"I am sorry, Mr. Wyndham," said Captain Jellyby, "to have to offer you
on your very first night on board my good ship very broken slumbers. We
shall be lading with coals all night. Are you easily disturbed by
noise! But I need scarcely ask, for that noise would almost rouse the
dead."
Gerald smiled.
"A broken night is nothing," he said; "at least to me. I suppose there
always is a great commotion the last night before a vessel sails on a
long voyage."
"Not as a rule--at least that isn't my way. We meant to break off and
have a quiet time at midnight, and start operations again at six
o'clock in the morning. But I've had directions from head quarters
which oblige me to quicken my movements. Doocid inconvenient, too!"
"What do you mean?" said Gerald, the pulses round his heart suddenly
quickening. "We sail at noon to-morrow."
"We sail at eight in the morning, my good sir, and I, for one, call it
doocid inconvenient. (Yes, Cadgers, what do you want? Get all hands
possible on board.) I beg your pardon, Mr. Wyndham. (Yes, Cadgers.)
Back with you presently, sir."
The captain disappeared, and Wyndham went down to his cabin.
What did this sudden change mean? Who had given the order? Was that
really Helps who had been on board? Well, Wyndham was in a manner
master on this vessel. It was his own, part of his property; he had
been told over and over again by his father-in-law that on this
voyage, this pleasant voyage, he could give his own orders, and short
of anything which would jeopardize the safety of the boat, the captain
would humor his wishes. He would countermand an order which was putting
everybody out; he did not choose to leave his native shore before the
time specified--noon on the following day. In such a short life as his
even four hours were of moment. He would not lose the four hours of
hope, of the possibility of hope yet left to him.
He went on deck, sought out the captain where he was standing, shouting
out hoarse directions to gangs of energetic looking sailors.
"A word with you, Captain Jellyby," he said. "There is some mistake in
the order which you have received. I mean that I am in a position to
cancel it. I do not wish the _Esperance_ to sail before noon
to-morrow."
His voice was very distinct and penetrating, and the sailors stopped
work and looked at him. Astonishment was written legibly on their
faces.
"Lade away boys, work with a will," said the captain. Then he put his
hand on Gerald's shoulder, turned him round, and walked a pace or two
away.
"I quite understand your position, Mr. Wyndham," he said. "And in all
possible matters I shall yield you due deference. But----"
"Yes," said Wyndham.
"But--we sail at eight to-morrow morning, sharp."
"What do you mean? Who has given you the order?"
"I am not prepared to say. My orders are explicit. Another time, when
Captain Jellyby can meet the wishes of Mr. Wyndham with a clear
conscience, his orders shall also be explicit."
The captain bowed, laid his hand across his heart and turned away.
Wyndham went back to his own cabin, and was tortured all night by a
desire, sane or otherwise, he could not tell which, to leave the
_Esperance_ and return to London and Valentine.
The lading of the vessel went on ceaselessly, and sharp at eight the
following morning she weighed anchor and steamed away. Wyndham had lain
awake all night, but at seven in the morning he fell into a doze. The
doze deepened into quietness, into peaceful and refreshing slumber: the
lines departed from his young face; he had not undressed, but flung
himself as he was on his berth. When the _Esperance_ was flying merrily
through the water, Captain Jellyby had time to give Wyndham a thought.
"That is a nice lad," he said to himself. "He has a nice face, young
too. I don't suppose he has seen five-and-twenty, but he knows what
trouble means. My name is not Jack Jellyby if that young man does not
know what pretty sharp trouble means. Odd, too, for he's rich and has
married the chief's daughter, and what a fuss the chief made about his
reception here. No expense to be spared; every comfort given, every
attention shown, and his orders to be obeyed within reason. Ay, my
pretty lad, there's the rub--within reason. You looked keen and vexed
enough last night when I had to hasten the hour for the departure of
the _Esperance_. I wonder what the chief meant by that. Well, I'll go
and have a look at young Wyndham; he may as well come with me and see
the last of his native shore. As the morning is fine it will be a
pretty sight."
The captain went and begged for admission to Wyndham's cabin. There was
no answer, so he opened the door and poked his red smiling face round.
"Bless me, the boy's asleep," he said; and he came up and took a good
look at his new passenger.
Gerald was dreaming now, and a smile played about his lips. Suddenly he
opened his eyes and said:--
"Yes, Valentine, yes, I'm coming!" and sprang to his feet.
The captain was standing with his legs a little apart, looking at him.
The vessel gave a lurch, and Wyndham staggered.
"Are we off?" he said. "Good God, are we really off?"
"We were off an hour ago, young sir. Come up on deck and see what a
pretty coast line we have just here."
Wyndham put his hand to his forehead.
"I have been cheated," he said suddenly. "Yes. I've been cheated. I
can't speak about it; things weren't clear to me last night, but I had
a dream, and I know now what it all means. I woke with some words on my
lips. What did I say, captain?"
"You called to some fellow of the name of Valentine--your brother,
perhaps."
"I haven't a brother. The person to whom I called was a woman--my wife.
She was coming on board. She would have sailed with me if we had
waited. Now it is too late."
The captain raised his shaggy brows the tenth of an inch.
"They must be sending him on this voyage on account of his health," he
mentally soliloquized. "Now I see daylight. A little touched, poor
fellow. Pity--nice fellow. Well, the chief might have trusted me. Of
course I must humor him, poor lad. Come on deck," he said aloud. "It's
beastly close down here. You should have the porthole open, the sea is
like glass. Come on deck and get a breath of fresh air. Isn't Valentine
a rather uncommon name for a woman? Yes, of course, I heard you were
married. Well, well, you'll be home again in six months. Now come on
deck and look around you."
"Look here, captain," said Gerald suddenly. "I can't explain matters.
I daresay you think me queer, but you're mistaken."
"They all go on that tack," muttered the captain. "Another symptom.
Well, I must humor him. I don't think you queer," he said, aloud.
"You're finely mistaken. You had a dream, and you called on your wife,
whom you have just parted from. What more natural? Bless you. I know
all about it. I was married myself."
"And you left your wife?"
"I left her, and what is worse she left me. She went up to the angels.
Bless her memory, she was a young thing. I see her yet, as she bade me
good-bye. Come on deck, lad."
"Yes; come on deck," said Gerald hoarsely.
All that day he was silent, sitting mostly apart and by himself.
But the captain had his eye on him. In the evening he came again to
Captain Jellyby.
"You touch at Plymouth, don't you?"
"Sometimes."
"This voyage, I mean."
"No."
"I wish you to stop at Plymouth."
"Look here, my lad. 'No' is the only word I can give you. We don't
touch land till we get to Teneriffe. Go and lie down and have a sleep.
We shall have a calm sea to-night, and you look fagged out."
"Are you a man to be bribed?" began Wyndham.
"I am ashamed of you. I am not."
The captain turned his back on him. Wyndham caught him by his shoulder.
"Are you a man to be moved to pity?"
"Look here, my lad, I can pity to any extent; but if you think any
amount of compassion will turn me from my duty, you're in the wrong
box. It's my duty, clear as the sky above, to go straight on to
Teneriffe, and on I shall go. You understand?"
"Yes," said Gerald, "I understand. Thank you, captain, I won't bother
you further."
His voice had altered, his brow had cleared. He walked away to the
further end of the deck, whistling a light air. The captain saw him
stop to pay some small attention to a lady passenger.
"Bless me, if I understand the fellow!" he muttered.