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
sentimentally. "'Franklin,'--he would say--'this ship is my nearest
relation and she isn't likely to turn against me.
Pages:
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619