Part 16 (1/2)
”That's so,” he went on. ”I am that sort of fellow. You wouldn't think it, would you? No. You have to be told. So I am telling you, and I dare say you only half believe it. But you can't say to yourself that I am drunk, stare at me as you may. I haven't had anything stronger than a gla.s.s of iced water all day. Takes a real gentleman to see through a fellow. Oh, yes--he spotted me. I told you we had a few talks at sea about one thing or another. And I used to watch him down the skylight, playing cards in the cuddy with the others. They had to pa.s.s the time away somehow. By the same token he caught me at it once, and it was then that I told him I was fond of cards--and generally lucky in gambling, too. Yes, he had sized me up. Why not? A gentleman's just like any other man--and something more.”
It flashed through Schomberg's mind: that these two were indeed well matched in their enormous dissimilarity, identical souls in different disguises.
”Says he to me”--Ricardo started again in a gossiping manner--'I'm packed up. It's about time to go, Martin.'
”It was the first time he called me Martin. Says I:
”'Is that it, sir?'
”'You didn't think I was after that sort of treasure, did you? I wanted to clear out from home quietly. It's a pretty expensive way of getting a pa.s.sage across, but it has served my turn.'
”I let him know very soon that I was game for anything, from pitch and toss to wilful murder, in his company.
”'Wilful murder?' says he in his quiet way. 'What the deuce is that?
What are you talking about? People do get killed sometimes when they get in one's way, but that's self-defence--you understand?'
”I told him I did. And then I said I would run below for a minute, to ram a few of my things into a sailor's bag I had. I've never cared for a lot of dunnage; I believed in going about flying light when I was at sea. I came back and found him strolling up and down the deck, as if he were taking a breath of fresh air before turning in, like any other evening.
”'Ready?'
”'Yes, sir.'
”He didn't even look at me. We had had a boat in the water astern ever since we came to anchor in the afternoon. He throws the stump of his cigar overboard.
”'Can you get the captain out on deck?' he asks.
”That was the last thing in the world I should have thought of doing. I lost my tongue for a moment.
”'I can try,' says I.
”'Well, then, I am going below. You get him up and keep him with you till I come back on deck. Mind! Don't let him go below till I return.'
”I could not help asking why he told me to rouse a sleeping man, when we wanted everybody on board to sleep sweetly till we got clear of the schooner. He laughs a little and says that I didn't see all the bearings of this business.
”'Mind,' he says, 'don't let him leave you till you see me come up again.' He puts his eyes close to mine. 'Keep him with you at all costs.'
”'And that means?' says I.
”'All costs to him--by every possible or impossible means. I don't want to be interrupted in my business down below. He would give me lots of trouble. I take you with me to save myself trouble in various circ.u.mstances; and you've got to enter on your work right away.'
”'Just so, sir,' says I; and he slips down the companion.
”With a gentleman you know at once where you are; but it was a ticklish job. The skipper was nothing to me one way or another, any more than you are at this moment, Mr. Schomberg. You may light your cigar or blow your brains out this minute, and I don't care a hang which you do, both or neither. To bring the skipper up was easy enough. I had only to stamp on the deck a few times over his head. I stamped hard. But how to keep him up when he got there?
”'Anything the matter; Mr. Ricardo?' I heard his voice behind me.
”There he was, and I hadn't thought of anything to say to him; so I didn't turn round. The moonlight was brighter than many a day I could remember in the North Sea.
”'Why did you call me? What are you staring at out there, Mr. Ricardo?'