Part 19 (2/2)

”Mr. Pearson drew a long breath. He looked at Mr. Spooner and then he looked at me.

”'That's a wrinkle. Hang me, I will forgive her! I'll treat her with contempt and let her go. What shall I do with these gimcracks? I've kept them as though they were the richest treasures from Ali Baba's cave. Here's a lock of her hair, here's a rose from her bosom, here's a shoe from her foot, here's a bundle of her letters. You know what's in them, because I've read them to you many a time.'

”These were pleasant things for me to hear.

”'Spooner, what shall I do with these?'

”'Burn 'em.'

”'So I will. Here's the lot. Give 'em to the cook, and tell him to use them in the morning to light his galley fire.'

”He thrust the various articles into Mr. Spooner's hands. You may imagine my sensations.

”Then he turned to me.

”'Now, madam, if you wish it, I will show you to your cabin.'

”I was quite unable to speak. I had never supposed it was possible that I could have been so cowed by two mere men. The truth is, that I was in such a pa.s.sion that I really was beside myself. I would have given anything to have been a man to have been able to knock him down.

He showed me to the cabin, and without a word he left me at the door.

When I was inside I clenched my fists and stamped my foot and screamed.

”'My dear child, aren't you well?'

”I looked up. There was an old woman, sitting up in her berth, and looking at me through her spectacles.

”'Stewardess,' she cried. Then to me, 'I wish you'd go and find my husband. My name is Maunders-Griffin. Oh, I am so ill! And tell him that those anti-sea-sick lozenges have not had the least effect. I've eaten them all, and I want some more. Oh!'

”The reaction was so sudden, so extreme, that I was seized with a fit of laughter. It was impossible for me to control myself. I daresay the old woman thought that I was mad. It so exhausted me that I had to drop into a chair to save myself from falling.

”The stewardess advanced.

”'Would madam like a berth?'

”'A berth! No. I--I will go on deck.'

”The atmosphere of the cabin was unbearable; you know what a cabin is at night when it is full of women who are ill. I felt that if I stayed there long I should be ill myself. Besides, under the best conditions, I felt that in the excited state of my brain it would be impossible for me to sleep, so I went on deck.

”It was a glorious night. There was a full moon and cloudless sky. But a stiff breeze was blowing, and one soon became conscious that it bore with it a strong solution of salt spray.

”I paced up and down, trying to calm myself sufficiently to enable me to realise my situation. I suppose that never was a woman more unfortunate. What a wedding night!--that night which is supposed to be the most sacred of a woman's life. To whom was I to turn for advice, with such a captain and such a chief officer? Dear mamma, I am not ashamed to confess that I cried, really and truly cried. I sat down by the side of the s.h.i.+p and quite gave in.

”While I was still crying someone came behind and touched me on the shoulder.

”'If you are not well, don't you think you had better go downstairs?'

”I looked round. An old gentleman was standing behind me. He actually thought that I was sick. I was indignant.

”'Thank you. I am quite well.'

”'I--I beg your pardon. I--I thought you were affected by the motion of the sea.'

<script>