you. I’d have helped her myself,” said the good captain. “It’s a kind of a Smith’s failing to put their hands in their pockets when they see any one in distress⁹, and not to take their hands out of their pockets empty.”

 

And now, having his duties to perform, the captain excused himself, and our heroine made herself comfortable for the trip.

 

When the steamer started, our heroine went upon the upper deck to enjoy the air and view, and having asked the captain as a favor not to speak of her being the person who had notified him of his danger on that stormy trip, she felt safe from undue¹⁰ notice.

 

But she was recognized by both the pilots, who raised their hats when she approached the pilot-house, and presently, when the captain came up, he gave her a chair inside the house, whence she could look and enjoy herself without feeling the cold wind that blew in from seaward.

 

Had not the captain and pilots, as requested, been cautious, our heroine would have been lionized, so to speak, on that trip, for there was an unusual number of passengers.

 

There was only one passenger on board who did approach her, and that was the grateful widow whom she had relieved in her dire¹¹ distress.

 

1 cemetery   

n.坟墓，墓地，坟场

参考例句：

• He was buried in the cemetery.他被葬在公墓。
• His remains were interred in the cemetery.他的遗体葬在墓地。

2 bequests   

n.遗赠( bequest的名词复数 )；遗产，遗赠物

参考例句：

• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He left bequests of money to all his friends. 他留下一些钱遗赠给他所有的朋友。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

3 housekeeper   

n.管理家务的主妇，女管家

参考例句：

• A spotless stove told us that his mother is a diligent housekeeper.炉子清洁无瑕就表明他母亲是个勤劳的主妇。
• She is an economical housekeeper and feeds her family cheaply.她节约持家，一家人吃得很省。

4 beacon   

n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔

参考例句：

• The blink of beacon could be seen for miles.灯塔的光亮在数英里之外都能看见。
• The only light over the deep black sea was the blink shone from the beacon.黑黢黢的海面上唯一的光明就只有灯塔上闪现的亮光了。

5 neatly   

adv.整洁地，干净地，灵巧地，熟练地

参考例句：

• Sailors know how to wind up a long rope neatly.水手们知道怎样把一条大绳利落地缠好。
• The child's dress is neatly gathered at the neck.那孩子的衣服在领口处打着整齐的皱褶。

6 humble   

adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低

参考例句：

• In my humble opinion,he will win the election.依我拙见，他将在选举中获胜。
• Defeat and failure make people humble.挫折与失败会使人谦卑。

7 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

8 depot   

n.仓库，储藏处；公共汽车站；火车站

参考例句：

• The depot is only a few blocks from here.公共汽车站离这儿只有几个街区。
• They leased the building as a depot.他们租用这栋大楼作仓库。

9 distress   

n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛

参考例句：

• Nothing could alleviate his distress.什么都不能减轻他的痛苦。
• Please don't distress yourself.请你不要忧愁了。

10 undue   

adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的

参考例句：

• Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
• It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。

11 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。