Part 22 (1/2)
”This is terrible news!” cried Patterson, while we all gave utterance to expressions of horrified astonishment. ”And was yours the only boat that got away?”
”I'm very much afraid so,” he replied. ”At least I saw no other. Yes, you are right, it is terrible, and Her Majesty has lost a fine vessel and a splendid s.h.i.+p's company in the _Asiatic_.”
When the poor fellow had finished his story he was silent for some minutes. Indeed, so were we all. It seemed almost incredible that the great vessel we had admired, and feared, only the day before, should now be lying, with the majority of her crew, deep down at the bottom of the ocean.
”We are fortunate in having been able to pick you up,” said Patterson, after a while. ”An hour later and we should have changed our course, and have been many miles away.”
”In that case we should have been dead men by nightfall,” was the reply. ”As it was, we lost one man.”
”How did it happen?”
”The poor devil went mad, and jumped overboard. Remember, we had no water and nothing to eat, and so you may imagine it was heartbreaking work pulling in that baking sun. The miracle to me is that the boy stood it as well as he did.”
”Poor little chap! It must have been a terrible experience for him.”
”And what do you intend doing with us?” asked the officer, after a little pause. ”For, of course, we're your prisoners.”
”That I cannot say,” Patterson answered. ”It does not lie within my province. However, you'll hear soon enough--never fear. By the way, I suppose you will give me your word that you will not attempt to play us any tricks. You must remember, please, that to all intents and purposes we are at war!”
”I will give you my word. Is that enough?”
”Quite enough. And now that you have done so I make you free of our ward-room and its contents.”
All the time Patterson had been speaking I had noticed that the lieutenant, whose name, it transpired later, was Thorden, had been staring at his face as if trying to recall some countenance it reminded him of. Just as we were preparing to go on deck again his memory seemed to come back to him.
”I hope you will excuse what I am going to say, and stop me if I am recalling any unpleasant memories,” he blurted out; ”but ever since I came aboard I've been wondering where we have met before. Aren't you Gregory, who was commander of the gunboat _Parcifal_ in the Egyptian business of 1879?”
Patterson fell back against the wall as if he had been shot. For a moment his face was as white as the paper I am now writing upon, then, with a great effort, he pulled himself together, and answered:
”I have quite forgotten that I had any existence at all in 1879. May I beg that you will not recall the fact to my memory?” Then, as if to change the subject, he continued, ”I expect you would like to rest after all your troubles; pray let me conduct you to a cabin.”
”Many thanks,” said Thorden; and with that they went along the alleyway together, and I returned to the deck to think out what I had heard. It was, of course, no business of mine; but I was interested in Patterson, and could not help speculating as to what the reason could have been that had induced him to abandon a career in which, even so many years ago, he seemed to have attained such exalted rank.
During the afternoon I received an invitation from Alie to dine with her that evening. She stated in the little note she sent me that she had also asked the rescued lieutenant and his mids.h.i.+pman, and I gathered from this that something out of the common was toward.
About an hour before dusk, as I was reading in the officers'
mess-room, the lieutenant came out of his cabin and sat down at the table beside me. He looked round to see that we were alone, and then said in a confidential whisper:
”Your position on board this boat, Dr. De Normanville, has already been explained to me. I'm sure I sympathise with you; but, for rather selfish motives, I am glad you are not in league with this extraordinary woman. I have received an invitation to dine in her cabin this evening, and I want you, if you will, to tell me something about her. Do you know enough to satisfy my curiosity?”
”I'll tell you all I can,” I answered frankly. ”What is it you want to know?”
”Well, first and foremost,” he continued, with a laugh, ”since I've received this invitation, what sort of meal is she likely to give us?”
”A very fair one, I should fancy,” I replied. ”At least, I hope so, as I am invited to be one of the party.”
”You are? Well, I am glad of that. And now another question. What is she like? Of course, one has heard all sorts of reports about her beauty and accomplishments, but when one has travelled about the world one soon learns to believe rather less than half of what one hears.”
”Ah, yes; it's as well not to be too sanguine, isn't it?” I answered, resolved, if possible, to mislead him, ”especially with regard to women. Now, I've no doubt you expect the Beautiful White Devil to be really young and beautiful?”