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！
〃Now； this moment： and I'll trouble you to come along with me。〃
〃Certainly； sir。〃
They got a boat and went out to the ship： on coming alongside； Dodd thought to meet his wishes by going first and receiving him。 But the jealous； cross…grained fellow； shoved roughly before him and led the way up the ship's side。 Sharpe and the rest saluted him： he did not return the salute； but said hoarsely； 〃Turn the hands up to muster。〃
When they were all aft； he noticed one or two with their caps on。 〃Hats off and be to you！〃 cried he。 〃Do you know where you are？ Do you know who you are looking at？ If not； I'll show you。 I'm here to restore discipline to this ship： so mind how you run athwart my hawse： don't you play with the bull； my men； or you'll find his horns sharp。 Pipe down！ Now； you； sir； bring me the log…book。〃
He ran his eye over it； and closed it contemptuously： 〃Pirates； and hurricanes！ _I_ never fell in with pirates nor hurricanes： I have heard of a breeze； and a gale； but I never knew a seaman worth his salt say 'hurricane。' Get another log…book； Mr。 Sharpe； put down that it begins this day at noon； and enter that Captain Robarts came on deck； found the ship in a miserable condition； took the command； mustered the officers and men； and stopped the ship's company's grog for a week for receiving him with hats on。〃
Even Sharpe； that walking Obedience； was taken aback。 〃Stopthe ship's company'sgrogfor a week； sir？〃
〃Yes； sir； for a week； and if you fling my orders back in my face instead of clapping on sail to execute them； I'll have you towed ashore on a grating。 Your name is Sharpe； well my name is Dammedsharpe； and so you'll find。〃
In short； the new captain came down on the ship like a blight。
He was especially hard on Dodd： nothing that commander had done was right； nor； had he done the contrary； would that have been right： he was disgracefully behind time； and he ought to have put in to the Isle of France； which would have retarded him： his rope bulwarks were lubberly： his rudder a disgrace to navigation： he； Robarts； was not so green as to believe that any master had really sailed sixteen hundred miles with it； and if he had； more shame for him。 Briefly； a marine criticaster。
All this was spoken _at_ Dodda thing no male does unless he is an awful snoband grieved him； it was so unjust。 He withdrew wounded to the little cabin he was entitled to as a passenger； and hugged his treasure for comfort。 He patted the pocket…book； and said to it； 〃Never _you_ mind！ The greater Tartar he is； the less likely to sink you or run you on a lee shore。〃
With all his love of discipline； Robarts was not so fond of the ship as Dodd。
While his repairs were going on he was generally ashore； and by this means missed a visit。 Commodore Collier； one of the smartest sailors afloat； espied the Yankee makeshift from the quarter…deck of his vessel； the _Salamanca；_ fifty guns。 In ten minutes he was under the _Agra's_ stern inspecting it； then came on board； and was received in form by Sharpe and the other officers。 〃Are you the master of this ship； sir？〃 he asked。
〃No； commodore。 I am the first mate： the captain is ashore。〃
〃I am sorry for it。 I want to talk about his rudder。〃
〃Oh； _he_ had nothing to do with that；〃 replied Sharpe； eagerly： 〃that was our dear old captain： he is on board。 Young gentleman！ ask Captain Dodd to oblige me by coming on deck！ Hy！ and Mr。 Fullalove too。〃
〃Young gentleman？〃 inquired Collier。 〃What the devil officer is that？〃
〃That is a name we give the middies； I don't know why。〃
〃Nor I neither； ha！ ha！〃
Dodd and Fullalove came on deck； and Commodore Collier bestowed the highest compliments on the 〃makeshift。〃 Dodd begged him to transfer them to the real inventor； and introduced Fullalove。
〃Ay；〃 said Collier； 〃I know you Yankees are very handy。 I lost my rudder at sea once； and had to ship a makeshift； but it was a cursed complicated thing； not a patch upon yours； Mr。 Fullalove。 Yours is ingenious and _simple。_ Ship has been in action； I see： pray how was that； if I may be so bold？〃
〃Pirates； commodore；〃 said Sharpe。 〃We fell in with a brace of Portuguese devils； lateen…rigged； and carrying ten guns apiece； in the Straits of Gaspar： fought 'em from noon till sundown； riddled one； and ran down the other； and sunk her in a moment。 That was all your doing； Captain： so don't try to shift it on other people； for we won't stand it。〃
〃If he denies it； I won't believe him；〃 said Collier； 〃for he has got it in his eye。 Gentlemen； will you do me the honour to dine with me to…day on board the flag…ship？〃
Dodd and Fullalove accepted。 Sharpe declined； with regret； on the score of duty。 And as the cocked hat went down the side； after saluting him politely； he could not help thinking to himself what a difference between a real captain； who had something to be proud of； and his own unlicked cub of a skipper with the manners of a pilot…boat。 He told Robarts the next day： Robarts said nothing； but his face seemed to turn greenish； and it embittered his hatred of Dodd the inoffensive。
It is droll； and sad； but true； that Christendom is full of men in a hurry to hate。 And a fruitful cause is jealousy。 The schoolmen； or rather certain of the schoolmenfor nothing is much shallower than to speak of all those disputants as one schooldefined woman； 〃a featherless biped vehemently addicted to jealousy。〃 Whether she is more featherless than the male can be decided at a trifling expense of time； money； and reason： you have but to go to court。 But as for envy and jealousy； I think it is pure； unobservant； antique Cant which has fixed them on the female character distinctively。 As a molehill to a mountain is women's jealousy to men's。 Agatha may have a host of virtues and graces； and yet her female acquaintance will not hate her； provided she has the moderation to abstain from being downright pretty。 She may sing like an angel； paint like an angel； talk； write； nurse the sick； all like an angel； and not rouse the devil in her fair sisters； so long as she does not dress like an angel。 But the minds of men being much larger than women's； yet very little greater； they hang jealousy on a thousand pegs。 Where there was no peg； I have seen them do with a pin。
Captain Robarts took a pin； ran it into his own heart； and hung that sordid passion on it。
He would get rid of all the Doddites before he sailed。 He insulted Mr。 Tickell； so that he left the service and entered a mercantile house ashore： he made several of the best men desert； and the ship went to sea short of hands。 This threw heavier work on the crew； and led to many punishments and a steady current of abuse。 Sharpe became a mere machine； always obeying； never speaking： Grey was put under arrest for remonstrating against ungentlemanly language； and Bayliss； being at bottom of the same breed as Robarts； fell into his humour； and helped hector the petty officers and men。 The crew； depressed and irritated； went through their duties pully…hauly…wise。 There was no song under the forecastle in the first watch； and often no grog on the mess table at one bell。 Dodd never came on the quarter…deck without being reminded he was only a passenger；