captain cuttle does a little business for the young people

captain cuttle, in the exercise of that surprising talent for deep-laid and unfathomable scheming, with which (as is not unusual in men of transparent simplicity) he sincerely believed himself to be endowed by nature, had gone to mr dombey's house on the eventful sunday, winking all the way as a vent for his superfluous sagacity, and had presented himself in the full lustre of the ankle-jacks before the eyes of towlinson. hearing from that individual, to his great concern, of the impending calamity, captain cuttle, in his delicacy, sheered off again confounded; merely handing in the nosegay as a small mark of his solicitude, and leaving his respectful compliments for the family in general, which he accompanied with an expression of his hope that they would lay their heads well to the wind under existing circumstances, and a friendly intimation that he would 'look up again' to-morrow.

the captain's compliments were never heard of any more. the captain's nosegay, after lying in the hall all night, was swept into the dust-bin next morning; and the captain's sly arrangement, involved in one catastrophe with greater hopes and loftier designs, was crushed to pieces. so, when an avalanche bears down a mountain-forest, twigs and bushes suffer with the trees, and all perish together.

when walter returned home on the sunday evening from his long walk, and its memorable close, he was too much occupied at first by the tidings he had to give them, and by the emotions naturally awakened in his breast by the scene through which he had passed, to observe either that his uncle was evidently unacquainted with the intelligence the captain had undertaken to impart, or that the captain made signals with his hook, warning him to avoid the subject. not that the captain's signals were calculated to have proved very comprehensible, however attentively observed; for, like those chinese sages who are said in their conferences to write certain learned words in the air that are wholly impossible of pronunciation, the captain made such waves and flourishes as nobody without a previous knowledge of his mystery, would have been at all likely to understand.

captain cuttle, however, becoming cognisant of what had happened, relinquished these attempts, as he perceived the slender chance that now existed of his being able to obtain a little easy chat with mr dombey before the period of walter's departure. but in admitting to himself, with a disappointed and crestfallen countenance, that sol gills must be told, and that walter must go - taking the case for the present as he found it, and not having it enlightened or improved beforehand by the knowing management of a friend - the captain still felt an unabated confidence that he, ned cuttle, was the man for mr dombey; and that, to set walter's fortunes quite square, nothing was wanted but that they two should come together. for the captain never could forget how well he and mr dombey had got on at brighton; with what nicety each of them had put in a word when it was wanted; how exactly they had taken one another's measure; nor how ned cuttle had pointed out that resources in the first extremity, and had brought the interview to the desired termination. on all these grounds the captain soothed himself with thinking that though ned cuttle was forced by the pressure of events to 'stand by' almost useless for the present, ned would fetch up with a wet sail in good time, and carry all before him.

under the influence of this good-natured delusion, captain cuttle even went so far as to revolve in his own bosom, while he sat looking at walter and listening with a tear on his shirt-collar to what he related, whether it might not be at once genteel and politic to give mr dombey a verbal invitation, whenever they should meet, to come and cut his mutton in brig place on some day of his own naming, and enter on the question of his young friend's prospects over a social glass. but the uncertain temper of mrs macstinger, and the possibility of her setting up her rest in the passage during such an entertainment, and there delivering some homily of an uncomplimentary nature, operated as a check on the captain's hospitable thoughts, and rendered him timid of giving them encouragement.

one fact was quite clear to the captain, as walter, sitting thoughtfully over his untasted dinner, dwelt on all that had happened; namely, that however walter's modesty might stand in the way of his perceiving it himself, he was, as one might say, a member of mr dombey's family. he had been, in his own person, connected with the incident he so pathetically described; he had been by name remembered and commended in close association with it; and his fortunes must have a particular interest in his employer's eyes. if the captain had any lurking doubt whatever of his own conclusions, he had not the least doubt that they were good conclusions for the peace of mind of the instrument-maker. therefore he availed himself of so favourable a moment for breaking the west indian intelligence to his friend, as a piece of extraordinary preferment; declaring that for his part he would freely give a hundred thousand pounds (if he had it) for walter's gain in the long-run, and that he had no doubt such an investment would yield a handsome premium.

solomon gills was at first stunned by the communication, which fell upon the little back-parlour like a thunderbolt, and tore up the hearth savagely. but the captain flashed such golden prospects before his dim sight: hinted so mysteriously at 'whittingtonian consequences; laid such emphasis on what walter had just now told them: and appealed to it so confidently as a corroboration of his predictions, and a great advance towards the realisation of the romantic legend of lovely peg: that he bewildered the old man. walter, for his part, feigned to be so full of hope and ardour, and so sure of coming home again soon, and backed up the captain with such expressive shakings of his head and rubbings of his hands, that solomon, looking first at him then at captain cuttle, began to think he ought to be transported with joy.

'but i'm behind the time, you understand,' he observed in apology, passing his hand nervously down the whole row of bright buttons on his coat, and then up again, as if they were beads and he were telling them twice over: 'and i would rather have my dear boy here. it's an old-fashioned notion, i daresay. he was always fond of the sea he's' - and he looked wistfully at walter - 'he's glad to go.'

'uncle sol!' cried walter, quickly, 'if you say that, i won't go. no, captain cuttle, i won't. if my uncle thinks i could be glad to leave him, though i was going to be made governor of all the islands in the west indies, that's enough. i'm a fixture.'

'wal'r, my lad,' said the captain. 'steady! sol gills, take an observation of your nevy.

following with his eyes the majestic action of the captain's hook, the old man looked at walter.

'here is a certain craft,' said the captain, with a magnificent sense of the allegory into which he was soaring, 'a-going to put out on a certain voyage. what name is wrote upon that craft indelibly? is it the gay? or,' said the captain, raising his voice as much as to say, observe the point of this, 'is it the gills?'

'ned,' said the old man, drawing walter to his side, and taking his arm tenderly through his, 'i know. i know. of course i know that wally considers me more than himself always. that's in my mind. when i say he is glad to go, i mean i hope he is. eh? look you, ned and you too, wally, my dear, this is new and unexpected to me; and i'm afraid my being behind the time, and poor, is at the bottom of it. is it really good fortune for him, do you tell me, now?' said the old man, looking anxiously from one to the other. 'really and truly? is it? i can reconcile myself to almost anything that advances wally, but i won't have wally putting himself at any disadvantage for me, or keeping anything from me. you, ned cuttle!' said the old man, fastening on the captain, to the manifest confusion of that diplomatist; 'are you dealing plainly by your old friend? speak out, ned cuttle. is there anything behind? ought he to go? how do you know it first, and why?'

as it was a contest of affection and self-denial, walter struck in with infinite effect, to the captain's relief; and between them they tolerably reconciled old sol gills, by continued talking, to the project; or rather so confused him, that nothing, not even the pain of separation, was distinctly clear to his mind.

he had not much time to balance the matter; for on the very next day, walter received from mr carker the manager, the necessary credentials for his passage and outfit, together with the information that the son and heir would sail in a fortnight, or within a day or two afterwards at latest. in the hurry of preparation: which walter purposely enhanced as much as possible: the old man lost what little selfpossession he ever had; and so the time of departure drew on rapidly.

the captain, who did not fail to make himself acquainted with all that passed, through inquiries of walter from day to day, found the time still tending on towards his going away, without any occasion offering itself, or seeming likely to offer itself, for a better understanding of his position. it was after much consideration of this fact, and much pondering over such an unfortunate combination of circumstances, that a bright idea occurred to the captain. suppose he made a call on mr carker, and tried to find out from him how the land really lay!

captain cuttle liked this idea very much. it came upon him in a moment of inspiration, as he was smoking an early pipe in brig place after breakfast; and it was worthy of the tobacco. it would quiet his conscience, which was an honest one, and was made a little uneasy by what walter had confided to him, and what sol gills had said; and it would be a deep, shrewd act of friendship. he would sound mr carker carefully, and say much or little, just as he read that gentleman's character, and discovered that they got on well together or the reverse.

accordingly, without the fear of walter before his eyes (who he knew was at home packing), captain cuttle again assumed his ankle-jacks and mourning brooch, and issued forth on this second expedition. he purchased no propitiatory nosegay on the present occasion, as he was going to a place of business; but he put a small sunflower in his button-hole to give himself an agreeable relish of the country; and with this, and the knobby stick, and the glazed hat, bore down upon the offices of dombey and son.

after taking a glass of warm rum-and-water at a tavern close by, to collect his thoughts, the captain made a rush down the court, lest its good effects should evaporate, and appeared suddenly to mr perch.

'matey,' said the captain, in persuasive accents. 'one of your governors is named carker.' mr perch admitted it; but gave him to understand, as in official duty bound, that all his governors were engaged, and never expected to be disengaged any more.

'look'ee here, mate,' said the captain in his ear; 'my name's cap'en cuttle.'

the captain would have hooked perch gently to him, but mr perch eluded the attempt; not so much in design, as in starting at the sudden thought that such a weapon unexpectedly exhibited to mrs perch might, in her then condition, be destructive to that lady's hopes.

'if you'll be so good as just report cap'en cuttle here, when you get a chance,' said the captain, 'i'll wait.'

saying which, the captain took his seat on mr perch's bracket, and drawing out his handkerchief from the crown of the glazed hat which he jammed between his knees (without injury to its shape, for nothing human could bend it), rubbed his head well all over, and appeared refreshed. he subsequently arranged his hair with his hook, and sat looking round the office, contemplating the clerks with a serene respect.

the captain's equanimity was so impenetrable, and he was altogether so mysterious a being, that perch the messenger was daunted.

'what name was it you said?' asked mr perch, bending down over him as he sat on the bracket.

'cap'en,' in a deep hoarse whisper.

'yes,' said mr perch, keeping time with his head.

'cuttle.'

'oh!' said mr perch, in the same tone, for he caught it, and couldn't help it; the captain, in his diplomacy, was so impressive. 'i'll see if he's disengaged now. i don't know. perhaps he may be for a minute.'

'ay, ay, my lad, i won't detain him longer than a minute,' said the captain, nodding with all the weighty importance that he felt within him. perch, soon returning, said, 'will captain cuttle walk this way?'

mr carker the manager, standing on the hearth-rug before the empty fireplace, which was ornamented with a castellated sheet of brown paper, looked at the captain as he came in, with no very special encouragement.

'mr carker?' said captain cuttle.

'i believe so,' said mr carker, showing all his teeth.

the captain liked his answering with a smile; it looked pleasant. 'you see,' began the captain, rolling his eyes slowly round the little room, and taking in as much of it as his shirt-collar permitted; 'i'm a seafaring man myself, mr carker, and wal'r, as is on your books here, is almost a son of mine.'

'walter gay?' said mr carker, showing all his teeth again.

'wal'r gay it is,' replied the captain, 'right!' the captain's manner expressed a warm approval of mr carker's quickness of perception. 'i'm a intimate friend of his and his uncle's. perhaps,' said the captain, 'you may have heard your head governor mention my name? - captain cuttle.'

'no!' said mr carker, with a still wider demonstration than before.

'well,' resumed the captain, 'i've the pleasure of his acquaintance. i waited upon him down on the sussex coast there, with my young friend wal'r, when - in short, when there was a little accommodation wanted.' the captain nodded his head in a manner that was at once comfortable, easy, and expressive. 'you remember, i daresay?'

'i think,' said mr carker, 'i had the honour of arranging the business.'

'to be sure!' returned the captain. 'right again! you had. now i've took the liberty of coming here -

'won't you sit down?' said mr carker, smiling.

'thank'ee,' returned the captain, availing himself of the offer. 'a man does get more way upon himself, perhaps, in his conversation, when he sits down. won't you take a cheer yourself?'

'no thank you,' said the manager, standing, perhaps from the force of winter habit, with his back against the chimney-piece, and looking down upon the captain with an eye in every tooth and gum. 'you have taken the liberty, you were going to say - though it's none - '

'thank'ee kindly, my lad,' returned the captain: 'of coming here, on account of my friend wal'r. sol gills, his uncle, is a man of science, and in science he may be considered a clipper; but he ain't what i should altogether call a able seaman - not man of practice. wal'r is as trim a lad as ever stepped; but he's a little down by the head in one respect, and that is, modesty. now what i should wish to put to you,' said the captain, lowering his voice, and speaking in a kind of confidential growl, 'in a friendly way, entirely between you and me, and for my own private reckoning, 'till your head governor has wore round a bit, and i can come alongside of him, is this - is everything right and comfortable here, and is wal'r out'ard bound with a pretty fair wind?'

'what do you think now, captain cuttle?' returned carker, gathering up his skirts and settling himself in his position. 'you are a practical man; what do you think?'

the acuteness and the significance of the captain's eye as he cocked it in reply, no words short of those unutterable chinese words before referred to could describe.

'come!' said the captain, unspeakably encouraged, 'what do you say? am i right or wrong?'

so much had the captain expressed in his eye, emboldened and incited by mr carker's smiling urbanity, that he felt himself in as fair a condition to put the question, as if he had expressed his sentiments with the utmost elaboration.

'right,' said mr carker, 'i have no doubt.'

'out'ard bound with fair weather, then, i say,' cried captain cuttle.

mr carker smiled assent.

'wind right astarn, and plenty of it,' pursued the captain.

mr carker smiled assent again.

'ay, ay!' said captain cuttle, greatly relieved and pleased. 'i know'd how she headed, well enough; i told wal'r so. thank'ee, thank'ee.'

'gay has brilliant prospects,' observed mr carker, stretching his mouth wider yet: 'all the world before him.'

'all the world and his wife too, as the saying is,' returned the delighted captain.

at the word 'wife' (which he had uttered without design), the captain stopped, cocked his eye again, and putting the glazed hat on the top of the knobby stick, gave it a twirl, and looked sideways at his always smiling friend.

'i'd bet a gill of old jamaica,' said the captain, eyeing him attentively, 'that i know what you're a smiling at.'

mr carker took his cue, and smiled the more.

'it goes no farther?' said the captain, making a poke at the door with the knobby stick to assure himself that it was shut.

'not an inch,' said mr carker.

'you're thinking of a capital f perhaps?' said the captain.

mr carker didn't deny it.

'anything about a l,' said the captain, 'or a o?'

mr carker still smiled.

'am i right, again?' inquired the captain in a whisper, with the scarlet circle on his forehead swelling in his triumphant joy.

mr carker, in reply, still smiling, and now nodding assent, captain cuttle rose and squeezed him by the hand, assuring him, warmly, that they were on the same tack, and that as for him (cuttle) he had laid his course that way all along. 'he know'd her first,' said the captain, with all the secrecy and gravity that the subject demanded, 'in an uncommon manner - you remember his finding her in the street when she was a'most a babby - he has liked her ever since, and she him, as much as two youngsters can. we've always said, sol gills and me, that they was cut out for each other.'

a cat, or a monkey, or a hyena, or a death's-head, could not have shown the captain more teeth at one time, than mr carker showed him at this period of their interview.

'there's a general indraught that way,' observed the happy captain. 'wind and water sets in that direction, you see. look at his being present t'other day!'

'most favourable to his hopes,' said mr carker.

'look at his being towed along in the wake of that day!' pursued the captain. 'why what can cut him adrift now?'

'nothing,' replied mr carker.

'you're right again,' returned the captain, giving his hand another squeeze. 'nothing it is. so! steady! there's a son gone: pretty little creetur. ain't there?'

'yes, there's a son gone,' said the acquiescent carker.

'pass the word, and there's another ready for you,' quoth the captain. 'nevy of a scientific uncle! nevy of sol gills! wal'r! wal'r, as is already in your business! and' - said the captain, rising gradually to a quotation he was preparing for a final burst, 'who - comes from sol gills's daily, to your business, and your buzzums.' the captain's complacency as he gently jogged mr carker with his elbow, on concluding each of the foregoing short sentences, could be surpassed by nothing but the exultation with which he fell back and eyed him when he had finished this brilliant display of eloquence and sagacity; his great blue waistcoat heaving with the throes of such a masterpiece, and his nose in a state of violent inflammation from the same cause.

'am i right?' said the captain.

'captain cuttle,' said mr carker, bending down at the knees, for a moment, in an odd manner, as if he were falling together to hug the whole of himself at once, 'your views in reference to walter gay are thoroughly and accurately right. i understand that we speak together in confidence.

'honour!' interposed the captain. 'not a word.'

'to him or anyone?' pursued the manager.

captain cuttle frowned and shook his head.

'but merely for your own satisfaction and guidance - and guidance, of course,' repeated mr carker, 'with a view to your future proceedings.'

'thank'ee kindly, i am sure,' said the captain, listening with great attention.

'i have no hesitation in saying, that's the fact. you have hit the probabilities exactly.'

'and with regard to your head governor,' said the captain, 'why an interview had better come about nat'ral between us. there's time enough.'

mr carker, with his mouth from ear to ear, repeated, 'time enough.' not articulating the words, but bowing his head affably, and forming them with his tongue and lips.

'and as i know - it's what i always said- that wal'r's in a way to make his fortune,' said the captain.

'to make his fortune,' mr carker repeated, in the same dumb manner.

'and as wal'r's going on this little voyage is, as i may say, in his day's work, and a part of his general expectations here,' said the captain.

'of his general expectations here,' assented mr carker, dumbly as before.

'why, so long as i know that,' pursued the captain, 'there's no hurry, and my mind's at ease.

mr carker still blandly assenting in the same voiceless manner, captain cuttle was strongly confirmed in his opinion that he was one of the most agreeable men he had ever met, and that even mr dombey might improve himself on such a model. with great heartiness, therefore, the captain once again extended his enormous hand (not unlike an old block in colour), and gave him a grip that left upon his smoother flesh a proof impression of the chinks and crevices with which the captain's palm was liberally tattooed.

'farewell!' said the captain. 'i ain't a man of many words, but i take it very kind of you to be so friendly, and above-board. you'll excuse me if i've been at all intruding, will you?' said the captain.

'not at all,' returned the other.

'thank'ee. my berth ain't very roomy,' said the captain, turning back again, 'but it's tolerably snug; and if you was to find yourself near brig place, number nine, at any time - will you make a note of it? - and would come upstairs, without minding what was said by the person at the door, i should be proud to see you.

with that hospitable invitation, the captain said 'good day!' and walked out and shut the door; leaving mr carker still reclining against the chimney-piece. in whose sly look and watchful manner; in whose false mouth, stretched but not laughing; in whose spotless cravat and very whiskers; even in whose silent passing of his soft hand over his white linen and his smooth face; there was something desperately cat-like.

the unconscious captain walked out in a state of self-glorification that imparted quite a new cut to the broad blue suit. 'stand by, ned!' said the captain to himself. 'you've done a little business for the youngsters today, my lad!'

in his exultation, and in his familiarity, present and prospective, with the house, the captain, when he reached the outer office, could not refrain from rallying mr perch a little, and asking him whether he thought everybody was still engaged. but not to be bitter on a man who had done his duty, the captain whispered in his ear, that if he felt disposed for a glass of rum-and-water, and would follow, he would be happy to bestow the same upon him.

before leaving the premises, the captain, somewhat to the astonishment of the clerks, looked round from a central point of view, and took a general survey of the officers part and parcel of a project in which his young friend was nearly interested. the strong-room excited his especial admiration; but, that he might not appear too particular, he limited himself to an approving glance, and, with a graceful recognition of the clerks as a body, that was full of politeness and patronage, passed out into the court. being promptly joined by mr perch, he conveyed that gentleman to the tavern, and fulfilled his pledge - hastily, for perch's time was precious.

'i'll give you for a toast,' said the captain, 'wal'r!'

'who?' submitted mr perch.

'wal'r!' repeated the captain, in a voice of thunder.

mr perch, who seemed to remember having heard in infancy that there was once a poet of that name, made no objection; but he was much astonished at the captain's coming into the city to propose a poet; indeed, if he had proposed to put a poet's statue up - say shakespeare's for example - in a civic thoroughfare, he could hardly have done a greater outrage to mr perch's experience. on the whole, he was such a mysterious and incomprehensible character, that mr perch decided not to mention him to mrs perch at all, in case of giving rise to any disagreeable consequences.

mysterious and incomprehensible, the captain, with that lively sense upon him of having done a little business for the youngsters, remained all day, even to his most intimate friends; and but that walter attributed his winks and grins, and other such pantomimic reliefs of himself, to his satisfaction in the success of their innocent deception upon old sol gills, he would assuredly have betrayed himself before night. as it was, however, he kept his own secret; and went home late from the instrument-maker's house, wearing the glazed hat so much on one side, and carrying such a beaming expression in his eyes, that mrs macstinger (who might have been brought up at doctor blimber's, she was such a roman matron) fortified herself, at the first glimpse of him, behind the open street door, and refused to come out to the contemplation of her blessed infants, until he was securely lodged in his own room.

卡特尔船长运用他那惊人的、他真心自信是天赋的才能（就一个无比纯朴的人来说，这倒并非异乎寻常），制订出那个深奥莫测的计划，在那个多事的星期天，前往董贝先生的公馆；他一路上一直眨巴着眼睛，让他那横溢的才智有一个排泄的孔道；他脚上穿着那双光耀夺目的短靴，就这样出现在托林森的眼前。卡特尔船长从那人那里听到了那即将来临的灾难，十分忧虑；由于他一向处事审慎，所以就惊慌失色地急忙“改变航向”，离开那里，而只递进那个花束，表示他关怀的一点小小心意，还请托林森向全家人转达他的敬意和问候，希望他们在当前的情况下坚强地顶住风，最后友好地暗示，他明天将“再来看看”。

船长的问候再也没有被人听到。船长的花束在前厅里搁了一夜，第二天早晨就被扫进了垃圾箱；船长神机妙算的安排，连同那更为伟大的希望和更为崇高的计划一道卷进了这场奇灾大祸，如今已被彻底粉碎。因此，当雪崩冲毁山间的森林时，细枝和灌木也随同大树遭殃，全都荡然无存。

沃尔特经过长距离的游逛和最后随着发生的那些难忘的事情之后，星期天晚上回到家里时，最初一心一意想着他必须告诉他们的消息，并彻底沉浸在刚才经历的情景在他心中自然唤起的情感之中，所以既没有注意到他舅舅显然还不知道船长答应通知的信息，也没有注意到船长用钩子向他打了个信号，提醒他不要提起这个话题。不过，不论如何聚精会神地观察，船长的信号也不是很容易理解的；因为就像中国的圣人据说在开会时曾经写过一些完全不能发音的艰涩高深的词语一样，船长那些龙飞凤舞般的指指划划，谁要是事先不了解他的秘密，那是根本不可能看懂的。

可是船长在知道所发生的事情之后，放弃了这些打算，因为他看到，在沃尔特出发之前，现在很少有机会能跟董贝先生无拘无束地随意交谈。不过，船长尽管带着灰心失望、垂头丧气的神色暗自承认，所尔·吉尔斯一定得知道这件事情，沃尔特一定得走——情况暂且只能听凭和他当初接触到的时候一样，并没有因为有朋友明智地进行调停，而使事实真相得以澄清或使境遇有所改善——，但他仍毫不动摇地相信，他内德·卡特尔是与董贝先生磋商的合适人物，只要他们两人走到一起，就可以十分妥善地安排沃尔特的命运。因为船长永远不能忘记，他与董贝先生在布赖顿相处得很好，他们每人都在合适的时候恰如其分地说出了需要说的话；他们曾经准确地判断了彼此的为人；他也不会忘记他内德·卡特尔怎样在陷于绝境时指出这条出路并使会晤导向合乎要求的结局。船长根据这些理由安慰自己：内德·卡特尔目前虽然由于情势所逼，暂且只好无所事事地袖手旁观，但有朝一日，时机一到，他内德总能扬起船帆，胜利地向前航行的。

在这种出自善意的误解的影响下，卡特尔船长坐在那里，看着沃尔特，听着他叙述，同时在衬衫领子上掉下一颗眼泪的时候，心中甚至在转悠着这样的念头：不论哪一天他遇见董贝先生时，他就口头邀请他，在他指定的任何一天，到布里格广场来品尝品尝羊肉，然后在碰杯祝酒时再谈谈他年轻朋友的前途问题——这样做是不是既符合礼仪而又富于策略？但是麦克斯适杰太太的脾气难以捉摸，在他举行宴请时她可能伸开四肢，躺卧在走廊里，含沙带刺地说起教来；这些顾虑在船长好客的想法上泼上一瓢冷水，使他胆怯心灰。

当沃尔特沉思地坐在餐桌前面没有吃饭，心中一直细想着所发生的一切时，在船长看来，有一个事实是很清楚的，就是：尽管沃尔特本人由于谦虚，还认识不到这一点，但他却可以说是董贝先生家庭中的一员了。他本人曾亲自跟他十分感伤地叙述的事件联系在一起；就在这一个事件发生的过程当中，他们记起了他的名字，并赞扬他；他的老板对他一定会另眼相看，对他的前途一定会格外关心的。如果说船长对他自己的结论暗中还有什么怀疑的话，那么他毫不怀疑，这些结论对安定仪器制造商的心情是十分有利的。因此他就利用了这样一个大好时机，把去西印度群岛的消息作为一件破格提升的待遇，透露给他的老朋友；声称如果他有钱的话，那么他就将慷慨解囊，为沃尔持的长远利益拿出十万英镑；他相信这一笔投资一定会产生可观的赢利。

所罗门·吉尔斯听到这个消息，起初晕头转向，目瞪口呆；它像晴天霹雳般地打进了小小的后客厅，粗暴地破坏了炉边安宁的气氛。可是船长在他昏花的眼睛前面展示出一幅黄金般灿烂的前景，十分神秘地暗示惠廷顿式的前程；对沃尔特刚刚告诉他们的事情大事宣扬它的重要意义，满怀信心地把它用来说明他的预言已开始得到证实，在实现可爱的佩格姑娘的传说方面已迈出了重大的一步。——所有这一切把老人弄得心迷意乱，糊里糊涂。沃尔特也假装充满了希望和热忱，确信他不久就会回来，同时为了支持船长，他富于表情地摇晃着脑袋，搓着手，因此所罗门起初望望他，然后又望望卡特尔船长，开始想到，他该欣喜若狂才好呢。

“可是，你们知道，我已经落在时代后面了，”他辩解地说道，一边紧张不安地用手从上到下摸着他外衣上一排发亮的钮扣，然后又从下到上摸回去，仿佛它们是念珠似的，他正把它们连数两遍；“我宁愿让我亲爱的孩子留在这里。这肯定是过时的想法了。他过去总是喜爱海，他——”他闷闷不乐地望着沃尔特说，“他高兴去。”

“所尔舅舅！”沃尔特迅速地喊道，“如果你这样说的话，那么我就·不·想去了。是的，卡特尔船长，我不想去了。如果舅舅以为我能高高兴兴地离开他的话（即使我就要走马上任，去当西印度群岛的总督），那么这句话就足够了。我将寸步不离地守在这里。”

“沃尔，我的孩子，”船长说，“别着急！所尔·吉尔斯，请看看您的外甥吧！”

船长的钩子威严地移动着，老人的眼睛跟随着它，看到了沃尔特。

“有一条船就要出航，”船长文思大发，举了一个动人的比喻，“要在这条船上不可磨灭地写上一个什么名字呢？是写盖伊号呢？还是，”船长提高了声音，提醒大家注意，“还是写吉尔斯号呢？”

“内德，”老人把沃尔特拉到他的身旁，亲切地挽着他的胳膊，说道，“我知道。我知道。我知道沃尔特总是更多地考虑我，而很少考虑他自己。这一点我心里是明白的。我说他高兴去，我的意思是说，我希望他高兴去。嗯，内德，你听着，还有沃利，亲爱的，你也听着，这是我意想不到的新消息；我怕我落在时代的后面，而且贫穷可怜；这就是根本的原因。现在，请你们告诉我，这对他是不是真的是个好运气？”老人忧虑不安地从这一位望到另一位，说道，“千真万确是那样吗？如果这对沃利的前程真是有利的话，那么我自己几乎什么都能迁就，但是我不愿意沃利为我而牺牲自己或者对我隐瞒什么。你，内德·卡特尔”！老人眼睛直瞪着船长，瞪得这位外交家局促不安，“你对你的老朋友老实吗？说出来，内德·卡特尔背后有什么瞒着我？他该不该去？你怎么先知道的，为什么能先知道？”

由于这是一场骨肉情谊与自我牺牲的竞赛，船长感到宽慰的是，沃尔特这时进来插话，取得了无限的效果。他们两人一刻不停地交谈着，使老所尔·吉尔斯多少安下心来；或者说得确切些，把他弄得稀里糊涂，一切都不明白，甚至连离别的痛苦他也不能清楚地感觉到了。

他没有多少时间来衡量这件事情，因为第二天，沃尔特就从经理卡克先生那里接到有关出发和服装用品的必要指令，同时还得悉，“儿子和继承人”号将在两星期或最迟晚一、两天内开航。沃尔特故意把准备工作搞得匆匆忙忙，在这匆忙的过程中，老人仅有的一点冷静也失去了，因此启程的日期迅速地就临近了。

船长每天都向沃尔特打听，所以知道发生的一切情形；他觉得时间一天天接近沃尔特动身的日子，却没有出现或看来可能出现任何情况可以更好地了解沃尔特的处境。船长对这个事情进行了反复的考虑，对不幸凑合在一起的一些情况进行了许多思索之后，心中忽然出现一个巧妙的主意。不妨去拜访一下卡克先生，设法从他那里了解一下，海岸究竟是在哪个方向？

卡特尔船长很喜欢这个主意，它是他在布里格广场吃过早饭以后抽第一斗烟时灵机一动的一刹那中突然来到他的头脑中的；抽这斗烟很值得。他的良心是诚实的，沃尔特向他吐露的内情以及所尔·吉尔斯所说的话曾使他稍感不安，这次访问将会使他的良心安宁下来；而且这将是一个寓意深长，精明高超的友好行动。他将谨慎小心地试探卡克先生，当他看清这位先生的性格，认定他们是否能融洽相处之后再决定多谈或少谈。

因此，不怕遇见沃尔特（他知道他在家里忙着收拾行李），卡特尔船长重新穿上短靴，别上哀悼友人的胸针，走上他的第二次征途。这次他没有买送礼的花束，因为他是到一个办公的地方去；但是他在钮扣孔里插了一朵小小的向日葵花，身上发出了令人愉快的乡村的清香，他就这样拿着那根多节的手杖，戴着上了光的帽子，动身到董贝父子公司去了。

船长在附近的小酒店喝了一杯温暖的、搀水的朗姆酒，定神想想，然后快步跑过庭院，唯恐酒的良好效果就要蒸发掉似的，最后突然出现在珀奇先生的面前。

“老弟，”船长用诱导性的语气说道，“您们公司的头头里有一位是姓卡克的。”

珀奇先生承认这一点，但他有责任让他了解，公司的头头们都很忙，别指望他们能抽出时间来。

“老弟，告诉您，”船长凑着他的耳朵说道，“我是卡特尔船长。”

船长本想用钩子把珀奇先生轻轻地拉到身旁，但是珀奇先生避开了；他倒不是故意逃避，而主要是他突然想到，这样一种武器出乎意外地出现在珀奇太太眼前，在她当时的情况下，是很可能会断送掉她的美好希望的。1

--------

1指珀奇太太见了可能受惊流产。

“劳驾您有机会进去通报一声，卡特尔船长来了，”卡特尔船长说道，“我在这里等。”

船长说完话，就坐在珀奇先生的托架上，从那顶上了光的帽子（他把它夹在两个膝盖中间，并没有损坏它的形状，因为不论什么人类的东西都不能使它弯曲）顶端掏出一块手绢，把头好好地擦了一遍，看上去神清气爽。然后他用钩子梳梳头发，安祥沉着地坐在那里，环视办公室四处，并看着那些职员们。

船长泰然自若的态度令人高深莫测，而他本人又是那么一位神秘的人物，因此信差珀奇被吓唬住了。

“您刚才说您姓什么？”珀奇先生向坐在托架上的船长欠身问道。

“我是船长，”他用低沉、嘶哑的低声说道。

“是，”珀奇先生急忙点头道。

“姓卡特尔。”

“哦！”珀奇先生用同样的声调说道，因为他听到了，也不能不听到；船长的外交风度给他留下了很深刻的印象。“我去看看他现在是不是有空，我不知道。也许他可以抽出一分钟。”

“行，行，老弟，我耽误他的时间不会超过一分钟，”船长怀着极大的自尊心，点点头，说道。珀奇不一会儿就回来了，说道，“请卡特尔船长往这边走好吗？”

经理卡克先生站在没有生火的、用牛皮纸城形图案装饰着的壁炉前面的地毯上，以不特别欢迎的眼光看着走进的船长。

“是卡克先生吗？”船长问道。

“我想是的，”卡克先生露出所有的牙齿，说道。

船长对他微笑着回答感到高兴，这看来是令人愉快的。

“您知道，”船长开始说道，一边慢慢地转着眼睛环视着这间小房间，把他衬衫领子没有挡住的地方都看在眼里。“我本人是个航海人员，卡克先生，列在你们职员名册上的沃尔可以说是我的儿子。”

“是指沃尔特·盖伊吗？”卡克先生又露出所有的牙齿说道。

“是沃尔·盖伊，”船长回答，“完全正确！”船长在神态中对卡克先生灵敏的理解力表示热烈赞扬。“我是他和他舅舅的亲密朋友。也许，”船长说，“您曾听到你们公司老板提起过我的名字吧？——卡特尔船长。”

“没有，”卡克先生比先前更宽阔地露出他的牙齿说。“唔，”船长继续说，“我有幸跟他认识。我跟我年轻的朋友沃尔一道，在萨塞克斯1海边拜访过他，当时——总之，当时需要请他通融小小一笔资金。”船长点点头，神态既愉快，从容，又富于表情。“我想，您记得吧？”

--------

1萨塞克斯（sussex）：英格兰南部的郡，布赖顿就在这郡内。

“我想，”卡克先生说，“我曾有幸安排过这件事情。”

“不错！”船长答道，“又完全正确！是您安排的。现在我冒昧地到这里来——”

“您坐下好吗？”卡克微笑着说。

“谢谢您，”船长接受了建议，回答道，“坐下来谈话也许会轻松一些。您自己也在椅子上坐下好吗？”

“不，谢谢您，”经理说道；也许是由于冬天养成的习惯，他还继续站着；他的背靠着壁炉架，并往下望着船长，好像他每个牙齿和牙床中都长着一只眼睛似的。“您刚才说，您冒昧地——其实并没有什么冒昧。”

“非常感谢您，我的朋友，”船长回答道，“我是为了我的朋友沃尔冒昧地到这里来的，他的舅舅所尔·吉尔斯是一位搞科学的人，在科学上他可以算得上是一只快速帆船。可是，我不能把他称为能干的船员——他不是个注重实际的人。沃尔是个难得的棒小伙子；不过他也有缺点，那就是谦虚。现在，在你们老板心情没有稍稍恢复，我可以来跟他一起交谈之前，”船长压低了声音，以极为信任的低沉的粗声说道，“我希望以友好的方式，完全在您与我之间，也为了我个人有个正确的估量，向您提个问题，就是：这里是不是一切都很完善妥贴，沃尔出航是否顺风？”

“您现在怎么想，卡特尔船长？”卡克提起衣服下摆，站好姿势，回答道，“您是个注重实际的人，您怎么想呢？”

船长的眼睛向上一瞟作为回答，那眼光的锐利与意味深长，除了前面提到的不能发音的中国语言外，其他语言都不能形容。

“好啦！”船长受到难以表述的鼓舞，说道，“请您说说，我对了还是错了？”

受到了卡克先生彬彬有礼的微笑的鼓舞，船长壮了胆，在眼光中表露了十分深长的寓意；他觉得他是在很有希望的情况下提出问题的，仿佛他已用精心推敲过的言辞表达了他的感情。

“对了，”卡克先生说，“我没有怀疑。”

“那么，我说，他出航遇上很好的天气了？”卡特尔船长喊道。

卡克先生微笑着表示同意。

“风向顺利，风力很足？”船长继续问道。

卡克先生又微笑着表示同意。

“不错！不错！”卡特尔船长非常放心和满意地说道，“我早就很明白这船的航向如何。我跟沃尔特说过。谢谢您，谢谢您。”

“盖伊有光明的前途，”卡克先生的嘴张得比先前更大，说道，“整个世界都展现在他的前面。”

“就像谚语所说的，整个世界，还有他的妻子都展现在他的前面，”兴高采烈的船长回答道。

妻子这两个字船长是无意间说出来的，他说到这两个字的时候停了停，眼睛又向上一瞟，接着把上了光的帽子顶在多节的手杖上打了个转，然后斜眼看着他那老在微笑的朋友。

“我拿一及耳牙买加陈酒1打赌，”船长目不转睛地注视着他说，“我知道您笑什么。”

--------

1及耳，约相当于0．14升。牙买加以产糖酒闻名。

卡克先生明白他的暗示，更加高兴地微笑着。

“不再前进了？”船长问道，一边用多节的手杖往门上戳一戳，使他自己放心，门是关着的。

“一英寸也不了，”卡克先生说。

“也许您在想着一个弗字？”船长问道。

卡克先生没有否认。

“是不是跟洛字或伦字有关？”船长问。

卡克先生仍然微笑着。

“我是不是又对了？”船长低声问道，他得意扬扬，前额上都涨出了一个红圈。

卡克先生仍然微笑着回答，现在又点点头表示同意；卡特尔船长就站起来，紧握着他的手，热情洋溢地让他相信，他们是在同一个航向的航程上；至于他卡特尔，他一直都是沿着这个航向前进的。“起初，”船长谈到这个话题时，显出理所应当的秘密与庄重的神情，说道，“他是在一个很不寻常的情况下认识她的——您记得，他是在街上找到她的，当时她几乎还是个小娃娃，——从那时起，他就爱上了她，她也爱上他，他们相爱得十分热烈，就像这样两个年轻人会那样相爱一样。我们，所尔和我，经常说，他们是天造地设的一对。”

一只猫，一个猴子，一条鬣狗或者一个骷髅，也不能一下子比卡克先生在他们这次会晤期间向船长显露出更多的牙齿。

“您看，水流是向着那一边的，”乐呵呵的船长说，“风朝着那个方向吹，水朝着那个方向流。看吧，他有一天是会到那里的！”

“对他的希望极为有利，”卡克先生说道。

“看吧，有一天他会被绳子拖着前进！”船长继续说，“现在有什么能使他任意漂流的呢？”

“什么也不能了，”卡克先生回答。

“您又完全正确，”船长又一次紧握着他的手，回答道，“什么也不能了。因此！别着急！儿子已经去世了，那个可爱的小人儿。是不是？”

“是的，儿子已经去世了，”勉强顺从的卡克说道。

“你们只要发一道命令，你们就将会有另一个现成的儿子，”船长说道，“一位懂科学的舅舅的外甥！所尔·吉尔斯的外甥！沃尔！已经在你们公司工作的那个沃尔！”船长继续说道，他逐渐接近结尾最精彩的引语：“他——每天从所尔·吉尔斯家中来到你们公司，投入你们的怀抱。”

船长每讲完上面每一句短句，都用胳膊肘轻轻地推一下卡克先生，这时他那自满自得的情绪，只有当他结束这段口若悬河、才华横溢的讲话，往椅背上一靠，注视着卡克先生时那欣喜若狂的神情才能超过。他这篇杰作正在脱胎而出的时候，他的宽大的蓝色背心鼓了起来，鼻子也由于同一个原因翕动着。

“我说得对吗？”船长问道。

“卡特尔船长，”卡克先生说道，同时以一种古怪的姿态把膝盖往下弯曲了片刻，仿佛他正要倒下，同时又用力支撑住自己似的：“您关于沃尔特·盖伊的意见是完全、绝对正确的。我明白，我们是在私下里交谈知心话”。

“我以名誉发誓！”船长打断他说，“一句也不是。”

“也不是讲给他或任何人听的吗？”经理接着问道。

卡特尔船长皱着眉头，摇摇头。

“只不过是为了使您自己能心安理得并能得到指导吧，”卡克先生说道，“我说的指导，自然是指您未来的行动能得到指导。”

“我确实很感谢您，”船长很注意地听着，说道。

“我毫不迟疑地说，那是事实。您已经准确地料到了可能发生的事情。”

“至于你们公司的老板，”船长说，“我们之间的会晤最好让它自然来到吧，有的是时间。”

卡克先生咧着嘴笑着，并重复说道，“有的是时间，”他没有把这几个字清晰地发出声来，而是和蔼可亲地垂下头，舌头和嘴唇轻轻地动了动。

“我明白——正像我过去经常说的，沃尔就要发迹了。”

“就要发迹了，”卡克先生用同样无声的方式重复说道。

“沃尔这次小小的航行，我可以说，属于他日常的工作范围，也是公司对他前程安排的一部分。”船长说。

“对他前程安排的一部分，”卡克先生同先前一样哑口无声。

“是呀，只要我了解这一点，”船长继续说道，“那就不必着急，我也可以放心了。”

卡克先生仍旧用同样无声的方式，彬彬有礼地表示同意，因此卡特尔船长坚信不疑，在他认识的人中，他是最容易和好相处的人当中的一位；甚至董贝先生以他为榜样，也会对自己的立身处世有所裨益。因此，船长很亲切地再一次伸出他的像老木料般的大手，给他紧紧一握，在他那比较光滑的皮肉上留下了船长手掌上大量裂缝和皱纹的印痕。

“再见！”船长说，“我不是个讲话爱长篇大论的人，但我很感谢您这么亲切友好和光明磊落。请原谅我打搅您了。”船长说。

“那里的话，”另一位回答说。

“谢谢您。我目前居住的地方不很宽敞，”船长又转过身来说，“但还相当舒适，您不论什么时候路过布里格广场，九号——请您是不是记一下？——不管开门的人说什么，您就上楼来，我将不胜荣幸地接待您。”

船长发出这个好客的邀请之后，说了声：“再见！”走出房间，关上门，留下卡克先生仍旧背靠着壁炉架。在他的狡猾的眼光和留神戒备的姿态中，在他的伸出而不带笑的虚伪的嘴巴中，在他的毫无污迹的领带和连鬓胡子中，甚至在他伸出柔嫩的手默默无声地抚摸雪白的衬衫和光滑的脸孔的动作中，都有一些像猫一样的东西。

蒙在鼓里的船长是在自我陶醉的状态中走出来的，连他那宽大的蓝外衣也受到这种情绪的影响，产生了一副新气派。“做好准备，内德！”船长自言自语说，“你今天给年轻人做了一点事情啦，我的孩子！”

船长怀着欢欣鼓舞的心情，怀着现在和将来跟公司亲近的感情，当走到外面的办公室时，情不自禁想嘲弄一下珀奇先生，问他是不是还认为每个人都很忙碌。但是船长不想对一位克尽职责的人刻薄，就在他耳边低声说，如果他愿意跟他一起去喝一杯搀水的朗姆酒的话，那么他将乐于招待他。

船长离开办公楼之前，从一个中心点环顾四周，对公司办公室进行了全面观察；他认为这个办公室是他年轻的朋友密切关心的事业的一个不可分割的部分；他这样做，使得公司的职员们多少感到有些惊奇。金库特别引起他的羡慕，但是，为了不显得小气，他仅仅赞许地粗看了一眼；接着，他彬彬有礼，露出恩人气派，端庄得体地向全体职员欠身行礼，表示感谢；然后走向庭院。珀奇先生很快就跟了上来；他就把这位先生领进小酒店，毫不迟延地履行了他的诺言，因为珀奇的时间是宝贵的。

“我建议为沃尔的健康干杯！”船长说道。

“为谁？”珀奇先生温顺地问道。

“沃尔！”船长用雷鸣般的大声重复道。

珀奇先生似乎记得在幼年时代听人说过，从前有一位诗人是姓这个姓的1，所以没有反对。但是他很奇怪，船长为什么到城里来建议为一位诗人的健康干杯；说真的，如果他建议在城市的一条大街上建立一位诗人（比方说，莎士比亚）的塑像，那还不至于超越珀奇先生的见闻。总之。他是一位十分神秘和莫测高深的人物，因此珀奇先生决定根本不向珀奇太太谈起他，以免发生任何不愉快的后果。

--------

1指英国诗人埃德蒙·沃勒（edmundwaller，公元1606—1687年）。

船长怀着他已经为年轻人做了一点事情的愉快心情，甚至对他最亲密的朋友也整天保持着神秘和莫测高深的神态。沃尔特看到他眨巴着眼睛，露着牙齿笑，以及作出使自己心情轻松的其他哑剧性动作，以为他是因为他们不怀恶意地哄骗了老所尔·吉尔斯获得成功而感到沾沾自喜；要不是这样，他肯定不到夜间就会露出马脚。可是事实上，他还是把秘密保守住了；当他很晚离开仪器制造商的房屋回家去时，他把那顶上了光的帽子歪戴在一边，眼睛流露出喜气洋洋的神色，麦克斯适杰太太（她可能是从布林伯博士的学校中教养出来的，因为她是那么像古罗马的家庭主妇）从敞开的临街的正门后面一看见他，就立刻采取了防御的姿态，没有像她那些天真可爱的幼儿们所期待的那样走出来，直到他确实已在自己的房间里安顿下来为止。