the pursuit of the house-boat-第22章

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at　do　you　wish　us　to　do？〃

〃Very　well；〃　replied　Mrs。　Noah；　putting　down　her　knitting　and　starting　for　the　deck。　　〃I'm　not　certain；　but　I　think　the　first　thing　to　do　is　to　get　her　moving。　　Do　you　know；　I've　never　discovered　whether　this　boat　was　a　steamboat　or　a　sailing…vessel？　　Does　anybody　know？〃

〃I　think　it　has　a　naphtha　tank　and　a　propeller；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃although　I　don't　know。　　It　seems　to　me　my　brother　Raleigh　told　me　they'd　had　a　naphtha　engine　put　in　last　winter　after　the　freshet；　when　the　House…boat　was　carried　ten　miles　down　the　river；　and　had　to　be　towed　back　at　enormous　expense。　　They　put　it　in　so　that　if　she　were　carried　away　again　she　could　get　back　of　her　own　power。〃

〃That's　unfortunate；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　〃because　I　don't　know　anything　about　these　new　fangled　notions。　　If　there's　any　one　here　who　knows　anything　about　naphtha　engines；　I　wish　they'd　speak。〃

〃I'm　of　the　opinion；〃　said　Portia；　〃that　I　can　study　out　the　theory　of　it　in　a　short　while。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　〃you　can　do　it。　　I'll　appoint　you　engineer；　and　give　you　all　your　orders　now；　right　away；　in　advance。　Set　her　going　and　keep　her　going；　and　don't　stop　without　a　written　order　signed　by　me。　　We　might　as　well　be　very　careful；　and　have　everything　done　properly；　and　it　might　happen　that　in　the　excitement　of　our　trip　you　would　misunderstand　my　spoken　orders　and　make　a　fatal　error。　　Therefore；　pay　no　attention　to　unwritten　orders。　　That　will　do　for　you　for　the　present。　　Xanthippe；　you　may　take　Ophelia　and　Madame　Recamier；　and　ten　other　ladies；　and；　every　morning　before　breakfast；　swab　the　larboard　deck。　　Cassandra；　Tuesdays　you　will　devote　to　polishing　the　brasses　in　the　dining…room；　and　the　balance　of　your　time　I　wish　you　to　expend　in　dusting　the　bric…a…brac。　　Dido；　you　always　were　strong　at　building　fires。　　I'll　make　you　chief　stoker。　　You　will　also　assist　Lucretia　Borgia　in　the　kitchen。　Inasmuch　as　the　latter's　maid　has　neglected　to　supply　her　with　the　usual　line　of　poisons；　I　think　we　can　safely　entrust　to　Lucretia's　hands　the　responsibilities　of　the　culinary　department。〃

〃I'm　perfectly　willing　to　do　anything　I　can；〃　said　Lucretia；　〃but　I　must　confess　that　I　don't　approve　of　your　methods　of　commanding　a　ship。　　A　ship's　captain　isn't　a　domestic　martinet；　as　you　are　setting　out　to　be。　　We　didn't　appoint　you　housekeeper。〃

〃Now；　my　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　firmly；　〃I　do　not　wish　any　words。　If　I　hear　any　more　impudence　from　you；　I'll　put　you　ashore　without　a　reference；　and　the　rest　of　you　I　would　warn　in　all　kindness　that　I　will　not　tolerate　insubordination。　　You　may；　all　of　you；　have　one　night　of　the　week　and　alternate　Sundays　off；　but　your　work　must　be　done。　　The　regimen　I　am　adopting　is　precisely　that　in　vogue　on　the　Ark；　only　I　didn't　have　the　help　I　have　now；　and　things　got　into　very　bad　shape。　　We　were　out　forty　days；　and；　while　the　food　was　poor　and　the　service　execrable；　we　never　lost　a　life。〃

The　boat　gave　a　slight　tremor。

〃Hurrah！〃　cried　Elizabeth；　clapping　her　hands　with　glee；　〃we　are　off！〃

〃I　will　repair　to　the　deck　and　get　our　bearings；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　putting　her　shawl　over　her　shoulders。　　〃Meantime；　Cleopatra；　I　appoint　you　first　mate。　　See　that　things　are　tidied　up　a　bit　here　before　I　return。　　Have　the　windows　washed；　and　to…morrow　I　want　all　the　rugs　and　carpets　taken　up　and　shaken。〃

Portia　meanwhile　had　discovered　the　naphtha　engine；　and；　after　experimenting　several　times　with　the　various　levers　and　stop…cocks；　had　finally　managed　to　move　one　of　them　in　such　a　way　as　to　set　the　engine　going；　and　the　wheel　began　to　revolve。

〃Are　we　going　all　right？〃　she　cried；　from　below。

〃I　am　afraid　not；〃　said　the　gallant　commander。　　〃The　wheel　is　roiling　up　the　water　at　a　great　rate；　but　we　don't　seem　to　be　going　ahead　very　fastin　fact；　we're　simply　moving　round　and　round　as　though　we　were　on　a　pivot。〃

〃I'm　afraid　we're　aground　amidships；〃　said　Xanthippe；　gazing　over　the　side　of　the　House…boat　anxiously。　　〃She　certainly　acts　that　waylike　a　merry…go…round。〃

〃Well；　there's　something　wrong；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　〃and　we've　got　to　hurry　and　find　out　what　it　is；　or　those　men　will　be　back　and　we　shall　be　as　badly　off　as　ever。〃

〃Maybe　this　has　something　to　do　with　it；〃　observed　Mrs。　Lot；　pointing　to　the　anchor　rope。　　〃It　looks　to　me　as　if　those　horrid　men　had　tied　us　fast。〃

〃That's　just　what　it　is；〃　snapped　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃They　guessed　our　plan；　and　have　fastened　us　to　a　pole　or　something；　but　I　imagine　we　can　untie　it。〃

Portia；　who　had　come　on　deck；　gave　a　short　little　laugh。

〃Why；　of　course　we　don't　move；〃　she　said〃we　are　anchored！〃

〃What's　that？〃　queried　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃We　never　had　an　experience　like　that　on　the　Ark。〃

Portia　explained　the　science　of　the　anchor。

〃What　nonsense！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃How　can　we　get　away　from　it？〃

〃We've　got　to　pull　it　up；〃　said　Portia。　　〃Order　all　hands　on　deck　and　have　it　pulled　up。〃

〃It　can't　be　done；　and；　if　it　could；　I　wouldn't　have　it！〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　indignantly。　　〃The　idea！　　Lifting　heavy　pieces　of　iron；　my　dear　Portia；　is　not　a　woman's　work。　　Send　for　Delilah；　and　let　her　cut　the　rope　with　her　scissors。〃

〃It　would　take　her　a　week　to　cut　a　hawser　like　that；〃　said　Elizabeth；　who　had　been　investigating。　　〃It　would　be　more　to　the　purpose；　I　think；　to　chop　it　in　two　with　an　axe。〃

〃Very　well；〃　replied　Mrs。　Noah；　satisfied。　　〃I　don't　care　how　it　is　done　as　long　as　it　is　done　quickly。　　It　would　never　do　for　us　to　be　recaptured　now。〃

The　suggestion　of　Elizabeth　was　carried　out；　and　the　queen　herself　cut　the　hawser　with　six　well…directed　strokes　of　the　axe。

〃You　ARE　an　expert　with　it；　aren't　you？〃　smiled　Cleopatra。

〃I　am；　indeed；〃　replied　Elizabeth；　grimly。　　〃I　had　it　suspended　over　my　head　for　so　long　a　time　before　I　got　to　the　throne　that　I　couldn't　help　familiarizing　myself　with　some　of　its　possibilities。〃

〃Ah！〃　cried　Mrs。　Noah；　as　the　vessel　began　to　move。　　〃I　begin　to　feel　easier。　　It　looks　now　as　if　we　were　really　off。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；　though；〃　said　Cleopatra；　gazing　forward；　〃that　we　are　going　backward。〃

〃Oh；　well；　what　if　we　are！〃　said　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃We　did　that　on　the　Ark　half　the　time。　　It　doesn't　make　any　difference　which　way　we　are　going　as　long　as　we　go；　does　it？〃

〃Why；　of　course　it　does！〃　cried　Elizabeth。　　〃What　can　you　be　thinking　of？　　People　who　walk　backward　are　in　great　danger　of　running　into　other　people。　　Why　not　the　same　with　ships？　　It　seems　to　me；　it's　a　very　dangerous　piece　of　business；　sailing　backward。〃

〃Oh；　nonsense；〃　snapped　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃You　are　as　timid　as　a　zebra。　During　the　Flood；　we　sailed　days　and　days　and　days；　going　backward。　It　didn't　make　a　particle　of　difference　how　we　wentit　was　as　safe　one　way　as　another；　and　we　got　just　as　far　away　in　the　end。　　Our　main　object　now　is　to　get　away　from　the　pirates；　and　that's　what　we　are　doing。　　Don't　get　emotional；　Lizzie；　and　remember；　too；　that　I　am　in　charge。　　If　I　think　the　boat　ought　to　go　sideways；　sideways　she　shall　go。　　If　you　don't　like　it；　it　is　still　not　too　late　to　put　you　ashore。〃

The　threat　calmed　Elizabeth　somewhat；　and　she　was　satisfied；　and　all　went　well　with　them；　even　if　Portia　had　started　the　propeller　revolving　reverse　fashion；　so　that　the　House…boat　was；　as　Elizabeth　had　said；　backing　her　way　through　the　ocean。

The　day　passed；　and　by　slow　degrees　the　island　and　the　marooned　pirates　faded　from　view；　and　the　night　came　on；　and　with　it　a　dense　fog。

〃We're　going　to　have　a　nasty　night；　I　am　afraid；〃　said　Xanthippe；　looking　anxiously　out　of　the　port。

〃No　doubt；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　pleasantly。　　〃I'm　sorry　for　those　who　have　to　be　out　in　it。〃

〃That's　what　I　was　thinking　about；〃　observed　Xanthippe。　　〃It's　going　to　be　very　hard　on　us　keeping　watch。〃

〃Watch　for　what？〃　demanded　Mrs。　Noah；　looking　over　the　tops　of　her　glasses　at　Xanthippe。

〃Why；　surely　you　are　going　to　have　lookouts　stationed　on　deck？〃　said　Elizabeth。

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah。　　〃Perfectly　absurd。　　We　never　did　it　on　the　Ark；　and　it　isn't　necessary　now。　　I　want　you　all　to　go　to　bed　at　ten　o'clock。　　I　don't　think　the　night　air　is　good　for　you。　　Besides；　it　isn't　proper　for　a　woman　to　be　out　after　dark；　whether　she's　new　or　not。〃

〃But；　my　dear　Mrs。　Noah；〃