按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Stevenson； cavalry sabers； W。 Clark Russell； pistols； and Dumas； Jack
London； poignards； bowie knives； Stanley Weyman； Captain Marryat； and
Dumas； sword canes； Scottish claymores； Cuban machetes； Conan Doyle；
Harrison Ainsworth； dress swords； and Dumas； stilettos； daggers； hunting
knives； Fenimore Cooper； G。 P。 R。 James； broadswords； Dumas； Gustave
Aimard； Rudyard Kipling； dueling swords； Dumas； F。 Du Boisgobey；
Malay krises； Walter Scott； stick pistols； scimitars； Anthony Hope； single
sticks； foils； Dumas； jungles of arms； jumbles of books； arms of all makes
and periods； arms on the walls； in the corners； over the fireplace； leaning
against the bookshelves； lying in ambush under the bed； peeping out of the
wardrobe； propping the windows open； serving as paper weights； pictures；
warlike and romantic prints and engravings； pinned to the walls with
daggers； in the wardrobe； coats and hats hanging from poignards and
stilettos thrust into the wood instead of from nails or hooks。 But of all
the weapons it was the rapiers； of all the books it was Dumas； that he
loved。 There was Dumas in French； Dumas in English； Dumas with
pictures； Dumas unillustrated； Dumas in cloth； Dumas in leather； Dumas
10
… Page 11…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
in boards； Dumas in paper covers。 Cleggett had been twenty years
getting these arms and books together； often he had gone without a dinner
in order to make a payment on some blade he fancied。 And each weapon
was also a book to him； he sensed their stories as he handled them； he felt
the personalities of their former owners stirring in him when he picked
them up。 It was in that room that he dreamed； which is to say； it was in
that room that he lived his real life。
Cleggett walked over to his writing desk and pulled out a bulky
manuscript。 It was his own work。 Is it necessary to hint that it was a
tale essentially romantic in character？
He flung it into the grate and set fire to it。 It represented the labor of
two years； but as he watched it burn； stirring the sheets now and then so
the flames would catch them more readily； he smiled； unvisited by even
the most shadowy second thought of regret。
For why the deuce should a man with 500；000 in his pocket write
romances？ Why should anyone write anything who is free to live？ For
the first time in his existence Cleggett was free。
He picked up a sword。 It was one of his favorite rapiers。
Sometimes people came out of the bookssometimes shadowy forms
came back to claim the weapons that had been theirsand Cleggett fought
them。 There was not an unscarred piece of furniture in the place。 He
bent the flexible blade in his hands； tried the point of it； formally saluted；
brought the weapon to parade； dallied with his imaginary opponent's
sword for an instant。 。 。 。
It seemed as if one of those terrible； but brilliant； duels； with which
that room was so familiar； was about to be enacted。 。 。 。 But he laid the
rapier down。 After all； the rapier is scarcely a thing of this century。
Cleggett； for the first time； felt a little impatient with the rapier。 It is all
very well to DREAM with a rapier。 But now； he was free； reality was
before him； the world of actual adventure called。 He had but to choose！
He considered。 He tried to look into that bright； adventurous future。
Presently he went to the window； and gazed out。 Tides of night and
11
… Page 12…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
mystery； flooding in from the farther； dark； mysterious ocean； all but
submerged lower Manhattan； high and beautiful above these waves of
shadow； triumphing over them and accentuating them； shone a star from
the top of the Woolworth building； flecks of light indicated the noble
curve of that great bridge which soars like a song in stone and steel above
the shifting waters； the river itself was dotted here and there with moving
lights； it was a nocturne waiting for its Whistler； here sea and city met in
glamour and beauty and illusion。
But it was not the city which called to Cleggett。 It was the sea。
A breeze blew in from the bay and stirred his window curtains； it was
salt in his nostrils。 。 。 。And； staring out into the breathing night； he saw a
succession of pictures。 。 。 。
Stripped to a pair of cotton trousers； with a dripping cutlass in one
hand and a Colt's revolver in the other； an adventurer at the head of a
bunch of dogs as desperate as himself fought his way across the reeking
decks of a Chinese junk； to close in single combat with a gigantic one…
eyed pirate who stood by the helm with a ring of dead men about him and
a great two…handed sword upheaved。 。 。 。 This adventurer wasClement J。
Cleggett！ 。 。 。
Through the phosphorescent waters of a summer sea； reckless of
cruising sharks； a sailor's clasp knife in his teeth； glided noiselessly a
strong swimmer； he reached the side of a schooner yacht from which rose
the wild cries of beauty in distress； swarmed aboard with a muttered
prayer that was half a curse； swept the water from his eyes； and with pale；
stern face went about the bloody business of a hero。 。 。 。 Again； this
adventurer was Clement J。 Cleggett！
Cleggett turned from the window。
〃I'll do it；〃 he cried。 〃I'll do it！〃
He grasped a cutlass。
〃Pirates！〃 he cried； swinging it about his head。 〃That's the thing
pirates and the China Seas！〃
And with one frightful sweep of his blade he disemboweled a sofa
12
… Page 13…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
cushion； the second blow clove his typewriting machine clean to the tattoo
marks upon its breast； the third decapitated a sectional bookcase。
But what is a sectional bookcase to a man with 500；000 in his pocket
and the Seven Seas before him？
13
… Page 14…
THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER III
A SCHOONER； A SKIPPER； AND
A SKULL
It was a few days later； when a goodly number of the late Uncle Tom's
easily negotiable securities had been converted into cash； and the cash
deposited in the bank； that Cleggett bought the Jasper B。
He discovered her near the town of Fairport； Long Island； one
afternoon。 The vessel lay in one of the canals which reach inward from
the Great South Bay。 She looked as if she might have been there for
some time。 Evidently； at one period； the Jasper B。 had played a part in
some catch…coin scheme of summer entertainment； a scheme that had
failed。 Little trace of it remained except a rotting wooden platform；
roofless and built close to the canal； and a gangway arrangement from this
platform to the deck of the vessel。
The Jasper B。 had seen better days； even a landsman could tell that。
But from the blunt bows to the weather…scarred stern； on which the name
was faintly discernible； the hulk had an air about it； the air of something
that has lived； it was eloquent of a varied and interesting past。
And； to complete the picture； there sat on her deck a gnarled and
brown old man。 He smoked a short pipe which was partially hidden in a
tangle of beard that had once been yellowish red but was now streaked
with dirty white； he fished earnestly without apparent result； and from
time to time he spat into the water。 Cleggett's nimble fancy at once put
rings into his ears and dowered him with a history。
Cleggett noticed； as he walked aboard the vessel； that she seemed to be
jammed not merely