hard cash-第33章

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In　the　lane　she　told　him　quietly　she　knew　the　nature　of　his　father's　objections　to　the　alliance　he　had　so　much　at　heart；　and　they　were　objections　which　her　husband；　on　his　return；　would　remove。　On　this　he　changed　his　tone　a　little；　and　implored　her　piteously　not　to　deceive　him。

〃I　will　not；〃　said　she；　〃upon　my　honour。　If　you　are　as　constant　as　my　daughter　is　in　her　esteem　for　younotwithstanding　her　threadbare　gaiety　worn　over　loyal　regret；　and　to　check　a　parcel　of　idle　ladies'　tonguesyou　have　nothing　to　fear　from　me；　and　everything　to　expect。　Come；　_Alfred_may　I　take　that　liberty　with　you？let　us　understand　one　another。　We　only　want　that　to　be　friends。〃

This　was　hard　to　resist　and　at　his　age。　His　lip　trembled；　he　hesitated；　but　at　last　gave　her　his　hand。　She　walked　two　hours　with　him；　and　laid　herself　out　to　enlighten；　soothe；　and　comfort　his　sore　heart　His　hopes　and　happiness　revived　under　her　magic；　as　Julia's　had。　In　the　midst　of　it　all；　the　wise　woman　quietly　made　terms。　He　was　not　to　come　to　the　house　but　on　her　invitation；　unless　indeed　he　had　news　of　the　_Agra_　to　communicate；　but　he　might　write　once　a　week　to　her；　and　enclose　a　few　lines　to　Julia。　On　this　concession　he　proceeded　to　mumble　her　white　wrist；　and　call　her　his　best；　dearest；　loveliest　friend；　his　mother。　〃Oh；　remember；〃　said　he；　with　a　relic　of　distrust；　〃you　are　the　only　mother　I　can　ever　hope　to　have。〃

That　touched　her。　Hitherto；　he　had　been　to　her　but　a　thing　her　daughter　loved。

Her　eyes　filled。　〃My　poor；　warm…hearted；　motherless　boy；〃　she　said；　〃pray　for　my　husband's　safe　return。　For　on　that　your　happiness　depends；　and　hers；　and　mine。〃

So　now　two　more　bright　eyes　looked　longingly　seaward　for　the　_Agra_　homeward　bound。


CHAPTER　VII

NORTH　latitude　23。5；　longitude　east　113；　the　time　March　of　this　same　year；　the　wind　southerly；　the　port　Whampoa；　in　the　Canton　river。　Ships　at　anchor　reared　their　tall　masts　here　and　there；　and　the　broad　stream　was　enlivened　and　coloured　by　junks　and　boats　of　all　sizes　and　vivid　hues；　propelled　on　the　screw　principle　by　a　great　scull　at　the　stern；　with　projecting　handles；　for　the　crew　to　work；　and　at　times　a　gorgeous　mandarin　boat；　with　two　great　glaring　eyes　set　in　the　bows；　came　flying；　rowed　with　forty　paddles　by　an　armed　crew；　whose　shields　hung　on　the　gunwale　and　flashed　fire　in　the　sunbeams：　the　mandarin；　in　conical　and　buttoned　hat；　sitting　on　the　top　of　his　cabin　calmly　smoking　Paradise；　_alias_　opium；　while　his　gong　boomed　and　his　boat　flew　fourteen　miles　an　hour；　and　all　things　scuttled　out　of　his　celestial　way。　And　there；　looking　majestically　down　on　all　these　water…ants；　the　huge　_Agra；_　cynosure　of　so　many　loving　eyes　and　loving　hearts　in　England；　lay　at　her　moorings；　homeward　bound。

Her　tea　not　being　yet　on　board；　the　ship's　hull　floated　high　as　a　castle；　and　to　the　subtle；　intellectual；　doll…faced；　bolus…eyed　people　that　sculled　to　and　fro　busy　as　bees；　though　looking　forked　mushrooms；　she　sounded　like　a　vast　musical　shell：　for　a　lusty　harmony　of　many　mellow　voices　vibrated　in　her　great　cavities；　and　made　the　air　ring　cheerily　around　her。　The　vocalists　were　the　Cyclops；　to　judge　by　the　tremendous　thumps　that　kept　clean　time　to　their　sturdy　tune。　Yet　it　was　but　human　labour；　so　heavy　and　so　knowing；　that　it　had　called　in　music　to　help。　It　was　the　third　mate　and　his　gang　completing　his　floor　to　receive　the　coming　tea…chests。　Yesterday　he　had　stowed　his　dunnage；　many　hundred　bundles　of　light　flexible　canes　from　Sumatra　and　Malacca；　on　these　he　had　laid　tons　of　rough　saltpetre；　in　200　lb。　gunny…bags：　and　was　now　mashing　it　to　music；　bags　and　all。　His　gang　of　fifteen；　naked　to　the　waist；　stood　in　line；　with　huge　wooden　beetles　called　commanders；　and　lifted　them　high　and　brought　them　down　on　the　nitre　in　cadence　with　true　nautical　power　and　unison；　singing　as　follows；　with　a　ponderous　bump　on　the　first　note　in　each　bar。

＇music　notation＇

And　so　up　to　fifteen；　when　the　stave　was　concluded　with　a　shrill　〃Spell；　oh！〃　and　the　gang　relieved；　streaming　with　perspiration。　When　the　saltpetre　was　well　mashed；　they　rolled　ton　water…butts　on　it；　till　the　floor　was　like　a　billiard　table。　A　fleet　of　chop　boats　then　began　to　arrive；　so　many　per　day；　with　the　tea…chests。　Mr。　Grey　proceeded　to　lay　the　first　tier　on　his　saltpetre　floor；　and　then　built　the　chests；　tier　upon　tier；　beginning　at　the　sides；　and　leaving　in　the　middle　a　lane　somewhat　narrower　than　a　tea…chest　Then　he　applied　a　screw　jack　to　the　chests　on　both　sides；　and　so　enlarged　his　central　aperture；　and　forced　the　remaining　tea…chests　in；　and　behold　the　enormous　cargo　packed　as　tight　as　ever　shopkeeper　packed　a　box　nineteen　thousand　eight　hundred　and　six　chests；　sixty　half　chests；　fifty　quarter　chests。

While　Mr。　Grey　was　contemplating　his　work　with　singular　satisfaction；　a　small　boat　from　Canton　came　alongside；　and　Mr。　Tickell；　midshipman；　ran　up　the　side；　skipped　on　the　quarterdeck；　saluted　it　first；　and　then　the　first　mate；　and　gave　him　a　line　from　the　captain；　desiring　him　to　take　the　ship　down　to　Second　Barfor　her　waterat　the　turn　of　the　tide。

Two　hours　after　receipt　of　this　order　the　ship　swung　to　the　ebb。　Instantly　Mr。　Sharpe　unmoored；　and　the　_Agra_　began　her　famous　voyage；　with　her　head　at　right　angles　to　her　course；　for　the　wind　being　foul；　all　Sharpe　could　do　was　to　set　his　topsails；　driver；　and　jib；　and　keep　her　in　the　tide　way；　and　clear　of　the　numerous　craft；　by　backing　or　filling　as　the　case　required；　which　he　did　with　considerable　dexterity；　making　the　sails　steer　the　helm　for　the　nonce：　he　crossed　the　Bar　at　sunset；　and　brought　to　with　the　best　bower　anchor　in　five　fathoms　and　a　half。　Here　they　began　to　take　in　their　water；　and　on　the　fifth　day　the　six…oared　gig　was　ordered　up　to　Canton　for　the　captain。　The　next　afternoon　he　passed　the　ship　in　her；　going　down　the　river　to　Lin…Tin；　to　board　the　Chinese　admiral　for　his　chop；　or　permission　to　leave　China。　All　night　the　_Agra_　showed　three　lights　at　her　mizen　peak　for　him；　and　kept　a　sharp　look　out。　But　he　did　not　come：　he　was　having　a　very　serious　talk　with　the　Chinese　admiral；　at　daybreak；　however；　the　gig　was　reported　in　sight：　Sharpe　told　one　of　the　midshipmen　to　call　the　boatswain　and　man　the　side。　Soon　the　gig　ran　alongside；　two　of　the　ship's　boys　jumped　like　monkeys　over　the　bulwarks；　lighting；　one　on　the　main　channels；　the　other　on　the　midship　port；　and　put　the　side　ropes　assiduously　in　the　captain's　hands；　he　bestowed　a　slight　paternal　smile　on　them；　the　first　the　imps　had　ever　received　from　an　officer；　and　went　lightly　up　the　sides。　The　moment　his　foot　touched　the　deck；　the　boatswain　gave　a　frightful　shrill　whistle；　the　men　at　the　sides　uncovered；　the　captain　saluted　the　quarter…deck；　and　all　the　officers　saluted　him；　which　he　returned；　and　stepping　for　a　moment　to　the　weather　side　of　his　deck；　gave　the　loud　command；　〃All　hands　heave　anchor。〃　He　then　directed　Mr。　Sharpe　to　get　what　sail　he　could　on　the　ship；　the　wind　being　now　westerly；　and　dived　into　his　cabin。

The　boatswain　piped　three　shrill　pipes；　and　〃All　hands　up　anchor；〃　was　thrice　repeated　forward；　followed　by　private　admonitions；　〃Rouse　and　bitt！〃　〃Show　a　leg！〃　&c。；　and　up　tumbled　the　crew　with　homeward　bound　written　on　their　tanned　faces。

（Pipe。）　〃Up　all　hammocks。〃

In　ten　minutes　the　ninety　and　odd　hammocks　were　all　stowed　neatly　in　the　netting；　and　covered　with　a　snowy　hammock…cloth；　and　the　hands　were　active；　unbitting　the　cable；　shipping　the　capstan　bars；　&c。

〃All　ready　below；　sir；〃　cried　a　voice。

〃Man　the　bars；〃　returned　Mr。　Sharpe　from　the　quarter…deck。　〃Play　up；　fifer。　Heave　away。〃

Out　broke　the　merry　fife；　with　a　rhythmical　tune；　and　tramp；　tramp；　tramp　went　a　hundred　and　twenty　feet　round　and　round；　and；　with　brawny　chests　pressed　tight　against　the　capstan　bars；　sixty　fine　fellows　walked　the　ship　up　to　her　anchor；　drowning　the　fife　at　intervals　with　their　sturdy　song；　as　pat　to　their　feet　as　an　echo：

　　　　　Heave　with　a　will；　ye　jolly　boys；　　　　　　Heave　around：　　　　　　We're　off　from　Chainee；　jolly　boys；　　　　　　Homeward　bound。

〃Short　stay　apeak；　sir；〃　roars　the　boatswain　from　forward。

〃Unship　the　bars。　Way　aloft。　Loose　sails。　Let　fall。〃

The　ship　being　now　over　her　anchor；　and　the　to