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appeared against the curtains； close to the glass。 She was watching
through a binocular a faint light which had become visible in the
direction of the bluff far away over the bay。
'Here is the Spruce at last； I think；' she said to her sister； who
was by the fire。 'I hope they will be able to land the things I
have ordered。 They are on board I know。'
The wind continued to rise till at length something from the lungs
of the gale alighted like a feather upon the pane； and remained
there sticking。 Seeing the substance； Ethelberta opened the window
to secure it。 The fire roared and the pictures kicked the walls；
she closed the sash； and brought to the light a crisp fragment of
foam。
'How suddenly the sea must have risen；' said Picotee。
The servant entered the room。 'Please； mis'ess says she is afraid
you won't have your things to…night； 'm。 They say the steamer can't
land； and mis'ess wants to know if she can do anything？'
'It is of no consequence；' said Ethelberta。 'They will come some
time； unless they go to the bottom。'
The girl left the room。 'Shall we go down to the shore and see what
the night is like？' said Ethelberta。 'This is the last opportunity
I shall have。'
'Is it right for us to go； considering you are to be married to…
morrow？' said Picotee； who had small affection for nature in this
mood。
Her sister laughed。 'Let us put on our cloaksnobody will know us。
I am sorry to leave this grim and primitive place； even for
Enckworth Court。'
They wrapped themselves up； and descended the hill。
On drawing near the battling line of breakers which marked the
meeting of sea and land they could perceive within the nearly
invisible horizon an equilateral triangle of lights。 It was formed
of three stars； a red on the one side； a green on the other； and a
white on the summit。 This； composed of mast…head and side lamps；
was all that was visible of the Spruce； which now faced end…on about
half…a…mile distant； and was still nearing the pier。 The girls went
further； and stood on the foreshore； listening to the din。 Seaward
appeared nothing distinct save a black horizontal band embodying
itself out of the grey water； strengthening its blackness； and
enlarging till it looked like a nearing wall。 It was the concave
face of a coming wave。 On its summit a white edging arose with the
aspect of a lace frill； it broadened； and fell over the front with a
terrible concussion。 Then all before them was a sheet of whiteness；
which spread with amazing rapidity； till they found themselves
standing in the midst of it； as in a field of snow。 Both felt an
insidious chill encircling their ankles； and they rapidly ran up the
beach。
'You girls； come away there； or you'll be washed off： what need
have ye for going so near？'
Ethelberta recognized the stentorian voice as that of Captain
Flower； who； with a party of boatmen； was discovered to be standing
near； under the shelter of a wall。 He did not know them in the
gloom； and they took care that he should not。 They retreated
further up the beach； when the hissing fleece of froth slid again
down the shingle； dragging the pebbles under it with a rattle as of
a beast gnawing bones。
The spot whereon the men stood was called 'Down…under…wall；' it was
a nook commanding a full view of the bay； and hither the nautical
portion of the village unconsciously gravitated on windy afternoons
and nights； to discuss past disasters in the reticent spirit induced
by a sense that they might at any moment be repeated。 The stranger
who should walk the shore on roaring and sobbing November eves when
there was not light sufficient to guide his footsteps； and muse on
the absoluteness of the solitude； would be surprised by a smart
'Good…night' being returned from this corner in company with the
echo of his tread。 In summer the six or eight perennial figures
stood on the breezy side of the wallin winter and in rain to
leeward； but no weather was known to dislodge them。
'I had no sooner come ashore than the wind began to fly round；' said
the previous speaker； 'and it must have been about the time they
were off Old…Harry Point。 〃She'll put back for certain；〃 I said；
and I had no more thought o' seeing her than John's set…net that was
carried round the point o' Monday。'
'Poor feller： his wife being in such a state makes him anxious to
land if 'a can： that's what 'tis； plain enough。'
'Why that？' said Flower。
'The doctor's aboard； 'a believe： 〃I'll have the most understanding
man in Sandbourne； cost me little or much；〃 he said。'
''Tis all over and she's better；' said the other。 'I called half…
an…hour afore dark。'
Flower； being an experienced man； knew how the judgment of a ship's
master was liable to be warped by family anxieties； many instances
of the same having occurred in the history of navigation。 He felt
uneasy； for he knew the deceit and guile of this bay far better than
did the master of the Spruce； who； till within a few recent months；
had been a stranger to the place。 Indeed； it was the bay which had
made Flower what he was； instead of a man in thriving retirement。
The two great ventures of his life had been blown ashore and broken
up within that very semicircle。 The sturdy sailor now stood with
his eyes fixed on the triangle of lights which showed that the
steamer had not relinquished her intention of bringing up inside the
pier if possible； his right hand was in his pocket； where it played
with a large key which lay there。 It was the key of the lifeboat
shed； and Flower was coxswain。 His musing was on the possibility of
a use for it this night。
It appeared that the captain of the Spruce was aiming to pass in
under the lee of the pier； but a strong current of four or five
knots was running between the piles； drifting the steamer away at
every attempt as soon as she slowed。 To come in on the other side
was dangerous； the hull of the vessel being likely to crash against
and overthrow the fragile erection； with damage to herself also。
Flower； who had disappeared for a few minutes； now came back。
'It is just possible I can make 'em hear with the trumpet； now they
be to leeward；' he said； and proceeded with two or three others to
grope his way out upon the pier； which consisted simply of a row of
rotten piles covered with rotten planking； no balustrade of any kind
existing to keep the unwary from tumbling off。 At the water level
the piles were eaten away by the action of the sea to about the size
of a man's wrist； and at every fresh influx the whole structure
trembled like a spider's web。 In this lay the danger of making
fast； for a strong pull from a headfast rope might drag the erection
completely over。 Flower arrived at the end； where a lantern hung。
'Spruce ahoy！' he blared through the speaking trumpet two or three
times。
There seemed to be a reply of some sort from the steamer。
'Tuesday's gale hev loosened the pier； Cap'n Ounce； the bollards be
too weak to make fast to： must land in boats if ye will land； but
dangerous； yer wife is out of danger； and 'tis a boy…y…y…y！'
Ethelberta and Picotee were at this time standing on the beach a
h