The Island of Gold Part 17

"'My mother bade me. Would you disobey your mother?'

"This was a bombsh.e.l.l, and I said no more.

"But there was one subject on which James and I never disagreed--namely, 'the ladies,' as he called women folks. 'They are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked,' James would say, 'and I means to steer clear on 'em.' And James always did.

"There was one pleasure James and I had in common--namely, witnessing a good tragedy on the boards of Liverpool theatre. You see this was our port of destination on our return from the far, far south. Mind, we wouldn't go to see a drama, because there might be too much nonsensical love business in it, and too many of 'the frivolous antics of women'-- James's own words. But in a tragedy the women often came to grief, which James thought was only natural.

"So we chose tragedy.

"Now, one night at this same theatre, I had one of the strangest experiences of my life; and never yet have I found any one who could explain it.

"James and I had gone early that evening, because there was something specially tragic on, and we desired to secure good seats. We sat in the front row, and at the left end of the row, because we wished to leave the theatre between each act to enjoy a few whiffs of tobacco.

"The play was well begun, and my eyes were riveted on the stage. There was a momentary silence, and during this time I was sensible, from a slight rustling noise, that the private box behind and above me was being occupied.

"Did you ever hear psychologists mention the term or feeling 'ecstasy'?

That was what stole over me now. For a few minutes I saw nothing on the stage; only a feeling of intense happiness, such as I have seldom experienced since that night, stole over me, occupying, bathing, I may say, my whole soul and mind.

"I turned at last, and my eyes met those of a young lady in that private box. Never before had I seen such radiant beauty. Never had I been impressed with beauty of any kind before. My heart almost stood still.

It was really an awful moment--that is, if intense happiness can ever be awful.

"Well, if it is possible for a sailor, with a face as brown as the back of a fiddle, to blush, I blushed. She, too, I think, coloured just a little.

"What was it? What could it mean?

"I know not how I sat out the act. When I rose with James to go out, I dared one other glance towards the box. The lady had gone, and a feeling of coldness crept round my heart. I felt as depressed now as I had recently felt happy.

"'James,' I said, 'take me home, I--I believe I'm ill.'

"'Why,' said James, 'you look as though you had seen a ghost.'

"I got home. Something, I knew not what, was going to happen; but all that night dream after dream haunted my pillow, and of every dream, the sweet young face I had seen in the private box was the only thing I could remember when daylight broke athwart the eastern sky."

Book 2--CHAPTER FOUR.

"DEAR, UNSELFISH, BUT SOMEWHAT SILLY FELLOW."

"I never had a secret from James Malone; no, not so much as one. Had I known what was the matter with me on the evening before, I should have told James manfully and in a moment.

"But when he came to my rooms in the morning, to share my humble breakfast, and consult about the duties of the day, we being just then fitting out for sea,--

"'James,' I began--

"And then--well, then I told him all the story, even down to my strange dreams and the sweet young face that had haunted them.

"'Why, James,' I concluded, 'I have only to close my eyes now to see her once again, and I can neither read nor write without thinking of her.'

"James sat silently beholding me for fully a minute. His face was clouded, and pity and anxiety were in every lineament of his manly features.

"'I'm taken aback,' he stammered at last. 'White squalls is nothin' to it. Charlie Halcott, you're _in love_. It's an awful, fearful thing.

No surgical operation can do anything for you. It's worse by far than I thought. A mild touch of the cholera would be mere moonshine to this.

A brush wi' Yellow Jack wouldn't be a circ.u.mstance to it. O Halcott, Halcott! O Charlie! what _am_ I to do with you?'

"'James,' I interrupted, 'light your pipe. Did _you_ see the beautiful vision--the lovely child?'

"'I followed your eyes.'

"'And what saw you, James?' I asked, leaning eagerly towards him.

"'I saw what appeared to be--a woman. Nothin' more and nothin' less.'

"'James, did you not notice her blue and heavenly eyes, that seemed to swim in ether; her delicately pencilled eyebrows; the long lashes that swept the rounded rosy cheeks; her golden hair like sunset's glow; her little mouth; her lips like the blossom of the blueberry, and the delicate play of her mobile countenance?'

"'Delicate play of a mobile marling-spike!' cried James, jumping up. He rammed a piece of paper into his pipe and thrust it into his pocket.

"'Charles Halcott, I'm off,' he cried.

"'Off, James?'

"'Yes, off. Every man Jack shall be on board the _Sea Flower_ to-day, bag and baggage. We'll drop down stream to-morrow morning early, ship a pilot, and get away to sea without more ado.'

"He was at the door by the time he had finished but he stopped a moment with a look of wondrous pity on his handsome face, then came straight back and clasped my hand in brotherly affection, and so, without another word, walked out and away.

"Now, I was master of the _Sea Flower_, but in the matter of sailing next day--three or four whole days before I had intended--I should no more have thought of gainsaying honest James Malone than of disobeying my father had he been alive. James was acting towards me with true brotherly affection, quite disinterestedly in my behalf, and--_quien sabe_?--probably saving me from a lifetime's misery.

"I would be advised by James.

"So after he had left, and I had smoked in solitary sadness for about an hour, I rose with a sigh, and commenced throwing my things together in the great mahogany sea-chest that while afloat stood in my state-room, and which on sh.o.r.e I never travelled without.

"For the whole of that forenoon I wandered about the streets of Liverpool, looking chiefly at the photographers' windows. I was bewitched, and possessed some faint hope of seeing a photograph of her who had bewitched me. I even entered the shops under pretence of bargaining for a likeness of my sailor-self, and looked over their books of specimens.

"Had I come across her picture, the temptation to purchase it would, I fear, have proved irresistible.

"Suddenly I pulled myself taut up with a round turn, and planked myself, so to speak, on my mental quarterdeck before Commander Conscience.

"'What are you doing, or trying to do, Charles Halcott?' said Commander Conscience.

"'Only trying,' replied Charles Halcott, 'to procure a photograph of the loveliest young lady on earth, whose eyes shine like stars in beauty's night.'

"'Don't be a fool, Charles Halcott. Are you not wise enough to know that, even if you procure this photograph, you will have to keep it a secret from honest James Malone? His friendship is better far than love of womankind. Besides,' added Commander Conscience, 'you need no photograph. Is not the image of the lady who has bewitched you indelibly photographed upon your soul? Charles Halcott, I am ashamed of you!'

"I stood at a window for a few minutes, looking sheepish enough; then I threw temptation to the winds, put about, and sailed right away back to my chambers, studding-sails set low and aloft.

"I finished packing, saw my owners in the afternoon, and when James came off to the ship he found me quietly smoking my biggest pipe in the saloon of the _Sea Flower_.

"He smiled now.

"'Better already,' he said; 'His name be praised!'