elinor wyllys-2- 第53部分

〃Butwhat　would　you　say；　Miss　Wyllys？go　on；　I　entreat！〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Ellsworth。

It　was　a　moment　before　Elinor　rallied。　She　then　continued；　in　a　low　voice；　and　in　an　agitated；　hesitating　manner：

〃Mr。　Ellsworth；　I　shall　speak　with　perfect　frankness；　your　kindness　and　forbearance　deserve　it。　When　I　consented　to　wait　so　long　before　giving　you　a　final　answer；　it　was　chiefly　that　I　might　discover　if　I　could　regain　entire　command　over　feelings　which　have　not　always　been　my　own。　I　am　afraid　you　are　not　aware　of　this。　The　feeling　itself　to　which　I　allude　is　changed；　but　be　it　weakness　or　not；　it　has　left　traces　for　life。　I　was　willing　to　make　an　experiment　in　favour　of　one　who　deserved　the　full　confidence　of　my　friends　and　myself；　but　the　trial　has　not　succeeded；　if　I　know　myself；　it　can　never　succeedI　shall　never　marry。〃

And　then　after　a　moment's　silence　she　gently　continued；　in　a　calmer　tone：

〃But　you　will　soon　forget　all　this；　I　trust。　You　will　find　elsewhere　some　one　more　worthy　of　you；　one　who　can　better　repay　your　kindness。〃

Mr。　Ellsworth　chafed　a　little　under　this　suggestion；　though　not　so　much　as　a　more　passionate　man　might　have　done。

〃To　forget　one　of　so　much　womanly　excellence　as　yourself；　Miss　Wyllys；　is　not　the　easy　task　you　seem　to　suppose。〃

Elinor　could　have　sighed　and　smiled　as　the　thought　recurred　to　her；　that　Harry　had　not　found　it　very　difficult　to　forget　her。　They　had　now　reached　the　gate；　on　their　way　home；　and　turning　towards　her　companion　as　they　entered；　she　said：

〃I　hope；　indeed；　you　will　always　remember　that　you　have　very　sincere　friends　at　Wyllys…Roof；　Mr。　Ellsworth；　believe　me；　friends　capable　of　appreciating　your　merits；　and　aware　of　what　is　their　due。〃

Mr。　Ellsworth　thanked　her；　but　he　looked　very　evidently　disturbed。　When　they　reached　the　piazza　he　helped　Elinor　from　her　horse；　perhaps　more　carefully　than　usual；　Miss　Emma　Taylor　and　her　cavalier　had　already　arrived；　and　the　young　lady　immediately　attacked　Mr。　Ellsworth；　bidding　him　remember　his　bet。　When　Mrs。　Creighton　stepped　from　the　chair；　she　looked　for　her　brother　and　Elinor；　a　little　curious　to　discover　if　anything　decisive　had　passed；　but　both　had　already　entered　the　house。

Mr。　Wyllys　learned　in　the　course　of　the　day；　from　Ellsworth　himself；　that　he　had　been　rejected；　he　was　very　much　disappointed；　and　more　disposed　to　find　fault　with　Elinor　than　he　had　ever　been　before。

〃I　am　afraid　you　have　not　acted　wisely；　Elinor；〃　said　her　grandfather；　words　more　like　a　reproof　than　any　that　Elinor　could　remember　to　have　heard　fall　from　his　lips；　addressed　to　herself。

Miss　Agnes　also　evidently　regretted　her　niece's　decision；　but　she　said　nothing　on　the　subject。　As　for　Mrs。　Creighton；　she　thought　it　all　easy　to　be　understood。

〃You　may　say　what　you　please；　Frank；　about　Miss　Wyllys；　but　you　will　never　persuade　me　she　is　not　a　coquette。〃　

But　this　Mr。　Ellsworth　would　by　no　means　allow。

Elinor　laid　her　head　on　her　pillow　that　night　with　the　unpleasant　reflection；　that　four　persons　under　the　same　roof　were　reproaching　her　for　the　step　she　had　taken　that　day。　But　she　herself　knew　that　she　had　acted　conscientiously。



CHAPTER　XXI。　｛XLIV｝

〃Such　news；　my　lord；　as　grieves　me　to　unfold。〃　Henry　IV。　｛sic｝

｛William　Shakespeare；　〃Richard　III〃；　II。iv。39｝

THE　Petrel　was　a　very　pretty　little　schooner；　pronounced　a　crack　craft　by　the　knowing　ones。　She　sat　so　buoyantly　on　the　water　when　motionless；　and　glided　along　so　gracefully　when　under　way；　that　even　landsmen　and　landswomen　must　have　admired　her。　Let　it　not　be　supposed　that　the　word　landswomen　is　here　used　unadvisedly：　although　the　Navy　Department　is　decidedly　ungallant　in　its　general　character；　and　seldom　allows　ladies　to　appear　on　board　ship；　excepting　at　a　collation　or　a　ball；　yet　it　is　well　known　that　in　some　of　the　smaller　sea…port　towns；　the　female　portion　of　the　population　are　so　much　interested　in　nautical　matters；　and　give　so　much　time　and　attention　to　the　subject；　that　they　are　looked　upon　as　very　good　judges　of　spars　and　rigging；　and　it　is　even　affirmed；　that　some　of　these　charming　young　〃salts〃　are　quite　capable　of　examining　a　midshipman　on　points　of　seamanship。　If　fame　has　not　belied　them；　such　are　the　accomplishments　of　the　belles　of　Norfolk　and　Pensacola；　while　the　wives　and　daughters　of　the　whalers　at　Nantucket；　are　said　to　have　also　a　critical　eye　for　the　cut　of　a　jib　and　the　shape　of　a　hull。　Hubert　de　Vaux　hoped　they　had；　for　he　thought　it　a　pity　that　the　Petrel's　beauties　should　be　thrown　away。

On　the　morning　they　sailed；　when　Elinor　had　watched　the　boat　as　she　lay　in　the　river；　they　had　been　waiting　for　Bruno。　Harry　wished　to　carry　the　dog　with　him；　but　after　following　Hazlehurst　to　the　boat；　he　had　returned　home　again；　he　was；　however；　enticed　on　board；　and　they　hoisted　sail；　and　slowly　moved　out　of　sight。

In　spite　of　some　little　delay；　the　Petrel　made　a　very　good　day's　work。　That　night　and　the　following　the　party　slept　on　board；　and　seemed　very　well　satisfied　with　their　quarters；　they　intended　to　run　out　of　sight　of　land　before　the　end　of　their　cruise；　but　as　yet　they　had　landed　every　few　hours　for　fresh　water；　vegetables；　milk；　&c。；　as　it　did　not　enter　at　all　into　their　calculations　to　be　put　on　a　short　allowance　of　anything　desirable。　On　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day；　the　Petrel　reached　the　wharf　of　a　country　place　on　Long…Island；　where　the　party　landed；　according　to　a　previous　invitation；　and　joined　some　friends　for　a　couple　of　days'　shooting；　which　proved　a　pleasant　variety　in　the　excursion；　the　sport　was　pronounced　good；　and　the　gentlemen　made　the　most　of　it。　Mr。　Stryker；　however；　complained　that　the　pomp　and　circumstance　of　sporting　was　wanted　in　this　country。

〃So　long　as　we　have　the　important　items　of　good　guns；　good　marksmen；　and　real　wild…game；　we　need　not　find　fault；〃　said　Harry。

Many　lamentations　succeeded；　however；　upon　the　rapid　disappearance　of　game　from　all　parts　of　the　country。

〃There　I　have　the　best　of　it；〃　said　Mr。　Stryker　to　his　host。　〃In　the　next　twenty　years　you　may　expect　to　find　your　occupation　gone；　but　I　shall　at　least　have　fishing　in　abundance　all　my　days；　though　at　times　I　am　not　quite　so　sure　of　the　brook…trout。〃

〃I　don't　think　Jonathan　will　be　able　to　exterminate　all　the　trout　in　the　land；〃　said　Hazlehurst；　although　he　is　a　shamefully　wasteful　fellow；　but　I　really　think　there　is　some　danger　for　the　oysters；　if　the　population　increases；　and　continues　to　eat　them；　in　the　same　proportion　they　do　now；　I　am　afraid　Jonathan　of　the　next　generation　will　devour　the　whole　species。〃

〃Jonathan〃　=　the　American　（from　〃Brother　Jonathan〃）｝

》From　Glen…Cove　the　Petrel　made　a　reach　across　the　Sound　to　Sachem's…Head；　where　Mr。　Stryker　enjoyed　to　perfection　the　luxuries　of　clam…soup；　lobster…salad；　and　chowder。

Their　next　port　was　Nantucket。　They　happened　to　arrive　there　just　before　a　thunder…shower；　and　Charlie　Hubbard　was　much　struck　with　the　wild；　desolate　look　of　the　island。　He　pointed　out　to　Hazlehurst　the　fine　variety　of　neutral　tints　to　be　traced　in　the　waves；　in　the　low　sand…banks；　and　the　dark　sky　forming　the　back…ground。　Nantucket　is　a　barren　spot；　indeed；　all　but　bare　of　vegetation；　scarcely　a　shrub　will　grow　there；　and　even　the　tough　beach…grass　is　often　swept　away　in　large　tracts；　while　the　forms　of　the　sand…hills　vary　with　every　storm。　The　town　itself；　however；　is　a　busy；　lively　little　spotone　of　the　most　nautical　in　feeling　and　character　to　be　found　on　the　globe。　The　chief　interests　of　the　inhabitants　centre　in　the　ocean；　and　even　the　very　ornaments　of　their　houses　are　spoils　of　the　deep；　shells　and　fish…bones　from　distant　latitudes；　and　sailor's　fancy…work　in　various　materials；　all　connected　in　some　way　with　the　sea。　Charlie　made　a　sketch　of　the　island；　and　determined　to　return　there　and　paint　a　picture　of　some　size。　The　next　day；　which　was　Sunday；　they　remained　at　Nantucket；　there　is　a　pretty　little　church　in　the　town；　and　Charlie；　Harry；　and　Mr。　Smith　attended　service　there；　the　rest　of　the　gentlemen　preferring　to　idle　away　the　morning　in　a　less　praiseworthy　manner。

One　of　young　de　Vaux's　crew　was　taken　sick　here；　and　he　was　obliged　to　secure　another　man　before　leaving　the　island；　it　was　easy　to　do　so；　however；　as　one　who　was　waiting　for　a　passage　to　New　York　soon　offered；　and　the　matter　was　settled。

Early　on　Monday　morning　they　again　made　sail；　for　Martha's　Vineyard；　from　thence　the　Petrel's　head　was　to　be　turned　southward；　and　after　coasting　the　eastern　shore　of　Long…Island；　they　expected　to　return　to　the　wharf　at　Broadlawn；　as　fast　as　the　winds　would　carry　them。　The　Vineyard；　owing　to　a　more　sheltered　position；　bears　a　different　aspect　from　the　barren　sands　of　Nantucket；　parts　of　the　island　are　well　wooded。　Choosing　a　pleasant　bay　known　to　their　pilot；　where　a　rude　wharf　had　been　built；　the　party　landed　and　prepared　to　dine；　and　pass　some　hours　there。　They　were　no　sooner　on　shore　than　Mr。　Stryker　made　his　arrangements　for　fishing；　having　secured　bait；　Dr。　Van　Horne　and　himself；　with　one　of　the　men；　took　the　Petrel's　boat　and　rowed　off　from　shore；　changing　their　ground　occasionally；　until　they　had　turned　the　point　which　formed　the　bay　on　one　side；　and　were　no　longer　in　sight。　De　Vaux　and　Smith　took　their　guns　and　went　into　the　wood；　Charlie　brought　out　his　sketchbook；　and　was　soon　engaged　in　taking　some　tints；　in　watercolours；　from　a　heavy　bank　of　clouds　which　had　been　slowly　rising　in　the　west　for　several　hours。　Hazlehurst　was　lying　on　the　grass　near　him；　with　a　spy…glass；　watching　a　couple　of　sloops　in　the　distance：　turning　his　head　accidentally　towards　the　spot　where　they　were　commencing　preparations　for　dinner；　Harry　saw　one　of　the　men；　the　new　recruit；　whom　he　had　not　yet　remarked；　looking　at　him　closely。　It　struck　Hazlehurst　that　he　had　met　this　man　before；　the　sailor　saw　that　he　was　observed；　and　after　a　moment's　hesitation　he　approached；　touching　his　hat　with　the　common　salutation　of　a　seaman；　and　looking　as　if　he　wished　to　speak；　but　scarcely　knew　how　to　begin。

〃Have　you　anything　to　say　to　me；　my　friend？It　strikes　me　I　have　seen　your　face　somewhere　lately。〃

〃If　you　are　Mr。　Hazlehurst；　I　guess；　sir；　you　seed　me　not　long　since；〃　replied　the　man；　a　little　embarrassed。

It　suddenly　flas