"It is she!"
"What?--a female! overboard, do you say? Where? Where?"
The man was evidently in earnest. My soliloquy had been loud enough to
reach his ears.
He believed it to be a reply to his previous question, and my excited
manner confirmed him in the belief that a woman had actually fallen into
the river!
His questions and exclamations were overheard and repeated in the voices
of others who stood near. Like wildfire an alarm ran through the boat.
Passengers rushed from the cabins, along the guards, and out to the
front awning, and mingled their hurried interrogatories, "Who? What?
Where?" A loud voice cried out--
"Some one overboard! A woman! it's a woman!"
Knowing the cause of this ridiculous alarm, I gave no heed to it. My
mind was occupied with a far different matter. The first shock of a
hideous passion absorbed my whole soul, and I paid no attention to what
was going on around me.
I had scarce recognised the face, when the boat rounding up-stream
brought the angle of the cabin between it and me. I rushed forward, as
far as the gangway. I was too late:--the wheel-house obstructed the
view. I did not halt, but ran on, directing myself towards the top of
the wheel-house. Passengers in their excitement were rushing along the
guards. They hindered my progress, and it was some time before I could
climb up the wheel-house, and stand upon its rounded roof. I did so at
length, but too late. The boat had forged several hundred yards into
the stream. I could see the wharf-boat with its glaring lights. I
could even see human forms standing along its deck, but I could no
longer distinguish that one that my eyes were in search of.
Disappointed I stepped on to the hurricane-deck, which was almost a
continuation of the roof of the wheel-house. There I could be alone,
and commune with my now bitter thoughts.
I was not to have that luxury just then. Shouts, the trampling of heavy
boots bounding over the planks, and the pattering of lighter feet,
sounded in my ears; and next moment a stream of passengers, male and
female, came pouring up the sides of the wheel-house.
"That's the gentleman--that's him!" cried a voice.
In another instant the excited throng was around me, several inquiring
at once--
"Who's overboard? Who? Where?"
Of course I saw that these interrogatories were meant for me. I saw,
too, that an answer was necessary to allay their ludicrous alarm.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" I said, "there is no one overboard that I am
aware of. Why do you ask _me_?"
"Hilloa, Mister!" cried the cause of all this confusion, "didn't you
tell me--?"
"I told you nothing."
"But didn't I ask you if thar wan't some one overboard?"
"You did."
"And you said in reply--"
"I said nothing in reply."
"Darned if you didn't! you said `Thar she is!' or, `It was she!' or
something o' that sort."
I turned towards the speaker, who I perceived was rather losing credit
with his auditory.
"Mister!" said I, imitating his tone, "it is evident you have never
heard of the man who grew immensely rich by minding his own business."
My remark settled the affair. It was received by a yell of laughter,
that completely discomfited my meddling antagonist, who, after some
little swaggering and loud talk, at length went below to the "bar" to
soothe his mortified spirit with a "gin-sling."
The others dropped away one by one, and dispersed themselves through the
various cabins and saloons; and I found myself once more the sole
occupant of the hurricane-deck.