Chance
Page 249Mr. Powell expressed a polite incredulity. The thick, congested mate
seemed on the point of bursting with despondency. "That was bad example
though. I was young and fell into dangerous company, made a fool of
myself--yes, as true as you see me sitting here. Drank to forget.
Thought it a great dodge."
Powell looked at the grotesque Franklin with awakened interest and with
that half-amused sympathy with which we receive unprovoked confidences
from men with whom we have no sort of affinity. And at the same time he
began to look upon him more seriously. Experience has its prestige. And
the mate continued: "If it hadn't been for the old lady, I would have gone to the devil. I
remembered her in time. Nothing like having an old lady to look after to
steady a chap and make him face things. But as bad luck would have it,
Captain Anthony has no mother living, not a blessed soul belonging to him
as far as I know. Oh, aye, I fancy he said once something to me of a
sister. But she's married. She don't need him. Yes. In the old days
he used to talk to me as if we had been brothers," exaggerated the mate
relation and she isn't likely to turn against me. And I suppose you are
the man I've known the longest in the world.' That's how he used to
speak to me. Can I turn my back on him? He has turned his back on his
ship; that's what it has come to. He has no one now but his old
Franklin. But what's a fellow to do to put things back as they were and
should be. Should be--I say!"
His starting eyes had a terrible fixity. Mr. Powell's irresistible
thought, "he resembles a boiled lobster in distress," was followed by
annoyance. "Good Lord," he said, "you don't mean to hint that Captain
Anthony has fallen into bad company. What is it you want to save him
from?"
"I do mean it," affirmed the mate, and the very absurdity of the
statement made it impressive--because it seemed so absolutely audacious.
"Well, you have a cheek," said young Powell, feeling mentally helpless.
"I have a notion the captain would half kill you if he were to know how
"And welcome," uttered the fervently devoted Franklin. "I am willing, if
he would only clear the ship afterwards of that . . . You are but a
youngster and you may go and tell him what you like. Let him knock the
stuffing out of his old Franklin first and think it over afterwards.
Anything to pull him together. But of course you wouldn't. You are all
right. Only you don't know that things are sometimes different from what
they look. There are friendships that are no friendships, and marriages
that are no marriages. Phoo! Likely to be right--wasn't it? Never a
hint to me. I go off on leave and when I come back, there it is--all
over, settled! Not a word beforehand. No warning. If only: 'What do
you think of it, Franklin?'--or anything of the sort. And that's a man
who hardly ever did anything without asking my advice. Why! He couldn't
take over a new coat from the tailor without . . . first thing, directly
the fellow came on board with some new clothes, whether in London or in
China, it would be: 'Pass the word along there for Mr. Franklin. Mr.
Franklin. Fits all right, doesn't it?' And I would say: 'First rate,
sir,' or whatever was the truth of it. That or anything else. Always
the truth of it. Always. And well he knew it; and that's why he dared
not speak right out. Talking about workmen, alterations, cabins . . .
Phoo! . . . instead of a straightforward--'Wish me joy, Mr. Franklin!'
Yes, that was the way to let me know. God only knows what they
are--perhaps she isn't his daughter any more than she is . . . She
doesn't resemble that old fellow. Not a bit. Not a bit. It's very
awful. You may well open your mouth, young man. But for goodness' sake,
you who are mixed up with that lot, keep your eyes and ears open too in
case--in case of . . . I don't know what. Anything. One wonders what
can happen here at sea! Nothing. Yet when a man is called a jailer
behind his back."