further adventures of captain edward cuttle, mariner

time, sure of foot and strong of will, had so pressed onward, that the year enjoined by the old instrument-maker, as the term during which his friend should refrain from opening the sealed packet accompanying the letter he had left for him, was now nearly expired, and captain cuttle began to look at it, of an evening, with feelings of mystery and uneasiness

the captain, in his honour, would as soon have thought of opening the parcel one hour before the expiration of the term, as he would have thought of opening himself, to study his own anatomy. he merely brought it out, at a certain stage of his first evening pipe, laid it on the table, and sat gazing at the outside of it, through the smoke, in silent gravity, for two or three hours at a spell. sometimes, when he had contemplated it thus for a pretty long while, the captain would hitch his chair, by degrees, farther and farther off, as if to get beyond the range of its fascination; but if this were his design, he never succeeded: for even when he was brought up by the parlour wall, the packet still attracted him; or if his eyes, in thoughtful wandering, roved to the ceiling or the fire, its image immediately followed, and posted itself conspicuously among the coals, or took up an advantageous position on the whitewash.

in respect of heart's delight, the captain's parental and admiration knew no change. but since his last interview with mr carker, captain cuttle had come to entertain doubts whether his former intervention in behalf of that young lady and his dear boy wal'r, had proved altogether so favourable as he could have wished, and as he at the time believed. the captain was troubled with a serious misgiving that he had done more harm than good, in short; and in his remorse and modesty he made the best atonement he could think of, by putting himself out of the way of doing any harm to anyone, and, as it were, throwing himself overboard for a dangerous person.

self-buried, therefore, among the instruments, the captain never went near mr dombey's house, or reported himself in any way to florence or miss nipper. he even severed himself from mr perch, on the occasion of his next visit, by dryly informing that gentleman, that he thanked him for his company, but had cut himself adrift from all such acquaintance, as he didn't know what magazine he mightn't blow up, without meaning of it. in this self-imposed retirement, the captain passed whole days and weeks without interchanging a word with anyone but rob the grinder, whom he esteemed as a pattern of disinterested attachment and fidelity. in this retirement, the captain, gazing at the packet of an evening, would sit smoking, and thinking of florence and poor walter, until they both seemed to his homely fancy to be dead, and to have passed away into eternal youth, the beautiful and innocent children of his first remembrance.

the captain did not, however, in his musings, neglect his own improvement, or the mental culture of rob the grinder. that young man was generally required to read out of some book to the captain, for one hour, every evening; and as the captain implicitly believed that all books were true, he accumulated, by this means, many remarkable facts. on sunday nights, the captain always read for himself, before going to bed, a certain divine sermon once delivered on a mount; and although he was accustomed to quote the text, without book, after his own manner, he appeared to read it with as reverent an understanding of its heavenly spirit, as if he had got it all by heart in greek, and had been able to write any number of fierce theological disquisitions on its every phrase.

rob the grinder, whose reverence for the inspired writings, under the admirable system of the grinders' school, had been developed by a perpetual bruising of his intellectual shins against all the proper names of all the tribes of judah, and by the monotonous repetition of hard verses, especially by way of punishment, and by the parading of him at six years old in leather breeches, three times a sunday, very high up, in a very hot church, with a great organ buzzing against his drowsy head, like an exceedingly busy bee - rob the grinder made a mighty show of being edified when the captain ceased to read, and generally yawned and nodded while the reading was in progress. the latter fact being never so much as suspected by the good captain.

captain cuttle, also, as a man of business; took to keeping books. in these he entered observations on the weather, and on the currents of the waggons and other vehicles: which he observed, in that quarter, to set westward in the morning and during the greater part of the day, and eastward towards the evening. two or three stragglers appearing in one week, who 'spoke him' - so the captain entered it- on the subject of spectacles, and who, without positively purchasing, said they would look in again, the captain decided that the business was improving, and made an entry in the day-book to that effect: the wind then blowing (which he first recorded) pretty fresh, west and by north; having changed in the night.

one of the captain's chief difficulties was mr toots, who called frequently, and who without saying much seemed to have an idea that the little back parlour was an eligible room to chuckle in, as he would sit and avail himself of its accommodations in that regard by the half-hour together, without at all advancing in intimacy with the captain. the captain, rendered cautious by his late experience, was unable quite to satisfy his mind whether mr toots was the mild subject he appeared to be, or was a profoundly artful and dissimulating hypocrite. his frequent reference to miss dombey was suspicious; but the captain had a secret kindness for mr toots's apparent reliance on him, and forbore to decide against him for the present; merely eyeing him, with a sagacity not to be described, whenever he approached the subject that was nearest to his heart.

'captain gills,' blurted out mr toots, one day all at once, as his manner was, 'do you think you could think favourably of that proposition of mine, and give me the pleasure of your acquaintance?'

'why, i tell you what it is, my lad,' replied the captain, who had at length concluded on a course of action; 'i've been turning that there, over.'

'captain gills, it's very kind of you,' retorted mr toots. 'i'm much obliged to you. upon my word and honour, captain gills, it would be a charity to give me the pleasure of your acquaintance. it really would.'

'you see, brother,' argued the captain slowly, 'i don't know you.

'but you never can know me, captain gills,' replied mr toots, steadfast to his point, 'if you don't give me the pleasure of your acquaintance.

the captain seemed struck by the originality and power of this remark, and looked at mr toots as if he thought there was a great deal more in him than he had expected.

'well said, my lad,' observed the captain, nodding his head thoughtfully; 'and true. now look'ee here: you've made some observations to me, which gives me to understand as you admire a certain sweet creetur. hey?'

'captain gills,' said mr toots, gesticulating violently with the hand in which he held his hat, 'admiration is not the word. upon my honour, you have no conception what my feelings are. if i could be dyed black, and made miss dombey's slave, i should consider it a compliment. if, at the sacrifice of all my property, i could get transmigrated into miss dombey's dog - i - i really think i should never leave off wagging my tail. i should be so perfectly happy, captain gills!'

mr toots said it with watery eyes, and pressed his hat against his bosom with deep emotion.

'my lad,' returned the captain, moved to compassion, 'if you're in arnest -

'captain gills,' cried mr toots, 'i'm in such a state of mind, and am so dreadfully in earnest, that if i could swear to it upon a hot piece of iron, or a live coal, or melted lead, or burning sealing-wax, or anything of that sort, i should be glad to hurt myself, as a relief to my feelings.' and mr toots looked hurriedly about the room, as if for some sufficiently painful means of accomplishing his dread purpose.

the captain pushed his glazed hat back upon his head, stroked his face down with his heavy hand - making his nose more mottled in the process - and planting himself before mr toots, and hooking him by the lapel of his coat, addressed him in these words, while mr toots looked up into his face, with much attention and some wonder.

'if you're in arnest, you see, my lad,' said the captain, 'you're a object of clemency, and clemency is the brightest jewel in the crown of a briton's head, for which you'll overhaul the constitution as laid down in rule britannia, and, when found, that is the charter as them garden angels was a singing of, so many times over. stand by! this here proposal o' you'rn takes me a little aback. and why? because i holds my own only, you understand, in these here waters, and haven't got no consort, and may be don't wish for none. steady! you hailed me first, along of a certain young lady, as you was chartered by. now if you and me is to keep one another's company at all, that there young creetur's name must never be named nor referred to. i don't know what harm mayn't have been done by naming of it too free, afore now, and thereby i brings up short. d'ye make me out pretty clear, brother?'

'well, you'll excuse me, captain gills,' replied mr toots, 'if i don't quite follow you sometimes. but upon my word i - it's a hard thing, captain gills, not to be able to mention miss dombey. i really have got such a dreadful load here!' - mr toots pathetically touched his shirt-front with both hands - 'that i feel night and day, exactly as if somebody was sitting upon me.

'them,' said the captain, 'is the terms i offer. if they're hard upon you, brother, as mayhap they are, give 'em a wide berth, sheer off, and part company cheerily!'

'captain gills,' returned mr toots, 'i hardly know how it is, but after what you told me when i came here, for the first time, i - i feel that i'd rather think about miss dombey in your society than talk about her in almost anybody else's. therefore, captain gills, if you'll give me the pleasure of your acquaintance, i shall be very happy to accept it on your own conditions. i wish to be honourable, captain gills,' said mr toots, holding back his extended hand for a moment, 'and therefore i am obliged to say that i can not help thinking about miss dombey. it's impossible for me to make a promise not to think about her.'

'my lad,' said the captain, whose opinion of mr toots was much improved by this candid avowal, 'a man's thoughts is like the winds, and nobody can't answer for 'em for certain, any length of time together. is it a treaty as to words?'

'as to words, captain gills,' returned mr toots, 'i think i can bind myself.'

mr toots gave captain cuttle his hand upon it, then and there; and the captain with a pleasant and gracious show of condescension, bestowed his acquaintance upon him formally. mr toots seemed much relieved and gladdened by the acquisition, and chuckled rapturously during the remainder of his visit. the captain, for his part, was not ill pleased to occupy that position of patronage, and was exceedingly well satisfied by his own prudence and foresight.

but rich as captain cuttle was in the latter quality, he received a surprise that same evening from a no less ingenuous and simple youth, than rob the grinder. that artless lad, drinking tea at the same table, and bending meekly over his cup and saucer, having taken sidelong observations of his master for some time, who was reading the newspaper with great difficulty, but much dignity, through his glasses, broke silence by saying -

'oh! i beg your pardon, captain, but you mayn't be in want of any pigeons, may you, sir?'

'no, my lad,' replied the captain.

'because i was wishing to dispose of mine, captain,' said rob.

'ay, ay?' cried the captain, lifting up his bushy eyebrows a little.

'yes; i'm going, captain, if you please,' said rob.

'going? where are you going?' asked the captain, looking round at him over the glasses.

'what? didn't you know that i was going to leave you, captain?' asked rob, with a sneaking smile.

the captain put down the paper, took off his spectacles, and brought his eyes to bear on the deserter.

'oh yes, captain, i am going to give you warning. i thought you'd have known that beforehand, perhaps,' said rob, rubbing his hands, and getting up. 'if you could be so good as provide yourself soon, captain, it would be a great convenience to me. you couldn't provide yourself by to-morrow morning, i am afraid, captain: could you, do you think?'

'and you're a going to desert your colours, are you, my lad?' said the captain, after a long examination of his face.

'oh, it's very hard upon a cove, captain,' cried the tender rob, injured and indignant in a moment, 'that he can't give lawful warning, without being frowned at in that way, and called a deserter. you haven't any right to call a poor cove names, captain. it ain't because i'm a servant and you're a master, that you're to go and libel me. what wrong have i done? come, captain, let me know what my crime is, will you?'

the stricken grinder wept, and put his coat-cuff in his eye.

'come, captain,' cried the injured youth, 'give my crime a name! what have i been and done? have i stolen any of the property? have i set the house a-fire? if i have, why don't you give me in charge, and try it? but to take away the character of a lad that's been a good servant to you, because he can't afford to stand in his own light for your good, what a injury it is, and what a bad return for faithful service! this is the way young coves is spiled and drove wrong. i wonder at you, captain, i do.'

all of which the grinder howled forth in a lachrymose whine, and backing carefully towards the door.

'and so you've got another berth, have you, my lad?' said the captain, eyeing him intently.

'yes, captain, since you put it in that shape, i have got another berth,' cried rob, backing more and more; 'a better berth than i've got here, and one where i don't so much as want your good word, captain, which is fort'nate for me, after all the dirt you've throw'd at me, because i'm poor, and can't afford to stand in my own light for your good. yes, i have got another berth; and if it wasn't for leaving you unprovided, captain, i'd go to it now, sooner than i'd take them names from you, because i'm poor, and can't afford to stand in my own light for your good. why do you reproach me for being poor, and not standing in my own light for your good, captain? how can you so demean yourself?'

'look ye here, my boy,' replied the peaceful captain. 'don't you pay out no more of them words.'

'well, then, don't you pay in no more of your words, captain,' retorted the roused innocent, getting louder in his whine, and backing into the shop. 'i'd sooner you took my blood than my character.'

'because,' pursued the captain calmly, 'you have heerd, may be, of such a thing as a rope's end.'

'oh, have i though, captain?' cried the taunting grinder. 'no i haven't. i never heerd of any such a article!'

'well,' said the captain, 'it's my belief as you'll know more about it pretty soon, if you don't keep a bright look-out. i can read your signals, my lad. you may go.'

'oh! i may go at once, may i, captain?' cried rob, exulting in his success. 'but mind! i never asked to go at once, captain. you are not to take away my character again, because you send me off of your own accord. and you're not to stop any of my wages, captain!'

his employer settled the last point by producing the tin canister and telling the grinder's money out in full upon the table. rob, snivelling and sobbing, and grievously wounded in his feelings, took up the pieces one by one, with a sob and a snivel for each, and tied them up separately in knots in his pockethandkerchief; then he ascended to the roof of the house and filled his hat and pockets with pigeons; then, came down to his bed under the counter and made up his bundle, snivelling and sobbing louder, as if he were cut to the heart by old associations; then he whined, 'good-night, captain. i leave you without malice!' and then, going out upon the door-step, pulled the little midshipman's nose as a parting indignity, and went away down the street grinning triumphantly.

the captain, left to himself, resumed his perusal of the news as if nothing unusual or unexpected had taken place, and went reading on with the greatest assiduity. but never a word did captain cuttle understand, though he read a vast number, for rob the grinder was scampering up one column and down another all through the newspaper.

it is doubtful whether the worthy captain had ever felt himself quite abandoned until now; but now, old sol gills, walter, and heart's delight were lost to him indeed, and now mr carker deceived and jeered him cruelly. they were all represented in the false rob, to whom he had held forth many a time on the recollections that were warm within him; he had believed in the false rob, and had been glad to believe in him; he had made a companion of him as the last of the old ship's company; he had taken the command of the little midshipman with him at his right hand; he had meant to do his duty by him, and had felt almost as kindly towards the boy as if they had been shipwrecked and cast upon a desert place together. and now, that the false rob had brought distrust, treachery, and meanness into the very parlour, which was a kind of sacred place, captain cuttle felt as if the parlour might have gone down next, and not surprised him much by its sinking, or given him any very great concern.

therefore captain cuttle read the newspaper with profound attention and no comprehension, and therefore captain cuttle said nothing whatever about rob to himself, or admitted to himself that he was thinking about him, or would recognise in the most distant manner that rob had anything to do with his feeling as lonely as robinson crusoe.

in the same composed, business-like way, the captain stepped over to leadenhall market in the dusk, and effected an arrangement with a private watchman on duty there, to come and put up and take down the shutters of the wooden midshipman every night and morning. he then called in at the eating-house to diminish by one half the daily rations theretofore supplied to the midshipman, and at the public-house to stop the traitor's beer. 'my young man,' said the captain, in explanation to the young lady at the bar, 'my young man having bettered himself, miss.' lastly, the captain resolved to take possession of the bed under the counter, and to turn in there o' nights instead of upstairs, as sole guardian of the property.

from this bed captain cuttle daily rose thenceforth, and clapped on his glazed hat at six o'clock in the morning, with the solitary air of crusoe finishing his toilet with his goat-skin cap; and although his fears of a visitation from the savage tribe, macstinger, were somewhat cooled, as similar apprehensions on the part of that lone mariner used to be by the lapse of a long interval without any symptoms of the cannibals, he still observed a regular routine of defensive operations, and never encountered a bonnet without previous survey from his castle of retreat. in the meantime (during which he received no call from mr toots, who wrote to say he was out of town) his own voice began to have a strange sound in his ears; and he acquired such habits of profound meditation from much polishing and stowing away of the stock, and from much sitting behind the counter reading, or looking out of window, that the red rim made on his forehead by the hard glazed hat, sometimes ached again with excess of reflection.

the year being now expired, captain cuttle deemed it expedient to open the packet; but as he had always designed doing this in the presence of rob the grinder, who had brought it to him, and as he had an idea that it would be regular and ship-shape to open it in the presence of somebody, he was sadly put to it for want of a witness. in this difficulty, he hailed one day with unusual delight the announcement in the shipping intelligence of the arrival of the cautious clara, captain john bunsby, from a coasting voyage; and to that philosopher immediately dispatched a letter by post, enjoining inviolable secrecy as to his place of residence, and requesting to be favoured with an early visit, in the evening season.

bunsby, who was one of those sages who act upon conviction, took some days to get the conviction thoroughly into his mind, that he had received a letter to this effect. but when he had grappled with the fact, and mastered it, he promptly sent his boy with the message, 'he's a coming to-night.' who being instructed to deliver those words and disappear, fulfilled his mission like a tarry spirit, charged with a mysterious warning.

the captain, well pleased to receive it, made preparation of pipes and rum and water, and awaited his visitor in the back parlour. at the hour of eight, a deep lowing, as of a nautical bull, outside the shop-door, succeeded by the knocking of a stick on the panel, announced to the listening ear of captain cuttle, that bunsby was alongside; whom he instantly admitted, shaggy and loose, and with his stolid mahogany visage, as usual, appearing to have no consciousness of anything before it, but to be attentively observing something that was taking place in quite another part of the world.

'bunsby,' said the captain, grasping him by the hand, 'what cheer, my lad, what cheer?'

'shipmet,' replied the voice within bunsby, unaccompanied by any sign on the part of the commander himself, 'hearty, hearty.'

'bunsby!' said the captain, rendering irrepressible homage to his genius, 'here you are! a man as can give an opinion as is brighter than di'monds - and give me the lad with the tarry trousers as shines to me like di'monds bright, for which you'll overhaul the stanfell's budget, and when found make a note.' here you are, a man as gave an opinion in this here very place, that has come true, every letter on it,' which the captain sincerely believed.

'ay, ay?' growled bunsby.

'every letter,' said the captain.

'for why?' growled bunsby, looking at his friend for the first time. 'which way? if so, why not? therefore.' with these oracular words - they seemed almost to make the captain giddy; they launched him upon such a sea of speculation and conjecture - the sage submitted to be helped off with his pilot-coat, and accompanied his friend into the back parlour, where his hand presently alighted on the rum-bottle, from which he brewed a stiff glass of grog; and presently afterwards on a pipe, which he filled, lighted, and began to smoke.

captain cuttle, imitating his visitor in the matter of these particulars, though the rapt and imperturbable manner of the great commander was far above his powers, sat in the opposite corner of the fireside, observing him respectfully, and as if he waited for some encouragement or expression of curiosity on bunsby's part which should lead him to his own affairs. but as the mahogany philosopher gave no evidence of being sentient of anything but warmth and tobacco, except once, when taking his pipe from his lips to make room for his glass, he incidentally remarked with exceeding gruffness, that his name was jack bunsby - a declaration that presented but small opening for conversation - the captain bespeaking his attention in a short complimentary exordium, narrated the whole history of uncle sol's departure, with the change it had produced in his own life and fortunes; and concluded by placing the packet on the table.

after a long pause, mr bunsby nodded his head.

'open?' said the captain.

bunsby nodded again.

the captain accordingly broke the seal, and disclosed to view two folded papers, of which he severally read the endorsements, thus: 'last will and testament of solomon gills.' 'letter for ned cuttle.'

bunsby, with his eye on the coast of greenland, seemed to listen for the contents. the captain therefore hemmed to clear his throat, and read the letter aloud.

'"my dear ned cuttle. when i left home for the west indies" - '

here the captain stopped, and looked hard at bunsby, who looked fixedly at the coast of greenland.

' - "in forlorn search of intelligence of my dear boy, i knew that if you were acquainted with my design, you would thwart it, or accompany me; and therefore i kept it secret. if you ever read this letter, ned, i am likely to be dead. you will easily forgive an old friend's folly then, and will feel for the restlessness and uncertainty in which he wandered away on such a wild voyage. so no more of that. i have little hope that my poor boy will ever read these words, or gladden your eyes with the sight of his frank face any more." no, no; no more,' said captain cuttle, sorrowfully meditating; 'no more. there he lays, all his days - '

mr bunsby, who had a musical ear, suddenly bellowed, 'in the bays of biscay, o!' which so affected the good captain, as an appropriate tribute to departed worth, that he shook him by the hand in acknowledgment, and was fain to wipe his eyes.

'well, well!' said the captain with a sigh, as the lament of bunsby ceased to ring and vibrate in the skylight. 'affliction sore, long time he bore, and let us overhaul the wollume, and there find it.'

'physicians,' observed bunsby, 'was in vain."

'ay, ay, to be sure,' said the captain, 'what's the good o' them in two or three hundred fathoms o' water!' then, returning to the letter, he read on: - '"but if he should be by, when it is opened;"' the captain involuntarily looked round, and shook his head; '"or should know of it at any other time;"' the captain shook his head again; '"my blessing on him! in case the accompanying paper is not legally written, it matters very little, for there is no one interested but you and he, and my plain wish is, that if he is living he should have what little there may be, and if (as i fear) otherwise, that you should have it, ned. you will respect my wish, i know. god bless you for it, and for all your friendliness besides, to solomon gills." bunsby!' said the captain, appealing to him solemnly, 'what do you make of this? there you sit, a man as has had his head broke from infancy up'ards, and has got a new opinion into it at every seam as has been opened. now, what do you make o' this?'

'if so be,' returned bunsby, with unusual promptitude, 'as he's dead, my opinion is he won't come back no more. if so be as he's alive, my opinion is he will. do i say he will? no. why not? because the bearings of this obserwation lays in the application on it.'

'bunsby!' said captain cuttle, who would seem to have estimated the value of his distinguished friend's opinions in proportion to the immensity of the difficulty he experienced in making anything out of them; 'bunsby,' said the captain, quite confounded by admiration, 'you carry a weight of mind easy, as would swamp one of my tonnage soon. but in regard o' this here will, i don't mean to take no steps towards the property - lord forbid! - except to keep it for a more rightful owner; and i hope yet as the rightful owner, sol gills, is living and'll come back, strange as it is that he ain't forwarded no dispatches. now, what is your opinion, bunsby, as to stowing of these here papers away again, and marking outside as they was opened, such a day, in the presence of john bunsby and ed'ard cuttle?'

bunsby, descrying no objection, on the coast of greenland or elsewhere, to this proposal, it was carried into execution; and that great man, bringing his eye into the present for a moment, affixed his sign-manual to the cover, totally abstaining, with characteristic modesty, from the use of capital letters. captain cuttle, having attached his own left-handed signature, and locked up the packet in the iron safe, entreated his guest to mix another glass and smoke another pipe; and doing the like himself, fell a musing over the fire on the possible fortunes of the poor old instrument-maker.

and now a surprise occurred, so overwhelming and terrific that captain cuttle, unsupported by the presence of bunsby, must have sunk beneath it, and been a lost man from that fatal hour.

how the captain, even in the satisfaction of admitting such a guest, could have only shut the door, and not locked it, of which negligence he was undoubtedly guilty, is one of those questions that must for ever remain mere points of speculation, or vague charges against destiny. but by that unlocked door, at this quiet moment, did the fell macstinger dash into the parlour, bringing alexander macstinger in her parental arms, and confusion and vengeance (not to mention juliana macstinger, and the sweet child's brother, charles macstinger, popularly known about the scenes of his youthful sports, as chowley) in her train. she came so swiftly and so silently, like a rushing air from the neighbourhood of the east india docks, that captain cuttle found himself in the very act of sitting looking at her, before the calm face with which he had been meditating, changed to one of horror and dismay.

but the moment captain cuttle understood the full extent of his misfortune, self-preservation dictated an attempt at flight. darting at the little door which opened from the parlour on the steep little range of cellar-steps, the captain made a rush, head-foremost, at the latter, like a man indifferent to bruises and contusions, who only sought to hide himself in the bowels of the earth. in this gallant effort he would probably have succeeded, but for the affectionate dispositions of juliana and chowley, who pinning him by the legs - one of those dear children holding on to each - claimed him as their friend, with lamentable cries. in the meantime, mrs macstinger, who never entered upon any action of importance without previously inverting alexander macstinger, to bring him within the range of a brisk battery of slaps, and then sitting him down to cool as the reader first beheld him, performed that solemn rite, as if on this occasion it were a sacrifice to the furies; and having deposited the victim on the floor, made at the captain with a strength of purpose that appeared to threaten scratches to the interposing bunsby.

the cries of the two elder macstingers, and the wailing of young alexander, who may be said to have passed a piebald childhood, forasmuch as he was black in the face during one half of that fairy period of existence, combined to make this visitation the more awful. but when silence reigned again, and the captain, in a violent perspiration, stood meekly looking at mrs macstinger, its terrors were at their height.

'oh, cap'en cuttle, cap'en cuttle!' said mrs macstinger, making her chin rigid, and shaking it in unison with what, but for the weakness of her sex, might be described as her fist. 'oh, cap'en cuttle, cap'en cuttle, do you dare to look me in the face, and not be struck down in the herth!'

the captain, who looked anything but daring, feebly muttered 'standby!'

'oh i was a weak and trusting fool when i took you under my roof, cap'en cuttle, i was!' cried mrs macstinger. 'to think of the benefits i've showered on that man, and the way in which i brought my children up to love and honour him as if he was a father to 'em, when there ain't a housekeeper, no nor a lodger in our street, don't know that i lost money by that man, and by his guzzlings and his muzzlings' - mrs macstinger used the last word for the joint sake of alliteration and aggravation, rather than for the expression of any idea - 'and when they cried out one and all, shame upon him for putting upon an industrious woman, up early and late for the good of her young family, and keeping her poor place so clean that a individual might have ate his dinner, yes, and his tea too, if he was so disposed, off any one of the floors or stairs, in spite of all his guzzlings and his muzzlings, such was the care and pains bestowed upon him!'

mrs macstinger stopped to fetch her breath; and her face flushed with triumph in this second happy introduction of captain cuttle's muzzlings.

'and he runs awa-a-a-y!'cried mrs macstinger, with a lengthening out of the last syllable that made the unfortunate captain regard himself as the meanest of men; 'and keeps away a twelve-month! from a woman! such is his conscience! he hasn't the courage to meet her hi-i-igh;' long syllable again; 'but steals away, like a felion. why, if that baby of mine,' said mrs macstinger, with sudden rapidity, 'was to offer to go and steal away, i'd do my duty as a mother by him, till he was covered with wales!'

the young alexander, interpreting this into a positive promise, to be shortly redeemed, tumbled over with fear and grief, and lay upon the floor, exhibiting the soles of his shoes and making such a deafening outcry, that mrs macstinger found it necessary to take him up in her arms, where she quieted him, ever and anon, as he broke out again, by a shake that seemed enough to loosen his teeth.

'a pretty sort of a man is cap'en cuttle,' said mrs macstinger, with a sharp stress on the first syllable of the captain's name, 'to take on for - and to lose sleep for- and to faint along of- and to think dead forsooth - and to go up and down the blessed town like a madwoman, asking questions after! oh, a pretty sort of a man! ha ha ha ha! he's worth all that trouble and distress of mind, and much more. that's nothing, bless you! ha ha ha ha! cap'en cuttle,' said mrs macstinger, with severe reaction in her voice and manner, 'i wish to know if you're a-coming home.

the frightened captain looked into his hat, as if he saw nothing for it but to put it on, and give himself up.

'cap'en cuttle,' repeated mrs macstinger, in the same determined manner, 'i wish to know if you're a-coming home, sir.'

the captain seemed quite ready to go, but faintly suggested something to the effect of 'not making so much noise about it.'

'ay, ay, ay,' said bunsby, in a soothing tone. 'awast, my lass, awast!'

'and who may you be, if you please!' retorted mrs macstinger, with chaste loftiness. 'did you ever lodge at number nine, brig place, sir? my memory may be bad, but not with me, i think. there was a mrs jollson lived at number nine before me, and perhaps you're mistaking me for her. that is my only ways of accounting for your familiarity, sir.'

'come, come, my lass, awast, awast!' said bunsby.

captain cuttle could hardly believe it, even of this great man, though he saw it done with his waking eyes; but bunsby, advancing boldly, put his shaggy blue arm round mrs macstinger, and so softened her by his magic way of doing it, and by these few words - he said no more - that she melted into tears, after looking upon him for a few moments, and observed that a child might conquer her now, she was so low in her courage.

speechless and utterly amazed, the captain saw him gradually persuade this inexorable woman into the shop, return for rum and water and a candle, take them to her, and pacify her without appearing to utter one word. presently he looked in with his pilot-coat on, and said, 'cuttle, i'm a-going to act as convoy home;' and captain cuttle, more to his confusion than if he had been put in irons himself, for safe transport to brig place, saw the family pacifically filing off, with mrs macstinger at their head. he had scarcely time to take down his canister, and stealthily convey some money into the hands of juliana macstinger, his former favourite, and chowley, who had the claim upon him that he was naturally of a maritime build, before the midshipman was abandoned by them all; and bunsby whispering that he'd carry on smart, and hail ned cuttle again before he went aboard, shut the door upon himself, as the last member of the party.

some uneasy ideas that he must be walking in his sleep, or that he had been troubled with phantoms, and not a family of flesh and blood, beset the captain at first, when he went back to the little parlour, and found himself alone. illimitable faith in, and immeasurable admiration of, the commander of the cautious clara, succeeded, and threw the captain into a wondering trance.

still, as time wore on, and bunsby failed to reappear, the captain began to entertain uncomfortable doubts of another kind. whether bunsby had been artfully decoyed to brig place, and was there detained in safe custody as hostage for his friend; in which case it would become the captain, as a man of honour, to release him, by the sacrifice of his own liberty. whether he had been attacked and defeated by mrs macstinger, and was ashamed to show himself after his discomfiture. whether mrs macstinger, thinking better of it, in the uncertainty of her temper, had turned back to board the midshipman again, and bunsby, pretending to conduct her by a short cut, was endeavouring to lose the family amid the wilds and savage places of the city. above all, what it would behove him, captain cuttle, to do, in case of his hearing no more, either of the macstingers or of bunsby, which, in these wonderful and unforeseen conjunctions of events, might possibly happen.

he debated all this until he was tired; and still no bunsby. he made up his bed under the counter, all ready for turning in; and still no bunsby. at length, when the captain had given him up, for that night at least, and had begun to undress, the sound of approaching wheels was heard, and, stopping at the door, was succeeded by bunsby's hail.

the captain trembled to think that mrs macstinger was not to be got rid of, and had been brought back in a coach.

but no. bunsby was accompanied by nothing but a large box, which he hauled into the shop with his own hands, and as soon as he had hauled in, sat upon. captain cuttle knew it for the chest he had left at mrs macstinger's house, and looking, candle in hand, at bunsby more attentively, believed that he was three sheets in the wind, or, in plain words, drunk. it was difficult, however, to be sure of this; the commander having no trace of expression in his face when sober.

'cuttle,' said the commander, getting off the chest, and opening the lid, 'are these here your traps?'

captain cuttle looked in and identified his property.

'done pretty taut and trim, hey, shipmet?' said bunsby.

the grateful and bewildered captain grasped him by the hand, and was launching into a reply expressive of his astonished feelings, when bunsby disengaged himself by a jerk of his wrist, and seemed to make an effort to wink with his revolving eye, the only effect of which attempt, in his condition, was nearly to over-balance him. he then abruptly opened the door, and shot away to rejoin the cautious clara with all speed - supposed to be his invariable custom, whenever he considered he had made a point.

as it was not his humour to be often sought, captain cuttle decided not to go or send to him next day, or until he should make his gracious pleasure known in such wise, or failing that, until some little time should have lapsed. the captain, therefore, renewed his solitary life next morning, and thought profoundly, many mornings, noons, and nights, of old sol gills, and bunsby's sentiments concerning him, and the hopes there were of his return. much of such thinking strengthened captain cuttle's hopes; and he humoured them and himself by watching for the instrument-maker at the door - as he ventured to do now, in his strange liberty - and setting his chair in its place, and arranging the little parlour as it used to be, in case he should come home unexpectedly. he likewise, in his thoughtfulness, took down a certain little miniature of walter as a schoolboy, from its accustomed nail, lest it should shock the old man on his return. the captain had his presentiments, too, sometimes, that he would come on such a day; and one particular sunday, even ordered a double allowance of dinner, he was so sanguine. but come, old solomon did not; and still the neighbours noticed how the seafaring man in the glazed hat, stood at the shop-door of an evening, looking up and down the street.

时间以它坚定的步伐和坚强的意志向前推进，年老的仪器制造商在留下的信件中，嘱咐他的朋友不许打开封好的包裹的一年期限就要满了；有一天晚上，卡特尔船长怀着神秘与不安的感觉望着它。

船长是一位正直的人，他从没想到过要在期满之前哪怕一个小时打开这个包裹，就像他从没想到过要剖开他自己来研究一下他身体的构造一样。他只是在晚间抽第一斗烟的时候把它拿出来，放在桌子上，然后接连两三个钟头坐在那里，通过烟雾，沉默而严肃地注视着它的外表。有时，船长在这样细心观察了好长一段时间之后，逐渐地把椅子往后拉开，拉开，仿佛要拉出包裹的魔力范围之外似的；可是如果这是他的意图的话，那么他却从没有成功过，甚至当客厅的墙壁挡住他的退路的时候，那个包裹仍旧吸引着他；或者如果他在浮思漫想之中把眼光转到天花板或炉火上去的话，那么它的形象就会立即跟随而来，显著地停落在煤块中间，或者在白色的灰泥上占据了一个有利的位置。

对于“心的喜悦”，船长慈父般的关怀与喜爱并没有改变。可是自从上次跟卡克先生会晤以后，卡特尔船长心中开始怀疑：他以前为了这位小姐和他亲爱的孩子沃尔特所进行过的干预究竟是不是已证明像他曾经期望过的以及他当时曾相信过的那么有利。船长非常忧虑，他所造成的害处已大于益处，这点使他心中苦恼不安。他在悔恨与自责的过程中，决心赎回自己的罪过；他所采取的办法就是使他自己根本不可能再有害于任何人，就好像把他自己当作一位危险的人物，给扔到船外去一样。

因此，船长就把自己埋没在仪器中间，从来不走近董贝先生的公馆，或设法让弗洛伦斯或尼珀小姐知道他的情况。他甚至跟珀奇先生也断绝了关系；在他最近来拜访的时候，他冷淡地通知这位先生，他感谢他的交情，可是他已决心跟所有的熟人不相来往，因为他担心他会在无意间把哪个弹药库给爆炸了。船长在这种心甘情愿的隐居中，除了跟磨工罗布交谈外，整整几天、整整几个星期不跟任何人交谈一句话；至于磨工罗布，船长则认为他不怀私心，情深义重，忠心耿耿，在这些方面可以称得上是个模范。船长在这样隐居的时候，有一天晚上注视着包裹，坐着抽烟，想着弗洛伦斯和可怜的沃尔特，直到后来，他们两人在他的朴实的想象中似乎已经死了，变成了永恒的青年——他最初记忆中的美丽的、天真烂漫的孩子——。

不过船长在沉思默想中并没有忽略自己的进步和对磨工罗布智力的培养。他通常要求这位年轻人每天晚上向他朗诵书本一小时。由于船长盲目地相信一切书本都是对的，所以罗布就通过这个途径积累了许多令人注目的知识。星期天晚上，船长在睡觉之前经常为他自己读基督有一次在一座山上布道1中的一些段落；虽然他习惯按照他自己的方式，不用书本，引用原文，可是他读的时候，仿佛早已熟记它的希腊文，对于它的每一句箴言他都能写出出色的神学论文，不论写多少篇都可以似的。

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1见《马太福音》5—7章。

磨工罗布对圣书的虔诚精神，在磨工学校美妙的制度下，曾经得到过很好的培养。他曾经不断地碰撞犹太族人的名字，在脑骨上留下永久的伤痕；他曾经单调无味地一遍又一遍地读着那些艰深难懂的韵文；特别是，他曾经受过惩罚，他还曾经在六岁的时候穿着皮裤，每星期天三次，在一座很闷热的教堂的很高的走廊中整步行进；那里有一架大风琴，像一只特别勤勉的蜜蜂一样，在他昏昏欲睡的脑袋上发出嗡嗡的响声；他就是通过这样一些途径，培养起对圣书的虔诚精神的。因此，每当船长停止朗读的时候，磨工罗布就装出一副深受启发的样子，而当朗读正在进行的时候，他则通常是打呵欠和打瞌睡。善良的船长从来没有怀疑会发生后面提到的那种情况。

卡特尔船长作为一个做生意的人，也记起帐来。他在这些帐册里记上他对于气候及运货马车和其他车辆行驶方向的观察；他注意到，在他那个地区内，这些车辆在早上和一天的大部分时间内是向西行驶的，到晚上则向东行驶。有一个星期有两三个过路的人进来看看，他们“跟他谈到”——船长这样记道——眼镜方面的事；他们什么也没有买，答应以后再来看看；船长判断生意开始要好转起来了，并在当天的日记帐中记载着：那时风吹来相当清新（他首先记载上这一点），风向西北；夜间有所改变。

船长的主要困难之一是图茨先生。他时常到这里来，话说得不多；看来他有个想法：小后客厅是个可以在那里吃吃发笑的合适的房间；虽然他和船长根本没有比以前更为亲密的关系，可是他却会在那里坐上整整半个小时，利用它的便利条件，来达到他的目的。船长根据最近的经验，变得谨慎小心，可是他仍然不能判断，图茨先生是不是确实就像他表面上看去那样，是个温顺的人，还是一位非常狡猾、善于掩饰的伪君子。他时常提到董贝小姐，这是可疑的，不过图茨先生表面上对船长是信赖的，船长内心对这一点怀有好感，所以就暂时克制自己，不做出不利于图茨先生的决定；每当图茨先生提到他内心深处的那个问题时，船长仅仅用难以形容的聪明的神色注视着他。

“吉尔斯船长，”图茨先生有一天以他惯常的方式，突然说道，“您能不能行个好，考虑一下我的建议，让我跟您交个朋友好吗？”

“啊，我的孩子，我来跟您说说，事情是怎样的，”船长终于决定了行动方针，回答道，“我已经想过这件事了。”

“吉尔斯船长，您真好，”图茨先生回答道，“我非常感谢您。说实话，我以荣誉向您发誓，您能让我荣幸地跟您交个朋友，这真是做了一件仁慈的事。确实是这样的。”

“我得说，老弟，”船长慢吞吞地说道，“我不了解您。”

“可是如果您不让我荣幸地跟您交朋友的话，”图茨先生坚定地向着目标前进，回答道，“那么您就永远也不能了解我了。”

船长似乎被这个新颖而有力的意见所打动，看着图茨先生，仿佛心中想到，他身上具有更多的东西，是他原先没有料想到的。

“说得好，我的孩子，”船长沉思地点着头，说道，“说得不错。现在您听着，您向我讲过一些话，我从您的话中了解到，您爱慕上一位可爱的人儿，是不是？”

“吉尔斯船长，”图茨先生用拿着帽子的那只手有力她打着手势，说道，“爱慕不是个确切的字眼。我以荣誉发誓，您根本想不出我的感情是怎样的。如果能把我的皮肤染成黑色，让我做董贝小姐的奴隶，那么我将认为这是对我的恩惠。如果我能够以我的全部财产为代价，投生成董贝小姐的一条狗的话，——那么我——我确实认为，我将会永远不停地摇着尾巴。我将会感到无限幸福，吉尔斯船长！”

图茨先生说这些话的时候，眼泪汪汪，同时怀着深情，把帽子紧紧压着胸脯。

“我的孩子，”船长被他感动了，产生了怜悯心，因此回答道，“如果您是真心实意的话——”

“吉尔斯船长，”图茨先生喊道，“我现在处于这样一种心情，我死心塌地、真心实意到了这样一种地步，如果我能在一块炽热的铁块上，或者在一块火红的煤块上，或者在熔化的铅上，或者在燃烧的封蜡上，或者在任何这一类东西上发誓的话，那么我将高兴烧伤我自己，这样我的感情就可以得到宽慰了，”图茨先生急忙往房间四处张望，仿佛想要找到一种足够痛苦的手段，来达到他那可怕的目的似的。

船长把他那顶上了光的帽子推向脑后，用沉重的手敲打着脸孔，使它低垂下去——这使他的鼻子显出更多的颜色来了——，然后在图茨先生面前站住，用钩子钩住他的上衣翻领，对他说了以下的一些话；这时候图茨先生十分注意地，并带着几分惊奇地仰望着他的脸孔。

“您知道，我的孩子，”船长说道，“如果您是真心实意的话，那么我就应当仁慈地对待您，而仁慈是不列颠人头上所戴花冠中最明亮的宝石；请您阅读一下英国的爱国国歌中阐述的宪法，当您找到的时候，那就是守护天使许多次为它歌唱的宪章。做好准备！您向我提出的建议使我大吃一惊。为什么这样？因为您明白，我像一条船一样，独自停留在这里的海面上，没有别的僚艇，也许我也不需要它们。别着急！您第一次是由于一位小姐的缘故来跟我打招呼的，是她准许您来的。现在，如果您真想要跟我交朋友的话，那么我们就决不应该在这里称呼或提到这位小姐的名字。在这之前，由于称呼她的名字太随便了，我不知道曾经招来多少不幸，因此我现在闭口不谈她。老弟，您明白我的意思了吗？”

“唔，吉尔斯先生，”图茨先生回答道，“如果我有时听不太懂您的话，请您原谅我。不过，说实话，吉尔斯船长，要我不能提到董贝小姐，这是很为难的事。我这里确实有着一份十分可怕的负担！”图茨先生用两只手摸着衬衫的胸口，“我日日夜夜都感觉到它，仿佛有什么人坐在我身上似的。”

“这就是我所提的条件，”船长说道，“老弟，如果这对于您过于苛刻的话——可能是这样的——，那么就请离开得远远地，改换一条航道，我们高高兴兴地分手吧！”

“吉尔斯船长，”图茨先生回答道，“我真不知道这是怎么回事，不过自从我第一次上您这里，您跟我谈过那些话之后，我——我觉得我跟您在一起的时候想着董贝小姐，比跟其他任何人在一起的时候谈到她还愉快。所以，吉尔斯船长，如果您肯答应我跟您交朋友的话，那么我将十分乐意遵守您所提出的条件。我愿意做一位正直的人，吉尔斯船长，”图茨先生把伸出的手又缩回来一会儿，说道，“因此，我不得不说明，我不能不想到董贝小姐。要我答应不想到她，这是不可能的。”

“我的孩子，”船长说道，由于图茨先生这样坦率的发誓，船长对他的看法比先前好多了，“人的思想像风一样，任何人都不能在任何时候给它们担保。不过在讲话方面，我们是不是就这样约定了。”

“说到讲话方面，吉尔斯船长，”图茨先生回答道，“我想我是能约束自己的。”

图茨先生当场立刻就向卡特尔船长伸出手去；船长露出愉快和仁慈的神色，赐予他恩惠，正式同意跟他交朋友。图茨先生似乎由于如愿以偿，感到十分安慰和欢喜，在其余的时间里一直吃吃地笑着，直到离开为止。在船长这方面，他对担当庇护人的角色并没有感到有什么不高兴的，而且他对他自己的谨慎小心和深谋远虑是感到极为满意的。

卡特尔船长的后一种性格虽然十分突出，可是这一天晚上他却从磨工罗布这样憨厚、纯朴的年轻人那里遇到一件意外的事情。这位老实的小伙子跟船长坐在同一张桌子旁边喝着茶；船长戴上眼镜，极为费劲、但神情却十分尊严地读着报纸；罗布向他带托的茶杯温顺地低下头，并斜眼对他主人观察了一些时候之后，打破沉默，说道：

“啊！请原谅，船长，不过，也许您需要鸽子吧，是不是，先生？”

“不需要，我的孩子，”船长回答道。

“因为我想把我的鸽子给处理掉，船长，”罗布说道。

“啊，真的吗？”船长稍稍扬起他那浓密的眉毛，喊道。

“是的，我要走了，船长，如果您允许的话，”罗布说道。

“走了？你要上哪里去？”船长转过头，越过眼镜，看着他，问道。

“怎么？难道您不知道我要离开您吗，船长？”罗布胆怯心虚地微笑了一下，问道。

船长放下报纸，摘掉眼镜，一动不动地注视着这位要抛弃他的人。

“啊是的，船长，我正想事先告诉您。我原以为，您也许早已知道了，”罗布搓着手，站起来，说道，“如果您肯行个好，很快找到另一位仆人的话，那么，船长，那对我将会是极大的方便。我担心，您明天早上找不到什么人吧，船长，您认为您能找到吗？”

“这么说，你是打算变换旗号了，是不是，我的孩子？”船长长久地细细看着他的脸孔之后，说道。

“啊，船长，您对待年轻小伙子太严厉了，”心地温厚的罗布片刻间感到又委屈又愤怒，喊道，“他规规矩矩地预先告诉您，可是您却那么皱着眉头，看着他，还骂他是个变节的人。船长，您没有任何权利辱骂一个可怜的年轻人。不能因为我是仆人，您是主人，您就来诽谤我。我做了什么不好的事啦？您说吧，船长，请您告诉我，我犯了什么罪了，好不好？”

伤心的磨工大哭起来，并用外衣袖口擦着眼睛。

“喂，船长，”受了委屈的年轻人喊道，“请给我定一个罪名吧！我是个什么人，我做了什么啦？我偷东西了吗？我放火烧房子了吗？如果我干过这些事，那么您为什么不去控告我和审判我？可是，一位曾经是您的好仆人的孩子，就因为他不能为了您的利益而妨碍他自己的前程，您就败坏他的名誉，这是什么样的侮辱！对于忠心耿耿的服务又是何等恶劣的报答啊！这就是为什么一些年轻小伙子会离开正道，走入歧途的原因！我真对您感到惊奇，船长。”

所有这些话，磨工都是泪流满面，嚎啕大哭着说出来的，同时他又小心翼翼地往门口退去。

“这么说，你已经找到另一个铺位了，是不是，我的孩子？”

船长聚精会神地注视着他。

“是的，船长，就用您的话来说吧，我已经找到另一个铺位了，”罗布哭道，一边继续向后退去；“一个比这里更好的铺位；我不需要您替我在那里说一句好话，船长，这对我来说是幸运的，因为由于我穷，由于我不能为了您的利益而妨碍我自己的前程，您已臭骂了我一顿。是的，我已经找到了另一个铺位；如果我不是担心没有找到另外的仆人，就把您留下来的话，那么我真愿意现在就到那里去，而不来听您因为我穷，因为我不能为了您的利益而妨碍我自己的前程而谩骂我。您为什么因为我穷，因为我不能为了您的利益而妨碍我自己的前程就责怪我呢，船长，您为什么能这样行事呢？”“你听我说，我的孩子，”船长心平气和地回答道，“你最好别再说这些话。”

“唔，那么您最好也别再对我说那些话，船长，”被惹得生气了的无辜的人说道，并继续后退到店铺里去；他的哭声愈来愈响了；“我宁肯您抽掉我的血，也不要败坏我的名誉！”

“因为，”船长平平静静地继续说道，“你也许听说过打人用的短绳这种东西吧！”

“您听说过吗，船长？”骂骂咧咧的磨工喊道，“没有，我没听说过。我从来没听说过这样一种东西！”

“唔，”船长说道，“我相信，如果你不是时刻防备着的话，那么你将会很快熟悉它的。我明白你的信号，我的孩子。你可以走了。”

“这么说，我立刻就可以走了，是不是，船长？”罗布由于取得成功而欢天喜地，喊道，“可是记住！我从没有请求您让我立刻就走，船长。您不能再一次败坏我的名誉，因为您是出于自愿叫我走的。您也没有权利扣发我的工资，船长！”

他的主人取出锡制的茶叶罐，把应该付给磨工的钱在桌子上全部点清，因此把他所提出的最后一个问题给解决了。罗布装着可怜相，抽抽嗒嗒地哭泣着；他在感情上虽然受到了极大的伤害，但却把硬币一个个地捡起来，每捡起一个就装着可怜相，抽抽嗒嗒地哭泣一次，并把它们一个个分别塞进用手绢结成的小圆包里；然后，他登上屋顶，在帽子和口袋里装满了鸽子；然后，他走下来，到柜台下面的床铺边，把他的物品捆成一个包袱；这时他装着可怜相，抽抽嗒嗒地哭泣得更响，仿佛他的心已被往事的回忆撕得粉碎了；接着，他哀哭着，说道，“再见吧，船长，我离开您是没有恶意的！”然后，他走出到门口的台阶上，把小海军军官候补生的鼻子揪了一下，作为离别时给他的一点侮辱，最后他得意扬扬地露着牙齿笑着，走进了街道。

当只剩下船长一个人的时候，他又重新拿起报纸，仿佛没有发生过任何不寻常或意外的事情似的，继续孜孜不倦地念下去。可是卡特尔船长虽然念了好多，但却一个字也不明白，因为磨工罗布一直在报纸各栏之间蹦来跳去。

船长过去是否曾像现在这样感到被人遗弃过，这很难说；可是现在，老所尔·吉尔斯，沃尔特，心的喜悦，对他来说，是真正失去了，卡克先生又残酷地欺骗和戏弄了他。虚伪的罗布代表了他们所有的人；船长曾经很多次把心中最美好的回忆讲给他听；他曾经相信这个虚伪的罗布，而且是高高兴兴地相信他的；他曾经把他当作自己的一位伴侣，就像是一艘船中唯一还活着的朋友一样；他曾经把他当作得力助手，执行着小海军军官候补生的命令；他曾经打算尽他对他的责任；他对这孩子也曾抱有十分亲切的感情，仿佛他们曾经在同一艘船中遇难，一道被风浪吹刮到一个荒无人烟的地方似的。可是现在，当虚伪的罗布已把不信任、叛变和卑鄙带进客厅这个神圣的地方时，卡特尔船长感到客厅仿佛可能就要沉陷下去似的；如果它真正沉陷下去的话，那么他并不会感到十分惊奇，也不会感到有什么很大忧虑的。

因此，卡特尔船长十分专心地念着报纸，但却丝毫也不理解；因此，卡特尔船长没有自言自语地说到任何有关罗布的话；他不承认他在想他；虽然他感到自己现在像鲁滨逊·克鲁索一样孤独，但他不承认罗布跟他的这种感受有丝毫关系。

在同样一种镇静自若，不慌不忙的情况下，船长在薄暮时步行到伦敦肉类市场，跟那里一位值班的看守人讲好，让他每天夜间和早上前来关上和打开木制海军军官候补生的百叶窗。然后他走进小餐馆，把每天从那里供应给海军军官候补生的食物减少一半，又走进酒吧，通知停止向那位叛逆者供应啤酒。“我那位年轻人，”船长向站柜台的姑娘解释说，“我那位年轻人已经找到一份更好的工作了，小姐。”最后，船长作为产业的唯一看管人，决定把柜台下面的床铺接收下来，他在夜间就在这里而不上楼去安息。

从此以后，卡特尔船长每天早上六点钟就从这张床上起来，把上了光的帽子扣到额上；那份孤独的神态就跟克鲁索带上山羊皮帽子，结束梳洗时一样；虽然他对野蛮部族麦克·斯廷杰的侵袭的恐惧已减少一些，就像那位孤独的航海家在很长时间内没有见到吃人肉者的形迹，逐渐减少忧虑相似，可是他仍按照常规，遵守那些防御措施，每当看到女帽的时候，总要退避到他的堡垒里，事先侦察一番。在这段时间中（图茨先生来信说，他到城外去了，所以没有前来拜访），他自己的他听起来都开始觉得奇怪了；同时由于经常不断地拭擦和安放存货，并由于长久地坐在柜台后面阅读和向窗外看望，他养成了沉思的习惯，因此他前额上被上了光的坚硬的帽子扣成的红圈有时因为过度的思考而发痛。

现在一年的期限满了，卡特尔船长认为该把包裹打开了；可是由于他过去一直打算当着把包裹带给他的罗布的面做这件事，而且他还认为当着别人的面打开它是合适和正当的，因此现在缺少一位见证人，他感到很烦恼。正在感到为难的时候，有一天他在报纸“航运消息”栏中看到一则通告：“谨慎的克拉拉”号和它的船长约翰·邦斯贝从一次沿海岸的航行中回来了，他看完之后以异乎寻常的高兴发出了欢呼，并立即向这位智慧超群的人邮寄了一封信，叮嘱他为他住所的地址保守秘密，并请他尽早在晚间来看他。

邦斯贝是那些按照信念行事的聪明人当中的一位，他花了几天工夫才在心中完全树立了这个信念：他已收到了一封大意如此的信。可是当他掌握了这个事实，并彻底弄清楚它之后，他立即就派他的见习船员送去口信：“他今天晚上就来。”这位见习船员被指示去传达这些任务之后就消失不见了，他像一个担负着神秘嘱托、身上涂着柏油的精灵似的，完成了他的使命。

船长接到口信十分高兴，准备好朗姆酒和水，在后客厅里等候着他的客人。八点钟，店门外像是海牛发出的一声深沉的叫声，接着是手杖在门上嵌板上的敲打声，向卡特尔船长注意听着的耳朵通报：邦斯贝已向他靠拢了；船长立即让他进来；他头发蓬松，红木色的脸孔显得迟钝发呆；像往常一样，他仿佛没有看到眼前的任何东西，而是在注意观察世界另一部分发生的什么事。

“邦斯贝，”船长抓住他的手，说道，“您好吧，好朋友，您好吧！”

“老船友，”邦斯贝身体内发出的回答道，但是这位商船指挥者本人的神态却没有任何相应的变化，“我身体还不错，还不错。”

“邦斯贝，”船长向他的天才表示了难以抑制的敬意，说道，“您来啦！您的见解比钻石还明亮呵！您给我派来的那位穿柏油裤子的年轻小伙子就像钻石一样闪闪发光！请您查一下《斯坦菲尔选集》，可以找到这句